Tech notes

Jan 18 2007 By Lewis Harrison, The Journal

Christmas comes late for gadget fans.

Last week, thousands of them packed up their iPods and Blackberries (and anoraks, for those falling into the category marked: `stereotype'), and flocked to the world's two biggest electronics shows - Macworld in San Francisco and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas - for a glimpse of the gizmos they'll soon be buying.

At Macworld, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a product he believes will not so much "shake up" the market, as grab it by the hair and smash its face into a wall.

In his keynote speech, Jobs unleashed the iPhone on the world - an iPod, internet communication device and mobile phone in one. In his words, it's a "revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of the competition."

Yes, it's quite a claim - but only a fool would bet against the mighty Apple selling a lot of phones. However, the iPhone won't exactly have the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson quaking in their boots. In the music player market, Apple's a big fruit in a small bowl. But in the mobile phone market, the reverse is true. Even if they sell the 10 million units Jobs predicts in 2008, it'll still only be a small bite out the market.

Over in Las Vegas, the technophiles weren't disappointed. CES is where the hi-tech big guns get out their latest gizmos and wave them around, shouting: "Look at these! They're ever so snazzy."

Kicking off the show as usual, Bill Gates' big announcement was Microsoft's work in developing internet protocol TV (IPTV), which allows programmes to be delivered live or on demand over an internet connection. By the end of 2007, partner companies will be offering IPTV services to Xbox 360 owners, so gamers watch TV through their console.

It's an interesting move, and one that's already being emulated - in one way or another - by several other companies, including Apple.

Some of the best gizmos on show were: SlingCatcher, which delivers video to any TV in your home, as well as remote locations; the LG Blu-Ray/HD-TV player, which enables you to watch both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs; and the Elvis Bot, a singing and talking bust of the King, a bit like that singing fish from a few years back, but more likely to wind up blowing a circuit while munching on a burger on your toilet seat.

* Lewis Harrison is web manager at Codeworks