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DVR headphones keep an eye on the crowd while you spin
Even in person, Altec-Lansing's new DVR DJ-Style headphones seem more like a "because we could" item than something the world has been desperately asking for. They pack a tiny 1080p camera in one ear cup, pointing forward so the wearer can record the crowd they're (presumably) inciting into a near riot through the power of music. On the CES show floor it's impossible to say with certainty what kind of audio quality they have, but Altec-Lansing says the $200 cans will stream video out over WiFi, or store it onboard for use/blackmail later.
LG's SmartThinQ wants to be the main hub for your smart home
LG's SmartThinQ home automation platform has existed for a few years now, but it's always felt like an afterthought for the electronics giant. This could be changing soon, however. Last week, LG introduced the SmartThinQ Hub, an Amazon Echo–esque device designed to be the centerpiece that controls your smart home, and it brought it to CES 2016 for everyone to see.
Sony's new wireless headphones mix comfort and great audio
Wireless headphones are a dime a dozen here at CES, so you have to be pretty selective with what you take time to check out on the show floor. After last night's Sony presser, I was intrigued by the company's new high-res "h.ear" cans. Silly branding aside, the headphones offer digital noise-canceling tech that analyzes your surroundings to determine which mode will work best. In the confines of Sony's noisy CES booth, I can tell you that the tech works quite well. Even at a medium volume level, I didn't notice any raucous showgoer chatter. And if you want to turn it off, there's a button to do just that.
Hackaball, the toy kids can program, rolls out in March
After launching on Kickstarter last year, Hackaball, a programmable toy for kids, is almost ready for prime time. It's already sold out its initial pre-order run, but you'll soon be able to snag another batch for $85. Hackaball is expected to ship in March, the company says. To refresh, Hackaball looks like a fairly typical toy ball, but inside it's got a six-axis motion sensor and multi-color LED lights. Kids can program it to do all sorts of things using that sensor — it can change color when you throw it, or if you're not holding the ball steady enough. The idea is that kids will be able to create all sorts of games and learn the basics of programming.
A closer look at Intel and Xiaomi's Ninebot Segway Robot
Intel's collaboration with Xiaomi on its new (now modular) Ninebot Segway means at least one very important thing: it now has an adorable roboface. Arguably upstaging Intel's CEO when he rode the Ninebot on stage, it apparently combines the voice recognition and interaction skills of Pepper the robot with something that can take you places without having to move. Perfect. Intel was demoing the robotic role, while we're going to have to venture across Vegas to see someone riding the poor thing. (Most of the robot parts fold away when it needs to be ridden, making it look a lot more like the now headless-looking Ninebot Mini Segway.) Photos by Will Lipman.
The Skreens app puts all of your HDMI signals on one display
Skreens showed off its newly patented media device at CES Showstoppers. The self-titled gadget allows users to spread the video content from up to four HDMI inputs across a single display. The system utilizes a hardware component, shown above, that sits between the HDMI devices and the monitor, and an associated mobile app that controls how the inputs are displayed. Users can resize, reorder and rearrange the incoming signals as they see fit—even run a single input in full-screen with the other inputs overlaid semi-transparently. SImilarly, users can pick and choose which audio input they want to pay attention to.
LG's Gram 15 laptop looks like a gold MacBook
It's only been a few months since LG brought its lightweight Gram laptops to the US, but the company's already looking toward the future with a new 15.6-inch model. Up until today, LG had only offered 13- and 14-inch versions, which are sold Stateside through Amazon and Microsoft Stores. Aside from having a larger 1080p display than both of its siblings, the Gram 15Z960 comes with Windows 10, Hi-Fi Sound speakers, 8GB of RAM and either a 256GB or 512GB SSD. Most importantly, it weighs in at a mere 2.16 lbs (980 grams) -- to put that in perspective, the 15-inch MacBook with Retina Display is 4.49 lbs.
Sony's new multi-room audio gear includes better speaker options
CES isn't the first time Sony's debuted speakers capable of multi-room audio. In fact, I spent some time with the company's SRS-X77 earlier this year. The wave of products that included that speaker offered a range of sizes, but didn't cover all the bases that Sonos does. With its announcements here in Las Vegas, Sony has a well-rounded stable of tech, with two speakers, a soundbar and a wireless sub. And those expanded options give it a better chance at taking a shot at the current top dog.
LG shows off a 4K laptop with Harman Kardon speakers
The first official day of CES 2016 is underway, which means it's time to find those products companies left out of their keynote. Let's start with LG. Tucked in a small corner of its booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the South Korean firm is showcasing the 15U560, a 15.6-inch laptop with a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) display. Powered by Windows 10, it also features Harman Kardon speakers, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, NVIDIA 940M graphics and your choice of a 1TB hard drive or 512GB SSD
LG's rollable OLED display is my CES dream come true
It's real and it's dreamy. After touring the company's other futuristic prototypes, LG Display got in touch so it could show us that glorious rollable OLED in action. It was glorious. And the future. And something that can actually get me excited here at CES. My picnic blanket OLED TV will happen.
Bang and Olufsen's BeoSound 35 is an 'all-in-one' soundbar
If you're familiar with Bang & Olufsen, you're well aware of its high-end audio gear for the living room. At CES, the Danish company is showing off its latest speaker: the BeoSound 35. Taking on the design and speaker layout we typically see in soundbars, B&O has far greater aspirations for the BeoSound 35. Rather than only serving as a means of boosting audio from your television, this speaker is meant to be what the company calls an "all-in-one integrated music system." What does that mean exactly? Well, support for streaming services like Spotify and Deezer is integrated into the unit, so you don't have to futz with your phone to get the tunes going. It also supports Google Cast, AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity.
Chevy unveils its pure-electric Bolt
Chevy's Bolt is finally here. The pure EV was unveiled at the company's event at CES and it's got a ton of technology that you can get in the near future unlike a few concept cars that were unveiled earlier in the week. It's the everyperson's electric car that Tesla is working on and Chevy is delivering.
Razer's first smartwatch is mostly meant for fitness
Razer's first experiments with wearable tech had their share of problems (notably months of delays), but the company is willing to give it another shot... with a bit of a twist. Its just-launched Nabu Watch has the activity tracking, smartphone notifications and shake-to-share features of the original Nabu and Nabu X, but in a rugged sports watch design. Don't call it a smartwatch, though. While it technically fits that bill, Razer sees this more as a drop- and water-resistant chronograph that just happens to keep track of your app alerts and fitness. On the upside, that limited functionality leads to a seven-day battery life.
Intel's latest Compute Stick squeezes in Core M3, M5 chips
As a concept, Intel's Compute Stick has always been intriguing. Who wouldn't want an HDMI stick that turns any monitor into a fully functioning computer? But the original Compute Stick had problems: It was slow, it had only one USB port (how are we going to plug in a keyboard and mouse?!) and its networking capabilities were weak. It was, in many ways, a beta product — not something meant for consumers to buy. But with the next generation of Compute Stick, it looks like Intel has addressed all of our concerns.
Dell's 4K OLED monitor outshines its new PCs
Dell seems not to have gotten the memo that CES is actually short for "Consumer Electronics Show." With a few exceptions, the company has mostly used its time in Vegas this week to unveil business-grade products, including a 2-in-1, a budget notebook and a pair of wireless monitors yesterday and more monitors today. It's all a little dry, to be honest, but the standout in today's announcement is clearly the new UltraSharp 30, a 30-inch 4K monitor with a color-rich panel. All told, it reaches 100 percent of Adobe's RGB color gamut and 97.8 percent of DCI-P3, a color standard favored by video editors and animators. On the connectivity side, it has a USB Type-C port supplying video, data and power up to 100 watts.
Sennheiser's 3D audio will finally make VR complete
Virtual reality is incomplete without immersive audio. Even though you might be able to strap on a headset and be visually transported, the absence of 3D audio can quickly break your illusion. With stores getting ready to stock VR headsets this year, the need for an audio experience that can match, and even enhance, the visuals is more pressing than ever. Today at CES, Sennheiser announced AMBEO, a 3D audio technology that promises to change the way audio is captured and reproduced.
Heads-up displays come to paintball goggles
Recon Instruments, the Canadian wearables outfit purchased by Intel last year, has released a heads-up display for paintball enthusiasts. Much in the same way Recon partnered with Oakley to produce its Airwave sports goggles, the firm has teamed up with Empire Paintball to create the Empire EVS. The device uses the game guts as the Airwave — a technology known as Snow2 — albeit in a new mask that's designed to withstand the rigors of paint-based conflict.
Philips' living room audio gear includes 'detachable' speakers
Living room audio gear doesn't usually sport dual uses, but Philips' new Fidelio E6 speakers do just that. The units have detachable speakers that can be used as either a stereo setup or separately for 5.1 surround sound "on demand." The top section of the E6's two front speakers can be removed and placed elsewhere, should the need arise. In addition to those, there's a wireless subwoofer to handle the low-end tones. To further improve sound quality, the Fidelio E6 offers spatial calibration tech for a more immersive audio experience and balanced sound. The system features HDMI and Blueooth connectivity as well support for Google Cast and Spotify Connect. Perhaps best of all, it's available now.
Meet the world's first phone with a Snapdragon 820 chipset
Just a few years ago, we might have scoffed at the idea of buying a smartphone from a Chinese OEM. Now, with companies like Huawei and ZTE showing us that smartphone pedigree matters less than ambition and execution, things are totally different. That's exactly the opening China's LeTV is trying to capitalize on with its new Le Max Pro. Not only is it the world's first phone to run Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 chipset, it's also the company's first attempt to break into the absolutely insane US market.
See how much fat you're burning just by breathing out
Using a weighing scale to keep track of your weight is tricky. Your body can lose water, muscle or fat, but the scale simply picks up your overall weight. It doesn't reflect your gym obsession or fat loss with any accuracy. LEVL is a new portable device that analyses your breath to tell you if your body is in fat-burning mode. A white box holds a proprietary nano sensor that checks your breath for the level of acetone, a molecule that your body releases when it goes into fat burning mode, or ketosis. This isn't the first time we've seen tech like this: in 2013, NTT DoCoMo demonstrated something remarkably similar.
