CES 2015
Latest
CES 2015: Kwikset Kevo smart lock gains remote access, Nest integration with upcoming update
A number of new products for the connected home are being announced at CES 2015, but it's somewhat of a surprise to hear about existing products receiving a significant upgrade. The Kwikset Kevo Bluetooth Smart Lock (which TUAW reviewed in April of 2014) is receiving an upgrade to what will be called Kevo Plus this spring, supplying a significant uptick in capability. Kwikset also announced integration with Google's Nest Thermostat that is available today. The existing Kevo works over Bluetooth, meaning that a device running the Kevo app must be within a short distance of the deadbolt lock in order to lock or unlock it. While homeowners can send an electronic "key" to others to let them use the lock, they've never had the ability to remotely lock or unlock doors. Kevo Plus provides that capability through a free Bluetooth-enabled gateway that plugs into an Internet router with an Ethernet connection. Kevo Plus will require a membership subscription (price not stated), and that membership will also allow unlimited electronic keys and real-time activity monitoring in addition to remote lock/unlock. Future updates will also allow event scheduling, which locks and unlocks doors based on pre-set times, and lock grouping, so multiple Kevo locks can be locked and unlocked with one tap. But wait, there's more! Starting today, Kevo owners can have the Kevo app set their Nest thermostat to an energy-saving "away mode". This feature is one of 15 "works with Nest" partnerships announced today at CES.
CES 2015: iDevices Switch brings HomeKit and Siri to the connected home
It's amazing how quickly things change. Just less than a year ago at the last Macworld/iWorld, I gave a talk about "giving Siri arms and legs" - in other words, being able to use Apple's intelligent assistant to control your surroundings by voice. Today at CES 2015, iDevices announced a HomeKit-enabled product called the iDevices Switch, a Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi compatible wall plug that's expected to ship in the first half of the year. While iOS-controllable switches are nothing new, the Switch - through HomeKit - provides the first way to use Siri to control home devices with voice commands. Sure, you can use Siri and IFTTT to mash up voice controls, but the Switch takes IFTTT out of the equation. Unlike other devices that require a home hub, iDevices created a custom cloud for Switch so a costly hub is not needed. The Switch is controlled through the iDevices Connected app, which allows creation of commands to control multiple devices. Imagine being able to shut off a number of lights in your home with just one command - "Siri, Goodnight". The app can be personalized with pictures of rooms or products to make navigation of the UI easier. In case you're wondering why iDevices sounds familiar, it's the company that created the iGrill, which was one of the first app-enabled devices released way back in 2011. At this time, no price point has been announced for the iDevices Switch.
CES 2015: Ultimate Ears announces the MegaBoom
Ultimate Ears has added the MegaBoom (US$299.99) to its line-up of truly portable Bluetooth speakers, alongside the Boom and Mini Boom. Last year I reviewed the UE Boom and found it to be the best all-round portable Bluetooth speaker I had the pleasure of listening to in 2014. It sounds fantastic, has great battery life, and it is remarkably portable and durable. UE says the MegaBoom builds on everything the Boom delivers. Key features include a large, 360 degree sound with heart-pounding bass, 20 hours of battery life with ultra-fast micro-USB charging, a 100-foot Bluetooth range, and less than two pounds of weight. Furthermore, the MegaBoom is IPX7 certified against water -- it's waterproof! Like the Boom, the MegaBoom uses the accompanying iOS app for sound customization and additional features, including pairing with other MegaBoom or Boom speakers for stereo sound. UE says the MegaBoom will be available in the U.S. and in select countries in Europe and Asia in January. We'll hopefully get our hands on the MegaBoom in the coming weeks for a full review.
CES 2015: Toshiba's iPhone dongle is crazy fast
Toshiba is shooting for AirDrop lovers with a new wireless transfer accessory that can send data between iOS devices faster than ever before. The tiny little dongle has a maximum throughput of 375Mbps and can transfer upwards of 100MB between iOS gadgets in just a few seconds, making it perfect for photo and video transfer. The dongle itself has a rather unsexy name (TJM35420LT) but it runs on Sony's TransferJet (oooh, that's better) technology. Like NFC, the transfer can only take place if two TransferJet devices are within a few centimeters of each other, but unlike NFC the TransferJet technology is specifically suited to large transfer jobs rather than quick authentication or payments. The accessory will be made available in Japan to start, priced at around $40, with a worldwide rollout coming sometime later. [via PCWorld]
Origin slims down its chunkiest gaming laptops
If you'd waved a tape measure at Origin's brawny EOS-17X gaming laptop last year, your fingers would fall at the 2.15-inch mark. Sufficiently shamed by that statistic, the company has put the hardware on a diet, slimming down the hardware to a much more svelte 1.52 inches. Of course, that's not the only change, since Origin has also upgraded the internals to include Intel's Z97 chipset, as well as add the ability to overclock the hardware.
CES 2015: SuperTooth announces multiroom Bluetooth speaker system
SuperTooth, makers of Bluetooth accessories, like the SuperTooth HD speakerphone, has announced the Multiroom System. With up to five speakers connected by Bluetooth and controlled by an app for iOS or Mac, the Multiroom System streams music or any other audio from your device wirelessly around your home. At US$299 for a three speaker set (one master, 2 satellites) and $480 for the five speaker set (one master, 4 satellites), SuperTooth is aggressively pricing the Multiroom System, making multiroom wireless audio more affordable than ever. The speakers will have a range of 32 to 49 feet (10 - 15 meters) and will be linked via Bluetooth. The satellite speakers will automatically connect to the master speaker, so you'll only need to pair your device to the master speaker. All 5 speakers will deliver a combined 125 watts RMS. The app will control volume, stereo or mono placement and equalizer. However, with the product just being announced there are some unanswered questions: Will each speaker be able to support unique audio? What quality of audio will the Multiroom System support? These are just a few. We'll hopefully get our hands on the SuperTooth Multiroom System in the coming weeks for a full, hands-on review.
Wellograph 2.0 adds sleep tracking to its stylish activity tracker
Wellograph's stylish, yet flawed activity tracker was one of the first wearables with a sapphire crystal display. Not one to rest upon its laurels, however, the company has spent the last few months revamping both the Wellograph's operating system and companion app for 2015. New features include sleep tracking, body readiness analysis and the unit will even identify how stressed you feel when your boss demands some TPS reports. In addition, there's a new social aspect that'll let you compete with your friends and enemies.
Keeping up with Engadget on the ground at #CES2015
It's the most wonderful time of the year! And if you look at the lyrics to the Andy Williams classic, it can easily be adjusted for the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (and despite impending sleep deprivation, we'll still do our very best to "be of good cheer.") We're perched up in a gorgeous trailer (with plants!) and broadcasting live from our delightful stage right in the heart of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Nest products can now talk to LG appliances and Philips lightbulbs
One of the smartest things that Nest did last year was launch the Works with Nest initiative, enabling companies to connect their gear to its smart thermostat. Initially, it was just home automation firms that got in on the act, but now that companies like Pebble and Jawbone have joined the ranks, other consumer electronics firms are jumping on the bandwagon. That's why Nest is able to announce a raft of partnerships with companies like LG, Philips and Withings.
CES 2015: TempTraq Wearable Bluetooth Thermometer
While this new product just announced at CES 2015 is not yet approved by the FDA, it's something that a lot of parents will be clamoring for. TempTraq is a wearable soft patch Bluetooth thermometer that works with an iOS or Android app to let parents track body temperature accurately for up to 24 hours. Have a couple of sick kiddos? The app lets you track their temperature remotely, providing a color-coded indication of the severity of the fever. You can even get an alert if the child's temperature reaches a certain level. As you'd expect, you can use the app to send a temperature chart to your doctor, and there's a way to make notes as you check the temperature to add information such as when drugs are administered. No pricing is yet available for the patches, but if you're interested you can sign up on the TempTraq website for notification when the device makes it to market.
CES 2015: Seagate, LaCie announce new storage products including Seagate Wireless
The inbox at TUAW was full today with a number of CES announcements from electronics and accessory manufacturers. Some of the most exciting announcements of the day came from storage vendor Seagate Technology and its LaCie brand. First, the Seagate announcements. The company debuted a 500GB portable wireless drive called Seagate Wireless that works with just about any tablet or smartphone, in particular the iPhone and iPad. The $129.99 drive will be available early next month in lime green, cool blue, slate grey, fire-engine red and white. The idea behind the drive is to give you a Wi-Fi enabled storage center onto which users can save media such as video (it can hold up to 200 HD movies), photographs, and documents. The device can also stream the content to your TV via Apple TV or Google Chromecast. Expect 6 hours of battery life from the device. Next up are the Seagate Personal Cloud and Personal Cloud 2-Bay, wireless devices that use the Seagate Media and Seagate Mobile Backup apps to store media and provide backups for all of your devices. Knowing that savvy users like multiple backups, the Personal Cloud devices can automatically back up to online providers as well. When you're away from home, the Seagate Media app provides a way to browse and use content on the drive. The Personal Cloud device will be available later in January in 3, 4, and 5TB versions, while the 2-Bay device will come in 4, 6, and 8TB capacities. The single bay 3TB version will retail for $169, while the 2-Bay 8TB device will max out the line at $449. Finally, if you have to have the thinnest accessories around, you'll love the Seagate 7, a 7mm thick portable drive. It will retail for $99 in a 500GB configuration. As an example of just how far storage has come over the 35 years Seagate has been around, the company's first hard drive stored just 5MB of data and was over 5 inches thick - about 127mm. LaCie announced one of the more beautiful peripherals we've seen lately - the LaCie Mirror. It's a portable 1TB hard drive that will retail for $279.99. That's quite expensive as hard drives go, but if you're into design you're going to love the Mirror. It's covered with mirrored scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass, and sits on a base made of a single piece of ebony wood. LaCie also announced the Rugged RAID. It's a ruggedized RAID array that features Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports for speed, and it can withstand 1.5 meter drops and 1 ton of pressure. There's even water and dust resistance thanks to an IP54 rating. The Thunderbolt cable is built into the case so it can never be lost. Expect to see it in a 4TB capacity for $449.99 later this quarter.
Say hello to the second generation of Narrative's wearable camera
It's been more than a year since the first generation of Narrative's lifelogging camera made its debut, which means that it's high time for the company to unveil a sequel. It's here at CES that we finally get to see what it's been working on, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that nothing much has changed this time out. Thankfully, the bulk of the changes have been below the surface, so if you'd like to learn more about the imaginatively named Narrative Clip 2, read on.
Polar's new fitness watch is a step up from a regular activity tracker
Can it really be a year since Polar rocked up at CES promising to change the world with its all-powerful V800? Yes, yes it can. This time around, however, the company is aiming its sights not at hardcore runners, but at people looking for a cheaper, yet more sophisticated activity tracker. Similar to the company's other budget fitness watches like the FT60, Polar's A300 ditches the GPS in favor of Loop-style 24/7 activity and sleep tracking.
Why Chinese tech giants could surprise you at CES 2015
The spotlight doesn't often fall on the lesser-known Chinese-speaking (both mainland and Taiwanese) companies that set up booth space each January at CES. But if you do pay close attention to their yearly reveals, you'll often find some of the show's more interesting gadgets. Brands like ASUS and Lenovo (among many others) have a knack for either inventing new device categories or pushing the limits of existing formulas. They virtually define the landscape for hybrid PCs, and they're often willing to stretch the boundaries of smartphones, wearables and TVs. In anticipation of the coming CES, we attempt to gauge just what each of these major Chinese-language players will bring to Las Vegas in 2015. But first, let's indulge in a little history lesson.
Curved LG gaming monitor slides in ahead of CES 2015
LG has a treat designed specifically for gaming fans: a curved, 34-inch UltraWide desktop monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio and AMD's FreeSync tech that prevents screen tearing. This thing looks suave and ridiculous, and we're betting the price tag will be, too, though LG has yet to announce the cost of this bad boy. Players will be able to stack monitors on top of each other, as well. The gaming model is the 34UC97, though LG also announced a more general-purpose UltraWide display, the 34UC87M, which looks to be designed for the stock market ... market. (See more images after the break). LG revealed both displays just ahead of CES 2015, which kicks off on January 6 in Las Vegas. Joystiq's sister site, Engadget, will have all of the hot tech news out of CES 2015, and we'll round up the coolest gaming news right here. CES 2015 runs from January 6 - 9.
With webOS and wearables, LG's moving beyond just displays at CES
Samsung and Sony may grab a larger share of the CES fanfare, but don't count LG out. It has quite the annual presence in Las Vegas, too. The Korean company uses the tech industry's January soiree as the backdrop for a wide selection of product reveals -- everything from wearables to smartphones to 4K TVs -- and it has a sizable booth to house it all. It's almost a given that LG will offer up improvements to more of the same at this CES. But before we try to gauge what the company may have in store for 2015, let's first take a look at how far LG's come.
How Samsung became the king of CES and where it's going next
Long before Transformers director Michael Bay choked onstage at Samsung's lavish CES 2014 press conference, the Korean company was just another electronics outfit begging for attention. But after decades at CES, Samsung is now the undisputed king of the show. Its blowout media events are the largest and most difficult to get into. Samsung Electronics CEO BK Yoon is kicking off the show next month by hosting the prestigious opening keynote. And it's one of the few tech giants left standing at CES, as Microsoft and others abandon it. Samsung's glorious rise mirrors its ascent in the mobile industry, and it's also yet another example of the company's oft-repeated formula for success: Time, money and perseverance lead to victory.
What to expect from Sony at CES 2015
Didn't we just leave Vegas? Tech journalists the world over are probably asking themselves that question right now, and with good reason -- the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show is set to open its many, many doors in sunny Nevada in just a few short weeks. To celebrate (and prepare for) the world's biggest tech expo, we're taking a closer look at the some of the industry's most prominent players, starting with Sony's storied history at the show and where it's going next.
