cebit

Gates to keynote CES, while CeBit rejiggers itself

Though he plans to transition to part-time Microsoft employee next year, Chairman Bill Gates isn't leaving the tech stage. In fact, he will assume his usual place in the tech world, delivering the opening keynote for the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, which takes place in January.

Also on the lineup announced Thursday are Intel CEO Paul Otellini and Toshihiro Sakamoto, president of Panasonic's AVC Networks Company unit. The show runs from Jan 7 to 10, with Gates kicking things off on January 6, the Sunday before the event officially gets under way.

Meanwhile, in other trade show news, … Read more

Samsung's latest UMPC on display at CeBIT

The sun never sets on Crave. Our British counterparts are in Germany this week, attending the big CeBIT show where they spent some hands-on time with Samsung's latest attempt at turning the potential of the ultramobile PC (UMPC) concept into an actual product that actual people might actually use. (We've yet to review a UMPC that isn't awkward, underpowered, and overpriced, including the Samsung Q1.) Samsung's second-generation UMPC, dubbed the Q1 Ultra, brings some improvements to the table, which--to their surprise--left our British Cravers somewhat impressed.

First, it's a bit thinner and lighter than the … Read more

Wishing for cell phones from CeBIT

It's now two weeks before CTIA and you know what that means--our European cousins kick off their own gadget blowout with the annual CeBIT trade show in Hanover, Germany. Like CES, this tech party covers all corners of the gadget world but you can bet cell phones will make an impressive showing. It can be quite exciting for a cell phone fiend, until you realize that few of the flashy handsets will make it to U.S. carriers.

That said, our colleagues at CNET UK have hit the ground running and already have posted photos of new handsets from … Read more

Shoe shoppers step up to virtual mirror

Love the idea of walking out of the store with hip new shoes, but don't like the idea of trying on a dozen pairs to see which ones look best? Researchers from the image-processing department at Berlin's Heinrich-Hertz-Institut have come up with a system that lets shoppers "try on" footwear without having to lace, tie, buckle or Velcro.

A camera captures the customer's feet in standard fitting boots, then imposes 3D computer-generated video images of various styles onto those same tootsies. Standing before the "virtual mirror," consumers select their looks via touch-screen and … Read more