CES 2024 news in review: AI, spatial computing, robots and more

The following is a roundup of my coverage of the CES 2024 technology trade show in Las Vegas.

Arm elbows into new arenas as chip designer takes on AI, auto, cloud, other markets. (Jan. 26, 2024)

Powerfoyle becoming “Intel Inside” for light-powered gadgets. (Jan. 19, 2024)

Robot barista looks to fill labor shortage. Say hello to Adam. (Jan. 19, 2024)

Apple isn’t the only player in spatial computing. Rivals populated CES 2024. (Jan. 17, 2024)

Garmin targeting niche markets in smartwatches for women, kids. (Jan. 12, 2024)

Dolby cranks up volume of licensing deals in autos, TVs, PCs. (Jan. 12, 2024)

Qualcomm in catbird seat for edge AI shift, CEO says. (Jan. 11, 2024)

Smart TV platform battle rages at CES 2024. Amazon, Roku make waves. (Jan. 11, 2024)

Automotive chipmakers squeezed by “accordion effect.” (Jan. 10, 2024)

L’Oreal adds glamour to CES 2024 with beauty tech gadgets. (Jan. 9, 2024)

Dell, HP join Intel push for AI PCs. Microsoft Copilot called “marquee” feature. (Jan. 9, 2024)

Nvidia steps up generative AI game with new chips. (Jan. 8, 2024)

AMD rounds out AI PC chip lineup with new desktop processors. (Jan. 8, 2024)

Consumers set to upgrade pandemic-era tech purchases. (Jan. 8, 2024)

“AI is the story of the show”: What to expect from CES 2024. (Jan. 6, 2024)

Photos: CES 2024 outside the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (Patrick Seitz); LG Electronics WebOS tunnel at CES 2024 (LG)

2009 a golden year for 3-D movies

With Disney’s “Up” and “G-Force,” DreamWorks Animation’s “Monsters vs. Aliens,” and Fox’s “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” among others, 2009 has been a milestone year for 3-D movies in the theater.
Potentially the biggest of them all, Fox’s “Avatar,” written and directed by James Cameron, comes out Dec. 18.
David Lenihan of San Francisco has compiled a pretty comprehensive list of “new generation” 3-D movies for his blog. The list includes movies made for RealD or Dolby 3D. There were five such movies last year and 15 expected in 2009. See the list at David’s Blog.
Next year, 13 movies in 3-D are scheduled to be released in theaters, including Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland,” Disney’s “Toy Story 3” and “Tron Legacy.”
An even more comprehensive list of 3-D movies is maintained by Andrew Woods. His list is at The Illustrated 3D Movie List.
These lists provide a good indication of the 3-D content that’s going to be available when 3-D TV and 3-D Blu-ray Discs are available for the home starting next year.
Check out my story on 3-D TV at Investors.com.

Photo: Still from Disney’s “Tron Legacy” (2010)

Marriage in trouble? Try a new electronic gadget. (No, not that kind)

Consumer electronics executives often refer to certain products as “marriage savers.”
At press conferences and in product demos, these executives, usually men, will talk about how a simple-to-use device will settle conflicts between spouses. Members of the press, usually men, nod knowingly or chuckle.
At the Consumer Electronics Show last week, a Toshiba executive made the claim about a new TV that uses Dolby Volume. This technology provides a consistent volume when watching TV or movies on DVD. It automatically turns up the volume on quiet dialogue and turns down the volume for loud commercials. With Dolby Volume, viewers won’t have to constantly adjust the volume while switching channels or watching a movie.
“This really works and I think it’s going to save my marriage,” said Scott Ramirez, vice president of marketing for the TV group at Toshiba America Consumer Products.
At CES 2008, General Motors Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said his company’s OnStar service is a marriage saver, because – as everyone knows – men won’t stop the car to ask for directions. “We’re not just saving lives, we’re saving marriages,” he said.
With OnStar, users can ask for directions or call for emergency service or roadside assistance. The in-dash system also notifies authorities automatically after a crash.
The “marriage saver” description has been used for GPS navigation devices, universal remote controls, PC backup drives, cordless TV headsets, Netflix family-member queues, and digital video recorders like TiVo.
A study released last September seemed to show that DVRs save relationships. The study, by NDS, said 79% of 1,000 DVR owners reported that DVR technology has improved their relationship. U.K.-based NDS is a leading provider of set-top box software for cable and satellite TV services. Media giant News Corp. owns more than 70% of NDS, according to Hoovers.
If only all marriage conflicts were as easy to solve.
(Photo above shows the TV Listener infrared cordless television headset system from Unisar. The manufacturer calls the device … wait for it … “The Marriage Saver.”)