Hey gang, Valkor here. Though the month of June is near its end, the fun never stops when the TOV train is chugging along. I mean, eventually, it’ll stop, but not any time soon. So, to keep things upbeat, we’ve got two rounds of tech events to feast your eyes. First up is CE Week; this year the event was held in the Jacob Javits center, in one of the upper-level halls. And I honestly thought it was going to be bigger. And yet I walked away with a host of goodies to share. Read on!
CAT – After previewing CAT and the S41/S60 at last year’s Pepcom Holiday event, it was a surprise to see them back again in the NY area with their latest rugged smartphone – the S61. The new smartphone offers up the same toughness but an improved thermal imaging camera than the S60; but what separates the S61 from the previous model is the use of laser-assisted measuring, upgraded camera (16MP), more storage, and RAM all running on the latest Android and unlocked for your work or leisure use. But I would think this would be for someone who does a lot of work outdoors.
Reliefband – Just as I was about to pass the CAT table, this little wrist gadget caught my eye; it wasn't so much for the band itself as it looks like a Fitbit. But I was more interested in what the device was capable of. Check it out its Reliefband! And if you’re someone who's prone to nausea due to motion sickness or maybe morning sickness, then this looks to be the device for you. The Reliefband works by sending a pulse from the band to the median nerve of your wrist to reduce nausea. I'm curious how this works and it would definitely come in handy on those nights when I’ve had one burrito too many. Who am I kidding, there’s no such thing as one too many burritos. Give me all the burritos!
Olive and Dove – Makers of the Remocam, the company was showing off three devices, two of which we’ve shown from previous events – the Doorcam and the Remobell. But what’s new this time around is the Remobell wireless. As the name states, it’s the wireless version that uses AA batteries, has two-way communication, night vision and a host of other features. With the increase of folks walking up to your doorsteps and taking packages, this and similar gadgets like it are proving to be most useful.
x-doria – We’ve reviewed our share of smartphones cases that have proven effective against drops, bumps and other such mishaps that would cause you to spend a ton to replace your device. Enter x-doria, the latest company to showcase smartphone cases in their Defense lineup, which include Ultra, Clear, Lux and Shield (a definite favorite). And it covers all of the majors such as the Galaxy 8/8+/9/9+ and iPhone 7/7Plus/8/8Plus/X. We'll try to get our hands on a few, so stay tuned to these pages.
Aura – Remember digital picture frames? These were frames where you could load up an SD card of all your favorite images, keep it nearby and watch as it cycled through some of your memorable moments? Well, Aura is taking that design to a whole new level! With your smartphone, you can take a number of photos from any event, recent trip, or “just because” moments and send them to the frame. It was best explained by the rep, when she said (and I’m paraphrasing here), “imagine grandma can’t make it to her grandson’s graduation. Now you can give her an Aura Frame and she’ll never miss a moment”. This one sounds like a lot of fun and one that could be a holiday hit this year!
Eye-Temp – Picture this: you leave your house for a night out and you think to yourself “did I leave the oven one? Naaaaah”. But when you return, your home is burned to the ground. Scary, I know! But it’s not an uncommon event. Enter Eye-Temp, which is a tiny device you’ll attach to your stove, candle, or other heated devices that will then send you an alert to remind you that you left it on a heated device or item such as your oven, candle, or iron. In short, this tiny device could save a ton of lives and property damage.
JLabs – Another Pepcom favorite makes a return! This round JLabs brought along a classic spin on a modern day product. When I first laid eyes on the Rewind Wireless, I was instantly hit with a wave of nostalgia. The orange, puffy headphones were a definite blast from the past. But if they sound as good they look, I’ll be wearing these in and outdoors with so much pride!
Odyssey Toys – I consider myself a big kid (and what guy isn’t?). So, when I see a table loaded with toys, you better believe I’m gonna stop by. While Odyssey had a few fun items on hands such as robots and drones, it was the Upshot Augmented Reality Bow that caught my eye. With the use of Bluetooth and your smartphone, you can partake in a virtual hunt right in your own backyard. On hand was a duck hunting game that I could have spent hours playing; I mean I was shooting ducks behind people’s ears, it was so much fun! Sadly, all good things must come to an end, but I look forward to seeing more of what Odyssey has to offer in the coming months and this holiday season.
