CES 2019: Setting the Stage For This Year’s Trends in Tech

The tech world is kicking the new year off right with the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Here, the curtain was pulled back on some of the major trends that are expected to emerge this year, including AI, improved self-driving cars, gaming, 5G technology and more. The four-day event also hosted many keynotes from speakers from Verizon, IBM, AT&T among others.

These were some of the top picks for new tech at CES this year

Sphero Specdrums

Apps and toys to teach children, or even adults to code, are not new, but Sphero has developed a way that may be irresistible for anyone. The Sphero Specdrums work like this: use the app to assign sounds to each color. These sounds can be beats, loops, musical notes, or even just a sound. Then with the silicone ring tap on the colored playpad or record your own sounds and capture your own colors to play on the world around you.  

FenSens

Make your car an intelligent, autonomous car with the FenSens rear-mounted easy to install sensor and app that can warn you if there’s something too close to your vehicle.

KitchenAid Smart Display

This isn’t the first Google Assistant enabled display, but this might be the first one you aren’t worried about having in your kitchen. The KitchenAid Smart Display has a 10–inch screen and the specs you’d expect to find in a smart speaker, but also is IPX5 water and dust resistant, so you can spill near in, drop food on it, anything you’d expect to happen while cooking. The company even suggests that you can wash it in your sink if the need arises.

Samsung GEMS-H

The Gait Enhancing Motivational System (or GEMS) is Samsung’s line of assistive wearable concepts. The GEMS-H is a lightweight lower-body exoskeleton that helps aid in mobility and can even add resistance for injury rehabilitation

FenSens

Make your car an intelligent, autonomous car with the FenSens rear-mounted easy to install sensor and app that can warn you if there’s something too close to your vehicle.

Bell Nexus

Uber and Bell Helicopter partnered with other parties to develop the Bell Nexus, which is essentially an air taxi. The concept goes along with Uber’s goal of launching and on-demand air service by 2023.

BotBoxer

For the techie that is also into fitness, BotBoxer is the answer to the Peloton trend of smart exercise. A punching bag on a stick that is loaded with motion and pressure sensors as well as analytics that can determine your body position and predict where your hits will be so it can react to your movements.

Otter+ Pop Symmetry Series

The convenience of a Popsocket with the safety of an Otterbox case. The Otter + Pop symmetry series lets you maximize your phone with easy swapping of Pop Sockets for personalization.

Royale FlexPai

The first genuine foldable smartphone isn’t really a smartphone at all, it’s a compact tablet with a 7.8 inch display that when doubled over and folded is a fully functional smartphone. It’s not perfected yet, but it is a glance at things to come on the innovation front.

Samsung 75-inch MicroLED TV “The Wall”

Samsung’s first MicroLED TV was introduced last year at CES, but that was mostly to show what was coming. Now, the technology is something that you can have in your own home. The 75 inch TV is going to be massively expensive but will have all the near-perfect picture quality as OLED without the feared durability issues.

BreadBot

While kitchen devices are nothing new to CES, but the enormous BreadBot may be more for bakery usage. The huge appliance says it can make 10 loaves of bread every hour.

Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/

IOT Products To Feel Like You’re Living in 3017

The Internet of Things is a fast-growing market that is creating high powered products that can do everything from managing household tasks to enhancing your marketing strategy.

It is predicted that the IoT market will grow from 15.4 billion devices in 2015 to 30.7 billion devices in 2020 and 75.4 billion in 2025, according to IHS Technology’s report “IoT platforms: enabling the Internet of Things”. These are some of the most futuristic IoT products for a life that Marty McFly would be in awe of.

June Oven

The June Oven calls itself seven appliances in one. The June Oven functions as a convection oven, slow cooker, dehydrator, air fryer, broiler, warming drawer and toaster oven. It comes with a list of over 100 one tap cooking programs for quick and easy cooking. With a mobile app that you can use to turn on the oven, watch live video of your food cooking, and check food temperature, the June Oven is a one-stop shop for futuristic cooking.

CUJO AI

Cujo is an IoT company that gives you a smart firewall to protect your home or business to secure all smart devices and protect them from outside threats, including hackers. Using AI, Cujo is able to personalize the security for each connected device in your network. View your personal analytics, set filters, limits, and alerts so you can stay on top of how your networks functions.

Eight

Eight specializes in smart sleep. Eight’s smart mattresses offer a personalized option to build your most comfortable bed and all are built with technology that can track your sleep patterns, set alarms, and have smart temperature controls to keep you cool or warm. If you already own a mattress you love, Eight also sells a sensor layer that can fit over any mattress that boasts those same features.

Click and Grow

If you’re trying to grow an indoor garden to start growing your own fresh herbs and produce, or if you’re simply trying to combat a lack of a green thumb, the Click and Grow Smart Gardens are a great way to move towards a fresh, sustainable and easy way to garden. Built with NASA developed Smart Soil to ensure the ideal oxygen, nutrient and water configurations and a modular LED lamp arm for a perfectly controlled environment, the perfect garden is only a click away.

Coros Omni Bike Helmet

Enhance your bike ride with a smart helmet that allows you to listen to music, make phone calls, and access audio navigation without blocking out the noise of the outside world that is imperative to your safety. With automatic  LED safety lights and an emergency sensor that alerts your emergency contacts in the case of a collision, your rides have never been safer or more high tech.

ProGlove’s Smart Glove

This glove designed for industrial workers allows for real-time haptic and visual feedback, gesture sensing, and wireless connectivity. Designed to withstand the requirements for safety in industrial conditions, the gloves are also equipped with a barcode scanner for quality control on the floor and assembly line tracking.

Kohler Verdera Smart Mirror

The Verdera Smart Mirror is the first lighted mirror available to consumers with Amazon Alexa embedded. Control other smart Kohler products by voice or with the Kohler Konnect app, as well as access the full functionality of the Amazon Echo; from traffic reports to weather updates, shopping and playing music. With an adjustable voice controlled LED lighting, you’ll ensure that you always look your best. This smart mirror also has built-in motion-activated night lights for easy navigation in the dark.  

Amazon Dash Buttons

Amazon has been pushing their Dash Buttons for a couple years now, but the technology doesn’t get any less enticing. With buttons that connect to your wifi network and link to Amazon’s app, you can simply push the button to order more of the things you need, with a dash button for almost everything, including laundry detergent, paper products, dish soap, batteries, and groceries.

GM’s Marketplace

This in-vehicle commerce platform is the first of its kind. With Marketplace, drivers of GM vehicles can complete errands in a truly efficient manner. Make dinner reservations, find the nearest gas station, order and pay for a coffee and more, without hassle, right from the car’s touchscreen.

Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/

Turn Your Home Into a SmartHome. Without Breaking the Bank

Turning your home into a smart home is a fun but daunting task. Many of the concerns people have when starting their smart home journey stem from how expensive it is to outfit or retrofit your home for everything from automation to voice control. But starting to venture into the land of Alexa and scheduled lighting doesn’t have to break the bank. Get started building your smart home ecosystem with these ideas for a low-budget, high-tech home.

Smart-Home Hub

The key to getting all of your smart devices to communicate is a smart-home hub. The Amazon Echo Dot ($49.99) and the Wink Connected Home Hub ($69) are great lower budget options.

Smart Plugs

Give the appliances you already own and intelligence boost with smart plugs like these from TP-Link ($29.99). These smart plugs make anything a smart device when connected to the TP-Link app, Google Home, Amazon Echo, or Echo Dot.

Smart Bulbs

Smart Bulbs can be expensive and some, like the Phillips Hue, require a hub separate from the voice control system. However, you can purchase less expensive options that also have great feature sets. GE’s C-Life Smart LED bulbs ($13 each) are controlled via Bluetooth and when paired with the C-Reach bridge ($49.99) can be controlled with WiFi and pair with Amazon Echo or Google Home, and TP-Link’s Smart LED bulbs ($19.99) are controlled via WiFi and can connect to your voice assistant without a bridge.

Smart Thermostat

At just under $250, a Nest thermostat isn’t exactly budget friendly, but if you are looking to really control every aspect of your home, there are other budget-conscious smart thermostats out there. Take for example the Ecobee 3 Lite ($169), which can pair with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Echo, and other smart services.

Smart Light Switch

For hands-free or app-controlled lighting beyond the bulbs, the Belkin WeMo light switch ($50) can respond to voice commands and schedule your lighting.

Smart Garage Door

Don’t panic about whether you left the garage door open ever again when you upgrade your garage door controller. The Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub ($99) works with many garage door opener brands, and the MyQ app allows you to control your garage door from anywhere.

Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/

Tech Gifts for Holidays 2017

The holidays are fast approaching, and with Black Friday less than two weeks away, it’s time to start thinking about the gifts you may need for your family and friends. If someone you know is into all of the newest technology, these gifts might be just what they’re hoping for!

Garmin Speak

If you drive a car without an infotainment center, the Garmin Speak is one way to upgrade your vehicle without having to buy a new car. This mountable device with Amazon Alexa voice assistant allows you to control smart devices in your home, ask for directions, and stream music all hands-free. The only thing to consider is that the device runs off of a data connection from a smartphone, so strong network coverage is key to using it to its full potential.

Amazon Kindle Oasis

Water-resistant, super light and thin, Amazon’s new Oasis eReader is a giant step up from previous models the company has released. The Kindle Oasis is available in 8GB and 32GB builds.

GoPro Hero6 Black

This new iteration of the GoPro Hero series comes on the heels of a rather rough year for the action camera company, but this camera is nothing short of exciting, especially for those looking to capture super high quality and high-resolution video. The hero 6 Black can shoot in 4K, has digital motion stability and is just as tough as it’s predecessors. Just make sure your recipient has the proper capabilities for 4K playback.

DJI Spark

The selfie lover will take their pictures to a new level with this tiny camera drone. DJI’s drones are known for their quality, and the Spark is no different. With all the features a novice drone user could want in a small and easily portable design. Perhaps the most exciting feature for selfie queens (and kings) is the gesture control option.

Amazon Echo Spot

For those who haven’t gotten into the hype of the Amazon Echo and Google Home movement, the Echo Spot operates as a high tech alarm clock that does more than just wake you up. Plan the entire day with an alarm clock that can also tell and show you the weather, read the news, set timers and more.

Xbox One X

Though the reviews are mixed about the newest Xbox game console, there is no denying that the powerful console is impressive, especially for those looking to show off 4K picture quality and high-definition visuals.  

iPhone X

The hefty price tag on the new iPhone makes it a controversial choice, but with the reviews that are starting come out, with some calling the iPhone X the best smartphone on the market.  The highly upgraded phone is just the beginning of Apple making high powered and exciting changes to their product lineup making the iPhone X one of the most sought-after tech gifts of the year.

Smartphone Camera Lens Kit

If the iPhone X isn’t in the budget but taking high-quality smartphone photos is a priority for someone on your gift list, a smartphone camera lens kit can upgrade their photos in a flash. From fisheye to macro and wide angle, you can use interchangeable lenses to go beyond the normal smartphone photos. There are many options for these kits available online, so you can look and find the one that will suit your needs.

 Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/

Smart Home Accessory Review

Perhaps our first real familiarity with the idea of smarthomes originated in pop culture, The Jetsons, Tony Stark (Iron Man), Disney Channel’s “Smart House” (1999). But now our perception has changed to a more realistic view.

Automated home security, lights, audio systems and more are all possibilities of the present.

So you have a smart home hub like the Amazon Echo or Google Home, but how do you use it to control all of these things? If you are looking to venture into the world of automation within the home these are some good places to start.

The Apple Home Kit

If you are an Apple product fan you may want to try out the Apple Home Kit. This hub allows you to control all compatible smart home products (lights, shades, thermostat, locks, outlets, garage doors, security systems and more) remotely from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Apple TV. Unfortunately if you are more of an Android fan, this isn’t for you.

Phillips Hue Wireless Dimming Kit

This white light dimming kit itself cannot pair with the Echo or and other larger set-up without the purchase of the Phillips Hue Bridge, but if you are looking for an easy way to control up to 10 lights per remote without setting up or using a hub, this is the way to go. This easy to install and customizable kit is a great first step into home automation.

Lutron Serena Remote Controlled Shades

These smart shades are pricey, but they are easy to use and to install. However, as far as smart capabilities go these shades are lacking in a few key areas. They can be programmed to open and close at certain times, but if you would like them to conserve heat and open and close based on temperature you have to use a third party app. These shades are compatible with Siri, and use the Apple Home Kit and the Caseta Bridge plug, but as anyone knows Siri is very particular and doesn’t always work to it’s full potential. While the shades have cons, they are also compatible with a longer list of other smart home products than many other smart shades.

Nest Home Accessories: Learning Thermostat, Smoke and CO Alarm, Indoor and Outdoor Cameras

All of these accessories are able to be set up in a larger hub using Google Home and Amazon Echo. The thermostat works with your schedules and learns your patterns to save you energy and money. With it’s smart eco-friendly temperature alerts and sleek design, Nest’s thermostat is both effective and attractive. In the same regard, the smoke and CO alarm is able to send notifications to your phone, identify fast and slow burning fires and locate where CO leaks are in your home. And perhaps the most impressive, the indoor and outdoor cameras are able to record, use intercom, and, with a subscription fee for Nest Aware you can access your video history up to 30 days later. You will also get alerts on your phone when the camera sees a person, and never lose power, as the cameras plug in rather than use battery power.

Blink Home Security System

If the idea of wired in home security sounds like too much for you, the Blink system is small but effective. These tiny battery powered cameras have a guaranteed battery life of two years, and replacing the batteries is easy, as they are powered by replaceable AA Lithium batteries. Motion detection, temperature sensors, Echo compatibility and tons of other features have put this home security system on the radar of CNN, Business Insider, Forbes and tons of other publications.

With the addition of these products into your home the smarthome once only referenced in pop culture is closer than you think.

Like this post? Read more at http://steverenner.com/blog-2/