CES 2009: LG Renoir

I came across the much talked about LG Renoir at CES and was really impressed by all the features it has such an 8-megapixel camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, 3G, FM radio, speakerphone, video capture, MP3 player, and Bluethooth. Some of my favorite photo features of the KC910 included the three shot modes: “Beauty Shot” which removes blemishes on a person’s face, the “Smile Shot” that only takes pictures when a person smiles, and the “Art Shot” mode that allows you take artsy pictures (black and white, sepia, etc) The LG-KC910 also comes with Face Tracking and Blink Detection, so not only are getting a cool phone, but a full-featured digital camera in one. Navigating the phone was a little confusing even with the touch interface, and I thought it was a little too bulky for my taste, but I still loved it because it’s like carrying two very capable devices (camera and phone) in one. The phone is not yet available in the US, but it will be released in Europe and Asia sometime during the first quarter of 2009. Here’s a quick video of what we saw at CES:

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CES 2009: Sony’s VAIO Lifestyle PC

I have to admit, as soon as I heard that Sony had unveiled it’s VAIO Lifestyle PC, I just knew I had to see it and I wasn’t disappointed. Weighing in at 1.4 pounds, the ultraportable Lifestyle PC (just don’t call it a netbook) features a wide 8-inch screen, 3G antenna that will connect to Verizon’s 3G, Atom processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 2GB of RAM, Windows Vista, and up to 128GB of storage. I was told the clutch-like device is aimed at the ladies who want to be extra mobililty, but the clever male Sony rep pulled one out of his front jacket pocket during our interview proving this laptop is really just for anyone who appreciates good design and portability. The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC will be out next month and retail for $900 (it’s no wonder they won’t call it a netbook) and will be available in red, white, black, and green. Accessories will follow, so you can accessorize the UMPC with colorful cases that match.

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CES 2009: Motorola Aura

I spotted the Motorola Aura at CES 2009 in Las Vegas, and let me tell you, this cell phone is beautiful. At first sight, you can tell this phone is not your average handset because everything about it screams luxury. The spectacular circular display on this handset works well with the swivel form factor, and has a screen with a 300 dpi resolution capable of displaying 16 million colors so try to imagine how clear that looks. When you nudge the Aura’s top cover,  it exposes a backlit keypad with a d-pad that helps you navigate through the phone’s interface. Inspired by classic time pieces, the phone features a small window on the back that shows off the phone’s  internal gears, and is designed with high-end materials such as a etched stainless steel housing, sapphire crystal, and has Swiss bearings. The $2,000 Motorola Aura includes a music player, a two-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Motorola’s Crystal Talk, 2GB of internal memory, SMS, MMS, and an open source browser. Here’s a quick video to give you a better idea of what the phone looks like.

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