tell magazine's - safeawake
TRANSCRIPT
HOLIDAY GADGET GIFT GUIDEMERRY TECH-MAS & A GADGET NEW YEAR!
A TRIP
THROUGH THE TECH
ZONE
TV’S BRAVE NEW WORLD: SET TOP BOXES
TELLING REVIEWS
GOOGLE’S
NEXUS 7GOOGLE’S
DECEMBER 2012 ISSUE
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E D I T O R ’ S N O T E B Y M A U R E E N J E N S O N
December 2012 technologytell.com 3
At this year’s Consumer Electronics As-sociation (CEA) Line Shows event in NYC, we were treated to a fabulous glimpse into what today’s tech minds are work-
ing hard on. Our intrepid reporter Nancy Klosek goes into detail on some of the standouts from the Tech Innovation Zone. A couple of my personal favorites were, from In2Technologies the Unity Home Theater System. These manufacturer’s vow ‘zero to 5.1-channel sound in 15 minutes.’ More than a TV stand, it is super sleek and will look great in any room, it integrates a Blu-ray/DVD player, dual 10-inch woofers, a 5-1/4-inch downfiring mid-bass driver, wireless rear channels, left/right/center
speakers and iPhone/iPod/Ethernet connectivity in a single chassis that at-taches without tools to the TV via a single HDMI 1.4a cable for only $999; this is a great deal.
Another cool product in the Tech Zone was the SafeAwake. This is one of those products that you think, “Wow, why wasn’t this thought of before!” And as I write this, the SafeAwake has just been awarded the Commercial Product of the Year at the 2012 DaVinci Inventor Showcase. The SafeAwake ($299) works in tandem with a standard smoke alarm to activate a flash-ing light, a ‘shaker’ extension device that may be placed under a bed, and a low-frequency sound that is easier for the elderly or the hearing-impaired to hear than a standard smoke alarm ‘beep.’ The company said a version of the product that works with carbon monoxide detectors is due out next year. I can’t wait to get that.
The FutureDash EnergyBuddy Home Management System monitors and manages electricity usage around the home, alerting homeowners, after they set up the device with desired usage limits, whether their energy consump-tion is over or under budget, through the red, yellow or green glow on the translucent top of a four-inch-square box. The ZigBee-compatible system interfaces with iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and computers and can be monitored online from anywhere. Pricing starts at $99 and is variable, depending upon the combination of options purchased.
And of course this year’s top prizewinner was the Variable Technolo-gies NODE, a Bluetooth-equipped wireless modular sensor system that talks to mobile devices and PCs, communicating motion-related data to any Bluetooth-enabled device for only $149. It is adaptable to a wide variety of applications through use of a series of interchangeable modules that are available as options, starting at $50. Among its many functions, it can be used as a gesture-based remote control, for motion mapping. It is also able to sense and measure distance, and it can register temperature in less than a second at distances of up to 15 feet. The potential for this is unlimited. Just like technology itself. Happy Holidays!
Get Into the Tech Zone
28 technologytell.com December 2012
In2Technologies Unity SystemThe designers of In2Technologies’ Unity Home Theater System ($999) vow “zero to 5.1-channel sound in 15 minutes.” More than a TV stand, it integrates a Blu-ray/DVD player, dual 10-inch woofers, a 5-1/4-inch downfiring mid-bass driver, wireless rear channels, left/right/center speakers and iPhone/iPod/Ethernet connectivity in a single chassis that attaches without tools to the TV via a single HDMI 1.4a cable. PHOTO: The Unity System was presented by Mike Fidler.
SafeAwakeThe SafeAwake ($299) works in tandem with a standard smoke alarm to activate a flashing light, a “shaker” extension device that may be placed under a bed, and a low-frequency sound that is easier for the elderly or the hearing-impaired to discern than a standard smoke alarm “beep.” It is equipped with a test button, automatic shutoff and reset capability, a turn-on indicator light, a battery backup in case of electrical failure, and a system that will activate an alert if the
Get In The Tech Innovation Zone By Nancy Klosek
Want to know where Tech is headed in the future? Tell took a look at 10 new products and concepts from
industry entrepreneurs at this year’s CEA Line Shows event in New York City. Here’s a look at some of the coolest we found.
2012 CEA Line Shows, New York City
www.technologytell.com
batteries are weak. The company said a version of the product that works with carbon monoxide detectors is due out next year.PHOTO (Opposite Page-Bottom): Jon Roby (l.) and Tim Shaffer, with the SafeAwake.
FutureDash EnergyBuddyThe EnergyBuddy Home Management System monitors and manages electricity usage around the home, alerting home-owners, after they set up the device with desired usage limits, whether their energy consumption is over or under budget, through the red, yellow or green glow on the translucent top of a four-inch-square box. The ZigBee-compatible system in-
terfaces with iPhones, iPads, Android smartphones and computers, which show a dashboard that displays details on power consumption, and can be monitored online from anywhere. Remote on/off control of devices are possible when SmartPlug Kits are purchased as an option. Pricing starts at $99 and is variable, depending upon the combination of options purchased.PHOTO: Kevin Strong of FutureDash holds the EnergyBuddy.
Altaz Micro-fi SystemsThis developer of small-foot-print tabletop audio brings us a series
of micro-fi systems that offer docking capability with iPhones and also Blue-tooth compatibility, and are notable for their eco-friendly wood construction and packaging. Suggested retail pricing starts at $79.PHOTO: Altaz’s Ken Tenaglia holds an iPhone docking station.
Matrix Audio SpeakersMatrix Audio specializes in making multi-colored golf-ball-sized speakers ($30 and up) that pop open and that pair either via wires or wirelessly using Bluetooth (model “one”) with mobile devices. Variations of the basic design are daisy-chainable, include integrated microphones, and even take Micro SD memory cards so that mu-sic may be played directly with no need for an external device.PHOTO: Adel Babataher holds the basic “nrg” Matrix Audio model.
Introducing the new BDP-105