Las Vegas — The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), where the biggest electronics and technology companies in the world converge, is held in the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center every January.
I was a media delegate of Samsung Electronics Philippines, which afforded me a front-row seat to the Korean electronics giant’s dazzling array of digital cameras, Blu-ray, DVD and HD players, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), camcorders, home theater systems, computer monitors, LCD, plasma and OLED TVs, MP3 players, printers, hard and optical disk drives, large-format monitors, and even a high-tech refrigerator with French doors.
The Samsung corporate exhibit was so huge, it would take page upon page of this paper to show each and every device. Here then are some choice products from Samsung’s IT, portable media player, digital camera, and camcorder lines.
Samsung’s Q1 Ultra Premium UMPC is the newest version of the best-selling ultra mobile personal computer in the world — and is a 2008 CES Innovations awardee.
Fueled by a 1.33GHz ULV Intel Core Solo Pentium CPU running at 1.33GHz, and boasting 1GB of high-speed DDR2 memory and an 80GB ultra-small HDD, the Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-enabled Q1 is a high-performance mobile computing solution that offers full PC functionality in an ultra-light, sub-two-pound package.
The new SyncMaster 2263DX, yet another 2008 CES Innovations honoree, is a 22-inch LCD monitor capable of connecting to a computer via USB, without the need for any additional video hardware.
Featuring an additional seven-inch monitor attached to the display, the plug-and-play 2263DX is ideal for users who require multiple screens to run programs and applications simultaneously.
The extra screen enables users to create and edit documents on the main screen while using the additional screen to simultaneously Instant Message or read e-mails.
A CES Best of Innovations category winner, the BS900 allows users to enjoy music wirelessly from their Bluetooth-enabled cellphone or portable media player. Unlike other wireless audio speakers, the BS900 is a 30-watt, three-channel system capable of room-filling sound.
The ultra-portable BS300, on the other hand, delivers high-quality sound that also connects to any Bluetooth-enabled device for enjoying music on the go.
The Samsung P2, also a CES 2008 Innovation awardee, offers fresh ways to experience and interact with video, music, photos and other multimedia on the go.
With its three-inch widescreen display, 16:9 aspect ratio and 30fps video playback, the Bluetooth-enabled P2 is the first Samsung portable media player to feature a full touch-screen GUI.
The touch-screen reacts to users’ gestures using EmoTure, an input system that allows the finger to control player functions not only by tapping selections, but also by sliding a finger across the screen.
At only 0.3 inches thick and 1.5 ounces, the Samsung T10 combines a music player, FM radio, photo album, video player, voice recorder, text reader, and gaming device all in one.
The Bluetooth-enabled T10 comes in 4GB and 8GB capacities and is offered in three bold colors: midnight black, mystic purple, and maple red. The two-inch screen delivers crystal-clear QVGA resolution, while the DNSe 2.0 sound engine provides powerful sound.
The 10.2-megapixel Samsung NV24HD, as its model name implies, is a Full HD camera that features Samsung’s exclusive high-speed image processing technology, the DRIM Engine II.
It uses H.264, a next-generation video size, and is also capable of HD-level stereo video recording, which is more than four times as efficient as the competitors’ products.
The NV24HD is equipped with the world’s smallest 24mm ultra optical wide 3.6x zoom Schneider lens, ensuring an extended field of vision, a slim body and secure grip. It’s also equipped with a revolutionary smart touch UI and uses a next-generation AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) display.
The 8-MP Samsung i8 is a multimedia digital camera supporting various functions other than shooting, such as watching movies through the PMP, MP3 music playback, travel information and text viewer.
As small as a business card, it provides excellent camera capabilities with an HD image sensor, an HD LCD, high ISO (up to 1600), an optimized camera shake correction, and DIS (Digital Image Stabilization), Samsung’s unique technology that displays natural colors in a dark environment without using the flash.
The NV40 and NV30 are equipped with 10.5-MP and 8.1-MP image sensors, respectively.
OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and DIS (Digital Image Stabilization) ensure the capture of clear images under any condition, while Face Detection for optimal portrait shots and ACB (Auto Contrast Balance) for auto-adjustment of the subject’s brightness are fitted.
The futuristic 8-MP Samsung NV4 comes in two models made from different materials: robust stainless steel or light titanium with excellent durability and bio-friendly characteristics.
It has a 2.5-inch HD LCD and boasts multimedia functions such as PMP, MP3 music playback, video playback, and a text viewer function.
The Samsung L210 (10.2-MP), L110 (8.2-MP), and L100 (8.2-MP) boast advanced functions in a fashionable and compact metal body with a 3x optical zoom lens and a high-definition 2.5-inch LCD.
The L210 and L110 are fitted with OIS and DIS technology for clear image shooting under any conditions. The L210 is the world’s smallest OIS-equipped camera. Samsung’s multi-charging system lets you charge the cameras from a PC using a USB cable.
Samsung’s SC-HMX20C Progressive HD Flash-based (8GB) camcorder features Full HD and a 1080p mode with 30-fps recording capability. Its flash-based design (with SDHC/MMC+ card slots) makes this lightweight (10.9 oz.) camcorder compact and easy to use.
This multi-functional HD camcorder also delivers among the best still camera functionality within a camcorder — up to 8-MP through pixel-rising technology. The SC-HMX20C features a 6.4-MP CMOS with electronic image stabilization.
With the unique feature of high-speed capture and super-slow-motion playback, the SC-HMX20C allows consumers to record fast motion at 300 fps for up to 10 seconds and then drastically slow down the playback of the recording — perfect for sports fans looking to record and analyze their golf swing in slow motion.
Samsung’s proprietary swivel hand-grip makes it possible to record from multiple angles, including regular and low-angle shots, while the 2.7-inch wide-aspect touch-screen LCD makes editing on the fly easy.
Additionally, the iCheck function lets the user know how much memory and battery life remains to ensure not a second is lost.