Tag Archives: CES 2018

KODAK PIXPRO Showcases Next Generation Cameras at CES 2018



When you think of cameras, KODAK is likely one of the first brands that comes to mind. They have a long history of providing innovative cameras for professionals and hobbyists. KODAK PIXPRO showcased several of their next generation cameras at CES 2018.

Todd spoke with Tracy from KODAK PIXPRO at CES 2018. KODAK PIXPRO focuses on digital cameras. The cameras they showcased at CES 2018 offer a lot of technology for a great value.

KODAK PIXPRO Orbit360 4K VR camera has a single body with two lenses on it. It is compact, freeze proof, dust proof, shock proof, and can be dropped six feet and still be ok. In addition to being a 360 camera, it is also a 4K 197 degrees of view camera that can be used as an action cam. You can upload 360° videos and photos to Facebook and YouTube.

The Orbit360 4K VR camera comes with a Satellite Pack of accessories and is priced at $549.99.

In addition, Tracy pointed out the features of several other KODAK PIXPRO cameras. This includes an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera, the newest Astro Zoom bridge model with a 102x zoom, and a professional action cam.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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Barclays Contactless Payment Possibilities at CES 2018



In the United States, many people make purchases with their credit card. In the UK, contactless payment is booming. Barclays has a mantra – to give its customers a choice about ways to pay. The choices include contactless payment via a chip that is located inside a common object.

Todd spoke with Adam from Barclays at CES 2018. Barclays Bank has always been at the pioneering end of innovation. They are integrating contactless payments into normal form factors. Barclays has the smallest contactless payment card on the market. They use it to make non-smart devices smart.

The Barclays contactless payment card is small enough to be integrated into items you already use: fitness bands, watches, car key fobs, or jewelry. Companies who make those items partner with Barclays. The result is that people can make small contactless payments with their car key fob without having to enter a PIN number.

Barclays contactless payment option is currently available in the United Kingdom. It is not yet available in the United States.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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Wiidii is the First Hybrid Personal Assistant at CES 2018



Personal digital assistants are useful, but they have their limits. Some have difficulty understanding a person who has an accent. There are tasks that personal assistants are simply not ready to do yet. This can lead to frustration. Wiidii solves this problem with the first hybrid personal assistant.

Todd spoke with Anissa from Wiidii at CES 2018. Wiidii (pronounced “weedy”) is a personal hybrid assistant. It is an application on your phone that combines an artificial intelligence with human personal assistance.

Wiidii has a machine that is able to understand human language. No matter how you ask a question, the way you talk, or the accent you have – Wiidii is going to understand what you are asking. The machine personal assistant knows its limitations and is able to turn your request over to a human personal assistant who can complete tasks such as making a dinner reservation at a restaurant for you.

Wiidii currently understands French, English, Chinese Mandarin, German, and Spanish. Wiidii sells their service to partner companies who either use it internally or sell it as a service to their customers or providers. The service is not directly available to individual consumers.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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The Turtles are Back with Root Robotics at CES 2018



When I watched Don’s interview with Raphael, I was transported back to my school days in the early 1980s and adventures with a BBC Micro ‘B’, Logo and a Turtle. While the user interface is definitely better, the patterns on the paper look just the same! To be fair to Raphael and Root Robotics, their turtle does do a bit more – it has over 50 sensors and actuators.

Root’s approach is to use the robot as a fun way to introduce coding to children and young adults. The coding environment has three modes, with simplest using big colourful blocks, through to the most complex which uses Swift, Python and JavaScript. The robot itself retains the pen for drawing patterns but today’s turtles are magnetic for sticking to white boards and have a dry eraser to wipe off pen trails. The robot has over 50 sensors and actuators so it can move and draw, but it can also sense touch, measure light levels and feel edges and walls. It’ll play music, respond to button presses and flash lights. Very impressive.

The Root robot will be shipping in June 2018 for US$199. Pre-orders are open.

Don Baine is the Gadget Professor and gives lectures at TheGadgetProfessor.com.

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Hopen Family Bridges Generations and Distance at CES 2018



Today, families stay connected to each other through smartphones and the internet. We post family photos and videos on social media websites, and our family members who live far away can see it. Grandparents who don’t use the internet or a smartphone miss these moments. Hopen Family has a solution that will bring grandparents back into the center of the family.

Todd spoke with Nelly from Hopen Family at CES 2018. They created a smart device that bridges generations and distance. Plug the Hopen Family smart key into your grandparent’s TV. You can send photos, videos, and short messages to their TV.

Your grandparent can view and watch those photos and videos right from their TV. The content will scroll for them. The grandparent can control the device with a TV remote – which they already know how to use. This makes it extremely easy for older family members, who are not internet savvy, to stay connected to the rest of their family.

The Hopen Family smart key can connect through Wi-Fi (or 3G in some countries). In the United States, it is priced at $79. Hopen Family offers three service plans: Discovery, Family, and Tribe. Visit their website for more details about each plan.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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One61 Studio Superhero Smart Watches at CES 2018



Smart watches have become popular. There are several brands and styles that you can purchase, based on your personal style and preferences. One61 Studio makes superhero smart watches that geeks will find appealing.

Todd spoke with Anand from Know Things at CES 2018. Know Things builds development tools that accelerate IoT and connected devices development. They partnered with One61 Studio to help them solve problems that developers face while creating a smart product.

One61 Studio has created a superhero smart watch line. They started with the Batman smart watch, which is based on the Batman played by Adam West in the ’60s.

The Batman smart watch can be used to take calls, get text messages, and everything else you expect from a smart watch. Know Things managed the Bluetooth layer to extend battery life, so you get 18 to 24 hours of battery even while actually using it.

In addition, they added some gamification. They call the Step Counter “Crime Fighting”. Take a certain number of steps, and the first villain Batman catches is The Joker.

The Batman smart watch is available now on the One61 Studio website for $124.99 A smart watch based on The Flash is also available now at $124.99. The Wonder Woman smart watch will become available in April for $149.99. It is a round smart watch that includes heartbeat detection (which is not a feature of the square smart watches.)

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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U-Finder Professional Smart Home System at CES 2018



There are plenty of smart home devices on the market to choose from. The difficult part is getting everything to work together in your smart home. U-Finder provides a solution to this problem. They have a professional smart home system.

Todd spoke with Mark from U-Finder at CES 2018. U-Finder Technology Limited focuses on smart home automation. Their smart home product is called the U-Finder System. It can be used by hotels, offices, nursing homes, and in the homes of individuals and families. U-Finder helps you create a smart new life.

The U-Finder smart home solution is completely modular and easy to set up. It is ready for plug and play not only in new environments but also in existing buildings. In addition to the professional smart home system, U-Finder has over 200 products that can become part of that system.

U-Finder’s newest smart home solution makes use of 3D and VR technology. Use their app to turn on your lights by touching the light in the app. You can also turn products off or on by voice command.

Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.

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