TomTom Car Kit for iPhone
Many people are saying that the era of the standalone GPS navigation unit is on the way out, since you could totally use GPS on a smartphone instead. So, where does this leave traditional GPS companies?
Rather than sit idly by, TomTom is taking an active approach with its Car Kit for iPhone. This is essentially comprised of two parts. The first part gets you to download the TomTom app for the iPhone.
The second part is the TomTom hardware. The car mount actually contains an enhanced GPS receiver. This way, even if you lose your cellular signal, you should still be able to pick up a GPS signal with the TomTom attachment. The mount doubles as a hands-free calling device too.
HP Smartbook with Snapdragon and Android
Want a name? It doesn’t really have one yet, because this is just a proof of concept from HP. While the new HP product may look like just another netbook, it comes with at least three very special differences.
First, it uses Google Android as its operating system. This is much more akin to what you would get on a smartphone rather than with a regular netbook. Second, it has a touchscreen display, which is an absolute must for the Android OS.
And the third difference? The HP netbook (or is it smartbook) gets powered by the 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. This peppy chip may have been conceived for smartphones, but it finds a very happy home here. The HP rep says that you shouldn’t expect it to do any heavy lifting, but this device is great for people who “live on the web.”
Samsung IceTouch YP-H1 Personal Media Player
We like touchscreens, but one of its inherent problems is that your finger obscures the display. Samsung has aimed to overcome this issue with the IceTouch YP-H1 media player.
It makes use of a transparent AMOLED touchscreen display. Measuring two-inches and offering full color, the screen can be manipulated from the front or the back. With the latter, your finger will thus no longer obscure the display.
There’s also 5.1 sound enhancement technology, DVD-quality video playback, FM radio, and mass storage capabilities. I just hope that the UI and responsiveness are better than previous Samsung MP3 players.
It’s a Jungle Out There
There may have been a safari theme going on at Digital Experience, but this is just the tip of the CES iceberg. Expect to see a lot more coverage of the show here on Futurelooks, as well as through our YouTube channel. There’s always more to see.
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