Back to the Future
By Bonnie Optekman, NBC News
The talk of mainstreaming the 3D experience has been around for such a long time. Well, I'm here to tell you that if you're here in Vegas land, do NOT miss the Panasonic 3D full HD 1080p show on a 103" plasma screen playing off a Blu-ray player. Easily outshines any Imax theater I've ever been to. Worth wearing the goofy glasses for. This is NOT your father's 3D. Rain falls on you, basketballs get thrown at you, cars come at you. At least in your imagination. I'm definitely getting it for my imaginary home theater in my imaginary huge new apartment. NBC colleague Andrew Turner just came by and told me that Intel also has a 3D theater. Gotta check that one out too. And a shout out to the really nice folks at Panasonic. They spotted me a cable for my Lumix camera since I left mine at home.
What else from the past? Well - the Polaroid camera PoGo that prints immediate pictures for sure. Fits in the palm of your hand. I vaguely remember having a Polaroid "swinger" that not only printed the pix but had "Yes" and "No" lights that were red and green. Sort of an early version of pressing the button halfway down to focus. I'm embarrassed to say I even remember the jingle. I'll spare you.
And, number three in yesterday's hit parade - the LG "Dick Tracy" watch phone. (They're not calling it that.) Touch screen that feels heat of fingers but works through gloves (i don't get that); water resistant; tempered glass to avoid scratches; quad band; voice activated dialing; customizable watch faces; text messaging; text to speech (it reads you your messages); mpeg3 player; blue tooth enabled or hold it to your ear like Mr. Tracy; and get this -- it has a tiny camera for video conferencing. I could only look at it behind the case and the rep said he'll eventually have one on his wrist but it will have to stay on his wrist (read-you can't touch). Due Q2 in Europe. Date up in the air in the US. And since this is all about me - I remember my mother buying me a tiny transistor radio that fit on my wrist like a watch. Gotta find that. You remember radio. That thing you can get on your iPod with a special attachment.
Let's keep talking phones for a minute. I saw a really impressive one at the Sands where the CES Innovation award winners are as well as a host of new technology vendors. The Icephone acts not just as a phone, texting device and gaming controller but unfolds into three pieces. It was developed for the military such that a dogtag can be inserted in order to send pertinent information about a wounded soldier to the nearest hospital who will then be ready.
I'm sure the people at the MediaFlo booth are happy with me today (read sarcastically). I made them switch the channels on all their LIVE TV phones to show NBC2GO. I've actually been doing that at a lot of wireless vendor booths. My work here is done.
As for my next phone, I need easier texting than with a numeric keypad as well as simple phone functions and, of course, VCast videos and VCast TV (MediaFlo). I believe, ladies & gentleman, I have a winner. The Motorola KRAVE. The keyboard is virtual and that takes some getting used to just as it does on the iPhone/iPod Touch but it beats pressing a key four times to get the right letter. It does everything I need and it's really classy looking AND it's a clamshell with a clear cover. Clamshells have been on the way out as texting has become more prevalent and people have wanted qwerty keyboards.
By the way, did you know that according to the CTIA (wireless association), the volume of text messaging in the US has grown tenfold in the past three years? As of December 26th, Randall Stross said in the NY Times that about 2.5 trillion messages will have been sent from cellphones worldwide this year. We got into it big time this year at NBC News, adding to our sub services by doing election based surveys on MSNBC with record turnout.
This is for my colleague, NBC Nightly News director Brett Holey. Several manufacturers are making the portable Pico projectors - Samsung, 3M, WowWee, Vuzix. Size of image projected can be 50" as long as it's a dimly lit room. Focus not an issue. But it won't replace a room projector. Nor is it likely to give off enough light to act as a backdrop for a shoot. Here's a tip. You can leave light on in the back of room - just not on the surface you're projecting onto. I also couldn't resist trying the my.vu personal media viewer.
Takes output video from iPod for example and you see it larger on your "personal" screen. There are several companies making these. My.Vu's has their electronics on the side pieces to make it more comfortable but it still felt a little heavy on my nose. But then again, I should have adjusted it more completely.
Here's a factoid for today - which I have not confirmed with a second source. 10% of American women carry a tape measure with them say the folks at Toolcode. And many men as well as women get measurements wrong or forget as they measure. So they invented one that gives a digital readout. Good idea but as I honestly told them, a little too heavy in current form for carrying around. Despite this, they quote MSN.com listing it as the number 1 stocking stuffer this year. Who knew?
See you tomorrow.
