Hasta La Gadget!

Here at Showstoppers 2013 during CES 2013, Evado Filip is showing off its new device called VivoPlay. The device has one very important goal: keep your children safe without suffocating them. Parents can link the VivoPlay to a companion iOS or Android app, keeping tabs on their child while letting them still be a kid.

There are a number of potentially life-saving features Evado Filip is focusing on with the VivoPlay. The first of the features is location, with the device being able to keep an eye on your child’s location using GPS, GSM, and WiFi. Using those three technologies at once means that there’s a better chance your child will be able to be found if they go missing, so naturally, it’s a winning idea.

Parents will be able to designate five different numbers that can communicate with the VivoPlay, and outside of those, the device won’t be able to contact anyone else. Children only need to push a single button to make a call, so if they ever need help, they won’t need to go through menu after menu to make a call. Parents will also be able to send text messages up to 16 characters long to their child’s VivoPlay, which is an added bonus.

One particularly nifty feature is the ability to create safe zones. If your child wanders outside of the safe zone you’ve designated, you’ll be alerted with a text message, and in turn you’ll be able to contact your child and see what’s up. It’s a very cool little device and it even comes with a built-in emergency feature that a child can use to get help quickly. The VivoPlay will be available soon, but while we wait for more details to come out of Evado Filip, be sure to check out our CES portal for all of our news from the show.

VivoPlay from Evado Filip hands-on is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
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The 2013 Consumer Electronics Show is underway in Las Vegas, Nevada this week, and innovators of all stripes are showcasing a variety of new wares, from massive designs to pocket-sized gadgets. Some of these new products will come to revolutionize the way we live and some will just fade away. Here are videos of a few promising new items from the show.

There are a lot of people out there who feel the overwhelming need to share everything about their daily lives. I’m sure you know these people, the sort who have to tweet pictures of what they had for breakfast and lunch and are constantly updating their Facebook status to show what they’re doing right that moment. If you happen to be this sort of person, Panasonic has a new wearable action camcorder unveiled at CES 2013 that will let you stream your life to people who care.

The wearable camcorder is called the HX-A100 and it is both waterproof and dustproof with an IPX8 rating. That means the camera can be used in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes without damage. The wearable camcorder also has integrated Wi-Fi connectivity allowing you to broadcast live streaming video on Ustream in full HD resolution. It can also be mounted to a helmet or a backpack and has an ear hook allowing you to mount it on your ear as well.

It can record full HD resolution at 60 frames per second, 720p resolution at 120 frames per second, and 640 x 360 resolution video at 240 frames per second. Panasonic fits the camera with a low light optimized F2.5 lens and the camera features “Level Shot” for automatically correcting tilted images. The camcorder also features integrated image stabilization to reduce blurriness. The camera’s internal battery is good for 140 minutes of shooting on a single charge (with Wi-Fi turned off.)

While you might not want to wear this thing during your everyday life, it might be cool for streaming live action shots – assuming you have a smartphone Wi-Fi hotspot in your other pocket, and a decent cellphone signal.

The HX-A100 camera can be pre-ordered now for $299.99(USD).

If you’re a home theater fan, I doubt we will hear any argument from you that surround sound is one of the best inventions ever. The problem for many home theater fans is that their room simply doesn’t have the space for a true surround sound solution. That means a lot of home theater fans end up using a sound bar that tries to simulate surround sound, and often fail miserably.

Now, Phillips has unveiled a new sound bar at CES that’s perfect for home theater fans that don’t have the room for a traditional surround sound speaker system, but would like surround when watching movies.

The sound bar is called the Philips Fidelio HTL9100 and it’s designed with removable rear channel speakers for true 5.1 surround sound. The best part about those removable speakers is that they are truly wireless. Not only does the sound bar beam the sound to the rear channel speakers with no wires, those rear speakers are also battery-powered. That means you don’t even need an AC outlet where you place the speakers when you want to listen to surround sound. The wireless speakers are good for 10 hours of use per charge and recharging means you need only connect them back to the sound bar.

This is a great idea for those of you who only need surround sound when watching the occasional movie or video game, with the speakers snapping neatly back into place when not in use.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t come cheap. The Fidelio HTL9100 sound system will be available in May 2013 for $799.99 (USD). A less expensive model – the HTL7100 will sell for $599, without the subwoofer.

If your job is task oriented, demanding your concentration, you had
better turn off your cell phones, pagers, email, and buzzers, and hang a
‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on your locked door.  Why?  Even a 3-second
interruption in your work can double your chances of making an error.