2014 CES: Best of Show awards showcases emerging technology

The 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show is history now and probably all that's left behind are discarded name tags and freebies that nobody wanted.

But Engadet, a popular technology website, has released its "Best of CES 2014 Awards" winners with some real goodies on the list. These are the gadgets that we'll likely be hearing more about this year.

The finalist come from different categories, such as Best Startup, Best Digital Health & Fitness Product and Best Automotive Electronics Product. Some were prototypes, some were in the funding stage and some are expected on the shelves soon.

Some of the previous stars of technology didn't make the list, such as desktops, laptops and not even a tablet. The emerging smart watches were also absent and smartphones were not all the rage this year, except for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. According to Engadget, the Xperia Z1, a smaller version of the larger Xperia, features some of the same powerful components as its larger sibling.

We can expect to see a wave of Fitness Bands on our wrists in the wearable technology arena. They will monitor everything from heart rates to burning calories to swimming strokes. The JayBird Reign fitness device stood out to the Engadget judges. The Epson Pulsense and Atlas fitness bands were also at the electronics show.

There is even something for the kids in a wearable baby monitor, which will let parents monitor a baby's vital stats.

Then there is the mysterious 3D printer, for which this technology still has a ways to go before ending up in my office, but it's getting there, with the MakerBot Replicator 3D printer eating the way. For virtual reality and gaming fans, the Oculus Rift VR headset looks very promising. It is now in development as a Kickstarter project

So be sure and check out the full list of technology products that had the "wow factor" at the CES in Las Vegas. These are the gadgets that will be after our wallets this year.

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2014 CES: Epson introduces Pulsense wearable fitness devices

It seems that the healthcare and fitness industry is on track to embrace wearable technology. Epson America, a leader in innovative products, and probably better known for their inkjet printers and projectors, is leading the way with the announcement of their continuous heart rate monitoring wearable device.

The Epson Pulsense smart watch, a bio-sensing wrist watch, and a lightweight Pulsense band was announced at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. According to Epson, these devices, which are designed for daily wear and activity, can monitor and store your heart rate, activity level, calorie burn and sleep patterns.

The Pulsense band has a LED display that can be wirelessly connected to a smartphone to read and transfer the stored biometric data, while the watch features a LCD display for real-time viewing of heart rate, steps walked, calorie burn and date/time. These wearable devices will be pitched as ideal devices for staying fit, losing weight or training for a marathon.

This technology works by detecting a continuous heart rate directly from the wrist by measuring the amount of light reflected from red blood cells. A single heart beat is recorded when the amount of light reflected changes due to a drop in red blood cell count as the blood vessel contracts. There is no chest strap involved.

Since the Pulsense devices utilizes real-time heart rate data, it is able to determine calories burned based on personal biometrics. With the built-in memory, the Pulsense can store up to 480 hours of heart-rate data, which can be transferred to a smartphone or computer. For tracking your progress over a period of time, the data can transferred to an online health or fitness service using an iOS or Android mobile app, as well as from your personal computer.

You can look for these devices to hit the shelves this summer for around $130 for the band and $200 for the watch.

Epson also announced Moverio smart glasses with front-facing cameras and motion sensors and a Labelworks app-enabled label printer for printing QR and Bar codes.

It's still early in the week and more emerging technology will continue to flow from the 2014 CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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Verizon's Ellipsis 7 is a good deal in the small tablet arena

When the Ellipsis 7 tablet from Verizon Wireless arrived in my hands, I had a feeling that it could be a keeper. This is Verizon’s home-bred, in-house, call-it-their-own device and I could hardly wait to take it for a spin.

The first thing I did was to see if it would fit the inside pocket of my business jacket. Bingo, it did. So finally I had found a tablet that I could carry around without having to hold it my hands or place in a brief case. Just tuck it in my inside coat pocket and go.

The Ellipsis 7 is a 4G Android device running the 4.2.2 operating system, also known as Jelly Bean. It has a seven-inch display and front-facing speakers along the bottom that sound really good. Along the top of the device you'll find the headset port, which is where I think all headset ports should be located – hint, hint to the iPhone 5 designers.

Along the bottom is the USB mini port for charging, while the right side holds a MicroSD card slot, microphone, power and volume keys, along with the SIM card slot.

On the back is a 3.2 megapixel camera, which is probably the weakest link of the Ellipsis 7 features. But who takes serious photos with a tablet, so I didn't mind having a lesser-quality camera than some of the competing tablets. Having only 8 megabytes of memory could be also be looked at as a weak link, compared with other tablets in this category that are sporting an average of 16MB and tops out at 128MB for some tablets, such as the iPad Mini.

Setting up most email accounts only required a username and password, with the tablet doing most the behind-the-scenes setup. My Google and Hotmail email accounts were up and running in a matter of minutes. Setting up a corporate Exchange account was equally as easy, you’ll just need to pay close attention to your Domain and Server settings. I had Exchange mail arriving in under five minutes.

Although I have access to a Mac desktop, laptop, iPad and iPhone, I found myself using the Ellipsis 7 often to check multiple email accounts, conduct google searches and monitor my social media accounts. The speed of Verizon’s 4G network and the 7-inch size made this tablet quite handy. I especially like the front-facing speakers and the quality of the sound, which was great for YouTube videos.

During my time with the Ellipsis 7, I download several apps from the Google Play store without a hitch. Again, the fast network was the key for a smooth download process. This device also comes with several desirable apps installed, such as iHeartRadio, Flipboard, Amazon Kindle reader, and Redbox Instant for movies. The included Navigation app is also pretty handy.

The other tablets in the 7-inch display category have similar or better features, such as the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX, Google Nexus 7 and the Samsung Galaxy 3. Although they also might have more memory options or a faster processor, the Ellipsis has them all beat on price. At the current time the Ellipsis 7 can be a great holiday gift until Dec. 31 for $49 with a two-year contract, or for $249 if you don’t want to sign a contract.

When you think about a starting price of $329 for the iPad Mini with Retina display that can quickly rocket to over $800 loaded, or around $400 for a fully loaded Kindle Fire HDX, the Ellipsis 7 looks good for the budget and will satisfy most digital needs.

If you need more display area, the iPad Mini’s 7.9-inch display is very generous for a small tablet, but you’ll need to open your wallet a little wider. Or you can move up the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HDX for a few more bucks.

But if the budget is tight, the Ellipsis 7 will take you anywhere you want to be in the digital world and perform like a champ for less cost. I’m call it a good deal.

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Fight crime, earn rewards with the sic-Shot crowd-sourcing app

The technology of crowd-sourcing is gaining more widespread use, as more applications are put into play. One of the latest efforts of this technology is a community-based tool to share public safety concerns via a new app named sic-Shot.

By using the sic-Shot app, individuals can provide confidential information through photos and videos to law enforcement officials that need information to help solve crimes.

The idea behind sic-Shot is to encourage anyone with a desire to support public safety to be on the lookout for acts of violence, unusual conduct or suspicious behavior. When a sci-Shot user witnesses a criminal act or notices suspicious behavior, a photo or video is recorded and posted to their sic-Shot account. These images can be browsed by law enforcement subscribers to help identify suspects and solves crimes.

The reports by sic-Shot users can be rewarded $1 or more for a photo or video purchased by subscribers. As more photos and videos are taken, the sic-Shot user earns badges to receives the  highest level of reward dollars, which will be redeemed through gift cards from leading online vendors. But a minimum balance of $25 must be earned before any reward money is paid.

If the information is considered essential in solving a crime, the sic-Shot user can be rewarded up to $50 per photo or video.

According to the developers, the sci-Shot app will be available in December for Android users and is listed as "coming soon" for iPhone fans. Users are encouraged to sign up to participate in the limited app release.

With this idea of a community-based social network and the sharing of public-safety information with law enforcement subscribers, the traditional Neighborhood Watch program is going hi-tech and mobile.  

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Waze app provides real-time traffic alerts from community drivers

As I got into my car for my daily commute to work, my latest iPhone app tells me there are 25 other drivers nearby ready to assist me with real-time traffic reports and commuting information.

The commuting information is from Waze, a traffic and navigation app that I have been testing over the past few weeks. I can truly say that it works and also has very impressive GPS capabilities.

The technology behind the Waze app is based on a community of other drivers with the Waze app, or "Wazers" as they like to call themselves. The beauty of the concept is that these drivers are local to your area and drive some of the same routes that you would take every day.

Once in your car, just fire up the Waze app, type in your destination and leave the app open. You'll notice right away that your location is accurately displayed and a little icon tracks your route on a three-dimensional map, or 2D if you prefer. As you drive along, you might notice alerts on traffic jams or simply slow traffic, accidents, road hazards and other information – all in real time. These alerts are coming from other "Wazers" traveling the same route and have submitted alerts along the way.

On my particular route to work, I was alerted of a "car on the shoulder" a few miles down the road. Sure enough, a few minutes later I came upon a stalled vehicle on the right shoulder of the interstate. Amazing.

If you see a need to report the location of an accident or other road hazard alert to share with other drivers, just tap the "report" icon and choose from several options, such as a Traffic Jam, Police, Accident, Hazard or Closure. After choosing which side of the street or interstate, you'll simply choose "submit" and the apps marks the location of where the report button was first pressed. For a traffic jam report, there are "Moderate, Heavy and Standstill" options. A photo can be taken to share with the report.

During another four-hour trip on a major interstate, I came upon slow traffic and knew something was wrong ahead. I fired up the Waze app to discover an accident had been reported a few mile ahead by a fellow Wazer.

The GPS features of the Waze app is amazingly accurate, with the location of my vehicle dead-on in relation to the map on the display. The icon for my vehicle passed through intersections on the map display as I did in real time. When stopped at a red light a few vehicles back from the intersection, that's where my location was on the Waze map. The GPS technology of the Waze app is very impressive, with functions similar to a genuine GPS unit, complete with day and night modes for the display.

As you drive along with Waze, the map automatically zooms in and out, based on the detail being shown on your smartphone display. All gas stations and public landmarks are displayed, such as parks, rivers, lakes and dreams.

Some of the additional features of the Waze app include adding your home and work addresses, as well as Facebook integration to interact and coordinate your trips with your Facebook friends. A tap of the "Gas" icon displays a list of gas stations and fuel prices nearby.

According to the company, Waze is being used by around 50 million people and I would imagine this is growing, as each time I log in, the number of Wazers nearby seemed to have grown. A team of seven developers from Silicon Valley, Israel, the United Kingdom and other locations are responsible for this innovative use of crowd-sourcing with traffic reports and other commuting information.

Waze is free at this time and is available for the iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone devices, with the latest version being 3.7.6, which added a voice-based search for finding addresses and places. Maybe a version for the BlackBerry platform is on the drawing board.

In the latest twist of Waze marketing, Comedian Kevin Hart is lending his voice for turn-by-turn navigation in the app.

I'm sold on the technology of the Waze app and its community-based traffic reporting. I won't leave home without it.

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Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile rolls out Isis Mobile Wallet

The mobile payments technology just took a big leap forward with Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile announcing Isis Mobile Wallet. This "tap to pay" technology can turn many of your credit cards and loyalty cards into virtual versions that will only require a tap at Isis-compatible merchants.

To get started, you'll need one of the 15 Isis-ready smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S4 and several Droid devices, with Near Field Communication, or NFC, and an enhanced SIM card. You'll also need the free Isis Android app from the Google Play Store and have an idea of which cards are participating in the new technology, such as American Express and Chase. You'll also have the option of adding money to your Mobile Wallet by linking a bank account or debit card.

The NFC technology on your smartphone will allow an Isis Mobile Wallet short-range wireless communication feature, known as "SmartTap," between the Isis app and the Isis terminal at the merchant. When out and about, you'll simply look for the Isis SmartTap symbol on payment terminals at retailers such as Toys 'R' Us, Jamba Juice, Coca-Cola vending machines. According to Verizon, there are more than 200,000 retail locations that are equipped with tap-to-pay terminals.

For security, your Isis Mobile Wallet account will be protected by a four-digit PIN, and according to Verizon, a Secure Element chip on your phone will store your payment credentials in an area that's separate from your phone's main operating system and hardware.If your device is lost or stolen, the mobile wallet account can be locked by the carrier.

As for privacy concerns, Verizon says on their website that what you buy is between you and the merchants you patronize; neither Isis nor Verizon Wireless keeps track of your purchases.

The online payment sector will get increasingly crowded going forward, as key players implement mobile banking and entice consumers to pay for merchandise and services with their smartphones. Google has Google Wallet, Mastercard has PayPass Wallet and Visa is pushing their V.me digital wallet service.

Apple Inc. has their Passbook app, which will organize gift cards, coupons, passes, tickets and more, with the idea of making your wallet a lot thinner and lighter, but stops short of actually processing a mobile payment. Apple has also stayed away from the NFC technology, while can be found on just about all the iPhone competitors, but was not included in the recent iPhones 5S and 5C.

As an alternative to NFC, Apple has opted for a fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S with Touch ID features. Apple also has iBeacon on the drawing board, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to transmit wireless data between devices. This technology will also allow iOS 7 devices to pinpoint their location. Some believe this will become Apple's answer for NFC and will offer retailer new ways to reach potential customers beyond mobile payments.

PayPal took a different approach in the mobile payments arena with their "PayPal Here" solution, which launched over a year ago. This concept allows small business to accept almost any form of payment by using a free app and a small credit card reader for the iPhone and Android devices.

According to PayPal, they have been experiencing some success with mobile payments in the offline retailers and small business sector.

As the mobile payments continues to evolve, technology companies will be banking on savvy customers embracing a new way to shop and and pay in the years ahead.

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Google, Motorola enters the fray with Maxx, Ultra, Mini Droids

While the new iPhones frenzy was going on over the past few weeks, they were not the only games in town. At least three of my pockets had one of the Motorola Droids trio that certainly deserve some attention.

Verizon Wireless sent a box full of Droids just as the the iPhone mania was heating up and I have been exploring and enjoying these Google and Motorola-branded devices so much that I haven't had a hankering for the new iPhone 5S.

My FedEx box contained the Motorola Droid Maxx, Droid Ultra and Droid Mini. Let's just say I was surrounded by droids, which represent the newest creation from Google and Motorola since they agreed to join forces in August 2011 after Google put $12.5 million on the table.

I think we all knew that something big would come out of this partnership, with Google's Android empire and Motorola's reputation for quality hardware.

The Droid Maxx is certainly the flagship out of this trio and it has the features to prove it. Right off the bat, the most impressive attribute is the whopping 3500 mAh battery, which Motorola lays claims to 48 hours of mixed use. I can only think only of a few other smartphones that could come close to the Maxx's battery specifications, with one being the LG Optimus G Pro, with a battery rated at 3140 mAh.

The Maxx also didn't skimp on memory, with 32 gigabytes of storage space, compared with 16 GB for its siblings, the Ultra and Mini.

Aside from the usual collection of Android apps and more available in the Google Play store, one of my favorite features of the Maxx is the VZ Navigator global positioning app. I played lost coming from the office and the Maxx didn't miss a turn in getting me home before sundown. I especially like the conversational tone of the directions, such as "Get ready to turn right at the next traffic light." Or "drive about seven miles, then get ready to take Exit 7B, on the right. The GPS turn-by-turn directions on the Maxx are as simple as a doughnut.

The five-inch AMOLED display of the Maxx is a perfect fit in my ash tray in landscape orientation while in GPS mode. The audio is loud and clear. With a windshield mount or the official Navigation Dock from Motorola, the Maxx really could function as your main GPS unit, as the maps and directions are quite good.

Another area where the Maxx stands out among the competition is the Qi wireless charging module that doesn't require a USB cable connection to your computer or wall outlet. The feature, backed by the Wireless Power Consortium, also supports the Hydro Elite, and Droid Mini. You can take your pick of wireless charging accessories for the Maxx, such as a Nokia JBL Power Up Speaker, Nokia Fatboy Charging Pillow and a LG Wireless Charging Pad.

Motorola is making good use Kevlar, with the back of the Maxx sporting a textured appearance with a soft-touch feel. You also find a thin layer of Kevlar under a glossy plastic covering on the Ultra and Mini Droid devices. I like the Maxx's use of the Kevlar the best.

The Droid Ultra is almost identical to the Maxx, except for 16 GB of storage versus 32 GB in the larger sibling and a 2130 mAh battery, compared with the Maxx's 3150 battery. The Ultra is also slightly thinner, due to the larger battery in the Maxx.

The deciding factor might be in the cost, as the Ultra is $100 cheaper than the Maxx's $299 sticker price. For less money, you get the same five-inch display, a 1.7 GHz Dual-Core processor and a 10 MP rear camera. The size of the Maxx and Ultra is similar to the LG Optimus G Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

That's not a bad deal, if you don't mind the glossy, plastic back on the Ultra that has a tendency to show fingerprints more than the Maxx textured back.

As for the Droid Mini, it's a handy device that might feel more comfortable in your hands, because of the more traditional size that is similar to the such as the iPhone 5 devices and the slightly-larger Nokia Lumia 1020 and HTC One.

For even less money than the Ultra, the Mini rings up at $99 and you'll get a smaller 2000 mAh battery than the Maxx and Ultra, but the same Dual-Core processor and camera megapixels as the big guys. Although the Mini is the smallest of the bunch, it's also the thickest by two to eight millimeters.

The bottom line is that the Google and Motorola union have produced a trio of devices running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean that are certainly contenders in the smartphone arena. For Android fans, you'll be quite familiar with the features, the apps available and the overall form factor.

Once you throw in wireless charging, touch control, impressive batteries and Kevlar, I don't think you can go wrong with either device. If you're shopping for a larger size and impressive battery life, the Maxx is what you'll want to bring home. For budget conscious shoppers, the Mini at $99 will be appealing with good specs and lots of Androids goodies.

So, just look in your wallet, count your money, and pick one of the three.

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