Ask Engadget: Your picks for the Best of CES

It's been a pretty action-packed past couple of weeks around here (to say the least!), but Ask Engadget is back and ready for 2006. It's been all of four days since the close of the Consumer Electronics Show and so for this week's installment of Ask Engadget we want to know: What are your picks for the Best of CES? We already told you what got our tongues wagging during CES, did you see anything at the show or here at Engadget that really got your heart racing? 

[alienshards @ Jan 12th 2006 7:14PM]

toshiba gigabeat S series!

[Nikoooo @ Jan 12th 2006 7:23PM]

There are actually two things which I particularly loved...



The mini Viewsonic beamer. Just perfect size!!!

The M400 dualcore tablet... That must rock baby!!!



:)

[TheRumCaptain @ Jan 12th 2006 7:27PM]

Gigabeat S series does look sweet.... damn I hope they improve WMV conversion speed. My Creative PMC takes forever to sync up TV!

[robert @ Jan 12th 2006 7:28PM]

Ps3!!!! oh wait, sony didn't say crap about it... in that case I'd have to say the sweet bathroom sewage.

[Basenji Boy @ Jan 12th 2006 7:28PM]

Zen Vision:M

Creative Labs X-Fi sound card

[Ivo Marjanovic @ Jan 12th 2006 7:29PM]

Toshiba Gigabeat S series, no doubt.

[luckydraw @ Jan 12th 2006 7:30PM]

Intel-Based Macintosh Computers, hands down.

[josh @ Jan 12th 2006 7:32PM]

Treo 700w

[Dave Zatz @ Jan 12th 2006 8:03PM]

Pepper Pad Plus! ;)

[Andrew @ Jan 12th 2006 8:04PM]

Ps3 hands down,

even though it saw little action I still believe it'll be the product of the year for 2006.

[Atomic16 @ Jan 12th 2006 8:06PM]

Nothing for me stook at CES but if your counting macworld Im counting the days until the Macbook pro is released

[warrenpeace� @ Jan 12th 2006 8:17PM]

TiVo Series 3.



Can't. Wait.

[havaloc @ Jan 12th 2006 8:22PM]

The XM Pioneer Inno and Samsung Helix portable XM/MP3 players.

[Jorge Abellas @ Jan 12th 2006 8:28PM]

In a CES lacking innovation, I think that the Toshiba SED ( Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display) was the most exciting for it's potential to bring large flat displays down in price significantly and offer better quality.

[Jim Jennings @ Jan 12th 2006 8:30PM]

LukWerks by WiLife. These guys make hi-res digital video cameras that you just plug into a power outlet. And then your PC plugged into another power outlet anywhere in the house, becomes a Digital Video Recorder! No wires to run! Awesome quality and dang cheap. As a security professional, I think these are gonna make their way into every "techy's" house! I've already sold 3 systems since CES!

[Matt @ Jan 12th 2006 8:31PM]

Dolby TrueHD was apparently awesome...can't wait to hear it for myself.



XM's portables looks great, and CNet is raving about the Zen Vision:m...just ordered mine today.

[Ian Gibson @ Jan 12th 2006 8:48PM]

the sony ebook reader - the technology used in it is groundbreaking and inspirational to all tech innovators

[Heffer @ Jan 12th 2006 8:52PM]

Diet Pepsi Machine!

[Allan @ Jan 12th 2006 8:52PM]

Wireless HDTV by TZero. They use UWB wireless technology to broadcast HD quality from a media server to an HDTV!

[Timothy @ Jan 12th 2006 9:11PM]

From what I've seen, the SED displays are what has excited me the most.

[clay @ Jan 12th 2006 9:31PM]

Atomchip.

[Todd @ Jan 12th 2006 10:16PM]

Could post #2 be more of a promo? Geesh. The best thing from CES is the fact that more companies are supplying content for PMCs, so maybe the $399 I paid for my Samsung YEPP-999 will finally be worth it. Maybe.

[Carl @ Jan 12th 2006 10:23PM]

I really liked the reader from sony (well, really that was my first time seeing e-ink, and thats what really kicked ass), Sony's full digital projector was cool, its been hard going back home and seeing standard def everywhere, HD was so nice there.

The biggest suprise for me was the actual difference of blu-ray vs standard dvd, was a much larger jump than anticipated.

Oh yeah, ps3 was badass (the crowd around the screen never seemed to drop below 50 or so... hehe)

nVidia's quad SLi was pretty intresting, although they werent really showing off its capabilities, (more than ati could say, there "demo" was dropping frames like mad in their booth.)

[Ronald Woan @ Jan 12th 2006 10:26PM]

Sharp 1000000:1 contrast ratio LCD display technology demo

[Josh @ Jan 12th 2006 10:43PM]

I'm stuck between the Zen Vision:M and the Gigabeat S Series.

[SOAD @ Jan 12th 2006 11:10PM]

Creative's "Zen Vision: M" hands down. That thing has everything better than the iPod video. But the only thing that sucks is there arent a lot of accessories for the player like the iPod does.

[bLaCkHaNdEr @ Jan 12th 2006 11:26PM]

The MacBook Pro, bow down to its Intel and FrontRow greatness. XD

[Erik Olufson @ Jan 12th 2006 11:47PM]

The Garmin nuvi (or was it n?) was pretty interesting. After seeing a post here about them releasing a U.S. version, I couldn't wait to see what all the hype was about. Lot's of features and a decent form factor. The blog they put up had some hilarious moments as well. http://nuvi.blogs.com/

[play free games @ Jan 13th 2006 12:14AM]

My picks: TiVo Series 3, Toshiba Gigabeat S series, Zen Vision:M, and High-def dvd, whether it's blu-ray or hd-dvd. Oh, and the PS3. Would love to have gone!

[Chris Leckness @ Jan 13th 2006 12:42AM]

I would have to say the Palm Treo 700w (even though I am not sure "I" like it) and the Toshiba Gigabeat S series.

[Scoobydoo @ Jan 13th 2006 1:36AM]

Will all the apple fanbois please back off; the new apple machines were not announced at the CES. Learn to read the title before you post.



For me; Tivo series 3, a really long overdue upgrade

[Ray Morris @ Jan 13th 2006 1:45AM]

I agree with #s 15 & 20, SEDs. That's the next thing on my 'wishlist'!

[BNH @ Jan 13th 2006 1:55AM]

How can one not put the Pioneer Inno at the top of this list? When one wraps there hands around this little dynamo, the failings of the Ipod because obvious. The future will be owned by this little Ipod-killer.

bnh

[Zak @ Jan 13th 2006 2:23AM]

Acer Travelmate 8200!

[Marco Perlman @ Jan 13th 2006 2:24AM]

PS3 cut scenes of Metal Gear were wicked.



I thought the Music Gremlin WiFi digital audio player thingy was pretty cool too. Did anyone else see that?

[Andrew @ Jan 13th 2006 2:45AM]

over at the hitachi booth, they were showing off a 7" wvga OLED screen that blew my damn mind. like 2mm thick (if that) and the brightness and color were up to scratch with my HD monitor. Terrific screen - just wish I could buy one. Honestly, nothing impressed me as much.

Here are some pics:

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1438/img59508rk.jpg

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/3541/img59510pt.jpg

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/3640/img59523yv.jpg



notice in the last pic that I'm still taking it at an angle that shows the screen (a little) if it was dead on from the side you almost couldn't see that sucker. incredible.

[Andrew @ Jan 13th 2006 2:51AM]

sorry guys - looks like the line breaks totally jacked up the images. its worth copying and pasting those urls into your browser though. seriously cool

[Bamboo @ Jan 13th 2006 6:25AM]

1. SED display

2. Dell 30" LCD

3. The desktop monitors Gates had set up during his keynote.

[Art Vandalay @ Jan 13th 2006 11:32AM]

Stop talking about the gay PS3. All they had was an empty shell on display.

[TevK @ Jan 13th 2006 12:13PM]

Personally, I'm excited about the Sony eBook reader.

Hopefully they learned their lessons from the failure of the Libre in Japan (clunky key layout, draconian DRM, and a pathetic online bookstore).



Maybe I'm the only person who like eBooks, but I can see it becoming the future... it's a technology that's just waiting for someone to do it right.



I don't know if Sony is that company, but they at least are a big name taking a shot at it.



I think to reach mass market, the Reader device would have to be $100 or less, but $350 is a step in the right direction after the ~$500 cost of the Libre (imported).



eInk is a very exciting technology, and done right, could really make a major change in the way we look at books and publishing.



And if the rumours about the new Sony Reader device supporting RSS are true, there's your paperless newspaper right there...



Sony could easily screw this up like they did with the Libre, but I've got my fingers crossed.

[TevK @ Jan 13th 2006 12:17PM]

Oh, and the Tivo3 HD was long overdue.

Too bad we have to wait till Fall/Winter to buy one, I want one now!

[Mattias @ Jan 13th 2006 12:40PM]

Without a doubt Sony SZ 13.3" dual-GFX 4 lbs coreduo laptop!

[Gargamel @ Jan 13th 2006 1:53PM]

Toshiba Gigabeat S series definately...

[Barabas @ Jan 13th 2006 2:13PM]

SED TV, WOW!

[TTX1 @ Jan 13th 2006 2:23PM]

Hillcrest Labs' Freespace demo, for the few who were able to view it, is the future of digital media. Wondering which of the big CE players will be the first to either license Hillcrest technology or attempt (and fail) to knock it off. For those who don't know, Hillcrest will likely become to browse what Google is to search...

[raccoon @ Jan 13th 2006 3:22PM]

Screw CES, this year it's all about the MacBook Pro and Intel Core Duos, baby!

[Greg Evans @ Jan 13th 2006 5:48PM]

The most impressive thing I saw was the SED displays by Canon. The second was the 17" OLED display that was in a side room. The SED quality was incredible. I am so glad that I have not been suckered into buying plasma or LCD. Paired with HD or BluRay DVD, the picture quality will be breath taking.

[Greg Evans @ Jan 13th 2006 5:53PM]

Oh, and I thought the Creative Zen:M was so TOTALLY overrated!!! I have had a cowon iaudio x5 that does the same thing for nearly a year!!! Talk about copy cats...

[Nate @ Jan 15th 2006 1:37PM]

At Last Gadget Standing they had a few nice gadgets to look at. But since I'm a XM fan, the new XM portables got my vote. There is soo much to see is so little time.

[Heringer @ Jan 17th 2006 12:35PM]

Tivo Series 3 HD! I want one now...