CES in Las Vegas shows new consumer ‘gadgets’

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an annual event held every January. It is typically the venue for consumer entertainment companies to show their new products and concepts. The show which opens tomorrow (Jan. 7) is not open to the public. Here is a sampling of the product roll-outs so far, before the official opening of CES.

New Dish Hopper set-up can record 8 shows at once.

Dish Network Corp. has unveiled a new digital recorder system that can record eight TV shows at once. The catch is that four of those shows have to be from the broadcast networks ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. The system involves Dish's Hopper digital video recorder and a new Super Joey add-on box for separate rooms. The new Joey boxes can run wirelessly with the help of a router that sits next to the Hopper. Previously, Joey boxes had to be connected by separate coaxial cables.

by Ryan Nakashima, AP Business Writer

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LG jumps into wearable fitness devices

LG is making earbuds that will measure your heart rate from inside your ears. The earbuds connect to a small medallion that syncs to a smartphone via Bluetooth wireless technology. They are also making a wristband that sports an organic light-emitting diode display allowing the user to control music, accept incoming calls and be alerted to text messages.

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Dolby, long known for pristine sound, is now trying to improve what you see. The company unveiled Dolby Vision, a technology that increases the brightness and contrast of TV sets. Prototype models will be on display from TV manufacturers such as Sharp and TCL.

Standard TV sets emit about 100 nits — a unit of brightness roughly equivalent to one candle per square meter. As a reference, a 100-watt light bulb emits 18,000 nits. Dolby says its prototype monitor can put out 4,000 nits.

by Ryan Nakashima, AP Business Writer

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GM says it will start outfitting most Chevrolet vehicles with 4G cellular capabilities in partnership with AT&T. The technology will let drivers make phone calls and allow passengers to surf the Web without burning through the voice and data limits on their phone plans. General Motors Co. said that the 2015 model year Chevrolet Corvette, Impala, Malibu and Volt will be the first to come equipped with the capabilities this year, followed by the Equinox, Silverado, Silverado HD, Spark and Spark EV.

While the hardware will be standard, pricing plans have yet to be announced.

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Ford plans to unveil a solar-powered concept car that offers the same performance as a plug-in hybrid but without the need for a plug.

The C-MAX Solar Energi Concept car uses a gasoline engine combined with a gizmo that acts like a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's rays on the vehicle's roof-mounted solar panels. The automaker says the vehicle's estimated combined city-highway mileage is 100 mpg.

Ford says that by using solar power instead of an electric plug, a typical owner will reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by four metric tons.

Story compiled from AP dispatches.

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The Gayly – January 6, 2014 @ 1:40pm.