25 Hot Products To See At CES 2009

CES is known as the breeding ground for all things electronic. From the bold and bizarre to the shocking and necessary, manufacturers hock their wares in hopes of unveiling the next big technological feat. With hundreds upon hundreds of vendors making the trek to Las Vegas this week for CES 2009, we thought we'd shed some light on 25 products you shouldn't let slip through the cracks.





Read Your Car's Mind



Vehicle-related technology is always hot at CES and this year is no different.



Ever want to keep tabs on what your car is doing or how it's running? The CarChip Pro is sort of like a "black box" for your automobile.



About the size of a key fob, CarChip Pro helps you keep track of your vehicle and how you or others are driving it. It's easy to install, just plug it in, drive and download the information.



The CarChip Pro can store up to 300 hours of trip details, with new data recording over old information; it offers trip details including date, time, distance traveled and speed; it logs up to 4 of 23 engine parameters; provides individual graphs and summary reports; and records and illustrates extreme accelerating and braking. The device also lets users set thresholds with audible alarms for speed, acceleration and braking; features an automatic accident log with the last 20 seconds of data before impact; assigns trips as business, commute or personal; calculates gas mileage; views and resets engine diagnostics; and tests for preliminary emissions status.

If last years' CES was any indication, high-definition and flat-screen TVs will be all the rage again this year, if not more so.







One to check out is Silicon Mountain's all-in-one Allio 42" 1080p LCD HDTV. The set offers a 16:9 full screen aspect ratio; a 3D Y/C digital comb filter; 176 degree viewing angle; 2000:1 contrast; 400cd brightness; built-in 12Wx2 speakers with 7.11 Dolby home theatre surround sound; plus a whole lot more. The TV has an embedded 2X BD-ROM Blu-ray player, that plays and burns DVDs too; and also features an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400; 4 GB high-speed memory; 64-bit Microsoft Vista Home Premium; a Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse; Gigabit Ethernet; 802.11b/g wireless; and more.

ioSafe will be demonstrating ioSafe Solo, an external hard drive that can withstand fire, temperatures up to 1,550 degrees, three days submersed 10 feet in fresh or salt water and pretty much anything else you or Mother Nature can throw its way. The drive connects via standard USB and is available in capacities of up to 1.5 TB, but starts at 500 GB for about $150.



ioSafe even offers a $1,000 data disaster recovery service with "no questions asked."





"Was your ioSafe Solo accidentally dropped in a vat of maple syrup? No problem. While welding your car, you accidentally blow torched your data? These things happen -- we understand," ioSafe says.







At CES, ioSafe has rented a facility a few blocks off the Las Vegas strip and plans to demonstrate the ioSafe solo's resilience with a 1,500-degree fireball and a 10,000-gallon water tank. Let's hope the data doesn't fry.

Lenovo has a lot of tricks up its sleeve for CES 2009. Most notably, however, is the ThinkPad W700ds notebook. The W700ds is a dual-screen mobile work station with a 17-inch primary screen with a 10.6-inch secondary screen that shoots out the side with just a gentle press and pull. The secondary screen can angle up to 30 degrees, just like a car's side mirror. The extra screen only adds a few millimeters of thickness.

Along with a host of hot new notebook releases primed and ready for CES, Lenovo is also rolling out the IdeaCentre A600 all-in-one desktop. The sleek desktop offers a 21.5-inch frameless screen, which is 1.06 inches thin. For entertainment enthusiasts, it offers a high-definition 16:9 aspect ratio screen for cinema-like viewing and support for 1920x1080 full HD resolution. The integrated speaker system includes a booming bass sub-woofer and Dolby Home Theatre audio certification. The addition of an optional Blu-ray player completes the package.



Other specs include a choice of Intel Core 2 Duo processors, optional ATI Radeon graphics card with DirectX10 support, up to 4 GB of fast DDR3 memory and up to 1 TB of hard drive space. The IdeaCentre A600 also offers several connectivity options including Wi-Fi, a 6-in-1 media card reader, side-mounted USB and FireWire ports with additional USB ports at the rear of the panel. It also offers VeriFace facial recognition that lets users use their own grinning mug as the logon password.

Users can use the digital TV tuner for watching and recording television programs and users can include Microsoft Vista Media Center for TV recording and navigation between video, music and TV.





The A600 also boasts and optional 4-in-1 remote control that lets users play games using the "motion drive" feature which controls on-screen objects based on movement -- think of a Nintendo Wii controller on your PC. The remote also doubles as a VoIP handset to make and receive Internet calls, all while acting as a media center/TV remote to operate DVDs, movies and television. Lastly, the remote can be used as an air mouse to operate the cursor on the screen with no wires needed.

Another big hit at last years' CES was anything and everything Bluetooth. This year is sure to not disappoint. For instance, Cobra will unveil the pioneering Deluxe Bluetooth Headset, designed for users who require extreme versatility with their wireless needs. The design ties in T5 Sonance Noise Cancellation Technology to block outside noises by counteracting any interfering sound frequencies, allowing for clear cellular transmission.







The Deluxe Bluetooth Headset, which is worn over the head and on either ear, features an adjustable boom arm so the microphone can be leveled at a comfortable position; an easy-access, one-touch on/off button with volume controls; 8 hours of talk time; and 250 hours of standby time.

Fujitsu has a lot up its sleeve for CES. Among the many key product releases is the PalmSecure LOGONDIRECTOR Enterprise Edition. The Enterprise Edition integrates the Fujitsu PalmSecure palm vein authentication technology embedded into a PC mouse with the software that integrates with industry-leading single sign-on (SSO) solutions. The vascular pattern recognition and SSO mash up eliminates the need for users to remember passwords, ultimately saving the IT help desk time and money. The PalmSecure LOGONDIRECTOR Enterprise Edition integrates with Active Directory and other databases, enabling scalability and allowing users' palm vein templates to be stored on already existing servers.

Cables To Go also plans to unveil a few new products at CES. Among them is the USB to VGA Adapter Kit, a wireless VGA solution for connecting a computer to a monitor or projector. The kit lets users wirelessly display video content from a computer to a remote monitor, projector or television up to 30 feet away. It provides a secure wireless connection ideal for classroom or conference room presentations, or to display content from a laptop to a home entertainment system. The Wireless USB to VGA Adapter Kit was a CES 2009 Innovations Award winner.

Speaking of presentations, Nextar will introduce its new palm-sized LCOS micro projector, the Z10. The pint-sized projector is perfect for presentations to a small group and is a portable way to share videos and photos with friends and family.

Encore Electronics has four new lines it plans to unveil at CES. One of which is the Encore USB ATSC Digital TV Tuner (shown) and the ENUTV-ADDT Digital TV Tuner. The tuners bring digital TV to desktops and laptops. Both are bundled with the ArcSoft TotalMedia all-in-one multimedia application that lets users access and work with digital photos, home videos, recorded TV programs and digital music libraries from their computers.

As always, Netgear plans to storm CES with myriad home and business networking solutions. While the company is keeping many under wraps, Netgear gave ChannelWeb a sneak peek at the Digital Entertainer Elite. Available in the first quarter, the Digital Entertainer Elite is a Digital Media Player that lets consumers enjoy digital video, music and pictures from their couches. It enables users to play the media from their computer or network storage device onto their HDTV and automatically upconverts video to 1080p for a high-def experience. Users can browse the Web, including YouTube, Internet radio, Flickr, RSS feed and videos. The device automatically finds all digital media files on the home network and organizes them into an easily accessible library, so users don't have to think about whether the song they want to hear is on their work PC, their NAS or their Mac.







The box uses Netgear's RangeMax internal antennas for dual-band wireless 802.11n to deliver media at high speeds. It offers two USB ports, so users can plug in a camera, iPod or USB drive. It requires no tools for installation.

D-Link has also become known for using CES as a launching pad for hot new consumer networking products, and this year is no exception.







First up is the DIR-695, D-Link's Xtreme N All-In-One 11 Router. The home network router boasts all the features of a fast, far-reaching 802.11n router combined with network attached storage (NAS) vie a built-in slot for a 2.5-inch hard drive, print server and 3.2-inch LCD monitor for displaying digital photos and network diagnostics. The router's upright design lets users view the LCD screen to see device status, photos, streamed video, weather forecasts and more in up to 1.6 million colors. It features touch-sensitive buttons for easy navigation between dual-band frequencies -- 2.4 GHz for most file transfers and 5 GHz for heavy duty media streaming.

D-Link also plans to unveil its Volta NVR Basic and NVR Pro, its new family of affordable network video recorders designed to take the management of IP surveillance cameras to a new level of performance and ease. The D-Link DNS-722-4 2-Bay NVR Basic (shown) is designed to work only with D-Link brand cameras, while the DNS-726-4 2-Bay NVR Pro will work with D-Link's cameras, along with those from Axis, Sony and Panasonic. Both NVRs, which feature a lower price point, are packed with advanced video recording and camera management features, and remote access via the Internet.

The prevalence of plasma TVs and HD DVD players in homes these days means that their vulnerability to the effects of power surges is greater than ever. At CES, Eaton will unveil solutions to protect homes and electronic components from surges and the damage they cause.

Eaton will unveil surge suppression products to give homeowners a new approach -- a two-stage system -- to surge protection. Stage 1 is Service Entrance Protection, designed to provide surge protection for AC power, telephone and cable at the point of entrance into the home. Protection at this location reduces surges to an acceptable level for surge strips to handle at the point of use. Stage 2 is point-of-use surge strips designed to offer surge protection for specific electronics while also enhancing convenience and safety.





Shown here are some of Eaton's surge protection products making their debut at CES.

Eaton also plans to unveil new products in its Structured Wiring Solutions portfolio, which provides homeowners with an integrated whole home solution for voice, data, video, computer and entertainment networking systems. Featured at CES will be the intercom system (shown) and the multiroom audio solution.





The Intercom System incorporates a special port that allows the intercom to interrupt the audio system if the intercom is activated. It features an all-page command with hands-free answering in all rooms and master keypads for direct room-to-room communications. Various keypad styles offer several options including hands-free operation for the server, mute and monitoring control in any room.

Nextar plans to go solar at CES with the introduction of two solar-powered Bluetooth enabled hands-free cell phone car kits. The units feature Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, up to 30 feet of range, voice dialing, last number redial, call pickup/termination, mute and full duplex DSP for echo canceling and noise reduction.





The NXBT-002 (shown) offers 150 hours of standby time and six hours of talk time, plus caller ID displayed on a bright LCM screen. The units can be charged with either solar power, the included DC car adapter or a USB cable.

Ridata will add a photo recovery software download to its new 300X SLC based and 233x Lightning Series of CompactFlash cards. The photo recovery software will recover up to 80 percent of photos lost due to a variety of issues.

Ridata also plans to pull the curtain off its eSata and USB flash SSD drive, which combines the features of both types of external storage solutions. The device is designed for notebooks that feature an eSATA and USB combination port. The device requires no external battery and is powered by either the eSATA or USB bus.

Atlona Technologies is taking high-definition to a new level at CES 2009 with a host of new releases including the all new USB to HDMI adapter, the AT-HDPiX. The solution is designed to add an HDMI port to any Mac or PC to unlock of host of uses including digital signage and home theater. The HDPiX enables viewing content from a computer on any HDTV. The solution is plug and play, making it easy to install and use.

Lenmar plans to release several products under its PowerPort suite, including the PowerPort Mini (shown here charging a BlackBerry smartphone). The PowerPort Mini is a portable rechargeable power source that provides USB compatible portable devices up to 20 hours of instant back-up power -- or two complete charges -- without access to an AC outlet. These mini power sources weigh less than 1.5 ounces and will even provide back-up power while charging the device's battery. The PowerPort Mini runs with a lithium ion battery that takes one hour to charge and then can be stashed away in a pocket, purse or anywhere else until it's needed.

Lorex is taking surveillance to a new level at CES 2009, releasing a host of security products for homes and businesses. Among them is the L20WD800, an all-in-one professional digital surveillance recording system. The system offers a surveillance solution that also works as a PC monitor, a digital picture frame and an entertainment video display for TV and DVD viewing. It offers picture-in-picture on the 20-inch widescreen monitor. Users no longer need separate security and computer monitors, the L20WD800 does both while recording in the background. The high-resolution screen can also be connected to a satellite receiver or set-top box to watch television.

GreenPeak plans to show off a new wireless radio technology for home remote control devices based on RF. Contrary to traditional IR-based remote controls, RF remote controls offer two-way, high-speed communication and do not require a line of sight as the signal goes through walls and floors. The advanced remotes enable controlling equipment inside a cabinet or in another room. GreenPeak's technology lets the designer develop an ultra low-power RF system with long battery life. RF remote controls with GreenPeak's communication controller can be made maintenance free; a single watch-type battery can outlast the life of the remote.

While still in the prototype phase, Blaupunkt and miRoamer will show off what's being billed as the world's first Internet car radio, giving drivers access to the world's largest and most diverse selection of Internet radio content through their car stereo.





The stereos will enable drivers of vehicles fitted with new Blaupunkt stereos to tune into miRoamer's tens of thousands of radio stations from around the world with the push of a button, all from the same car stereo.







The duo will be demonstrating the stereos at CES 2009. Shown here is the New Jersey 600i prototype based on the currently available car radio New Jersey MP68.

OtterBox will unveil a host of hot new protective cases for the hottest new devices on the market. New cases include protection for the Apple iPhone 3G, iPod Touch 2nd generation, iPod Nano 4th generation, BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry 8700, Palm Centro, Palm Treo 800w and a host of others. Shown here is the OtterBox for iPhone 3G defender Series, a sleek, slim-fit case that protects the smartphone from bumps, drops, dirt and scratches.

Also making its debut at CES is the creme de la creme of turntables for all the audiophiles out there. While others are hocking their digital music and HDTV solutions, Angelis Labor will be unveiling the Gabriel Turntable. Built in an Italian Ferrari factory, the turntable carries a hefty price tag of $27,000 to $64,000. It can be customized with up to four arms to maximize vinyl listening. The magnetic suspension record player is built with overlapping bronze over aluminum.

The Gabriel comprises three parts: the table and base for one to four arms, the 13-inch arm and the cartridge. As iPod accessories and other digital gizmos become the norm at CES, Angelis Labor is breaking the mold and kicking it old school with this product, which is sure to stand out.