Tag Archives: ces

Toast Brings a Natural Touch to Your Electronics

February 21, 2016CES 2016, Gadgetsaccessory, ces, CES2016, f5 live, gadgets, gaming, playstation, tech, xboxPLUGHITZ Live

Outside of brands like Lumia, one of the things that is most bland about modern technology is the black, white and silver conformity of devices of all types. Matias Brecher founded Toast as a way to allow people to add some natural look to their electronics.

Starting with mobile phones, the company created real wood wraps in 4 different finishes. Since launch they added some laptops and tablets to heir lineup. This year, though, they are getting into the living room with wood wraps for your Xbox One and PlayStation 4 for only $29.99. You can even customize your wrapping with your logo, gamertag and more.

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Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology

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DreamGear Marries Classic and Modern Gaming

February 21, 2016CES 2016, Gadgetsces, CES2016, dreamgear, f5 live, gadgets, gaming, techPLUGHITZ Live

We’ve all encountered the plug-and-play classic videogame consoles in the mall or electronics stores. They usually show up around the holidays and bring classic games from Atari, Nintendo and more to a new generation, not to mention those who grew up with these games, by plugging directly into your television and having all of the games internal.

This year, dreamGEAR, who has made these types of devices for years, is bringing the concept to the mobile world. Instead of requiring a television to play, these new consoles resembleprevious handheld devices or even miniature arcade cabinets, and are capable of playing hundreds of games on the go.

Some of these consoles are available now with more to come in the near future.

Interview by Nakia Mann of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology

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UniKey Powers ERA Touchkey into UK

February 21, 2016CES 2016, Home, Mobileces, CES2016, security, smartphoneTodd Cochrane

With a string of successful smart lock products such as the Kwikset Kevo, UniKey are expanding out of the US and into other worldwide markets, but it’s not simply a case of taking a US product and selling it abroad as each country has its own size and security requirements . Don discusses the problem with Dirk from UniKey and looks at the first smartlock product from UniKey for the UK’s residential market.

The ERA Touchkey has been developed in partnership with ERA, a long established British manufacturer, to bring a smart nightlatch to the UK. The lock is really simply to use….touch the lock, the lock talks to your smartphone (which can stay in your pocket or bag), checks your credentials and opens the door if authorised. It’s clever enough to tell if the smartphone is on the inside or outside of the door, to stop the door being unlocked to intruders because your phone is nearby inside the house.

The ERA Touchkey will be available in the first half of 2016, but no details on price.

Don Baine is the Gadget Professor and gives lectures at TheGadgetProfessor.com.

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mJoose Case Boosts Smartphone Signal Strength

February 21, 2016Accessories, CES 2016, Mobileces, CES2016, iphone, S6, smartphoneTodd Cochrane

The mJoose is a 3-in-1 phone case for the Apple iPhone 6 series and Samsung Galaxy S6 that protects the phone, extends the battery life and boosts the phone signal. Is this too good to be true? Don Baine assesses the mJoose with John Casalaspi, VP Sales.

Originally an Indiegogo campaign that was 546% funded, the mJoose is a sled-type case in matt black or bone white that surrounds and protects the phone. Embedded within the case is a 3,000 mAh rechargeable battery and an active signal booster. Unlike passive boosters, the mJoose has built-in circuitry to receive the phone signal, amplify the signal and pass it on the the smartphone. The active boost will add about two bars to the signal strength and could make the difference between making a call and not. It works across all carrier frequencies from 2G to 4G for all carriers, whether GSM or CDMA.

The mJoose will be available in the next month or so for the iPhone 6 series – it’s in the last stages of Apple accreditation. The version for the Galaxy S6 and Edge phones will arrive a little later. Pricing will be around US$149.99 retail depending on model.

Don Baine is the Gadget Professor and gives lectures at TheGadgetProfessor.com

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SureCall Boosts Phone Signal in the Home

February 21, 2016CES 2015, Home, Mobileces, CES2016, smartphoneTodd Cochrane

SureCall’s EZ 4G is a user-installable mobile phone signal booster for homes and offices that unlike most other products does not require an outdoor antenna. The EZ 4G consists of large receiver antenna which is placed in a window or other surface where there is at least some signal. A second smaller transmitter connected via coax cable then rebroadcasts the signals within the room. Don Baine chats with Frankie Smith to get some more details.

The EZ 4G works with all carriers and technology from 2G to 4G to deliver improved indoor mobile phone signal coverage for all phones or SIM-equipped devices within range of the transmitter and works with both incoming and outgoing calls. If there’s any kind of signal in the area, the EZ 4G will boost it.

The EZ 4G system will be on sale in January for US$399 MSRP from good online retailers and big box retail stores. SureCall has a full range of signal boosting systems for homes, offices and vehicles.

Don Baine is the Gadget Professor and gives lectures at TheGadgetProfessor.com

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Pioneer Brings CarPlay and Android Auto to the After-Market

February 20, 2016Auto, CES 2016, EntertainmentAuto, ces, CES2016, entertainmentTodd Cochrane

Pioneer is a brand for well-known for its in-car audio and entertainment systems so it comes as no surprise that the company is bringing a range of after-market units with Apple CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto. Todd and Marlo get a demo of the latest product with Ted Cardenas from Pioneer.

On show here is the freshly-announced Pioneer AVH-4200-NEX, which is one of three products which incorporate both CarPlay and Android Auto. As a result, the display and user interface will take on the persona of the connected device. The in-dash receiver connects to the smartphone using a wired connection as the phones contribute heavily to the running of apps. Plugging in the phones avoids issues with data speeds and keeps the battery charged, though Bluetooth is used in Android Auto for calls.

Voice is heavily used by both the driver to control the NEX and for the system to respond. Voice can be used to compose and listen to text messages, to navigate and to talk to Siri or Google Now. This keeps the need to look at the screen to a minimum and enhances safety.

If your current vehicle’s in-car entertainment system doesn’t support CarPlay or Android Auto, the Pioneer NEX range offers a great way to upgrade to the latest auto technology. Priced at around $700, the AVH-4200-NEX will be available in March.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com and Marlo Anderson rounds up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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Invisible Touch with HandScape at CES

February 20, 2016CES 2016, Toys & Gamingces, CES2016, tabletTodd Cochrane

HandScape claim to be “Reinventing touch” and honestly, it’s not far from the truth. Their HandyCase puts a touch-sensitive panel on the back of a smartphone or tablet which lets the user work the device without fingers obscuring the display. LG has put buttons on the back of smartphones before but HandScape take it to the next level. Todd and Marlo see the possibilities with Tong Luo, founder and CEO.

Originally a Kickstarter project, the HandyCases for iPhone and iPad incorporate a touch-sensitive digitiser into a shell case. With multipoint capability, the touches, swipes and taps are transmitted via Bluetooth to the device which then reacts as if it had been tapped on the front display. This is genius. Imagine holding your smartphone in your hand and being able to scroll through your contact list by stroking the back of the phone with with one finger, and then double tapping to dial the number. Fantastic!

Cases are currently available for select Apple products with prices up to about US$150. It’s not 100% clear from the website what works now and what requires developer support so if you are thinking of buying you might want to confirm to avoid disappointment.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com and Marlo Anderson rounds up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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Vivitar Gets More From Life at CES

February 20, 2016Cameras, CES 2016, Photographycamera, ces, CES2016, photographyTodd Cochrane

Vivitar has a long history in photography and cinematography going back to the middle of the previous century. Constantly reinventing itself, Vivitar’s latest iteration is to focus on the fun side of consumer electronics. Marlo and Todd enjoy the new cameras from Vivitar with Director of Marketing, Melissa Hoistion.

First up is the Vivitar DVR988HD 360 Cam which will feature two 180 degree lenses on the front and back of the camera, taking a full 360 degree view. Built-in video stitching software merges the two views into a seamless panoramic image of the journey, whether on a roller-coaster or a scenic bicycle ride. The 360 Cam will record full HD 1080 x 1080 pixel video at 30 frames per second, capture still images at 12.1 MP resolution and shoot about four hours of video on a single battery charge. There’s 200MB of internal storage and a micro SD slot for an additional 256 GB. The Cam will be US$169 when it comes out in Q2.

Next is the new Vivitar MicroCam Air DVR939HD is a miniature life-blogging camera with a 160-degree lens and records full 1080p HD video and 10MP still photos. With very simple controls, the resulting footage can be viewed using a free companion app on smartphone or tablet and there’s a range of clips and mounts to attach the camera to clothing, bikes and helmets. Expected on sale in Q2 for only US$79, I could see myself getting one of these as the MicroCam can record key moments without intruding on the experience.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com and Marlo Anderson rounds up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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Deeper Smart Fishfinder at CES

February 20, 2016CES 2016, Sportces, fish, fishing, search, sonar, sportTodd Cochrane

One of the challenges of sport fishing is knowing where the fish are and it’s not much fun fishing when there are no fish. The Deeper fishfinder can help with this problem: Todd and Marlo cast their lines with Casey McKnight, President and COO of Deeper USA.

The Deeper fishfinder is spherical device, roughly the size of a tennis ball. Dropped into the water on the end of a line, the Deeper scans the water beneath it with two sonar cones, transmitting signals back to a nearby smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. The Deeper app (for both iOS and Android) shows the location of fish (or other objects) below the water.

Popular with fisherman, the Deeper is finding favour with search and rescue teams too, as the device can be used to identify suspicious objects and prioritise recovery options.

The Deeper fish finder is on sale now with a recommended price of US$229, though you may find it cheaper than this.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com and Marlo Anderson rounds up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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Ford SYNC 3 Drives Choice at CES

February 20, 2016Auto, CES 2016Auto, ces, CES2016, fordTodd Cochrane

The third iteration of Ford’s SYNC in-car communication and entertainment system, SYNC 3, came into the dealer showrooms during 2015 in the latest “2016” vehicles. At CES, further updates were announced with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration available as a user OTA upgrade. Todd and Marlo go for a ride with Kenneth Williams from Ford.

The new SYNC 3 gives choice to consumers, supporting both iOS and Android. SYNC 3 automatically chooses what to launch based on the connected device, so if the phone is an iPhone, then it’s CarPlay, if it’s a Nexus, then Android Auto. The AppLink technology works with over 90 app providers to launch apps from the attached smartphone but display on the SYNC console. Consequently the owner gets the experience that they’re used to on their phone or tablet.

The AppLink protocol is being opened up and made available to other car manufacturers and Toyota is already on board. It’s an interesting move and could be a major benefit to consumers as it creates a standard in the market that app developers can work to.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com and Marlo Anderson rounds up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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