OmniMount Takes A Lifestyle View at CES

February 22, 2015Accessories, CES 2015accessories, CES, CES2015, interview, videogeek news

CES regulars OmniMount decided to approach the show a little differently this year, setting out their products in lifestyle vignettes, with visitors to seeing the products in real and relevant scenarios. Don chats with Bill Ennis, veteran of 31 shows, to hear about a few of OmniMounts latest products.

The first of OmniMount’s new products is the WorkSpace Wall Organiser, a stylish wall-mounted height-adjustable fold-away desk which conveniently creates a mini-office when folded down and hidden away when not needed. $399.95.

Also new and entered for a CES award is an in-wall TV mount that holds up to an 80″ screen almost flush with the wall surface. With the flush mount, the slim bezels of the stylish TVs are emphasised, enhancing the picture frame qualities of the TV. Snappily titled OE120IW, it’s $349.95.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Oort SmartHub Integrates With Bluetooth

February 22, 2015CES 2015, HomeCES, CES2015, connected home, home automation, interview, videogeek news

Smart homes and the Internet of Things are very much in vogue at CES this year with vendors offering a wide range of products, some of which hardly deserve the name “smart” and others that are genuinely innovative. In the latter camp, there is Oort which tries to “make your world smarter”. Don learns more from Radek Tadajewski, Wizard of Oort.

The difference between Oort and many of its competitors is that Oort has been designed to work openly with Bluetooth devices from the start. By using Bluetooth profiles as the integration mechanism, Oort can use any Bluetooth device that has the necessary profile. To get you started, there’s a $350 starter kit which includes the Oort hub, light bulbs, sockets and a tracker beacon though other devices can be added as needed. As you’d expect there’s a smartphone app for Android and iOS which communicates with the hub and the connected devices. You can view the status of devices and sensors through the smartphone app, whether you are inside the house or sitting in the office, and you can turn devices on and off as needed.

There’s more in the interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Wi-Fi Alliance Looks To The Future at CES

February 22, 2015CES 2015, WirelessCES, CES2015, interview, video, wi-figeek news

The 10 billionth Wi-Fi-certified device will be shipping around now. That’s impressive considering that Wi-Fi is still young, going back only 15 years. I remember 802.11b and my first Wi-Fi PCI card which had an antenna the size of a pack of playing cards. Those were the days. Anyway, Don Blaine, the Gadget Professor, gets a little more up-to-date with Edgar Figueroa, President and CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Expected this year is new feature called Wi-Fi Aware which gathers information from the surrounding environment and pushes it to the user (subject to preferences). For example, when in a supermarket, a message might pop up to show the shortest check-out queue or special offers. If combined with the Internet of Things, other clever things can happen such as a garage door sending a message indicating that it’s been open for two hours, or turning the water off if a leak is detected. Sounds like a great technology to make life easier and safer for everyone.

Interview by Don Baine, the Gadget Professor.

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Wireless Charging From the Inside Out

February 21, 2015CES 2015, Mobile, WirelessPLUGHITZ Live

As you probably already know, we are big fans of the Qi wireless power standard. One of the biggest Qi partners is NXP Semiconductors, a company that makes devices connectable.

The company demoed a set of custom Qi-powered devices, and talked about their involvement in the industry. The demo included custom chargers, built directly into a table. They pulsed when nothing was on them and went solid to indicate they were charging a device.

While the demoed charging plates are not for sale, they do show that a plate can be a lot more interesting than what Nokia and others have built. They can compliment, or even enhance, furnishings instead of being generic black plates that sit on top of a desk or table.

In addition, we got to see some retrofitted phones; devices that were not shipped with Qi support, but had it added aftermarket. Some can be done simply, with small adhesive plates that stick to the back, or under a battery cover or case, and plug into the USB port. Others had been opened up, and the insides altered to add native support to the device. This is a hobbyist’s dream come true.

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

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NFC Helps Automate Your Cooking Routine

February 21, 2015CES 2015, Home, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

When you think of NFC technology, you might not immediately think of usages for an oven. That is why NXP Semiconductors employs some smart people to think about new usages for their technology. In an oven, it turns out there are some great usages, both for consumers and repair.

As a consumer, the idea of being able to use a recipe app on your phone, like MSN Food & Drink, you could not only plan your meal, but program your oven. In fact, you could program various levels, and automate temperature variances all with the tap of a phone.

As for maintaining your appliance, think of the possibilities of an oven that could tell you what was wrong. With NFC, the chip receives power from the receiver, not from the device that programs it. That means, even if the oven’s power supply has failed, the NFC chip could still pass along its final readings. That could prevent a lot of guess work for technicians, and end up costing you a lot less.

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

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A Near Field for Your Car Lock

February 21, 2015Auto, CES 2015, MobilePLUGHITZ Live

NXP Semiconductors might not be a brand you’re familiar with, but in a day of connectivity, they are a company you’ve likely interacted with. Formerly part of Philips, the company makes a lot of the connectivity technology that makes your gadgets work.

In a demo, the company showed us a Near Field Communication prototype that allows you to open your car with your phone. The phone communicates with the car via NFC, and can have various activities at various distances. In the demo, we saw the dome lights turn on as the phone approached the car, and the doors unlock closer.

The technology is not limited to vehicles, either. It could be used on a home door, or as part of a unified system, like Nexia Home Intelligence. You could even use it within the home to turn on lights as you enter a room. The technology is in the world today, and could make it into vehicles in the near future.

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

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Gibson Brands + Blue Microphones = Some Neat Products

February 21, 2015CES 2015, EntertainmentPLUGHITZ Live

People the world over know the brand Blue Microphones. From recording studios to radio, podcasters and even videogame streamers use their line of cost effective products every day. When their founder, Skipper Wise, left the company to retire, Gibson approached him to create a new for them.

Enter Neat Microphones, designed by Skipper Wise and his microphone dream team, they aim to create a line of microphones to make recordings sound better. Currently offering the King Bee and Worker Bee, the line will be 6 strong by year’s end.

All of the products in the line, as well as their accessories, are named after and colored to resemble bees. The distinctive yellow and black markings, as well as the accompanying bee figurines, make this line visually distinctive. Even the knobs fit into the branding, designed after a bee’s stringer, and known as “stinger knobs.”

The line, in addition to the microphones and headphone amp, has a small collection of accessories. Included in the accessories is a pop shield, shock mount and XLR cables. All are priced to be more than competitive, and could feel right at home in any studio.

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

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Gibson Enhances the Studio with Les Paul Monitors

February 21, 2015CES 2015, EntertainmentPLUGHITZ Live

For his 100th birthday, Gibson is celebrating with new products in the Les Paul product line. Adding to the existing guitars and new headphones comes a set of studio monitor speakers. Like the headphones, using the same wood as the guitars, these speakers are styled to match both the guitars and headphones perfectly.

At the base of the speaker is a lighted Gibson logo. That logo, a seemingly simple detail, serves as the power indicator. When on, the logo is lighted; when off, it pulses. These are the types of details that make Gibson a great, professional design brand.

The monitors come in 3 sizes: 4″, 6″ and 8″. This sizing describes the cones of the woofers, which are custom designed to create a perfect audio reference for a studio. You can get the speakers in cherry, cherry burst and tobacco burst. You can pick up your own set for %599, $799 or $999 righyt now.

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

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Gibson Adds Headphones to Their Iconic Line

February 21, 2015CES 2015, EntertainmentPLUGHITZ Live

Gibson may be best known for their guitars, but that is not all the company has up their sleeves. This year, the brand is introducing a line of headphones, filling all of the same levels their guitars do.

At the top of the line is the Les Paul headphones. Styled to match the look of the classic Les Paul guitars, these headphones are made with the same wood as the rest of the Les Paul line. To ensure that the headphones are properly protected, they come in a specially designed hard-body case.

As you would expect from a Gibson product, the sound quality is amazing. The cones are tuned to produce sound exactly as it is being played. This, along with its other features, makes the headphones a perfect on-stage or in-studio companion for any serious musician.

Along with the Les Pauls, there are other models being released, both smaller and less expensive. The headphones come with a variety of features, including standard 1/8″, Bluetooth and Thunderbolt. You can get a version with a microphone, to be used with your phone, and some models can even be fully customized, like Gibson Guitars.

If you are a Gibson fan, and want a high-end sound, these headphones are for you.

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

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Gibson Talks About Their 2015 Guitars and Features

February 20, 2015CES 2015, Entertainment, GadgetsPLUGHITZ Live

Whether you play guitar or not, you almost certainly know Gibson. The company is best known for carrying on the tradition of Les Paul, who was the creator of one of the first, and certainly best-known, solid-body electric guitars. The Les Paul line of guitars carries on in the visual tradition, making them incredibly distinctive.

This year, which would have been his 100th birthday, the company is celebrating by enhancing his legacy through enhanced and additional products. For example, his signature, as well as the number “100” in his handwriting, has been added to each guitar. There is also a hologram of what is believed to be the final photo of Les Paul on the back.

In the technology of the guitar, the company has made their robot guitar smaller, and will include it with every Gibson USA guitar this year. For those who do not know, this feature allows you to choose a tuning, and the guitar tunes itself. It requires no wood be removed form the guitar; instead, it sits at the top behind the tuning knobs.

As Daniele is a big fan of Gibson, and is really into their guitars, she was curious which Gibson guitar a beginner should own. Check out all of the cool new features of the Gibson guitars.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology for the Tech Podcast Network.

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