Celestron Brings Smart Telescope Tech to CES

CES 2015, , , ,

celestronA few years ago I was fortunate enoughto visit Kitt Peak in Arizona for an astronomy night. I looked up and saw the Milky Way properly for the first time; I was used to seeing a few bright stars with a few more during the cold winter. Nothing prepared me for millions of dots spread across the sky…the stars, like dust…  Jamie and Todd explore the cosmos with Bryan Cogdell from telescope manufacturer Celestron.

At the interview table is the Celestron NexStar Evolution, a portable computerised wifi-operated telescope with rechargeable battery. The telescope itself is a Schmidt-Cassegrain optical tube which can be controlled wirelessly from a tablet (or smartphone) using the Celestron SkyPortal app for both iOS and Android. It’s very easy to use; simply find the celestial body of interest in the app and then the telescope will orient itself to view the galaxy, star or planet of interest.

The NexStar Evolution is available now in three variants with 6″, 8″ and 9.25″ mirrors at around $1300, $1600 and $2200 respectively.

Interview by Jamie Davies of Health Tech Weekly and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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AAMP Ensures Car Tech Stays Up to Date at CES

Auto, CES 2015, Video, , , ,

Aamp of AmericaWhile most people get a new smartphone every other year, buying a new car doesn’t happen as quickly. As a result, in-car technology can get out of date fast, particularly with respect to entertainment and communication. Fortunately, AAMP of America is here to help; Todd talks with Jeff Smith to find out what’s hot in auto upgrades.

With over 4,000 dealers, AAMP provide a wide range of after-market upgrades, with rear-view cameras and parking assistance being popular options. To keep up with manufacturer offerings AAMP does its own design and development to make sure its own products match or exceed the OEM products.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Eliptic Labs add Ultrasonic Gesture Controls to Devices at CES

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EllipticLabs logoThe touch interface goes back as far as the early days of mobile devices to the Apple Newton and Palm Organiser. Elliptic Labs now add non-touch to the mobile user interface with ultrasound gesture recognition. Todd gets a demo from Laila Danielson, CEO.

Elliptic Labs use an ultrasonic speaker to create a sonic field around the mobile device. Moving a hand in front of the device creates ultrasonic echoes which are picked up by microphones and the changes in echo patterns are converted into gestures. For example, waving a hand from left to right scrolls a picture gallery. Moving a hand closer to the phone brings up additional information on a film or movie.

It’s currently a prototype device being shown to OEMs so expect the technology to appear on mobile devices in the next year or two.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Schneider Optics adds High-Quality Lenses to Smartphones at CES

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Schneider LogoDigital pictures and smartphone cams have changed the photography industry beyond recognition in the last twenty years and the quality of this imagery is such that innovative filmmakers are using iPhones to record footage. One restriction remains and that is the lens itself; there’s only one and it’s fixed in place. But Schneider Optics might have a solution. Todd finds out more from Don.

Schneider Optics iPro Lens systems provides a selection of high quality optical lenses for Apple iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy S4, including macro, wide-angle, super wide, tele and fisheye. The system works by fitting the smartphone itself into a case and then mounting the lens onto the case with a bayonet connector to ensure the best possible alignment.

The iPro Lens is available now for the Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5/5S. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus variant will be on sale shortly. Lenses cost from $39 to $99, the case is $31 and there are also kits available.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Corning Brings Protective Glass and Long Cables to CES

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Corning Logo

Corning are famous for their glass-based products, most notably Serengeti Drivers sunglasses and Gorilla Glass screens which protect the majority of mobile devices on the planet. Todd gets a hands-on demonstration of Corning’s latest products from Jon Pesansky and Gabriela Allen.

This year sees  come to market which roughly doubles the height a phone could fall without screen damage. Alternatively, the glass can be made thinner for the same level of survivability and a 0.4 mm thick piece of Gorilla Glass 4 is the same as a 0.55 mm of Gorilla Glass 3.

Partly as a result of the high data transfer rates, the maximum length of Thunderbolt and USB3 electrical cables is only a few metres. To address this, Corning have developed fibre versions of these cables which can run longer distances and put up with the abuse typically associated with plugging and unplugging cables. They don’t come cheap with a 5.5 m Thunderbolt cable costing $179 and a 10m USB3 cable costing $109. Available now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Floome Checks Your Alcohol Levels at CES

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2045 TechYou shouldn’t drink alcohol before driving as even small amounts of alcohol can impair your judgement. But, if you do need to check your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), then the Floome smartphone breathalyser from 2045 Tech can help you determine if it’s legal to drive. Fabio Penzo CEO shows Todd how it works.

Floome is a small palm-sized device that plugs into the earphone jack of a smartphone. The owner breathes into Floome and it then analyses the alcohol concentration and passes the data to the Floome smartphone app. The phone then shows the BAC on the screen along with a green or red indicator. The app has other features such as showing the location of the nearest taxi service or it can send “come and get me” messages with the alcohol level superimposed on a selfie.

The Floome will be launching in Italy for 49 euros and will come to USA in a few months.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Program All The Buttons with Flic at CES

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Flic logoFlic is a bluetooth-enabled button. It’s a simple idea that has many uses from taking pictures with a smartphone to autodialling or even working as a personal distress signal. Nick and Todd met with Pranav Kosuri, co-founder of Shortcut Labs.

Flic is a coin-sized button that can be stuck or clipped onto almost anything. When pressed, it sends a bluetooth message that is received by the Flic app (available for both Android and iOS) and actions include controlling music, dialling phone numbers, sharing GPS position, taking pictures, dimming lights and more. Different things can be done depending on the number of clicks or if the button is being held down: one click could be take a picture, two clicks take a video. The possibilities are huge.

The Flic is currently on Indiegogo and $99 gets 5x Flics with delivery in April 2015.

Interview by Nick DiMeo of F5 Live and Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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BluBed Lets You Be Hands-Free Everywhere At CES

CES 2015

BluBed

Bluetooth headsets are great for taking phone calls on the go, but they have one fatal flaw: when they’re not being used, they have nowhere to go. While keeping your Bluetooth in your ear constantly may have been cool a decade ago, nowadays we need somewhere safe yet accessible to store it when not in use.

Todd spoke to David Hurwitz of Innervoice Innovations, Inc. about BluBed, a holster for your Bluetooth headset that allows you to go completely hands-free, anytime and anywhere. Just clip the BluBed onto your belt or pocket and pop your headset into the holster when not in use. When a call comes in, simply pop it back out and stick it in your ear.

The BluBed costs $19.95 and is available for purchase on BluBed’s website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Unikey Brings Keyless Entry To Your Home At CES

CES 2015, Home

Unikey logo

It’s no secret that technology is making its way into every aspect of our lives, and our homes are no exception. Most of us know how frustrating it is to arrive home, only to spend 5 minutes digging around trying to find your house key. Fortunately, with new advances in smart technology, that nuisance could soon be a thing of the past.

Todd had the opportunity to talk with Dirk Wyckoff, VP Sales & Marketing at Unikey, a technology company that’s working to enable you to use your smartphone as your key. Unikey’s technologies have been incorporated into a variety of smart-lock products, which wirelessly communicate with your smartphone to lock and unlock your door before you even touch the doorknob.

To find out more about Unikey and the products that use it, visit unikey.com.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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Gripix Is A GoPro Wi-Fi Trigger System At CES

Cameras, CES 2015, Photography

Gripix logo

GoPro cameras have become almost ubiquitous in the outdoor tech scene, and the folks at Gripix are making it easy to capture amazing GoPro footage, both on land and in the water.

Todd spoke with Tyler Reid, co-founder of Gripix, about the newly-announced Gripix Wi-Fi Trigger System for GoPro. Gripix uses your standard GoPro remote to create a durable, easy-to-use stainless steel mount and trigger system. Their add-ons and accessories allow you to push the limits of your GoPro even further.

The basic Gripix handle ($99) and two add-ons; the top pole ($49) and the low-pro system ($59) will begin shipping in March and are available for pre-order now.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central for the TechPodcast Network.

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