Reviewed.com CES Roundup: Day 1
With the BMW app on Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, you can check your car's remaining range, see if you left your sunroof open or windows down, or more.(Photo: Reviewed.com)
Monday was the first full day of the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas. With endless gadgets before us, from innovative to repetitive, these were a few items that caught our eye.
Samsung smartwatch to interface with BMWs
The line between wearable and drivable tech continues to blur at CES 2014, as BMW unveiled an app[1] for a Samsung smartwatch. Today, BMW announced that its i3 electric car will feature a special app for the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. Already, i3 drivers could check how much battery life they have left or send navigation directions to their cars from a smartphone using the BMW iRemote App.
LG unleashes slew of TVs, home theater tech
LG Electronics on Monday announced a whopping 15 new TV product lines for 2014[2]. That's on top of the three OLED series already tipped last week, bringing LG's tally to 18 new series for the year. Four of the newly announced lines are UHD, seven are LCD, and four are plasmas. It's a bold statement of intent: This is LG saying it can go toe to toe with Samsung, by far the dominant force in today's TV market.
Toyota says fuel-cell car has 310-mile range
After its initial debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November, the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Toyota FCV —short for fuel cell vehicle; the production model will get a new name—made its first U.S. appearance[3] at CES.
The Toyota FCV promises a 310 mile range between hydrogen fill-ups, room for four passengers, and a refuel time of just three minutes. Unlike a plug-in electric vehicle, there's no waiting for a battery to recharge. Promised top speed is over 100 mph, and zero-to 60-mile-per-hour times are about 10 seconds. And most interestingly, Toyota says a fully-fueled FCV could be be used as a generator to power a home for a week during an emergency.
Bluetooth toothbrush will smarten your mouth
A French startup called Kolibree brought the world's first smart electric toothbrush[4] to CES 2014. Sleek and fashionable, the electric toothbrush's main selling point is its ability to track just how clean you're getting your teeth—or whether your kids are actually brushing the way they should be.
For folks who really want to take dental health to another level, you can even bring in the app and show your dentist just how well (or how poorly) you're brushing.
New home tech will care for your loved ones
Alarm.com announced the Wellness Program[5] at CES 2014, which makes use of a security suite to monitor the well-being of the elderly. Far from being a contemporary Big Brother, the system provides real-time info on your loved ones whereabouts and well being, all without the use of intrusive cameras.
The system uses a combination of bed presence monitors, motion sensors and panic buttons to track movement and alert users and caregivers of any unexpected changes in routine.
Get more coverage of the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show from Reviewed.com[6] and follow @ReviewedDotCom[7] on Twitter.
References
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/01/06/reviewed-ces-bmw-smartwatch/4346253/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/06/reviewed-lg-debuts-ces/4339427/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2014/01/06/toyota-fuel-cell-range/4343589/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/06/reviewed-ces-bluetooth-toothbrush/4342045/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/06/reviewed-ces-smart-home-elderly/4340371/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.reviewed.com/events/ces2014/?utm_source=spikes&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=collab (www.reviewed.com)
- ^ http://twitter.com/revieweddotcom (twitter.com)