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CES 2007 -Ben's favorite products

by: Ben Berry -
More On: Ben's Blatherings
The hardest part of covering any major trade show is getting through the whole show in the time you have. The second hardest part is making a list of the things you liked best from the show, when there’s so much to like. So, from now on after each show, I'm making up my list of my favorite things from each show, the Berry Picks.

The hardest part of covering any major trade show is getting through the whole show in the time you have. The second hardest part is making a list of the things you liked best from the show, when there’s so much to like. So, from now on after each show, I’m making up my list of my favorite things from each show, the Berry Picks.

 

In the “For your head” category, there’s the HEADPLAY Personal Cinema System. This unit is a head mounted audio and video system, and while I’ve looked at several of these in the past, this is the first one that’s ready for “prime time”. Featuring connectivity with almost any video source, as well as PC’s and all major consoles, the unit offers a fully adjustable visual interface capable of 360 color fields per second. The biggest feature of the Personal Cinema System is the ability to display 3D video, which I saw first hand in a 3D trailer of Disney’s “Meet the Robinsons”. Look for this system to be available in early April.

 

In the “For your butt” category, there’s the The Ultimate by Ultimate Game Chair. With 12 vibration motors, ground effects lighting and sound, the name is spot on. It also offers built in control sticks that for several consoles and PC could take away the need for almost any other controller. The best part of this chair is that it isn’t just functional, but judging by the prototype from the show floor, it’s also extremely comfortable. The Ultimate will be available January 2007.

 

In the “For your feet” category, there’s the PCGamerBike Mini by 3D Innovations. Want to feel like you’re walking across the lands of Cyrodiil in Elder Scrolls: Oblivion? Simply plug in the PCGamerBike to the USB port on your PC, install the control panel, and map the forward and backward keys, and launch the game. The bike can be used with any chair, and any game that uses the keyboard to move you throughout the game. Not a big FPS player? The PCGamerBike ships with it’s own cyber-fitness software that can be played solo, or used to race your friends online.

 

In the “In your hands” category, it’s the OQO Model 02 handheld PC. I read about the original OQO a few years ago in a trade publication. The last version was a decent initial release, but the new model could well be the complete package in handheld computing. A 1.5 GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM, a 60 GB HD, and integrated wireless broadband, the only thing we don’t know about this thing is how it will work as a portable gaming rig. The folks from OQO admit it hasn’t really been tested for PC gaming. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to put on through it’s paces and see if this thing can go take mobile gaming where the PSP and DS only dream of.

 

In the “In your family room” category, I’ve chosen the InFocus IN72 projector. Offering widescreen HD home projection with Texas Instruments DarkChip2 Imaging Technology and Pixelworks DNX 10 bit video decoder, it delivers 480p (854 by 480) video at under $600. While IN72 might not be at the very top end of the video spectrum, the price point makes it an attractive alternative to an entry level HDTV, with the flexibility of playing games on a screen as big as the wall in your room can handle.

 

In the “On your desk” category, there’s the Novint Falcon. The Falcon is a 3D touch controller for PC gaming. It allows the user to move the control forwards, backwards, left, and right, just like a mouse, but adds up and down to provide control in a 3D space. It’s a somewhat tough device to describe, but Novint said it thusly; “the Falcon is, in essence, a small robot which lets users feel weight, shape, texture, dimension, dynamics and force effects when playing enabled games.” At a price point under $200 for preorders, the Falcon will be available in June, 2007.

 

Finally, in the “Just for fun” category, there’s the Picco Z RTF Electric RC Mini Helicoptor displayed at ShowStoppers (one of the many mini-shows surrounding CES) by Hobbytron.com. This thing is just plain awesome. It’s 6 inches long, weighs 10 grams, and can be flown indoors or outdoors. It’s got a range of 100 feet, and has selectable control frequencies so multiple copters can be flown together. It is Powered by 6 AA batteries, charges last around 10 minutes, and the Picco only takes 20-30 minutes to recharge. The ideal activity when you need a break during a LAN party.