droolicious : CES 2009

CES 2009: Paro Theraputic Robots Help Very Sick Kids

Chris Ford — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:30:00 GMT

The therapeutic benefits of pets and animals has been documented. But most hospitals won't let animals in, especially in places like intensive care units. Paro Therapeutic Robots from Japan are now trying to bridge that gap, and give kids (as well as the elderly or anyone else who may be very ill) some comfort during tough times.

The Paro robot has five different sensors, which allows it to perceive people and respond to stimulus. They are as soft and cuddly as they seem, and recharge through the "pacifier" in their mouths (as pictured).

The Paro Therapeutic Robot will be available in the US later this year. They're being marketed to hospitals and other care facilities (not consumers) and will cost around $6,000.00. Check them out at ParoRobots.com.

CES 2009: Kodu - Teaching Kids To Computer Program On XBOX

Chris Ford — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 22:38:00 GMT

Probably the coolest thing I was shown at CES was a demonstration of a new XBOX 360 game for kids called Kodu. Actually, calling it a "game" does it a disservice. It's an online environment where kids get to create a game for themselves and then can play it with their friends. And by creating a game, what they're really doing is learning the basics of computer programming

What Kodu is doing really is demystifying computer programming by removing the abstract and forcing kinds to think critically and analytically. With Kodu, kids can create a "world" by creating one from scratch or changing any one of 10 to 20 starter worlds, and then fill that world with characters, items or other things. Each thing can have a behavior associated with it, and each behavior assigned will have a different consequence in the game.

In the demo I was shown racing type games, shooting type games and adventure type games, but kids can really create anything they can think up (with the programming tools they are given). The other cool think is kids can tweak and reprogram the game while they are playing it, which adds a whole other level of interactivity.

Kodu is being aimed at kids aged 9 years old and up, and will be available for download from the XBOX Live community games channel sometime this spring.

End Monitor Insecurity: Swann ADW-330 FamilyCam

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

If you're worried about the kids' sleeping habits being broadcast through neighbors' monitors (and vice versa), Swann's new wireless ADW-330 FamilyCam promises to clamp down on stray signals in the nursery.

The color monitor can transmit digital video from up to 165 feet away, and its swiveling camera kicks into night-vision mode as soon as light levels drop. And, thanks to its encrypted point-to-point wireless signal, the only kid you'll see on the viewfinder is your own.

$199.99 (in black or white) from Swann.

CES 2009: Blank CDs and DVDs Get The Disney And Marvel Comics Treatment

Chris Ford — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Many people are saying that recordable media (blank CDs, DVDs, Blueray discs and the like) are on the way out and in the future it's going to be all about streaming and downloading content. But people haven't thrown out their CD and DVD burners yet. KDT USA makes blank discs with all sorts of DIsney and Marvel Comics characters and brands printed right on the top, for a blank disc that's just a little more special.

The Disney licensed discs come in all sorts of themes, the best selling of which are (not surprisingly) Disney princesses, Spiderman, High School Musical and Hannah Montana. They cost $1.39 individually or $8.99 for a ten pack. It seems to me if you're thinking about a party favor for your kid's birthday party or something like that, you could do a lot worse than a mix of your kid's favorite songs with a Spiderman or Hannah Montana picture on the cover.

They should be available in stores, and you can check out the manufacturer's web site at KDTUSA.com

CES 2009: iPod Docking + Microphone + 50 Watts = The Dock 'N Rock

Chris Ford — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

The Dock 'N Rock is a new product the company representative was calling "a party in a box." It's a portable iPod docking station with a huge amplified speaker and a microphone - so you can rock the mic while listening to your favorite songs.

The Dock 'N Rock isn't a karaoke machine, but more like a portable DJ machine. It has 50 watts of amplified sound, and is rechargeable (they told me each new charge should last you about five to ten hours). The coolest feature of it though, is that when you start speaking through the microphone the music that's playing on the iPod automatically lowers, and then raises back up when you stop. For parties or just to annoy mom and dad, it looks like something kids could totally get into.

The Dock 'N Rock should be available sometime in the fall of 2009, and will retail for around $199.99.

CES 2009: Game On - An Awesome Video Game Storage System For Your Kids

Chris Ford — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Game On might have, for a lot of parents, the answer to a problem that has been nagging them for a while. How do I keep al of this video game stuff looking neat and all in one place in my house? Well, I think Game On has the solution.

In the picture, you're looking at the one-two punch from Game On - the Video Gaming Storage System (on the top) and the Stash Box on the bottom. Both are made of durable MDF, can take up to 50 pounds of weight (when mounted to a stud) and have been designed to take the wear and tear that children can dish out.

The top portion holds your console (XBOX, WIi, PS3 etc.), has games on top and four side support handles for controllers, guitar controllers or any other gaming associated stuff. It also has curved vents on each side to let air pass through - keeping your console nice and cool.

The Stash Box underneath is meant to work in conjunction with the top portion, and it provides extra storage for more games and DVDs. All put together it's a pretty awesome clutter solution for your kid's room or playroom. At least when you tell them to put their video game stuff away, they'll have a place.

Both are available in black, white, green, red, blue and yellow; and both will cost about $59 each. Neither are availalbe in stores in the US yet, but you can check them out at IWantMyGameOn.com

CES 2009: Road Mice - Muscle Car Computer Mice

Chris Ford — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

One of the cool things about a show like CES is checking out all of the smaller vendors - the people with an idea and a product to sell. One of those was this company that was selling what they called "Road Mice." Computer mice in the shape of cars is definitely a novelty, but if your kid (or his father) is a gear head it might make a good gift.

Road mice come in both cordless and wireless versions, and have LED headlights and a click wheel that light up when they're being used, and each mouse has an individual VIN number that you can register online at roadmice.com. You can also buy what they are calling an insurance policy on each mouse - for $19.95 they will replace the mouse if it is lost or stolen.

There are all kinds of models of American cars to choose from, and depending what you pick it will cost $49 or $45 (for the cordless) and $35 for the wired mouse. To check it out or to buy online check out RoadMice.com

CES 2009: iHome Rotating Alarm Clock - Perfect For Teen Bed Side Tables

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

File this one under "cool idea for a product that I can see a college kid or teenager thinking was cool too." The Rotating Alarm Clock from iHome has all the features normal clock radios that have built-in iPod docking stations have, with one exception. You can turn the whole thing on it's side so you can see a movie on your iPod easier.

"But wait a minute," you may be thinking. "Won't that make the clock look all screwed up when the whole damn thing is on its side?" It normally would, if the designers at iHome hadn't already thought of that first. When you rotate the radio, the clock display rotates as well, so you'll always be sure to know how much time you're actually wasting watching your iPod.

The IP41 Rotating Alarm Clock will take all kinds of iPods (including the iPhone) and should be out in April of this year for around $79.00.

CES 2009: Pyro Army Chair From Pyramat

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Here's a new gaming chair from Pyramat that I thought was pretty cool - the Pyro Army Chair. Like some of the other Pyramat chairs it has four speakers (two at the top, two at the bottom) and a big subwoofer. It's called "Army I suppose because of the camouflage patterns and has loads of pockets for whatever your son (most likely) wants to put in them.

What I liked the most about this version though is that it can be linked up to other Pyramat chairs - up to eight in total - so more than one person can enjoy the video game, movie, or whatever other audio source you have plugged into it. Each chair will have to have it's own separate power, but the audio plugs just into the first chair, and is distributed to the other chairs from the first.

The Pyro Army Chair should be available in four to six months an should retail for around $129.

CES 2009: Casio EX-FC100 - The Coolest Point And Shoot Camera At The Show

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Earlier today I told you about a pretty amazing camcorder, but what about a pretty amazing digital camera? It's not a crazy DSLR or anything fancy, but the Casio EX-FC100 is one of the coolest pocket point-and-shoot camera I've seen.

The EX-FC100 is pretty much like any other normal to high-end point and shoot digital camera (9 megapixels, 5x optical zoom, CMOS sensors and anti-shake technology) with one big exception. It will shoot a high speed burst of thirty frames per second.

Huh? What that means is, you'll be able to shoot some super slow-mo action for some amazing effects. Think bird photography, or your kid's soccer game - anything where there is going to be a lot of movement and you want to get a great shot. At a 30 fps burst, more than likely you're going to get a good shot. The image quality in the burst is only at four megapixels, but to me it's worth giving up the megapixels for such a cool effect. And how big of a print are you going to make anyway?

Other notes: the representative from Casio told me that it's ISO sensitivity is good up to about 800, which seems a bit high for me but I was (obviously) unable to test it. Also, it doesn't shoot time lapse which is a good thing for me, because if it did I'd have a hard time not buying one myself.

The Casio EX-FC100 will retail for $399 and will be available at the end of March 2009.

CES 2009: Panasonic HDC-HS300 HD Video Camera Is Truly Droolworthy

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday I showed you a HD video camera for the family on a budget, but what about the family that is looking to upgrade and get a top of the line consumer camcorder? For that, the Panasonic HDC-HS300 should fit the bill nicely.

The HDC-HS300 has all the bells and whistles of the best of the Panasonic video cameras - like face detection, full HD 1920x1080 resolution and a 12x optical zoom. The HS300 also has a built in 120 GB hard drive which should record more video than a parent would ever need before he or she could get back to their computer to download it (around 50 hours). But if that isn't enough, it will also take an SD/SDHC memory card too.

Panasonic HDC-HS300 will retail for $1399 and will be available in the end of March / beginning of April 2009.

CES 2009: Nyko Charge Station EX - An Improved Rechargeable Wiimote Solution

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:30:00 GMT

The representative from Nyko (makers of video game accessories) told me an interesting piece of information. If your family plays an average of 14 hours of Nintendo Wii per week (which is apparently the average for families with a Wii), then over the span of a year you'll be spending around $200 keeping fresh batteries in the controllers. Granted, rechargeable Ninetendo Wii controllers and charging stations are Nyko's biggest product, but it's something to think about when considering getting rechargeable battery system for you Wiimotes.

The Charge Station EX is Nyko's newest version of their popular Charge Station and will be replacing their current version in stores. It's basically the same product, with a few improvements. The design is a little more sleek, it now has an LED light that will tell you once the batteries are charged, and of course it will let you keep those all important tethers on the Wiimotes when you're charging them.

The system comes with the station, two rechargeable batteries and rubber-backed battery covers. Available in stores as soon as the current versions sell out, and will cost $34.95.

CES 2009: Vibe By X Rocker - A Vibrating Stage For Rocking Rock Band

Chris Ford — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Judging by the number of booths at CES with something Rock Band or Guitar Hero related, you'd think that everyone was pretending to be a rock star at home. We've seen some cool video game chairs, but this thing gets my vote for most unique Rock Band accessory. The Vibe by X Rocker isn't a chair, but a vibrating Rock Band stage for you to dream your dreams on.

Basically what you're doing is standing on a big speaker - actually three speakers. It's got stereo sound and a giant subwoofer with also some sync lighting thrown in for effect. But the cool part about it is the massive vibration you feel when you're playing the game. It's definitely not for all night gaming sessions, but if you and your kids are Rock Band obsessed it's something you should definitely check out.

Vibe from X Rocker will retail for around $99 and should be available in Q2 of 2009.

CES 2009: Parrot By Starck - Wireless Speaker System

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:30:00 GMT

Parrot by Starck isn't for kids or even families really (at least not families with a normal budget). But the modern design and Starck name is making me add it to the long list of cool stuff at CES 2009. What you're looking at is basically the most expensive iPod docking station I've ever seen, with a few bells and whistles thrown in too.

Parrot by Starck are two wireless speakers that work together via bluetooth, and they show up on your wireless network. What this means is that you can play music from your computer, iPod or any other source on your home network. In fact, the only cord to these speakers is a power cord. I have to admit they did sound pretty great, but what you're paying for obviously is the look and the Starck name.

Parrot by Starck, $1500 (for the pair) and should be available in the US in April.

CES 2009: Drum Rocker - A Premium Rock Band Drum Set From Ion

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:30:00 GMT

I told you about the fancy entry-level electronic drum set from Roland the other day, but if you're looking for something even a little more affordable, then you will probably want to check out the Drum Rocker drum set from Ion. It's the Rock Band drum set that grows with your playing ability.

The Ion is probably the most robust Rock band or Guitar Hero World Tour drum set out there. It has a better all metal kick pedal, a better rack and to extra cymbals. But the cool thing is that if you add an electronic drum module, it can become a fully-functioning electronic drum kit. It isn't going to be as good as a Roland Drum set, but at over half the cost of the cheapest Roland set, it might be the right choice for budding drummers on a budget.

Drum Rocker from ION, $299. Check it out at DrumRocker.com

CES 2009: NVIDIA Brings 3D To PC Games WIth GeForce 3D Vision

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:00:00 GMT

See those two dudes playing Guitar Hero with the funny 3D glasses on? They're rocking out in 3D thanks to the new NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision. And you thought it wasn't possible to look geekier playing Guitar Hero.

The GeForce 3D VIsion is a box that hooks up to your computer monitor (it's only for PC gaming) and works in conjunction with software you install on your computer. The cool thing is it doesn't require any versions of the games you want to play - as most all video games are created in 3D "space" anyway. NVIDIA has confirmed it works with 358 PC games, but it may work with others as well.

NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision - $199 from NVIDIA.com

CES 2009: Ring Bots - A Teenage Girl's Cellphone Accessory

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Ring bots are cute, simple, and have the potential for being a big hit with teenage (and pre-teen) girls with cellphones. Each charm attaches to any type of cell phone, and then when the cell phone rings, it lights up and spins around. There is a sticker version has stickers with lights on them, but the charms are cooler.

RIng Bots will retail for $9.99 and the RIng Stickers will retail for $4.99 and should be available in the Fall of 2009 (right in time for stocking stuffers).

CES 2009: GameLeash and CamLeash For Kid's Handheld Electronics

Chris Ford — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:00 GMT

The GameLeash / CamLeash is exactly what it says it is. A simple idea to be sure, but after having shopped for a camera wrist strap recently, it wasn't as easy to find something I liked. And if you're buying your child a new camera or handheld video game player, getting them a wrist strap that's more secure than what comes with the device is a pretty good idea.

They are both identical (just different packaging) and made of velcro and neoprene.

A single leash costs $9.99 and a four pack (bundled for Nintendo Wiimotes really) will set you back $29.99. Available now from Leashtec.com.

CES 2009: Local Sensor - New Technology Ideas From Nokia

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Nokia was showing off some new technology at CES that has direct applications for parents and children. Nokia Local Sensor lets your Nokia phone know how far it is from a special tag that you can put on your keys, kids, pets or anything else you want to keep track of. The software on the phone then will point the way (like a compass) to where the tag is, also giving you an idea of how far away the tag is.

It also has the ability to shut your phone down and lock it if it isn't near the tag itself - a useful security feature that I haven't seen before on a phone. The location stuff I've seen before, but not an implementation as nice as the Nokia version.

It's in development now so there isn't a specific product, price or release date. But hopefully this might be something you can get for your cellphone in the future.

CES 2009: Hello Kitty Kitchen Appliances

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Is there any product that there isn't a Hello Kitty version of? While walking the floor at CES, the booth from electronics manufacturer Spectra had a whole bunch of Hello Kitty products. But the things that caught my eye were the kitchen appliances. A Hello Kitty toaster, coffee pot and toaster oven deserve a mention here, if only because I can't imagine anyone (other than college kids) actually using them in a kitchen.

But then again, the toaster makes toast with Hello Kitty's face burned into it.

Apparently the toaster is available now at Target stores, but the representative told me that the toaster oven and coffee maker weren't really big sellers. There is product info on all of the products on the Spectra web page, but you can't buy them there. I wasn't aware of this, but apparently Sanrio (the Hello Kitty company) doesn't allow Hello Kitty products to be sold online on web sites that aren't already associated with a brick and mortar store. Which is weird and kind of an old fashioned way of thinking I think, but there's always Target.com.

Hello Kitty Toaster, $19.99 from Target.com

CES 2009: Canon Vixia HF200 HD Camcorder- Great For New Families

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

At the Canon booth I asked one of the camcorder representatives to suggest a good HD camcorder for new families. The scenario I gave him was a couple is having a baby for the first time, and they want to buy a camcorder that still recorded in HD, but wasn't too expensive. The camera he suggested was the Canon VIXIA HF200.

The Vixia HF200 records in full HD (1920x1080) directly to a SD card. It has HDMI out, face detection and image stabalization. It doesn't have an on-board memory (the SD card is the only option) but at that price it's a camcorder with a ton of features that you'll be sure to have for more than a few years.

Canon Vixia HF200 will retail for around $849 and should be available in the US in March.

CES 2009: Polaroid PoGo Digital Camera - Finally A Polaroid For The Digital Age

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:30:00 GMT

You may have heard recently on the news that photography stalwart Polaroid had stopped making it's instant Polaroid film. But that doesn't mean they've stopped making cameras that will make you a picture on the spot. To that end, they announced at CES the Polaroid PoGo Instant Digital Camera.

The PoGo is a 5 megapixel digital camera that will print you a two by three inch picture in under sixty seconds. It uses their Zink photo paper technology to create an "ink-less" print. The prints are dry to the touch and after having seen the demo I can imagine lots of kids having fun with this camera. You can also add borders or other things to the pictures all right in the camera before you print them. The camera also has an SD card slot for saving the digital versions of the images you take.

It should be available sometime in the Spring of 2009 and will cost $199.

CES 2009: Special Deal On Vado HD Camcorders From Creative

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:30:00 GMT

A few companies at CES were showing off small video cameras - the kind that you put in your pocket and keep with you all the time. And the coolest one I saw at CES was the Vado HD camcorder from Creative. Oh, and they're running a during (and after) CES sale this year that you can take advantage of too.

The Vado HD is a full HD camcorder that records in 720p HD and will output to 1080i. It has 8GB of on board memory for 2 hours of HD video, and has a two inch screen and HDMI out. And like the flip video camcorder, it has a handy USB dongle that comes out of it for you to hook it up to your computer.

And right now through January 17th, you can get it for only $199. Just visit us.creative.com/ces for all the show specials from Creative.

CES 2009: New Portable Navigation From Alpine

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:30:00 GMT

Navigation systems are great for parents with a car full of kids and no room for error. The new portable navigation system from Alpine has all the normal dashboard nav stuff (turn by turn directions, maps etc.), with some added benefits parents can take advantage of.

The PND-K3msn Navigation System has the ability to connect with MSN Direct, which will give you up to the minute traffic data, weather, gas price information and even movie showtimes in your area. It also has Bluetooh hands free calling built in, which is actually quite good for similarly priced navigation systems.

The Alpine PND-K3 will cost about $500 and will be available February 2009. The subscription to the MSN Direct service will run you abotu $60 per month.

Read the press release here.

CES 2009: iHome iHM77 Portable Mini Speakers

Chris Ford — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:00:00 GMT

These little speakers from iHome may be small, but the sound they produce is pretty big. The iHM77 are the perfect little portable speakers for a laptop or for an iPod or IPhone that you or your kids don't want to plug headphones into. They are rechargeable, collapse into a capsule (pictured on the right) when you're not using them, and will cost you $49.99.

Check them out at iHomeAudio.com