Returning from the International CES 2013 Conference in Las Vegas, I brought with me samples of some of the amazing products that were displayed. Of course, the Press Relations (PR) representatives of the exhibitors provided the samples with the understanding that I would review them.
Product Reviews
i’m WATCH
This device earned me a new name when I demonstrated it to my barber. He called me, “JAMES BEN, Agent 008”. In reference to James Bond, Agent 007 in the movies who had all these amazing gadgets with special features – not to having all these beautiful and sexy women.
Yes, it is a watch. Yes, it is also an alarm clock. It lets you display the clock in analog or digital format. It synchronizes time automatically and checks the weather in your favorite cities.
It also receives calls showing the caller’s name and number; makes calls by dialing the number or by calling from the contacts list.
i’m Droid 2 is the customized Android Operating System created by the i’m Watch team. It supposedly makes the device the world’s most advanced smartwatch containing many revolutionary features. Among them are:
1. Smart tethering – the device intelligently uses tethering connection to your smartphone; 2. i’m Cloud – this innovative system allows you to manage your smartwatch apps and data via the Internet. With the I’m Cloud Mobile, no need to go through PC or Mac, you just need your smartphone; 3. Compass - sets you on the right direction whenever you need it because it has an integrated magnetometer; 4. Accelerometer – it tells you all about how you are moving; 5. External sensors – due to Bluetooth you can connect to external sensors and control their functions. From the device, you can directly access pedometers, heart-rate monitors, and dozens of other sensors; 6. Speakerphone – it has a sophisticated audio system where you can speak freely and clearly even at the wheel; 7. SMS – the device informs you as soon as you receive an SMS in your smartphone. You can also read it directly from your wrist; 8. Email – You can read e-mails which are clearly on display; 9. Appointments – a complete management system for events and appointments; 10. Facebook – All your friends’ posts are displayed clearly and in real time; 11. Twitter – access the full list of your tweets and, with a quick touch, read your favorites; and 12. Instagram – see the snapshots of your friends registered on the photo-sharing social network;
Outside of these features that are immediately available and accessible, there are three others related to i’m Watch technology that expands its capabilities limitlessly: i’m market, i’m music, and i’m Developer.
i’m market is a treasure trove of apps ready to be downloaded and installed. i’m musicgives you unlimited access to millions of songs on demand and customized playlists. i’m Developer allows developers to tap into the wealth of available resources to develop any type of App.
It is indeed an amazing device. I am still in the process of exploring all its features and capabilities but I am very happy using it to date. Being named “JAMES BEN” even in this Digital Age gives me some semblance of invincibility. ur WATCH!
BRINNO
The top executives of Brinno were at the CES booth when I went to visit. They were ready to show me their amazing products. They made sure that some samples contained in a nice tote bag were given to me before I left.
The three products supplied to me were a Time Lapse Camera (TLC 200), a Peep Hole Viewer, and a Motion-Activated Sensor. I still have to install and test the last two, which go together. But I have used, re-used and fully-tested the camera.
TIME LAPSE CAMERA
Cameras have been indispensable companions for many of us as we go on with our daily lives. From experiencing the analog way of recording images to the digitalization of both still and motion/video pictures, they were useful tools in recording, storing and retrieving vivid images that depicted our social lives or of those events that we wish to remember and probably retrieve as great memories.
Desktops, laptops, notebooks, ultra books, tablets/MacBook, and smartphones/iPhones – all have cameras capable of taking still photos and videos. They show that amidst the special features operated in these digital devices, the camera still plays a significant role.
Time Lapse Camera is unique in its simplicity, portability, user-friendliness, and usability in all weather conditions. It is a small camera measured at a mere 2.5 by 1.8 by 4.2 inches and 9 ounces. It makes time lapse photography as simple as your point and shoot. It is as easy as finding your target, framing it, setting the time interval, waiting, and then uploading the video onto your computer.
You can very easily determine how often you wish to take a shot. Cycle quickly through intervals of one, two, three, five, 10, 20, 30 seconds, or one, five, 10 minutes, or one hour on the menu. It has an adjustable and rotatable lens and fairly wide-angle view.
It can only be limited by the life of its four AA batteries and the size of its SDHC memory card, which supports as many as 32 GB. I understand that “four AA batteries can capture 300,000 frames! That basically breaks down to one second interval will last around 3.4 days, five second intervals about 17 days, and so forth.” That capability should be more than enough to handle any video project that one pursues.
As I have said, I have used it and I love it. I plan to buy a couple of accessories that would make it even more useful – the Brinno ATH100 Weather Resistant Housing, and the Brinno Shutter Line. The first one is a casing that would make my camera weatherproof, which means that it could be used outdoors whether it’s raining or snowing. The second one is basically a trigger for the shutter, which turns it into a stop motion camera! This is super fun for creating your own little films and makes it as easy as a press of a button. Having a 3-foot chord allows you to operate the camera without being close to it.
Next week I will deal with the latest on Tablets/iPAD and Smartphones/iPhones.
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