Posted 02.01.2010

Gaga for gadgets

Visions of your tech-geek future from the International Consumer Electronics Show

By Eric Peterson

The annual orgy of gadgetry known as the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas brings in more than 100,000 attendees and 2,500 exhibitors from all over the world, showcasing everything from audiophile-oriented stereo systems to the latest and greatest in holography. In between are scads of innovative products. Here's our top dozen must-have gadgets at this year's CES.

ALBUM
Users can load about 40,000 digital photos onto the handsomely designed ALBUM ($149), a dedicated portable photo viewer you can connect directly to your camera. Available since 2009, the device's postcard-sized screen is protected by a sleek leather case that doubles as a stand for slideshows. Intuitive to use and weighing about the same as a fresh apple, the ALBUM is compatible with any USB device and has 4 gigabytes of internal memory - which can be increased to 20 gigabytes with an additional memory card - and three hours of power with each battery charge.
Made by ALBUMteam Ltd./ALBUMteam Inc., Czech Republic/San Francisco, www.albumteam.com.

FLO TV
For people on the go, FLO TV is to television what the iPod is to music. The handheld device uses a previously unutilized chunk of UHF spectrum to deliver high-quality video from broadcast networks without downloading or streaming. You can scroll between CNN, CBS, Comedy Central and ESPN with the flick of a fingertip, listen on built-in speakers or earbuds, and record programs on 4GB hard drive. The gadget retails for about $250, and there is also a monthly service fee of about $15 for the programming.
Made by FLO TV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., San Diego, www.flotv.com.

SHOWWX LASER PICO PROJECTOR
A potential game-changer for business presentations, the plug-and-play SHOWWX Laser Pico Projector is a USB projector that's the size of an iPod. The heart of the machine is an ultra-miniature laser projector that produces colorful, high-contrast, always-in-focus images ranging in size from 6 inches to 9 feet. The product is slated for launch this year with an estimated retail price of $400 to $500. Made by Microvision Inc., Redmond, Wash., www.microvision.com.

INADA CUBE AND DOCTOR'S CHOICE MASSAGE CHAIRS
With its USA HQ in Boulder, Japan's Inada is the Rolls-Royce of the Shiatsu massage chair market. The company made the world's first automatic massage chairs in 1962 and has been at the forefront of the industry ever since, offering everything from voice activation to medically approved treatment. New in 2009 and earning 2010 CES design awards at an international media preview are a pair of chairs: the $5,799 Doctor's Choice, a chiropractor's vision of a massage chair; and the $799 CUBE, which massages everything from your lower back all the way down to your feet and folds into an ottoman when not in use. Made by Family Inada Inc., Osaka, Japan, www.inadausa.com.

LINGO XPLORER 52 TRANSLATOR
World travelers never need to be at a loss for words again, no matter the language. Launching at this year's show, the LINgo Xplorer 52 ($299) speaks more than a million words and more than 100,000 travel phrases in 52 different languages, as well as a digital edition of the New Oxford American Dictionary. And there's more traveler-oriented details: The handheld, Blackberry-like device also houses a built-in FM scan radio, a voice recorder, eight travel games, a metric and currency converter, a world time clock and other features.
Made by LINgo Corp.,  New York City/Hong Kong, www.lingotranslators.com.

QUE EREADER
Built with innovative lightweight plastic electronics rather than silicon and glass, the QUE eReader was engineered with the business professional in mind. With the industry's largest screen (it's 8.5 by 11 inches, and shatterproof to boot), a sleek design (a third of an inch thick), and an easy-to-use touchscreen technology, the QUE is a quantum leap for the professional who's dying to go paperless. The device, which is premiering at CES after nearly a decade of R&D, is compatible with all major file formats, from PDFs to PowerPoints. Pricing, availability and full specifications were to be announced at CES. Made by Plastic Logic LTD, Mountain View, Calif., www.plasticlogic.com, www.quereader.com.

TYMISAUNA ROMA
Tymisauna makes panels that convert ordinary shower stalls and tubs into combination steam baths-saunas with all sorts of features and extras: handheld massagers, MP3 players, hands-free phones, and exotic hardwood, glass or chrome finishes. The panels - which retail for $950 to $4,900 - include a "dry sauna" option that can raise the air temperature in the shower by 30 degrees Fahrenheit in a mere seven minutes. Debuting last year, the company's latest panel is the Roma ($4,690) for standing shower stalls, with programmable water jets and fully loaded with other options. Made by Tymisauna Corp., Santa Ana, Calif., www.tymisauna.com.

SOLIO MONO
New last year, the Solio Mono is a solar charger that converts an hour's worth of sunlight into a full cell phone battery charge - i.e. the same rate your standard wall outlet will recharge your batteries. Compatible with more than 1,000 mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras, GPS units and other devices, the gadget is small enough to perch comfortably on a dashboard or a backpack, and the battery can be recharged 1,000 times and will hold a charge for a full year. The device retails for about $50. Made by Better Energy Systems, London, www.solio.com.

SHEEVAPLUG
The smallest low-power server the market has ever seen, semiconductor manufacturer Marvell's palm-sized SheevaPlug could revolutionize the data center and slash power bills in the process. Popular Science named the SheevaPlug one of 2009's top 100 innovations for using only 1 watt while in use (and less while idling), versus 100 watts for traditional servers. It was perhaps best described by Gizmodo.com's Sean Fallon as "a $99 Linux PC crammed inside a wall plug." Currently, Marvell sells a SheevaPlug development kit for $99; products based on the technology are emerging at a fast pace. Made by Marvell Technology Group Ltd., Santa Clara, Calif., www.marvell.com, www.plugcomputer.org.

SAYGUS VPHONE:
Launching late last year, Saygus' proprietary technology allows for the world's first low-bandwidth two-way cellular video calling. A 5-megapixel camera and a 3.5-inch high-resolution screen allows VPhone users to see and hear each other in real time. The phone also features a QWERTY keyboard and all of the expected smartphone features. Pricing had yet to be determined at press time. Made by Saygus Inc., South Jordan, Utah, www.saygus.com.

ZINK
ZINK stands for "zero ink." The technology uses paper with embedded dye crystals in lieu of cartridges. The printer heats the paper, activating the crystals to combine into every color in the spectrum. The technology is now available in Dell's Wasabi mobile printer (about $100), Polaroid's PoGo instant digital camera ($200), and the TOMY xiao camera with built-in printer ($320). New ZINK-based tech at CES 2010: a portable Pandigital printer made for producing 4-by-6 glossies.
Made by ZINK Imaging Inc., Bedford, Mass., and assorted partners, www.zink.com.

WILDCHARGE WIRELESS CHARGERS
For those who find plugging in to be too much hassle, Tesla's wireless future has finally arrived. A number of companies were scheduled to showcase emerging wireless-power technology at the 2010 CES, including Boulder's WildCharge, which has teamed with Canadian battery-maker Pure Energy Solutions to offer a gel-skin ($35) you can sheathe your iPhone to charge on the WildCharge pad ($50). New at CES 2010: A portable WildCharge Pad provides wire-free power to devices and can be powered from a wall outlet, a car adapter or embedded rechargeable batteries and a high-powered model that can simultaneously deliver wire-free power to multiple devices. Made by Pure Energy Solutions, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, and WildCharge, Boulder, www.shoppureenergy.com.

Denver-based writer Eric Peterson is the author of Frommer's Colorado, Frommer's Montana & Wyoming, Frommer's Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks and the Ramble series of guidebooks, featuring first-person travelogues covering everything from atomic landmarks in New Mexico to celebrity gone wrong in Hollywood. Peterson has also recently written about backpacking in Yosemite, cross-country skiing in Yellowstone and downhill skiing in Colorado for such publications as Denver's Westword and The New York Daily News.

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