AT&T announced at CES it would be the first to deliver 4G LTE Windows Phones, including the Nokia Lumia 900, expected in spring running Windows mobile 7.5.
Windows 8 is expected to be released sometime this year, but no date has been set.
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop was joined onstage at a Monday press conference by AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to talk up the phone that is expected to mark Nokia’s return to viability in the U.S. market.
“The whole push is to build a strong, third ecosystem in the smartphone market with a differentiated point of view,” Ballmer said, noting there are currently about 50,000 Windows Phone apps on the market.
CNN, ESPN, Univision and “Sesame Street” are among the content providers that have partnered with Nokia as it strives to offer customers a rich user experience. “We’re not just building phones, we’re building content ecosystems,” Elop said.
Elop touted as significant the mobile apps associated with CNN’s iReport, “the largest citizen journalism network in the world, with 1 million registered users and more than 1,800 field missives filed last year.”
Nokia will also be making a 4G LTE Windows phone for T-Mobile.
From a 5.5-pound, 20-inch portable LCD TV that runs on batteries — to an 8K home cinema super-screen that offers 16x the resolution of HD, Sharp heads into its 100th anniversary year with guns loaded.
While the 85-inch 8K (7680×4320) prototype is on display, there’s no ship date yet. However, consumer product marketing officer Mark Viken says it’s definitely headed for the home.
Sharp’s splashiest ready-for-market offering is an 80-inch 3D LCD TV. The 1080p Wi-Fi display features Sharp’s Quattron technology and 240Hz to virtually eliminate blur.
Connected TV: Sharp announced that all new 60-inch class and larger AQUOS models will come equipped with Wi-Fi enabled SmartCentral for full-screen Web browsing and access to popular apps.
The company also introduced the free Beamzit app, which will allow TVs to share content from iOS or Android devices.
Sharp jointly developed with I-cubed Research Center the ICC-4K LED TV, which “intelligently” up-scales from HD to 4K, providing four times 1080p resolution.
Portability: The AQUOS Freestyle is a line of slim and light HD sets from 20- to 60-inches. The Wi-Fi enabled Freestyles are designed for “plug-into-a-wall-socket-and-play” capability.
Energy-sustainability: Sharp’s 80-inch AQUOS TVs cost just $22 per year to operate, according to the company.
NPR has debuted an app designed specifically for Ford SYNC AppLink, the voice-activated platform that works by connecting smartphones to vehicles.
The deal is interesting on two fronts: as a case study in how traditional content “networks” might make their products available a la carte — and for Ford’s hands-off positioning as third-party technology enabler that is facilitating cool uses for smartphones while leaving it largely to the handset manufacturers to upgrade and maintain the platform environment.
Ford AppLink allows developers to create in-vehicle mobile applications that assume unique functionality when Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices are docked to the dashboard via USB. Android devices also work via Bluetooth.
Ford’s apps feature a variety of sports, information and financial programming.
NPR is “one of the most popular features on iTunes, accounting for 7 out of 10 downloaded podcasts,” according to the network’s Kinsey Wilson.
Ford’s SYNC Services launched in 2009, providing voice-activated access to a cloud-based network of information including traffic, news, sports, weather and more. In 2010 Ford added SYNC AppLink — allowing smartphone-equipped customers access to a growing number of popular apps.
Where to see it: North Hall, Grand Lobby, Lower Level 2230
Henry Ford technical fellow Jim Buchowski said his company plans to continue its pioneering role in the “smart car” space as a means of differentiating its product from those of other manufacturers by “creating new experiences for consumers.”
Ford will continue to take a somewhat platform-independent approach that sees the focus more on software and apps rather than hardware.
“Our approach will continue to be not building the technology into the vehicle, because once you’ve got a 3G modem built-on and 4G comes along, you’re stuck,” Buchowski said.
Initiatives Ford is showcasing at this year’s CES include onboard health monitoring devices that will help drivers with medical issues. Things like back-up cameras that can make it easy for one person to do things like attach a trailer hitch are also a focus.
These are extensions to technologies Ford has rolled out over the past two CES shows. SYNC, which integrates Wi-Fi hotspotting directly into the vehicles, allows the car to seamlessly interface with phones, mobile music devices and navigation systems (including voice commands) and MyFord Touch, which puts controls at the driver’s fingertips.
Ford is utilizing the Windows platform. At present there are more than 3 million vehicles equipped with SYNC.
Where to see it: North Hall, Grand Lobby, Lower Level, 2230
The Samsung SmartCam streams live footage to your smartphone, PC or Mac via a tiny camera and speaker combo.
The plug-and-play 1.3-megapixel webcam does not require any software pre-load (a very popular concept among manufacturers this year).
Features include sound- and motion-activated alerts, two-way talk, messaging, night vision and mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Up to five viewers can access the feed at once.
Register as many units as you’d like to your personal account, authenticated through Samsung’s WPS-encrypted server.
Set to ship in March at $149 per unit.
Where to see it: Central 12004; Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase, LVCC Grand Lobby
San Francisco-based Toktumi, Inc. — the company behind the Line2 app that provides second phone lines for iOS and Android smartphones — is now debuting a version that works with the iPad.
“It can make calls where AT&T’s signal is weak, like indoors. It can turn an iPod Touch into a full-blown cellphone. And it can ruin the sleep of cellphone executives everywhere,” wrote David Pogue of the original app in The New York Times.
The app uses new numbers or can port over existing local phone numbers. Users can make calls over Wi-Fi or 3G.
It is being marketed as a tool for small businesses that need a second line. It also includes a contact management organizer.
The $9.95 per month fee includes unlimited calls to the U.S. and Canada, and unlimited texting (no contract required).
The manufacturer is billing it as a more professional-looking alternative to products like Skype and Google Phone because it uses traditional phone numbers. Also touting it as a “cheap” way to add a second line.
Where to see it: Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase, LVCC Grand Lobby
Wormhole Switch from J5create is a single USB cord that enables Windows and Apple computers to exchange files. There is also a version that connects Windows machines with Android platforms.
No software is required; the cord — priced at $24 to $39 — does it all.
Data transfer rates are USB 2’s standard 4.8 gigabytes per second, “so file size is limited only by the size of the hard drive. You can drag and drop a 1 terabyte file,” a company rep explained.
The Wormhole Station accomplishes the same thing via a docking device that also enables multiple units (like tablets and iPads) to share a keyboard.
Where to see it: Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase, LVCC Grand Lobby
Samsung’s new inTouch enables wireless Internet connectivity for HDTV sets at 1080p, allowing users to view YouTube, Hulu and other online content in big screen splendor.
The tiny Android device connects to a TV via a single HDMI cable (no software required) and syncs to the home Wi-Fi network.
It features a built-in camera and microphone for multi-user 720p Skype videoconferencing on a grand scale.
Comes with mini keypad that company reps are touting as a much easier browser interface than a remote control.
Expected to ship in March, priced at $199.
SlashGear has a 1-minute video demo from CES Unveiled.
Where to see it: Central 12004; Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase, LVCC Grand Lobby
AT&T announced at CES it would be the first to deliver 4G LTE Windows Phones, including the Nokia Lumia 900, expected in spring running Windows mobile 7.5.
