CES 2016: Tuesday, January 5, Some Nifty Stuff Already Seen

The show floor doesn’t open until Wednesday morning, but thanks to the Pepcom’s Tuesday evening press/media-only event, and also to Discover Blue, the Bluetooth press/media event, ShowStoppers’ LaunchIT, and the general miasma of Press Day (press conferences the day before the floor opens), I’ve already seen a bunch of interesting stuff. Here’s a highlight handful. Prices and other info subject to my having taken notes badly, I’ll recheck when I can…

Casio announced its Smart Outdoor Watch, intended, per the name, for people needing/wanting wrist access to information and control, including to stuff on their (smart)phone. E.g., hikers, climbers, bicyclers, fishers. Dual monochrome/color display to stretch battery life and improve visibility. It’s rugged and waterproof. It’s got sensors, and WiFi and Bluetooth. Available April 2016, MSRP around $500.

Lenovo Ideapad Y900 notebook. At 10.1 pounds, and MSRP $1,799, this isn’t for the average mobile worker — but it’s the perfect gift for gaming enthusiast. Available June 2016.

Black and Decker has a new line of Smart, cordless tools, including an interesting light-weight vacuum cleaner… thin, detects whether it’s on floor or carpet, and more.

Both Cujo and BitDefender offer firewall mini-appliances suitable for home and home office, to watch all traffic and block stuff that security on your computer misses. One colleague suggests this is increasingly useful as newer desktop OSs get leakier in a few critical ways.

Kingston will soon offer a 32GB encrypted flash drive, which you unlock directly from the on-drive keypad, rather than having to plug it into a computer (which could compromise the privacy of the key). Rough price, $70ish. Useful for security-on-the-go.

Micro Kickboard has a luggage/scooter combo — carry-on-size luggage that pops out a short scooter and handlebar. Because the bag is in the front, they say it can look like you’re sort of walking, to the casual observer. $299. Not a Back-To-The-Future class hoverboard, or even a Segway, but amusing and for some, useful.

ViaSat is introducing bidirectional satellite-based Internet service. Not mobile, since you need a dish on the ground; intended as better than dial-up, DSL and older satellite services.

Kangaroo has a pocket-sized PC, just add peripherals. Which for the display can be an iPad. Running Windows 10, not Linux. $99.

Privoro can keep your phone secure — while you’re using it. $999, but it’s a different use case than those $30ish Faraday bags.

Ember’s $129 “smart coffee mug” will keep your coffee or other beverage at the target temperature — cool it down, heat it up. Or you could quaff quicker…

On to the show floor, and Wednesday night, to the ShowStoppers’ press/media multivendor event!