Category Archives: Gadgets

Ever Wanted to Chat with Your AC? Now You Can with NETATMO!

CES 2018, Gadgets, Home

NETATMOIn the smart home security space, one of the leaders is NETATMO, which offers a full line of both security and home automation products. The devices have been controllable by the company’s mobile apps, as well as several of the popular voice assistants. This year, however, the company has given users a whole new way to interact with their NETATMO devices.

Welcome the Netatmo Smart Home Bot, a Facebook Messenger bot that allows you to use Messenger to control your IoT devices from anywhere, on any device. Whether you’re sitting at your desk, on your phone or tablet, you can simply type to the bot something like, “What’s the temperature in the living room?” or “Show me my cameras.” and the bot will perform the requested actions.

The chat bot is available now worldwide, but currently only supports English. The company does plan to release additional languages in the near future. The best part of the bot? It’s completely free to use, so if you’ve got a NETATMO device, get to experimenting!

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.
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AI, Robotics and Augmented Reality Collide in the Amazing New Game Chancellor of the Universe!

Entertainment, Gadgets, Toys & Gaming

Brave New WorldAre you a fan of table top games? Do you love video games? Are you a robot enthusiast? If you answered yes to any or all of those questions then Chancellor of the Universe is the game for you!

Brought to life by the minds of Brave New World, Chancellor of the Universe is the first game to combine robotics, AI and board games. You play as a new hire who works for the Chancellor, but you aren’t just set on staying in your meager position, no, you have bigger dreams, dreams like overthrowing the Chancellor (and anyone else standing in your way) so that you can be the one true Chancellor of the Universe! The game comes with a game board and mini robot that will move around the board, give out tasks, and even berate the players on occasion. The only thing you need to do after that is to download the app to any phone or tablet, and you’ll be ready to go. Currently still in the Alpha stage (looking for a 2018 release) the game boast from one to four players, with future plans of extending that number to eight. The company also plans to create different shells for the robot, so other AI games can be played using the AI interface as well.

All in all, if you are a fan of Sci-Fi, games or gadgets this is the game for you. So you can play solo, play as a team, or double cross everyone else at the table so you become the sole, and one true Chancellor of the Universe!

For more info, visit their website.

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Innovative New Tech Assists with Safety on the Road

Accessories, Computers, Gadgets

BlyncSyncSometimes when we interview a new start up, we can’t help but get a sense of wow as we learn the technical aspects of the new tech they are implementing. We definitely got that sense when we spoke to Steven with BlyncSync.

BlyncSync is a wearable system that combines smart glasses, smart watches and your smart phone to help solve a huge problem within the transportation industry… fatigue. The glasses, which can be retrofitted to include your prescription or transition lenses, measures blink rate and head tilt while the watch tracks sleep stage data. The focus here is on prevention. As the devices learn your specific mannerisms, users will be informed of the best times and durations for driving. And the notifications can be customized and received via the watch, phone, tablet or even notify, say, a drivers manager. This system can also be used as a liability defense mechanism as it will incorporate the various laws and regulations that the transportation industry has in place.

This new innovation in IoT is very intriguing and has possibilities well beyond the range of truck drivers. All drivers could have a use for this. Especially teens, taxi/limo/ride share companies, etc. We are really excited to see how this idea that came from a college project will be received as it hits the market.

The developers are currently collecting data for integration into the system. They are planning on getting to the beta stage later this year with a projected product availability in 2018. To learn more, visit their web site here or find them on social media.

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Filegear is the New Way to Store and Access Files

Computers, Gadgets, Home

FilegearDo you ever have issues storing all your vacation pictures and 4K videos from years of memories along with documents from work and school? It all adds up and can take up a ton of storage and can really cost you. Filegear has one goal in mind and that is to fix the economics of storage while still offering the accessibility of an online cloud service. Filegear is the better alternative to using multiple hard drives by managing files online and offline without pay the ridiculous prices like most online storage services. You can store all of your content onto one device and you can access it wherever you are from your phone or computer.

This little box is built like a personal cloud storage system with CPU memory, an operating system, and a file sharing management system. It also comes equipped with many different ports where you have the ability to plug in other drives, SD cards, and USB devices for convenience and speed. One of the ports is a network port that connect you to the world.

Free up your space on all of your devices just by purchasing the Filegear device at a onetime price of $300 or you could pay $50 a year and receive a free box. Filegear is expected to launch in October so keep an eye out for their Kickstarter for promotions. Get more information about Filegear by going to their website.

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A Smart New Way to Monitor Your Nutrition

Gadgets, Health, Live Show, Special Events

SustainabodyGetting the most nutritional benefit from our foods and vitamins is a common goal in today’s health plan. Sustainabody does just that. It is a smart nutrition tracking app that goes beyond calorie and diet tracking. It tells you not only what you are getting from your food, but also what you should be eating so you can get the most vitamins from your food choices.

It fits in with any diet plan and is especially beneficial for vegans or someone who is lactose intolerant. Body builders also find this helpful because they are very aware of their vitamin E intake and how important it is for their muscle growth and over all health.

There is a free, ad-supported version, and an ad-free version for $1.99 available for iOS, with Android coming in the near future. It is not only a fun app but it is very easy to use.

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The Simple Grace of a Stingray in an Awesome Drone

CES 2017, Gadgets

PowerVisionIn adventures as well as in life, we progress. If not, we stand still. And for the robotic company, PowerVision, standing still is simply not an option. Their mission is to “innovate the future”. They are doing just that by bringing useful and fun robotic devices to the marketplace and making them as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. Their products range from smart drones, data visualization and forecasting, virtual reality and augmented reality.

On our last day at CES 2017, right about that time when pure exhaustion was about to set in and we weren’t sure if there was anything left original enough to showcase, we came upon the PowerVision booth and became instantly energized while speaking with Senior Director of Sales, Merlin B. Love.

We definitely enjoyed getting a closer look at their line of drones, especially the Power Egg with it’s unique and brilliant design and Maestro gesture based remote control. But what really captured our attention was the new and one of a kind Power Ray. This amazing underwater drone has been designed to be the next best thing in fishing with its onboard, and removable, sonar based fish finder that tracks back to the app. This will give you the topography of the body of water as well as the relative size and position of nearby fish. And better than just locating the fish, you’ll be able to drive right over to them and engage with the remote precision bait drop that allows you to connect the fishing line from your pole to catch the fish, all while directing and watching it live from the brilliant 4K camera. The camera also allows you to scout out the area as you try to avoid the little nibbles while going for the biggest catch of the day. How could they possibly top this, you ask? How about being able to accessorize your Power Ray with a VR headset that also includes Maestro technology so you will be able to dive right into the experience and also drive the Power Ray by turning your head and “swimming” along in first person view, all in real time.

Even though the design was originally inspired to take fishing to a whole other depth, they are also really excited to see the various fun and original ways that consumers will end up using this technology. And so are we. From adventures in snorkeling and scuba diving to family vacations at the lake or the beach, the footage captured via the beautiful 4K camera is certain to be wonderful. The folks at PowerVision can’t wait to see what types of footage starts popping up with the hashtag #PowerRay. The creative capabilities are uncharted and basically limitless.

Pricing has not yet been determined for the Power Ray, but check out their website as pre-orders will begin on February 27th. Also, you can purchase the Power Egg drone now on Amazon.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Now Kids Can Print All of the Things They Want with Polaroid

CES 2017, Gadgets, Home

Polaroid 3D Pens and PrintersWhen it comes right down to it, we’re really just big kids here at PLuGHiTz Live. Some of the products that we encounter are so much fun. So of course we had a blast at the Polaroid booth this year at CES. Some of the fun that is being unveiled this year are the 3D Pens and Printers.

The 3D Pens, designed for kids 13 and up, have a very lightweight and comfortable ergonomic design that make them very easy to use, especially with the precision nozzles and variable speed controls. There is also an automatic feed feature that is perfect for extended use. Safety features include an automatic shut off and ceramic tip, as well as other heat reducing features. The DRW100 is corded, while the DRW101 is the cordless version. There are various types and colors of filament available so your kids can create toys, animals, jewelry: anything their imagination can envision. There are also multiple stencils available to download from their website.

The 3D Printers are perfect for kids who are creative and industrious. They are all-in-one home printers with simple LCD controls and work with a mobile app. Kids can search for designs on from their phones and tablets and have them automatically sent to the printers to print out. Parents don’t have to worry about any little ones getting into the printers and getting hurt as they have a safety lock that requires a code to open the unit, also the printed items cool down right away so they can be used or played with as soon as printing has finished. Printing times vary depending upon the size of the project, and the possibilities are endless. From school and art projects to the fun of designing your own figurines, kids will have hours of fun creating on their own 3D printer.

All of these items can be preordered from their website. Pricing for the Pens start at $129 and the Printer is $399. The filament is also available online and the prices range from $14 to $34.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Intel Merges VR and AR in the Best Way

CES 2017, Entertainment, Gadgets

Intel VRWe are all fascinated by Virtual Reality. There are numerous versions out there these days with varying degrees of sophistication, depending upon the price point. Always on the cutting edge of technology, Intel is working to create the ultimate experience. They have done just that with Project Alloy.

By merging VR and AR technology, the user experience is enhanced with this cool, all in one mounted display where the computer is built into the headset itself. There is also a set of cameras that can see what’s happening in front of you and put it in the scene with you. So you’ll be immersed in VR with the benefit of the addition of augmented pieces that create a merged reality. This will help you see where you are going as you’ll be getting feedback inserted into the scenery when picked up by the cameras.

Intel loves developing these concepts and taking them to the next level. So many of their partners are producing content that is amazing and immersive. Although Project Alloy is currently a reference platform today, they anticipate their industry partners bringing it to market within the next couple of years. As for power and specs, they believe the customer will be able to customize their unit based upon the things that are most important to them, just like when purchasing a new computer.

They are also excited about the commercial applications that will be available with this type of technology. They anticipate uses in healthcare, automotive, education, retail and more.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Vivitar’s Line of Smart Home Products are Creative and Fun

CES 2017, Gadgets, Home

VivitarWhen we think Vivitar, the first thing that comes to mind are the point and shoot cameras that we all know and love. Like many other successful tech companies, they have evolved. And in a really great way.

This year at CES they have unveiled fun new additions to their line of smart home products. First up is their hero product, the Vivi Voice Assistant which works in conjunction with all of their other smart home products. This speaker has a sleek, metallic design that will fit into virtually any décor. It features Amazon Alexa technology and offers 360 degree sound with a rich bass. And it’s priced to compete with the Echo at $99.

They have also added smart home security cameras to the mix. And we have to say, they are quite clever. All offer Wi-Fi and are controllable from both iOS and Android. There is a ceiling/wall mounted 360 degree camera that is uniquely designed to look like a smoke detector that will retail for approx. $149.99. Also doorbell cameras that offers night vision and the ability to speak directly through the unit that will also retail for approx. $149.99. A less conspicuous model is the new IP Camera that come in a fun rain drop shape and cool colors that offer live video streaming so you can monitor any room of the house anytime. These will retail for approx. $99.

Last but not least, there’s our personal favorite here at PLuGHiTz Live: The RoboCams. There are two models that again are controlled via iOS and Android devices which act as rover cams. The higher end model offers a telescoping camera with an articulating eye. Pricing is expected to start at $200.

We love how this new camera line intertwines practicality and just plain fun. These products are expected to be available in Q2 and you’ll be able to check them all out on their website.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
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Fantastic Technology Moving to the Forefront in Digital Security

CES 2017, Gadgets

EyeLockBiometric technology is increasingly becoming an accepted form of identity authentication. EyeLock is on the cutting edge of furthering this technology and is set to be an industry leader as advancements continue.

Most of us have now become accustom to using our fingerprints to unlock our phone or computer and to gain access to buildings. Fingerprint technology has proven useful, but this kind of identity verification can really only take us so far as we venture more and more into the digital world. We want to know that we are secure when using an ATM or our mobile banking apps. And on a larger scale, many businesses would benefit from a less cumbersome and much more secure way to allow employees entry than key cards.

That’s where EyeLock comes in. They have been working on biometric identity authentication, specifically with iris detection, for the last 10 years. Statistically, iris detection is the 2nd best way to confirm identity, with DNA being first. Their current product uses iris identity detection for projects like ATM’s. Announcements are also forthcoming in places like banking centers and stadiums and the possibilities go on from there. There is a real and necessary use for this type of technology in places like hospitals, for example, which will not only aid in overall security of patients, staff and facility but also in helping to reduce the spread of germs and bacteria. And just think of how the user experience would improve if this technology becomes available when you are going through customs.

The stage has definitely been set for the next level of biometrics. This technology will not only bring about better user experiences for the consumer but will also add new business and revenue models to the OEM’s. The way business is conducted all over the world will be changed and new streams of revenue will be created, all while increasing safety for consumers and businesses alike.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

Sponsored by:
Declare war on crappy earbuds and treat yourself to a better headphone experience with new Monster headphones.
Blast to the future with the Monster Blaster: the boombox reimagined.
Meet the Microsoft Surface family, the most productive devices on the planet.
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