This year marks my third for attending the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.  As a few of you might already know, my father is the almighty Yahya Ahdout, the owner and CEO of dreamGEAR, a video game/iPod accessory and speaker producer and distributor, and he is my ticket into this amazing show.  You can find his wonderful products at many places including your local Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Blockbuster.  One of his latest items is the Warbeast Guitar Controller for all Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Rock Revolution games on PS2/PS3. But, enough of that, lets get to the good stuff.  I will be at the show for its entirety, and I will constantly be blogging and posting every interesting thing that I find.  Like Engadget and Gizmodo, we will be posting about the biggest announcements by all the different companies, but I will also use my time to go around the smaller booths and post about the pretty cool things that everyone forgets about.  As I roam from hall to hall and booth to booth, I will be accompanied by a very good friend of mine, Michael York, who is getting his new blog off the floor, and will be working in compliance with us at blargKABOOM.

Finally, the things I will be bringing with myself on my journey:
Canon EOS 30D – To snap pictures of everything for all you guys to see!
Asus eee 901 – For blogging on the go while on the show floor.
Apple iPhone 3G – For constant tethering, and music on the go. As it is also of course my telephone.
MacBook Pro – Yes, mine is in fact the first generation model, but it will be my home-base for posting in the hotel room. 

And also, a little background for those of you who do not know what CES is; ah god im too lazy, just read about it on Wikipedia here!

You can check out our unboxing and hands-on video of the Nintendo DSi on our Youtube page and above. The device just came out in Japan last week and is selling like crazy. North American launch is expected mid/early next year and unless you can speak and read Japanese, count importing out: these puppies can’t switch languages. Once we figure out either how to hack it and switch the language or figure out what means what, we’ll get a true hands-on video with pictures up.

Sony Ericsson’s C905 Cyber-shot Phone not only stars in its latest ad, but took the picture as well (now that’s multitasking). The ad, exclusively featured in December’s FHM, solely targets users who want a camera-phone, and it does it pretty successfully. Put simply, this phone took a picture that ended up as an ad in a magazine. Now it may have been taken by a professional photograph, in a professional set, with professional lighting, featured a professional model, and retouched professionally, but it still looks pretty darn good for a photo taken by a mobile phone camera. The phone’s 8.1 megapixel camera probably helped make the picture better, but still, look at the bigger picture: a camera-phone took this picture, and the picture looks pretty darn good.

After just hearing literally days ago October 27 was the date for the BlackBerry Bold’s AT&T launch, we’ve got some real news to report. AT&T has officially announced that the BlackBerry Bold will launch on November 4, for $299 with a 2-year contract. This comes after the device finally receiving certification that it can run on AT&T and is ready, the device has been delayed by months and BlackBerry users will finally get their hands on and official AT&T BlackBerry Bold.

After months of delays and thousands of angry BlackBerry fans waiting for their new savior to launch, AT&T is about to finally release one of the most anticipated phones of the year, the BlackBerry Bold. Boy Genius Report has it on exclusive AT&T internal emails and official and good sources that October 27 is the launch date of the Bold. Of course, unless the phone is delayed for lack of quality again. However, if you can live without having the latest BlackBerry in your hands for about a month or two more, I would stick it out for the smaller, updated Curve 8900, codenamed Javelin. Probably launching late November, mid-December, the new Curve looks like a mini-Bold and includes the new user interface that makes the Bold famous. Looks like BlackBerry users have a decision to make, let us know what you want to get in the comments.

The MacBook Pro’s update came first today, as Steve introduced them. Biggest updates to the Pro: the iMac-look with the glass and the black bezel covering the display, dual-graphics chips, and the new multi-touch giant button glass trackpad. The Pro is thinner than the current model, but heavier as well. Shockingly, only the 15″ MacBook Pro model was updated to the new model and the 17″ just received a slight component refresh. The new MacBook Pro is available today in two models, a base $1999 model including a 2.4Ghz processor, 2GB of DDR3 memory, 250GB of storage, and the dual Nvidia graphics cards. The better model is available for $2499 and has a 2.53Ghz processor (upgradable to 2.8Ghz for $300), 4GB of DDR3 memory, 320GB of storage, and new graphics cards.

The new MacBook is the largest updated product at the event. The current entry-level MacBook is still around for $999 and available in white, but then say hello to the new MacBooks. Probably a better term would be 13″ MacBook Pro, because that is almost what the new MacBooks are. The MacBook has the same design as the new MacBook Pro’s and the only features the new MacBook Pro has over the regular MacBook is the Firewire port (which the MacBook drops), the higher speed graphics card, and the faster processor. Besides those key differences, they are almost the same computer. The base new MacBook retails for $1299 and includes a 2.0Ghz processor, 2GB of memory, and 160GB of storage. The better MacBook retails for $1599 and has a 2.4Ghz processor, 2GB of memory, and 250GB of storage.

Both notebook lines are available today online and should be in stores now.

Confirming the rumors, Apple has invited the press to a notebook event on October 14. Looking at the image itself, bbGadgets looked at the image and scaled it to the current MacBook Pro. Apparently, if the Apple logo is 1.5 inches, that laptop is 13.3 inches diagonal (current MacBook dimension.) So could this image be of the new aluminum MacBook? It definitely could be. We’ll just have to wait until the event is actually held to find out for sure. October 14, 10:00 am is the date, live blog coverage will be found at the same sites as usual, engadget.com and live.gizmodo.com. But we’ll remind you of that sooner to the event.

Rumors have been flying around for months about Apple refreshing their MacBook and MacBook Pro lines in design orientated way. Neither the MacBook nor the MacBook Pro has faced major design and style changes since each products respective introductions back in May and January of 2006. Since the end of last year, rumors popped up stating refreshes are coming. Now, the most solid rumor we have is that we will see these new laptops on October 14 (next Tuesday). What will the changes include? For the MacBook, a new aluminum shell making it more recyclable and giving it a more sophisticated look. For the MacBook Pro, a more refined aluminum shell with some sort of black bezel similar to that of the current iMac.

The biggest rumor that went around recently had to deal with codename “Brick.” Internally, Apple calls this new product, or rather technology, “Brick”. Most speculated that the Brick would either be some new smaller touch based device, or a mini-notebook to compete with the Eee PC and the like. Now, 9to5mac.com has shared to us from credible sources that the Brick is a new technology in the way Apple will make the laptops. Unlike current aluminum laptops like the MacBook Pro where the computer contains many pieces of aluminum fit together and cut up and the such, the Brick technology allows for the use of one “brick” of aluminum. Using just lasers and jets of water to literally carve new MacBooks, the new technology offers many benefits: no weak spots, no screws, it’s cheap, and it is made directly by Apple and isn’t done by Taiwanese companies like Foxconn so there are less rumors and leaks. It sounds odd, but check out the full description over at 9to5Mac and it will make more sense.

So, October 14 is the day. New MacBooks, new MacBook Pros, and the introduction of the Brick. Set your calendars.

I’ve been testing these applications for a little over a week now and they definitely have their niche markets.

First off is SplashShopper, an ultimate shopping list application. The style of the application is relatively simple, open the application and view a list of categories: books, gifts, groceries, music, office supplies, etc. You can reorder the categories or add new ones. Touch a category to open it and inside you can see tons of items. Inside office supplies, for example, are included pre made items like “Address Labels” and “Calculators.” You can then go inside each item and specify custom info like price, quantity, etc.  The application uses a needed/unneeded style of sorting also, which could be improved. Next to each item is an open box which when tapped places an icon symbolizing it is needed. However, when switching into Need view (showing only those needed items) that box becomes empty again and is confusing to some. Instead of losing its icon when switching to Need view, items should simply retain the icon and if tapped move back to unneeded. Even simpler would be to simply have a generic Needed/Unneeded icon instead of images that don’t portray that message. The application also offers a synchronization companion for the desktop. Syncing to the desktop software requires being on the same network and is very quick. The desktop interface is simple and is relatively easy to use. Deal breaker on the desktop software however, after the 30 day trial is up, you’re gonna have to drop another $19.99 for a full time license. Here’s the verdict on SplashShopper: If you are a very detailed list maker that likes desktop synchronization and categories, this application is exactly what you are looking for. If you are the average marketer that can simply use the Notes application or can handle the free list applications, this is a waste of $9.99 and gives you too many features you won’t use.

Next up is SplashID, an application used to store all of your personal or business information (credit cards, email accounts, locker combinations, bank information, etc.) It does exactly what it is meant to do and it does it really well. It is basically a storage locker for your life. A virtual password box that saves all of your information. The application is slightly more confusing than SplashShopper, but is aimed at a more tech savvy crowd.  Yet in a way, the application would be useful for everyone. If you are one of those people that forget passwords a lot or like to have your information with you everywhere, this application is exactly what you are looking for. You can divide your accounts among categories, basics like Personal and Business are included. Among the accounts you can add are bank accounts, web usernames/passwords, credit cards, email accounts, insurance numbers, and more. All of your information is saved and can be synched to its own desktop companion software similar to SplashShopper and works in a similar way. Of course, number one question you should be asking is how would my information be protected? Well, a password protects SplashShopper and a simple lock button on the bottom of the iPhone screen locks the application from intruders. So, is the application simple and easy to use, pretty much, yes. Adding accounts is as easy as pushing the + button on the bottom of the screen and the search button is right next door. Here’s the verdict on SplashID: If you want your information with you wherever you go, this application is for you. The desktop companion software might be a bit steep though at $19.99.

Check out some screenshots of the applications after the break.

Apple pumped out an updated version of its Mac OS X Leopard tonight, bringing it to 10.5.5. The software update is available via Software Update now and includes a bunch of small bug fixes and other features. Open up Software Update now to grab the download.

via Engadget

Apple made today’s “Let’s Rock” event available to watch pretty quickly after the event finished as streaming content and recently made it available as part of its Apple Events podcast.

• Check here for the streaming QuickTime version
• Check here for the podcast version.

Engadget posted a picture of the rumored fourth-generation iPod nano that Kevin Rose called around two weeks ago. The picture does look pretty real, however it is blurry. MacNN received a blurred version of the photo just a few hours before Engadget got the real one. Whether this is just the work of a Photoshop magician or an actual product, we won’t be able to tell until the man in the black turtleneck comes out at 10:00 am next Tuesday, the 9th.

Rumors have been spreading out around numerous websites that the iPhone 3G will get a (RED) makeover just in time for the holidays.  Could it also be joined by a 32GB upgrade for the iPhone 3G and a 64GB upgrade for the iPod Touch?

Photo Courtesy of http://www.macblogz.com

While configuring the HP Blackbird 002 on HP’s website, I noticed that the unreleased, unannounced NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT was an option in configuring the Blackbird 002.  The card supposedly has 512MB GDDR3 of SDRAM, but no other information about the card is listed.  Maybe it could just be a stupid mistake and the card is really the 9800 GTX? Is anyone brave enough to drop $2299 for one of these badboys to get more info on the card? 

Check it out for yourself here.

Update: It seems Dell has joined the party: Link

Apple has had some big days this past week with MobileMe’s launch (no matter how inconsistent it was), iPhone 2.0 and the App Store going live early, and of course iPhone 3G’s launch (even with those pesky activation problems). Apple’s announcement today proves how big this weekend really was: they sold 1 million iPhone 3Gs this past weekend (Friday to Sunday) and over 10 million applications were downloaded from the App Store (now containing over 800 applications). Apple only sold 250,000 phones for the original iPhone’s launch, however that was only in the US and this was in 21 countries. But it took Apple a total of 74 days to sell 1 million iPhones the first time around, so there could be arguments about which launch sold more (we’ll need US statistics to make a true comparison). Considering some stores still have lines now, iPhone 3G must be doing fantastically well.

Apple has dropped the price of their bluetooth headset to $99, from its original $129. The catch, however, is that they took out the dock for both the phone and the headset which retails for $49. So they dropped the price by $30, but they took out $50 worth. You’re now paying more if you want to buy both. Apple – you’ve already got loads of people buying new iPhone 3G’s without docks, now your taking away the docks from the headset – tisk, tisk, tisk.

After releasing iTunes 7.7 earlier this morning, the iTunes App Store is now live. You can download, purchase, and browse the catalogues. Now all we need is a device to load the apps onto. iPhone 2.0, you are all we need.

Just in time for the (supposed) launch of MobileMe, Apple has released iTunes 7.7. This latest version of iTunes is required for not only MobileMe, but iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 firmware, and the App Store as well. Apple’s description of this update is:

Use iTunes 7.7 to sync music, video, and more with iPhone 3G, and download applications from the iTunes Store exclusively designed for iPhone and iPod touch with software version 2.0 or later. Also use the new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch to control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home — a free download from the App Store.

So that yet again confirms the free Remote application for iPhone and iPod touch users from the App Store, at least when firmware 2.0 is released.

The ‘Applications’ tab was also added in this version of iTunes, making us even more desperate for the App Store and it’s precious apps.

Well, it may be an hour after Apple’s quoted time for .Mac’s final moments, but the image above is what users see when they try to go to www.mac.com. The death of .Mac, now let’s wait for the birth of MobileMe, which is supposed to be coming out “as soon as possible during the maintenance window.”

Apple has updated the .Mac service status to show that they have delayed .Mac’s death from 6 pm to 8 pm. Going hand-in-hand, Apple has also delayed the launch of MobileMe from 6 pm – 12 am to 8 pm – 2 am.

With Friday’s iPhone 3G launch coming around soon, more news about the phone roams the web.

• The reviews are in – David Pogue (NY Times), Walt Mossberg (WSJ), and Ed Baig (USA Today) all published their iPhone 3G reviews today, with most talking about the drastic speed improvements, but that it’s not a need-to-buy due to iPhone 2.0 being available for all iPhone users. Mossberg and Baig have video and written reviews, while Pogue sticks with the classic written review.

• Hands-on pictures - With this release less secretive and more like a normal phone, getting pictures of iPhone 3G before launch day was bound to happen. Early today, a Portuguese site posted some unboxing photo’s of the phone. Around the net, other users posted pictures of seeing the phone in stores. Recently, the Boy Genius Report posted some high quality unboxing pictures of the phone. BGR’s server isn’t doing to well, so check out Gizmodo’s mirror gallery. Also, some AT&T stores apparently have demo units out to look at, so call your local AT&T store at let us know in the comments what happened.

• Activation details from Apple exec  - Senior VP of Retail, Ron Johnson, told Bloomberg that activation should only take 10-15 minutes and store employees will take about 30 customers at a time from the lines. We also learned that you will need to have your credit card, social security number, and ID in order to buy the phone. Online purchases will NOT be available due to the in-store only activation.

Apple’s service status for .Mac was updated tonight to include details about MobileMe’s launch. The service, the replacement to .Mac, will offer most current features of .Mac as well as ‘push’ calendar, mail, and contacts support; Apple’s tag line for the product is “Exchange for the rest of us.” .Mac will be shut down at 6 pm pacific time on Wednesday, July 9th and all services (except for .Mac Mail, which will be available on any desktop client, iPhone or iPod touch) will be offline. The MobileMe service will “be available as soon as possible during this maintenance window” and they give 6 pm – 12 am pacific time as the launch timeframe. Current .Mac customers will be automatically upgraded during the MobileMe launch.

Apple just updated their Retail site to show an 8 am launch time for iPhone 3G, coinciding with AT&T’s launch time. People have already started lining up for iPhone 3G at the New York cube store and it is expected others will line up early at other stores as well.

via MacRumors

With iPhone 3G launch date getting closer, AT&T decided to give us even more information to chew on. Not only have they given us the plan information (detailed after the break, but we now know that AT&T’s doors will swing open at 8:00 am on July 11th for iPhone 3G customers. Besides that nice tidbit of information, the plans shown below show a definite price hike up since iPhone original. Information to note: plans do NOT include SMS messages, so look at the SMS plans for pricing (they raised the price of the 1500 SMS messages a month plan by $5). Besides the full voice and data plans listed below, AT&T will offer a $30 data plan similar to the current $20 plan offered. SMS messages will not be included in that plan as well. Also, to access the full capability of Exchange service, users must have the Enterprise Data plan which is an extra $15 a month. Besides announcing the plans, AT&T gave details on upgrades, pricing, and related details. Those eligible for an upgrade pricing ($199 and $299) include: “new customers, current postpaid iPhone customers in good standing prior to July 11, and AT&T non-iPhone customers who are currently eligible for an upgrade discount.” Those ineligible for upgrade pricing will put up $399 and $499 for the 8GB and 16GB models, respectively. Activation fees for upgrades are $18, while activation fees for non-AT&T customers will be the normal $36. Lastly, those looking for a unlocked, no contract iPhone will pay $599 and $699. Apparently, that unlocked pricing is more expensive than just buying the phone with the cheapest service, paying the upgrade fee, and then canceling the service. Click the read more link to view the plan pricing.

GameStop and Amazon added Rock Band track Pack Vol 1 to their product lists recently, giving a release date of July 15. The disc contains 20 of the most “popular tracks in Rock Band history.” You would think that it just is extra tracks for the game, but the expanded information reads: “A fully functional game with all the great features of Rock Band, including Tour Mode, Quickplay, Tug of War, Score Dual, and song unlock progression.” It also reads: “Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1 is a standalone software product.” Amazon reads “A musical expansion to Rock Band…” The game/expansion pack will be available for PS2 and Wii for $29.99.

[Thanks for the tip again, Eric!]

As of now, it’s not working for me. Is it working for you? Tell everyone in the comments.

UPDATE – My @me.com email is finally working.

• Apple released the eighth iPhone SDK beta today, providing a new, more stable release of iPhone 2.0 beta firmware. Alongside the release, Apple seeded iTunes 7.7 to developers in the iPhone Developer Program. According to developers, iTunes 7.7 shows Applications and related options in Sync. Also, MobileMe support offering a checkbox to use it has been added.



• After speculation on when Apple would release iPhone 2.0 firmware, a section added to the press release now states “iPhone 2.0 software will be available on July 11 as a free software update via iTunes 7.7 or later for all iPhone customers.” It may go Gold Master tomorrow, but the public is still getting it on the coveted iPhone 3G launch day.
• Apple started allowing developers to submit applications to the App Store as well today. In an email sent to developers, Apple writes “With this new version of iPhone OS you can conduct final testing and prepare your application for submission to the App Store.”
• iTunes 7.7 will apparently support a “new Remote application for iPhone or iPod touch” that will “control iTunes playback from anywhere in your home…” The aforementioned app will be a free download from the App Store.

This is one marketing campaign that’s never been done before, and it could just be one of the most brilliant yet. Sprint is offering the first 1000 people that create a video with it’s new flagship device, the Samsung Instinct, $20. The rules are pretty simple: create a video with the new Samsung Instinct, upload it to YouTube, enter Sprint’s contest. The first 1000 entrants will get $20 from Sprint. The maker of the winning video will receive a $10,000 grand prize. The contest rules aren’t up yet, but the contest is set to start on June 30th. This seems like a pretty great idea coming from the Sprint camp, not only is it loads of practically free advertising, but it’s ridiculously smart too. Tons of people will probably buy the phone so they can try to win the $10,000 and too others this could be the clincher in deciding on buying the device. The Samsung Instinct, incase you’re wondering, is a touchscreen device (retailing at $129.99 after 2-year contract and $100 mail-in rebate) set to go head to head with the iPhone. Sprint already has a big internet advertising campaign pinning the Instinct against the current iPhone and showing off the Instinct’s speed and other features.

Sprint’s Samsung Instinct