CES 2008: Software / Web Services

Yahoo has improved its powerful and versatile cell phone offering with a more intuitive design, a highly personalized home page, and the ability to add widgets from third parties like eBay and MySpace. It’s an easier-to-use, more developer-friendly platform that will help users access the information they want more quickly.

Available on the 30 devices now in beta with hundreds more to come, Yahoo Go 3.0 also does a better job than its predecessor of updating you on what’s new since you last launched the application, whether it’s alerting you to new e-mails or new photos posted to your Flickr account. And because the Home widget lets you deck it out with mobile snippets of your favorite content from around the Web, this service will feel like it’s made just for you.

Sitting at your computer to make cheap calls via Skype is so last year. Skype seems to be plowing into the mobile world here at CES. First off, the rumored PSP support for the VoIP software was confirmed. A simple system update for PSP users, which will be available in January, will allow the mobile gamers to make calls over Wi-Fi. In addition, the company announced that Intel’s MIDs running Wi-Max will be able to support Skype video calling. The software is also integrated into the recently announced Sony Mylo 2.

These are all well and good, but us U.S. Skype fans are still holding out for the availability of a carrier supported Skype phone. Well our dreams have pseudo come true here at CES. I had the chance to play around with the 3 Skypephone. Though only available to customers in the UK, Sweden, and other countries on the Euro that utilize the mobile operator 3 network, here at CES there is a Skypephone working on a certain U.S. GSM network (you have a 50/50 shot of guessing which one it is).

Archos is known for its killer wireless portable media players, but the company’s looking to bring some of that magic to the living room with Archos TV+, the first Wi-Fi DVR that doubles as a recording box and wireless receiver.

Available with 80GB ($249) and 250GB ($349) hard drives, the Archos TV+ lets users stream audio (MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC with plug-in), video (MPEG-4, WMV, H.264 with plug-in), and photos (JPG, BMP, PNG) from their notebooks to their televisions using their home Wi-Fi networks. In addition, multimedia mavens can wirelessly download content from CinemaNow via the Archos Content Portal, and record up to 700 hours of TV (in 640 x 480-pixel resolution) using the built-in TV Program Guide. Hooking up any of Archos’ Generation 3, 4, or 5 PMPs will let users transfer a two-hour movie in under two minutes when using a USB 2.0 connection. Archos includes a QWERY-styled remote (which you can check out after the jump) and the Opera web browser.

On the topic of Opera, Archos announced the availability of Opera Widgets, which brings seven mini-applications (including a weather forecaster, news reader, and unit converter) to Generation 5 players. In an unexpected swing, Archos is bringing Playin’ TV Games (which requires the Flash plug-in) to the Archos TV+, Archos 605 Wi-Fi, and Archos 705 Wi-Fi. Game packs, featuring titles such as Golf Practice, 3 Pointer Basketball, and Poker: Texas No Limit, will cost $9.99.We’re looking to get all hands-on with these hot products, so check back for more deets as they become available.

We haven’t heard the last of Vonage or the virgin jokes on this blog. The VoIP service introduced today the Vonage V-Portal, a digital voice adapter and single port router with a built-in LCD.

The V-Portal, or VDV21, has a integrated screen which provides customers with installation instruction, real-time feedback, and error messaging, allowing users troubleshoot basic issues. The screen also can be used for Caller ID, timing calls, and to log calls made and received. Users can test their bandwidth, receive network status information, and adjust the brightness of the backlight with the device. In default mode, the LCD displays date and time and lets users know if they have voicemail waiting or if they’ve missed a call.

By plugging the V-Portal into a broadband internet connection, users are given two unique Vonage lines for calling or faxing.

The Vonage V-Portal is available to new customers for $9.99 after a $70 instant rebate. That deal will have you singing that Vonage jingle all night long…

Black Cherry. Blueberry. Bubblegum. Cool Mint. Espresso. Kiwi. Marshmallow. These are the deliciously savory colors of Fabrik’s new Signature Mini USB 2.0 Portable Drives, which are designed to give the relatively unexciting world of portable storage some sex appeal. But there lies some brains behind the beauty: each Signature Mini provides a double-dose of protection as they are the world’s first portable hard drives to provide local and online backup in one solution. Whoa.

Simply connect a Signature Mini to your Mac or PC and Fabrik’s Ultimate Backup software will take care of the dirty work. It will save your data to the drive itself, of course, but will also backup 2GB of content online at no additional cost. If you’d like unlimited online backup, Fabrik makes it happen for just $4.95 per month. While in transit, the data is safeguarded by 128-bit SSL encryption; when it arrives at Fabrik’s servers (housed offsite by a Fortune 500 company), it’s protected by 448-bit Blowfish encryption. In addition to being integrated into Fabrik’s other portable hard drive, Ultimate Backup is available as a stand-alone service.

The Fabrik Signature Mini USB 2.0 Portable Drives are set to hit retail in February, with prices ranging from $119 (for a 120GB capacity) to $229 (320GB).

Torian Wireless is launching MiRoamer at CES this week. MiRoamer is an online music portal where users can access Internet radio content, and then customize how they access them. Users can setup their own search options, remove certain providers, subscribe to premium service, and lookup a station guide - all from the same place.

Users will have the ability to select from tens of thousands of free International Internet radio stations and create custom playlists from those stations. The Internet portal also allows users to add media that is not currently offered on MiRoamer, by inputting the URL. MiRoamer will be launching its new interface tomorrow and we will be back with our first hands on impressions.

Netflix and LG Electronics linked arms today and announced their plans to develop a set-top box that will stream movies and other programming from the Internet to HDTVs. Forget watching Netflix’s selection of 6,000 movies on your laptop – subscribers can watch streamed movies from the Netflix site on their home theater HDTVs.

Can this duo rival the rumored Apple/Fox movie rental service? We are always up for a good doubles match.No details yet on the pricing of the boxes, but LG says networked players are planned to release in the second half of 2008. We would like to see the Netflix service integrated in LG TVs in addition to the set top box option. The announcement according to the press release ”sets the stage for next week’s 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which will emphasize digital content as well as hardware solutions.” We are all set to meet with LG at the show and hope to be hearing more details on the options.