Design

CES: LG's Prototype - Dick Tracy called and wants his phone back

Like moths to a flame, CES attendees were drawn to LG's prototype of Dick Tracy's wristwatch cell phone updated (of course).

Based on currently available information, it's Bluetooth and GSM-based. It would have to be Bluetooth enabled, otherwise you'd look quite odd talking on the phone. No release date, no cost, no lack of interest. But here, at least is a picture.

Assessment: The watch phone would be coveted (if the crowds even near closing time were indicative) but the downside is that you'd definitely have to use a Bluetooth headset if you were out … Read more

Power up GIMP with plug-ins and GIMPshop

So you've been convinced to make the leap from Photoshop to GIMP. You've downloaded the program, run the executable, figured out that old instructions decrying the difficult installation are outdated for the current version, but now what? Now, my GIMP Padawan, is when you start treating GIMP like it's Firefox and you get your plug-ins on.

What about GIMPshop, you say? No worries, as my Australian friends would say. We're going to take a look at the GIMP-plus-Photoshop mash-up, too.

… Read more

Killer Download: Top free image editors

Once I've taken care of installing security software on a new a PC, one of the first programs I end up downloading is an image editor. Whether I'm using it to make a quick edit to a screenshot, convert a digital photo to a more Web-friendly image format, or even something as mundane as cropping an image for a desktop background, an easy-to-use image editor is a must have. Those of you with recently acquired computers probably have a lot of holiday photos you've resolved to go through, so this little collection will definitely come in handy.… Read more

iPhone Accessories: Sounds like... a blimp? B&W and THX offer some new speakers to plugin your iPod/iPhone

So yes, there are iPhone-related products at CES 2008 primarily focused covers and protective skins and audio speakers. Two products that really caught my eye in terms of form and function are B&W's Zepplin (yes, a Zeplin, like the Hindenpeter of Family Guy fame - hope this one doesn't burst into flames) and THX/Razer's Mako speakers. Both are definitely against the grain from a Bose or a Altec Lansing iPod docking audio system. I've never liked the Bose docks - the sound is too grainy or metallic, and the Altec Lansing product at … Read more

CES: The guys who decide what gets on the shelves, and yes, they're guys.

So what do the other fellow geeks at CES look like? Predominantly youngish to middle-aged male (white or Asian), blazer and jeans, and almost certainly on a cell phone. Vendors at the CES have certainly kept that in mind. Whether its attractive women wandering the floor (I still have no idea what the cheerleaders were selling), sports stars opining on this year's Superbowl at Samsung (Randall Cunningham), or cars galore (everywhere you look), vendors know their market, but in what sense? Of course there are women attendees here, and of course these decision-makers will sift through market data and … Read more

Couture your phone: If you can't win them over with functionality, use glamour

Cell phone/PDAs or other iterations of what you want to call the convergence of handheld devices are featured prominently at the Consumer Electronics Show, no doubt. Whether these devices from Motorola or Samsung overtly claim to be iPhone killers is beside the point. The point is that most devices feature cleaner user interfaces and better bundles of applications that access more and more content. Nearly all of these gadgets are touch-based. Nearly all the devices, though, still don't come close in terms of usability and elegance to the iPhone's user interface. You can check out all the … Read more

Casio's amazing 60fps digicam

I checked out Casio's new $1,000 Exilim Pro EX-F1 that can shoot bursts of up to an amazing 60 frames per second. That's at it's full 6 megapixel resolution. You'll never miss little Johnny's first steps again.

They've done a really nice job with the interface. The bursts are shown as stacks of photos so you're not trying to scroll through 60 almost identical images when in thumbnail mode. Once looking at a burst, you can use the big thumbwheel on the back to job back and forth. It's great. It … Read more

CES oddness

You never know what you're going to find at CES. At the Lasonic booth, it's like the 80's never ended! At least they don't seem to be taking themselves too seriously: The Intel booth is bathed in deep blue light and is rather 2001: A Space Odessey looking. But regardless of how funny you might look, these sphere seats are mighty tempting after being on your feet all day... Advertising is on every conceivable surface. Here's a series of postered plastered between the up and down escalators:

2008 CES: R2-D2's Reincarnation as a projector or webcam

Hardly a Geek could help but smile at the R2-D2 digital projector from Nikko. The latest incarnation of the licensed R2 franchise is functional: The large version of R2 hooks up with any standard media, but doesn't do High-Def nor does it really save you from the evil galactic empire as its made of shiny plastic and the Millennium Falcon that comes with it only doubles as a remote control. A lightsaber you want, it is, then your option is to get the smaller version of R2 that is actually a webcam and the lightsaber is a remote for … Read more