2007 CES Roundup - An SEO goes to CES

Last year upon returning from the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics show I wrote a blog entry called CES Roundup 2006, where I listed my personal top 10 most innovative items.

This year, at CES 2007, my criteria was about the same as last… This stuff needs to be able to change the world. It could be monumental, or it could be minute, but the potential for innovation and originality was of paramount importance. After all, I was there looking for cool niche stuff…

So, from #10 to #1, here are my top ten discoveries at this years CES…

Vantage Point EVO-System
The company tag line is Any TV, Any Wall, Any Room, Same Day. Nuff said, but I’ll go on anyway, cause it’s so cool. This is a modular expandable set of panels that allow you to mount any type of hardware from speakers to computer monitors, to TV’s, and then hide all the cables with a seemingly infinite number of styles of square panels, including cork and dry-erase boards. It’s simple, and brilliant.
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Sandio Technologies 3D Mouse
3d mouse - This intrigued me, so I went through the engineers demo, progressing on four different laptops, each containing different quick demos to learn to use it.

I could control the mouse normally of course, but with well placed buttons, I could move forward and backwards too, as you would in a 3D game using the A and the W keys.

When I made it to the last demo laptop, the one that had a 3D shooter running, I could shoot, run, crouch and jump, leaving my left hand free to eat from their bowl of Cheetos. I’m sure there are applications besides games too… Isn’t there something called CADD?
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Tzero - Wireless HDMI TV signals
As far as I can tell, HiSense is the only manufacturer to license this technology so far. The picture clarity looked every bit as good as a wired TV, plugged into nothing but an electrical outlet.

Now, hanging a big screen anywhere on a wall only needs power. As other companies license the technology, expect to pay more for your next TV, but it might be worth it.
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NxZen Bluetooth Wireless Headset
With their noise canceling technology, they have improved greatly on an existing invention. You can actually hear the difference for yourself at their website demo. This REALLY works well, lemme tell ya.

In the new model they introduced at CES, not only can callers hear you well, but with a sort of “comfortable tiny funnel” design, you can hear perfectly too. UN-BE-LIEVABLE.

If they had their new ones available to sell yet, I would have bought it on the spot. I did try it on, and it was comfortable too.
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Eleksen Fabric Keyboard
Typing was weird, but for portability, a rolled up Bluetooth portable keyboard made of fabric for your PDA is hard to beat. Eleksen makes the actual fabric, and not just keyboards.

By far the coolest thing they showed was a Bluetooth leather jacket with subtle design on the sleeves for controlling the functions of an Ipod. Darn, my one piece padded snowboarding suit can’t be ready until next season.
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2P - I-Tech Beamed Keyboard
Okay, I guess it wasn’t that hard to beat the fabric keyboard. I added some pictures on my blog of this keyboard a long time ago, and I always wondered if it was real. Well I actually got to see and try it at 2007 CES, and I can swear to you it’s real.

In the bright show floor lights, the keys were perfectly visible, and although the lack of tactile feedback was disconcerting, I could get used to using one easily. The unit itself was very compact.

How long before they can just build a stand into my Blackberry and integrate it? We can only guess. (look at the links at the bottom of their website…. nice.
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Solar Charger
Imagine a solar generated metal box of electricity, with the ability to run appliances. That’s what these guys have coming. I actually saw it, but I couldn’t take a picture of it.

They already have small boxes the size of PDA’s for hooking up a USB charger for many cell phones, but this new box had a standard three pronged 110 plug on it. Wow.

I wanted to talk to him more, but three guys in dark suits and sunglasses hustled him off and packed up his booth.
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Add multiple lines to your mobile phone
This new service rolled out the day before CES, and it’s going ot be hot. It’s going to be completely carrier independent, and currently works with Cingular, Sprint, & T-Mobile, or a combination of numbers. It also works for land or VOIP lines, making your home or work line ring on your cell phone. Verizon support is coming soon, I’m told.
This is not merely call forwarding! You can actually tell which line is ringing and answer (or not answer) your cell phone appropriately. If you need this, then you’re already sold. Service starts at only $10 a month. For those that don’t need it, well, you can just buy stock, because I think this is going to be huge…
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Wild Charge
Lay your rechargable gizmos on this magic pad, and it charges. The downside? Everything needs to be wrapped or placed into a “skin”. This makes the whole unit a bit too bulky for my taste.

Still though, this tells us what’s coming… Furniture and countertops with the built in capacity to charge your electronics! Since that’s now possible, is it really a great leap to imagine cordless kitchen appliances? I think not.
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Water Powered Batteries
The Aqua Power System is a battery shell, with a removable bottom that you fill with liquid. The device then powers your device for up to 35% as long as a regular alkaline battery. Wow.

Not only does it work with plain water, but the inventor claimed that nearly any liquid could work, even soda pop.

No rusting and no corrosion guaranteed, but my question about leakage and the subsequent ruining of my device went unanswered. He was just the inventor of the technology, and how poorly it’s built is going to up to the manufacturer.

This company holds patents in 6 countries (US patent #7,011,906 b2 - filed way back in 2002). Amazingly, nobody was beating down his door to buy him out though… Their well hidden display booth was empty enough, for long enough, that they could actually talk to me for 10 minutes. Go figure.
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