All posts by PLUGHITZ Live

Beauty and Technology Meet in the VOLO Cordless Dryer

CES 2018, Gadgets, Home

VOLO Beauty blow dryerIn the beauty industry, there are a lot of gadgets. Whether you’re curling your hair or your eye lashes, there’s a device for everything. A lot of these devices, however, have remained unchanged for a long time. Take, for example, the blow dryer. The heating element used requires so much power that a special adapter is required to use one out of the country, and the cords are usually just long enough that you’re tethered to the wall while in use.

Ryan Goldman of VOLO Beauty has set out to change all of that. Their new cordless blow dryer is one of the first of its kind, but distinguishes itself in other ways, as well. Ryan didn’t just want to bring the same old dryer to market without a cord; instead, he wanted to make sure that the dryer was more energy efficient, so that it would last its longest on a charge. So, rather than a traditional heating coil, VOLO has designed an infrared heating bulb system, which uses 600 watts rather than the more traditional 1800 watts. As an added bonus, the infrared system dries the hair faster, and more evenly, making the product more healthy for the hair.

The product will be launching on Kickstarter this Spring, and will be available afterward on Indiegogo On Demand. The retail price will be $388, with discounts for preorders. You can also sign up for their waitlist so you can find out when the campaign launches.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Enjoy New and Simple Connectivity to Your Car with Raven

Auto, CES 2018, Gadgets

Raven Driving TechnologyRaven is a connected car product with a new type of technology integration that combines four different technologies into one. They have taken a traditional dashcam, displays, connection to tel-harmonics in the car as well as a built-in security system.

It sits right on top of your dashboard, always in view. You can customize the display from a list of driving information readouts. This ensures that you have the best possible information to help you drive safely. There are an array of sensors and you will be alerted if your car is bumped, broken into or stolen. Raven can alert family/friends if there is a critical event. Simply add them to your Trusted Circle and they will receive vital information to help you in the event of an incident or emergency.

The Alerts are customizable. Raven keeps aware of the driving behaviors of each driver, with alerts such as speeding, curfew, boundary and dangerous driving activities. It also keeps all videos that you can check at any time and also share with one click on social media. You can create driving reports which help with specific travel data for expense reports or insurance purposes. The app also gives you access to live views and vehicle information at any time. You will have the peace of mind of always knowing what is going on with your car, and its drivers.

Pricing begins at $299. You can preorder now and receive a $30 discount. Shipping begins in March 2018. Upon activation, you will be prompted to choose one of their monthly service plans. There is a 30 day risk free test drive available. Learn more by visiting their website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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The Gift of the Universe Right on Your Smartphone

CES 2018, Gadgets, Mobile

Vaonis Stellina TelescopeVaonis introduces Stellina – a completely new kind of telescope. It is easy to use, portable and delivers the images directly to your smartphone. Their goal is to make astronomy more accessible for everybody. The thought of having to set up a standard telescope properly, looking through a small hole and still not really being able to see what you are looking for is not very appealing. But Stellina changes all of that. Via the connected app, it knows your GPS location when you set it up and it searches out the stars for you. You can also request specific sightings and Stellina will find them for you. For example, a certain nebula or galaxy, or even the International Space Station when it is in your area. Imagine having this kind of telescope during an eclipse. It will find and track the best viewing vantage and you can watch the whole thing right on your phone.

Stellina is compact and lightweight enough to be carried in a backpack and boasts 5 – 10 hours of battery life, depending upon usage. The app is easy to use and, once installed, is easily accessed via the push of a button on the telescope. It not only provides you with amazing images that are easy to save and share on social media, but it will also provide information about what it is that you are viewing.

Whether you are wanting an easy and fun way to keep up with your astronomy hobby, or you are looking to become more active in the astronomical community, Stellina is for you. It will be available in Q3 2018 for $2,999 but you can preorder yours now with a CES special for $2,499 from their website.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.
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Seize the Day and Pesky Mosquitoes The Safe Way

CES 2018, Home

Qista control mosquitoesWe all hate mosquitoes. They not only ruin our outdoor activities but also pose significant health risks. Qista is a French company that has created a safe and effective mosquito control system called Evo 2+. It is lightweight and mobile and fits in easily with your outdoor décor. It simulates human respiration with CO2 and olfactory lures. It’s also safe for other living creatures as they are patented and ecological to provide an alternative to current ineffective and even toxic solution for mosquito control.

The units are perfect for home use as well as commercial and municipalities. They connect to electricity or municipal power, are 100% natural with 0% toxicity, programmable for optimum use and are effective up to a 60 meter radius in an open area.

Qista is making their debut in the U.S. in some Southern Florida cities and have hopes to expand even further in the state. Prices start at about $1000 for the unit and there are a few different options for gas & lure. You can get more pricing and availability information here.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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See What Happens When You Increase Productivity with Mindset

CES 2018, Entertainment, Health

Mindset focused headphonesThe world and our daily lives are filled with distractions. It’s getting more and more difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. The team at Mindset have seen the transformative power of EEG and, with the overall goal in mind of bringing it to everybody, they have developed the Mindset Headphones.

These over-ear headphones have EEG sensors embedded to measure the electrical activity in the brain and parse it out to measure how focused you are while working, studying, completing tasks, etc. This technology is used to improve concentration. While wearing the headphones, when you get distracted, they will send you a signal to make you aware. Over time, this trains your subconscious to better recognize those things that distract you so you can tune them out.

It comes with a customizable app that allows you to choose how you receive the cues. You also use the app to track your progress. It’s like a fitness tracker for your brain. You can track how often your are distracted, your best hours for concentration, and figure out which habits are affecting your focus throughout the day.

The headphones themselves are made by Onkyo and deliver great sound. They were designed to give an experience that was built for work with Bluetooth and active noise cancelling. They can be worn comfortably all day with a battery life of 8-10 hours.

The price point for these headphones will be $350 when they launch. You can preorder your pair here with a 25% discount. Preorders will ship in April 2018.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.

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Sproutel is a Wonderful Amazing Companion to Soothe Children with Cancer

CES 2018, Gadgets, Health

Sproutel Aflac duckSproutel is a company that works with industry leaders to bring awareness to health but also help patients in a therapeutic way. This year at CES 2018, Sproutel is highlighting a partnership collaboration with Aflac and the outcome is the cutest little robot called My Special Aflac Duck. This small duck is adorable and cuddly, and can interact with child cancer patients to help them cope through their cancer treatment. My Special Aflac Duck has three major motor controls: he waddles, bobs his head and quacks. There’s even a soothing heartbeat for a wonderful calming affect.

To the kids, it feels like a stuffed animal, but it is also a robot with built-in sensors that can react to their touch. There’s a built-in microphone and also a light sensor to understand the environment around it, which allows it to actually change behavior depending upon the mood and surroundings.

Also, the kids can communicate their feelings by tapping a “feelings chip” to the duck’s chest. They can also have their cuddly buddy get chemo therapy right along with them. The companion app included augmented reality where you can feed and bathe your duck and also explore the world together.

My Special Aflac Duck will be available in the winter of 2019 and will be donated at no cost to children with cancer. We look forward to future developments from Sproutel. For more information, please visit their website.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.
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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.

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Make Your Car Better Without Any Special Tools

Auto, CES 2018, Gadgets

FenSens car sensorsHave an older vehicle that doesn’t have sensors to assist with obstacle avoidance? FenSens is a license plate holder that is a smart wireless parking sensor. It sends the data directly to your smartphone. With installation time of just 5 minutes with no wires, It’s an affordable UPGRADE for any car. There are platforms for both Android/iOS and the hands free app launches instantly to provide convenient audio, visual, and vibration alerts when objects are dedicated in the path of the sensors. There’s no complex setup or installation fees. FenSens is perfect for all consumer and commercial fleet vehicles not exceeding 30 feet in length. You can use one both on the back and front of your car, to provide maximum protection.

There will soon be a magnetic version that can be attached to other places on the car, or even on your boat. And the company is also working on other add-on tech for vehicles. You can get yours here.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Capture The Most Breathtaking Video On Your Next Fishing Adventure

CES 2018, Gadgets, Mobile, Sport

GoFish Cam Underwater Fishing CameraTake your fishing activities to the next level with the GoFish Cam! This is no ordinary underwater camera, it’s a versatile 1080p HD camera that goes where your fishing goes unlike any other fishing camera. The GoFish Cam simply attaches to any fishing line and captures the underwater experience that you need to see. The camera is made with a strong metal leader line that helps you catch large game fish.

But wait, there’s more. The GoFish Cam has a built-in hotspot that can connect to your phone through the GoFish Cam app. This application has so many possibilities for the sport of fishing that start with a creation of a profile and the activation of your new GoFish Cam. From the app, you can adjust the camera settings and the video quality, view the battery life, and refer back to previous fishing trips that were recorded. From there, you have the ability to edit and share out your footage to your friends!

Pick up your GoFish Cam today for $239.99 by going to the GoFish Cam website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Play The Best Games During Your Down Time

CES 2018, Entertainment, Toys & Gaming

Gamestream Cloud Gaming SolutionGameStream offers video game streaming services to businesses in the hospitality industry. This allows their clients the luxury of playing video games while they are waiting for their services to be complete. They are offering a highly qualitative Cloud Gaming solution that allows them to stream a catalog composed of the latest AAA games and a selection of the best independent games in HD (1080p/60fps). The White-Label solution serves Hotels, Cruise ships and hospitals by enabling them to bypass the limited internet connections inside their premises. This “Next-Gen console experience” is easy to integrate where no console needs to be installed.

The founders know that others have tried and failed in this space. They feel that their extensive background in gaming, as well as game design and production give them a distinct advantage. They are not just tech people adapting their ideas and technology to gaming, as others have been. They feel that just as people have options for various music streaming services and are able to find what works best for them, that the same will be the case in game streaming if gamers are given good options.

Currently available overseas, the company is looking to expand into the U.S. They are also looking to increase their exposure in hospitals. They found that not only does it give the patients something fun to do, but it also aids in their recovery because people do better overall when their spirits are lifted.

They are also looking to offer streaming services directly to consumers in the future, when 5G wireless is available. For more information, check out their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Powerful and Stylish Headphones for Outstanding Performance

CES 2018, Entertainment, Home, Mobile

Klipsch Heritage HeadphonesKlipsch has been in the audio business for 71 years and their name is well known amongst audiophiles for full bodied sound in their high end sound systems. New this year are the Heritage HP3 Headphones and the Heritage Headphone Amplifier.

The Heritage HP3 Headphones have a sophisticated design, made from the most functional and premium materials available. They feature die-cast steel, milled wood, premium leathers, and machined aluminum components. Boasting a 52mm KG-520 biodynamic driver housed in a back-vented design, the HP3 headphones deliver unsurpassed acoustic performance. Like their other products, these headphones are made to last with single piece, interchangeable parts. So whether you need to replace a piece or you want to switch up the look with additional ear pads or cables, it can be done at any time. You can order a pair from their website for $1,199.

The Heritage Headphone Amp is the perfect accompaniment to the HP3’s. They deliver a premium, audiophile-grade performance to maximize your headphone capabilities for true-to-life acoustic reproduction. Also exquisitely designed, from being encased in formed aluminum to the genuine walnut veneer, the Heritage Headphone Amplifier exudes quality even before being plugging in your headphones. They feature a high quality digital to analog converter, dual amplifiers for balanced output, and more. And the feel is unsurpassed. It brings you back in time with a retro design, but with all of the current tech that makes this a powerhouse of an amplifier. Get yours here for $499.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
Sponsored by:
Support our coverage by shopping Amazon here.
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.

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