types of video game jobs: CES 2017 Day 4

Saturday, April 22, 2017

CES 2017 Day 4

After 3 marathons and then 3 days of extensive walking and talking at Las Vegas, Marcus and Agata were thinking: Do we really need a 4th day at the show?

We thought to just spend the 4th morning at CES, but it proved so interesting that we remained there until closing .... on January 8, 2017:

Lian Li

Ive always regarded Lian-Li as the Rolls-Royce of PC case manufacturers. So it was disappointing that yesterday I could literally not find them at CES. Today found. A miserably small booth right in the furthest corner of a hall.

Id hoped for more! Lian-Li has made quality Aluminium PC cases for over a decade. Ive bought many.

But recently I see the industry moving to Dual Chamber Designs. This is where the PC is split vertically into 2 parts where one part holds the motherboard, and the other holds the PSU and as much messy cabling as possible. Lian-Li is late to the game but their PC-O11 et al are at last joining the dual-chamber party

They also have some computer desks allowing the Motherboard to reside in the actual desk. And I was excited to Google that at least 1 design can take E-ATX. I am thinking about it!

AKracing

If you spend most of the day working in a chair by your computer then you need a specialist chair. AKracing is a well know gamer brand styled on an automotive seat. Of course you will also be getting up regularly for a little walking exercise, but if you spend significant time at your desk, dont neglect your chair.

Shenzhen Kingswing

I am still very excited about the prospect of a sub 7Kg Electric Powered scooter. I see this as a major advance in portable electrically powered transport. Of course, robustness of the Carbon Fibre shell, motor system, deck height and other factors would be great to test out. If you are listening Kingswing, do call.

Eugene Makes your Trash Can Smart
Website

Ann innovative Internet connected Barcode scanner that you locate by your wastebin. After scanning it tells you how to recycle and also make a note of the fact that youve consumed a particular product.

The founders want to then link this with Supermarkets so that it can then automate or say populate an electronic restock order with your chosen supermarket. This will need Supermarket integration and this will start with French supermarkets for this French product.

Flipflic

Motorise those mechanical blinds to help with home automation. The potential market is huge! Remember from the perspective of energy saving (open when sunny and close at night for example), and security (open and close via schedule whilst away) this innovation can really assist your smarthome implementation.

onTracks

A device to simplify directions especially whilst out on the trail running or cycling. Most serious athletes will know exactly the issue, and during some longer races its still easy to lose route. (Marcus once famously lost over 1 hour trying to check my position in a 22hour plus race, whilst stranded on a cold mountainside).

The Critical Success Factor will be: How easy is it take an arbitrary trail route, via .gpx file or drawing on a visual digital map, and turn this into meaningful turn signals.

Note: of course for urban environments you can already have Google Maps speak over your (say wireless) earbuds precise turn directions. So this product cant easily compete with an existing Google free service, but for trails maybe.

Leti

An inexpensive power meter! Yes, semi-pro cyclists the world over need this. Except they need it in a racing pedal not the one you wear on a cheapo bicycle that you cycle to the grocery store.

I asked and they claimed the design could be adapted to a cleated pedal.

So if they can provide support racing road bikes with users with a particular cleat then this will sell, else IMHO useless.

Kino-Mo

Using a lighted spinning wire a 3D image is generated. Of all the stands in Eureka Park I swear this had the largest crowd. Strange then that website is not very available and YouTube is from 2016. Hmm.

Kickr

DC Rainmaker review Kickr

The 3D headset was just there for show purposes. More ordinarily you can use a projection screen to display your course. In reality cycle trainers like the Kickr allow you to train inside when outside conditions dont allow for it. This is essential for athletes who need to keep up their proficiency for the race season. You are mounting your donor bicycle to the Kickr and see DC Rainmakers summary recommendations here

Winbot

Really, the next step in home cleaning automation & assistance. Our recommendation is to invest in a medium priced product now and gain experience. Clean windows: For Particular people, its a must.

TrackR

There is always a balance to strike between filling your home full of gadgets that you never actually ever need or use. TrackR falls into this category.

You attach a large coin size device to something you wish to track; like your keys, or a car, and then goto a Smartphone app to tell you where it is.

Since its a Bluetooth device tracker once you are out of range it cant find anything. By selecting Crowd GPS on your required Smartphone App a lost device outside of your Bluetooth range if within the range of somebody elses smartphone app that is so enabled, can then be located.

I think in an area where if enough other people have the Crowd GPS function set on this could indeed be a useful anti theft device for possessions like your Bicycle.

Bitdefender

Today you can buy a 2016 Bitdefender Box to help protect you again Internet threats and enhance your home security. The current box is the first generation device and a revised more powerful version shown above will ship mid 2017.

- there is great potential for single simplified Internet, kind of automatic smart firewall device inside your home
- Even if you have your own Firewall structure (we have several Firewalls at home, ) an additional one that does not slow down or impede the existing infrastructure should be considered.
- Bitdefender will supply this new Hardware with a combined software virus subscription, helping justify the price.
- No specs on the 2017 device, this promo CES wrap shows the device here.

Petcube

The Promo video says it all.

Solpad

Perhaps the slickest demonstration we saw during our 4 days at CES was literally an hour before the close on this the last day.

Solpad is an innovative solar panel which has a host of new features.

+ Multi Voltage / Frequency
+ Connect many together
+ Anti theft facility
+ Combine together for aggregate capacity
+ Simplified wiring

To me the biggest innovation is that you can power any arbitrary device in your house electrical circuit by plugging in solpad into one household power socket and then thru a smart adapter plug the device to be powered somewhere else.

This must work by the smart adapter plug measuring the current needed to power your device, then when you switch that device on thru the smart adapter, the smart adapter tells solpad to feed the same current into a different wall socket. In other words solpad selectively feeds in the same power that your unconnected device draws [from the mains]. So the total power drawn at the meter will remain constant from the perspective of the Household electrical charging meter. Brilliant!

On the downside, the native Solar capacity of the panel is less than 100W under full sunlight, so for devices drawing >1000W like a kettle or a fan heater youll need to tap into the stored energy in the units internal battery. Of course that battery is being charged if you leave this unit out in the sun.

So in typical use you can charge the unit up, say on the sunny balcony during the day and use its power later.

The device is over 1000 USD and one would need to do a cost benefit analysis before purchase. Nevertheless impressive.

Basslet

I had put this portable wrist bass vibration bass bracelet in the #Crazy category. But then I watched the promo video. As somebody who enjoys dance and house music I feel like a muppet for not trying this out at the show. I checked their website and its not order-able from Europe. Ah well. If the price was good Id go for it!

Cowarobot

Carry on luggage that can literally follow you around, has inbuilt GPS and a battery and many other features. Not sure about the cost or if any airline security will actually let it thru without a disassembly!