Coby netbooks (TM)

Well, well, well. After all of the brouhaha over the “netbook” term, we found out that Coby filed a trademark application for just that. Yet, they company claimed they wouldn’t be producing such a device. Funny how Engadget eye-spied a row of Coby-branded netbooks, eh?

I’ve personally found Coby products to be sub-par or average in the quality department. It sounds like these devices fall in the same range with pricing under $200. I think I’ll stick with another brand and spend a few more bucks, even if the device doesn’t have a trademarked name.

We’re about to hit ShowStoppers but decided to record our six-minute wrap-up video first. All the buzz is about Palm right now and we talk about why that is. Some folks on are rightfully questioning if there’s too much attention being paid to the Palm Pre. They could be right, but two thoughts come to mind. First, everyone’s expectations were generally low so they might have been easy to exceed. Secondly, most the “big” news at CES is generally during the first day or two. We’re at that point now and there really hasn’t been any other “wow!” Just our thoughts from the floor, which of course, are debatable. Especially since we’re whooped!

Update: the Oompa-Loompas that process YouTube vids just told me the higher-def version is ready.

Excitement continues over the Palm Pre at CES. While many people appear to be leaving the show early on day one, those that remain are still talking about the Pre. Palm generously invited us to their VIP Lounge for a closer look, so we’re sharing the portfolio of pictures. Unfortunately, like many areas of CES, the lighting is sub-par, so bear with us as we gave it our best effort. We’ll be sharing some thoughts later. For now, be sure to check the pics of the charger. The back of it is semi-adhesive so you can stick it on something and the Pre will then stick to it.

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VIA netbooks at the bar

James and I just took a load off and hit Lunch @ Piero’s. It’s an event across the street from the LVCC and offers fantastic Italian food. More importantly, it offers us to spend some quiet, quality time with a handful of companies. VIA is the major player here and we had a great 15-minute conversation with Richard Brown. We’ll share some of that in our daily wrap-up video, but of course you all want to know about VIA Nano netbooks. They do exist and we saw several in the mug-shot lineup above. The trend here is slightly larger than the traditional 10.2-inch sizes, if you can call a one-year old product “traditional.” Watch for VIA Nano devices in the 11-, 12-, and 13-inch range, more in the $500 price tier. Product availability is first or second quarter of this year.

gOS also gave us a few minutes to show off the Cloud operating system. It’s light and small, booting in around 15-seconds. While getting connected and on the web is important, the gOS folks stressed that they’re focusing on usability and the experience. I mentioned Splashtop and HyperSpace to them and they feel that they compete well in terms of their UI.

We were all over the Palm keynote and introduction of the Palm Pre smartphone running the new Web OS.  We have a few pics we can now share with you from that presentation.  We expect to have a hands-on session with the Pre to share soon.

Those rumors from yesterday were true as Skype officially announced a “lite” version for Android and Java-enabled phones. Adding to the news is a beta version of Skype 1.0 for MIDs. Specificially, that means Intel Atom-based mobile Internet devices running on the Moblin platform.

Many folks get hampered by the idea of a MID simply because smartphones are providing a similar experience in some cases and also include voice calling. What’s interesting to me is how the Skype press release points out that “Select MIDs also provide WiMax or 3G/4G support for wireless broadband connectivity on-the-go.” With Skype, or another VoIP client for that matter, the “smartphones offer more” argument loses a little luster.

Wireless carriers have to be more than a little concerned as well. Sure they’ll still provide the 3G or 4G pipes, but voice traffic becomes a fading revenue stream for them as Skype expands to Java-enabled phones and MIDs. Skype’s COO, Scott Durchslag says it best: “By supporting WiFi, WiMax, 3G and 4G, this development expands Skype’s mobile portfolio and further illustrates the broad accessibility to Skype that we offer on a multitude of mobile devices.” Perhaps eBay will hold on to Skype a bit and wait to see if the carriers come calling… with buckets of money.

ThinkFree Office on Qualcomm Netbook

This morning I met with Edward Coloma from ThinkFree, developers of the ThinkFree Office suite. Back in October, the company introduced a demo of the productivity suite specifically for netbooks and today the company showed me the software running on Qualcomm-based hardware. They’re looking to have their product available for Android during the first half of 2009, but of course it all depends on hardware vendors since there aren’t any Android netbooks on the market… yet.

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Drew Carey

I just happened to be near an OQO display and so was Drew Carey. He was fondling the new OLED Model 2+… and so I couldn’t. Sheesh! After hearing him as a bunch of technical questions, he made the critical mistake of asking “how much?”

Of course, I couldn‘t miss the opportunity presented, so I did what any self-respecting geek would do. I shouted out “Drew, it can be YOURS…. if the Price is Right!” He laughed, the crowd laughed and….  I still didn’t get to touch the new OQO.

I’d never cut it in Hollywood… but then again, if we were at my home in the sticks, I think I’d get even odds against Drew.

10:34-  admitted and seated waiting for Palm press event to kick off.  They have a giant screen showing traveling-related images.  Could be a forebear for the message?  Seating is very nice for a press event and there is a very strange bag on the stage about the size of a coconut.  Must be some gadget inside. 

10:44-  Music is playing, Scoble is here.  It’s getting closer now.

10:46- will have to post pics later- bandwidth on the 3G is getting pretty saturated in here.

10:55- pre-event instructions going down now, it’s very close!

10:57-  so many netbooks in here!  I can see at least 20 from where I sit. 

11:00- the atmosphere is very excited, speaks volumes about what folks think about Palm.  It’s showtime!  Wild applause from the crowd.  Jon Rubinstein, Exec CEO is speaking.

11:03-  next wave is clearly mobile devices.  Palm is positioned to create best mobile devices in the industry.

11:05- Take all the information from the cloud and put it in your hands.  Need the right phone to do that.  And the right forward-looking platform.  Powerful and flexible.

11:06- Ed Colligan Pres & CEO takes the stage.

11:07- How can we simplify people’s lives?  How can we make the technology invisible?  Mobile is in our DNA.

11:08- Colligan is giving history of Palm innovation now.

11:09- we have too many devices to carry on our belt.  We look like Batman.  Enter the smartphone that Palm built, the Treo.  Today we’re all on the internet and we must focus there.

11:10- We like keeping our work life separate from our home life.  Information is everywhere.  What if Palm could bring all this diverse information together into our pocket?

11:12- introducing the Palm web OS.  There are more than 10 million Palm app developers out there, they will all develop for the web OS.

11:13- we need a new device to use this Palm web OS.  Introducing the new device…  the Palm Pre.

11:15- the Palm Pre has EVDO Rev A, WiFi b/g, GPS, Bluetooth, 8 GB storage, TI OMAP latest fast processor.

Touch screen, multi-touch capable.  320-x480 resolution.  separate gesture area at bottom a la Grafitti.

3 MP camera W/ flash.  REMOVABLE BATTERY.

Micro-USB 2.0, mass storage capable, 3.5 mm jack

Slide-up QWERTY keyboard!

11:20- Mattias Duerte demos the Pre…

One button, create new contact

Tap a contact, it opens…Gesture area at bottom, flick left move back.  All navigation just gestures in this area, no buttons.

All designed to be done one-handed.  Swipe up and get launcher, a la Android.  Operation seems smooth but not too fast.

Push the center button- all open tasks become cards that can be flipped, moved, etc.

All data is always saved automatically, no save function needed in any app.  Apps are just “cards” and when you’re done just throw them away by flicking up.

11:28- introducing Synergy- all your information is in a single place, contacts can be linked to multiple sources: work, home, web, Facebook, etc.  Calendar app works much like iCal.

11:33- email always looks across all your email accounts for contact information.  If it can’t find it then it will search the corporate database for them.  Palm web OS is multi-tasking, you can stop an activity an return to it later, no worries.

The QWERTY keyboard looks pretty narrow to me.

Threaded SMS are included.  IM conversations can be continued across communication methods (they are offline e. g.)

11:37- you can search EVERYTHING on the phone via the keyboard.  This includes apps, contacts, etc.  And the web.  You just start typing to find ANYTHING and the Pre will find it, on or off the phone.

Now the web- you can pinch and zoom in the browser.  Full HTML browser.  Bookmarks are page thumbnails.  Double-tap column, auto fills screen.  Auto-rotation.  Live demo showed web page about sex. 

Gestures in the gesture bar don’t block the screen while browsing.  Very smooth and fast.  Web pages “cards” work just like other app cards.  Can be flicked out of the way to return to later from the “desktop”.

11:45- Notifications appear at very bottom of screen, out of your way.  Music player is also a notificaton tab, very well implemented.

All apps are just CSS, HTML and JavaScript.  ALL OF THEM.

11:48- demo over.  Very impressive OS.

Jon is back to wind down.

Pre uses wireless charging- put it on the puck (Touchstone) and it charges sitting there!

11:51- Ed Colligan is back.  Pre is first device to help automatically navigate through your stuff.  Pre will be launched on Sprint.

Dan Hesse- CEO of Sprint.  Pre is launching on Sprint exclusively in the US. Sitting through boring “commercial” about Sprint network.  Not the place for this.

11:59- Pre-sales open now on Sprint.com.  No word on pricing, handset nor plans.

Available first 1/2 of 2009.  Not ready yet.

Facebook is partner with Palm on the Pre.  Facebook COO is on-stage now.  Who cares?

Launching Facebook Connect for Mobile this year.  Who cares?

12:05- Ed’s back wrapping up.  Recap, web OS, Palm Pre, one phone for life.

Today is officially the start of the CES proper and in true journalistic fashion Kevin and I have split up and are at the two different venues.  Kevin is in the main Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and I am ensconced in the Sands Expo Center.  We will be meeting up at an off-site event later today.

In years past opening day of the CES has been a bit frienzied at both of the venues.  Crowds of people everywhere you go and long lines to enter just about anthing.  This year the show is very different and I think it’s a sign of the times.

The crowd at the Sands venue is nothing like in years past.  There are folks already walking around the show floor but no big crush of people anywhere.  What is most striking about this is how quiet the show floor is compared to years past.  Usually it’s a strain to hear anything but it’s a bit quiet this morning.  Maybe everyone is at the LVCC, we’ll get Kevin to chime in since he’s there.

I spent the morning wandering through the exhibition in the Sands.  I have covered over half the show floor in a record amount of time because nothing caught my eye.  Nothing.  I have been deluged with booths showing USB flash drives, robotic animals dancing in time to the music, and displays full of laptop bags.  That’s pretty much it and why I have no photos of cool gear to share.  I haven’t seen any.  You know it’s a slow opening day when the most interesting thing I’ve seen is a urinal.