In the months before CES commences on January 6, anyone who works in tech media will find his inbox "dinging" consistently with e-mail pitch after e-mail pitch about hot, new products that will be on display at the show.
While we may be tempted to simply hit that "delete" button immediately, once in a while, a subject line, promise, or product description intrigues us enough to read on. (My favourite subject line, by the way, arrived right at the peak of the Star Wars hoopla in early December, and read: "Schedule Wars: The Storm Awakens." The public relations representative was clearly hoping that her creativity would entice us to take a gander over to her client's booth at the show.)
With that said, while I admittedly got trigger-happy with the delete key on a few occasions when my eyes began to glaze over reading yet another me-too pitch, here are a handful of products that caught my immediate interest, and might be worth checking out at the show.
LG Smart ThinQ Hub
LG is launching a Hub that will connect its various smart sensors and connected appliances in the home, show calendar reminders, and play back streaming music from a built-in speaker. It has a 3.5" colour LCD, and will work in partnership with a smartphone app that will allow for two-way communication. It will work with everything from connected washing machines, refrigerators, ovens, robotic vacuum cleaners, air conditioners and a variety of sensors. The idea is to allow for a single app to control the multitude of smart devices in the home. It works with devices that support the AllJoyn Alliance open source framework, and users will be able to get a Safety Package that includes the Smart ThinQ Hub, a Lowe's Iris motion sensor, a contact sensor and water leak sensor. It sounds like an interesting new device to bring together the smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) for the customer who wants to opt for a DIY solution versus a whole-home integrated setup.
Feel Wearable
Amidst the flood of wearable device pitches was one for the Feel, which the company calls the "Fitbit for Emotions." I see it as a modern day version of the mood ring. It's reportedly worn around the wrist, and can recognize and track emotions like happiness, sadness, stress, anger, and satisfaction through proprietary algorithms that translate bio-signals measured on the wristband into emotions. It's hard not to be sceptical - is there some real science behind this, or is it all just hokey-pokey? But hey, the mood ring seemed to perform well in its heyday, regardless of how accurate it was. So the company could be on to something with this device. Feel will be exhibiting in, not surprisingly, the Eureka Park area of the show, which is known for showcasing innovative, cool, and futuristic ideas.
ReSound Hearing Aid
Wearables can be fun for health and fitness nuts. But where they offer the greatest potential is on the health care side, beyond just promoting an active lifestyle. And the ReSound hearing aid seems to offer a neat way for the wearable to benefit the hearing impaired. It is Made for iPhone, and can stream music, phone calls, and turn-by-turn navigation directly from the Apple smartphone to the device. Mountaineer Win Whittaker, who himself is hearing impaired, will be at the booth, sharing his firsthand experience of wearing ReSound devices while skiing, wakeboarding, and rock-climbing.
MOTA Wireless GoPro Charger
Known more for drones, while MOTA will indeed be launching a host of new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the show, they will also be showing off a new Wireless Charger for GoPro cameras. The tie-in is obvious, since GoPros are often used with drones to capture aerial videos and photos. So being able to wirelessly charge the device on-the-go may just be the type of innovation to grab attention from show-goers, and offer new opportunities for the company. The product has already completed a successful crowdfunding campaign, and is available at retail.
Smanos UFO WiFi Panoramic Camera
It clearly gets its name from the design, which resembles an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO). Users can capture surveillance video through the UFO's fisheye lens, including night vision and motion detection. You can mount it on the ceiling or other surface, and select bird's eye, 360-degree video, 180-degree panoramic view, and 90-degree quad view. Footage can be viewed remotely from an iPhone or Android, and stored on-site or in the cloud. It works with a smanos WiFi system. Amongst a sea of smart home security devices, the aesthetics alone help this one stand out.
Technogym Music Interactive Treadmill
Health and fitness will, again, be a hot topic at CES. And the Technogym treadmill was actually only one of many high-tech treadmill pitches I received. But what made it stand out is that this one interestingly detects the runner's rhythm and creates a personalized workout playlist for you based on this, rather than you having to choose one to get you going or help you keep the pace. Access the Mywellness cloud-based digital platform through the mobile app and the UNITY Android-based console display on the cardio training equipment. Select a genre from your music list, and the treadmill will pick the tracks that best suit the pace, based on the number of steps you're taking per minute. It sounds like it helps you keep the pace more so than it would help you ramp up your workout - do you really want to keep going to the beat of a slow jam, or would you prefer encouragement to pick it up with some (pun intended_ techno? But this could be another motivational tool to help you continue, period, for those extra five or 10 minutes when you just want to end the session. You must, after all, to find out what song will come next to fit your speed, so to speak.
Edwin the Duck
It's hard to ignore a pitch about a named duck for a high-tech trade show. This is apparently a new take on the traditional rubber ducky that makes it high-tech. Edwin can sense bathwater temperature, sing, and talk. And it "constantly grows along with your kids," promises the company, which refers to Edwin as "one smart duck." It'll be interesting to learn just what makes him tick, er, I mean quack.
DietSensor Automated Diet Tracker
Way to get the attention of a large percentage of show-goers who likely have "losing weight, "getting fit," or "eating better" on their ambitious New Year's Resolutions list. The diet tracker and coach is a pocket-sized Bluetooth molecular sensor that uses near infrared spectroscopy to determine the chemical makeup of food and drink, and determine what's in a substance and how its molecules interact with light. It's aimed more at people who really need to monitor their diet, like those with diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. Input the foods, and the device calculates the data for you to find out if you should have more or cut back based on your personal health profile. The partner app coaches you along to help you reach nutritional goals. On the surface, it sounds like the millions of other food-tracking and healthy eating apps out there. But one can help but wonder how the sensor may work, and if there's any benefit beyond the typical with this device.
WakaWaka Social Campaign
This isn't actually a new product, but the pitch caught my attention for its sheer, philanthropic nature. WakaWaka has deep roots in helping great causes, including previous relief efforts that provided light and power to Syrian refugees and victims of the Haiti earthquake, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the Ebola outbreak. At the show, the company will donate a WakaWaka solar flashlight to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for every photo an attendee shares of himself with his eyes closed from January 4-10, 2016 using the hashtag #SharetheSun on Instagram or Twitter. The idea is for participants to get a taste of what it would be like to live in the dark without access to light and power. It's a simple task that can help great causes, and literally provide light to families caught in crisis and living without access to electricity. According to the IRC, as quoted by WakaWaka, the company's lights are the most valued non-food items in Syrian refugee camps. There is a limit, though, up to 1,000 lights. So make sure to get your selfie in quickly. But even beyond that, who doesn't like a good social, viral trend?
The 2016 International CES takes place from January 6-9 in Las Vegas, and exhibits will be spread throughout several venues, including all three halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Sands Convention Center, and private hotel suites along the strip. Check back to WiFiHiFi.ca, follow us on Twitter @WiFiHiFiMag and Facebook at WiFiHiFiMag for live updates from the show floor.