Alcoa Consumer Electronics

Pint-sized boombox packs punch

Gadget Lab has a nice review of an aluminum boombox (that works with your iPhone or iPad via airplay):

If there was ever a company that made great looking but hugely overpriced AV gear, it’s Bang and Olufsen. The company seems to have realized this, and while the new Beolit 12 portable speaker still isn’t cheap, you can probably at least afford one if you save up for a little while.

The speaker is the first in B&O’s new Beoplay range, and on paper it looks like a pint-sized monster. The 2.8 kilo aluminum box houses a pair of two-inch tweeters and a four-inch woofer, putting out a total of 120 watts. That’s the sort of power they put into stereos back in the 1980s, not the puny speakers of today.

The Beolit 12 also has a battery, which lasts for up to eight hours, or four hours if you use AirPlay. Yes, this speaker is AirPlay ready, and can also hook up via a minijack, USB or Ethernet.

The polish continues in the case design, with illuminated controls and a leather carrying strap.

Ever since the JamBox, which is also owned by pretty much every member of the Wired.com team, I have almost given up on wired, mains-powered speakers, despite the inevitable drop in audio quality. And if I wanted to drop the price of four JamBoxes ($800) on this one speaker, then I’d get convenience and great sound. It’s certainly tempting.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/01/bo-beoplay-beolit-boombox-with-airplay/

2012 CES Mid-Week Recap

• CES attendance well over 140,000; an all-time high as visitors form all over the globe attend the ultimate "gadget show".
• Ultrabooks are all the rage and most use aluminum.
• Latest TVs feature "glasses free" 3D viewing.
• Both Samsung and LGE touting new OLED technology. Sony has countered and promoting new "Crystal LED" technology.

And since we're currently perusing Sony's booth, here are some pics:

• Sony thumb drive made from Aluminum
• Sony Reader w/ brushed Aluminum
• Sony portable Hard Disk drive made with Aluminum
• Samsung Series 7 all Aluminum notebook

 

CES attendance of over 140,000 at an all time high as visitors form all over the globe attend the ultimate "gadget show".

 

Ultrabooks are all the rage and most that I have seen use aluminum.

 

Latest TVs feature "glasses free" 3D viewing.

 

Both Samsung and LGE touting new OLED technology. Sony has countered and promoting new "Crystal LED" technology.

 

Some more pics attached.

 

DSCF-1586-Sony thumb drive made from Al

Dscf-1588-Sony Reader w/ brushed Al

dscf-1590-Sony portable Hard Disk drive made with Al

dscf-1592-Samsung Series 7 all Al notebook

Dell Delivers

Arguably the best looking ultrabook unveiled here at CES 2012 is the Dell XPS 13 ultrabook.  The sub-three-pound ultrabook is 6mm at its thinnest point and made out of machined aluminum. The base of the machine is made out of carbon fiber.

The ultrabook supports Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors and gets almost 9 hours of battery life, and boasts special features such as location awareness.  Other notable features include the use of Corning's Gorilla Glass on the screen.

UBER UBER

UB3Rfun (pronounced "uber-fun") launched its UB3R, UB3Rdock, UB3Rgamer and UB3Rstand products at CES -- all are designed to enhance iPhone performance and ease-of-use.  And all are crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy.

The UB3R itself, is a simple device that holds your iPhone, double as a business-card holder or simply brightens your desk.
 
The UB3Rdock, UB3Rgamer and UB3Rstand all enhance the smart-phone experience by amplifying the iPhone's audio without the use of electronics or battery-operated devices.  All four products are currently available on Kickstarter.com. 

CES Hits Vegas with Ultrabooks

From Fox Business News: “Gary Shapiro, chief executive of the Consumer Electronics Association, says this year’s potentially world-changing innovations come from all walks of technology life. One item expected to be popular throughout the show is the “ultrabook,” an ultra-thin laptop (usually encased in a brushed aluminum body) with no optical drive. Shapiro says he expects between 30 and 50 ultrabooks to be launched at CES, most all of them with price points under $1,000.

Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2012/01/10/ces-hits-vegas-with-ultrabooks-tablets-and-oled-tvs/#ixzz1j4o4985h

New Vizio Laptops are Aluminum Sleek

Image credit: Vizio

Vizio, most known for their line of HDTVs, announced at CES they would introduce a line of laptops and PC’s in 5-6 months, but those who have had an opportunity to test them – such as PC World – are impressed.

“The laptops themselves are downright slick, all rigid unibody aluminum with high-res screens (1600 by 900 on the 14-inch thin-and-light, and 1920 by 1080 on the 15-inch models). The industrial design is clean and minimal, with almost no outward branding; there’s only a small glowing Vizio logo on the corner of the lid, and a small Vizio name in the corner beneath the screen. The company said there will be no stickers or labels: no “Intel inside” or “Nvidia GeForce” or anything of the sort. They’re still roughly 5 or 6 months from launch, but already there’s an immediate, apparent quality to it.,” said PC World.  That is yet another leading player in the consumer electronics market choosing to invigorate their brand using aluminum.

Here a quick Review of Lenovo’s New Ultrabook

From gamerlive: “Lenovo’s first business ultrabook, the ThinkPad T430u, equips business users with the same thin and light designs found in consumer ultrabooks without sacrificing business-class performance, and it comes at a mainstream price starting at $849. The stylish ThinkPad T430u ultrabook borrows some of the elements typically found on premium laptops, such as a matte finish that’s soft to the touch and an aluminum top cover that complement its small - less than 0.8-inches and less than four pound - frame. It also sports ThinkPad’s new modern and minimalist island-style keyboard.”

Image credit: Lenovo

New Samsung Series 9 notebook -- Aluminum intensive and pristine

Samsung launched the new Samsung Series 9 notebook here.  The new Series 9 represents Samsung's best-in-class innovation and craftsmanship in the premium notebook segment.

One of the thinnest, lightest laptops ever introduced, the Series 9 is weighs as light as 2.5 pounds and measures just a half inch thin, 37 percent thinner and 0.4 pounds lighter than the original Series 9, as well as more visually striking. The build is nearly seamless, using an aluminum single shell body and featuring a more pronounced Series 9 hallmark polished edge. Key components such as the LCD panel, keyboard, motherboard, cables, fans and battery have been customized with precision to fit into the Series 9's extra flat single shell body. Additionally, the Series 9 has been sand-blasted for fingerprint resistance, keeping the Mineral Ash Black colored body and natural matte aluminum sides pristine at all times.

The Thinnest so Far?

What did Fudzilla have to say of the newest tablet from Toshiba introduced at CES this week? 

“There is not much you can do with tablets other than making them as thin and as light as you possibly can. This is how Toshiba came up with X10 tablet that is supposed to start shipping by middle of Q1 2012, so let’s guess somewhere in February.

The specs are impressive, with a OMAP 4 4420 dual core chip with 1.2GHz core clock and 1GB memory. Toshiba claims that the tablet is the lightest on the market, weighing in at only 535 grams (1.2 lbs.) and is 7.7 mm or 0.3 inch thick. The resolution is the usual 1280x800, and the tablet has 2Mpixel front and 5Mpixel back camera. It uses the original gorilla glass not the latest gorilla glass two, which makes it's debut at CES this year.  The back is made of quite popular brushed aluminum.”

Smart-looking smartphone

The new Sony Xperia Ion smartphone was launched at CES this week.  The launch is a key element of Sony’s convergence strategy.  The new smartphone, which has a 12 megapixel camera, features a thin, light aluminum body according to Sony at their lanch event.

Acer Aces It

The new Acer Aspire S5 measures 15 millimeters at its thickets point and has a 13.3-inch LCD display. The device has an onyx black chassis and a magnesium-aluminum alloy cover and palm rest below the chiclet keyboard.

The ultrabook is one of what Forrester Research analysts estimate could be over 50 of its kind introduced at CES this week – many featuring the benefits of aluminum – light weight, strong and durable and fantastic finishes.  Many are featuring aerospace-grade aluminum alloys.

That Aluminum Looks Sharp

Among the 17 new 60-inch or bigger TVs being introduced by Sharp at CES are four new models of Sharp’s 3D Quattron TVs, in both 60-inch and 70-inch versions. These will feature 3D and an ultraslim aluminum design. These models, the 847/745 series, have edge-lit LED screens featuring 3D X-Gen panels that are housed in the company's "ultraslim and narrow-bezel design" that also have a brushed aluminum finish.

Image credit: Sharp

2012 International CES - the global stage for innovation

Tomorrow, as it does early each year, the world epicenter of innovation becomes Las Vegas in the form of International CES, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow.

The 1.851 million net square feet of show floor will open tomorrow, as more than 2,700 companies debut the next generation of innovative products across all sectors of the consumer electronics industry. The 2011 show welcomed 149,529 technology attendees and spanned more than 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space. The largest CES was in 2008, with a record-breaking 1.857 million net square feet of exhibit space.

Every major technology company across the globe is participating in force at this year's CES, and Alcoa will be there to bring you the latest aluminum innovations and hottest trends in consumer electronics from our CES blog.

CEA expects this year's CES will be the most innovative show on record, with more than 20,000 new products slated to be announced this week. While the doors to the 2012 CES show floor officially open tomorrow, news has already started to leak highlighting new innovations and products before many of these companies have even held their press conferences:

• TV manufacturer Vizio is introducing a line-up of laptops and desktops, including two Ultrabooks.
• Nokia will debut the Lumia 900 smartphone, a Windows Phone with LTE support, to be sold at AT&T this spring.
• Lenovo enters the television market by unveiling the K91Smart TV running Google's Android 4.0.
• LG Electronics announced a variety of LED-based TVs with bezels under 5mm in width for a nearly all-picture look, as well as a 55-inch OLED TV.
• Specialty glass producer Corning plans to introduce Gorilla Glass 2, a harder, thinner and more scratch resistant glass that could pave the way for the production of thinner and sturdier tablets and smartphones.
• Intel plans to offer a slew of affordable Ultrabooks in partnership with HP, Asus, LG and others.
• OLPC announced the XO 3.0 tablet, a tablet for the world’s poorest children.
• Tobii Technology showed new eye-tracking technology that allows users to scroll, play and navigate using their eyes and without touching a mouse.
• Parrot AR Drone 2.0, which was first launched at CES 2010, once again wowed attendees at CESUnveiled last night with better location and orientation sensors.
• SolarFocus' Kindle e-reader case provides 50 hours of onboard reading light powered by a solar panel on the front of the case.
• 3M Touch Systems, a multi-user, widescreen touch table, allows for an impressive maximum 60 touch points and up to four split screens.

 

 

Aluminum usage taking off in consumer electronics

Aluminum is much more than just the can. In consumer electronics, aluminum usage is taking off as more and more manufacturer’s are using aluminum in laptop casings, mobile devices and next generation televisions. OEMs are discovering that Alcoa can help them realize increasingly thinner, lighter and more durable products in a wide variety of looks and finishes with aluminum. And aluminum is preferred by designers because it is contemporary, stronger and has an authentic, natural feel.  What will they think of next? Find out at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Show from January 10-13th.

Five Ways to Green Your Holidays

With the holiday season upon us, many consumers began their preparations on the busiest shopping day of the year – Black Friday on Nov. 25. On Black Friday, consumer electronics were among the most sought-after items, according to a Consumer Electronics Association report.  During the holiday shopping season, Alcoa, the world’s leading aluminum producer, is reminding shoppers to keep these tips in mind when purchasing consumer electronics. Green your gift giving this year.

What to Know Before You Shop

1. First, determine whether or not your electronic device still has any value or if someone else may be able to find value in it. If you can no longer find a use for it, look for an electronics recycler in your area using a resource such as Greener Gadgets, which allows you to view a list of nationwide manufacturer, retailer and certified electronics recycling programs in your area by zip code. Recycling aluminum uses 95 percent less energy and produces 95 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than making metal from new materials!


2. With aluminum, your electronics will always be cool… and stay cool. Because aluminum is more efficient at transferring heat than plastic and has better thermal management overall, devices made with the material can save energy. For example, an aluminum laptop is not only more energy efficient than plastic, but the battery life can be up to 20 percent longer. So, keep this in mind if you have your eye on a new smart phone, laptop or flat panel TV.


3. When shopping for new a new LCD TV, be sure to take a look at those models that use aluminum for back-panels. The light weight and high strength of aluminum make these TVs ideal for mounting directly on a wall. The improved strength, slimmer design and better cooling performance make these models the green choice.


4. Lighter is better. Electronic products made with aluminum parts, are not only infinitely recyclable, but these products will be much lighter in weight, allowing you to easily transport and move your device. Aluminum also allows for that hip metallic finish – the look and feel that consumers love.


5. Tablets and Aluminum. Not surprisingly, tablets are a wildly popular item on wish lists this year and tablets made with aluminum have certainly become a rising trend as well. Aluminum is the material of choice for many of these devices because it enables a slimmer, sleeker design, lighter overall weight, and comes with the added bonus of its recyclability. Be sure not to miss these!

For more tips on recycling and how to turn your holiday shopping green, visit www.alcoa.com/recycling.