Category Archives: CES 2015

Schneider Optics adds High-Quality Lenses to Smartphones at CES

CES 2015, Video, , , , ,

Schneider LogoDigital pictures and smartphone cams have changed the photography industry beyond recognition in the last twenty years and the quality of this imagery is such that innovative filmmakers are using iPhones to record footage. One restriction remains and that is the lens itself; there’s only one and it’s fixed in place. But Schneider Optics might have a solution. Todd finds out more from Don.

Schneider Optics iPro Lens systems provides a selection of high quality optical lenses for Apple iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy S4, including macro, wide-angle, super wide, tele and fisheye. The system works by fitting the smartphone itself into a case and then mounting the lens onto the case with a bayonet connector to ensure the best possible alignment.

The iPro Lens is available now for the Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5/5S. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus variant will be on sale shortly. Lenses cost from $39 to $99, the case is $31 and there are also kits available.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Corning Brings Protective Glass and Long Cables to CES

CES 2015, Video, , , ,

Corning Logo

Corning are famous for their glass-based products, most notably Serengeti Drivers sunglasses and Gorilla Glass screens which protect the majority of mobile devices on the planet. Todd gets a hands-on demonstration of Corning’s latest products from Jon Pesansky and Gabriela Allen.

This year sees  come to market which roughly doubles the height a phone could fall without screen damage. Alternatively, the glass can be made thinner for the same level of survivability and a 0.4 mm thick piece of Gorilla Glass 4 is the same as a 0.55 mm of Gorilla Glass 3.

Partly as a result of the high data transfer rates, the maximum length of Thunderbolt and USB3 electrical cables is only a few metres. To address this, Corning have developed fibre versions of these cables which can run longer distances and put up with the abuse typically associated with plugging and unplugging cables. They don’t come cheap with a 5.5 m Thunderbolt cable costing $179 and a 10m USB3 cable costing $109. Available now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Floome Checks Your Alcohol Levels at CES

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2045 TechYou shouldn’t drink alcohol before driving as even small amounts of alcohol can impair your judgement. But, if you do need to check your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), then the Floome smartphone breathalyser from 2045 Tech can help you determine if it’s legal to drive. Fabio Penzo CEO shows Todd how it works.

Floome is a small palm-sized device that plugs into the earphone jack of a smartphone. The owner breathes into Floome and it then analyses the alcohol concentration and passes the data to the Floome smartphone app. The phone then shows the BAC on the screen along with a green or red indicator. The app has other features such as showing the location of the nearest taxi service or it can send “come and get me” messages with the alcohol level superimposed on a selfie.

The Floome will be launching in Italy for 49 euros and will come to USA in a few months.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Program All The Buttons with Flic at CES

CES 2015, Video, , , ,

Flic logoFlic is a bluetooth-enabled button. It’s a simple idea that has many uses from taking pictures with a smartphone to autodialling or even working as a personal distress signal. Nick and Todd met with Pranav Kosuri, co-founder of Shortcut Labs.

Flic is a coin-sized button that can be stuck or clipped onto almost anything. When pressed, it sends a bluetooth message that is received by the Flic app (available for both Android and iOS) and actions include controlling music, dialling phone numbers, sharing GPS position, taking pictures, dimming lights and more. Different things can be done depending on the number of clicks or if the button is being held down: one click could be take a picture, two clicks take a video. The possibilities are huge.

The Flic is currently on Indiegogo and $99 gets 5x Flics with delivery in April 2015.

Interview by Nick DiMeo of F5 Live and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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BluBed Lets You Be Hands-Free Everywhere At CES

CES 2015

BluBed

Bluetooth headsets are great for taking phone calls on the go, but they have one fatal flaw: when they’re not being used, they have nowhere to go. While keeping your Bluetooth in your ear constantly may have been cool a decade ago, nowadays we need somewhere safe yet accessible to store it when not in use.

Todd spoke to David Hurwitz of Innervoice Innovations, Inc. about BluBed, a holster for your Bluetooth headset that allows you to go completely hands-free, anytime and anywhere. Just clip the BluBed onto your belt or pocket and pop your headset into the holster when not in use. When a call comes in, simply pop it back out and stick it in your ear.

The BluBed costs $19.95 and is available for purchase on BluBed’s website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Unikey Brings Keyless Entry To Your Home At CES

CES 2015, Home

Unikey logo

It’s no secret that technology is making its way into every aspect of our lives, and our homes are no exception. Most of us know how frustrating it is to arrive home, only to spend 5 minutes digging around trying to find your house key. Fortunately, with new advances in smart technology, that nuisance could soon be a thing of the past.

Todd had the opportunity to talk with Dirk Wyckoff, VP Sales & Marketing at Unikey, a technology company that’s working to enable you to use your smartphone as your key. Unikey’s technologies have been incorporated into a variety of smart-lock products, which wirelessly communicate with your smartphone to lock and unlock your door before you even touch the doorknob.

To find out more about Unikey and the products that use it, visit unikey.com.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Gripix Is A GoPro Wi-Fi Trigger System At CES

Cameras, CES 2015, Photography

Gripix logo

GoPro cameras have become almost ubiquitous in the outdoor tech scene, and the folks at Gripix are making it easy to capture amazing GoPro footage, both on land and in the water.

Todd spoke with Tyler Reid, co-founder of Gripix, about the newly-announced Gripix Wi-Fi Trigger System for GoPro. Gripix uses your standard GoPro remote to create a durable, easy-to-use stainless steel mount and trigger system. Their add-ons and accessories allow you to push the limits of your GoPro even further.

The basic Gripix handle ($99) and two add-ons; the top pole ($49) and the low-pro system ($59) will begin shipping in March and are available for pre-order now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Octa Brings Innovative Tablet Accessories to CES

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Octa logoTablet computers have become such mainstays in our day-to-day lives that it’s nearly impossible to remember what life was like before them. And while tablets are often lightweight and easy to use, sometimes it’s necessary to get them into more comfortable or convenient positions. That’s where Octa and its full line of accessories come in.

Todd and Nick got a hands-on demo from Prometheus of Octa. He showed off several of the company’s products, noting that they had won an award at CES 2015. Octa has an impressive line of accessories for turning tablets into truly hands-free devices. Pricing starts at $79.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the TechPodcast Network.

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Roadie Tuner Helps You Stay In Tune at CES

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Roadie Tuner logoWhether you’re a musician or a music fan, no one appreciates an out-of-tune instrument. And while there are plenty of solutions out there to help players keep their strings properly tuned, they usually require weird workarounds or clunky devices.

Todd and Nick met with Sam Force of Band Industries. Sam showed off the Roadie Tuner, a mechanical Bluetooth-enabled guitar tuner. Just put Roadie Tuner over your instrument’s tuning pegs and the connected smartphone app takes over, analyzing the sound coming from the strings and telling Roadie Tuner to turn the pegs accordingly.

Roadie Tuner would make for a fine accessory for beginners and guitar vets alike. It is currently available for $99 direct from the Roadie Tuner website as well as a growing number of retail outlets.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the TechPodcast Network.

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ProGearX Shows Off GoPro Camera Mounts at CES

CES 2015, Video, , , ,

ProgearX LogoVideos from body-cams are more popular than ever thanks to products like the GoPro camera. And with that popularity and success comes a cottage industry of vendors who are supplying accessories for GoPros.

Todd and Nick had a chat with Noah Rasheta, CEO/founder of ProGearX, a company that specializes in mounting solutions/accessories for GoPros as well as other imaging devices. Noah was wearing one of his company’s products, a shoulder/torso harness that accommodates up to two cameras. Noah also brought ProGearX’s retractable “selfie-stick” style camera arm.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central and Nicholas DiMeo of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the TechPodcast Network.

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