Technical Pro

By Laura Heller, dealnews writer

If it’s January, then it’s time for the Consumer Electronics Show. This is when the industry trots out the latest and greatest to whet our appetites for new TVs, mobile phones and portable computers.

CES is exciting and fun, to be sure, but it will end up costing you money if you fall for the hype. But if you know how to read between the lines, you’ll be able to easily plan upcoming purchases.

The most important distinction is between what’s being promoted as groundbreaking, cool new technology and what’s actually going to reach the mass market. At every show, companies debut examples of products in development or those meant for very limited production. In years past, we’ve seen 100-plus-inch plasma TVs (price upon request) still seen only in a handful of sports bars in places such as Las Vegas, where the industry goes to gather, and super-skinny LED TVs available for exorbitant sums relative to their tiny screen size.

Last year’s much-hyped 3D TVs are a great example. When the recession hit in 2008, many electronics companies halted expensive research and development, trimmed costs and scaled back new product releases. Some even stayed away from consumer shows like CES altogether, deeming them too expensive to attend. Those that came, had little to show.

Hence 3D TV.

As one veteran reporter quipped, “when you’ve got nothing else to show, bring out the 3D.” It’s not that the technology doesn’t have merit or isn’t fun, but rather is it compelling enough to get consumers to pay more for it, or buy new TVs to have it. Add to that a lack of content and glasses that have to be worn at home, and it’s hardly an easy sell. But 3D technology has been kicking around for a long time, so it was easy enough for companies to resurrect it and bring it out in lieu of more impressive new technology.

Don’t expect to see much talk about 3D TV coming out of CES this year, however.

“Connected TVs are the big focus this year,” says Jason Oxman, spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association, sponsor of the show. “This year, it’s the range of apps and the TV will start to look a lot like a cell phone.”

Indeed, the TV is merging with computers. More and more can be connected to the Internet, with apps — or widgets — embedded into the TV. You might not have full Internet access, but the apps will take you to Netflix, Hulu and Yahoo! to download and watch content.

No, 3D TV isn’t dead, it’s just becoming part of a package of features you’ll see included in new TVs this year. “Literally every high-end TV will have 3D as a feature, but what manufacturers have discovered is that we’re looking for TVs that do a lot of things,” Oxman says.

We’ll see more tablet computers this year — dozens according to Oxman — to compete with Apple’s iPad in a variety of price points. There will be more 4G smartphones for faster data transfer, and connected home appliances that propose to help save consumers money by allowing remote diagnostics and monitoring peak times for power use to reduce energy costs.

All practical advancements meant to save us money. More use, less hype.

Once the show opens on January 6, stay tuned for more reports from the convention floor. Follow Laura Heller on Twitter for up-to-the-minute details.

The cost of technology goes down steadily, making HDTVs and Blu-ray players today a much better deal than they were a year ago. It’s too bad that most other things rise in price. Don’t say you weren’t forewarned! Here’s a list of 20 things that will most likely cost more in 2011, presented to you with plenty of time to stock up now.

1. car insurance — Rates are now at an average of $1,000 per year, but going up faster than inflation. That’s especially so because insurers are adding on new high-tech monitoring abilities and pass along the costs. So not only are you going to pay more, but your privacy controls are going to go down.
2. Chocolate — There is a veritable chocolate crisis going on in the world, and that has as much to do with global finance as it does to do with weather. Cocoa is at a 30-year high and demand is only growing. Expect to see fancier presentations even of basic chocolate — meaning smaller boxes for bigger prices.
3. VoIP services — Now that taxes have hit the voice-over-IP market, rates go up as fast — or faster — than the traditional telephone service providers. It doesn’t help that new free VoIP services over smartphones provide killer competition. Expect struggling companies, like Vonage, to keep raising rates directly, and or just tacking on extra fees.
4. Airfare — Even if you see an abundance of ads for $1 fares and the like, don’t believe the hype. The total cost for traveling on an airplane is going up, and will continue to go up in 2011. Airlines have had such success with added fees for baggage, seating, snacks and blankets, that they’re not yet done imagining other things to charge you extra.
5. Cars — The heavy discounting that was prevalent during the recession and crises among carmakers is past now, so expect to pay more if you want to buy a new or a used car in 2011. sales are up so far in 2010, and that means that carmakers are not as desperate as they once were. And don’t expect a bailout from the Feds.
6. Nintendo 3DS — The 3DS is coming, and it’s not going to be cheap! The price will likely be in the $300 range in the U.S., based on the pricing announced in Japan for the February release of the device. That’s a lot more than any other hand-held gaming device on the market. What will you get for your money? An 8-ounce hand-held game system with great resolution, three cameras, and wireless connectivity.
7. Health Insurance — It’s a no-brainer that health care costs are going up, so if you haven’t been paying attention through the last several elections, you’re going to have sticker shock come your next open enrollment period in 2011. Brace yourself, and review the recent changes to the law in the health care reform bill.
8. Breakfast — Grain prices have been skyrocketing, and that’s going to have an effect on your morning cereal, your milk, your eggs and your bacon. The cows, hogs, chickens and food processors are all competing for the same product and driving prices up.
9. Coffee — The world’s coffee supply is contracting, and prices are soaring. Coffee futures jumped 40% last year, and there’s no end in sight for the rise. Even the smallest coffee shops are being hit by the price increases, meaning a more expensive cup of Joe for you.
10. Music — In all the great excitement about the Beatles finally coming to iTunes, it probably escaped the notice of a lot of people that individual songs were priced at $1.29, not the typical 99-cents of the last few years. Don’t think that’s just because it’s the Beatles. Apple starting raising prices in 2009, and you’ll be seeing prices edge higher throughout 2011 on digital music-buying sites.
11. Dollar Menus — This change has been coming for a while, but the fast food chains have been reluctant to pull the trigger once and for all to up the cost of their value menus to more than a dollar. McDonald’s has already started to dismantle its dollar Menu, and it’s going to happen wholesale pretty soon.
12. Credit Cards — Thought credit card reform measures would mean it would cost less for you to use your credit cards? Think again. Just like the airline industry tacking on extra fees, credit card issuers are making up any deficit from the new rules in other fees that they’re still allowed to charge. And in some cases, they’re doubling-down, meaning it’s costing you more.
13. Refinancing — The dream of “no-cost” refinancing is a lost cause these days, when banks are clamoring for any fee they can possibly get and the housing market is still in the dumps. Coming up in 2011, you’re going to pay more upfront for refinancing, which may make it hard to fathom even though interest rates remain low.
14. Sports Ticket Prices — Almost every major league sports — and a lot of minor league ones too — are still passing along the costs of new stadiums and extras to their customers. For the Yankees, for example, that means tickets will be up 47% for non-premium seats in 2011. The most expensive field-level seats will be $260.
15. College Tuition — There is no end to the rise in college tuition, it’s one of those things that just keeps going up and up and up, way faster than inflation. That’s particularly daunting at time when savings accounts are depleted and so many parents are out of work. For the 2010-11 school year, tuitions are up almost 8% from the previous year for public 4-year colleges and 4.5% at private colleges. That will only go up again for the 2011-12 school year.
16. Water Rates — Check any municipality in the United States and you’ll likely find residents with higher water bills in 2011. It’s a factor of the economy, and cities having to squeeze money out of every stone.
17. Postage Rates — Even if the post office says there will be no more postal rate hikes soon, do you believe them? The USPS is actually fighting for a 5.6% increase in rates, which was denied by the Postal Regulatory Commission. Don’t bet on that ruling sticking for very long, so stock up now on Forever stamps.
18. Gold — You might have thought Cash4Gold sites were cheesy scams, but you might think about melting down some of your old jewelry if you’re watching this commodity. Prices per ounce just keep going up and up. It’s a bit of a roller coaster ride if you’re looking for an investment, but if you’re thinking about selling some gold, 2011 will be a good time.
19. Ammunition — You might not think of ammunition prices as something to worry about, but if you’re a hunter or if you’re concerned about the budget of your local police precinct or the nation’s miliary, you might want to pay attention. Ammo prices have been going up steadily over the past several years, and will rise again in 2011, all because the metals they’re made of are going up in price and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are increasing demand.
20. movie Ticket Prices — Movie ticket prices go up every year, but 2011 could be a time of major increases for two key reasons: online streaming and 3D. The popularity of streaming movies through subscription services like Netflix has cut deeply into movie studio profits from DVD sales and from cable OnDemand purchases, so they have to make up the difference somewhere. The advent of 3D means that studios can tack on extra fees for the experience, even if viewers would rather watch a regular 2D movie.

Beth Pinsker is dealnews’ Editorial Director. She was most recently the Editor of WalletPop.com, and has been a life-long bargain hunter. Follow her on Twitter — @bethpinsker. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features.

Google now has a posh new address in the heart of New York City. At a cost of $1.9 billion, the company has acquired one of the largest and most historic buildings in all of the Big Apple. Spread over nearly 3 million sq ft, 111 Eighth Avenue, the former Port Authority building, overlooks New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. It was designed by Lusby Simpson and completed in 1932, just one year after the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Google initially moved into the building in 2006, with an office occupying 50,000 square feet. The mammoth 111 Eighth Avenue is no ordinary building. It takes about 20 minutes to walk once around the building, which encompasses one of those very long city blocks found on the West Side.

While the company did not confirm the purchase price, the city of New York has netted $46 million in transaction taxes on the deal making it the largest U.S. real estate transaction of 2010.

[Wired]

“Tomorrow,” claims Apple, “is just another day. That you’ll never forget.” That’s the teaser that’s just gone live on Apple’s homepage, tipping a 10am Eastern announcement about iTunes that will be launched online first, rather than at a special event.

The nature of the announcement is unknown, but there are plenty of recent rumors to choose from. Some form of streaming music service is perhaps the most persistent, perhaps the iTunes Live we’ve heard mutterings about so much in recent months, though it could also refer to the iOS 4.2 release which will be distributed through iTunes but its sounds unlikely due to “never forget”.

Here’s what we got: we know its something New. Not and update we will forget about by the next update and it’s from iTunes not from Apple.

We’ll be eagerly hitting refresh tomorrow at 10am Eastern or 7am Pacific (that’s 3pm London and midnight in Tokyo). Leave your guesses in the comments below!

Update: iTunes Announced they now have the Beetles! yEy! big deal wooopdi do da! Who cares. I want to forget but its sooo dumb i doubt i can ever forget it Apple made a stink for this.

SuperHeroHype.com has received two pieces of concept art that are being used by Atlas Entertainment to pitch Voltron: Defender of the Universe to studios. The site says that screenwriting duo Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer are penning the script for the possible big screen adaptation. You can check out one of the images below and click on it to get a bigger version and the second image featuring Robeast.

Source: JoBlo.com

In the hot, expansive Karakum desert in Turkmenistan, near the 350 person village of Derweze, is a hole 328 feet wide that has been on fire, continuously, for 38 years. Known as the Darvaza Gas Crater or the “Gates of Hells” by locals, the crater can be seen glowing for miles around.

The hole is the outcome not of nature but of an industrial accident. In 1971 a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punched into a massive underground natural gas cavern, causing the ground to collapse and the entire drilling rig to fall in. Having punctured a pocket of gas, poisonous fumes began leaking from the hole at an alarming rate. To head off a potential environmental catastrophe, the Soviets set the hole alight. The crater hasn’t stopped burning since.

Though little information is available about the fate of the Soviet drilling rig, presumably it is still down there somewhere, on the other side of the “Gates of Hell.”