CES - Tablets and e-book readers

As if offering what appears to be the first 450Mbps Wireless-N router on the market, the TEW-691GR, weren't enough, Trendnet today announced that it's shipping the first access point offering the same speed, the 450Mbps Wireless-N TEW-690AP.

An access point, which doesn't have routing functionality, is designed to add wireless capability to a nonwireless router or network. A wireless router has both routing functionality and a built-in access point. The new Trendnet access point, therefore, is a good solution for an existing network that doesn't have wireless capability or one that has legacy wireless, such as Wireless-G or Wireless-B. It's also good for those who want to replace their existing 300Mbps Wireless-N networks with a faster one.… Read more

When my boss asks me what tablets I expect to see at CES, I have to laugh a little. It's a nervous laugh. Maybe I'm overreacting, but with the iPad's breakout success this year, I'm expecting a tidal wave of tablets at CES 2011.

There are the obvious elephants in the room. RIM will surely be making a fuss about its PlayBook. HP should have a WebOS tablet to show off (or risk humiliation, at this point). And as for Microsoft, if we don't see a branded tablet we should at least see a convincing … Read more

A handful of companies, including ThinkFlood, L5, and New Potato, offer hardware/app solutions to help you transform your iPhone or iPod Touch into an adaptable, touch-screen universal remote. It seems like a no-brainer, which is why I'm a little surprised I haven't seen them much in the wild.

With full-featured universal remotes hovering in the $200-$300 range, you'd think convergence would win out and the iPhone would gobble up this market the same way it took a bite out of MP3 players, portable gaming devices, e-readers, Internet radios, and so on.

Start-up company Peel believes it's hit on one part of the problem: People don't want to use adapters. Whether it's a plug that you stick in a headphone jack (that you'll inevitably lose), or a dock adapter (which doesn't fit with your case), the simple truth is that expensive adapters suck.

The Peel system uses no iPhone adapters. Instead, a free Peel iOS app communicates with a wireless transmitter plugged into your home's router. When you use the app to turn on your TV or home theater component, or select a show to watch, the selection is bounced to the wireless adapter and back to a little battery-powered pear-shaped IR blaster, which can be placed anywhere in your living room.… Read more

Before today, the TDK brand meant only one thing to me: mixtapes. Just the mention of it makes me nostalgic for peeling the cellophane off a 5-pack of cassettes, like a fresh pack of cigarettes.

It's been at least 15 years since I dubbed a tape, and honestly, TDK has been off my radar ever since. That is, until today, when they dropped by CNET to show off the coolest-looking portable speaker I have ever seen in my life.

When I saw TDK's latest Three-Speaker Boombox (seriously, that's their name for it), I think I may have squealed a little. Priced at $499, set for unveiling at CES, and due out in January, this sonic beauty hits on all cylinders--combining sound, features, and design in a way makes my audio nerd heart swoon.

Under the hood, you have three drivers: a 15-watt woofer at the center, flanked by two 10-watt stereo speakers with edge-driven tweeters at their center. Because the speakers aren't covered by a grille, TDK utilized woven carbon fiber speaker cones that can stand up to the elements. All together it's 35 watts RMS, which doesn't sound like much--but you feel every watt. Turned up just halfway, it's a house party.

Feature-wise, you're looking at iPhone/iPod support (via USB), AM/FM radio, USB stick (MP3, AAC, WMA), and a slew of aux input options, including RCA, minijack, and a 1/4-inch instrument input that can be blended with the other audio for instant karaoke/block party high jinks. The unique audio support for iPhone and iPod takes the digital signal from the dock connection and decodes it to analog using TDK's own integrated converters. The company also throws in an EQ with 5dB of cut and boost, represented on an OLED display on the front and controlled using the system's oversized aluminum knobs.… Read more

ioSafe, maker of disaster-proof storage devices such as the ioSafe SoloPro for general consumers, is looking to get people excited about what it's going to unveil at CES 2011.

The company put out a short blog post on its Web site today challenging people to guess, well, what it's going to show off at the world's biggest annual consumer electronic show. The reward for the lucky winner: a sample of the product itself.

Apart from a short clue that reads: "It weighs more than a Cadbury Cream Egg but less than an adult coon hound," the company also posted an ambiguous-looking image of the device, pictured above. To qualify to win, you just have to leave a comment at on the blog post by January 2. Some other restrictions apply, of course.

My guess is as good as yours, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be another superrugged storage product, possibly even bullet-proof, considering the blog teased the users by suggesting a "Napalm-proof NAS."… Read more

Wireless charging stations for electronics have been a hot topic ever since the introduction of the Powermat and the universal wireless charger standard was established. These methods, however, require the battery-operated devices to be compliant with the wireless charging standard they use. This means other products, namely the majority of all electronics, won't be able to take advantage of them.

The ElectroHub, which will debut at CES 2011, is a new wireless charging station that's designed to work with virtually all electronic devices. Though the details are still a little sketchy, basically this new charging station works similarly … Read more

With less than eighty days to go before the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas, the tech rumor mill already is in high gear. Building off of the momentum created this year, I expect to see Android take on a major role at the electronics conference.

A big part of the platform's future hinges on tablets and the arsenal of iPad rivals that will be unleashed in the new year. DigiTimes is reporting today that Google is putting the final touches on Android 3.0 and is prepping sample tablets for a December rollout. Google is … Read more