There was so much to see and do at the annual North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week. Press days precede the official opening of the show to the public which runs Jan. 17-25 this year. Automakers from around the globe bring their newest production cars, trucks, SUVs, CUVs, EVs and just about every other V(ehicle) in their arsenal.
Think you’re an elite Madden NFL 15 gamer? Duracell will start the “Duracell Longest Lasting Tournament” this Friday, January 16, which will be a 26-hour Madden NFL 15 video game marathon tournament where players battle to hold the longest win-streak until the end. This tournament will be powered by Duracell rechargeable batteries and hosted on Twitch.tv where anyone can watch.
Avenir means “future” in French, and that is what’s being showcased in the Buick Avenir Concept. No, this isn’t a model that you’ll necessarily be able to buy any time soon, but the technology and eye-catching design found in the Avenir will likely find their way into future or existing flagship models.
Dan and I were among the first to put down non-refundable $1000 deposits on the Elio last year, after we first saw the prototype at CES. Let’s just say that the barely functioning vehicle we sat in last year has come a long way! Dan and I couldn’t be more excited and happy about our upcoming new cars!
We’ve covered some of Goal Zero’s smaller hand-cranked solar devices, which are great in emergencies, but there are times when you need stronger power generation that can possibly even keep your fridge running! Goal Zero Yeti generators come in multiple sizes, and they can be left plugged in until needed — or they can be recharged from solar when TSHTF!
As I was reading Dell’s CES 2015 announcements, I to remember a ‘Dell-free’ time in my life … and had to go back more than 20 years, during which time I’ve had an OptiPlex, Dimension, Inspiron, XPS or Alienware system close at hand. With the recent buy-back Dell has seen resurgence in both innovation and performance, highlighted by their new offerings.
I’ve made no bones about the fact that if it weren’t for Wilson Electronics, which has recently rebranded as weBoost, I would have an absolutely pitiful signal inside my home if it weren’t for their products, and they have only become better. I had a chance to talk to weBoost about their new 4G signal boosters for home and car.
Dan and I have tried so many headphones that it is easy for us to seem skeptical when something new comes along. That attitude flew out the window when we had some ears-on time with the new Blue Mo-Fi Headphones. Throw what you think you know about traditional over-the-ear headphones out the window, and take a look at these beauties.
Over the last couple of decades we have seen the shift from desktop PC to laptop dominance, then netbooks, tablets, Chromebooks and now a resurgence of laptops and efficient desktops. HP has introduced the HP Pavilion and HP Stream Mini Desktops just as the desktop computer attached to a TV or large display becomes a focal point of homes again.
I wrote about the MOTA Smart Ring (what feels like) ages ago, and I finally got the chance to see one in action and slip it on my finger yesterday. It’s reasonably priced at a pre-order price of $99. What that gets you is notifications from all of your usual apps — messages, email, Facebook, etc.
I am starting to worry my phone is becoming sentient. See, on a typical day, the battery holds up just fine all day. But if it’s a busy day, that’s when my phone drains the battery like a hungry vampire. Luckily, Bracketron is working on their Snap2.0 chargers, an affordable way to snag fast charging with compatible phones!
Wadjet Eye has released some great games recently, creating the Blackwell mystery games and publishing Gemini Rue. So I was intrigued when I heard that they were working on a new game with indie developer Technocrat, which they announced today. The game is Technobabylon, a dystopian cyberpunk adventure coming to PC in spring 2015 and to Mac/Linux after.
MIO Global made a big splash as the first to provide a highly accurate heart-rate monitoring without a chest strap. Now they are back with the MIO Alpha 2, which refines and improves on the original in every way. They also announced the MIO Fuse, which combines their heart rate monitoring technology with an all-day fitness tracker!
Dan and I had a “moment” on the CES floor yesterday when we realized that we had left the camera mount in the cab on our ride over to the LVCC. Obviously, if you are going to need a specialized piece of equipment, there is no better place to find a replacement than CES 2015, and that’s how we discovered iBolt.
I admit, as much as I love my 7 year old Prius, I get a little jealous hearing about the amazing ways smartphones are being integrated with newer cars. Satechi clearly feels my pain, and they’ve come up with a much more cost effective solution than a brand new car in their newly announced BT Button Series.
CES isn’t just about the latest fun gadgets. It’s also a showcase for all sorts of breakthroughs, including incredible medical ones. Dan and Judie caught up with the CEO of ReWalk, a company that is working on exoskeletons to help people with lower limb disabilities walk again! Check out their video interview!
Watching my son deal with audio recording issues as he completed his portfolio film project for film school applications (in at NYU, yay!), I got a new appreciation of the value of a quality microphone for even the most seemingly simple applications. The iPhone is great for capturing video, but the addition of the iRig Mic Field makes it better!
The way we choose to illuminate our spaces has changed dramatically in our lifetime. As a young adult my life seemed divided between the harsh fluorescent office lights and warm incandescent lights of home. The last couple of decades have seen rapid changes in the type, efficiency and flexibility of lighting, getting ‘smart’ lighting solutions such as Bolt light bulb from Misfit.
Gear up gamers for fun, flash and functionality! The Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2015) is featuring new and upcoming gaming accessories to enhance video game experiences for all ages. Nyko and Mad Catz are familiar names in gaming peripherals and this year brings more great gaming options including a PlayStation 4 data bank, PS4 Type Pad, innovative gaming headset, Xbox One light grip, and XB1 mini charge dock.
The North American International Auto Show is not the only big show in January for automakers anymore. Manufacturers and their industry partners are flocking to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to announce and demonstrate the latest in vehicular technologies both present and future. CES is no longer just for radios and radar detectors in the mobile environment.
We already reported on the new additions to Garmin’s vivo line-up, the vivofit 2 and vivoactive, which round up Garmin‘s consumer wearable line. But they also added to their higher end products with the Epix and Fenix 3. The Fenix 3 is the latest in the company’s multi-sport category, and Epix is intended as a wearable GPS for outdoor enthusiasts.