Tag Archives: CES

All Eyes On Me

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The action cam is the oldest wearable tech that isn’t clothing. The incredible point of view videos shot from the perspective of skiers, surfers, bikers, and skydivers all come from these durable high-def little cams. Looking to add even more to the experience, Sony is upping the ante by multiplying the cameras.

The Sony HDR-AS100V is the tech giant’s next offering from CES. Up to five separate cameras can be networked together through an optional  RM-LVR1 wrist controller, giving the user a dynamic experience with cameras mounted either on different points of the body (ie. head, arms, torso, etc.) or on multiple people. Splash-proof, high definition, slow motion, and the ability to capture multiple angles at once will create an incredibly vivid and immersive experience. When combined with the PlayMemories software, the multiple viewpoints can be merged, creating a seamless video.

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The whole package will be available in March, to the tune of about $1,600.

What Sparks Our Fire: We love what we’ve seen from CES, and wearable tech definitely seems to be the thing of the future, even for extreme sports.

Would you want to document your adventures with this kind of camera?

Tapping to Music

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Next up at CES and in your smart house: blast your music with a simple tap. It’s an elegant little dial on the wall, kind of like the Nest thermostat we reviewed a while back. It’s linked with almost anything you want it to be, such as your Spotify and Apple accounts, and they call it the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound Essence.

You might be thinking “All that is great, but what’s the big deal?” Well, the big deal is this little circle doodad links via low-energy RF to the central control box which in turn links to your music source using a wi-fi connection. The whole setup is attached to speakers via proprietary Bang & Olufsen RJ-45 jacks (limiting you to only Bang & Olufsen speakers, but if you’re already dropping the $995 for the Essence, you’ll probably have the liquid assets to back that up).

The Essence uses your phone as a source, but the objective is to have you pull out your phone less and less, turning on the music the same way you’d turn on a light.

What Sparks Our Fire: Another smart elegant, kind of prohibitively expensive product from CES, but it’s a sign of where technology is headed.

Do you think listening to music needs this kind of upgrade?

Optikal Illusion

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Live from CES, another innovative product that may or may not be a little invasive. Eyewear startup Innovega unveiled its prototype offering, a combination of headset and contact lenses they call iOptik.

The set comes in two parts, the contacts and the glasses working in tandem. The contacts allow increased focusing ability, basically allowing the user to access an area of ocular perception far outside the normal human ability. The lens lets you focus on the minutia of your fingertips held right up to your eye, when normal vision couldn’t focus on something so small. Add to this the glasses, which display data, and you have Google Glass-Super eyes.

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The two-tier solution is what makes the iOptik unique. Google Glass and other products like it look more like goggles or headsets than actual glasses. By separating the components, the glasses look more like actual glasses and are purported to be much more unobtrusive. As well, for the myopic among us, the contacts can be fitted with a prescription.

What Sparks Our Fire: In our continuing coverage of CES and “The Internet of Things”, iOptik seems like the next logical step in wearable technologies.

Do you think this product or something like it will eventually replace smartphones?

It Sees You When You’re Sleeping.

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CES and Sleep Number may have just given you a very expensive reason to ditch the 17-year-old box spring you are currently sleeping on.

Their offering is called the x12 and it is a voice-activated bed that monitors sleep and sleeping habits. Simple commands adjust all manner of features, including firmness, height and massage-giving. Sure, it’ll set you back about eight grand, but when was the last time your mattress gave you a decent shiatsu?

The buzzword early this year is integration, as the “internet of things” is extended to your sleeping arrangements. Other technologies are similar to the x12, but most beds don’t have an Android-supported web browser that pretty much gamifies your nightly eight. So, yeah, you may end up competing with yourself on how good your sleep last night was compared to other nights, but we don’t judge. You’re the one who can afford the $7,999 price tag.

What Sparks Our Fire: The integration of life-improving technology into our daily lives. Or, again, Skynet.

Would you want a smart bed?