Polar has introduced a new Polar heart rate monitor strap called the Polar H10, a sensor that wraps around your chest to keep track of your heart rate as you move about or exercise. This strap, as with a couple of other Polar models, is compatible with your GoPro devices to overlay heart rate data onto your action camera videos, providing yourself and viewers with an extra layer of data.
NVIDIA SHIELD has suddenly begun to look like a smart home master this week at CES 2017, adding Google Assistant and SmartThings to take the IoT in one swift stroke. For new users, all that's needed is the NVIDIA SHIELD TV device - it includes a standard TV remote and a gaming remote, both of which have microphones to accept voice commands. NVIDIA SPOT also has a microphone as well as a speaker, acting as an extension of the smart home functionality of NVIDIA SHIELD with Google Assistant and SmartThings connectivity.
Sennheiser, on the heels of its intriguing earbuds for recording binaural audio, has unveiled a new pair of in-ear headphones called the HD1. These earbuds are wireless thanks to Bluetooth 4.1; they feature Qualcomm apt-X, support for the AAC codec, and the neckband design that has polarized users since its first arrival on the market. Custom machined components, in part, contribute to a high sound quality.
Ford is adding gas-paying abilities to its SYNC 3 infotainment system, allowing drivers to pay at the pump without going anywhere near its grubby keys. The technology sees Ford integrate ExxonMobil's Speedpass+ technology in a new SYNC 3 app. It'll be supported at around 9,400 gas stations across the US.
The Internet of Things may be the next big marketing pitch, but battery life, installation hassles, and general complexity can make upgrading to the smart home a headache. Promising Bluetooth simplicity and no tools required, Switchmate brought its latest range of battery-powered IoT gadgets to CES 2017 this week. Like the company's first product they're designed to be renter-friendly, but they also expand the number of devices you can add remote control to.
It's almost never too early to begin learning about robotics - that's what LEGO seems to be telling us with LEGO Boost. The LEGO Boost system is a platform aimed at children 7-years and up. This is decidedly different from previous LEGO robotics sets offered in the past, like the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 which requires a bit more skill than most 7-year-olds are able to muster to make full use of.
Alpine, the aftermarket car accessories maker, has taken to CES 2017 to announce its first in-dash receiver/infotainment system with wireless support for Apple's CarPlay. Dubbed the iLX-107, the unit features a 7-inch touchscreen, but more importantly it will allow iPhone users to connect their device over WiFi instead of a Lightning cable.
Amazon's voice assistant Alexa is coming to a number of new devices this year — including the smartphone — but Ford will be the first to integrate it into their cars. The two companies announced at CES 2017 that starting later this month vehicles outfitted with Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system will begin working with Alexa from the home, while sometime this summer drivers will be able to speak to Alexa from the road.
Just because smartwatches have trouble finding their place in the world doesn’t mean traditional watches don’t can’t become smarter. That is the line of thinking behind what is aptly called hybrid watches or hybrid smartwatches, adding just a pinch of technology to otherwise traditional, but gorgeous, timepieces. At CES 2017, fashion accessory maker Fossil is announcing yet another set of such hybrid smartwatches for its Q brand of smart wearables, the Q Accomplice, Q Grant, and Q Modern Pursuit, all focusing on slim designs to match your fashion taste.
Along with virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, artificial intelligence has become one of the biggest obsessions in the technology industry in recent years. Even car makers are getting into the game as well, offloading some of the control, and even some of the responsibility, to computer-driven agents. Honda's latest concept vehicle, the NeuV, is perhaps the embodiment of how far car makers are willing to go in mixing AI and cars. In addition to be a self-driving electric vehicle, the NeuV has a smart assistant that can "read" your emotions and even earn you money on the sides.
CES has always been a smorgasbord of treats for lovers of technology of all shapes and sizes, and gamers are no exception. From Samsung's first ever gaming laptop to the new PC and Mac loving GeForce NOW, there have been a lot of goodies waiting for twitching fingers. Not to be outdone, MSI has revealed in one fell swoop all the new things it has to offer, from traditional gaming laptops to VR rigs with 3D audio to blazing fast graphics cards extra cold cooling systems.
Camera makers have more or less dabbled in the mobile market, whether with devices or with accessories, but few have actually made a serious effort to plant a foot there. Kodak’s Ektra is the lone exception, practically doing what the likes of Samsung’s “Zoom” or Nokia’s PureView smartphones have attempted: to offer a better digital camera experience than even the best smartphone cameras. At CES 2017, Kodak is answering the biggest question of all: it the Ektra coming to the US? And the answer is a resounding yes, though you might not be too excited about the price.
