CES_2007_first

This year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has been chock full of fantastic video
displays, new methods of distributing and storing media content, and the occasional new audio
component. As expected, 1080p flat panel displays were even more prevalent than at the CEDIA
Expo last September. Also debuting from several manufacturers were ever larger flat panel TVs.

The stage for the show was set Sunday evening in the keynote address delivered by Microsoft
chair Bill Gates. Although the keynote was largely a puff pitch for the latest Microsoft PC
operating system, Windows Vista, due to be released in three weeks, Gates' genuine
enthusiasm was palpable as he described the ways Vista would revolutionize the life of every
computer user, and hopefully, everyone else. Some of the highlights demo'ed by various
Microsoft execs included:

The ability of Vista Media Center PCs to run multiple HDTV programs simultaneously. In
addition there are content partnerships with such providers as FoxSports.com to elevate
sports viewing to a whole new level. You'll no longer just watch sports in HD, you'll
experience it. In addition to multiple events being displayed in multiple windows, you'll have
the ability to switch between the different events at will, with little more than a thought.

Furthermore, you can personalize your experience by pulling customized information form

the net and displaying it as you'd like. You can, for example, have personalized

information scrolling at the bottom of the screen displaying such things as scores and

stats of your favorite teams and players. Speaking of players, the fantasy sports addicts

out there can put this plethora of data to use by extracting and displaying their fantasy

players' stats on the screen automatically. Pretty cool huh?

Advanced file management capabilities - Lose files every once in while? Sure you do. We
all have. Now you'll be able to find them in seconds,and not only on your computer, but
anywhere on your home network, automatically!

Imaging editing capabilities - Vista equipped PCs will let you simply and easily get that
picture you wish you'd taken by combining the best elements of several that you actually
took. This was demonstrated to excellent effect.

A new Windows - Windows Home Server. Debuted in conjunction with an HP home server
storage device, this little innovation will allow you to centralize and automatically backup all
your media content and other files for use throughout your network. You'll then have
access to your by now ubiquitous content anywhere you'd like. According to MS brass,
you'll be able to start serving up things in your own home using this by the end of the
year.

The HP Home
Server running
Microsoft Windows
Home Server
software.

Some of the New LCD and Plasma TVs at the 2007 CES

Some of the new flat panel TVs debuted at this year's CES include this bevy of beauties from LG
Electronics. At left is LG's 100", 1080p LCD TV. Front and center you'' find a 102" plasma TV,
and on the right you can peruse a pair of new, 1080p plamsa TVs in 60" and 71" sizes.
Thankfully for those of you that would love to hang one of the big 71s on your media room wall,
LG has dropped the price to just $15,000, from the GASP! $70K the former unit commanded. To
make it all even better, the new unit boasts a full 1080p resolution.

Microsoft's IP TV gives
streaming TV functionality to
Vista Media Center. You can
even stream HDTV content
directly to X-box 360s
without a Vista PC.

Sharp's entry into the
"mine is bigger than
yours" contest is this
new 108" 1080p LCD
TV. It'll be shipping in
Q2 of this year
according to Sharp
reps on site. Price was
not released.

For those who can't quite fit a 108" LCD into their budget or home
theater, Sharp released the latest 65" Aquos, the LC-65D93U (left).
Price is as the current 65", at $9,995. It will be released in the next 30
days. Sharp showed 2 new LCD TV series as step ups to the D62
series of 1080p LCD TVs just released at the start of the holiday
season. The new units boast better contrast than the 62 series and
120HZ refresh rates as a way of combating motion artifacts that can
plague LCD TVs. The 120Hz solution was shared by other
manufacturers and seems very effective. Sharp's new lines are the 82
series and the 92 series (except for the 65" unit, which bears a 93
moniker). In addition to a 15,000:1 dynamic, and 3,000:1 static
contrast ratio, the 92 series sets also have 6 different 1080p inputs,
quite a change from a year ago, when many 1080p sets wouldn't
accept 1080p. The unit on the right is the LC-52D92U.

A not ready for public
consumption was this
8.8 megapixel, 64" LCD
unit displayed by Sharp.
It, needless to say,
looked very, very good.

Another concept shown
was this 65" "mega
contrast" LCD. Similar to
the unit shown last year,
this one is much larger.
Pardon the flash
artifacts.

If you're not content with the
wimpy wireless TVs offered by
other manufacturers, Samsung
has heard your cries. They
exhibited this wireless 50" 768
plasma that will send 1080i
video up to 30 meters via
802.11n. It uses a remote, set
top style box for source
connection.

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CES 2007 page 3