2008 CES Wrap-Up

The 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show is officially over, so now we’d like to cover a few of the emerging technologies we had a chance to discover over the past four days but haven’t mentioned yet.

The Azentek Atlas CPC-1000 is essentially an in-dash car computer unit that combines built-in WiFi, voice recognition, an AM/FM tuner, XM/Sirius/HD Radio capabilities, Bluetooth, a CD/DVD rewriter, GPS navigation, and VOIP capabilities. If that’s not enough, it also lets you use any software you choose to run. There are ports for USB drives and SD cards, and exceptional sound is delivered through a 4-channel, 50-watt built-in amp and 24-bit digital-to-analog converters.

Motorola’s Rokr E8 cell phone features unique “ModeShift” technology that employs touch-pad controls and a backlight that changes to illuminate only the buttons needed for your current function, whether its phone, music, or imaging modes. A company called Twenty20 introduced the VholdR, which is a hands-free, wire-free, tape-free wearable camcorder that offers one-click simplicity and seamless sharing through VholdR.com.

Here’s one that probably should be filed under Submerging Technology—the iceBar2 from a company called Ego. The iceBar2 is a waterproof iPod case that includes a set of speakers that also stay dry. The case is made of shatterproof polycarbonate and can be submerged in up to 3 meters of water.

The people in the above photo from the CES floor will probably (like some of us) be moving on to next week’s Macworld show in San Francisco. Check back here for our updates on the latest Apple announcements. –by Graham W.