The future is here!

At CES 2013, Haier showed off its concept product, the transparent washing machine.  Is this a sign of our future? Or is this an appliance design that you don’t want to see in your laundry room?

Sphero is a robotic ball that can be controlled on an iOS or Android device through a Bluetooth connection.  Using the multi-touch capabilities of these devices, you can move Sphero around indoors, outdoors and even on water. It is available online from Future Shop for $129.99

Earl Grey tea – It was one of Captain Picard’s favourite drinks, and he often ordered it on Star Trek: The Next Generation.  However, he didn’t order it from a person, or even make it with futuristic kettle and teapot - he ordered a computer to make it,  and it materialized out of thin air, nice and hot and perfectly steeped every time.  Not only could the replicator make food, it could also make small objects.  In the economy of the future, who needs money when you can make anything you want at your command?  Of the many futuristic technologies showcased on Star Trek: TNG, the replicator, along with the transporter with which it shared its technology, was probably the most far-fetched of the show.  Little did I know when I was watching TNG in 1989 that the very same technology would actually exist in my lifetime, albeit in a much less sophisticated form.

MakerBot Industries has been one of the pioneers of the 3D-printing revolution.  While the technology has been around since the early 1980s, before MakerBot came along, it was still just the domain of large, expensive machines for industrial use.  While MakerBot’s printers aren’t exactly cheap compared to your run-of-the-mill inkjet, they are certainly within the price-point that a small business, artist, or hobbyist can afford.

Tech enthusiasts have been lighting up news pages of Google for weeks and now the day before the official North American launch of the one of the most anticipated Android devices ever, the Samsung Galaxy Note. I first discovered a love for the device at CES 2012, and am enjoying reading the positives reviews...

This is my first post about CES 2012, and, yes, I know the show was a month ago, so you’re probably wondering what took me so long, when my fellow Tech Bloggers managed to get quite a few CES posts up over the past few weeks.  Well, I won’t make too many excuses. Suffice to say, it was my first CES, so I had no idea what to expect. The show totally burnt me out after only a few days, and I had to go on vacation soon after the show.  Anyways, enough about me, onto the article, which will be the first of many tardy updates about CES from me.

If you are a little confused as to why I am looking for an ice cream sandwich at an electronics show, I’ll fill you in a bit first.  Ice Cream Sandwich (which I will refer to as ICS going forward) is Google’s code name for the latest and greatest version of their Android OS – Android 4.0.  Launched late last year on Samsung’s new flagship phone, the Galaxy Nexus (available from Future Shop on Bell, Virgin, Telus, Rogers, Fido and Sasktel), ICS is the first version of Android to be designed from the ground up for both tablets and phones.

My fellow bloggers, Elliott and Buzz, have weighed in with their thoughts from CES 2012 in Las Vegas, and what they see as the big factors for the next 12 months until we do it all over again. That leaves it to me to offer my two cents about what I think will come from the show, and why the companies that aren’t there sometimes reap the benefits.

While there isn't necessarily one announcement or product release dominating the CES headlines, there are several initiatives creating a lot of excitement among media and tech enthusiasts alike. Looking back at my week at this year's show, here are my seven newsmakers from CES 2012

Sony roared right out of the gate from day one of CES 2012, making a slew of announcements from celebrities and online content, to Crystal LED and displaying the re-born Walkman. 

It will only be a matter of a couple years when the term "sound dock" will join the retired electronics world of Beta, laserdisc and Atari, and become obsolete. Wifi and Bluetooth - "Airplay" in particular are making remote music playing a reality. 

Did you know the average family household does six loads of laundry each week? That's 312 loads a year. To make life easier in the wonderful world of cleaning, both LG and Samsung unveiled new washer and dryer pairs at CES 2012.

Gibson is synonymous with guitars. Since 1894, the American guitar maker has been making beautiful guitars relied on music lovers of all levels. The company is keeping up with the connected world we live in through recent acquisitions of pro audio market leaders, Stanton Group and Onkyo. 

A smart move, given the age where making music, mixing and uploading immediately to Youtube matters. So, seeing them with a sizeable booth at CES was no surprise.

A closer look at what Lenovo is doing, and one might think the company is going through something of a makeover. Lenovo has traditionally been viewed as a business and enterprise-oriented company that didn’t play the game of fancy design and colours consumers love so much. That’s been changing the last few years with a more well-rounded focus that culminated with a pretty good lineup at CES this year.

Do a search on coverage from last year’s CES and you’ll no doubt find tons of stuff on tablets, the device category that was the theme of the show. Manufacturers flooded the show floor with ‘me too’ devices meant to take on the iPad and vie for a piece of a still nascent market. A year later, tablets were often talked about, and there were plenty on the show floor, but they weren’t the focus this time around.

This year’s CES is Microsoft’s last, and instead of going out with a bang, their swan song at the show has looked like more of a whimper. Behind closed doors, there may have been more shown under private auspices, but out on the floor, it was a lot of ‘been there, done that’. Windows 8? Nope. Windows Phone with Nokia and other handset makers? Nada. New and unique software or apps? Not really.

Except for the company’s vision of Kinect working with Windows PCs, it looks increasingly likely that Microsoft opted to hold back on making any kind of noise as they bow out of the show.

Anyone who attended this year's CES 2012 can attest battery life for your mobile devices are critical. Among all the Tweeting, blogging, texting, phone calls and apps used on the show floor, smartphone batteries take a quick dive south.

Digital imaging is playing a slightly bigger role at this year’s CES for those who follow those trends, and Wi-Fi connectivity is one of those underlying ones that seems to be a focus for some manufacturers. Canon introduced a Wi-Fi-enabled camcorder under its VIXIA line that will be out in the in the next few months. YouTube uploading, wireless transfer and iPhone/iPad compatibility are just a few of the perks Canon’s pushing.

Sure there is the big show floor of the Consumer Electronics Show that is packed with booths, demos, celebs and official announcements, but there are other ways to get your gadget on at CES. 

Just wander and you'll see new ideas everywhere.

Future Shop chased Banks down and scored a one-on-one interview with the NFL champion and all-star to see what his latest ventures in his retirement from the gridiron.

The Samsung Galaxy Note is drawing-in crowds at the company's massive booth. By smartphones standards, it's a whopping 5.3” operating on a Gingerbread (Android 2.3) platform and serves a mini tablet. It comes equipped with a stylus pen, dubbed the “S Pen.”

The third day on the floor at CES saw us checking out Pioneer's AppRadio, playing with the most gorgeous laptop (that's not a Macbook) visiting with the president of Sennheiser and playing with the best phone on the show floor (that's not an iPhone).

Here are the stories, photos and gadgets we found on day 3:

How would you like to unpack your perishable groceries into fridge, track the inventory, receive reminders when things are about to expire, then obtain popular recipe recommendations with how to use it? And how about adding another layer by having your oven pre-heat when you're ready to cook the recipe?

This is now a reality thanks to the innovators at LG.

Heading into CES 2012 a lot of hyped swirled on theindustry is labeling "ultrabooks." So what is this? Simply consider it a super-thin laptop with the high-end specifications. In the tech era were thinner, lighter and faster is better, ultrabooks are ultra cool and practical.

For Nokia, this year’s CES could be the makings of a comeback. A company that saw a huge market share dive considerably in just a few years at the hands of Apple and Google has been looking to make a splash to become relevant again in the smartphone realm. Nokia’s Lumia 700 and 800 were recently shown off in Toronto before the holidays, and are expected to market in the next two months, but on the show floor, it was the bigger 900 model that stole the show.

Michigan State University legend. Former first-round draft pick in the National Football League. NFL all-star. Two Super Bowl championships. Former linebacker standout of the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns, Carl Banks took some time-out from the Consumer Electronics Show floor to give a shout-out to Future Shop fans.

Belkin returned to the show floor at CES for the first time in a few years, and showcased some interesting products that might help you watch TV wirelessly. The Screencast line looks to be the company’s foray into wireless projection from one device to another, be it to a TV or from a TV.

It all started with Nicole Polizzi, aka "Snooki" from MTV's Jersey Shore. Then came 50 Cent and Ludacris announcing their companies would be showcasing their headphones at the largest electronics show on earth. Yes, CES is chalk full of celebrities, some of who are there after jumping in the headphones category, and the show is overflowing with headphones. 

Sonos may not have been on the show floor with all the other booths at CES 2012, but the company appears poised to continue a steady push into Canada that started in the fall. The Play:3 and Play:5 units have already launched in the Great White North, but it’s possible that the wide range of music services and access currently available will only grow wider. 

It was Bieber Day at CES today as the re-bobbed Justin showed up to endorse mRobo from TOSY.  It's a personal speaker that has 2GB of internal memory and dances to the beat of your playlist.  It's still a prototype.  It doesn't come out until fall.  It costs $200. 

Still, TOSY got what they wanted, everyone talking about their booth and Bieber.

Here's what else my crew was chasing on the show floor today:

Embracing Android probably makes a lot of sense for Philips. Like other manufacturers that have flocked to Google’s popular operating system, Philips is creating hardware products that complement the software. These include an MP4 player, headsets and speaker systems.

If you’ve got a Samsung SH100, released in the spring of 2011, then you probably know about the Wi-Fi features it came with. These included being able to control the shutter and a few other things from a Samsung Android smartphone. The new WB850 will be coming to Canada and it continues the company’s trend of going wireless.

Apparently size continues to matter when it comes to TVs, as one of the underlying themes at CES 2012 is that bigger is better. Sharp’s new 80-inch AQUOS 3D LED TV is basically a step up from the existing 60 and 70-inch models, only the extra 10 inches is actually more screen space than you might think.

The Walkman may have been iconic once upon a time, but the most recent attempt to give it a boost in the digital age a few years ago fell flat. This year at CES 2012, Sony is banking that a mix of audio excellence and a full Android experience is enough to make an impact.

It was a busy day for the video crew on the floor of CES 2012.

Here the highlights from what we saw on our first day on the show floor.

Today marks the official opening of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Approximately 150,000 global attendees will descend the show in droves when the doors open at 10:00 a.m. PST. Some argue CES could be re-named "Celebrity Electronics Show" given the huge names that help market the latest gadgets to appear at the show. 

Looking back at yesterday's CES press day, the celebrity turnouts didn't disappoint. 

If you’re curious to know what a Future Shop blogger needs to survive an action-packed week of gadgetry, here’s my 2012 top 10 list of items critical to survive the biggest electronics show on earth.

Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Acer has announced the S5 Ultrabook, the "world's thinnest ultrabook" measuring 15mm (0.59 inches) at its thickest point and weighing less than 1.35 kg (less than 3 lbs.)! The S5 Ultrabook is an impressive piece of technology, definitely one worth keep your eyes on. 

 The Future Shop team heads off to Las Vegas next week to see and hear the bold proclomations for Tech at CES 2012.

Let's have a look back at the 2011 predicitions and forth at the announcements for 2012:

It’s that time of year again… the Christmas tree is coming down, you’re promising yourself you’re never going to eat that much chocolate again, and you’re starting to wonder whether Future Shop will be hitting up the Consumer Electronics Show in 2012.  Well don’t worry, we are!

Acer wants to be known as more than makers of affordable netbooks and low cost PC's. During their product showcase, they previewed an impressive selection of upcoming Ultrabooks and notebooks to suit a wide range of users.

This is my first post about CES 2012, and, yes, I know the show was a month ago, so you’re probably wondering what took me so long, when my fellow Tech Bloggers managed to get quite a few CES posts up over the past few weeks.  Well, I won’t make too many excuses. Suffice to say, it was my first CES, so I had no idea what to expect. The show totally burnt me out after only a few days, and I had to go on vacation soon after the show.  Anyways, enough about me, onto the article, which will be the first of many tardy updates about CES from me.

If you are a little confused as to why I am looking for an ice cream sandwich at an electronics show, I’ll fill you in a bit first.  Ice Cream Sandwich (which I will refer to as ICS going forward) is Google’s code name for the latest and greatest version of their Android OS – Android 4.0.  Launched late last year on Samsung’s new flagship phone, the Galaxy Nexus (available from Future Shop on Bell, Virgin, Telus, Rogers, Fido and Sasktel), ICS is the first version of Android to be designed from the ground up for both tablets and phones.

A closer look at what Lenovo is doing, and one might think the company is going through something of a makeover. Lenovo has traditionally been viewed as a business and enterprise-oriented company that didn’t play the game of fancy design and colours consumers love so much. That’s been changing the last few years with a more well-rounded focus that culminated with a pretty good lineup at CES this year.

Do a search on coverage from last year’s CES and you’ll no doubt find tons of stuff on tablets, the device category that was the theme of the show. Manufacturers flooded the show floor with ‘me too’ devices meant to take on the iPad and vie for a piece of a still nascent market. A year later, tablets were often talked about, and there were plenty on the show floor, but they weren’t the focus this time around.

This year’s CES is Microsoft’s last, and instead of going out with a bang, their swan song at the show has looked like more of a whimper. Behind closed doors, there may have been more shown under private auspices, but out on the floor, it was a lot of ‘been there, done that’. Windows 8? Nope. Windows Phone with Nokia and other handset makers? Nada. New and unique software or apps? Not really.

Except for the company’s vision of Kinect working with Windows PCs, it looks increasingly likely that Microsoft opted to hold back on making any kind of noise as they bow out of the show.

Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Acer has announced the S5 Ultrabook, the "world's thinnest ultrabook" measuring 15mm (0.59 inches) at its thickest point and weighing less than 1.35 kg (less than 3 lbs.)! The S5 Ultrabook is an impressive piece of technology, definitely one worth keep your eyes on. 

Canon’s shiny new Vixia HFM52 camcorder looks and feels like a camcorder should; even with the battery installed it’s light enough to keep level with one hand, panning and  zooming smoothly, and all of the controls are laid out in an incredible optimal way. It, in a nutshell, answers why you should still own a camcorder in an age where even wristwatches shoot video: because it does it a whole lot better.

Belkin returned to the show floor at CES for the first time in a few years, and showcased some interesting products that might help you watch TV wirelessly. The Screencast line looks to be the company’s foray into wireless projection from one device to another, be it to a TV or from a TV.

Sonos may not have been on the show floor with all the other booths at CES 2012, but the company appears poised to continue a steady push into Canada that started in the fall. The Play:3 and Play:5 units have already launched in the Great White North, but it’s possible that the wide range of music services and access currently available will only grow wider. 

Apparently size continues to matter when it comes to TVs, as one of the underlying themes at CES 2012 is that bigger is better. Sharp’s new 80-inch AQUOS 3D LED TV is basically a step up from the existing 60 and 70-inch models, only the extra 10 inches is actually more screen space than you might think.

Today marks the official opening of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Approximately 150,000 global attendees will descend the show in droves when the doors open at 10:00 a.m. PST. Some argue CES could be re-named "Celebrity Electronics Show" given the huge names that help market the latest gadgets to appear at the show. 

Looking back at yesterday's CES press day, the celebrity turnouts didn't disappoint. 

Canon’s larger PowerShot G-Series models have been notable advanced point-and-shoot camera options for many years now. With full manual control, RAW file capability plus a nice mix of zoom, one-handed use and HD video, they are extremely versatile.

The PowerShot G1 X, now available at Future Shop for $699.99, takes this to an even higher level with a larger sensor, a more rugged build and a 28-112mm zoom plus all the features that were covered in Graham's first-look.

Sony roared right out of the gate from day one of CES 2012, making a slew of announcements from celebrities and online content, to Crystal LED and displaying the re-born Walkman. 

Digital imaging is playing a slightly bigger role at this year’s CES for those who follow those trends, and Wi-Fi connectivity is one of those underlying ones that seems to be a focus for some manufacturers. Canon introduced a Wi-Fi-enabled camcorder under its VIXIA line that will be out in the in the next few months. YouTube uploading, wireless transfer and iPhone/iPad compatibility are just a few of the perks Canon’s pushing.

If you’ve got a Samsung SH100, released in the spring of 2011, then you probably know about the Wi-Fi features it came with. These included being able to control the shutter and a few other things from a Samsung Android smartphone. The new WB850 will be coming to Canada and it continues the company’s trend of going wireless.

Today marks the official opening of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Approximately 150,000 global attendees will descend the show in droves when the doors open at 10:00 a.m. PST. Some argue CES could be re-named "Celebrity Electronics Show" given the huge names that help market the latest gadgets to appear at the show. 

Looking back at yesterday's CES press day, the celebrity turnouts didn't disappoint. 

Tech enthusiasts have been lighting up news pages of Google for weeks and now the day before the official North American launch of the one of the most anticipated Android devices ever, the Samsung Galaxy Note. I first discovered a love for the device at CES 2012, and am enjoying reading the positives reviews...

This is my first post about CES 2012, and, yes, I know the show was a month ago, so you’re probably wondering what took me so long, when my fellow Tech Bloggers managed to get quite a few CES posts up over the past few weeks.  Well, I won’t make too many excuses. Suffice to say, it was my first CES, so I had no idea what to expect. The show totally burnt me out after only a few days, and I had to go on vacation soon after the show.  Anyways, enough about me, onto the article, which will be the first of many tardy updates about CES from me.

If you are a little confused as to why I am looking for an ice cream sandwich at an electronics show, I’ll fill you in a bit first.  Ice Cream Sandwich (which I will refer to as ICS going forward) is Google’s code name for the latest and greatest version of their Android OS – Android 4.0.  Launched late last year on Samsung’s new flagship phone, the Galaxy Nexus (available from Future Shop on Bell, Virgin, Telus, Rogers, Fido and Sasktel), ICS is the first version of Android to be designed from the ground up for both tablets and phones.

For Nokia, this year’s CES could be the makings of a comeback. A company that saw a huge market share dive considerably in just a few years at the hands of Apple and Google has been looking to make a splash to become relevant again in the smartphone realm. Nokia’s Lumia 700 and 800 were recently shown off in Toronto before the holidays, and are expected to market in the next two months, but on the show floor, it was the bigger 900 model that stole the show.

Today marks the official opening of the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Approximately 150,000 global attendees will descend the show in droves when the doors open at 10:00 a.m. PST. Some argue CES could be re-named "Celebrity Electronics Show" given the huge names that help market the latest gadgets to appear at the show. 

Looking back at yesterday's CES press day, the celebrity turnouts didn't disappoint. 

Did you know the average family household does six loads of laundry each week? That's 312 loads a year. To make life easier in the wonderful world of cleaning, both LG and Samsung unveiled new washer and dryer pairs at CES 2012.

How would you like to unpack your perishable groceries into fridge, track the inventory, receive reminders when things are about to expire, then obtain popular recipe recommendations with how to use it? And how about adding another layer by having your oven pre-heat when you're ready to cook the recipe?

This is now a reality thanks to the innovators at LG.

It will only be a matter of a couple years when the term "sound dock" will join the retired electronics world of Beta, laserdisc and Atari, and become obsolete. Wifi and Bluetooth - "Airplay" in particular are making remote music playing a reality. 

Gibson is synonymous with guitars. Since 1894, the American guitar maker has been making beautiful guitars relied on music lovers of all levels. The company is keeping up with the connected world we live in through recent acquisitions of pro audio market leaders, Stanton Group and Onkyo. 

A smart move, given the age where making music, mixing and uploading immediately to Youtube matters. So, seeing them with a sizeable booth at CES was no surprise.

Future Shop chased Banks down and scored a one-on-one interview with the NFL champion and all-star to see what his latest ventures in his retirement from the gridiron.

Michigan State University legend. Former first-round draft pick in the National Football League. NFL all-star. Two Super Bowl championships. Former linebacker standout of the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns, Carl Banks took some time-out from the Consumer Electronics Show floor to give a shout-out to Future Shop fans.

Last year, IK Multimedia released a ton of music-inspired iOS compatible apps and gadgets that seemed to peak everyone's interests.  While fairly inexpensive, products like the iRig MIDI, iRig Mic, or the iKlip Mini wowed us with their high quality and ease of use.  To kick off 2012, IK has announced a whole slew of new products and apps worth checking out. Here they are: 

The Walkman may have been iconic once upon a time, but the most recent attempt to give it a boost in the digital age a few years ago fell flat. This year at CES 2012, Sony is banking that a mix of audio excellence and a full Android experience is enough to make an impact.