The Consumer Electronics Show took place at the Las Vegas Convention Center and I got to go again this year.
I haven’t noticed anything that’s rocked my world but have found a number of interesting gadgets.
One of the cool things I saw at CES is called Bikn. Pronounced “beacon.” It’s comprised of a case for your iPhone, and tags that you put on anything physical that you want to keep track of. Say, your keys. Your umbrella. Your dog. Your car! Boy, I sure could have used this setup just today when I couldn’t remember if I’d parked my car in this hotel garage or that, and wandered for seemingly ever. If I’d had Bikn in the car, I could have used the app to figure out where the car was and saved a half hour of walking. I know. Bonehead. Kind of cool thing about the Bikn is that even if your phone is out of power, you should be able to find it because the Bikn is not looking for the phone… it’s looking for the case holding it.
Bikn isn’t out yet but should be within the next few weeks. Meantime you can give them your email address, at www.bikn.com, and they’ll let you know when it’s ready to order. The initial unit and one tag goes for about $100; pairs of extra tags about $50.
Another doohickey I really like is the iKeep, which plugs in to your iPhone and then hooks to your belt loop. It’s got a retractable leash on it, that’s just short enough that your iPhone won’t hit the floor if you drop it, unless you’re really really short. They’ve got another one, too, that plugs into the wall for recharging. They come in black, white, gold, silver, blue, pink and yellow. The non-charging one costs about $20. The charger is $50. A lot, perhaps. But as an added bonus feature, the charger has its own built in adaptor and can also be used to power Blackberry, Android and other devices. Available at www.poldera.com.
On the subject of recharging, a couple of companies are presenting combination standard AC electrical/USB outlets. Depending on the model there’s either one or two standard sockets, plus one or two USB sockets all in the same wallplate. The photo to the right is of one from OWC. It’s called Newer Technology® Power2U AC/USB Wall Outlet. They say theirs is compatible with Apple’s iPad, iPhone and iPods, plus Android tablets and phones, gaming systems, Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras and so forth. I’m installing them in my home. The kitchen, first. The outlets in there are at a premium and this way if I want to charge my phone or keep it powered up while reading a recipe off it, I don’t have to sacrifice a standard AC outlet to do it.
It’s easy to install. There’s even a video tutorial on their website in case you’re trepidatious. You turn off the power to the outlet you want to replace, turn a few screws to take out the old outlet, and turn a few more screws and you’ve got the very latest in power supplies. About $28 at eshop.macsales.com.
