5th January 2006 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site. Or try the full archive of all our sister sites.

Gates makes case for Windows in consumer world

CES All play and no work

Bill Gates headed a Microsoft executive line-up before the consumer and entertainment industries on Wednesday to make the case for adopting Windows in new devices and services rather than software from rivals. Opening the annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Gates and co. outlined advances …

PCs 5 Jan 2006, 09:07
Nokia scores hit with wireless internet device

Two-week wait for wireless wonder

The world's largest mobile manufacturer Nokia looks to have scored a major hit with a new wireless device that doesn't have any phone functionality. The Finnish firm announced on Wednesday that, against its expectations, it is to increase production of its 770 Internet Tablet handheld after achieving huge online sales since its …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 14:58
Sony launches true electronic book

CES Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy for real?

Sony is to bring its Librié e-1000 electronic book to the US in March, the company annnounced at CES today. The device has been redesigned since is launch in Japan in 2004, and renamed the PRS-500 Portable Reader. The second-generation unit is smaller - it weighs 250g - and thinner - it's 1.3cm deep, including its leather-like …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 15:53
Xbox 360 to get HD DVD drive

CES Externally, naturally

Microsoft's XBox 360 will support the HD DVD next-generation optical disc format after all, the company's hardware chief, Robbie Bach, revealed at CES last night. However, the ability to play the discs will be delivered through a face-saving external drive, shipping at some point this year, Bach said. Last month, Microsoft …

Consoles 5 Jan 2006, 15:58
HD DVD to debut in US in March

CES Toshiba produces players; studios, content

US consumers will be able to buy HD DVD content and hardware at the end of Q1, companies backing the next-generation optical disc format announced yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas. That's perhaps a little later than Toshiba, one of the format's strongest supporters, hinted when the launch window was …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 16:04
HD DVD to come to Europe this year, hints studio

CES Studio Canal spills beans

HD DVD will come to Europe in 2006, it has emerged. France's Studio Canal, part of the Canal Plus media combine, this week said it will ship 30 titles on the next-generation optical disc format this year. While the announcement was made at event predominantly pitching HD DVD's US debut, Studio Canal said that its HD DVD content …

HD 5 Jan 2006, 16:09
Sony touts Bluetooth camcorder mic

CES Record 5.1-channel soundtracks up to 30m away

Sony will next month ship a cute Bluetooth microphone accessory for members of its DVD camcorder line-up. The ECM-HW1 is designed as a pick-up for audio that the camcorder's main mic can't always catch, particularly since it can be located up to 30m from the recording device. The consumer electronics giant is pitching the part …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 16:16
Sony Blu-ray Disc player coming 'this summer'

CES Philips to ship H2, too

Sony will ship Blu-ray Disc players to the US retail market in "early summer", the consumer electronics giant said yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show, held in Las Vegas. Dutch giant Philips also got in on the act, pledging to ship a player of its own later this year. Sony said it will ultimately offer Vaio systems …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 16:22
XM friends bring MP3s to satellite radio devices

CES Let our powers combine

XM Satellite has claimed a pair of firsts over rival Sirius Radio with the release of two new devices that can tune in satellite radio and play MP3s and the announcement that it has topped six-million subscribers. XM unveiled the new devices from partners Samsung and Pioneer at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here in Lost …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 19:07
What do you get if you cross an iPod with a DVD player?

CES An eVU that you can't buy

Maybe the tiny video iPod screen doesn’t quite do it for you. Or, perhaps, you’re tired of lugging around a pretty clunky portable device just to watch DVDs. If so, you might want to check out the eVU device from e.Digital. e.Digital describes the eVU as a mobile entertainment device (MED), and that seems pretty darn accurate. …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 19:35
OpenOffice supports U3 'portable Home folder' Flash drives

CES Run productivity app on any PC

OpenOffice has been updated to support U3 USB Flash drives, the organisation behind the portable Home folder technology said today. OpenOffice 2.0 can be run from any U3-branded Flash disk. The software automatically ensures that any preferences files and documents it creates are stored on the removable disk and not on the host …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 20:13
JVC to ship 2x dual-layer DVD-RW discs next quarter

CES 4x version to follow, apparently

JVC today announced the world's first single-sided, dual-layer DVD-RW media will ship in Q2 - more than a year after the company unveiled the technology. The new discs will support 2x recording speeds, JVC said, but it was quick to point out it has already developed a 4x version in its labs. The 2x products will provide DVD- …

HD 5 Jan 2006, 20:25
Give me a lipstick MP3 player or give me death

CES OK, digital binoculars will do

Our first Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wrap covers a little bit of everything - from a new twist on binoculars to a pen-sized scanner. If gadgets are your thing, please proceed with pace. The leather iPod bar We’ll start you off with something familiar and easy to digest. It’s the line of device accessories from French firm …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 22:01
Samsung to ship Blu-ray 'first' with April player launch

CES At twice the price of an HD DVD rig, though...

Samsung today pledged to ship a Blu-ray Disc (BD) player ahead of rival manufacturers, getting its BD-P1000 machine to consumers in the "April timeframe", according to Jim Sandowski, head of Samsung USA's digital product marketing. The player will pump out HD content at 720p or 1080i resolutions, Samsung said. Supported audio …

HD 5 Jan 2006, 22:33
Toshiba turns 90° to boost 0.85in HDDs to 10GB

CES And finally ships late, non-perpendicular 4GB version

Toshiba today said it has finally begun shipping its long-awaited 4GB, 3600rpm 0.85in micro hard disk drives. The company also pledged to boost the drives' capacity to 10GB courtesy of perpendicular recording techniques. That said, consumer electronics companies looking to use the drives in their products will have to wait …

Gadgets and Gizmos 5 Jan 2006, 22:48
Samsung, SanDisk prep iPod Nano clones

CES Yet more small, black 2GB and 4GB MP3 players...

Two MP3 player makers today demonstrated their decision to compete with Apple's iPod Nano by... er... announcing virtually identically styled products. Step forward Samsung and SanDisk, whose YP-Z5 and and Sansa e200 players elicited immediate 'it looks like a Nano' calls from assembled hacks. Ah well, if you can't beat 'em, …

Media players 5 Jan 2006, 23:19