Hey gang, Valkor here. And I’m comin at ya with a burst of tech from the ever popular event known as Pepcom. They always deck themselves out with a popular theme and while I found the anime theme most enjoyable, they get much respect for taking the Grimm’s Fairytale route for their holiday showcase. The place was wall to wall tech and while I didn’t get the chance to check out everything, what I do have to show is nothing short of “coolness”.
Powerslayer – I'm one of many when it comes to charging my phone; I usually leave it plugged in the entire night and I don't think much about it until I actually need it. Enter Velvetwire, maker of the Powerslayer charger that'll charge your device then stop the flow of energy when its done. They call it "promoting good health towards your battery". And I'd agree with that. Plus this is only the beginning for Powerslayer as the company has other versions down the line, one that would include a sound notification when left behind and bluetooth capabilities through USB powered devices.
The Neat Company- The Neat Company has been around for a few years, ever improving on their smart scanning technology allowing one to organize their business cards, receipts and other documents along with a simple and easy to use interface. I've been out of it with the company since the Neat Desk, so it's nice to know they're still chugging along and pushing out the NeatConnect cloud scanner. No need for a desktop or laptop with this device, everythingyou scan goes directly to "the cloud". The NeatConnect has a slot for each item and uses a touchscreen interface. Included, you also get the software (works with PC or Mac) as well as a mobile app (for iOS and Android).
Hauwei - All the way from China and about to make their debut in the states, the gang over at Hauwei are taking on the smartphone market with their latest phablets – the Ascend Mate2 4G. The phablet smartphone sports a 6.1” screen, a large battery, 13MP rear camera, 5MP front-facing camera and get this – it comes unlocked at the jump so you're not limited to any specific carrier. The size is a little bigger than the Samsung Note 3 but smaller than the Galaxy Mega (both feature an LCD screen as opposed to OLED). If you’re interested, we were told the Ascend Mate2 is available now but stay tuned as we’ll have more coverage as soon as we can get a unit in-house.
Pong – This is taking the idea of simply having a case for your phone to a whole new level. Pong is a thin antenna that rests inside the case (currently available for the iPhone 5/5s as well as most Samsung Galaxy phones) and performs one of three functions – it redirects wireless energy away from your brain, boosts signal strength and reduces dropped calls. Not everyone can get the best of signals – even in places where their strength should be strong. Pong steps in to alleviate those pains – or at least I hope it does as it wasn’t demonstrated on the showfloor. We’ll follow up with the company to see if Pong delivers on its promises.
PopMoney – If you’re looking for a PayPal alternative and haven’t found one you like, then you might want to give PopMoney a try. PopMoney works by sending money directly from person to persons by email, text or another PopMoney account, drawing directly from the person’s banking account and depositing it in the same fashion. It’s touted as being “simple and secure”. If you’re currently a PopMoney user, I’d definitely like to hear your stories and what you think of the service as I’m just a tad skittish to try.
Bass Egg – While not given a showfloor demo, the Bass Egg speaker was shown by a rep showcasing another item, but thought this would be a perfect fit. And I’d have to agree as we here at TOV handle small and portable quite well. The Bass Egg looks great, has some weight to it and touts big sound and when placed on a flat surface, the speaker gives off beats you can feel – a real earth shaker from such a small device. Unfortunately by the time it got to our hands the battery had been drained (bummer), but I’m willing to give it a go in the Val-Cave for a true earthshaking experience. Stay tuned.
The Pepcom Digital Experience is always a blast and is a great way to kick off CE Week. While TOV won’t have much a presence, we’ll still pop in on a few other related events to get our grubby mitts on the latest hardware around. But stick around as we’ll have more from the aforementioned companies and other tech items in the not so distant future.