CES 2012 Google TV
The second iteration of Google TV made a surprisingly low key debut at the 2012 CES. Given the anticipation building around the arrival of Apple into the TV space, you’d be forgiven for thinking that existing vendors would be looking for shelter under the Android banner. But it was not the case. Sony promised the platform as a set top box, NSZ-GP7, and integrated into a Blu- ray player, the NSZ-GP9. Both can access apps optimised for TV from the Android Market. Viewers can use the box to watch online content from major networks, stream live channels, Tweet and Facebook friends, or search the web. LG took a different tack, previewing a Google-powered TV, although it seemed to be doing its utmost to hide the fact from view. LG’s Stephen Gater doesn’t expect it to become a reality in the UK until 2013. He says there are complicated content rights to sort out.
Appliances at CES While appliances have been a growing attraction at IFA, they’ve never played a significant role at CES – until now. 2012 saw the first real incursion of white goods into CES territory. LG, Samsung, Panasonic and Haier all turned stand space over to next-gen white goods, although there was little on display that we haven’t already seen in Europe. Generating most of the media buzz was LG, with its three door LFX31935 refrigerator with Blast Chiller. Its ability to make a 120z canned beverage ice cold in five minutes (as opposed to 40 mins in a regular fridge), and a bottle of wine in eight, clearly fired the imagination of all who saw
Headphones
There was no shortage of headphones at CES, with wireless models the new hot ticket. Audiophiles could be forgiven for looking twice at Sennheiser’s new RS220 wireless phones. The brand claim these offer the best wireless phone audio quality available, comparable to its lauded 600 series models. Philips showcased its Fidelio premium headphones (L1 and M1) made for iPhone/iPod/iPad which are not only tuned by the Philips Golden Ears panel to deliver exceptional sound detail but also made from premium materials including fine leather. The manufacturer also unveiled its CitiScape headphone collection for urbanites (pictured here is the Uptown model), inspired by styles of New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, sporting a distinctive design and its new MusicSeal – a double layer wall inside the ear shell excluding city background noise. Meanwhile, celebrity-powered ‘phones seemed to be gaining favour. 50 Cent waded in with his SMS Audio cable-free cans, while rapper Ludacris countered with his own Soul line.
it. The secret to this system is a dedicated air-supply duct that does not impact on the overall temperature within the unit. The show also witnessed a veritable invasion of vacuum cleaning robots, plus a rather novel window cleaning Ecovac ‘bot from AGaiT which does a passable impersonation of Tom Cruise clinging to the exterior of the Dubai Burj Khalifa in MI:4.
Panasonic bonded Panasonic had a strong presence in the main hall at the LVCC with a gargantuan 3D stage, which it used to promote the London Olympics. This also provided a platform for a trio of Bond directors to recount anecdotes from the long-running movie franchise, following the announcement that Fox would be releasing all the 007 movies in one boxset as part of Bond’s 50th anniversary. Considering the prominence given to the Bond Blu-rays and Panasonic’s long
running relationship with Fox Home Entertainment (home of Avatar and Star Wars) it doesn’t take an MI5 agent to work out that a bundled promotion with Bond Blu-rays is on the cards for 2012. Naturally, Panasonic UK refused to be drawn on the subject.
The brand also used its booth to stress
the growing diversity of its portfolio. UK marketing director Andrew Denham told IER: “This year we’re bringing together everything under the SmartVIERA banner – eco, ease of use, picture performance, connectivity and of course IPTV functionality. Smart doesn’t just mean connected, it’s the whole bundle, the whole package.”
As part of its app-drive, the company also signed up the new look MySpace. However, it’s unclear if the MySpace TV service will land in the UK. Justin Timberlake was on-hand to announce the deal. ■
18 The Independent Electrical Retailer February 2012
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