New Game World

WHAT YOU MIGHT BE BUYING SOON!

We are trying to get our readers and viewers spring into Summer with what’s new this time of year in audio, video, home computer, home networking, home appliance, video game and mobile technology.

By Richard M. Sherwin, reporting from the Isle ofMalta,
With Lee Danuff,   Susan Davis and Rich Macias in North America.

The Isle of Malta….For years I have eschewed the giant technology and home products show in Berlin (which dates back to the 1920s or about 40 years before North America’s Consumer Electronics show), sending in my stead, reporters or colleagues because I always seemed to have too many back to school, back to work stories right here in the good old USA.
My colleagues  brought back tales of the seemingly endless aisles and booths that made the U.S. show look small in comparison. I saw pictures of the vastness, variety of vendors and awesome new products, most which would wind-up in North American markets soon.
Everyone seemed to be astonished that a trade show that was also open to consumers could still work nicely and efficiently. Known officially as Internationale Funk Austllueng , a rather daunting name, the show is now dubbed International Consumer Electronics Experience.
Sixty years ago, IFA had Albert Einstein as a speaker, and since then the big show has introduced everything from short-wave radios to MP3 players and telescopes to the newest TV formats. It looks like later this fall, when the giant Berlin show takes place, there will be a bevy of world-wide technology introductions as well as an expanded appliance and mobile technology pavilion at the 2009 IFA exhibition.

Messe Berlin, considered to be one of the finest trade show companies in the world, producing over a dozen shows in categories like travel and food and fashion, decided to hold a sort of pre-show mini- show on the lovely isle of Malta. Here are some highlights:

PRODUCTS SHOWN OFF IN MALTA:

The Loewe Reference 52 Full HD+ 200 flat-screen TV

The Loewe Reference 52 Full HD+ 200 flat-screen TV surpasses what I’ve seen from many U.S. CE makers.  It was a bit pricey for this the U.S. market but it made an impression on many of the technology experts. Allegedly there are some U.S. versions of this TV and Mediacenter being test marketed here. This is a very impressive TV boasting a 52-inch diagonal screen and a depth of only 60 millimetres. The most unique part of this unit you can’t see. All the technologies required for a fascinating home cinema experience are already integrated in the flat-screen display! But Loewe’s passion for providing the best in home entertainment goes even further than that: the Loewe Reference Mediacenter is the central and flexible interface for all kinds of digital entertainment. iPod, DVD and Radio are just three examples of the various media that can be connected and played with ease at any time via the Mediacenter. But the real standout experience comes with the sound: although the Loewe Reference Sound Standspeakers are now wafer-thin, they have a full-bodied sound.  This is made possible by means of electrostatic charging. This technology is being offered by Loewe for the first time in the premium market. The Reference Sound Subwoofer completes this unique audio experience. Thanks to intelligent multi-room solutions, this audio experience can be enjoyed throughout the buyer's living area without any major installation expenditure. The entire Loewe Reference product line can be operated with just one single remote control. The Loewe Assist Media provides a convenient menu on the TV screen to guide the user through the wide range of entertainment options.
The OLED display on the remote control is activated when it is used in adjacent rooms, thus simplifying selection and operation. The entire system can be placed on a single floor plate made of polished aluminium, giving the Loewe Reference a sculpture-like character. Another standard feature on board is the DR+ hard-disk recorder, with a storage capacity of 500 GB.  The Loewe Reference system is priced from about 12,400 Euros (about $14,000) with the full multimedia system package costing around $22,000. But this TV pretty much exceeds many of its North American counterparts in quality, clarity and coolness.

HOME APPLIANCES

The European appliance makers showing that they can deliver excellent quality while still participating in a green initiative to save energy, water and maintain clean air , reduce carbon footprint,  also showed their stuff at Malta.

Bosch’s “Nexxt “Washing Machines

 

Bosch introduced a dish-washer that promises faster heating, improved pump performance, selective water distribution and optimized filter technology. Already considered one of the most efficient models overseas, the ActiveWater dishwashers from Bosch are among the most award winning energy-efficient appliances. Bosch’s new dishwasher, in its standard cycle, consumes only 10 liters of water and 0.97 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Units equipped with the varioDrawer  hold 14 place settings and consume only 10 liters of water and 0.98 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
Bosch offers many different models with various cycles and functions, but even at the entry level their 2009 line is following the Green line. Bosch's developers decided to use silicate's special humidity-absorbing characteristics for the drying cycle, which normally consumes lots of energy. The result: ActiveWater dishwashers equipped with the Zeoliteâ drying system are not only better at getting your dishes to sparkle – they do it more efficiently than ever before. Zeolite reduces power consumption by 20 percent to 0.83 kilowatts for the standard program, which puts dishwashers sporting this feature into energy efficiency class A. You save money while reducing your carbon footprint.

Bosch’s washer-dryers for this season also follow or exceed green guidelines. The Logixx 8, NexxT and Maxx 7 appliance lines from Bosch are among the most efficient washing machines available in terms of both power and water consumption. With respectively eight or seven kilograms of capacity they achieve an energy rating that is one-fifth below the requirements of energy efficiency class A. The reason for this performance lies in the machines' advanced electronics, in their cycle programming as well as in the mechanical design that put the water to its best use and achieves perfect cleaning results even at low temperatures. Power-saving cycles like the Bosch EcoWash 20°C cycle get lightly soiled clothes clean in water as cool as 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) with minimal energy usage. A state-of-the-art load sensor also contributes to the machines' efficiency by adjusting water and power consumption to the load. On the Bosch Logixx 8 Sensitiv, the load sensor even shows on the display how much detergent to add.

Watt’s Up /Down At Miele

Convincing cleanliness: Miele's S 5 EcoLine Green vacuum cleaner saves electricity without compromising on cleanliness.

 

Miele is trying to show that super high wattage is not necessary for super high cleaning. The company claims its vacuum cleaners that use only 1600 Watts do an even better job than rivals that use 1,800 or more.  Their S 5 EcoLine Green, a cylinder vacuum cleaner is environmentally friendly and saves energy: It requires no more than 1300 W to efficiently remove dust and dirt from carpets and hard floors.
The S 5 EcoLine Green is equipped with HyClean dustbags specially developed for Miele vacuums. These dustbags consist of multi-ply random-spun filter material and protective netting to reinforce the outer layer to ensure that dust and debris stays inside the bag. Downstream exhaust filters hold back even the tiniest of particles. Consumers can select between filters to suit their individual requirements by, say, replacing the standard Super AirClean filter with an active charcoal or HEPA version. This is practical for pet owners as an active charcoal filter is able to rid the air of unpleasant smells. A HEPA filter, a boon to allergy sufferers, holds back spores and finest air-borne particles.

While the Malta Conference was going on over the last month or so, some really nice and affordable consumer electronics and home appliances and useful accessories were launched, here’s a sampling. For more new gadgets and major purchase reviews, please peruse our specific product sections:

 

NEW DXG-581V HIGH-DEFINITION MINI CAMCORDER

 

 

 

Measuring less than 4 inches high and sporting a bright, rotational 3-inch TFT screen with simple zoom and menu buttons, the DXG-581V was designed to make it easy to capture all of life’s random and fun moments. The DXG-581V features the highest level video recording on the market today with 1080p – or up to 1920 x1080 resolution at 30 frames per second– and also shoots up to 8MP still images, making video and photo capture all-in-one. Equipped with built-in flash memory, the DXG-581V also has an SDHC card slot to support up to 8GB or 8 hours of HD video.

 

DXG-580V HIGH DEFINITION CAMCORDER

Don’t let the size fool you. This compact and portable high-definition camcorder is loaded with features that let you capture life with ease. With the ability to record HD video, up to 1440 x 1080 at 30fps that’s real 1080p you’ll be reminded why life is too precious to miss. But the fun doesn’t stop there. The DXG-580V takes fantastic still pictures and functions as a digital voice recorder.
BLACK AND DECKER'S SCUM BUSTER: CORDLESS POWER SCRUBBER

There's a reason it's called the Scumbuster. This mighty workhorse scrubs your floors, your tub, even your carpet or car, with amazing ease. The ScumBuster has nine different attachments and works with nearly any cleanser. So you get a spotless finish just about anywhere. B&D’s Cyclonic Dust Buster has also taken the Targets, Wal-Marts and Bed and Bath and Beyond customers by storm, with its upgraded (over previous Dust Busters’  engine) and more efficient power consumption.

 

PLANTRONICS DISCOVERY 925 HEADSET

The award-winning Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece offers the perfect fusion of style and performance. This earpiece showcases an elegant VFrame design and striking diamond shape, taking headset fashion to a new level, while its advanced calling features and innovative carrying case with built-in battery charger offer performance that few Bluetooth headsets can match.

 

 

 

THE SECOND GENERATION OF FLIP ULTRA CAMCORDERS

The new Flip Ultra lines include a high definition Ultra and an upgraded standard definition UltraSD. Both cams sport a larger 2 and 3 inch screen, have double the memory for two hours of recording time, and include AA rechargeable battery packs. The Ultra SD has 4 gigs of memory with video resolution at 640x480 at a frame rate of 30fps in progressive scan and a 2 x digital Zoom. . It should give you about 4 hours of recording time.

The highly touted and long awaited Ultra HD has 8 gigs built-in memory using high definition 1280x720 resolution featuring both H.264 and MP4 formats, which match many of the top full size camcorders. It also has a battery Life: Up to 3 Hours and can be played directly from an HDMI Widescreen port to your TV.
The best feature for all the Flip models is award winning built-in software. First time users or veteran movie and picture takers can start editing, emailing, taking stills from moving images the minute you plug the Flip into your USB port.

BISSELL HEALTHY HOME VACUUM™

The BISSELL Healthy Home Vacuum™ features multi-cyclonic cleaning technology, which pulls out embedded dirt for a deep down clean and makes old carpet look newer.    The Airetight® HEPA Filtration System actually purifies the air while vacuuming, for fresher indoor air.  Other vacuums can spray allergens into the air when in use, but the Healthy Home Vacuum prevents the spread of allergens by trapping and sealing in 100 percent of dust mites, pollen, ragweed and mold spores, along with 99.9 percent of pet dander.    It’s also the only bagless vacuum with Microban® antimicrobial product protection to help control odor-causing bacteria within the vacuum. 

The Palm Pre: Does it really beat the iPhone?
Instead of a short trial of this newly and much touted device, we’ll go beyond The Times, The WSJ and get you inside the new Smart Phone from Palm in the next few weeks. Yes! right now its sleeker, easier and more effective than the iPhone (even next months’ iPhone  lacks the pull out keyboard and the easier to run message and Outlook functions). And the Pre does seem much better made than the often easy to break iPhone. But let’s see what happens over a longer period of time so you can make the best decision on your new phone. Right now our Pre does drain battery life even faster than the iPhone and also is sporadic in its connection because of Sprint’s inherent weaker service than AT&T or Verizon, but so far the device does have a chance to keep the struggling Palm Corp. alive.

The Verizon Blackberry Storm Makes a Comeback

My biggest surprise with all the hoopla of tech journalism at the Malta conference sponsored by IFA, , was the many U.S. reporters not using iPhones, but using the maligned but newly improved Blackberry Storm from Verizon. While the International calls were pricey, the unit didn’t require a Sim card and the calls were clear. An even bigger surprise was how many foreign journalists borrowed Storms from their U.S. counterparts.

Running Out of In-Puts on Your HDTV?
If you now added a Sony Play Station 3, a Blue Ray Player and a HDTV Camcorder to use with your more than one year old HDTV, you may be surprised that you don’t have the in-puts you require to use all of these fine devices without constantly pulling and plugging in the units.
Atlona’s AT-HAD-V31 is a high performance 3x1 HDMI Switcher. This Switcher has an intelligent AUTO function, which will automatically select the newly powered-on HD source. The AT-HAD-V31 is based on the Silicon Image HDMI 1.3b chip-set and is therefore capable of passing-though the highest resolutions of up to 1080p. Unlike many accory makers or TV or Blue Ray player makers, Atlona includes an HDMI cable with its switchers, attaching  a 6ft Pro HDMI Cable to this particular switch.
Atlona also introduced an  all new USB to HDMI adaptor, the AT-HDPiX. This new solution is designed to add an HDMI port to any computer (Mac or PC) and adds many applications in both consumer and commercial environments. From digital signage to home theater environments, the HDPiX provides a simple solution for viewing content from a computer on any HDTV making it the perfect device for any consumer or commercial application. Set up is as simple as plug and play; convenient for any user, no matter the level of technical knowledge. Connect up to 6 x AT-HDPiX to a PC and up to 4 x AT-HDPiX to a Mac.

The Atlona HDMI Switcher