Report from the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show

Sam Crowe - Web site editor

I just love technology, doesn't everyone? If the response to last January's Consumer Electronic Show is any indication, everyone might be too strong a statement but a lot of folks are in my camp.  Over 2,700 exhibitors and 140,000 tech enthusiasts visited Vegas for their annual pilgrimage to the greatest show on earth (with apologies to Barnum and Bailey).

What did they see?  How about 3D everything?  Smart TVs. Super cars with augmented reality displays. Everything imaginable for the iPhone and iPad and tablets, tablets everywhere.

TV on the move…

TV is pushing to regain its status as the focal point of home entertainment. Here are some things you'll be seeing in the new year.

3D:
Already out but changing rapidly.  LG has a new 3D TV that uses glasses like the ones used in the movie houses (known as "passive" glasses) and that only cost $10.00.  The 3D quality was excellent.  The "active" glasses used by most manufacturers (and by LG previously) cost about $150 and require charging.  I thought the LGs 3D TVs had excellent quality.

Smart TV:
Partners are starting to line up to bring you smart TV.  Most of the TVs introduced this year will have Internet access ability.  Depending on the manufacturer you may be able to access YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter, Skype and more, right from your easy chair.  My impression was that Samsung is currently in the lead with the number of offerings and abilities of the smart TV generation.

In an obvious shot at Apple, Samsung TVs, phones and tablets will be able to show web sites and movies built in Flash.

Cloud computing or just "the cloud":
Remote software and storage of files that can then be accessed by the owner from a variety of terminals, from smart phones to tablet computers. Samsung, among others, is supporting cloud computing.  You will be able to store your bird photos, video, files etc in the cloud, and access them through Samsung TVs, cell phones and tablets.  Cloud computing is a growing trend.

Augmented reality:
Black magic.  Wikipedia defines it as " a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by virtual computer-generated  sensory input, such as sound or graphics."  Basically you look at nothing but a funny looking image through special glasses and the flat image turns into a 3D, often animated image.  Once you see it, you'll agree, it is black magic

Tablets:
Speaking of tablets, everyone is itching to compete with the iPad.  Over 70 companies were showing some version of a tablet, most using the Android operating system.  Samsung's Galaxy Tab is out and is an early leader in the race to compete with Apple's product. Support for Flash may turn into a big selling point for the Galaxy Tab. (Apple's products will not show Flash, which is used in about 75% of the video shown on the web, plus many sites and animations which are Flash based. Flash may eventually be replaced; in the meantime Apple's iPad and iPhone will not display thousands of sites and hundreds of thousands of videos currently on the web.)

What's the best size in a tablet for bird watchers?  Probably an unanswered question at this point.

This little phone is too small?
Phones are OK for playing songs and easy to carry in the field.  However, the screen size for reviewing images, text and range maps is less than ideal, especially for an audience whose eye site may not be what it once was.

This little pad is too big?
A couple of the app based field guides are now ported to the iPad but the iPads large size makes it difficult to carry into the field and for younger birders to hold. It may turn out, however, to be the best size for use in the home.

This little tablet is just right?
Many of the newer tables are coming out in a 7 in. size.  The Samsung Galaxy Tab will fit into the inside pocket of a sport coat, for example. That's not necessarily a prime requirement for those using the tablet at home, but the smaller size is more convenient when on the move.

Which platforms?

Apple's proprietary system is currently way ahead, and their app store has over 500,000 apps.

There are relatively few apps for bird watchers on the Android operating system used by Samsung and others but look for the numbers to increase as the year goes along. (About 150,000 apps at the time I am writing this.)

So how does this relate to feeding and watching birds?  For the next couple of years, probably not much.  Over time, however, 3D images of birds and backyards, cloud-based information resources and augmented educational tools will change the way people learn about bird feeding and product selection.

I'll touch on some different scenarios next month.