Claire’s Corner: Geeky Gizmos Galore
January 28, 2014
Although I do see the benefits of the rapid advancements in technology, there is part of me that shudders when I see new gadgets out on the market. Society’s gross dependence on their smartphones (ok, I am guilty) further persuades me that new gadgets might not be useful after all. However, despite my beliefs, the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas never fails to leave me in awe of the creative minds and impressive engineering behind each product.
For all the basketball players, the “94Fifty Smart Basketball” from Infomotion Sports might be your kind of toy—if you are willing to shell out $295. The “94Fifty Smart Basketball” is the first smart sensor basketball and, I admit, can be pretty useful if you are trying to improve your basketball skills. The “94Fifty” looks and feels like a regular basketball.
However, the twist is that this “smart” basketball is connected to your phone via Bluetooth and records your shot speed, dribble force, and more. You get to visually see your improvements with functions that record your dribble speed and pinpoint your weaknesses. Despite the insane price tag, this device seems ideal for a serious athlete or coach.
The next product seems to be the real showstopper at this year’s CES. “Oculus Rift” is a virtual reality gaming headset that allows you to immerse yourself into your videogame world. However, I must comment that when worn, the headset makes any player look like what I believe people from the 1940s imagined society in the 21st century to look like.
“Oculus Rift” has upgraded their technology to accurately track movement and has a clear 1080p OLED display. They haven’t put a price tag on the “Oculus Rift” yet, but I can only imagine that it will be high triple digits or more.
However, there are still products that make me roll my eyes. One of the gadgets displayed was “Doorbot.” I had to mention this because of my dedication to the entertaining show, “Shark Tank,” where millionaires are presented new products by hopeful entrepreneurs and are given the option to invest in an interesting product. “Doorbot” was one of the products on the show and not surprisingly, all five sharks turned away “Doorbot” founder James Siminoff for very valid reasons.
This $199 device is basically an electronic peephole—the video camera is hooked up to your phone so that you can see who is at your door and talk to them from the convenience of the phone. Although I admit, there is some pretty nice engineering behind this, “Doorbot” just seems extraneous.
Even though I was unable to attend CES this year, my inner geek demands that I go next year. And for my fellow technology enthusiasts, keep your calendar clear during early January and make your way to Las Vegas for the 2015 CES.
