Here are a few of the myriad products from the January 2000 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas:

Square subwoofer technology increases output on KICKER Solo-Baric L7 subwoofers from Stillwater Designs, Stillwater, OK -- enough to give users the equivalent performance of the next size larger speaker. This advance in performance is primarily due to three factors, each of which results in an increase in the amount of air the subwoofer can move: the square cone area (or Sd) for a given size baffle is 16 - 20% greater than typical round cones; increasing the Xmax -- the distance the cone can move in one direction -- gives the L7s 24 - 49% more Xmax than previous models; and gains in Vmax (Vmax = Sd x Xmax) greatly increase the amount of air that the speaker can move. Since square cones mount much closer together than round speakers, they allow better acoustic coupling and a resultant greater output in multi-sub installations. Circle 400

The auto electronics section showed many advanced audio, navigation and DVD systems, and two companies were promoting subscription-serviced, digital satellite-broadcast radio. XM Satellite Radio, Inc., Washington, DC, and Sirius Satellite Radio, New York City, NY, will offer 50 channels of commercial-free music and up to 50 channels of news in coast-to-coast coverage with no static or other interference. Individual formats will be identified on the receiver's display, and many manufacturers are lining up to produce OEM and aftermarket systems, and adapters for existing receivers. XM will employ two satellites in geostationary orbit, while three Sirius satellites will be in inclined elliptical orbits. Both companies will broadcast S-band signals in the 2.3 GHz range, and will use terrestrial repeaters in urban and mountainous areas to augment the satellite signal and ensure unobstructed coast-to-coast reception for US motorists. Home and portable radios will also be produced to receive these programs.
Circle 401 - XM, Circle 402 - Sirius

A battle looms between Sony and Panasonic over ultra-compact, removable media designed to capture, save and share digital pictures, music and information. Sony, Park Ridge, NJ, was showing the Memory Stick Walkman, Digital Music Players, Digital 8 Handycam Camcorders and three VAIO personal computers with slots for the Memory Stick, a 64 MB device that measures approximately 21.5 x 50 x 2.8mm and weighs about 4g. A different style is used by Panasonic, Redwood City, CA, which teamed with SanDisk to create their 64 MB Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card, which measures 24 x 32 x 2.1mm. Prototype devices displayed to use the Card included a calculator-sized music viewer-player, a watch-type music player and a pendant-style still camera. Circle 403 - Sony, Circle 404 - Panasonic