Category Archives: CES 2016

Don’t Get Caught in the Rain with Oombrella



oombrellaIf you live in a place like Florida, it is not unusual to get caught in a rain storm you had no idea was coming. In this case, your only options are always carry an umbrella for those random storms or risk getting wet in the middle of the day.

Oombrella is here to make those situations a thing of the past. Using embedded circuitry, this umbrella can detect atmospheric changes and recommend that you bring the umbrella with you to prevent these issues. To enhance this feature, the device communicates with Wezzoo’s existing weather service, adding additional data points to the prediction.

If you’ve ever left your umbrella behind, Oombrella will alert you when it loses connection to your smartphone. Then you can return to the restaurant or wherever you were, to get your umbrella back.

A Kickstarter will begin soon with expected general availability in the fall of 2016.

Sponsored by:
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Technics Presents Modern Audiophile Headphones at CES



Technics logoTechnics is one of the most celebrated brands in prosumer audio electronics. The brand has been dormant for some time but now, Panasonic, the parent company of Technics, is reviving the Technics line. There was much talk at this year’s CES about new Technics products like turntables and headphones.

Greg Lee, field manager for Technics/Panasonic visited with Daniel and Todd. He brought along a set of Technics new 700 series audiophile headphones. These headphones feature multiple drivers with a high crossover point that reproduce accurate, high-resolution audio. The main headphone driver is off-axis from the ear which changes how listeners not only hear the music, but how they perceive the sound. The 700 series headphones come in a modern wrought aluminum design that minimizes resonance, with two sliders to adjust the phones to a comfortable fit. These headphones are expected to retail for around $1200 when they come to market.

Daniel J. Lewis dares you to get started in podcasting with The Audacity to Podcast.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice weekly Geek News Central Podcast which can be found at GeekNewsCentral.com

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Nortek Brings Water Saving Solutions to CES



Nortek logoHome irrigation and water monitoring might not seem like the most exciting technologies being represented at CES. But if you’ve ever had to manage an irrigation system or fallen victim to a hidden water leak, you may find these products from Nortek to be greater than any other gadget the convention had to offer.

Avi Rosenthal, VP of Security & Control at Nortek, stopped by the TPN booth to meet with Todd and Daniel. Avi brought two products. The first is a smart irrigation controller. This controller uses Z-Wave technology to connect to the Internet and other devices. It gets regular weather updates so it knows which days to water the lawn and which days not to. It can be set up with different zones so your lawn and vegetable garden can have different watering schedules. Another Nortek product is the smart flow detector that attaches via velcro to the copper water main that comes into a home from the water company. This device also uses Z-Wave to transmit data to a user’s smartphone. The flow detector can be used to find potential water leaks in the home, down to as small as five ounces of water per hour.

Daniel J. Lewis dares you to get started in podcasting with The Audacity to Podcast.

odd Cochrane is the host of the twice weekly Geek News Central Podcast which can be found at GeekNewsCentral.com

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Aurai Helps Fight Eye Fatigue at CES



Aurai LogoEye strain and eye fatigue are real problems faced by most modern people. All day long, we’re staring at computer screens, tablets, smartphones, and other displays that can be stressful to our eyes. And while we have a number of options available for treating fatigued muscles and joints, there aren’t a lot of choices when it comes to treating eye problems. Aurai is a new “eye massager” that is hoping to change that.

Eric Chu of Taiwanese manufacturer In Trust Technologies stopped by the booth to meet with Daniel and Todd. Eric came armed with a working prototype Aurai. Todd was volunteered to test out the device. Todd compared the Aurai experience to a massage chair but with much lower pressure. He said the sensation of the Aurai is cool and that he could feel it “walking back and forth” over his eyes. Aurai consists of two parts: A silicon mask that’s placed over the eyes and an external controller. Aurai’s massaging action is created with water and its temperature is controlled by a smart-chip enhanced thermal-electric cooler. In Trust Technologies will be launching a Kickstarter campaign soon to further development of its Aurai massager. The company is hoping to offer an early bird special of $119 to its Kickstarter backers. When the product goes full retail, it’s expected to sell for $239. You can register to be notified when the Kickstarter campaign goes live if you’re interested in purchasing an Aurai eye massager.

Daniel J. Lewis dares you to get started in podcasting with The Audacity to Podcast.

odd Cochrane is the host of the twice weekly Geek News Central Podcast which can be found at GeekNewsCentral.com

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Kwikset’s Z-Wave Protocol Locks Provide Peace of Mind



Kwikset logoEveryone wants to keep their homes safe and secure. Kwikset is the largest lock manufacturer in the world. They make a whole series of products that can replace the door locks in your home with an updated, IoT version.

Todd and Marlo spoke with Director of North American Sales and Business Development for Kwikset, Larry Goldman, at CES 2016. He discussed Kwikset’s new line of door locks that operate in the Z-Wave protocol. Z-Wave is a wireless technology that is similar to Bluetooth. The difference is that Z-Wave has been designed specifically for security and is part of the IoT platform.

Kwikset offers a series of products that replace the door locks in your home. It ranges from a simple keypad door lock to a touch screen door lock. These door locks operate wirelessly and run on 4 AA batteries (which can easily last for a year). You can connect these door locks to an app on your phone that will let you see which doors are locked or unlocked, to lock the door remotely, or to let someone in while you are not at home. This technology brings homeowners peace of mind.

Marlo Anderson is rounding up the latest technology news at The Tech Ranch.

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Velodyne LiDar Leads the Way for Autonomous Vehicles



Velodyne LiDAR logoGoogle cars are autonomous vehicles that drive themselves. If you look at the top of a Google car, you will see technology from Velodyne LiDar. Those little devices use LiDar technology (which is a 3D viewing mechanism). They are key sensors for autonomous driving.

Daniel spoke with President of New Business Development for Velodyne LiDar, Marta Hall, at CES 2016. Marta talked about the new generation of LiDar technology. The devices are a key sensor for not only autonomous driving but also for autonomous intelligence. Marta Hall explained that if you want to be very safe in an autonomous moving vehicle you need a system of safety that has autonomous intelligence. This technology can save lives.

Daniel J. Lewis dares you to get started in podcasting with The Audacity to Podcast.

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CentraLite Smart Switch Talks to Smart LED Bulbs



CentraLite LogoThe Internet of Things is made up of several smart devices and appliances. The trick is to figure out what to do with this technology to make it work best for you in your home. CentraLite is “the man behind the curtain” that makes the IoT devices for a lot of companies that you have heard of.

Daniel spoke with Director of Marketing for CentraLite, Jason Whatley at CES 2016. CentraLite is an IoT device manufacturer. They make things like smart sensors, thermostats, in-wall switches, and more for companies you’ve heard of like Samsung’s SmartThings and Lowe’s Iris system. CentraLite has been making IoT devices since before there was an “internet of things”.

One of the devices CentraLite makes is a Smart Switch. It solves two problems that home owners who use Smart LED bulbs have. One problem is that turning off the Smart LED bulbs kills the power to those bulbs. The other problem is that there isn’t a convenient way to turn a Smart LED bulb on or off without pulling out your smartphone. The Smart Switch is a device that goes over an existing light switch in your home. It locks out the switch and provides dimming buttons that talk to the LED Smart bulbs.

Daniel J. Lewis dares you to get started in podcasting with The Audacity to Podcast.

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Meet SunPort, the World’s First Smart Grid Solar Delivery Device



sunportAmid the bright lights of Las Vegas, SunPort offers a way for consumers to be much more energy conscience with how they use their devices.

SunPort is a tiny box that plugs into your outlet and measures the amount of energy that goes through it. That information is then tracked and matched with solar energy purchased from solar farms by usage. This allows for the application of solar energy without the need for installing panels or having sufficient land. SunPort director of information systems Nick Williams compared the method to depositing money into a bank and then withdrawing it from an ATM.

The device is portable, of course, meaning it can be used in any outlet so you can use your solar energy on the go. It can be preordered now and is expected to cost $80 per year for both the plug-in and the energy.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Welcome to the Eureka! Factory, where great programs, projects, events and creative spaces and places happen!
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV

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Your Pan Now Knows What It’s Cooking with SmartyPans



smartypansThe evolving smart household has reached the stove-top with the introduction of SmartyPans. The app-enhanced cookware offers both nutritional information as well as assists users in the cooking of their food.

SmartyPans uses built-in temperature and weight sensors to help compute nutrition as you cook. Use the app to tell the pan the ingredient you are adding to efficiently track information about your meal in real time. Users can either add ingredients on the fly or pull recipes from the app, which also can assist you in properly preparing the food. The pan is dishwasher safe and detaches to also serve as a serving dish.

Co-founder and CEO Prachi Baxi said at CES that the product should be available for mass retail by the end of the year and is expected to be priced at $289. More information can be found on the company’s website.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Welcome to the Eureka! Factory, where great programs, projects, events and creative spaces and places happen!
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology


Immerse Yourself in a Complete 3D Sound Experience with 3D Sound One Headphones



3dsoundone3D Sound Labs is looking to combine state-of-the-art 3D audio sound with the comfort and style of the other name-brand headphones on the market.

The company showed off its 3D Sound One headphones at CES as it tries to reproduce real-life audio into a personal and portable home theater. The headphones combine surround-sound quality with 9 axis motion sensors that lock the audio into position — centered sound stays centered regardless of movement. 3D Sound Labs is hoping this provides the ultimate real-life audio experience to media ranging from movies to gaming to virtual reality. The headphones are bluetooth smart and charge through a USB port.

3D Sound One headphones are available for purchase at their website and retail for $299.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Welcome to the Eureka! Factory, where great programs, projects, events and creative spaces and places happen!
Follow TPN on Twitter: Techpodcasts; Facebook: TPNTV; Google+: TPNTV

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology