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When it comes to consumer gadgets, there is no greater showcase of products to meet the new year than CES 2009. This international show features the trendiest and cutting edge products that will likely be in the market for 2009.
The Consumer Electronics Show, which happens annually in Vegas, is the prime place where you can find all top companies slugging it out to impress the media and the consumers at large. From cool gadgets such as the new Sony Vaio™ P to the not-so-cool gadgets like an Elvis Karaoke Mic, everything is almost always new. Let us look at some of the top gadgets on display at CES 2009.
New Gadgets: 2009 Smartphones
The biggest news in the smart phone industry announced in CES is the introduction of the new Palm Pre™. The Pre™ is the answer of Palm against the iPhone™ and Android powered phones. Like the iPhone™, this gadget sports a modern touchscreen OS that can handle both web application and native applications.
The Palm Pre™ has an impressive user interface. Users can easily switch in and out of apps, and they also go from one menu to another. The Palm Pre™ is the best phone so far when it comes to handling multiple applications.
The Palm Pre™ and the iPhone™ has roughly the same screen size, even though the Palm Pre™ is much smaller than the iPhone™. The Pre™ sports a glossy finish with bright screens, and an expandable keyboard. With its hardware and interface advantages, the Palm Pre™ could be the phone that will beat out iPhone's hype; until the next iPhone™ installment.
The Pre™ is the flagship electronic gadget from Palm in the first half of 2009. This, along with the iPhone™ and the Blackberry Storm are expected to take a large chunk of the smart phone and mobile phone market in 2009.
For more information on the Palm Pre™ visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Pre
For more information on the iPhone™ visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iphone
Hottest Electronic Gadgets Around: Looking at Netbooks
One segment at CES that is very new to the industry is the appearance of netbooks. Last year, everyone was shocked with the Asus EEE™ PC. This laptop with a 7 inch screen, tiny keyboards, and tight form factor became the talk of the party in 2008. Today, Asus is back, but not without strong competition from Lenovo, Acer, and HP.
Many at CES predicted that 2009 will be the year of the netbook. Netbooks are small laptops with enough power to handle multiple office tasks. The best thing about these netbooks is they cost a lot cheaper than regular laptops. Companies like Acer and Samsung are upgrading their line of netbooks while Asus and MSI have already shown what is in store for the market in 2009.
Netbooks have low power computers that are comparable to high end laptops from four years back. Because of the small form factor, most manufacturers can only stick a 1024x600 resolution display in it. The small keyboard is also bothersome for users with large hands. However, whatever is sacrificed in the form factor is gained in functionality and mobility. With the new Atom processor, netbooks clock up to 7 hours of battery life, which is more than enough to go out without lugging a charger around. At the same time, netbooks are becoming more practical because of productive web applications such as Google Docs that users do not need to install intensive software.
The netbook craze has just begun and with laptops becoming cheaper thanks to competition from netbooks, it looks like the consumers will be the real winners in 2009.
Spy gadgets hit the home run with prime products showcased in CES 2009. The Flip Mini Camcorder has become a popular Christmas item last year and now many competitors are following suit with portable HD quality cameras. For example, The Vievu Pro is small enough to be clipped in someone’s shirt. The key to spy gadget market for this year is how cameras can go even smaller while flirting with HD resolutions. These cameras will surely capture a lot in great detail.
For more information on Netbooks visit:
http://gigaom.com/2008/09/01/choosing-a-netbook-a-guide/
Kitchen Gadgets
Most companies did not showcase their new kitchen gadgets last year. However, a new kitchen appliance appeared hot off the design room. The Asus EEE™ Table PC is a touchscreen device that offers full desktop functionality and impressive form factor at such a low price. The EEE™ Table Top has a built-in operating system ready to be used by anyone. This computer is ideal in the kitchen where moms take most of their time. With this EEE™ release, you can watch a movie, surf the net, read over recipes and play games from your countertop.
For more information on the Asus EEE™ visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_PC
Gadgets for Men
The most popular gaming consoles that featured last year are measured today against portable console systems. Nintendo and Sony both released their respective updates to the DS and the PSP. While these updates are minor, it is enough for some gamers to switch consoles.
Another trend that men will love is the new technology in Plasma TV's and LCD monitors. The trend for next generation monitors started with the Apple Cinema. Apple's LCD monitor features LED lighting for clear, crisp pictures. Not far behind are 24-inch widescreen monitors from Samsung and LG. New generation monitors will allow better integration with other peripherals.
For businessmen on the go, Sony brings the hottest gadget for the year with the Vaio™ P. This ultra mobile PC has a form factor similar to a netbook, but its top-notch specs, high resolution screen, and elegant design separates itself from the rest. The Sony Vaio™ P features an 8 inch screen and a wide body keyboard. The keyboard is said to be the smallest keyboard possible for touch typists. The Sony Vaio™ P can also be integrated with other Sony products such as the Walkman family, the PSP, and Cybershot.
CES 2009 is the home of the latest gadgets from the top companies in the world. This convention will give you a leg up on what to expect in the consumer electronics landscape in 2009. So far, we have learned that netbooks are here to stay, and key barriers in interface and hardware were already broken by smart phones. As manufacturers and consumers are lining up for true mobile computing, this year could not be more exciting.
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