GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL ..................CES 2015 - TECH THAT WENT UNDER THE RADAR AT

CES 2015 - TECH THAT WENT UNDER THE RADAR AT





A lot of CES coverage tends to focus on the larger brands and announcements. However, a lot of innovation also slips under the radar: from companies who currently need funding and those hidden gems from hard-to-reach booths. ET went hunting for the smaller guys with the big ideas

Movensee Pixio The Pixio

is a motorised robotic mount for cameras designed for athletes. The idea is that you can film yourself during sports or activities without anyone else's help. You wear a wristband and the mount will automatically pan to face you as you move around. You can fix the mount on a tripod and then mount the camera on it.Each set (mount + band) should set you back by roughly US$ 750.

Fuz Noke

The Noke (pronounced `no-key') is a padlock that needs no key! It unlocks by identifying your mobile phone over Bluetooth. When you get near it, all you have to do is press the shackle and the Noke will wake up to search for the phone.If detected, it will simply unlock. It's made of hardened steel and has a built in battery that should last for a year with regular use. As a bonus, you can also share `keys', allowing other smartphone users to unlock it when you're not around. If you lose your phone or the battery in either device dies, you can still unlock it using a pre-programmed number of clicks (like a combination lock). You can currently pre-order Noke for US$ 59.

Swissvoice Voicebridge

The Voicebridge turns smartphones and tablets into fixed line phones. Here's how it works -you plug your fixed line cord into the device and it transfers any received calls to an Android or iOS device connected to the same WiFi network. The device also allows you to make calls on your mobile device through the landline service. It can connect to five smartphones or tablets at the same time and lastly, it also allows call conferencing and intercom.Suggested retail price is US$ 99.

Zettaly Avy

Android is finding its way into more and more devices these days -so why not a wireless speaker? The Avy has a 7-inch screen (1024 x 600 pixels), is powered by Android 5.0, has HDMI output, Bluetooth, 8 or 32GB of storage (expandable), 1Ghz quad core processor and dual 5 watt speakers (with a waveguide system). You can use it to watch moviesvideos, play games, listen to internet radio or just use it as a conventional Bluetooth speaker. The makers say that the rechargeable battery can power it for up to 7 hours and the price will be an affordable US$ 179.

Avegant Glyph

This may look like a pair of headphones, but the Glyph is actually a personal viewer that connects to any video source. You wear them with the band in front of your eyes -look closely and you'll see two eyepieces -the effect is like having a giant TV placed a few feet in front of you. Unlike the Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear VR, it's not really a virtual reality (VR) headset since it doesn't block the world around you. You can look above and below the band to see what's going on though walking around while wearing it might be a bit of a stretch. You can currently pre-order it for US$ 500 (full price is US$ 600).

Triby

The Triby is a wireless (Bluetooth + WiFi) speaker with a rubber frame, metallic grid and sturdy magnetic back -and it's designed to be stuck on the home refrigerator. It has a 2.9-inch e-ink display that essentially acts like a wireless Post-It note -you can scribble notes on the display using the Android or iOS Triby app. You can use it to play music or take handsfree calls via Bluetooth. But the best part is, it can also function as a VoIP phone -it communicates directly with family members who have the app installed. It should be priced at US$ 199.

Razer Forge TV

If you already have a gaming PC, why do you need a gaming console? That's what Razer seems to be suggesting with the Forge TV. Essentially an Android powered box for your big screen TV, Forge TV has some pretty decent hardware inside (quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, Adreno 420 graphics, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, WiFi and Bluetooth), it's compatible with Android TV and Google Cast and you can use it for multi-player Android games on the big screen. But the party trick is the device's ability to stream PC games to the TV with low latency using new tech called Cortex: Stream. The box alone should be around US$ 100 or US$ 150 bundled with a Bluetooth gaming controller.

Neoh 3D Headphones

You've seen 3D TVs, but Neoh by 3D Sound Labs is the world's first pair of 3D audio headphones. They've been in development for over two years now and they're supposed to accurately recreate the effect of listening to a high-end surround sound system in your home. It's not just hoopla either -built in head tracking sensors and spatial reconstruction algorithms will make you believe that you are hearing sounds coming from different directions. The algorithms essentially take advantage of the fact that we locate sounds using the time difference it takes for each particular sound to reach both our ears.The company hopes to sell the Neoh 3D for US$ 229. 

Snail Games W3D Smartphone & Obox Game Console 

For a fresh take on Android gaming, Snail Games' W3D has hardware buttons, powerful specs and a glasses-free 3D display with eye-tracking (it automatically adjusts the screen to provide a 3D effect based on the position of your head). The OBox is a powerful Android game console powered by NVidia's Tegra K1, 4GB RAM and up to 4TB of storage. It offers 3D video output on 3D compatible TVs and PC game porting over WiFi. Petcube Camera Is your pet alone at home while you're at work?
This nifty cube-shaped device lets you view, talk to and play with your pet when you're away. It has a built in camera, speakermic, WiFi and a laser pointer that can be controlled remotely using an app. You change the position of the pointer by dragging a finger across your smartphone screen. If you're too busy, you can share access to your camera with others -they only need to download the Petcube app. Each unit should be priced at US$ 199.

GirOptic 360 Cam

This handheld device is the world's first 360 degree palmsized camera that allows you to record videos, take still photos and stream video in real-time over Wi-Fi. It has three wideangle camera lenses (each with a 185 degree viewing angle) and all footage is also saved to a microSD card. To view 360-degree footage, you need the 360Cam app or video player for the PC.The camera can be remotely controlled using the app. In addition, the camera is encased in a rubber sleeve that makes it dust and waterproof.

Amaryllo iCam Pro FHD

Closed circuit cameras can either be fixed or movable (motorised pan & tilt). The problem is that they can be rather easy to avoid thanks to large blind spots. The makers call this little device a `domestic robot that tracks intruders'. That description is a bit of a stretch because it's really a camera with infrared LEDs and 360 degree motion detection tracking. Essentially, the camera tracks movement and turns to face it, all the while recording audio + video to the internal microSD card. It can also auto upload video over WiFi and be controlled using an app. You can currently order one for US$ 199 though the full price is expected to be US$ 299.

Zuta Mini Robotic

Printer In a conventional printer, the paper is fed through the device using rollers. The Zuta, however, is a printer that moves itself across a page to print. Therefore, it's not limited to any size of paper. It has its own battery, tiny wheels that help it move around, a print head with ink and WiFi to communicate and print wirelessly from PCs and mobile devices. You can currently order one for US$ 199 which is $50 off on the full price.

ET14JAN15