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!

For all of you who have been waiting, Intel’s new micro-architecture sporting 45nm Core i7 (aka Nehalem) chip has unofficially gone on sale in certain stores today. Many including myself have been waiting a long time for this and are glad that it is finally here.

Reviews and benchmarks of the retail chips will be posted soon!

During a developer conference held this week, Microsoft showed off Windows 7, they’re attempt to help the Windows name after the failure that is Vista. From the screenshots, it looks nice, and that’s coming from one of the biggest Apple fanboys you could find. Besides showing the new operating system off, the company gave developers a beta version of the operating system, which doesn’t have an official launch date, but is expected early 2010 or even late 2009. Developers will apparently get a feature complete beta version in early 2009.

But back to the important stuff, the OS. Here’s what’s new:

• the taskbar – just includes icons, we’ll see whether that lack of text stays to the final version.
• “peek” feature – going over an app in the taskbar makes all other applications go transparent, very similar to Expose on Mac OS X.
• gadgets roam free – gadgets, very similar to Apple’s widgets without their own Dashboard, are now free to roam the desktop instead of being trapped in the Sidebar, which took up valuable screen space on small screens.
• resizing windows – by dragging a window to the top of the screen maximizes it, bringing it down again restores previous size. by dragging the window to the edge of the screen, it makes the window 50% of the screen.
• one click WiFi choosing – users can select WiFi networks with one click of a WiFi button in the system tray.
• system tray auto-hiding – instead of hiding and only showing a certain number of icons, now users set which icons to show in the main system tray and everything else is auto-hidden.
• runs on less – Microsoft demoed Windows 7 running on a netbook with only 1GB of RAM and a 1Ghz processor, showing it’s already better than Vista since Vista doesn’t do too well on netbooks.

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.

“The spotlight turns to notebooks.”

With Apple’s notebook event starting in almost 10 hours, its only fitting that we roundup the most recent rumors and give you a spotlight of where to go for coverage.

COVERAGE:

As with normal Apple event coverage, check out Engadget and Live.Gizmodo for live up-to-the-second coverage. Besides those two live sources, MacRumors will be gathering news while it happens. blargKABOOM coverage will be intermittent and will be as up-to-date as possible. The event starts at 10:00am Pacific Time and will almost surely star Steve Jobs and a couple of new MacBooks.

RUMORS:

The rumor mill spins extra fast during the Apple event season and this notebook event produced tons of rumors.

The biggest rumors, and almost facts, are around updates to the MacBook and MacBook Pro line. Apparently, aluminum will be key to the new line and the new MacBook will ditch plastic for aluminum. Also rumored is that the MacBook Pro will feature a similar black bezel around the screen like the current iMac (see supposed leaked image above). Faster processors, more storage space, and normal hardware boosts are also expected. Also expected are new lower prices for the notebooks.

After the notebook line updates, what could the “One more thing…” be at this event?

A new Apple display that competes in the television market and includes a built-in hard drive is also rumored. Even if Apple ever produces this product, its highly doubtable that this event will be its launch.

Other rumors include a touch-screen based “iTablet,” a netbook/mini-notebook, and freshly redesigned cinema displays.

10:00am sharp, notebook event, Steve Jobs will be there, will you?

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.

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

MacBook touch: no this picture isn’t real, but it’s a great mockup of what a product could look like. (courtesy of Gizmodo)

Apple had its quarterly earnings call on Monday and it revealed that a “product transition” would lower gross margin next quarter because “Apple makes state of the art new products that the competition just can’t match” and that means higher costs. In other words, Apple’s going to release a new product that is really cheap and that costs a lot, this way everyone will buy it, but Apple will make less money from it in the beginning.

Throughout the call, Apple’s CFO Peter Oppenheimer brought up this “new product that [Apple] [couldn't] discuss” or “new additions to the product line.” He also said this new product would have a direct effect on the September/fourth quarter. If this new product has an effect on the September quarter, that would most likely mean it has to come out sometime in the beginning of September/late August. And, if it’s going to have a large impact on gross margins, then it’s probably going to be a big deal.

So what could this new product be? Well, the product that sells really well during the September quarter is computers (notebooks specifically). The reason: this is the time when students are going back to school and need to computers. And if Apple wants to get to the students, they’re going to release this new notebook relatively soon. Not meaning tomorrow, but a mid-August launch is perfect if they are targeting those students getting new computers before school. If Apple wants to make an even bigger splash in the market and one that their competitors can’t match, they’re either going to revamp their notebook line (which is due for a redo in the MacBook and MacBook Pro areas) or release a new inexpensive laptop that will sell like crazy.

Most likely, an Apple event will be announced very soon and will take place in the beginning of August, there Steve will do his normal Keynote and will announce revamped MacBooks and MacBook Pros as well as a cheaper MacBook Air with better specs. Then, the “one more thing…” Everyone is speculating that it will be a MacBook touch, and it very well could be. Something else they could do: a small mini-notebook similar to the Eee PC or the HP Mini Note. If they really want to innovate, then they could use multiple screens having the bottom as a multitouch keyboard. Now, neither a MacBook touch or this mini-MacBook are very realistic, but if Apple is really going to “wow” everyone, they will do it in a big way.

Just twelve hours people, and then Steve will walk the stage of the Moscone Center and put the rumors to rest. TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) just received rumor tonight with some snippets of a webpage for the new Mac Fusion. Aimed toward the developer crowd (remember, it’s the Worldwide Developers Conference,) the pictures show off a Mac+PC+Linux logo which suggests that it will be able to run Linux as well. The tag line states “Leave Windows behind. Build your Apps for OS X.” This rumor could be true, considering this could be the upgrade to the long untouched Mac mini (which was rumored to be killed off, and then rumored to be getting a redesign). Of course, rumors sneaking out right before WWDC are unlikely, this one looks slightly legit. We’ll see tomorrow morning.

Microsoft’s head honchos Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer gave us a small preview of what Windows 7 will be like last night when speaking to Walt Mossberg at the All Things D (D for Digital) conference. The main feature the two mentioned was multi-touch integration, a-la Microsoft Surface. Basically, picture being able to touch everything and use all the same finger gestures as the Surface. The overall look is very similar to Vista besides some basic OS changes and apparently a new Task Bar design. Be prepared for a release, as they call it, 3 years after Vista or, in other words, 18 months from now.

via Gizmodo

Psystar announced the Open Computer (originally dubbed OpenMac, but changed to avoid legal issues,) a $399 2.2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2GB of RAM, and swappable graphics cards, with Mac OS X pre installed. The company talks about why people should pay a premium for Apple products, and that Psystar is much cheaper and offering the same Mac interface. The computers come with Leopard preinstalled, and come with the installation disc as well. The technology their using to run Mac on the hardware seems to come from the OSx86 Project, which provides a solution to run Mac on a Windows computer.

Does Psystar not realize that it cleary states in the Apple EULA (End User License Agreement) that you can not run Mac OS X on a non-Apple computer? Unless Apple’s legal team decides to take a nap for the period Psystar is selling this product, it seems that Apple will attack. There were rumors around the net stating that Psystar would challenge Apple’s EULA in court and many other things, but I’m guessing that those are all untrue. Psystar can’t be that ridiculous and expect Apple won’t sue them. They must have something up their sleeve, or else this is just a big waste of time. Psystar has answered very few questions on the matter, but say that some of the Open Computer’s have been shipped and that they are still selling the faux Mac.