OTHER TECH

Hot-Tub TVOne completely new category of TV sprang up at this CES (though a few examples have been available earlier): the wireless TV, sometimes called the Internet or networked TV - or as some wags tagged it, the hot-tub TV. These battery-operated sets use Wi-Fi technology to beam TV programming and Internet or locally computer-stored content to the portable LCD screen. The Philips Streamium wireless LCD TV, which uses the most advanced Wi-Fi standard for greater speed.

The control unit for the Philips Streamium.

Philips, as part of its Connected Planet line, calls its model Streamium, and it uses the most advanced 802.11g Wi-Fi standard for greater speed. Philips announced a collaboration with Yahoo! to provide content for its Connected Planet products.

Sharp showed the Wireless Aquos, the LC-15L1U, a 15-inch model that runs for 3 hours on one battery charge. However, it uses the original 802.11b Wi-Fi standard, with about one-fifth the speed of 802.11g. The range is said to be about 100 feet from the base station . It will be available in February for $1,800. Sharp's Aquos LC-15L1U, a 15-inch wireless LCD TV to be available in February for $1,800.

Sony calls its wireless, Internet-enabled, 12-inch LCD the Location-Free TV.

Sony calls its model the Location-Free TV, and it has a 12-inch LCD screen and dual-band, three-mode Wi-Fi transmission to avoid interference and maximize range. The touchscreen display facilitates complete control without conventional buttons, knobs, or remote. The system also includes a 5-inch LCD personal viewer.

Samsung also showed networked TVs, although they didn't look portable. Now you can browse the Web absolutely anywhere without a PC or even a PDA, with a choice of Letterman if your favorite site is down. And at least if you drop these TVs in the hot tub, you won't be electrocuted.

Maxi and MiniWhile LG crowed about its giant 76-inch plasma display on press day, Samsung trumped it on the first day of the show, firing up its 80-inch plasma display. But it won't go on sale until next year. Samsung also showed a 57-inch LCD model that it claims is the largest LCD panel available with current technology. Covering all bases, Samsung also displayed the HLP5685W, a 56-inch HDTV using DLP technology. It will be available in June for $4,999. Samsung showed this eye-popping 80-inch plasma HDTV, but even if you win the lottery, you won't be able to buy it until next year.

Sony hopes to kindle new interest in its MiniDisc format with Hi-MD, which lets a single $7 disc hold as much as 45 hours of music. This Walkman MZ-NH1 Digital Music Player is one of four new Hi-MD-compatible models, available in April for $200 to $400.

Sony increased its lineup of Handycam camcorders that record to miniature DVDs, such as the DRC-109 that comes with a docking cradle. To keep the MiniDisc (MD) format alive, Sony upped the compression ratio and improved the media to permit 1 GB of storage on a $7 disc. The new format variant, called Hi-MD, can hold 45 hours on a Hi-MD disc or 13 hours on a standard MD. Four new models will be available in April, ranging from $200 to $400, and they're said to play for up to 30 hours on a single AA battery in the Hi-MD mode. < < Back to the International CES 2004 index