The 2015 CES saw some interesting high-end audio products, one of which may be a surprise to those who remember playing cassettes in the 1970s-1980s. Sony has revived its iconic Walkman, but this time in digital form delivering high-quality sound. The $1,200 portable Walkman NW-ZX2 (an update to the $700 NW-ZX1) supports high-resolution audio files. “High-resolution audio isn’t new,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “However, earlier formats including DVD-Audio or Super-Audio CD, both of which were delivered on physical discs, failed to gain popularity. High-resolution audio in the form of digital files has a better chance of market success, analysts say, since they can be uploaded and downloaded over the Internet.”

According to a new Pew Research study, American adults are increasing their use of traditional social networks, while teens are spending more time with messaging services such as Snapchat. Facebook use has leveled off, but Pew points to increases in the use of Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Twitter. Pew found that adult Facebook users log in at least once per day, while almost half of Instagram users visit daily, and 36 percent of Twitter users visit daily (a drop from 46 percent in 2013, which Twitter refutes). Continue reading Pew Research Study Says U.S. Adults Using More Social Media

At CES in Las Vegas, DJI introduced a really well thought out production tool — the new Inspire 1 flying platform. With a transforming aerodynamic shape, the ship moves the landing gear up and away from the camera allowing the operator an unprecedented motion-compensated, unobstructed view of the scene below. The modular camera/gimbal support system can be removed for transport and future upgrades. It can even be used with an accessory hand mount to become an instant steady camera system. Continue reading DJI Inspire 1 Flying Platform: 4K Dual Control Drone System

Paris-based myBrain Technologies introduced its first product at CES this week — the audio-based stress reducer Melomind. The electroencephalograph (EEG)-measuring headset connects to your phone and gives an indication of your “stress level” recorded in real time. The accompanying app then chooses a selection of music composed by the team’s sound designers to improve and control the user’s mental state. The 15-minute relaxation sessions help teach the users how to relax by employing their brain activity to modulate the music. Continue reading CES: Melomind Aids Relaxation with Mind-Controlled Audio

This year in Las Vegas, our reporting team posted a collection of images that help paint a vivid picture of the overall CES experience. From keynotes, panel discussions and supersessions to press events, booth visits, and CES Unveiled, you won’t want to miss it. The collection features great shots of UHD TVs from Samsung, Sony, TCL, LG and Panasonic; 4K camcorders; an array of wearables; a fleet of connected cars; the latest in VR and AR; drones that took flight from the show floor, and some of their camera rigs; and much more. Many of the photos are accompanied by informative captions, so be sure to click on an image of interest to learn more. You can access our collection via the ETCentric homepage (lower right hand side) or directly via our Flickr photostream.

A few weeks prior to CES, we reported that Samsung was expected to unveil a 34-inch, 21:9 curved monitor with Ultra-WQHD+ resolution (3,440 x 1,440) that offers “a more immersive visual experience.” Samsung delivered — and its $1,200 display got rave reviews in Las Vegas. “We were in love with Samsung’s SE790C Curved Monitor from the moment we laid eyes on its sleek contours,” reports Mashable. “The wide screen gives you tons of real estate — it really feels like you have two monitors when you’re looking at it. Colors looked excellent on a few still photos that Samsung cued up as well as on a few media websites.” LG also announced a 34-inch, 21:9 UltraWide curved monitor designed specifically for gamers, while Philips introduced its own 34-inch, curved IPS display with MultiView technology.

Osterhout Design Group, maker of military smart goggles, brought a pair of smart glasses to CES that look more fashionable than Google Glass and other competitors. Fashioned after the iconic Wayfarer sunglasses, ODG’s smart specs weigh in at four ounces and offer a virtual 720p screen floating a few feet in front of the user’s face. Controls are operated via a Bluetooth ring controller, a tiny touchpad and buttons. “Remember, though, that ODG’s Android specs are intended for a different purpose than Google Glass,” explains Mashable. “Where Glass brings you glanceable information to enhance the moment you’re in, augmented reality offers near-full immersion. Of course, it all depends on the app you’re running, but right now Android proper isn’t exactly a glance-oriented OS.”

In The New York Times today, David Carr writes of a different CES than what has generally been reported during the recent week. Carr describes an event that is no longer just about new tech, gadgets and services, but is growing into a major meeting place for deal-making between Hollywood, Madison Avenue, the tech community, and additional industries — an event that has become “a kind of Woodstock for marketers, brands, agencies and media companies.” According to Michael Kassan, founder of MediaLink: “There’s been a mash-up between chief technology officers and chief marketing officers as what they do becomes more interrelated. Now it has taken off, and it’s the place where Google talks with Unilever and Facebook gets together with Kraft.” (Thanks to community member Lee Lanselle for bringing this interesting article to our attention.)

A well-funded startup called Gogoro unveiled its electric Smartscooter at CES. The company plans to introduce the e-scooter and its battery stations to urban areas (according to the UN, the number of mega-cities with more than 10 million residents nearly tripled from 1990 to 2014). “The Smartscooter runs on two lithium-ion battery packs that the driver can easily retrieve from under the seat,” explains Smithsonian. “The impressive plan calls for battery charging and swapping stations the size of ATMs that allow drivers to replace in seconds a depleted battery with a charged one.” Co-founder and CEO Horace Luke, former chief innovation officer at HTC, has raised $50M in venture capital from Taiwanese investors and is working on raising a $100 million round. The goal is to provide city transportation that is convenient, clean and cost effective.

“This year’s CES had the feel of a World’s Fair,” writes Molly Wood for The New York Times. “There were futuristic BMWs zipping around the streets surrounding the Las Vegas Convention Center, drones buzzing through the air inside and outside the convention center, and just about everywhere you looked a vision of roboticized homes that take perfect, synchronized care of their inhabitants. There was even 3D-printed food.” Wood describes an energy in the desert that has been lacking in recent years, but also offers a compelling look at how much of the tech generating buzz this past week is based on “big ideas” introduced much earlier. A home automation system was demonstrated in 1934, GM imagined an automated highway system in 1939, Morton Heilig patented the Sensorama immersive viewing system (with head-mounted display) in 1962. Wood provides some fascinating context regarding what it takes for innovation to eventually impact our lives.

Speaking at CES, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler hinted that the agency could reclassify broadband as a public utility (telecommunications service). Those in opposition of such a move, fearing increased federal regulation, include the broadband industry as well as some Republican lawmakers and conservative groups. Wheeler also accused broadcasters of slowing plans for spectrum auctions. While he remains optimistic that auctions would still begin next year, he expressed disappointment “that the broadcasters have slowed things down by filing suit.” Continue reading FCC Chair Hints That Broadband is Likely To Be Reclassified

Several augmented reality devices debuted at CES this week, but Epson’s Moverio BT-200 offers one of the more complete experiences to-date. The glasses run Android 4.0 from a wired smartphone-like controller and provide a full-color image in the center of the user’s field of view. Sensors for the device include a camera, accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and compass. The product is not consumer ready, but priced at less than half that of Google Glass ($699.99), it is a promising platform for developers to build an app library for AR. Continue reading Epson Moverio BT-200 Making Strides Toward Immersive AR

IK Multimedia is shipping its $100 iRig Mic Field — a tiny stereo condenser field microphone that faces two ways. The company says it is the first such ultra-compact solution for field recording on the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The iRig Mic Field is an easy way to record high quality interviews or video. It features a rotatable enclosure that works in landscape or portrait mode, especially useful for video with Lightning connector equipped devices. Additionally, the iRig Recorder app is available on the iTunes Store. Continue reading IK Multimedia Showcases iRig Mic Field for Audio and Video

ChargerLeash showed its smart charging cables at CES that sound off when you unplug your phone or tablet to remind you not to forget your charging device. They support a wide range of phones and tablets by measuring the specific high and low current states and alarm when they see the power use cease. Equipped with a sleep button for times that you want to leave the cable attached, it is easily possible to turn off the alarm with a simple touch. The company was promoting its Gen 2 Pro Series line. Continue reading ChargerLeash Demos Line of Smart Charging Cable at CES

Sony went all in on 4K this year, with compelling ways to watch and create UHD content. Its 55- and 65-inch XBR-X900C is its thinnest LCD TV to date with a unique design that makes it appear as if it is floating. To provide some context, the X900C has a miniscule depth of 7.1mm, which is thinner than LG’s 55-inch OLED TV — in fact, it’s thinner than the iPhone 6 (check it out via videos from Digital Trends and CNET). Sony also introduced some affordable 4K camcorders, scheduled for February availability, including the $500 FDR-X100V 4K Action Cam, a GoPro rival that shoots Ultra HD video at 30fps, 1080p at 120fps or 720p at 240fps. “Bigger — but not by much — is the new HDR-AX33 Handycam, which is the smallest handheld 4K camcorder Sony has released to date,” reports Wired. The $1,100 camera “shoots 3,840 x 2160 XAVC S video at 30p and 24p, and it has built-in Wi-Fi that enables it to live-stream footage to Ustream.”