Category Archives: video

Spün’s Smart Spoon Counts Calories at CES

February 9, 2016ces, health, Interview, Special Media, videoces, CES2016, diet, food, Health, Interview, nutrition, videoAndrew

It seems like everyone’s counting calories these days but much of the time it’s not convenient or accurate. My calorie book says that banana has 102 calories but what size banana is that? Anyway, to help with this first world problem is Spün Utensils – that’s Spün as in “spoon” – and Scott finds out more from founder, Umar Bakhsh.

Spün uses a combination of technologies to count those calories. First, you take a picture of your plate loaded with food with the Spün app. The app identifies the individual portions of food – ham, eggs, potatoes – and gets you to confirm that it’s got it right. You then use the Spün smart utensil and as you eat from the plate, it works out the calories consumed. After so many mouthfuls, the app will let you know how many calories you’ve chomped, along with a breakdown of the food types.

The utensil itself is stylishly designed with interchangeable heads – there’s a fork and two sizes of spoon. No knife as everyone knows you don’t eat from knives!

Expected price is US$75 with general availability in June 2016. Pre-orders are being taken on the web site here, though at the moment it looks like it’s only registering interest.

Scott Ertz is a software developer and video producer at F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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Somabar Robotic Bartender mixes it up at CES

February 9, 2016ces, Home Automation, Interview, Special Media, videobeverage, ces, CES2016, Interview, kitchen, videoAndrew

The Somabar is robotic personal bartender that makes over 300 different drinks and listens to your drunken maudlin without complaining. Originally a Kickstarter project, the Somabar mixes spirits and infuse bitters to make the perfect cocktail in seconds. Scott drinks it all in with Dylan Purcell-Lowe, CEO of Somabar.

Neatly designed for the stylish home, the Somabar has six owner-refillable Soma Pods which hold liquid ingredients of choice, whether spirits, bitters or fruit juices. A connected smartphone app is used to call up the cocktail of choice which is then thoroughly mixed and dispensed by the Somabar. If there’s a particular recipe that you enjoy, it can be programmed into the app and the Somabar for your own custom drink.

The Somabar is currently in pre-order for US$429 with an expected delivery in July.

Of course, GNC always recommends responsible drinking and following alcohol consumption guidance as set by the relevant health body in your country.

Scott Ertz is a software developer and video producer at F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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iRig Pro DUO for Recording on the Road

February 7, 2016audio, ces, Interview, Special Media, videoaudio, ces, CES2016, Interview, portable, videoAndrew

The iRig Pro DUO is the first portable dual channel mixer for recording to smartphones or laptops. Palm-sized, this is perfect for travelling and recording an impromptu jam on the road. Daniel hears more from IK Multimedia‘s Starr.

Powered by AA batteries, USB or DC jack, the iRig Pro DUO has dual XLR / 1/4″ combo inputs, along with a MIDI interface. Output is through two 1/4″ TRS jacks or digitally to smartphone, laptop or PC, whether iOS, Android, Mac or Windows. The DUO includes a plethora of cables, including Lightning and USB cables.

The iRig Pro DUO is available now for around US$200.

Daniel J. Lewis is the host of the award-winning podcast about podcasting, The Audacity to Podcast. Daniel helps others launch and improve their own podcasts for sharing their passions and finding success.

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iKlip A/V Smartphone Mount

February 7, 2016camera, Interview, microphone, smartphone, Special Media, videocamera, ces, CES2016, Interview, microphone, smartphone, videoAndrew

You’re covering an event and travelling light with a smartphone for video. For audio, you’ve got your radio mic but where’s the receiver to go? IK Multimedia have got it covered with the iKlip A/V smartphone mount for broadcast professionals. Daniel gets a demo from Starr.

The iKlip A/V is the first portable mount with a built-in pre-amp, allowing HD video from the smartphone to be matched with high quality audio from a radio mic. The mount can hold most standard-sized smartphones, and on the other side, there’s a XLR connection for the receiver. Output from the amp is a TRRS 3.5mm jack which is plugged into the smartphone to give great sound quality.

The iKlip A/V is expected to go on sale in Q2 2016 for around US$179.

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IK’s iKlip Grip is a Pro Selfie Stick

February 4, 2016Accessory, camera, ces, Interview, Photography, Special Media, videocamera, ces, CES2016, Interview, photography, videoAndrew

IK Multimedia‘s iKlip Grip shows the clear difference between a professional monopod and the much maligned selfie stick. IK’s Starr gives Daniel a demo of the Grip and shows why it deserves to be in your travel bag.

The iKlip Grip is a multifunction smartphone video stand that can work as a monopod or trip, can hold smartphones either vertically or horizontally, or can hold any camera with a standard screw mount, such as a GoPro. There’s a complementary Bluetooth shutter remote control.

It’s all very well done; for example, the tripod feet fold up neatly into the handle, and whatever your feelings are about vertical video, it’s great to have that option in case it’s needed.

The iKlip Grip is available now for $69.99. Much better value than that no-name clone selfie stick!

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Panasonic Lumix ZS100 4K Camera

February 2, 2016camera, ces, Interview, Photography, Special Media, videocamera, ces, CES2016, Interview, panasonic, photography, videoAndrew

The new Panasonic Lumix ZS100 comes with a raft of features that make it a little bit different from the average pocket snapper (and a price to match). Daniel chats with Darin Pepple from Imaging with Panasonic to review the ZS100’s features.

To start with, the ZS100 has a 1″ 20 megapixel sensor, which is huge for a camera in this class and gives good depth of field control. And then there’s a whole bunch of tricks such as taking a still from a 4K video or a post focus mode which captures a series of apparently out-of-focus shots from which you then choose the feature to focus on and everything snaps into focus on that point.

The camera comes with a companion app for smartphones and there’s wifi connectivity built in, so you can see on the smartphone (or tablet) what the camera sees.

Available in mid-March for US$699 online and from good photography stores. Outside of the US, the camera may be called the TZ100.

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Healbe GoBe Wearable Calorie Counter

February 2, 2016ces, health, Interview, Special Media, videoces, CES2016, Health, Interview, nutrition, videoAndrew

Imagine being able to calculate your calorific intake without all the measuring, the weights, the kilo-this and calorie that. Healbe reckons they can do it automatically with their GoBe, a wrist-worn tracking device. Jamie checks it out with George Mikaberydze, Co-founder at CES Unveiled.

On first inspection the GoBe looks like a bigger than average strap mounted fitness tracker but turning the device over shows that it perhaps does a little bit more. The GoBe uses Healbe’s patented FLOW Technology to measure calorie intake through the skin by reading the glucose in your cells. The changes in glucose lets the device accurately estimate the calories consumed at each meal. As you’d expect from any fitness tracker, the GoBe measures activity, heart rate, sleep, hydration and stress.

The GoBe and the FLOW technology is not without its critics but there’s an interesting article at the BBC where the writers conduct a supportive though unscientific experiment.

The GoBe is available now for US$249.99 from Healbe.

Jamie Davis is the host of Health Tech Weekly at HTWeekly.com. He is a nurse, paramedic and health journalist.

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