CES 2010: 10 innovations to change the way you travel

Gadget bloggers theONbutton got a live hands-on demo of the enTourage eDGe at the Consumer Electronics Show 2010. YouTube video from theonbuttonDOTcom.

The 2010 Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas wrapped up Sunday with an impressive array of new technologies being showcased. Some of the major developments were in the areas of ebook readers, 3D displays and Microsoft's motion-sensing technology.

But what about travel tech? Here's a look at 10 products and technologies that could change the way you travel.

1. enTourage eDGe dual screen tablet device

This is one of those devices that's so hard to classify under one broad category. Device maker enTourage called the eDGe "the world’s first dualbook, combining the functions of an e-reader, netbook, notepad, and audio/video recorder and player in one." The bloggers at theONbutton.com call it a "genuinely innovative design." The left screen is an e-ink ebook reader and the right screen is an internet browser and Android application interface. Why do we like this for travel? It's almost everything electronic-related that you might need on the move, short of a full-fledged computer. Read your ebook on the left and update your Facebook status on the right. Download some magazines to read on the plane and check your email at the same time. We've all seen multi-purpose devices but this one really holds promise. It ships in February 2010 and retails for US$490.

 

 

2. Waterproof, floating Kindle Guardian e-reader case

M-Edge spokesperson Adam Ashley says customer feedback indicated Kindle users like to take their ebook reader with them, "to places that are wet like the beach, the pool, and the bathroom." And so the Kindle Guardian was born. Books are durable, and they don't cost a couple hundred dollars so it isn't a major disaster if you drop a copy of Twilight in the pool or ocean. Though some might call that a blessing. Regardless, travelers to exotic beach locations and hotel pools can now float alongside their Kindle.

 

 

 

 

3. LG eXpo projector phone

Techradar said of the LG eXpo phone, "While it’s being pitched at the everyday user who wants to show off the latest movie trailers and pictures, business folks would also want the eXpo for those impromptu meetings." We agree. We see this as a step in the right direction for the business traveller. The projector currently comes as an add on, but expect LG to squeeze the tech into the phone as soon as they're able to figure out how.

 

 

 

 

Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V

4. Full-featured pocket megazoom cameras

Transferjet capabilities? GPS geotagging? These aren't your father's cameras. These aren't your son's cameras either. The Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V (US$350) and Cyber-shot DSC-TX7 (US$400) are the first TransferJet-enabled cameras. From PC World Magazine, "TransferJet is a proximity-based, wireless technology that transfers images, video, and other files between compatible devices when you simply hold the gadgets about an inch apart." The DSC-HX5V also offers GPS geotagging as well as "an internal compass to register the direction of each shot; in addition, the GPS functionality automatically updates the camera's clock when you travel between time zones." We don't need to tell you how useful this would be for globetrotters. TransferJet memory sticks will sell sometime this January for around US$100.

 

 

 

5. Total Recall technology

No, we're not talking about the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Though it does seem things are going in that direction, and Microsoft says you want this tech, so it must be so. Jim Gemmell of Microsoft Research said at the Storage Visions Conference at CES, “The consumer desperately wants this. The only thing slowing this down is I can’t trust you to store it all and back it up and make it safe, so I just do a little bit manually. As long as we make it safe, they’re going to do it. It’s not a matter of will this happen, but how much of it will you use personally.” So what exactly is it you want so badly? Only the ability to completely record everything you do on a minute by minute, day by day, and week by week basis. Forget the name of that restaurant in Bali you visited on vacation? No problem, just look it up in your Total Recall memory bank. Aside from the creepiness factor of everything you do being recorded, we like the idea of capturing a vacation in total.

 

6. GOpad laptop controller

For the console gamers at heart, there is now an option for a travel ready game controller for a laptop with Ion's GOpad. A Destructoid hands-on stated, "With a D-pad, four face buttons and four shoulder buttons, it's really all you would need for simple games. Plus, it folds up and clicks closed to a size smaller than a lot of keychains. Add in a retractable USB cable and you've got gaming no matter how little room you have for accessories." Look for the GOpad in Q2 2010.

 

 

 

 

7. Zomm wireless mobile phone leash

This is one of those smart yet simple devices that makes anyone go "Oh why didn't someone think of this earlier?" In a nutshell, the Zomm is a Bluetooth device that beeps and alerts you when you stray too far away from your phone. The folks at TechTree.com calls it "the gadget you need to get if you are prone to losing your expensive cellphone every now and then." It also acts as a speakerphone for incoming calls or as a panic button. That's it -- no fuss, no complicated manuals, just pair it to your phone and go. Why is it good for travel? Think of it as an invisible chain to your phone. No more getting pickpocketed in dodgy places or leaving it behind in the airport lounge. The Zomm will be available later this year and is expected to cost around US$80.

 

 

 

8. Panasonic twin-lens 3D camcorder

While the rest of the geek world was fixated on Panasonic's 3D TV sets, Digitaltrends.com ranked the Panasonic 3D twin-lens P2 camcorder among the top ten best gadgets of CES 2010. Why? Simply because "nobody else has shown one yet." While production-quality 3D cameras have been around for a while, Panasonic will be one of the first to bring 3D video to the consumer. But don't rush out now with your cheque to grab one -- it's still priced at an astronomical US$21,000 and a monster to lug around anywhere, but it's significant because it heralds a new wave of 3D-capable cameras. "Avatar" fanboy clip, anyone?

 

 

 

9. MagicJack

The company behind the MagicJack, the cheap Internet phone gadget that's all the rage in the United States, has made a new version of the device that allows free calls from cell phones in the home. The new magicJack uses, without permission, radio frequencies from the mobile network operators, and is in essence a very small cellular tower for the home. And if you read this right, yes, it literally hijacks the carrier signal to make calls, which is certain to draw protests from the operators. Slashgear.com isn't entirely convinced that it's the greatest of ideas, "either from a legal or a functional perspective," but at just US$40, it promises unlimited free calls to the United States and Canada for one year. Will it come to Asia? We think not, but the legal loophole's a very interesting one that others are sure to pick up on sooner or later.

 

 

 

10. Viewsonic Moviebooks

Portable media players (or PMPs) are fairly common in Asia, with every OEM device maker coming up with their own version. But another device that has been "making audiences at CES 2010 fall in love with ViewSonic is the MovieBook personal multimedia player," according to the Devicemag.com blog. The 4-inch ViewSonic MovieBook comes with 4GB of built-in memory and can support and play back 1080p HD videos. That's not all that new, but the big draw for us is that it can also output full HD clips to any HD-ready TV. This means no more over-priced hotel on-demand movies or lack of decent programming in less developed countries.