The estimated reading time for this post is 5 minutes
Last week was the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where the technology industry showed its latest gadgets to the world. CES offers a sneak peek into the tech that may change our lives, or may never be seen again.
Some of the gadgets are fun while others serve a useful purpose in our lives. From activity trackers to high-tech cameras and more, CES was filled with promise for the future. These cool gadgets are either being sold now or should be launched later in 2016.
1. Polar Balance Smart Scale
Many activity trackers can help you monitor your fitness level but how many will connect with a scale? The Polar Balance Smart Scale connects to the Flow app on your phone and a Polar Balance activity tracker to see whether your exercise is affecting your weight.
Set a weight goal using the Flow app, then weigh yourself on the Smart Scale. The Flow app also connects to MyFitnessPal if you want to track what you eat. The Polar Coach, a free online service, uses information from the Smart Scale, activity tracker and Flow app to help you reach your goals.
Polar Balance Smart Scale is $99.95.
2. Withings Go
A common problem with activity trackers is having to charge them frequently. It can be very frustrating to complete a workout only to discover that the battery on your activity tracker has died.
Withings Go is a simple activity tracker that uses an eInk screen (similar to a Kindle ereader) to display your activity level each day. The battery on the Go lasts up to eight months so you don’t have to worry about charging it every day, week or month.
The Go tracks your activity and your sleep, and knows the difference between the two. You can see your information on an app on your phone to learn about your sleep patterns and activity level.
The Go is water-resistant up to 50 meters and will be sold for $69.95. More information is available at the Withings website.
3. Presence
Presence is a security camera that helps you see what’s outside your door. The camera sends a live video stream to your phone and notifies you when a car, person or animal comes within view. Video is recorded onto an SD card in the camera and onto a server where it is stored for free.
Using the app you can see who is approaching your home and get alerts when a car, person or animal comes close. A light on the Presence camera can be set to turn on when motion is detected or from the app.
Presence should be available later in 2016 for less than $300. More information is available at the Presence website.
4. Nima
People who cannot eat gluten often have difficulty knowing when a food has gluten in it. Nima is a new gadget that can detect gluten in food. Add a bit of food into Nima to see whether it has gluten of more than 20 parts per million.
Nima works with solids and liquids to detect gluten. Within two minutes the display will show you whether gluten was found in the sample of food. The company states that Nima is 99.5% accurate in detecting gluten in foods.
Nima is available for pre-order for $199.
5. Misfit Ray
Not all activity trackers look like activity trackers. The Misfit Ray is an activity tracker that looks like a metal cylinder and can be worn as a bracelet or necklace.
Slide the Ray over a bracelet to wear it on your wrist or attach it to a chain to wear it around your neck. The Ray will record your activity and sleep, showing you information on a phone app.
The Ray vibrates for alarms and when you get a text or phone call. You can also use the Ray to take selfies and control the lights in your home.
The Ray is available for pre-order for $99.99.
6. Ween Thermostat
The Ween thermostat is designed to heat and cool homes when people are around and save energy when people are away. The thermostat connects to your phone to know when you’re in your home (this thermostat figures you take your phone with you when you leave the house).
Users can set their ideal temperatures for when they’re home and away to save energy costs while keeping comfortable. The Ween can also sense motion if someone is home without a phone, such as a pet, and adjust the temperature.
The Ween is available for pre-order for €349.
7. Code-a-pillar
When are children old enough to learn to code? Fisher-Price introduced the Code-a-pillar at CES that gives children the building blocks of coding in a toy designed for children from three to eight years old.
This caterpillar blinks colorful lights and moves according to the order in which the pieces are arranged.
The Code-a-pillar is due in June and will cost about $50. You can find out more at the Fisher-Price website.
8. Pic
Pic is a video camera that looks like it belongs in a cartoon. In fact, the company makes versions so this camera can become a character, such as Frank, Bob or Jack.
The 8 megapixel camera is made from bendable plastic so you can wrap it around a dog’s collar, your wrist, bicycle handlebars or other places you may want to take pictures from.
The Pic has 16 GB of memory and can record up to one hour of video. You can connect Pic to your phone using Bluetooth to check the battery level and use a remote control, and to your computer using a USB port to download photos.
The Pic will be available in 5 colors and 3 characters in February.
9. Prizm
Prizm is a smart music player that streams from music services Deezer and Soundcloud. Instead of using a smartphone to stream music, users can connect Prizm to a sound system and log into their music service accounts.
Songs will be played according to what time of day, who is in the room and the mood it senses. Prizm has a heart button that can be pressed to let it know that the song being played is a favorite.
You can request an invitation to buy Prizm from the website. The Prizm is due in early 2016 and will cost 149 €.
10. Sensorwake
Sensorwake is an alarm clock that wakes you up with scents instead of sounds. At the set time, Sensorwake will release a fragrance to wake you from your sleep.
Choose to wake up to the smell of food, such as croissant, espresso, chocolate or peppermint, or nature, such as seaside or jungle.
No worries about sleeping through an alarm if you have a cold. Sensorwake will sound an alarm if you don’t turn it off within three minutes.
Sensorwake is available for pre-order for $109.
Your Thoughts
Which of these gadgets are most interesting to you? What do you think of these gadgets presented at CES? Where do you think the future of tech will be next year?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
Hi Carolyn,
Informative post indeed. 🙂
I think ALL of these gadgets are so interesting that it’s tough to pick out one from the list! Withings Go looks interesting, especially as you don’t have to worry about the battery or charging it daily, like the others we have around!
Presence is good too, though we do have many such cameras our end as well, which are in-fact much smaller than this one and serve the same purpose. Ween Thermostat would sure help save energy costs – nice one indeed! Pic sounds like a lot of fun for being a camera, kids would love it. Sensorwake would wake us up with scents, awesome! Would love that one 🙂
Thanks for sharing these wonderful gadgets with us. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Hi Harleena, Yes, I could have done this entire article on new fitness trackers from CES. But the good news is that people now have lots of choices to track their activity. The Withings Go is perfect for people who are tired of having to remember to charge their devices every day.
All these new devices are designed to make our daily lives easier and/or more fun. Who knows what next year will bring?
The Pic, for sure! And I have no idea where we will be next year. This all reminds me of a quote I heard heard years ago, more relevant to today’s technology than it was to just the busyness of life:
“I’m just catching up with yesterday. By tomorrow I should be ready for today.”
So much tech to explore! So little time!
Hi Lori, Yes, I agree, the Pic looks fun and useful. I can just imagine wrapping it around bicycle handlebars to make a bike ride even more fun!
You’re right, I never run out of topics to write about here, there’s always something new in tech.
Nice review. Nice to knew about all these gadgets.
First article i’ve read, and love it = bookmark site!
Hi Mike, I’m so glad you enjoyed this article. Welcome to The Wonder of Tech!
Great blog! I really like the sensorwake.
Hi Mike, Thanks. I’m glad you like the Sensorwake. Starting your day with a scent instead of an alarm sounds like a much better way to wake up!
Hi Carolyn
I am much amazed to see No4 Nima the gluten tracker. That is a big help for health cautious people and could be sold like a hot cake in healthy living market.
Many of the gadgets you shared have not only big value but they do have several interesting features as one can’t imagine a camera could be turned into an interesting cartoon character.
Many thanks for sharing this useful resource base.
Hi Carolyn,
I’ve seen a peek on TV about CES and was eager to find out what the latest was. I am grateful you have done this review. I want to whip out my credit card right now because that alarm clock would be a perfect fit for my daughter. She has so much trouble waking up and I know this would do the trick for her.
Nima is something I do need! Planning on going on a gluten free diet soon. Plus my grandson has autism and is on a strict diet. This is the best gadget I can see.
Thanks so much for putting this together. It is a great help for me.
-Donna
Hi Donna, I’m delighted this article was so helpful to you. Yes, the Nima will be so useful for people who are trying to stay gluten-free. I hope they are able to expand Nima to be able to detect allergens such as nuts too, wouldn’t that be great?
As you might imagine, I eagerly await CES each year to see what new inventions are in our future. Just when you think they couldn’t possible invent anything else we see hundreds of new gadgets each year. I can’t wait for next year!
Hi there,
i love how people squiz they brain looking for a new ideas, in the movil phone companies or tech stuff is even more curious what they can build. Amazing!!
Thanks for the post!
Hi Ricky, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, it is amazing to see all of the inventions each year that come from CES. I too am completely impressed by the creativity and innovation of new gadgets. What will come next?