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.”

While we have yet to see the killer VR product (or content/experience) that could help spark consumer interest, a number of devices demonstrated at CES are getting strong reviews. We already reported that Razer unveiled its own open source headset, which is tied to the new OSVR Consortium that plans to offer a new test bed for VR developers. Another headset that has been generating a lot of press is the Crescent Bay version of the Oculus Rift, which the company says is the closest it has come to a consumer-ready version. “It was impossible not to shift around to avoid debris thrown by explosions, and virtual bullets whizzing past,” explains TechCrunch. “The new immersive audio tech definitely helps with a sense of immersion, too, and changing the angle and orientation of your head really does change the soundscape in pretty much exactly the way you’d expect.”

3D Printing may have taken a back seat at this year’s CES to the Internet of Things, compelling TV news and a dizzying array of wearables, but the technology still had a strong presence of 50+ companies at the Sands Expo. The 2015 gathering saw more diverse and affordable printers, faster and more precise capabilities, a push into 3D-printed attire, 3D printing with paper and food, design applications for those who don’t want to learn CAD, and perhaps most interestingly, a new era of filaments with a shift from plastics to include wood, metal composite and carbon fiber options. CNET has posted a slideshow with details regarding a few dozen of the more interesting products – ranging in cost from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.

The 2nd Screen Society — formed to address the companion screen viewing of TV and home entertainment — hosted the 2nd Screen Summit on January 5 during CES. Television network, production and creative tech execs gathered at the Encore Las Vegas to discuss this year’s theme — It’s all about the data: “Data is going to be the currency that fuels the entertainment industry in the years ahead and 2nd screen will be the way that data is collected.” The event featured a series of thought-provoking keynote discussions and panels. Continue reading CES: Broadcasters and Execs Gather at 2nd Screen Summit

During the LG press conference at CES earlier this week, Netflix announced that it plans to introduce high dynamic range (HDR) to its 4K UHD streaming sometime this year. While a specific timeline was not revealed, it is expected that the HDR streaming will coincide with the launch of LG’s much talked about OLED TVs. Netflix support for HDR was also announced with Sony; the company’s X900C ultra-thin UHD TV showcased at CES will run on the new Android TV platform and provide access to Netflix 4K. Continue reading Netflix to Introduce High Dynamic Range to its 4K Streaming

In addition to a flood of UHD TVs on the CES show floor this week, and some noteworthy announcements regarding streaming content, physical media fans also have some interesting news. “The Blu-ray Disc Association has confirmed the name of its 4K format (Ultra HD Blu-ray) and many of its capabilities,” reports Engadget, “while the Secure Content Storage Association has its own demo for Ultra HD movies you can download and transfer (almost) at will, with backing from Fox, Warner Bros., Samsung and others.” Panasonic demonstrated its prototype Ultra HD Blu-ray player (we could see discs by the end of this year). And like the BDA, SCSA says its finalized spec is “coming soon.” When it’s ready, the spec will be used by Samsung and M-Go to launch a 4K movie download service.

Energous claims to have a solution to the often imperfect practice of wirelessly charging our mobile devices. The company’s WattUp technology — winner of this year’s Best Innovation from Engadget’s Best of CES — can charge up to 12 gadgets at once within a radius of 15 feet (the closer your device is to the $300 transmitter, the faster the charge). According to The Verge, “Energous’ vision is that your phone, wearables, and other devices will slowly charge throughout the day, preventing you from ever having to actually plug it in or worry about power level.” The tech may one day appear in smartphones and wireless speakers, but in the short term you’ll need to place your phone in a WattUp battery pack.

U.S. consumers may be ready for the connected cars prevalent at CES this week. According to a Harris Poll for AutoTrader.com, a majority of drivers would pay up to $1,499 to have new entertainment and safety features in their vehicles. “Back-up cameras, USB ports and smartphone charging are among the top desires,” reports Bloomberg. “About 55 percent said music streaming services such as those of Pandora Media and Spotify make driving more enjoyable.” At CES, vendors demonstrated self-driving cars, curved touch screens, connection with phones and smartwatches, and more. Accenture says in-vehicle tech is now the top selling point for 39 percent of buyers, while a mere 14 percent are most concerned about horsepower and handling.

CEA gathered a panel of four significant leaders at CES to discuss the current state of the Internet of Things. Panelists from Cisco, Verizon, the city of Los Angeles, and the Zigbee Alliance all see momentum building for a connected world; however, at this still early stage of adoption the most significant and meaningful inroads are happening on a macro scale. As Cisco’s John Chambers noted during a CES keynote panel, the Internet of Everything becomes most meaningful when there is broad participation. Continue reading CES Panel: Is the Internet of Things Poised to Make History?

Aftershokz showed its newest version of direct bone conducting Bluetooth headphones at the 2015 International CES this week. When maintaining situational awareness is necessary, these devices allow natural sounds to travel unimpeded through your ear drums and use the alternative path of passing tiny vibrations through your cheek bones physically to your inner ear. One touch access to calling on any attached smartphone is possible along with equalization presets to maximize them to your preferences. Continue reading Aftershokz Headphones: Stay Connected Through Your Bones

The ONvocal Mix360 Bluetooth headset and phone app allow you to easily balance the volume of your music player, phone, speaking voice, and the ambient noise around you. This is an elegant solution for people who spend a lot of time on the phone while on the go. According to the company, the tech allows Mix360’s “playback to rival the sound quality of a wired connection, and high-performance speakers deliver deep bass, clear vocals, and sparkling highs.” The Mix360, which worked well during its CES demo, sells for $299. Continue reading ONvocal Introduces its Mix360 3-Way Control Headset at CES

A joint research study by NATPE/Content First and CEA indicates that millennials now place more value on Netflix than broadcast and cable TV subscriptions. The findings were presented yesterday at CES. “The biggest takeaway was just how important streaming has become to how millennials, the generation defined as people ages 13 to 34, consume TV content,” notes The Hollywood Reporter. “According to the study, 51 percent of millennials consider Netflix subscriptions very valuable, compared to 42 percent for broadcast channels and 36 percent for cable subscriptions. Young people are also more likely to stream a full-length TV program than watch it live on TV during its original air time or time-delayed on a DVR.”

Speaking at the Variety Entertainment Summit during CES, CBS Interactive President & CEO Jim Lanzone announced that the network’s All Access Internet TV service is a hit with super-fans, and subscribers who pay $5.99 per month are watching twice as much content as regular broadcast viewers. While he did not reveal the number of subscribers, “Lanzone noted that about 10 million U.S. households have broadband but do not pay for cable or satellite TV,” reports Variety. “Lanzone said CBS All Access has been a ‘Rorschach test’ of where industry executives believe television is going. But he maintained that all along, the broadcaster’s goal with the over-the-top service was simply to cater to an audience that wanted to access more of the Eye’s programming, on more devices.”

Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Mercedes parent company Daimler AG, unveiled the F 015 concept luxury vehicle earlier this week at CES. “The front seats can swivel to the rear as the steering wheel recedes into the instrument panel and the car takes control,” Bloomberg explains. “Sculpted open-pore walnut wood veneers and ice-white leather add to the chill-out ambiance of the interior, while six screens allow passengers to interact with the machine via touch, hand gestures and eye-tracking.” The so-called Luxury in Motion prototype, which Zetsche describes as “a mobile living space,” is part of an effort by upscale manufacturers to compete with Google’s push into self-piloted vehicles. At CES, Audi showcased an autonomous A7, which arrived in Las Vegas after a 560-mile journey.