CES 2014 Unveiled is a chance to get an early look at close to 100 exhibitors and what they will be launching as the week of CES continues. Chris Miller (IdoNotes) visits the show floor and gives you a video summary.
Chris breaks the exhibitors down into what appeared to be five major group areas complete with pictures and commentary. See everything from home automation, phone cases, audio, health to just plain stuff.
GNC first saw Sphero at CES last year and it’s a really cool toy: a rugged waterproof ball controlled from a smartphone or tablet. So what has Sphero been up to in the past year…Todd and Don find out from Ian Bernstein, CTO Founder.
While the hardware is unchanged from last year, Sphero has grown the number and type of companion apps from around 5 apps to over 20 with several produced by third parties. New on the scene is a mixed reality app which uses the tablet or smartphone’s camera to track Sphero and overlay Sharky the Beaver on the device’s screen. It’s particularly fun as the real-world interaction with Sphero creates a relationship with the cartoon character which makes it that bit more believable.
Sphero works with both iOS and Android devices, and retails for around $130. Lots of fun and there’s an SDK if you feel like rolling your own (sorry!)
At least when they are the Breffo Spider– a mounting system for desktop, auto, bike or cubicle. It’s not clear if they love spiders, or if they are buying them for gifts, but it’s been a surprising trend since it was introduced a year ago. Applicable to any sort of mobile device, the completely pliable legs capture GPS units, smartphones, cameras, radar detectors, portable radios, music players and other devices. Using a premium grade of steel rod, it holds in position rather than springing back. Oriented in portrait or landscape, it can be molded to the car headrest or other vehicle parts. TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Scott Ertz, F5 Live: Refreshing Technology .
Any electronics technician will immediately recognize the name and quality of Panavise – the standard for precision vises, circuit board holders, work holding tools – the essential “third hand” for delicate tasks. It turns out that they also design and manufacture mobile electronic mounts for smartphones, GPS units, and mobile video screens. Other consumer and pro grade components include CCTV cameras and home theater components.
The system is designed for flexibility and adapts to wide format smartphones like the Galaxy Note, but is also adjustable for the much narrower iPhone 5.
We also took a look at the mount for the GoPro camera – allowing mounting on the exterior of vehicles – say at hubcap level – for exciting action shots that had not been available before. TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Daniel J. Lewis, The Audacity To Podcast.
If you have earbud style headphones, it’s a sure thing that they spend a lot of time tangled up in gym bag, briefcase or purse. Digital Innovations introduced us to a patented earbud winder / carry case that protects the headphones and keeps them available and untangled for immediate retrieval. The holder is made out of soft and pliable silicone material with a rubbery feel that makes it easy to wind the headphone cords and stow the actual earbuds in the interior. Extracting them tangle free is available with a single pull. Price class $10 from Digital Innovations, Inc. TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Daniel J. Lewis, The Audacity To Podcast.
It’s almost unheard of for an IndyGoGo project to raise TEN TIMES the goal – but StickNFind has set the record with thousands of excited people waiting to get their hands on the product. It’s easy to see why. The system is built on a smartphone app that takes a “James Bond” style radar view for any object that has a Stick N Find tag affixed to it, and beeps as you get closer and closer to the object. The system is Bluetooth based, giving a range of a few hundred feet – but the smart phone app can adapt to a number of use scenarios. For example if a pet or child goes out of the range, it can immediately set an alarm. If an object comes into range (for example, luggage on an airline carousel) an alarm can sound. Plus, multiple tags can be observed by the same system. We were so impressed with this product that we gave it the highest honor – the TPN Best of Show for CES2013.
TPN Interview by Andy McCaskey, SDRNews and Jaime Davis, .
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Talking with Chrysler at CES this year inside of a 2013 Dodge Ram took us on a very cool journey. Chrysler Group introduced the Via Mobile package, which allows full Internet radio into your vehicle from your phone. AM/FM, HD Radio and SiriusXM are all included, as expected, except Chrysler will be the first to offer the fully merged and integrated SiriusXM lineup into their vehicles with exclusivity for a limited time. There is also a media hub available in the center console. A USB port, SD port, aux port, USB charge-only port and Bluetooth streaming all compliment the 8.5″ resistive touch screen that resides in the dashboard.
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Enhancing the experience is a brand new navigation system that takes up the entire screen, complete with 3D models, pan-and-zoom, traffic (through SiriusXM). One cool, subtle feature that brings the entire nav together is called One-Step Destination Entry, where you can use your voice and give a command in one breath, such as “Navigate to (address).” You can also give the system points of interest, which commands such as “Find Nearest (name of place).”
Apps, with Buttons
What’s cool about the Apps Button is that all of your embedded apps, plus all of the apps from your phone, are displayed together through the dashboard screen, fully integrated using the Via Mobile package. Apps like iHeartRadio and more all connect to the dashboard, forcing the phone to turn off when the vehicle is in motion, which reduces distracted driving. Chrysler has partnered with Sprint as well and has embedded a 3G radio into their 2013 vehicles. With that, pressing the 911 button will take you immediately to a 911 dispatcher and not to a call center and queue. Better yet, it’s using Sprint’s integrated signal to make the call without tying up your cell phone line. Using the Assist app will display three different call centers: roadside assistance, uConnect to answer questions about your online account and smartphone app and the vehicle-specific call center to answer questions about problems you may have with your vehicle.
No announcements on timing, vehicle availability or pricing has been announced yet, but Chrysler said to stay tuned for news on that very soon.
I expect the tablet and smartphone imitative will be crazy. Everyone will have an app for these devices or an accessory to connect to these devices. I expect 3D will still be making strides and TV screens will get bigger and thinner.
LTE is being rolled out but it doesn’t mean the next version of wireless is not going to rear it’s head. Your home wireless is going to pass 802.11n (with 802.11ac) and you will soon pass a Gbps mark.
TPN Live Stream of CES
With the booth move to North hall, I expect our live stream will be off the charts. There will be a lot of traffic where we are so our exposure will increase ten-fold.
Never before have I been this excited about CES. With CES being the largest show floor I am hoping to see a lot of innovative technologies and great new gadgets.
Then there are the after parties. Lots of great events where you can meet the cast and characters that cover CES year after year.
This is the cant-miss show of the year and I am excited to be part of it.
Here is the presentation in the video if you would like to follow along:
Breffo returns with a new improved version of the 2011 CES Innovation Award winning “SpiderPodium” mounting system for mobile devices that looks like a nightmare sized spider. In real life, it’s a practical and novel way to attached tablet or smartphone to almost any structure – vertical, horizontal or in between.
With a one year warranty, tested to 100 flex cycles or more, the Breffo offers the flexibility to attach your device to bike handlebars, treadmills, camera tripods, tree branches or anything the spider limbs can wind around.
Interview by Andy McCaskey and Courtney Wallin of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.
Stream Your Favorite Videos from Smartphone to Computer
It’s kind of like Apple’s Airplay, but with multiplatform support for Android, game consoles, internet connected TV’s, laptops, desktops and mobile devices. Shodogg is a video delivery platform that allows any smartphone the ability to send any streaming media content to any screen whether it’s a desktop, a tablet or an Internet enabled television.
Interview by Andy McCaskey of SDRNews for the TechPodcast Network.
