Andy Vuong

Dish CEO Joe Clayton and Hopper.

LAS VEGAS – Dish Network said Thursday that its new Hopper with Sling HD DVR was disqualified from CNET’s “Best of CES” awards program because CNET’s parent, CBS Corp., is in litigation with Dish over its commercial-skipping technology.

The Hopper with Sling was named as a finalist for the annual award, but was removed from contention at the last minute, Dish said.

“We are saddened that CNET’s staff is being denied its editorial independence because of CBS’ heavy-handed tactics,” Dish CEO Joe Clayton said in a statement. “This action has nothing to do with the merits of our new product. Hopper with Sling is all about consumer choice and control over the TV experience. That CBS, which owns CNET.com, would censor that message is insulting to consumers.”

CNET gave the award to the Razer Edge tablet gaming system. Read more…

LAS VEGAS – A monitor that responds to touch, even though there’s nothing to touch?

Displair, a Russian company, showcased at CES a water-based monitor that projects an image over fog. It responds to hand movements via an infrared camera that recognizes 1,500 touches per second.

“It’s as speedy as your iPad,” said Sergey Sergeev, head of marketing for Displair. Read more…

LAS VEGAS – Smart TVs are buzzing again at the International CES. LG’s latest, the 55-inch GA7900 Google TV, features a magic remote and improved voice control. It also has a cleaner interface.

The TV should be available this quarter. Though pricing hasn’t been released, it should cost about $1,500. Check out the video for a comprehensive look.

LAS VEGAS – Aereo announced Tuesday it plans to expand its operations to Denver and 21 U.S. cities in 2013, making its remote antenna/DVR technology accessible to more than 97 million consumers.

Aereo, currently only available in New York City, gives users the ability to stream live TV to their Internet-connected device without a pay-TV subscription. Aereo’s fees range from $1 a day to $8 a month to $80 a year. The controversial company, backed by Barry Diller, also said it has raised $38 million in funding.
Read more…

Andy Vuong

The Next Generation of Innovators panel, featuring will.i.am, among others.

LAS VEGAS – From Jessica Alba promoting Microsoft’s Windows Phone to Samuel L. Jackson starring in Apple iPhone commercials, Hollywood’s imprint on the consumer electronics scene may be bigger than ever.

A long list of celebrities are pitching gear at CES 2013, including former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who will appear at the SOUL Electronics suite at the Venetian Tower, (#31-234) at 9 a.m. on Thursday. The Heisman Trophy winner will be launching a Tebow headset line.

Some celebrities are taking their involvement to the next level and launching companies that might create the next big thing in tech. Grammy Award winner will.i.am is the chairman i.am.plus, a budding tech firm.

A founding shareholder of Beats Electronics, creators of the high-end Beats by Dre headphones, the Black Eyed Peas rapper said he wanted to become an entrepreneur, in part, to show kids that it’s possible.

“I noticed these gaping holes in culture as it relates to young kids not caring about science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” will.i.am said during a panel discussion Tuesday at CES. “I wanted to show them that being an entrepreneur isn’t hard.”

Handout

Tim Tebow, SOUL pitchman.

Jeff Jordan, a partner at investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, moderated the panel titled “The Next Generation of Innovators” that included David Lieb, chief executive at Bump Technologies; Cyrus Massoumi, CEO ZocDoc; and Eric Vishria, CEO RockMelt.

It’s no accident that more celebrities are at CES. It’s a trend that will continue to surge, as actors, musicians and others figure out they can make more money by creating the gadget rather than just endorsing it, said will.i.am.

Will.i.am said he it took him less than a year to develop an iPhone case that turns the device into a high-end, 14 megapixel camera. The case was released in late 2012.

Asked whether it’s a good time to be building companies, he said: “Hell yea it’s a good time to be an entrepreneur. I don’t want to be a rapper no more.”

Getty Images

Dish CEO Joe Clayton at CES 2012.

LAS VEGAS – Dish Network made one of the bigger splashes at CES in 2012, announcing a corporate reboot that included a next-gen set-top box, new mascot and other changes.

The nation’s No. 2 satellite-TV provider, based in Douglas County, used this year’s gadget show to focus on its core pay-TV business. The company unveiled the second generation of its Hopper set-top box, integrating Sling technology to allow users to view subscribed content on tablets and computers via a mobile app and broadband connection.

Dish also announced Hopper Transfers, which enables users to move television recordings from the Hopper with Sling set-top box to iPad for viewing when away from an Internet connection.

“With Hopper, the value equation for pay TV becomes Read more…

Andy Vuong

Samsung’s new flagship TV, the F8000.

LAS VEGAS – One of the big questions heading into CES 2013 is how Samsung would follow up a year in which it launched a series of successful consumer gadgets, including the popular Galaxy S III smartphone.

At its press conference, the electronics giant focused on TVs, perhaps in response to rumors that Apple is prepared to jump into the living room with an Apple-powered TV set. Samsung unveiled a new, high-powered smart TV called the F8000 and a video-tape-sized kit that allows consumers to upgrade old TVs.

The F8000 has a bezel that’s under a quarter of an inch. It has an S-Recommendation feature that understands natural language and responds to voice searches. No more fumbling with TV guides.

“Your TV is almost human,” said Tim Baxter, Samsung’s U.S. president. Read more…

LAS VEGAS – Wireless carriers, while not nearly as visible as TV and computer manufacturers at CES, will still get their messages out at the world’s largest gadget show.

Verizon Wireless chairman Lowell McAdams is slated to deliver a keynote Tuesday afternoon, and T-Mobile will host a press event shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, AT&T used its annual Developer Summit at the Palms casino to once again highlight a few of its top priorities for the coming year. In the past, the company rolled out HSPA+ and announced its integration with products such as Sony’s PlayStation Vita.

On Monday, the carrier highlighted three primary themes for the next year or two: mobile payments, connected cars, and AT&T Digital Life, a connected-home service it plans to launch in 8 markets by March and 50 markets by year-end. Read more…

About 40 Colorado-based companies will exhibit at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, which starts Tuesday. Most will be there to launch new products and secure distributors, including Denver-based Octa, creators of the Vacuum Dock and Whale Tail.

Octa’s latest product is the Monkey Tail. It is one of the most interesting gadget accessories I’ve seen.

A steel-coil system covered with smooth silicone allows users to easily contort the three-foot-long tail into numerous positions. The tail weighs about a pound and works in conjunction with the company’s vacuum-suction dock to enable hands-free use of tablets such as iPads in a variety of settings, such as in bed or while driving. Check out the video for a quick demo.

The company will try to raise $20,000 through Kickstarter by Read more…

(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

No, it won’t be this Apple TV that garners attention in 2013.

Last December, Apple’s iPhone 5 and ultrabooks topped my list of the top technology developments for 2012. They didn’t disappoint as the iPhone 5 featured the bigger screen and 4G LTE connectivity that Apple fans had long anticipated, and computer makers released a full slate of super-thin and lightweight Windows laptops to rival Apple’s MacBook Air.

Nintendo’s Wii U and the iPad 3 also landed on the chart, but they didn’t quite live up to hype. The latter was quickly replaced with a 4th generation iPad about six months after introduction, leaving early adopters miffed. Reviews for the Wii U have been average to above average.

The 2013 list will once again feature two Apple products because the company, deservedly or not, is still enjoying unmatched consumer demand for its goods. But unlike the past couple of years, Apple is facing mounting pressure to deliver a ground-breaking product in 2013.

5. iPhone 5S/6 – The iPhone 5 topped Read more…