Imagine a room filled with people, cameras, and microphones. Booths that line the walls and make artificial corridors in the convention room, show the latest technology and are thronged, offering stiff competition to the endless supply of free drinks, and tasty ravioli, ziti with meat sauce, all you can eat giant shrimp (and yes I know that’s an oxymoron), sushi and more.
I’ve just landed in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show and I’m both starving – hey, the airline-supplied peanuts and orange juice is just not enough to tide me over – and eager to explore the new wonders promised. I’m also in sensory overload, and loving it.
I know I’ll be going back to see more of these products, but here are some of the really cool things that caught my attention.
Zomm is one of them. They call it the world’s first Bluetooth wireless leash for mobile phones. Yeah. Okay, what it is – is a really small, key chain size slick colorful disk that sounds an alarm if you wander away from your phone. It’s an award-winner because it also sports a call notification with speaker phone, a panic alarm that will work world wide. There’s also a very sweet family story behind the name — it stands for Zachry, Olivia, Madison, and Mom.
Zomm isn’t the only security tag technology – although it could be the cutest. NIO (TM) also has a very clever Bluetooth security system. Attach the tag to something important, and load the software on your phone and the two items communicate to make sure you don’t wander off or lose one or the other.
Wireless charger pads entranced me. Charge the pads up before you leave and then simply place your device on the pad and it charges up. And, they are coming out with netbook chargers. Again, lay it on the pad and it charges. No wires to drag with you. I’m told that some digital cameras will also charge up on these pads. As someone who drags chargers and cables all over the world, this sounds pretty good. The system folds up to a small package.
You can also charge the pad up before you leave, and you’ll be set to go.
More? – iGo Green (TM) has outlets that automatically shut down when your electronic device is fully powered. Know how you plug something in and then walk away. Come back the next morning perhaps? All that time there is a trickle of electricity. These outlets sense when the device is charged, and cut off that trickle.
MSI offers a full range of computers, but their netbooks should be considered by travelers. The smaller and less stylish one will run for over 17 hours (yes, you did read that correctly). Price point? About $400. Their new wireless notebook battery charger works without a power cord. Set the notebook on the wireless battery charging pad and charge away.
Will wonders never cease? Tomorrow will bring more.