Category Archives: Gadgets

PeoplePower’s Presence App Turns Old iPhones Into a Security Cameras

Accessories, CES 2014, Gadgets, Home, Video

PeoplePowerLogo

Todd and Don interviewed Gene Wang, from PeoplePower, at CES about their iOS app called Presence 2.0.  Presence turns your spare iPhone or iPad into a free remote camera to monitor your home or office from anywhere in the world (Wi-Fi or cellular).  Select Presence Motion Detection to receive free Presence Video Alerts and see what happened just moments ago. Or select Video and Audio Streaming to enable convenient 2-way conversations, and even the ability to remotely control robotic viewing stands. Supervise and control your energy consumption before your eyes with Presence, too. Turn lights and appliances on and off from your smartphone with Presence-controlled smart plugs. Automate your system with simple and powerful Presence Rules, helping you design an automated motion detection and energy plan for home or office.

Presence is available now from the iOS App Store for FREE!  (hardware accessories are extra)  See peoplepowerco.com/products/ for more information.

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Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network

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Korus Portable Wireless Speakers

CES 2014, Gadgets, Home, Wireless

a href=”https://geeknewscentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/korus-logo.png”>Korus LogoTodd and Don interview Nortek‘s Rob Halligan about the new wireless speaker system called Korus, which instead of using wifi or Bluetooth, uses SKAA, a wireless hi-fi audio standard that won CES Innovation awards in 2010 and 2011. The benefit of SKAA is low latency and greater range, but the downside is that it’s not built-in to any smartphone, tablet or media player. This is solved via a dongle, the Korus Baton, a SKAA transceiver which comes in USB, Apple Lightning and Apple 30 pin variants. Plug it in to the PC, Mac or Apple device and you are good to go. An Android version is expected later in the year.

Using SKAA rather than wifi or Bluetooth also means that there’s no faffing around with SSIDs or pairing with PINs; it’s simply a case of pressing a button on the wireless speaker and the speaker locks onto the nearest Baton. Press the button again and it moves onto the next.

Korus currently have two speaker units for sale, the V400 and V600, priced at a penny shy of US$350 and $450 respectively on the Korus shop at www.korussound.com.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Eyetech unveils new eye-tracking technology

Accessories, CES 2014, Gadgets, Video

eyetechEyetech, is company that focuses on the natural user interface, specializing in eye-tracking technology. This isn’t a type of technology that is new — you may have used it in such devices as the Kinect, which utilizes both voice and gestures to control your Xbox.

The new hardware can be imbedded into other devices — it’s essentially a large chip. It tracks eye movement, but the software can actually be removed so that the device can be licensed out to other companies.  There are security implications involved with this technology, and you will need to check out the whole video below to find out exactly what is going and what you should expect from this tech in the future.

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Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network

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XOEye Safety Glasses

CES 2014, Gadgets, Health

XOEye LogoThere’s no doubt that wearables are where it’s at right now, but devices such as Google Glass or Recon goggles are very much luxury toys. XOEye Technologies have taken a more practical approach, developing safety glasses with built-in video cameras and microphones for use in business, typically manufacturing, construction and field service industry. Don and Todd talk to Aaron Salow, CEO of XOEye.

Currently in the prototype stage, the XOEye solution streams HD video and sound from the glasses across the internet to a remote viewing station, where an expert can review and discuss what the wearer is seeing, usually in an attempt to solve a problem. The wearer can hear the expert through small speakers installed on the glasses, so a conversation can take place between the wearer and the expert. Although still in the early stages of development, XOEye is exploring different materials for the glasses and a range of additional sensors, such as gyros and accelerometers, and other enhancements including a torch.

The final product is expected to come to market in June and there’s more information at www.xoeye.com.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Seal Shield Waterproof Covers

Accessories, CES 2014, Gadgets, Health

Seal Shield Logo

Todd and Don chat to Bradley Whitchurch from Seal Shield about their latest products aimed at both the healthcare market and technology users with active lifestyles. With expertise in waterproof and anti-microbial technologies, their core products are washable keyboards, mice and TV remote controls.

In the video, Bradley demonstrates the Seal Shield’s washable True Type keyboard by submersing it in warm water, along with an iPhone and iPad covered in Seal Shield’s Life Proof Shield. The Life Proof Shield is a skin which covers the product, keeping the water out and bug-free.

The Life Proof Shield is $29 for the iPad and can be purchased in a combo with the Life Proof Bumper case for $59 from Seal Shield’s site and other good retailers. More information at www.sealshield.com.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Bluetooth Connected Smart Jewelry Wows the Ladies at CES

CES 2014, Gadgets, ,

csr_bluetooth_smart_jewellery_greenGet wearable technology giving you bluetooth connectivity with a little bit of bling at this year’s International CES conference. Anne Montera from the Tech Podcast Network and Health Tech Weekly checked out some connected jewelry this year at the Showstoppers event at CES 2014. Paul from CSR.com brought Bluetooth Smart Jewelry to the show this year and Anne felt compelled to try it on. Most wearable technology is clunky and tech focused. CSR has wearable tech that is fashion oriented and fitting with people’s personal style.

The idea that you can take jewelry or branded fashion items and make them have wearable technology capable resonates well with attendees this year at the conference, especially with women. The technology chipset can be added to any item of jewelry from a necklace, to a bracelet or even a ring. You can check out more information from the folks at CSR by visiting CSR.com and watch the videos that show how the wearable connected jewelry is made. Hopefully, the jewelry will be available for purchase sometime in the next 12 months.

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Follow-up with more segments from CES 2014 here at TPN.tv and over at the Health Tech Weekly Podcast with host Jamie Davis, the Podmedic.

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3D Printer Whiteclouds Wins Prestigious TPN Innovator Pick Award

CES 2014, Gadgets, , , ,

whiteclouds_logo3D printing company Whiteclouds.com brings this new technology to anyone with their online cloud 3D printing service. Whiteclouds CEO Jerry Ropelato joins Geekazine’s Jeffrey Powers and Geek News Central’s Todd Cochrane to get the award for TPN Innovator Picks at this year’s International CES show in Las Vegas.

Whiteclouds is a company that will print virtually any 3D object you can think up. You can even scratch out an idea on a napkin and send it to them. Their designers will turn it into a 3D rendering and then print out the “real-life” version for you. Now 3D printing is available to anyone who dreams up a design for something. Whether you’re a tabletop gamer, an inventor, a mechanic or a housewife, you can be a 3D designer with the help of Whiteclouds.com.

Find out more about their 3D printing service at Whiteclouds.com.

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Tablo for TV Cord Cutters Wins TPN Innovator Pick Award at CES

CES 2014, Entertainment, Gadgets, , , ,

top-logoAll your local TV stations in North America carry over-the-air HD programming to your homes for free. Now with the Tablo HD DVR box, you can get your local TV recorded and then play those recordings back on any device in the house. Take your favorite local shows and sports with you. Tablo combines the convenience of a DVR with the mobility of your tablet, smartphone, and laptop to let you enjoy HDTV anytime, anywhere. Unleash your HDTV with Tablo.

Grant from TabloTV.com joins Geek News Central host Todd Cochrane and Audacity to Podcast host Daniel J. Lewis to pick up the first annual TPN Picks award in person. The full team from TPN.tv (Tech Podcast Network) scoured the show floor and thousands of exhibits to find the best and brightest new tech gadgets and services to bring to you. From the 200+ companies that made the final cut, only 10 were awarded the cherished TPN Picks award.

Find out more about their set-top box at TabloTV.com.

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Gibson Robot Tuned Guitars Get TPN Pick Award at CES

CES 2014, Gadgets, , , ,

Les-Paul-FuturaGibson Guitars stopped by the Tech Podcast Network booth at the International CES show in Las Vegas to be one of the first honorees to receive the TPN.tv Pick Award for Innovation at CES. Their Guitars are truly changing the way we make music with auto tuning, custom tuning, and other fantastic features. Aljon Go from Gibson joined Geekazine host Jeffrey Powers and Geek News Central host Todd Cochrane on the final day at CES 2014 to get the award.

The new Gibson guitars are not just another electric guitar. They combine the class of a master crafted musical instrument with the innovation of the latest technologies in digital music creation. The Min-ETune auto tuner is a compact, battery-powered robot tuner that tunes your guitar in seconds—and delivers 80-100 tunings on one charge. Adjust the tuning pegs manually, turn on the Min-ETune to tune all six strings to perfect pitch automatically, or select any of 12 popular alternate tunings (including six you can program yourself). You can even adjust your guitar’s tunings to match other instruments.

Find out more about these guitars from Gibson.com.

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Beam+ Gets TPN Pick Award for Innovation in Telepresence Technology at CES

CES 2014, Gadgets, , ,

Beam+Suitable Technologies won a TPN Pick Award for their innovative Beam+ workplace and home telepresence tool. Erin Rapacki joins Chris Montera and Geek News Central host Todd Cochrane to accept their award for this amazing tool that allows people to be in two places at ones. Don Baine, the Gadget Professor, chose this awardee for the TPN Pick because of the ease of use and amazing connectivity this gives people working and playing in remote locations.

The Beam+ is a wheeled, remote-controlled video monitor and camera that allows an individual in a remote location to attend meetings, interact in a workplace or classroom and literally be in two places at one time. The Beam system allows users to interact with remote locations by coupling high-end video and audio with the freedom of motion to move about a space. See and be seen, hear and be heard, clearly and consistently. Beam boasts two wide-angle cameras, a 6-microphone array that cancels echo and reduces background noise, a 17″ 4:3 LCD screen, and a powerful built-in speaker.

Find out more about the Beam+ from Suitable Technologies at SuitableTech.com.

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