SpareOnePlus adds location tracking, audio alerts, keeps the 15-year life on a single AA battery eyes-on
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Xpal’s SpareOne disaster-ready cellphone was one of the most intriguing devices we saw at last year’s CES. Using a huge capacitor, the stripped-down GSM handset promised a 15-year battery life from the charge of a single AA Energizer battery. While the call quality was basic, it could certainly be the sort of unit that you could stow in a first aid kit or car trunk for emergencies. Now the company has returned with the SpareOnePlus, which adds location-based data, readable with a smartphone app, which is good for keeping track of your loved ones on the go. Xpal has also tried to address one of our biggest gripes with the original by adding audio feedback, reading out the number that you’re dialing and telling you who’s calling — although we’re still wondering why they couldn’t stretch to a screen. Bundled in the package is also a waterproof bag that promises to keep your essentials dry for 30 minutes under one meter of water. The only sting in this tail is that this extra technology (and bag) comes at a price — which has increased from $50 to $99 and is expected to be available “early 2013.”
Gallery: Spare One Plus Hands-on at CES 2013
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
You may not have heard of Audience, but its sound processor may be powering your smartphone right now. With design-wins like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S3, RAZRi and other high-profile smartphones, Audience makes your voice sound better for those who listen to you on the phone. The company builds Voice Processors that help filter out background noise, even in relatively noisy places like busy restaurants and bars. 
[CES 2013] We have seen our share of new touch notebooks for Windows 8 and today, Vizio is coming to CES with its Thin+Light Touch lineup. The 14-inch model runs the AMD A10 4657M Quad Core 2.3GHz processor with 8GB RAM and features a HD+ (1600×800) touch display.
[CES 2013] Vizio has every intention to extend their market leadership in large size HDTVs by offering a host of Smart TVs this CES, with the 80” Razor LED Smart TV with Theater 3D leading the line. Sporting an extremely slim frame design with a 2mm visible bezel, you get a 16-zone local dimming capability, Theater 3D for crystal clear and flicker free 3D, a host of Vizio Internet apps to play with and HTML5 support, a Wi-Fi Direct universal backlit remote control, and up to 8 pairs of lightweight, battery-free 3D glasses. 
[CES 2013] It looks like the phablet is most definitely here to stay and Alcatel wants to hop aboard that bandwagon as well. Granted Alcatel probably isn’t the first name that comes to mind with regards to Android smartphones (they might have had their moment in the sun back when feature phones were popular), but they are certainly trying their best and with the introduction of the Alcatel One Touch Scribe HD, perhaps they might be able to lure some customers over to their side. So what can you expect from Alcatel’s take on the phablet? 
[CES 2013] Alcatel has a couple of new phones announced for CES as part of its One Touch lineup, and one of them would be the One Touch Idol Ultra, a 4.7” Android smartphone with a HD display versus a qHD display on its sibling, the One Touch Idol. The Idol Ultra will be powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor accompanied by 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear-facing camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, and has the ability to capture videos at 720p HD quality. 
[CES 2013] Garmin has just unveiled their K2 platform that is touted to be the next-generation automotive infotainment solution – at least, from Garmin. Now this is a name that has been out of the spotlight for a long time, so it is nice to see them make a splash at this year’s CES.