Hasta La Gadget!

We figured Vizio would bring new laptops, All-in-Ones and HDTVs to CES this year, but as companies are often wont to do here in Vegas, Vizio had a Jelly Bean-flavored surprise for us — in the form of a pair of unlocked Android handsets. There’s a 5-inch model with a 1920 x 1080 LCD, 8-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front-facing shooter and a dual-core Qualcomm SoC. It’s got 32GB of built-in storage and 2GB of RAM, plus there’s a microSD slot should you need more room. Its sibling is a 4.7-inch model packing a 720 x 1080 display powered by a dual-core MediaTek chip, the same 8-megapixel rear cam, and a 1.3-megapixel unit on the front. It also has a microSD slot, 16GB of onboard storage and 1GB of RAM. Each phone comes with AT&T band radios, including HSPA+ 42, and will run bone-stock Jelly Bean (save for a minor tweaks). Want to know more? join us after the break for our full impressions.

Continue reading Vizio reveals 5-inch and 4.7-inch Android handsets bound for China, we go hands-on

Filed under: Mobile

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One of ASUS‘ most significant announcements at CES this year is the Google TV-powered Qube. Just as the name suggests, the device comes in the shape of a cube, with an IR receiver on the front side, a USB port on the right, and a bunch more on the back: HDMI-in, HDMI-out, another USB port, RJ-45 and IR-out. Internally the Qube packs a Marvell Armada 1500 chipset with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of flash storage. Like the chassis, the Qube’s interface also features a rotating cube, but that’s pretty much the only thing special about it so far.

The Qube naturally comes with its very own remote control, and with the exception of the lack of a numpad it comes with all the standard buttons, and on the other side it has a QWERTY keyboard. It’s worth pointing out that there’s also a voice command button as well as motion-sensing, thus making the most out of Google TV ver.3. Not a fan of the remote control? Then you can simply download an app onto your Nexus 7 or any Android device to get the same functions.

In terms of availability, ASUS plans to launch the Qube in the US in around March for around $150. For the mean time, grab yourself a beverage and check out the demo video after the break.

Continue reading ASUS Qube hands-on (video)

Filed under: Displays, ASUS

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Via: Engadget Chinese

We’ve been handling Huawei’s new 6.1-inch smartphone — and there’s a lot of screen there. The Ascend Mate feels good, it doesn’t feel like Huawei products of the past, with a slim profile that remains pretty solid as we browsed the new features. Fingers are crossed that its 4,050mAh battery will prove enough for that imposing 720p display. We’ll have more impressions up soon — and we’ve got our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Huawei Ascend Mate hands-on at CES 2013 (updated with video!)

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Philips isn’t showing off anything too groundbreaking at CES in the in the audio department, but it looks to be a solid offering all-around nonetheless. Whether you’re eyeing the likes of a new soundbar for your home theater system or portable wireless speaker, the company should have you covered with latest Fidelio offerings — and of course that’s not all. We’ve got a quick breakdown of all the goods being shown off after the break, along with an eyes-on galleries so you can get up-close look for yourself. As always, you’ll find the full press releases below it all for more info.

Continue reading Philips showcases its 2013 Fidelio audio lineup at CES, we go eyes-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video, HD

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Vizio officially announced its 2013 HDTV lineup this morning and now we’ve gotten to see the new sets in person. At the top of the list are the company’s XVT Ultra models at 55-, 65- and 70-inches, which will bring 4K video to living rooms on an unknown date later this year. The company had the 70-inch set on hand showing some native 4K footage, and as you’d expect, it looked good. Viewing angles approach 180 degrees, and the new design’s 10mm bezel is barely noticeable. Speaking of which, the industrial design on the XVT line is understated and premium, with an anodized silver metal band surrounding the edge of the set and minimal branding.

In addition to the 70-inch set, Vizio also had a prototype 55-inch 3D XVT model that was most impressive. Its viewing angles were just as good as the 70-inch set, but the highlight is its glasses-free 3D. Vizio’s implementation of the technology takes full advantage of the 4K resolution to provide a high quality 3D picture, and its software maintains a focused picture from all angles. Of course, there are sweet spots for viewing the full 3D depth affect, but outside of those zones, 2D picture quality was maintained. Unfortunately, Vizio hasn’t committed to a 2013 release date for glasses-free 3D, but the rest of the lineup, set to debut later this year, will still have the firm’s glasses-dependent passive 3D technology. Interested? There’s plenty of pics of the new sets in our gallery below.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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