Some remotes take a lot of abuse. Now GE wants to be that punching bag, offering a “My Favorites” controller for a mere $20. The image of the My Favorites Remote gives the illusion of a customized LCD. However, it’s just a bunch of little stickers you can use to tag some of your favorite channels for one-touch access. Users can customize eight programmable buttons for a personalized look. It looks cool, but we have… View this story

Whether you are checking out TVs, laptops or super-models, the one common denominator in all three - thin. While manufacturers have eased up on the race to create the biggest TV (Panasonic’s 150-inch plasma is the reigning champ), a quick glance inside any booth at CES 2009 reveals most are still infatuated with thin or slim displays. And why not? The skinnier the TV, the more likely you’ll be to buy it for even the… View this story

Scandyna offered up a nifty design twist on the old iPod speaker when they first came out. Like their competitor, iHome, we are always amazed at the amount of iPod-related options the company can crank out.  CES 2009 saw a few of the company’s newer selections, including the Bigpod and the Smallpod. These have the Scandyna design, in two different packages.The Bigpod is a 17-inch speaker designed to sit on your floor, while the 10-inch… View this story

It used to be that having a special chair was a La-Z-Boy or some other type of recliner. D-BOX’s GPH-120 isn’t just a special chair; it’s a lifemate. That’s probably because it’s really hard to get up out of the hybrid unit. The new chair combines the company’s Motion system with a bunch of gaming goodies, to make this the single most important piece of furniture in your home. Featuring 2Gs of acceleration, the unit… View this story

It looks like Acoustic Research wants some of Harmony’s remote business. They have announced the Xsight line of remote controls, which uses the PC to customize the user’s control experience. Audiovox, the parent company of AR, is hoping one of the two Xsight remotes will interest consumers. The Xsight Touch (ARRX18G) has a color LCD touchscreen with a slider bar and RF capabilities (if you have the add-on $100 ARRE433B RF Extender Kit). It can… View this story

After a drama-free press conference at CES 2009, it’s apparent that the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is focused on getting the format through this tough economy. And it appears several manufacturers are on board to help. The BDA says the dropping prices of Blu-ray players has helped and will continue to help the format’s adoption. “Low end pricing will go lower,” says Richard Doherty, Envisioneering, a panel member at the BDA press conference. Vizio has… View this story

You know the consumer electronics industry is suffering when the media and analysts were actually looking forward to keynote addresses here at the annual showdown in the desert. My biggest laughs came when one after another, TV makers trudged out their new 3D TVs, which except for a few models are not ready for prime time. And as I said before, the TV makers are trying to force feed the public on Internet TV features.… View this story

CBS is already the number one network on TV. However, can they rank when it comes to high-tech? The network just teamed up with Vaughnco for a line of electronics based on some of its popular TV shows. The first in the line will be a set of “Ghost Whisperer” headphones and a “90210” portable MP4 karaoke machine. No… really. The obvious question (aside from “say what?”) has to be: Why no love for “CSI?”… View this story

At CES 2009, we saw a few fun pico projectors, but none that knew how to multitask like the Samsung MBP200. The MBP200 is nice and compact, so users can throw up big-screen images on the fly. However, if a nice big surface isn’t available, the unit has a nifty built-in 2.2-inch QVGA LCD screen. Perfect for your pocket, this projector can connect to mobile phones and laptops—as long as they are Samsung. DVICE says… View this story

You’ve never seen a remote-controllable iPod solution like the PSX2 from Universal Remote Control (URC). It was previewed last week at CES 2009 in Las Vegas, but it debuts for real at the Electronic House Expo Spring, March 11-14, Orlando, Fla. (Full details will be revealed on February 1.) The product lets you use any universal remote to navigate anywhere on an iPod with the press of a single button – even places on the… View this story