Crave

Many companies at CES are working on products that combine TV programming with related content from the Internet and distribute it throughout the home (Microsoft demonstrated some of these capabilities with Vista and Media Center Extenders during its keynote on Sunday). But Sharp is the first company to demonstrate a prototype product that can stream two simultaneous HD feeds and Internet content over the existing power lines in your home.

The technology, called Network AQUOS, uses PowerLine Communication modems to connect the TV and PC, and transmit high-quality audio, video and online content over Homeplug AV, a high-speed networking standard. … Read more

There's a new buzz in the air at CES, and robotic toy company WowWee is creating it. The FlyTech Dragonfly is a remote-controlled dragonfly that can fly, flutter, swoop and crash with gusto. The little Styrofoam-and-plastic bug is thrown like a paper airplane, then controlled using the included Xbox 360 controller-like remote. Because it uses wings rather than a propeller to generate lift, it flies like an erratic airplane. While it's slightly harder to keep in the air and can't take off on its own, it's far easier to steer than spinout-prone remote-controlled mini-helicopters.

The Dragonfly … Read more

At CES 2007, Seagate announced a new family of hard drives (or "data movers," as Seagate called them): the FreeAgent family. It includes four members, each available in multiple capacities. The unifying element, aside from external design, is the idea that you can access your content wherever you need it.

The FreeAgent Pro is a combination desktop and online solution designed for creative professionals. It allows you to create synchronization rules for various types of data. For example, you could arrange to have your Outlook address book sync to your iPod (when you dock it) every time you … Read more

One of the most eagerly anticipated aftermarket car tech gadgets at this year's CES is the Dash Express from Dash Navigation. Dash Express is the first portable navigation system to have built-in two-way connectivity (cellular and Wi-Fi), giving drivers access to a whole new world of information via the Internet and the network of other Dash-connected users. The system display real-time traffic data, which comes from the network of other Dash drivers, while Web connectivity gives drivers a points-of-interest database served up by Yahoo Local, with whom Dash announced a partnership last week. Here are some of the major … Read more

With all the talk about Windows Vista and the new security features, Sidebar widgets and Aero interface, it's worth taking a moment to look at what new features Microsoft has cooked up for tablet users.

Tablet PCs are gaining in popularity, and the first two retail-ready Vista laptops we've looked at (the HP tx1000 and Toshiba Portege R400) are both convertible tablet models that take advantage of some of Vista's new tablet-friendly features.

Tablet users who spend a lot of time using a stylus as their input device will appreciate Pen Flicks, a Microsoft-designed system of shortcuts … Read more

There's no shortage of Bluetooth headsets here at CES, and the Gennum nx6000 stood out as one of the smallest ones we've seen. Weighing in at only 0.38 ounce, and sporting a more flexible earloop and smaller earpiece, the nx6000 is an improvement from Gennum's previous headset designs. It comes with a mini-USB jack for recharging and as a way to "future-proof" the device, as Gennum plans to enable consumers to download future firmware updates. The nx6000 has a battery strength indicator feature and utilizes Gennum's noise-cancellation technology, which isolates the user's … Read more

At CES, Memorex announced the 12GB version of its Mega TravelDrive, which has a 1-inch hard disk drive. The tiny drive (about the size of a box of TicTacs) is encased in a sleek, gun-metal finish, and looks not unlike a large Zippo lighter. The USB connector pivots through a 90-degree range, allowing you to squeeze it into tight spaces. The TravelDrive joins the 6GB and 8GB versions and is available now for about $150.

HP announced its new lineup of HDTVs for 2007, and the biggest news is probably that its well-received DLP (digital light processing) rear-projection sets aren't being refreshed for the new year. Word is that the company will let stores sell through the DLPs still out there, but that's it. The focus for 2007 will be on flat-panel models. It's strange, considering that the company invested heavily in DLP technology.

Although I suggested in a recent column that the future for rear-projection sets was pretty dim, I think it's a shame HP's rear-projection sets may soon … Read more

At CES yesterday, Memorex announced the Ultra Travel Drive, a 2.5-inch portable hard drive with interchangeable color faceplates (it ships in a metallic-charcoal faceplate). It comes in three capacities--80GB, 120GB, and 160GB--and each drive ships with two extra faceplates that you can swap out. The 80GB drive comes with Sagebrush Green and Desert Orange, the 120GB comes with Ocean Blue and Fire Red, and the 160GB comes with steel-metallic and Arctic White glossy faceplates.

The curved drive fits comfortably in your hand, and the rubberized sides let you get a safe grip on it. A tiny LED on the … Read more