Best of CES 2011
Maybe, just maybe, you've noticed that Engadget relocated this past week to the City of Sin for CES 2011. Oh yes, we set up camp in a double-wide trailer, liveblogged our hearts out, combed the show floor, and worked our rear ends off to bring you more gadget news than you ever thought possible. It's true, we've written over 720 posts (40 or so about tablets alone!), shot more than 180 videos, and brought you over 350 photo galleries in the last seven days. That's a ton of technology news and products, but naturally, only certain ones have been able to rise above the rest and stick out in our scary collective hive-mind. With that said, we've complied our annual best of list for you, so hit the break and feast your eyes on what are bound to be some of the best products of the new year.
Best smartphone
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Motorola Droid Bionic | Vizio Phone |
Best tablet
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| Notion Ink Adam |
Best tablet / laptop hybrid
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Samsung Sliding PC 7 Series |
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Best laptop
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HP Pavilion dm1 | Alienware M17x |
Best HDTV
In a CES where every TV manufacturer was touting its connected TV platform, Samsung's refreshed Smart TV sticks out as the most well-rounded. Its ability to bypass or extend the reach of cable and satellite boxes, stream video from other DLNA devices, pull info from the web via a web browser or the Apps Store, makes it one very compelling package. Sure, our touchscreen remote demo did not inspire a lot of confidence and we're seriously concerned about interface usability, but the software and capabilities are all there in a slim bezeled design. |
Vizio VIA Plus | Philips Cinema Widescreen TV |
Best camera
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RED Scarlet | Olympus XZ-1 |
Best transportation
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General Motors EN-V | BPG Uno motorcycle |
Best peripheral
How often does a badass Microsoft Research gadget go straight into production? Not often enough, but come June, $80 will buy your Windows PC's new best friend. Apple fanboys will probably just see a Magic Mouse with a hump, but these multitouch gestures put that surface to shame -- two fingers snap windows into place, three fingers quickly switch tasks, and your thumb can move forwards and backwards through websites, photos and documents. |
Razer Hydra | Nox Audio Admiral Touch |
Best enabling technology
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LTE | Glasses-free 3D |
Best crapgadget
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Konka g-baby | Taser C2 |
Best press conference
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| Sony |