CES: Digital Go-Go-Go

Click banner for more Technovation

See previous post: CES: eHealth, iSleep, uRelax?

Live TV reception on the go…on your cellphone? While there are some logistical issues to iron out, this was a buzz magnet at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Soon, more than half of TV viewing time will be spent watching streamed video from the Internet, according to Cisco Systems research.

Since I was the only bicycling reporter covering the show, and possibly the only attendee commuting there on personal-powered wheels, I’m going to focus this dispatch on some cool products for active travelers who don’t have time to watch the telly. And you’ll find others in my previous CES post, Sweat Tech and Buff Stuff.

Check these out:

Olloclip 3 in 1 camera lens for iPhones. Source: olloclip.com

Olloclip. This is so trick: a slip-on camera lens for your iPhone. This 3 in 1 lens accessory sports a large fisheye on one side; flip it over and you get a wide-angle and macro precision set on the other. Inventor Patrick O’Neill showed me how to unscrew the wide-angle to access the macro. Want a 180 degree field of view? Focal distance of 13mm for amazing 10X macro shots? You got it. O’Neill is a photographer who used Kickstarter creativity funding to finance development of a lightweight, elegant lens solution for cellphone cameras. This one works with apps like Instagram, Hipstamatic and Super 8. At the Showstoppers CES sideshow, he displayed some gorgeous shots taken by his initial customers. $70.

Speck's Kindle Fire FitFolio. Source: www.speckproducts.com

Kindle Fire and other eReader travel cases by Speck. A great choice for frequent travelers is the $39.95 multi-tasking WanderFolio, which cradles your Kindle and keeps your ID and other essentials safely stashed in the hideaway pockets. The $34.95 FitFolio is trimmer and converts to a sturdy stand. Speck earns kudos for its attractive and functional designs, combining design expertise with user feedback.

LifeProof lets you safely shoot and snap on bike, skis, skates. Photo by Robin Tierney

LifeProof water-proof, shock-proof iPhone accessories. I don’t have an iPhone, but am sufficiently jazzed about LifeProof in Motion gear to get one. So you can swim laps, snorkel, kayak, bomb down mountains on bike, motorcycle cross-country, skate, ski, sky dive and, well, jog with the confidence that your mobile device is protected. Swim 6 feet deep, drop it 6 feet on concrete (2 meters). It’s designed to military specifications, says LifeProof CEO Gary Rayner. The protective case is streamlined and unobtrusive, has a snug profile, is touch-sensitive yet stands tough against dirt, water, rain, snow, grit, goo, spilled libations. The developers sought and apparently found optimal strength-to-weight ratio. And you can film crystal-clear HD video and snap photos through the screen protector. I saw proof from someone’s Australian vacation. And wait there’s more: it turns your iPhone into a GPS system. All buttons are accessible, even when you use LifeProof’s Go Pro Mount. Prices: $79.99 for the case, $39.99 for the Bike and Bar Mount (great for shooting video when you’re zipping along on bike, skates or your personal zen, and a $29.99 super-durable and flexible clip. Coming in March: a $49.99 LifeProof Armband/Swimband.

txtRng finger stylus set. Source: http://www.txtrng.com/

txtRng;). This stylish stylus combines a pair of finger rings for precise, ergonomically correct “on-hand” typing. Great for anyone, including those with thick fingers and limited mobility. I found them in the Eureka Zone, a haunt for start-ups. Sized in large, medium and small, the comfy rings are made from high-grade silicon and top-quality capacitive rubber.
$29.99.

Don't drop it, Grablet. Photo by Robin Tierney

Grablet. This is a fun and functional product that will free you from worry when using your iPad in unstable situations from standing in line to sitting next to kids and fidgety adults on planes to hanging upside from a high-wire. The company staffers performed lots of wrist-flips and arm windmills to show how the newly released thingie lives up to the slogan, “Don’t Drop It, Just Grablet.” Even when only two of the four corners were engaged with the iPad. $39.99.

Solar Kindle Reader Cover. Source: www.solarmio.com

SolarKindle Reader Cover. SolarFocus Technology Company Ltd. unveiled its eco-friendly, practical sun-powered e-reader cover. This CES award-winner features a high-performance solar panel built into the cover with a dual-charging USB/solar reserve battery that offers three months of unplugged Kindle use under normal sunlight environment. Plus the built-in LED reading lamp can be powered continuously for up to 50 hours without using the Kindle’s main battery for use day or night, indoors or outdoors. Travel on! To hit stores later this month; $79.99.

Bicycling reporter eyeing Postcards on the Go. By Robin Tierney

Postcard on the Run. Turn digital photos into actual old-school postcards using this neat mobile app for Android and iOS. Snap a photo, write a message, and send it off to folks in your address book and they’ll receive a high-quality custom postcard in the mail for just a nominal postage cost.

LoJack for Laptops. Absolute Software’s software-based service tracks, locates and recovers stolen laptops, tablets and smartphones, including iOS and Android devices. One year $39.99.

iNuke Boom boom box

Audio find of the day: the iNuke. To command attention for its EUROSOUND brand of concert quality wallet-friendly docks, soundbars and Bluetooth speakers, Behringer blasted its iNuke Boom, the loudest iPad, iPod and iPhone dock ever. Though not so wallet-friendly. The 8 foot wide, 4 foot tall, 700-pound monster speaker pumps out 10,000 watts of power for $29,999.99

Next: Power trippin’ – energy breakthroughs to power your gadgets and home.

About Robin Tierney

Bicycling, hiking, award-winning writer and photographer who covers active travel, plant-based cuisine and green, aware living. Ethos: vote with your dollars, live in harmony with nature....

See full bio »