Events

A Quick Hands-On with the PlayStation Vita

Events, Game Diary

A Quick Hands-On with the PlayStation Vita

  I simply could not leave CES without getting some hands-on with the new Sony PlayStation Vita. Having abandoned Sony’s PSP after the original device, I was hoping to get a feel of what the Vita had to offer. Gaming on a mobile device is coming along quite well, but I still feel the need to have a dedicated portable gaming device rather than a smartphone with gaming capabilities. We found a representative to give us a short demo of the device which highlights some of the features of the Vita and the new OS Sony put together. Sony Rep…

First Look at the myCharge Portable Power Bank 6000

Events

First Look at the myCharge Portable Power Bank 6000

Things are winding down at CES 2012, which was nice for Francis and me, as we were able to walk around more freely due to less traffic and spend more quality time with some vendors. Luckily for us, we were able to stop by and visit our friends from myCharge and PowerBag. We have reviewed the PowerBag Messenger and PowerBag Backpack in the past, and Dan mentioned how useful a PowerBag can be. They also have a great brand called myCharge, which is a set of portable batteries for recharging mobile devices, including iOS and Android devices. The team at…

FashionWare Fashion Show And Gear Diary Is There

Events, Gear Bits, News & Features

FashionWare Fashion Show And Gear Diary Is There

Last night at CES featured the Fashionware Fashion Show which featured a showcase of wearable technologies including solar powered backpacks, sophisticated mobile phones and netbooks, and fashion powered by light or movement, climate changing gear, and more. Here is their description of the show: FashionWare captures the excitment of the new wearable and sensor-based technologies combined with style and sophistication. Our approach is to mix the traditional fashion show runway with education about how high tech is transforming fashion. Targeting fashion afficionados and technologists,some of the outfits are future-tense and some are available today. The outfits are accessorized by some…

IcePan Ice Cream: Made in a Pan Right Before Your Eyes

Events, Gear Bits, Yum Log

IcePan Ice Cream: Made in a Pan Right Before Your Eyes

On the way back from a meeting at the Wynn Hotel we passed by a small kiosk for IcePan. IcePan is ice cream that is made right in front of you while you watch. It is never put into an ice-cream maker but, instead, is made using a pan kept at 35 degrees below zero. (Yeah, it is cold.) We shot a video of it being made so, without further ado… I scream, you scream, we all scream for IcePan Cream. (Yeah, I went there.)  

Pyramid Distribution Brings Us the iGoGo TV and Android-Based TV-Box

Events, News & Features

Pyramid Distribution Brings Us the iGoGo TV and Android-Based TV-Box

Today we heard about a cool new set-top box for your HDTV from Pyramid Distribution, called the iGoGo TV. The iGoGo is an Android-powered box that brings a robust ‘smart TV’ experience to your home. Because it is based on standard Android 2.3, it means you will be able to run tons of the same Android apps you already know and love. Featuring wired and wireless networking, support for 1920x1080p full HD, 4GB built-in memory expandable to 32GB by micro SD, support for USB hard drives for unlimited storage, and more. The iGoGo also includes a 2MP webcam with microphone,…

ifrogz Boost Near Field Speaker: pre-release first look

Events, News & Features

ifrogz Boost Near Field Speaker: pre-release first look

I stopped by the ifrogz booth during the first day of CES to see what new offerings they had. In recent years the company has been increasing its selection of ear and headphones and, this year, they are taking things a step further. I got to see their Boost speaker which, when it comes to market this spring will retail for under $40. The size of two or three iPhones stacked on top of one another, the Boost is an unusual item. The company uses the term “near field”: to describe the technology employed but. as Francis was quick to…

Kobo Officially Part of Rakuten Now

Events, News & Features

Kobo Officially Part of Rakuten Now

It’s official, Kobo is now a division of Rakuten, meaning that Kobo now has some deep parental pockets and an even stronger international reach. While they may still be number 3, they have an opportunity to grab more share in 2012, as B&N struggles to expand internationally. Plus from the sound of Kobo’s press release they had an excellent holiday season! According to Kobo: December 25th was Kobo’s best day ever for eBook downloads, with several ebooks downloaded every second by readers in over 150 countries Kobo saw a 10-fold increase in new customers compared to the company’s pre-holiday period Compared to…

Adobe Debuts Photoshop Lightroom 4 Public Beta on Adobe Labs

Events, Gear Bits, News & Features

Adobe Debuts Photoshop Lightroom 4 Public Beta on Adobe Labs

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom provides a powerful set of tools with a singular focus: making our photos look amazing. In the past Adobe has opened up their ‘lab’ and allowed early access to in-development tools to a limited audience. Now Adobe is opening up their Lightroom 4 beta to EVERYONE! It is a great opportunity to get a peek at the upcoming version of one of the most powerful photo editors available. Here are some of the new features: Lightroom 4 beta is a major software update adding a broad range of new capabilities based on feedback provided by the photography…

Innovative Live Advertising from Lenovo

Events

Innovative Live Advertising from Lenovo

Well this is a bit different… I have seen other forms of live advertising in the past, but Lenovo just took it to a new level. We have all heard of blazing fast computers and internet speeds, but what about typing on top of a car?

iBike POWERHOUSE Brings a Complete Fitness System to the iPod Touch and iPhone

Events

iBike POWERHOUSE Brings a Complete Fitness System to the iPod Touch and iPhone

I don’t know about you, but for me, trying to get into and keep on a fitness plan is difficult. Unless you have motivation, it can be difficult to keep with it. Personally, one way I have found that works to keep motivated is to have a training partner, or use statistics to track my progress. Well, the iBike POWERHOUSE does both! The iBike POWERHOUSE is a fitness tool which combines an iPhone 3G/3GS/4/4S or an iPod Touch with a hardware device which: A weather-proof / shock resistant patented smart case and sensors The iBike POWERHOUSE app Goal-specific plans developed…

YurBuds Ironman Pro Earbuds Stay In… Even If You Do Backflips!

Events, News & Features

YurBuds Ironman Pro Earbuds Stay In… Even If You Do Backflips!

  Here at CES last year I was introduced to a new earbud company. YurBuds was offering their Inspire earbuds. The bright red earpieces stood out and promised a degree of comfort and “stay-putt-edness” that is in great demand among people who  listen to music while doing a strenuous activity. I was skeptical but ended up impressed by their sound. Elana, who hates in-ear headphones, tried them on and within minutes co-opted the pair the company had given me for review. (The company kindly replaced mine.) A year later Elana’s YurBuds are going strong and she continues to evangelize for them…

Here's an Original Use for the BenQ GP2

Events, Gear Bits

Here’s an Original Use for the BenQ GP2

While visiting with Texas Instruments DLP PICO, we discovered that they had a familiar product — the BenQ GP2 — set up to do something we thought was pretty mind-blowing … So you set an iPhone in the BenQ’s cradle, and then you can use another iPhone or an iPod touch (connected by WiFi) as a gaming remote control, with the action being displayed on the wall for everyone to see. That’s a pretty cool and offbeat use for what might otherwise seem like a very straightforward piece of equipment. What do you think? =) BenQ GP2

Embarrasment for Intel After Faking Ultrabook Gaming Demo

Events, Game Diary

Embarrasment for Intel After Faking Ultrabook Gaming Demo

We’ve seen it all at CES – vapor-products, stuff we won’t see for months (if ever), dummy products as show-pieces, and more. Now Intel – with the demo for their ‘bet the farm on it’ Ultrabooks … got caught faking a demo when the VLC control panel showed up a few times as shown above. The executive on stage tried to play it off, but the credibility of the entire show was lost. Check out the video: Since the demo – more to the point since being CAUGHT – Intel has admitted that the demo was a video done for…

DLP Pico Engine Powers a Smartphone Projector: From the CES Floor

Events

DLP Pico Engine Powers a Smartphone Projector: From the CES Floor

Here’s another implementation of TI’s DLP PICO chip… This smartphone is also a projector. This “embedded Pico smartphone” is not yet on the market but it may very well be the direction the market is going. (This post and many more being brought to you from CES-stay tuned to Gear Diary for more great coverage all week!)

Velocomp Introduces iBike Powerhouse for iPhone/iPod Touch

Events, News & Features

Velocomp Introduces iBike Powerhouse for iPhone/iPod Touch

Since I am one of Gear Diary’s cooking and kitchen gadget reviewers and also write about food for a few other publications, it’s all I can do to keep myself anywhere near fighting weight. One of my favorite exercise regimens as part of the battle of the bulge is cycling, both on the road and in the gym. So that’s why I was excited to see the latest announcement from Velocomp that they have developed an iOS-based cycling computer that interfaces with iPhones and iPods. I usually ride with my iPhone anyway, for safety on the road and for entertainment…

HP Introduces ENVY 14 Spectre With Glass Cover Design

Events, News & Features

HP Introduces ENVY 14 Spectre With Glass Cover Design

There are some who have already declared this the ‘year of the Ultrabook’. So what is an Ultrabook? Think a Macbook Air … but by PC makers and running Windows. Basically it is a solid-performance ultraportable that eliminates internal optical disks and makes for a thin and light experience with mega-fast boot and wake times and battery life that challenges tablets. What most probably didn’t expect was that HP would walk into CES with a ‘premium Ultrabook’ with some stunning design features … and a price to go along with it! Here are some details from HP: Tough yet beautiful,…

Native Union's Offerings Another Example of Evolutionary Product Lines (and that's a good thing)

Events, News & Features

Native Union’s Offerings Another Example of Evolutionary Product Lines (and that’s a good thing)

We’ve become a fan of Native Union products. The extend the reach of mobile devices with a special emphasis on iOs gear such as iPhones and iPads. Last month we reviewed the MMo3i and liked it. It is currently serving me well and one of the company’s   MMo3 Bluetooth handset is currently performing well in Judie’s home. Digital Experience, an annual CES Press event we had a chance to see the company’s latest offerings. There isn’t anything revolutionary here but they are next generation accessories and once you see them you will understand why we are looking forward to…

Portable Sound Labs CES Highlights

Events, News & Features

Portable Sound Labs CES Highlights

I recently reviewed the iMainGoXP by Portable Sound Labs, and found it to be an excellent solution for portable audio for my iPad and Kindle Fire. Now they are introducing a whole portable speaker line-up including some based on BlueTooth wireless communications! Here are some of what they are introducing at CES this week! PSL PipeLine: The device features a stellar base unit with two 2” subwoofers and two detachable speakers. For more sound “Drops” (separate PSL device) can be added, which can be synched to media device and carry sound throughout a home or provide killer surround sound. PSL…

Withings Introduces the World’s First Internet Connected Baby and Toddler Scale

Events, News & Features

Withings Introduces the World’s First Internet Connected Baby and Toddler Scale

Kev and I have a Withings WiFi connected scale and blood-pressure cuff. My favorite feature of both is that our results are automatically exported to both a password-protected personal page on the Withings site as well as an app on our iPhone or iPad. We are able to monitor our own numbers and when the mood strikes — peek at each others. Withings has just introduced a brilliant product with the same capabilities that should make every new parent happy — their Smart Baby Scale. By using the Withings Smart Baby Scale, parents can access their child’s weight readings from…