CES Rundown: Tech to Wear, Drive & Control

Based on an early look at the some of the tech being shown at the International CES in Las Vegas, hot topics this year include wearable, drivable and mobile-controllable technologies.

As more than 70 companies displayed their latest innovations at the show’s pre-opening staged for media last night, it appears that innovators are looking to satisfy a range of consumer needs, or, in some cases, perceived needs, many focused on media of varying sorts.

Cordless or wireless were prominent, with Bluetooth ear buds from various companies, such as Yurbuds, which displayed wireless ear buds that automatically synch to a smartphone and are targeted to consumers active in sports. The company had a person wearing the headphones doing backflips in the aisle to show the earphones stayed in. BeeWi also showed a wireless headset, among others.

Then there was Bob, a light bulb that doesn’t go out when the power does (it has a battery built in…duh!) and Holi from France, which showed an iPhone controlled lamp with 50 different ambient lighting settings. The $200 lamp is selling in Europe and coming to the U.S. in March.

And then there were the wearables:

  • RunPhones showed a headband with built-in wireless speakers
  • One company showed wearable cameras with live streaming of whatever you’re looking at
  • Caterpillar phones (yes, as in the tractors) can be dropped from on high or in water and they keep on ticking
  • Misfit wearables to track your activity, as in FitBit

Pelican showed cases for protecting your mobile device, Inopfi showed lightweight devices for wirelessly charging it and OK-Dokeys for adding a door lock that can be opened with it.

Major event of the night was the Chevrolet wired (well, wireless, really) car demo, with three cars on premise with full AT&T Wi-Fi connectivity and a host of GM execs on hand to detail what they’re up to. That’s the way they’ll be coming in the future, they said. The car will be on the network.

But then again, from what we’ve seen so far, everything else will as well.

 

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