Category Archives: CES 2018

From Cool to Sophisticated, Philips Has Headphones for You



Philips True Wireless Bluetooth HeadphonesIt’s no secret that the Gibson Brands tent is one of our most favorite stops while attending CES. Being able to get a first-hand look at the new line of Philips Headphones is definitely one of the reasons. This year we got to spend a few minutes with their product manager for headphones to learn what’s new.

First up is the UpBeat Range, and they are exactly that. This range has been specifically targeted to an audience that is young and fun. They are cool and exciting with a unique, two-toned gradient coloring that comes in red, blue, grey and purple. You can choose between standard earbuds and in ear models that block out external noise. Both come in either corded or Bluetooth versions. You can also get Bluetooth neck bands that rest right on your neck and make it really convenient between usage. It was important to Philips for them to make this line fun and affordable, but also have the great sound that they are known for. This line has the best sound in this class on the market today. Prices will range from $20 to $60.

Next up is the Bass+ Range. For this line, they wanted to offer a more stylish and sophisticated headphone that still has great bass. They come in earbuds, all the way through to full-cup headphones. The dark, deep colors are classic and suitable for both men and women. The Bluetooth version comes in white and black with a three button remote. They are comfortable and were designed with a fin that ensures they securely stay in your ears. Also in this line are over ear headbands that sit around the ear. They are compact and have a fold system for easy storage and transport. Both corded and Bluetooth versions are available. And of course, there is also an on ear selection that comes in in blue and maroon.

And, of course, we were also really excited to see the True Wireless Earbuds in the Bass+ Range. These have a tiny design and play time is an impressive 6 hours. This is more than just about every other brand out there. They come with a nice pouch that is also rechargeable and gives an extra 6 hours, so you’ll have true all day playtime. Prices on the Bass+ Range begin at $20 for the corded earbuds and go up to $130 for the True Wireless.

Check out all that Philips has to offer by visiting their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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Gourmia Adds High Tech Smarts and Improved Convenience to the Kitchen



Gourmia Google Assistant Enabled AppliancesOver the last few years, Gourmia has gone from being a kitchen appliance manufacturer to being a leader in kitchen automation technology. Whether the appliance be in the form of a multi-use device, Google Assistant enabled or even remote monitoring, Gourmia has put a lot of thought into their new line of products. At CES 2018, the company showed us the latest enhancements they have made to their product offerings.

First up is a Google Assistant powered coffee maker, an upgrade to the current line. Initially you might wonder, “What might voice activation do for a coffee maker?” Once you see it in action it all becomes clear. Being able to be in your bedroom and be able to tell your coffee maker in the kitchen to start up is a great feature. Being able to say, “Good morning Google” and have the coffee start, the lights turn on and wakeup music start to play is even better.

In addition to coffee, they have added Google Assistant support to their other devices, such as a sous vide immersion pod, also an upgrade to the current line. You can control or check the temperature of the water and start and stop the cooking process, all without being in the room. Or, you could put together a recipe and automate a large portion of the process.

But Google Assistant is for more than just speaking to your kitchen. In upcoming versions of their multiuse oven and air fryer, the company is adding cameras. The camera will allow you to get a live video feed of what’s cooking, so you no longer have to open the oven to see how your pizza is doing, or open the air fryer to check on your chicken. You can do it all from the palm of your hand, or from any Google Assistant enabled device.

The products shown, with their upgraded features, will be launching starting in Quarter 2 and continuing throughout 2018, so stay tuned to their website for updates.

Interview by Chase Lowery of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.
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Klipsch Sets The Standards For High Performance Speakers



Klipsch C SeriesKlipsch is redesigning one of their highest performance sound systems: the Reference Premiere Line. This system has been on the market for several years now with a high satisfaction rate, so Klipsch decided to step it up by making the speakers look as great as they sound though the new generation called the Reference Theater Pack 5.1 surround sound system. These speakers are aesthetically pleasing with copper accents in a walnut wood veneer with a cast aluminum base and a vent-in tweeter to give you a more dynamic sound than the previous line.

Klipsch is also displaying their newest line of compact and high-performance subwoofers with The C Series. Klipsch really focused on performance in a smaller body therefore, the C Series comes in two sizes that are smaller than your average subwoofer: the square 10 inch and the 8 inch. Each subwoofer can be connected to the Klipsch mobile application to give you the ability to adjust the sound the way you like it straight from your phone! This application allows you to adjust five bands of parametric EQ, all the parameters and inputs, and even offers a room correction option.

You can learn more about these product as well as purchase them for yourself by checking out the Klipsch website or see the whole lineup on Amazon.

Interview by Chase Lowery of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.
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Light It Up and Enjoy Great Sound at the Same Time



ION Audio Solar StoneAt ION Audio, their catchphrase says it all.. Sound Experiences. ION is known for their unique lighting and sound products that enhance any space. Whether you have a peaceful, elegant outdoor setting or a complete party palace, you are sure to find inspiration when browsing their product line. We particularly liked two of their new additions for 2018.

When spending time in your outdoor space, lighting is key. Tiki torches are always a fun addition to the backyard but we’re not always in the mood for that bamboo look, and filling them up with oil all the time can really be a pain. A nice set of elegant electric torches would be great, but who wants to spend a fortune and then hassle with the installation process. That’s where ION has come to the rescue with Tiki Sounds. They use a warm-white LED bulb with realistic flicker effect. And don’t worry about installation. Not only are they solar, requiring no wiring at all, but they are also designed to fit into your space in multiple ways. They can be staked into ground, placed on a table, or hung on a tree. Also built in is a 10W full-range 360° Bluetooth speaker with Multi-Link. This enables you to pair unlimited Multi-Link enabled speakers together for an all encompassing sound experience that completely fills your entertaining space.

Another great Multi-Link product coming out soon is the Solar Stone Multi, and upgrade to their current Solar Stone series. These 6.5-inch, 20 watt speakers offer dynamic power and since they look like a stone, they add a great aesthetic to your yard as they are designed to fit right into the landscape. They are also Bluetooth enabled and can easily pair with the Tiki Sounds, as well as any other Multi-Link enabled speaker. Like the torches, they are IPX4 water-resistant and they recharge by embedded solar panel or with the included AC cord.

The Tiki Sound will be available later in Q1 2018 and will be priced at $69.99 for one or $119 for a pair. The Solar Stone Multi will go on sale in Q2 2018 and be priced at $129 each.

In the meantime, take a look at some of their other amazing products on Amazon:
ION Tape Express Plus / Cassette Player and Tape-to-Digital Converter
ION Holiday Party / Multicolor Projected Lights
ION Audio Party Starter MK II / Pocket-Sized Bluetooth Speaker with Built-In Beat-Sync Light Show

Interview by Chase Lowery of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.
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More Great Things Are in the Works at Intel



Intel autonomous drivingThere is always so much to see inside the Intel booth at CES: the innovation, the creativity, the collaboration. It’s basically a universe all unto itself and it’s so much fun to dive in and explore. While there, we came across this really cool translucent, known as The Inside Autonomous Experience. It is basically demonstrating and representing what people can expect in 2021 in terms of the types of hardware that will be used for the sensors in autonomous vehicles. This display vehicle has a total of 23 sensors on it. There are 11 cameras, 7 radar sensors, 3 LiDAR sensors and 2 ultrasonic sensors. Intel and partners can use the sensors as part of the autonomous experience, and can also collect the data and information on the vehicle to improve performance.

To make it even more awesome, Intel has recently acquired Mobileye, a market leader in advanced driver assistance systems. They are combining forces to make the next level in autonomous driving a reality. Through this partnership they can leverage Mobileye’s hardware and cameras as the eyes of the vehicle and Intel as the brains. This not only frees up both entities to give their attention and expertise to their own portion of the project, but also, when they come together, they can make autonomous driving safer and more affordable. These are two very important factors for moving forward in this industry.

Another great thing that Mobileye has brought to the table is Road Experience Management (REM), which does crowd source mapping among the vehicles on the road that already include Mobileye. There are currently already 20 million vehicles that have this technology already built in. This technology also allows for high definition maps and will allow the vehicles to localize themselves.

When can we expect to see more than an acrylic representation of this wonderful technology? Well, Intel is doing what they do best: using their technical and computing expertise to creatively innovate next level products and then analyze the data to produce a final product that far exceeds our expectations. We can’t wait to see how this project evolves between now and 2021.

To get the latest Intel news and information, please visit their website.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.
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Best Way to Make the Most Out of Your Presentations



J5create conference room screen systemAll those boring meetings in the conference room got you down? Are you tired of your staff missing half of what’s said because you don’t have a multi-presenter platform? Want your meetings to be more interactive and productive?

If you are looking for a simple and innovative way to make that leap from regular meetings to a more collaborative setting, then you have to check out the Screen Wave Technology that J5create has built into their all new JWR 2100 Router. This router-based system allows you to cast up to 9 individual devices up to a single conference room screen, thus allowing multiple contributors to all present from their own source. It is able to integrate all connected users into one screen simultaneously, for things like work collaboration and brainstorming. It is also versatile enough to allow any of the users to take over the entire screen when needed for a specific presentation, and then send it back again to all users when they are finished.

This system will turn your boring meeting room into a conference environment. It utilizes what they refer to as a puck interface that allows you to have a laptop system connected. This button is used to connect into the router and then communicate by emitting content onto the screen. The router is also Wi-Fi enabled, which means that tablets, or even cell phones, are able to interface with it via their mobile app.

Pricing to start building your system is expected to start at an MSRP of $350 and expected release is April/May of 2018.

Interview by Jacob Cannon of FIRST Looks.
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Brydge Has The Most Amazing Keyboard for Your Tablet



Brydge Bluetooth keyboardBrydge makes a unique range of keyboards and accessories for Apple’s iPad and the Microsoft Surface Pro. They pride themselves on being the ultimate tablet companion. All of their keyboards are designed to change the way you use your tablet. Both the iPad and the Surface are high quality, high capability tablets. Sure, you can run simple apps and play games on them like their cheaper competitors, but they are designed to do so much more. There’s no need to lug around a heavy laptop when you can do all of your mobile computing, and then some, right on your tablet. And let’s be honest, when you spend good money on a nice quality device, you really don’t want a cheap, plastic keyboard paired with it.

Brydge Keyboards are designed from scratch to basically be the other half of your tablet. They are made of 100% aluminum with 160° to 190° viewing angles, they are versatile with a patent pending hinge that allows the tablet to stand upright without a kickstand. They are lightweight, Bluetooth-enabled and have battery lives from 3 to 12 months, depending upon the model and usage.

The Brydge 12.9 for the iPad Pro and Brydge 10.5 for the iPad Pro truly brings a MacBook-like experience to the user, making it the perfect balance between tablet and laptop. A full keyboard, with 3-level backlit keys, and the top row of dedicated iOS special function keys, features that comes in very handy when you need them the most. The typing experience is unparalleled with real tactile typing for the feel, sound and response you expect. Truly a laptop experience, with the versatility of an iPad.

The Brydge 12.3 for the Microsoft Surface Pro also delivers an unmatched laptop-like experience. The integrated glass touchpad allows maximum accuracy with minimal effort. Multiple finger inputs and multitouch gestures are simply a breeze. Everything you do on it feels natural and intuitive. It is also available with an integrated High-Speed SSD card (up to 600mb/s). The Brydge 12.3 Pro 128 and Pro 256 models offer the power user that little bit extra. If you have immediate storage needs or just want extra capacity at a later time, the Pro modes offer the flexibility of an external hard drive without the inconvenience. And if you don’t foresee storage issues, the standard Brydge 12.3 is a perfect option.

Most importantly, you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank. Prices start at an affordable $129. You can get more information about these keyboards, as well as their entire line of portable batteries and accessories by visiting their website. You can also buy the products now on Amazon.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Crazy Cool New Sport, You Can Go Big or Huge



Furrion mech robotEverybody loves robots. And what’s better than a robot? An absolutely humongous robot. But make no mistake, this large, robot-looking mega machine is not a robot. It’s a Mech.

Along with their other product lines here at CES 2018, Furrion is highlighting their Exo-Bionics Division while presenting Prosthesis. This is the world’s first, purposely built, off road racing Mech. Standing 15 feet tall, it is a human piloted machine that is intended for competitive sport. With its four (huge) legs, it was designed with the experience of the pilot in mind. None of the controls are automated. There are no gyros. It is completely dependent upon the skill of the pilot.

With this flagship project, they are looking to form a full fledged league, called The X1 Mech Racing League. At this stage, they are perfecting the Mech, and figuring out the format of the competitions, as there are many directions that they can go with the sport. As they learn more and figure out all of the capabilities of the machine, they will be able to fine tune the actual sport.

The next stage is to start seeking investment partners and sponsors, as well as professional athletes to get in there and actually start bringing up the performance level of the machine from an engineering and pilot skill perspective. And as they continue to develop the technology, they can move forward towards improvement of mobile electric power sources.

For more information, please check out their website.

Interview by Jacob Cannon of FIRST Looks.
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Keeping Your Data The Most Secure



SecureDrive Secure External StorageSecure Data is having the world premier of their Secure Drive product line. These drives are designed to be the most secure external drives available. The line includes secure USB flash drives, as well as secure external hard driver, ranging in size from 1TB to 5TB of storage.

The hardware encrypted device is completely OS independent, so, all the encryption and decryption processes are done inside the device. This means that there’s absolutely no user input that can be sniffed out on the operating system. This is the worlds first patent pending Bluetooth authentication method. Users download the mobile app (Apple App Store or Google Play Store), then create a 7-15 digit key. Once the device is paired up and the key has been added, the drive is then opened and you can transport data to and from the device. This encryption is designed to pass the FIPS 140-2 level 3 physical hardware encryption. Once they have acquired that certification, the drive is the most secure drive that is on the market.

Remote management options will be available on the Bluetooth series of devices. This means you can manage the device remotely. You will be able to reset, unlock or control the geofencing of the device. Therefore it won’t use the IP address to verify the location, but the mobile device’s properties only, and is precise up to 5 feet. You will be able to lock it to a specific location or set it to a specific dates. Also, if you lose control of the device or the data for whatever reason, it can be instantly erased using the crypto-erase command.

Prices start at $229.00 for the 1 TB device to $499.00 for the 5TB devices. Take a look at all of the products and services they offer by visiting their website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.
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Don’t be Satisfied to Just Hover, Get There



Hover-1 Electric Hoverboard and Cart AttachmentWhen it comes to hover boards, you don’t want to leave too much to chance. If you are in the market, you want to go with a company that is tried and true when it comes to safety aspects and testing. You should also take a look at the spec list to make sure that you aren’t just purchasing a toy. Make sure it can actually get you where you are going… and in style.

Hover-1 prides themselves on being the solution to alternative transportation. They innovate their products to make traveling not only easy, but exciting. Their technological enhancements have stepped them into the transportation market to reach the next level in mobility. And in doing so, they also do their part to take care of the environment. Their eco-friendly products are powered by electric motors, producing zero CO emissions.

The Hover-1 H1 Electric Scooter features 3 skill level riding modes and is app controlled. There is also a built-in Bluetooth speaker, is IPX4 water resistance with customizable LED headlights. It has a max distance of 12 miles with max speed of 10 MPH. The built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery takes up to 2.5 hours to charge and has included safety features of overcharge and discharge protection.

Our favorite parts of their product line are the available attachments. The only thing more fun than having a hover board is being able to turn it into a go cart in a snap. The go cart attachment is compatible with most electric scooters with 6.5″ wheels. Hand-operation gives you full control of your riding experience with independent rear wheel drive allows for quick turns and reverse driving.

The Hover-1 H1 board is available now in both black and blue for around $299, and the go cart attachment runs only $69.99.

Interview by Jacob Cannon of FIRST Looks.
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