Kanex Wins with the GoPower Watch at CES

CES 2017, ,

Kicking off GNC’s video production for CES, Todd’s at award-winners Kanex with Tracy, who shows off some of their latest accessories for the Apple Watch.

Kanex won a “Innovation Honoree” at CES 2017 for their GoPower Watch, a portable battery charge for the Apple Watch. Priced at US$99 and shipping now, the GoPower Watch will wirelessly recharge a Watch around six times from the 4,000 mAh battery. There’s a USB port round the back for charging other devices too and it’s Apple Certified as well. A mini-version with a smaller battery and smaller price (US$59) is coming shortly.

For those who don’t need to charge on the go, Kanex have a table-top charger for the office or beside the bed coming shortly. It’s US$59 and will be available in February.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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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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Game Like a Professional with DXRacer Chairs

CES 2017, Toys & Gaming

DXRacerLong term comfort is really hard to come by when looking for office and gaming chairs but DXRacer has made sure that it’s no longer a problem. 2017 brings new office chairs that can help your performance in the workplace and DXRacer calls it the Elite Series. DXRacer is known for making desk experiences better by giving their customers 3D adjustable armrests and a small, convenient lumbar pillow for long lasting comfort and productivity. Colors include red, black, brown, white, and silver.

The DXRacer CES booth this year focused on gaming and Twitch streaming. They had a large table filled with sponsored Overwatch teams that came out to Las Vegas to support DXRacer’s gaming chairs. DXRacer live streamed through their Twitch channel: twitch.tv/dxracer. Subscribe to join in on their gaming shenanigans.

You can purchase the Elite Series now for $299 at Amazon. Find the chair that suits your needs for gaming, office, performance or entertainment with DXRacer.

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

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The Ultimate Noise Cancelling Headphone with the Best Sound

CES 2017, Entertainment

Blue MicrophonesThe products at Blue’s CES booth never disappoint. This year they are unveiling a prototype noise cancelling headphone. But it’s truly like no other pair you have ever seen before. The plan for these is to create the new benchmark in sound for modern listening experiences.

Blue’s Satellite headphones are being built with an audiophile grade amp to ensure listeners get a true Hi-Fi experience, even from a headphone. The active noise cancellation has been completely kicked up to a new level. Instead of one driver per ear cup, like all other sets have, they have two. One that is dedicated to cancelling noise and one that uses the audiophile amp to deliver the highest quality sound without interfering with the noise cancellation in any way. The also feature the latest Bluetooth wireless technology, onboard controls for intuitive operation, sophisticated design for superior performance, sound isolation and have comfort foldable construction for easy portability and storage.

Pricing and availability are still to be determined, but you can check them out and add yourself to the mailing list from their website.

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

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A Great Mic for On The Go Recording

CES 2017, Entertainment

Blue MicrophonesGamers and podcasters who livestream or record their sessions love Blue’s series of plug and play microphones for their great sound and ease of use. At CES 2017 we got to see their newest addition to the line up and, based upon our line of work, we were very excited to learn more.

The Blue Raspberry is a podcaster’s best friend on the road as it was specifically designed to help you sound your best, no matter where you are. Transporting it with your other gear is no problem with the included soft suede carrying pouch and there is no complicated set up process as the integrated stand and plug-and-play design allow you to start creating immediately. It boasts pristine 24-bit audio that lets you record and stream professional projects. Blue’s own custom condenser is included for the same rich sound that you have with their studio mics and there is also the newly patented Internal Acoustic Diffusion. This is a great addition because you don’t always have the quietest of settings while broadcasting when you are out and about. It’s like having studio baffling built in to help defuse the background noise and pick up what is being recorded directionally into the mic.

Other features include an adjustable gain with color coded alerts if the surrounding noise interferes with your broadcast, allowing you to adjust in real time. There is also direct monitoring, allowing you to connect your headphones right into Raspberry for real-time, no latency monitoring of your recording. And there’s no need to worry about which format you are using as it is compatible Garage Band, Audacity, YouTube, Skype and other podcasting software. You can even use it on the video recorder of your iPhone.

With a price of $199, you can grab yours at Amazon.

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

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Razer’s Attractive New Project Will Blow Your Mind

CES 2017, Computers, Toys & Gaming

RazerCES 2017 had many new promising products but there was an exciting announcement made at the Razer booth. A new concept that we are hoping to see on the market is Project Valerie. Valerie is the world’s first triple display automated, fully integrated laptop. Many people prefer a multiple monitor experience but Razer made that possible in a portable notebook chassis. It is designed to give you the desktop experience anywhere you go.

Project Valerie is a nicely packed laptop that can operate solely on one screen depending on preference and is automated to deploy the additional screens at a touch of a button or program. When viewing the hardware specifics, it is important to note that they are subject to change because Valerie is in its prototyping stages of development. What we have seen so far is fantastic. It has three 4K 17 inch panels with 100 percent adobe RGBT color accuracy and it is G sync enabled. The closed unit is approximately 1.3 inches thick.

Razer is currently gathering feedback from CES and the community feedback to help perfect the product before releasing it to the market. You can read more about Project Valerie by visiting Razer’s website here.

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

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The Next Gen of FLIR has Amazingly Superior Upgrades

Cameras, CES 2017

FLIR SystemsFLIR is known for their line of thermal imaging products, including a couple of really cool cameras. The cameras have many practical purposes and are used by contractors and electricians as well as the occasional ghost hunter. The FLIR ONE connects to your smartphone and turns it into a thermal imaging camera. This year at CES, they have announced the next generation of one of their most popular items.

The FLIR ONE Gen 3 has all of the features that you loved about its predecessor with the addition of the ONEFIT Adjustable Connector. This allows you to use the camera even with your rugged phone case. Previously, you would have needed to add a cable or extra connector, or remove the rugged case all together, which isn’t always easy to accomplish. But now you just turn the dial and you can adjust the connector to the exact size that will give you a custom fit for your case. This is extremely helpful on a job site where the rugged cases are required equipment.

The FLIR ONE PRO has four times the thermal resolution, as well as the best of FLIR Vivid IR. It’s perfect for the professional who wants the best possible thermal image quality they can get. Other features include multiple spot meters so the operator can call out the temp in multiple places and images can be uploaded to the FLIR Cloud where there are tools to assist in quickly generating custom reports.

Both of these units will be shipping in the middle of 2017 with prices starting at $199. Explore the options on their website.

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

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It’s Fascinating Tech When Thermal Takes Flight

Cameras, CES 2017

FLIR SystemsDrones have been captivating us for years. They now come in all shapes and sizes and we just can’t seem to get enough of them. We love flying the consumer models and learning about the large commercial and military grade versions. When video cameras were added they became not only more popular but much more useful, especially for business applications. For companies like realtors and insurance companies, and even for police departments, video equipped drones have made many jobs easier. The folks at FLIR realized that adding thermal imaging into the mix could increase effectiveness in many ways.

These highly cooled cameras that are super sensitive to any thermal radiation and can take regular video to a whole new level. Large scale equipment can be inspected easily to see if either heat or cold is escaping, and they can also be used at night for various search and rescue situations. The FLIR DUO is a compact, lightweight, dual-sensor thermal and visible light imager that is designed for drones. It has the same size and shape as the most popular action cameras for easy adaptation to existing drone accessories. Duo’s features include on-board recording and real-time remote control of camera functions over PWM – plus MSX multi-spectral imaging enhancement. There is also a second model called the FLIR DUO R which comes with a fully radiometric variant and delivers accurate, calibrated temperature measurements in every pixel.

Both models can be operated either separately or on a drone and power up through the USB port. And the mobile app and built in Bluetooth make setup a breeze. They are great units for drone manufacturers to add into their lineups and are also the perfect way for consumers to start playing with thermal imaging on their own drones.

Both versions are available now with prices starting at $999.99 from the FLIR
website. Also, don’t forget to check out some of their other great products on Amazon.

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

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The Battle for Wireless Charging is Over and the Winner is Qi

CES 2017, Home, Wireless

Wireless Power Consortium Qi StandardIt’s always a pleasure to speak with John at the Wireless Power Consortium booth and see the advancements that Qi wireless technology is making year over year. We’ve been fond of this technology from the very beginning and it’s been great watching it take off right in front of our eyes.

The consortium is proud to say that Qi has now been adopted into the mainstream of technology. It’s available in hotel rooms and lobbies worldwide, as well as fast food restaurants and stadiums. Consumer adoption has been quite impressive with over 60 million new users per year and over 200 million phones in the last 12 months that include wireless charging. There are many new players coming into the market with over 900 registered products for numerous different applications.

One of the most impressive areas of growth has been in the auto industry. The number of cars with wireless technology went from 15 last year to over 60 currently. Most major car companies have included Qi wireless charging as either standard equipment or as an option. This technology in vehicles has almost limitless possibilities. We look forward to the day that we adjust our personal settings in the Qi app and when we enter our vehicle and insert our phone into the charging station, everything gets automatically set to our preferences, such as seat position, lighting, music and so much more. We can also be automatically connected to the most important features on our phones without removing them from the charger through either the car’s steering wheel or via voice command. It’s so exciting to know that this type of synergy exists between our phones and our electronics with bigger and better applications on the horizon.

Check out some of our favorite Qi Wireless products at Amazon.

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

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A Safe, Simple and Inexpensive Smart Home System

CES 2017, Home

Merkury Innovations GeeniSmart home systems have taken the country by storm, and every year there are more and more companies entering the arena. It gets to the point that you start to feel that if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. But Geeni by Merkury Innovations made us do a double take for sure.

Their smart home components are much simpler to use and compared to most other systems out there as they do not require hubs and they don’t break the bank. They are the perfect way to enter into this type of technology. You can get started with one or a few of pieces or you can build an entire system for your home. Either way, you access the components via one easy to use app and control everything from your smartphone or even with the Amazon Echo.

The product line starts with single wall plugs that fit into your standard wall outlets that allow you to turn your existing appliances on/off remotely. There are also surge protectors that allow each plug to be controlled independently. All you have to do is plug these in and they will quickly and automatically connect to your home’s Wi-Fi and be available on the app. Next up are the line of smart lights that have all of the energy saving features of current LED bulbs with the added bonus of smart connectivity through the app. The bulbs range in size to easily replace all of the bulbs that you currently use and come in white or fun changeable colors.

Another amazing addition is the line of home security cameras. Color choices are white and grey and come in both 720P or 1080P High Definition models that all record to SD cards. Monitoring is a breeze with the sharp and clear images. You’ll also get alerts to your phone whenever any motion is captured on the cameras. You can access the Geeni app and live stream whatever is happening in the home at any time of the day or night. And you can set the sensitivity to fit the specific needs of your household. The app offers snapshots on a timeline so you can easily choose the scenes that you want to watch without having to sort through hours of footage. Set up is easy as well. You can place cameras anywhere in a room: flat surfaces, the wall, or even the ceiling. Multiple cameras can be added and they will all work together on the same Geeni app.

We’re really excited to see where this company goes from here. The products will begin rolling out at the end of the 1st quarter with some coming in the 2nd. Prices for the light bulbs range from $25 to $35, the plugs range from $25 to $20 and the cameras start at $69.99. To get more information and to purchase, visit their website.

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

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