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!

Enjoy!

via Engadget

Both Engadget and Gizmodo posted reviews of the long awaited, first-ever BlackBerry touchscreen, codename “Apple Killer”, BlackBerry Storm. After reading and analyzing both, they share the same overall point: it’s not quite there yet and if developed for more time, it would be better. I won’t try and quote the reviews, but I’ll just tell you to read them yourselves at the posted links. Engadget’s got more of a detailed review with hands-on pictures, while Gizmodo sums up each topic very simply.

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.

For the first review of the top secret “Apple Killer” as RIM has called it, it hasn’t scored to well. As we’ve known before, the Storm only has four physical buttons, but we didn’t know the screen is one giant button. We’ve learned from the video the device does have an accelerometer and the screen’s orientation will rotate with your rotation of the device, but the review also told us that the screen is just a giant button. You can select things by touching them, but for them to actually open, you need to push the actual screen and it will click. Also, scrolling is funny and is done by holding something and waiting for it to scroll. The review did mention that the keyboard is pretty good, however. We’ll see when the device actually comes out! A mid-November launch for Verizon seems pretty likely for know. The Storm’s part of the video starts at around 2 minutes and 55 seconds in.

via Boy Genius Report

Incase you didn’t know by now, Guitar Hero 4 is officially Guitar Hero World Tour and will have drum and microphone support. We’ve seen pictures of the drum set before, but IGN got a preview of the whole set. Besides the drums and a microphone, the guitar got some big changes. The overall guitar is physically larger to be more like a real guitar, and it features a touchpad on the neck. The pad, according to IGN, “allows you to alter notes during sustains by sliding up and down the strip… It can also be used for tapping to play notes.” The touchpad can be used for more when using the Music Creator. Besides the guitar, which after reading IGN’s preview sounds awesome, the drum set looks pretty cool, too. It, unlike Rock Band, features three main pads, two symbols, and a pedal. Also, IGN says the drums are quieter than Rock Band’s. Both the guitar and the drums are wireless, but the mic (very similar to Rock Band’s) is wired. Besides the gear, the game features loads of new features like more customization with characters, over 85 songs and more tracks downloadable, and the Music Creator which lets users create their own tracks (sorry, no vocals) and share them with other users. No specific price has been announced, but pricing will be “competitive”. GameStop, however, has released pricing for the game at $199 and given a launch date of October 27 of this year. Check out the gallery below for more pictures, and check out IGN for the full read.

It may not be technology ‘news’, but it does relate to technology and gadgets. After doing some searches on the ‘net, I recently came upon Test Freaks. The interesting fact about this site is that it doesn’t have one review, but it grabs tons of reviews from all over the web. It lets users see expert reviews and user reviews from all over. Besides that, it shows prices, similar products, user videos, pictures, etc. It’ll also find related blog posts and forums. The interface is pretty good too. Live search is provided so you won’t have to waste time going to a search page and the share features on the side offer great integration into Facebook, del.icio.us, Yahoo, and more. Test Freaks is currently in public beta, but looks like a great site. I can tell you right now, it’s useful when deciding to buy, or not to buy, something.

Wii Fit was released in all major US stores yesterday, and we were lucky enough to get one. The game/fitness device retails for $90, but is pretty much sold out in populated areas. I haven’t got a bunch of extensive use with ‘it,’ but I did get through Body Test and get to try out some Balance Games, as well as some other activities. The overall experience is a little strange to get used to. You’re in front of your TV standing on a strange white device while watching an animated character give you exercise demos or do hula-hooping. But, considering some people so stranger things, we’ll let this go. Besides the oddness, Wii Fit is pretty cool. You turn on the Wii Balance Board, and put in some information, do some balance tests, and you’re ready to go. I tried the Hula-Hooping (which was pretty fun but a tad tiring since you are literally swinging your hips in a giant circle very quickly while having to bend to catch hoops), step dancing (which was really strange and was not my favorite), and the Ski Jumping (which was very simple, aka squatting and straightening out at the jump.) For now, the unboxing video is above, but I’ll try and get some actual footage of the game and how it works soon.

Canon has out done itself yet again, this time with the Vixia HF10. Canon’s consumer HD camcorder is a sleek black, has a 12X optical zoom (more than the average consumer camcorder), and has a 16GB flash drive built-in. With great video quality and the ability to shoot ‘Cinema’ style movies, this camcorder is definitely worth it. The HF10 also has an SD card slot (accepts standard or SDHC cards), if you want even more storage space. The image quality is really spectacular, as with all Canon devices, but the autofocus isn’t as fast as it could be. Other than that slight nitpick, the device is overall really great. It’s sleek, small, and has superb image quality. So, if you’re in the market for a great HD camcorder, the Vixia HF10 is what your looking for. It retails for around $1,050, but Amazon has it at just $850.

Mario Kart Wii finally made its debut yesterday, and is now available in the US. It includes the Wii Wheel attachment to make the driving seem even more realistic, but also lets you use the Classic Controller or the older GameCube controller. The game, a title that most Wii owners have been craving for, provides for an overall fun experience. It includes tracks from most previous games, going all the way back to the ages of SNES. The new features also include WiFi connection, so you can compete against players around the world, ghost downloads for the ability to beat world records, and racing in bikes. The bikes are probably the newest feature in the game, and they are cool to use. You can pop a wheely by tilting the controller back, and tons of other cool tricks. The game lets you race up to 4 at a time and is the game to get if you’re looking for a good time with your friends. Mario Kart Wii retails for $49.99 and is out now. Check out the unboxing above for a peek at what comes in the box.