The 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took over Vegas this past week and unveiled some mouthwatering tech, most of which will be available by the late spring or early summer. This is the technology directed at you, the average consumer, although much of it may be farther in your future than manufacturers would like due to price and already existing options.
If you want to see a sampling of tech from the show, check out the “best of” lists by CNET and PC World, while the Huffington Post has a nice roundup of eReaders. The most interesting of the bunch is the so-called “Kindle Killer,” the enTourage eDGge. It has a 9.7″ eReader/eInk screen on one side and a 10″ color screen on the other. Can’t wait to see it.
Of all the exciting technology at CES this year, however, my favorite soon-to-come devices are:
Lenovo Ideapad U1 Hybrid: Netbook + Tablet
The Lenovo Ideapad U1 Hybrid combines a netbook with a detachable tablet. This is possible because each piece has its own processor and battery; the LED screen works for both devices. To use the computer as a tablet, you simply undock the screen from the chassis and start writing on it or using it as an eReader or watching a movie on it.
I think I’m in love.
I’ve been using (IBM) Lenovo ThinkPads as my mobile computer for about ten years now and have always been satisfied. This time, I’m expecting to be bowled over. At the very least, this device ups the ante for all netbooks. Accordingly its price is expected to be a bit richer ($999) than the average netbook.
Zomm: Never Lose Your Cellphone Again
Zomm is a gadget the size of a chubby poker chip that you hang from your keychain –- a wireless “leash” for your cellphone.
Whenever your keychain (ostensibly you) with its Zomm is more than 30 feet away from the cellphone you’ve synced it to, the Zomm sounds an alarm. You’ll never leave your cellphone in a hotel room again! The Zomm can also be used as a speakerphone. And lastly, it can be used as a personal security device — if you hold the button down for 9 seconds, it will automatically dial 9-1-1.
Best of all, the Zomm was invented by a mom who kept hearing people complain about losing their cellphones. What did she do? She came up with a solution. (Got to nip that whining in the bud.)
Keep an key out for the Zomm this coming summer at a price of $79.99.
As for the Zomm, my husband can usually find his phone, but his keys? No departure from our house comes without a ten minute search. Now, I have conveniently hung seven plastic hooks in our pantry which is this far from the door through which we exit…but they are never there.
I found a Zomm-ish product in Brookstone. (I hate malls and was outwaiting my husband who had a business meeting and needed to park me somewhere or I never would have found it.) SmartFind @ $49.99. It’s marketed for keys, but I think it would do the trick with cell phones too.
Similar ideas to deal with similar problems. The SmartFind is a bit different from the Zomm, though, because the Zomm just a little transmitter on your keychain that syncs to your phone. The Smartfind is a relatively large transmitter that talks to another transmitter on your keychain — it has an extra component. But you could use it to find the keys, that you then use to remind you about your cellphone!