LG’s curved EA9800 OLED display eyes-on

LG's curved EA9800 OLED display eyeson

One word describes LG’s EA9800 curved OLED: stunning. We were as wowed as anybody else stumbling about LG’s monstrous booth who happened upon this three-panel wide miracle. LG is touting this 55-inch WRGB set as the industry’s first curved ergonomic display with Cinema 3D support. The idea behind the curve is to reduce screen edge distortion by keeping the entire display surface the same distant from your eyes. Pricing and shipping date is a mystery, but, LG’s flat 55-inch OLED set is a cool $12K so you can expect something in that ballpark we’d assume. Unfortunately we couldn’t get as close as we wanted, though we still grabbed a bit of video and some pictures for you to enjoy. So breeze on past the break and check them out.

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iWatchLife with Samsung SmartCam monitoring system hands-on (video)

Today we got a first look at iWatchLife’s just-announced partnership with Samsung Techwin. The new service pairs the Samsung SmartCam SNH-1011 with iWatchLife’s cloud-based server to provide all the home-monitoring data your paranoid heart requires. Sure, motion-detection systems are nothing new, but the distinction here is that you can record intelligently; just specify the areas you’d like to watch, and iWatchLife software will report back when activity happens in these — and only these — places. The company notes that this saves bandwidth, but it also means you won’t be hunting through hours of infrared footage looking for possible intruders on your front lawn.

Setup is straightforward: connect the camera(s) to your network, set up the shooters in your places of interest — and then monitor all activity on your WiFi-enabled devices. iWatchLife’s cloud-based server displays all your cameras, and other users can grant you access to their cams. The SmartCam itself is $150, while the online service costs $5 per month for each user account. Take a look at the setup in our hands-on video and gallery below.

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Hands-on with HiSense’s first quad-core Android phone, the U958

Handson with HiSense's first quadcore Android phone, the U958

Chinese manufacturer HiSense has taken over Microsoft’s old booth at CES, and it’s mainly showing off its latest and greatest televisions. But the company has a dirty little secret that not too many gadget fans know: it sells phones and tablets as well. While these devices may not be on the bleeding edge, HiSense’s new Android smartphone, the U958, actually sports a 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Play processor (the MSM8225Q, to be precise). Aside from the inclusion of Android 4.1, the rest of the spec sheet doesn’t impress: a 4.5-inch FWVGA (854×480) display, 5MP rear camera, 512MB RAM, 4GB internal storage, microSD, 1,700mAh battery, dual-SIM support and a thickness of 9.5mm.

It’s pretty clear that the phone is geared primarily toward emerging markets; the specs and overall design seem to indicate that the company’s trying to keep costs down to a minimum. To the seeker of high-performance flagship devices, the U958 will likely get lost in the sea of competing budget-friendly phones at CES; we’re interested to see, however, if we’re witnessing the start of HiSense’s attempt to snag up crucial smartphone market share. Check out a few pics of the phone in action below.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

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Rode iXY Microphone ears on

Rode iXY Microphone hands and ears on

Earlier today, Rode announced its newest addition to its already plentiful lineup of microphones. This time, it’s one specialized for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The microphone uses Apple’s outgoing 30 pin adapter (Sorry early adopters), so the user can also use headphones simultaneously while recording at rates of up to 24-bit/96kH. The pair of immovable half inch cardioid condensers are positioned in a 90-degree alignment for proper stereo recording without picking up too much ambient noise. They should also dodge any bi-positional recording issues when recording both guitar and vocals at once.

Amongst the angst of CES, the sound quality seemed good, but what really makes the iXY a legitimate contender is Rode’s app. There’s two versions: a free lite one and a $5.99 pro version, the latter being extremely adjustable in every aspect of audio recording — gain, input, boost levels, high/low-pass filter options, equalization effects and many more.

The iXY Microphone is available now for $199, and comes with a foam windshield and carrying case. Rode has mentioned that an iPhone case with a standard hotshoe attachment with pistol grip is in the works, and will arrive in the next few months.

Check out the video past the break, where we compare recordings from the Rode iXY attached to an iPhone and a Rode Videomic Pro on a DSLR.

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Rode iXY Microphone ears on (video)

Rode iXY Microphone hands and ears on

Earlier today, Rode announced its newest addition to its already plentiful lineup of microphones. This time, it’s one specialized for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The microphone uses Apple’s outgoing 30 pin adapter (Sorry early adopters), so the user can also use headphones simultaneously while recording at rates of up to 24-bit/96kH. The pair of immovable half inch cardioid condensers are positioned in a 90-degree alignment for proper stereo recording without picking up too much ambient noise. They should also dodge any bi-positional recording issues when recording both guitar and vocals at once.

Amongst the angst of CES, the sound quality seemed good, but what really makes the iXY a legitimate contender is Rode’s app. There’s two versions: a free lite one and a $5.99 pro version, the latter being extremely adjustable in every aspect of audio recording — gain, input, boost levels, high/low-pass filter options, equalization effects and many more.

The iXY Microphone is available now for $199, and comes with a foam windshield and carrying case. Rode has mentioned that an iPhone case with a standard hotshoe attachment with pistol grip is in the works, and will arrive in the next few months.

Check out the video past the break, where we compare recordings from the Rode iXY attached to an iPhone and a Rode Videomic Pro on a DSLR.

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Sharp’s next-gen concept displays and 60-inch ICC 4K LCD (eyes-on)

Sharp's next-gen concept displays and 60-inch ICC 4K LCD (eyes-on)

The majority of Sharp’s area on the CES show floor is taken up by its 2013 consumer AQUOS range, but hidden in dark corners are tech demos, concept panels, and ridiculously priced displays. One demonstration set is split into two sections, comparing the company’s next-gen Quattron yellow sub-pixel technology with the current generation. Did the color’s look great? For sure. Did it look like the current-gen Quattron had been made intentionally low quality? Definitely. The two-faced demo TV also had the glare-reducing Moth-Eye technology on board, as did a 70-inch UHDTV concept model which a Sharp rep called “just an exercise in engineering.” It wasn’t exactly gasp-inducing, but the anti-reflective tech was certainly working. Finally, hidden behind a curtain and crammed into a small pitch-black room (literally) were a bunch of Sharp’s “Integrated Cognitive Creation” (ICC) 60-inch 4K LCDs. The hook of the ICC PURIOS is that it upscales 1080p to 4K, and will do so for only $25,000 – $30,000 when it launches in the US this summer. We couldn’t really tell the difference between the HD and 4K pictures, but maybe we should’ve brought a microscope for a more thorough analysis.

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Samsung NX300 hands-on: 3D mirrorless top-tier action

This beast we’re looking at right here is the Samsung NX300, just announced this week as the company’s hero 3D-capable mirrorless camera – and it looks just as nice as it appears to work. What we’ve got here is not a SMART CAMERA, not a Android camera like the GALAXY Camera, but a full-on flagship made to be your professional digital top-notch hero for every single 3D photo you shoot from now on – and it feels just about as high quality as it gets, 20.3 MP APS-C and all.

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The NX300 is Samsung’s replacement for the NX210, bringing this beastly 20.3 MP APS-C CMOS sensor to replace that last-generation machine along with a set of features that are not to be missed. You’ll be getting a full-on 3.31-inch AMOLED touch display, 1080p video shooting abilities at 60 frames per second, and of course a massive ISO range of 100 to 25600. You can take burst shots at 8.6 photos per second too – snap em up!

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The maximum shutter speed on this next-generation camera is an undeniable 1/6000th of a second, meaning you’ll be able to capture a lion leaping in for the kill on your favorite zebra this summer season without a hassle. This this device isn’t technically part of the same push for Samsung’s SMART CAMERA lineup, you’ll still be rolling out with built-in dual-band wi-fi and you’ll have the ability to connect to the device with your smartphone, too. The NX300 is part of Samsung’s line of devices that have their own Android and iOS app to rock and roll remotely – upload at will and use a remote viewfinder as well!

Have a peek at the Samsung tag to see what else Samsung has presented this week and check out the full details of the company’s excellent offering for web-ready cameras for 2013. Also be sure to jump in on our CES 2013 hub to see all of our hands-on action and up to the minute updates all week long!

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Samsung NX300 hands-on: 3D mirrorless top-tier action is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
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HiSense shows off its transparent 3D display, we go eyes-on

HiSense shows off its transparent 3D display, we go eyeson

If you think there’s something weird with the above image, do not adjust your screen — it’s HiSense‘s new transparent 3D display. The prototype, which employs the use of polarized glasses, may be one of the show’s most quiet developing technologies, not to mention one of the most intriguing. Geared toward the commercial (read: advertising) market, the see-through 50-inch screen makes it possible to have objects behind the screen completely visible, while having a picture or video floating in front of it simultaneously. We also tried on a pair of glasses that removed the 3D effect. The prototype seems pretty far along in its development, and HiSense is anticipating availability in mid-2013 for around $3,000. Check out a few pictures below.

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Acer Iconia B1-A71 hands-on

For the past few months most of the tablets we’ve seen have been running Windows 8, but at CES this week Android tablets have seen a resurgence of sorts, starting with two from Vizio and now the Iconia B1-A71 from Acer. It’s hardly a flagship tablet. Quite the opposite actually: it has a dual-core Mediatek processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, a 7-inch 1,024 x 600 display and a single 0.3-megapixel camera. Overall, the build quality and screen aren’t nearly as nice as what you’ll get on the Nexus 7. Still, for $150 it could be tempting for folks who think even $200 is a lot to spend on a tablet. We’re told this won’t go on sale in the US, so for all of our readers in the states this is nothing more than gadget tourism. For the rest of you, though, we’ve got hands-on photos and video below to help you decide if this is worth any further consideration.

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MakerBot Replicator 2X eyes-on

MakerBot Replicator 2X eyes-on

You might remember that way back in September Makerbot took the wraps off its next generation of Replicators. Sadly, when the company invited us out for a sneak peak, the cutting edge Replicator 2X was no where to be seen. Thankfully Bre Pettis decided to swing through CES with the dual-extruding, ABS optimized version of its 3D printer in tow. Aesthetically there’s not much different about the 2X — it’s the same black body and a Stepstrudder that form the heart of the device. Though, there’s quite a number of tweaks to the basic feature set here. For one, instead of PLA (the corn-based plastic manufactured by MakerBot), the 2X goes for the ABS plastic favored by most other additive manufacturing devices. Since it has a tendency to crack and warp when exposed to extreme temperature fluctuations, the Brooklyn startup has brought back the heated build platform. The gaps in the frame have also been filled with clear plastic, and a pair of coverings have been added to the top and front to help keep the temperature inside stable.

MakerBot also announced an update to its MakerWare package that enables dual-color printing and the addition of an API to its Thingiverse. The new developer tools will allow customers to tweak and produce completely unique products on their desktop. The Replicator 2X should, hopefully, be available soon for $2,799. For more check out the gallery below.

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

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