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CNN Saturday Morning News
Technological Advances in Portable Entertainment
Aired January 05, 2002 - 08:56 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the scientific advances in gadgetry. The new year will bring us better DVDs and MP3s. And if you don't know what those are, you are behind.
Our Ann Kellan brings us up to speed with the tech trends for 2002.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please request command.
ANN KELLAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gadgets that listen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Return home.
KELLAN: And talk balk.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After one-quarter of a mile turn right.
KELLAN: Digital music players you wear on your wrist. Cell phones linked to handheld computers, and new ways to keep track of the kids, just some of the tech trends this year, Portable, wearable and wireless are the '02 buzz.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about not having to run wires to every room. It's about being able to bring in a little device that you attach to your phone line, that basically takes your Internet access and makes it available to every room in your house without wires. Sounds really simple, and wireless Ethernet is really the technology that's making that possible.
KELLAN: Look for more security products this year, like this GPS personal locator by Wearify Wireless. Strap it on your children and track their whereabouts on your computer.
(on camera): Little gadgets.
TIM MCNAMARA: Little gadgets. The key is little.
KELLAN (voice-over): Tim McNamara and Steve Gates are loading up a few of the latest gadgets, driving to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
STEVE GATES: We're going to have two people in the car, driving 2200 miles. Things need to be small and they need to be entertaining and/or keep us in touch.
KELLAN: Like this PDA cell phone to access the Internet.
MCNAMARA: You can use the phone. You can use the PDA and it also serves as your modem to the wireless connection.
KELLAN: And soon, it's expected you'll be able to send an instant message on that portable device.
Rugged hard drives are increasing capacity of portable music devices. This MP3 by Nomad holds 1,000 hours of CD quality music in its hard drive. Of course, all the music has to be downloaded from your computer.
Digital video cameras continue to shrink. And there's even one, a $2000 Hitachi, records on a disk. No more tape.
(on camera): Is this a first?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a first.
KELLAN (voice-over): DVDs are the rage, now outselling VCRs in the U.S. This one is portable. This car version plays on the navigation system's monitor. Only when the car is stopped and in park. Don't want the driver distracted by "The Perfect Storm."
Does DVD mean the end of videotapes?
CARL HOWE, FORRESTER RESEARCH: I think DVDs are certainly going to push them out of the way. And even DVDs themselves, I think, are on their way to being eclipsed by fancier DVDs, DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs. Disks that we can write on and record our own videos, I think, are going to be a big thing in 2002.
KELLAN: As we ring out the old, ring up the MP3 phone. As companies this year, will try to merge more functions into one device. Here, you get music and a conversation.
GATES: You're listening to music and you're phone rings.
KELLAN (on camera); It'll interrupt?
GATES: You'll hear the phone ring, and you simply just click on the phone and take that call. And it drops the MP3, drops the music you're listening to.
KELLAN: OK, hold that note.
GATES: Hold that note.
KELLAN: I'll be write back.
GATES: I'll be right with you, yes.
KELLAN (voice-over): And 3-D graphics and video on handheld computers. Could happen this year, according to chipmaker Neomagic. And as more of us hit the road, satellite radio is now an option. Pay a monthly fee and access the variety of stations and formats, many more than you can get on the radio now.
Experts also predict more people will store information at data centers, instead of on their personal computers, so they can access that information from any computer, anywhere. Happy trails.
Ann Kellan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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