CES 2015: 25 Hot Products Scorching The Show Floor

The Best Of The Best

The CES product parade has begun, from Sony's Symphonic Light speakers, to Hewlett-Packard's Zvr virtual reality display, to a new media streaming box from Tablo with a built-in digital antenna. It's all impressive if not overwhelming.

Intrepid CRN editors have been beating the Las Vegas Convention Center carpet all week racking up daily double-digit mile counts on our pedometers to round up just the best the show has to offer. What follows is our top 25 CES products, so far.

Keep following CRN for more reports from CES 2015.

HP Zvr Virtual Reality Display

Hewlett-Packard took its first leap into virtual reality with its Zvr Virtual Reality Display that allows users to use a special stylus to rotate, manipulate and navigate 3-D images via tracking sensors embedded in the display's bezel. Users will need 3-D glasses to manipulate content, but thanks to a second 2-D LCD display onlookers will be able to follow along.

The secret behind the "blended reality" device, as HP calls it, is a partnership with firm zSpace which pioneered the 3-D technology behind the display. HP said the product is ideal for education, medical and design professionals.

The Zvr will ship this spring for an undisclosed price, according to HP.

HP Envy 34c

Hewlett-Packard unveiled a gorgeous new 34-inch curved monitor called the Envy 34c (Z34c). In addition to an extremely immersive experience (thanks to the monitor's curve), specs include 3,440 x 1,440 resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. HP said the panel features minimal reflectiveness and will appeal to both gamers and desk jockeys that have to juggle multiple screens as part of their job.

Edyn Garden Sensor
This solar-powered garden gadget will bring new meaning to the term "green thumb." Called Edyn Garden Sensor ($100), this Wi-Fi-enabled gear sinks into either indoor or outdoor soil and measures ambient humidity level, soil moisture, the level of electrical conductivity of the soil, and the level of nutrients in the soil.

The company said its technology will help users monitor and track environmental conditions that are key to a plant's health. The tracking takes place via an iOS or Android app. One sensor is good for up to 250 square feet of soil and it can be 300 feet from a Wi-Fi router.

The company is also introducing a Wi-Fi-enabled Edyn Water Valve ($60) that can either automatically water plants when needed or can be controlled remotely via the Edyn app.

Tablo
Life for cable cord cutters continues to get better thanks to helpful enablers such as Tablo. The company whose flagship Tablo DVR allows users to browse, record and stream live HDTV from their antenna on any device, anytime, and anywhere introduced Tablo Metro here at CES. The updated Tablo turns the small black gadget into a self-contained antenna, DVR and wireless stream appliance.

Priced at $250, the Tablo Metro allows users to skip having to buy a digital antenna and instead use the Tablo box to receive the broadcast TV signal. Product availability begins in first-quarter 2015, according to the company.

Wocket Smart Wallet

Imagine being able to consolidate every single credit card, loyalty card and bank debit card into one uber card. That's the idea behind the Wocket Smart Wallet that allows users to ditch all their other cards for just one card that acts as master.

Here is the way it works. Wocket charges $150 for a tiny card reader and wallet-sized writer. Users simply swipe all their cards and store the data inside the reader. Now when users need a specific credit or debit card, they just use the portable wallet-sized card writer to program the master Wocket to be the one they need.

Wocket said the technology puts security first by password-protecting the Wocket Wallet and storing all data locally and not in the cloud.

Lenovo AnyPen Technology

Lenovo unveiled three Yoga tablets that support its new AnyPen technology that allows users to use virtually anything as a stylus for the specific tablet models. Here at CES, Lenovo demonstrated the AnyPen technology using a range of things ranging from a pencil to fountain pen to even a carrot.

The 8-inch Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows, featuring Lenovo AnyPen Technology, will be available beginning this month with models starting at $300. The 8-inch Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows featuring AnyPen Technology has for a 1.86GHz Intel Atom processor, 2 GB RAM, and 32 GB of storage running Windows 8.1.

Archt One

This high-end audio device is designed to not only look good, but also sound great. Called Archt One, the all-in-one speaker sound system delivers consistent multidirectional sound and adapts to its environment, according the company.

The $600 system can be compared to the hi-fidelity audio quality of the Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin renowned sound technology, according to the company. The Archt One achieves its sound and range using through its design, multiple speakers embedded inside the speaker, and a custom digital sound processing technology that upscales any digital streaming audio to bring out the audio's richness.

Toshiba Introduces New Dongles For TransferJet

Toshiba introduced a host of new dongles priced at around $80 that use TransferJet technology that it claims can move data between devices at a rate of 560 MBps. The transfer technology can be used with a variety of Windows, iOS and Android devices via Toshiba's compatible Micro USB, USB,and Apple Lightning dongles or adapters.

TransferJet wireless dongles transfer between two devices in a peer-to-peer mode without the need for external physical connectors. Transfers are accomplished by touching the two dongles together while data is wirelessly piped to the other.

Toshiba Partners With Wacom On Affordable Pen-Centric Tablet

Budget tablets have suffered in the productivity department because many of the entry-level tablets have lacked advanced hardware and software features that allow users to do more with them. Toshiba is hoping to change expectations by juicing its entry-level tablet line with premium pen technology in partnership with Wacom.

Toshiba introduced two Encore 2 Write Windows-based tablets at CES that come with a Wacom digitizer pen. The pen corresponds to Toshiba apps such as TruNote that supports note-taking, archiving and searching along with handwriting recognition.

The tablets come in 10-inch and 8-inch models with a suggested retail price of $400 and $350, respectively.

Android TV

Sharp, Sony and Philips each unveiled TVs here at CES that will use Google's Android TV OS. Pictured here is Sharp's entry into the Android TV space. The Android TV OS supports a variety of Internet-based video and audio streaming services including Google Play. But what makes the Android TV OS worth investing in is its support for a host of Google technologies such as Google Cast and "Ok Google" voice search. And, of course, Android TV owners will have access to a universe of Android apps, games and utilities available on Google Play that can be played on the TV set.

Sony's Symphonic Light

Sony may not be the first to offer a lighting system that doubles as a sound system, but it certainly has done it with remarkable style. Teased here at CES, Sony's Symphonic Light speaker is a small cylindrical light that uses the lamp's glass to emit sound. Sony said the idea is to have several of these lamps or Sony speaker light bulbs in a room so music just seems to fill a room from apparently nowhere without impacting the room's aesthetics.

Sony did not disclose information on pricing and availability.

Petcube

CES isn't complete without at least one pet-centric gadget for animal lovers. Meet Petcube, a small W-iFi-enabled box that users can set up in their home and both remotely monitor and play with their furry friends. users interact with the $200 Petcube via a mobile app that allows them to control the 4-inch square cube's laser pointer, wide angle camera lens, and speakers for saying "hi" or "Get off couch, Fido."

Leo Smart Alert Nightlight

The Leo Smart Alert Nightlight tracks temperature and humidity and has a built-in microphone to listen for alarms from household smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

This "smart nightlight" syncs directly with users' iPhones through its iOS exclusive app no matter where they are located in the world. When a smoke detector goes off in the home, the Smart Alert Nightlight will hear it, and send an emergency push notification to their iPhone. If users don't respond, the app will send emergency messages to preset emergency contacts. The light of the device itself can be changed to any color lighting by choosing the color on its extensive color grid.

Garmin Vivo Activity Bands

Garmin unveiled two new wrist-worn wearables at CES to go along with its rugged smartwatch, the Phoenix Watch.

The Vivofit 2 activity tracker counts users' steps, but also has a red bar on the side of the display that gets longer the more they stay inactive. The fitness band can be set up to beep if users have been inactive for an extensive amount of time. The band has one year of battery life and can work under water up to 50 meters. It also has an extensive array of interchangeable bands. The Vivo Active GPS Smartwatch can track activity whether users are golfing, biking, running or swimming. It can also work under water up to 50 meters and has up to three weeks of battery life.

Ring Video Doorbell

This doorbell sends a live video feed directly to an iOS or Android device through Ring's Video Doorbell app. The doorbell has a motion sensor, so a visitor does not have to actually touch the doorbell for the video stream to come on. Users will receive a push notification when the doorbell is activated by a visitor and can decide whether to watch the video or ignore it. The camera also has night-vision, and the video feed will work no matter where users are, even if they are out of the country.

Automatic

Automatic is an Internet of Things device for cars. The small gadget connects to a car's diagnostic port and will sync to an Android or iOS device via the Automatic app. The device tracks a vehicle's miles, hours, MPG and fuel cost. It is designed to save users money and preach safer driving habits. Automatic said it can save users up to 30 percent on gas and repairs. The device will also send for emergency help in the event of a car crash or accident without charging any subscription fees. It automatically logs all car trips. Automatic announced at CES that it now integrates with Nest. The device will tell a Nest smart thermostat how far users are away from home, so Nest will know to start turning on the heat.

Bitdefender Box

Bitdefender has come out with a security solution for Internet of Things devices in the Bitdefender Box. This is the first security solution for IoT and the first hardware security platform. The company said the box can act as a router, and offers encrypted security for anything that connects to the internet. Bitdefender said this is a much-needed solution as there are not many options currently on the market for IoT security. The device will begin shipping later this month.

Ricoh Theta

Theta by Ricoh is a cool tech toy that can take 360-degree high-resolution photos. The small device has a camera lens on each side of its light, thin frame, and each lens takes a 180-degree picture. Both pictures automatically combine for a seamless 360-degree image. The device itself has 4 GB of internal storage, but users can sync Theta to their Android or iOS device via the Theta app and enjoy their cool shots on their high-resolution smartphone or tablet displays.

The Keep From iSmart Alarm

This security device is a motion detector as well as an audio detector that will send an alert to users' iOS or Android apps. When users select the alert, they will be able to watch a live video feed from the device right on their smartphone or tablet from anywhere in the world. The device does not need any installation or have any fees attached to it like many security platforms do.

iWallet

The iWallet is a wallet that uses a biometric fingerprint scanner to hold belongings. The Wallet syncs to users' smartphonse via Bluetooth so they will be alerted when their smartphone is far away from their wallet, or their wallet is not near their smartphone, in order to prevent losing both devices. iWallet also launched the iPassport at CES, which is a similar device that is specifically designed to hold a passport and works the same way. The company plans to include GPS features in its devices this year so users will be able to find their devices easily on their phones.

Dell Venue 8 7000 Tablet

At just 6mm thin, the Dell Venue 8 7000 is the thinnest tablet in the world. It is even thinner than some of the most popular new smartphones on the market. The tablet has a durable aluminum casing, so the thin measurements don't add any worry about drops or bumps. The screen is a durable 8.4-inch 2,560 x 1,600 edge-to-edge OLED infinity display. The new Dell tablet is also the first consumer device to feature the new Intel RealSense Snapshot Depth Camera, which incorporates a depth map to every picture taken.

Dell XPS 13 Laptop

Dell boasts that the XPS 13-inch laptop is the smallest 13-inch laptop in the world. The company managed to pack a 13-inch display on a body of a laptop normally with an 11-inch screen. It does this by having an exceptionally thin 5.2mm bezel around the edge of the screen. The laptop has 15 hours of battery life, the longest of any 13-inch notebook, and can come with an UltraSharp Quad HD+ infinity display. This device runs on a fifth-generation Intel Core processor.

Yota Phone 2

The Yota Phone 2 is the only double-screened smartphone in the world and is quite unique with its e-ink display on the back panel of the device. The back display always stays on even when the battery dies, so users can always leave important information on. The device amazingly has up to five days of battery life. After launching just four weeks ago, the Yota phone 2 currently ships in 20 countries already, but the company said at CES that it will be made available to Latin America in the second quarter of this year.

Samsung Gear VR

Samsung's virtual reality headset is powered by Oculus and the Galaxy Note 4, and offers an amazingly realistic media viewing experience. At CES, Samsung unveiled several partnerships surrounding Gear VR, and is making the effort to constantly supply its ecosystem by promising two new pieces of content every week for the device. Users can enjoy content from Samsung Milk VR such as 360-degree videos, games, movies and more that are custom-made for Gear VR.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Active

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active is a ruggedized, business-focused tablet that Samsung unveiled just last month. It comes with a bundle of Samsung-made enterprise apps and Samsung Knox, the company's mobile security platform. The Galaxy Tab Active features an 8-inch LCD screen and also a large, easy-to-replace battery as the back panel easily slides right off. The new Samsung tablet features the C-Pen, allowing users to write with the device and take notes.