by Lidia Paulinska | Nov 24, 2015
Holiday spectacular event hosted by Pepcom in San Francisco on October 28 was featuring some great gifts ideas for quickly approaching holiday’s season. This annual event provides a sneak peak into the offering at CES coming up after the holiday season in January. This year’s event had over 50 exhibitors presenting the new or improved version of their electronic consumer targeted products, most of which are available for the 2015 holiday season. A highlight list of some of the more interesting products at the show follow.
AeroGarde is the indoor gardening system that lets you grow fresh herbs and vegetables all year-round. This is a standalone “pod” with its own grow light source to be used indoors in any location is produced by the Miracle Gro company.
ArcSoft demos Perfect365, its celebrity favorite, 65 million user, digital makeover app and simplicam Wi-Fi home monitoring camera with both face detection and face recognition.
BACtrack showcased BACtrack Vio and BACtrack Mobile smartphone breathalyzers; featuring Bluetooth connectivity and iOS and Android compatibility. These powerful devices allow users to quickly and easily estimate their BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) and make smarter, more informed decisions.
Beddit Smart sleep tracker makes any bed a smart bed by combining an ultra-thin sensor placed under the bed sheet with an iOS device; there’s nothing to wear and nothing to do but go to sleep.
Belkin, WeMo and Linksys showed off their latest products for the holiday season including new smart home gadgets, smartphone and tablet accessories and wireless networking gear.
Bitdefender 2016 come with a new ransomware protection that prevents untrusted applications from tampering personal documents and “machine learning-based technologies” that enables it to detect even brand new threats faster than ever.
Canary is a complete security system packed into a single device that you control from your smartphone.
Cobra Electronics and sister companies Escort, Inc. and Beltronics showcased their newest models of radar detection systems, featuring digital signal processing (DSP) technology for award-winning range and added rejection of false or unwanted alerts. Also on display will be Cobra’s recently released Cobra JumPack™ CPP 8000 portable power/jump starter system and Drive HD™ Dash Cams.
ecobee3 now includes geo-fencing in addition to Siri and room sensors, for more intuitive control of your home comfort, particularly in the rooms that matter most.
ESET showed its latest cybersecurity solutions that protect people from cyber threats while shopping, banking, doing email and more.
Exeo Entertainment, Inc. is an interactive entertainment company that manufactures patented Psyko® 5.1 surround sound gaming headphones and Krankz™ lifestyle branded music headphones.
Fizzics showed the world’s first personal beer dispenser that delivers a fresh from the tap experience from any bottle, can or growler.
FLIR Systems showed its latest consumer devices designed to enhance visual perception and awareness for home, work and play.
Gazelle showed Gazelle Certified™ pre-owned iPads.
Hasbro showed Playmation table that allow experienced this groundbreaking system of toys and wearables. The next step in the evolution of play, where digital gets physical and imagination becomes real.
HTC showed the newest addition to the HTC One family, unveiled last week, the HTC One A9.
Huawei presented the latest Smartphones, wearables and tablets.
iBaby Labs Not only revealed Helmet, a family monitor under the new iFamCare brand, iBaby Labs will showcase its award-winning baby monitors.
Immersion demonstrated the latest consumer electronic device and video game to launch with its TouchSense haptic technology – for more dynamic, versatile, touch effect experience – expected to be on the market this fall.
IMVU is the #1 avatar-based social network, introduced 3D stickers to bring your online conversations to life.
JLab Audio showed the Epic Bluetooth Earbuds, a lightweight, sweatproof fitness headphone that provides a customized fit and 10-hour battery life.
Kingston Technology showcased its latest selection of gaming, mobile, and memory products that get you into the action and keep going wherever you are.
Loot Crate, best known for shipping themed mystery boxes of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear, showcased the company’s holiday 2015 line-up.
Martian Watches debuted its recently launched Active Collection of award-winning Voice Command Smartwatches; water resistant smartwatches that honor classic analog designs with advanced features like voice commands, Smart Notifications and access to thousands of apps.
Master Lock showed its new line of Bluetooth Smart Padlocks, a new level of convenience and security that turns your smart device into a key.
MoCA® –Multimedia over Coax Alliance, demonstrated how networking products with MoCA from members Actiontec and TiVo turn existing coax TV cable into a powerful, easy to use wired backbone that supports and extends Wi-Fi®.
Moshi presented new bags, cases and speakers designed for the stylish tech connoisseur.
Muse is the brain sensing headband, helps you to take the guesswork out of meditation by giving real-time audio feedback that motivates and guides you through a more fulfilling and ongoing meditation practice.
NETGEAR showed its latest solutions for supporting the increasing number of Internet devices that enable your networked life: routers, extenders, adapters, security cameras, cable modems, and mobile WiFi hotspots.
Parallels presented Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac and the Parallels Access mobile app (for iOS and Android devices plus PCs and Macs).
Performance Designed Products demonstrated the latest gaming accessories from the Afterglow and Rock Candy brands, along with premium licensed products like the Official PS4 Universal Media Remote.
PERI, Wi-Fi audio technology company showcased its Duo product, a first-of-its-kind iPhone case featuring high-definition Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled speakers and a 3000mAh battery.
Petzila showed off the Petzi Treat Cam that lets people (‘see’) video, (‘speak’) audio, (‘snap’) take pictures and (‘treat’) dispense treats to their pets at anytime from anywhere.
Piper Icontrol Networks is showing Piper nv, its all-in-one home security system with no monthly fees required; ideal for families, pet owners, aging parents and apartment dwellers.
Plantronics is a global leader in audio communications for businesses and consumers and has pioneered new trends in audio technology.
PlayOn demonstrated technology for the new way we watch TV. Stream, record, cast, discover.
Ring presented its Ring Video Doorbell, the world’s first Wi-Fi-enabled HD video doorbell that streams live audio and video directly to your iOS, Android or Windows device.
Roominate showed rPower, the first device that lets girls program and control their builds from a phone or tablet through the new Roominate app.
Rover.com showcased the latest services and technologies of its peer-to-peer marketplace that connects dog owners with a nationwide network of dog lovers.
SanDisk showcased its latest mobile memory solutions.
Skyrocket Toys presented the third generation of Sky Viper Drones which continue to deliver hobby-level performance at unprecedented mass market pricing and availability, and includes a Streaming Video Drone, an HD Video Drone, a Stunt Drone and an lightweight and nimble, Nano Drone.
Sling Media showed the Slingbox M2, its newest product which allows to watch 100 percent of your live and recorded content on unlimited mobile devices, with no monthly fees.
SpeedX just launched SpeedX, a fully integrated smart cycling computer, on Indiegogo on October 27.
Tech21 is the leader in impact protection for mobile devices and fastest growing major case brand in the U.S., now offers its Evo line of cases, presenting the best in style, protection and performance with a broad array of designs and colors.
The ONE Smart Piano is a connected device that teaches you to play with light-up keys, video lessons, and piano games.
TiVo showcasted the new TiVo BOLT, a 4K unified entertainment system & mobile experience that bridges cable & Web content into a universally searchable experience, allowing users to skip full commercial breaks and watch shows 30% faster for unprecedented speed to and through content.
TP-LINK, the world’s leading provider of Wi-Fi networking products, showcased next-generation wireless technology, including its first Tri-Band and MU-MIMO routers.
TripIt from Concur, the world’s highest-rated travel-organizing app, automagically creates a master itinerary for every trip, so you can instantly access all your travel plans in one place—any time, on any device.
VidMob demonstrated the first app marketplace, coming soon for iOS, which connect people with affordable, professional video editors so that life’s moments can be more easily shared.
ZAGG showcased its brand new Slim Book for the iPad Mini 4, in addition to other key products like the Pocket Keyboard and Speaker Case.
Zolt showed the Laptop Charger Plus, the world’s smallest, lightest, smartest laptop charger that can power a laptop, phone and tablet at the same time.
ZTE presented devices that make the perfect gift for every budget.
by Lidia Paulinska | Nov 20, 2015
A proclamation at the event is that “the era of utility computing is here”. This new shift in computing is no less important than the introduction of personal computers to the general public in the 1970’s. At that time, nobody believed that computers could be a personal device, explained Executive Chairman and CTO Larry Ellison at Oracle OpenWorld 2015.
In his opening keynote Ellison unveiled the new Oracle SaaS applications and other advances in the Oracle Cloud. The biggest cloud companies are now worth 6 billion dollars and will be soon more. Oracle realized that the importance of the cloud a decade ago, and re-wrote all its applications to run in the cloud also. In 2015, Oracle is focused on engineering, cost, performance, reliability, compatibility, security and standards in the three layers of the cloud: SaaS, PaaS and IaaS.
Oracle Cloud: Six Design Goals:
Lower Cost: 1. Lower Price: Match or beat Amazon Web Services Prices 2. Automation: Eliminate labor and human error 3. Productivity: Reduce labor by making it easier to build and use applications
Highest Reliability: 1. Fault Tolerant: Redundant deployment, hot patching & backup, instant recovery 2. Automation: Eliminate human error during deployment, patching, backup, recovery
Highest Performance: 1. Database: In-memory In-flash columnar database, Exadata in the Cloud 2. Middleware: In-memory speed-of-through Analytics 3. Scale-out Architecture: Elastic capacity and performance on-demand
Open Standards: 1. SQL, Hadoop, NoSQL…Java, Ruby, Node.js…Linux, Docker. No Lock-in: Move Workloads and data to the other Public Clouds: Amazon, Microsoft…
Compatibility: 1. Manage: Public Cloud and Private Cloud assets with a single pane of glass 2. Coexistence: Push-button live data migration between Oracle Public & Private Cloud
Always-On Security: 1. Security in Silicon: Always-on-real-time intrusion detection stops data theft 2. Data Encryption: Always-on in the Cloud – Key management on-Premise
The opening of the event had details of the major announcements presented by Mr Ellison, the first of these was about the Oracle SCM Cloud.
The second was about E-Commerce in the CX cloud.
The third announcement was about the new mobile UI.
The last announcement was about Integrated Learning System.
by Lidia Paulinska | Nov 17, 2015
Java celebrated its 20 years anniversary with the giant cake on the stage of Moscone North at Oracle – Java Open World conference this year in San Francisco and the speakers highlighted the most memorable Java events of the last two decades. Scott McNealy, longtime CEO and co-founder of Sun Microcomputers that was acquired by Oracle, joined the Java keynote via internet. As an iconic executive & passionate programmer Scott shared his top 12 Java developer nightmares of 2015 making the audience laugh.
Former Sun CEO Scott McNealy
As of today, Java devices outnumber the number of people on the earth. There are 13 billion devices running Java, including 200 million medical and 1 billion automotive devices. It is the number one development platform with 10 million developers worldwide. The platform is strong and continues to move forward not only on devices, but in the cloud as well. The key for these products, is not just smart sensor but the network and connectivity of any device to the cloud, so it communicates to the cloud and back. On the top of that connectivity, the Java environment has a real time system of analytics that transforms the network to knowledge network.
The growth of Java is closely connected and driven by the growing IoT market. So the question to be asked is how big is IoT? There were many estimates given at the conference on how the IoT market is going to grow for next few years. They vary from 50 billion to 200 billion devices. Ericson and Cisco estimate 50 billion, Morgan Stanley 75 billion, but IDC expected 200 billion.
Java simplifies the development of the products. Today kids are coding with Java. Next generation of Java developers are creating animations, modifying Minecraft, building Lego Mindstorms, programing NAO robots and Raspberry Pi devices, and more.
Congratulations Java and wish you many more years.
Java 20yr Cake and developers
by Lidia Paulinska | Sep 30, 2015
This is just a beginning of our journey with wireless. It is taking over very quickly. It has transform the world and our economy. Wireless is what we relate to and interact with the world. Wireless is undeniable platform of the future for innovation.
In 1926 Nikola Tesla uttered these visionary words. “When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. And the instruments through which we shall be able to do this will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone.”
Today, 90 years after Tesla’s prediction, wireless has revolutionized our world. Every morning more than one of third of us reach for our smartphone. 81 % of us keep our phone by our side all day long. Wireless is taking over. 75 % of our social network time is spent on mobile devices. Mobile influenced sales in stores has reached nearly $600 Million. Additionally, 6 out of 10 smartphone users looked up a health condition on the phone in the past year, so it is not just for retail.
Does anyone remember how our office desk was crowded in the past? It looked like a cluster of equipment including a computer, a keyboard, a mouse, fax machine and phone; along with necessary things as such: a contacts book, a calendar, a calculator and others? On the wall above a desk was a board with emergency contact information and a schedule for the week, finishing the office décor was a hanging memorable picture? Nowadays, the memories are faded. Today our desk cluster is replaced by smartphone with hundreds of applications.
Did you know that all the photos ever taken on film are outnumbered by digital pictures taken just this year?
And today we are standing on the crest of another revolution. Wireless not just connect the people, wireless will be connecting everything. A remarkable 4G platform already gave us a glimpse for the future by introducing us to Internet of Things. Today nearly quarter of mobile traffic comes from something other than a phone. At The CTIA conference in Las Vegas this year an introduction to 5G was taken place what means more wireless data traffic. Soon 99 % of the objects in our physical world will be wirelessly connected.
This will have machines talking to each other to bring together the comfort of our home, automobile, work, play, entertainment, hobbies, shopping, health and provide information on what to do next. The wireless revolution is just starting as it shifts from people as the communication starters to products and appliances that need to talk 24/7 and update all the devices that will be needed next based on your activity. Mobile, health, connected home, and energy drive the next marketplace for the wild world of wireless.
by Lidia Paulinska | Sep 21, 2015
September 2015 – At the CTIA Super Mobility event in Las Vegas we met with the representatives of Lunatik and had a chance to see their new products for support of the Apple iWatch. The company has been around for several years making innovative protection products for the mobile marketplace all with a high degree of style and precision manufacturing. The Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Scott Wilson, is an American entrepreneur and award-winning designer, best known for simultaneously sparking the crowdfunding and wearables movements with his 2010 TikTok+Lunatik Kickstarter project.
The premier product they were showing us this year as the new Epik case and band for the current 42mm Apple watch. The Epik watch kit products are available in two different basic materials, a polycarbonate case and an aircraft grade aluminum versions. The aluminum version, which we tested, is available in both a base “silver” aluminum color and a black coated aluminum version. We tested the black version with the black leather band, the watch kit is also available with a metal link bracelet.
As the watch kit is designed for the fairly large 42mm Apple watch, the kit is fairly heavy (36g) and adds additional dimension to the watch. The black powder coated design with the black leather band is targeted at the male user community and makes a strong visual statement. It is also targeting use by physically larger individuals (over 5’8”) who have a large frame and wrist size to allow the 2.17” case to sit flat on their arm. 
To supplement the aluminum case, the kit features stainless steel buttons, control/scrolling crown, and assembly screws for strength and durability. The watch kit does not include a top cover for the watch to minimize bulk, but is compatible with the majority of edge-to-edge screen protection products that are approved for the iWatch.
The retail box comes with an installation guide in the box that has both illustrations and words. It however, does not include directions on how to remove the watch module from the original band provided by Apple, but that step should be self-explanatory.
The watch kit has a number of subtle design elements, beveled edges, smooth corners, rolled lips on the top of the case and smooth easy to make adjustments and action on the strap and the connection to the case. The design is not just functional but enhances the artistic design to a standard format digital watch. The watch kit is currently available direct from Lunatik and other retail outlets.
