CES 2016

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networkn

Networkn
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#1461229 4-Jan-2016 22:10

richms: Something like wemo but actually works most of the time? Has to be that.

I like my wemo stuff. I got it for $30 each down from $120 and other than having to init it on a IOS device before using it on Android, it's been completely reliable for me.

I have two of them, one controlled my xmas lights outdoors on a timer I defined, other was xmas trees sensed when people were in the room and switched on.

richms

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#1461233 4-Jan-2016 22:29

networkn:
richms: Something like wemo but actually works most of the time? Has to be that.

I like my wemo stuff. I got it for $30 each down from $120 and other than having to init it on a IOS device before using it on Android, it's been completely reliable for me.

I have two of them, one controlled my xmas lights outdoors on a timer I defined, other was xmas trees sensed when people were in the room and switched on.

Cant move between accesspoints even with the same SSID and key without resetting them.
Resetting them loses any remote control of them that you have till those phones come on the network and re-scan for devices.
Cant have 2 locations with wemos in them and have them accessible from the same app on the same phone.
Can see the wemo has a DHCP, can ping it, can see it in fing from the mobile but it shows as offline in their app. The amazon echo can still control it.
The LED lamps and the maker device channels on IFTTT say to use a button on the app that doesnt exist to connect them.
Will sometimes turn on at midnight depending on what rules are configured. I deleted all rules to stop that happening.
Will sometimes just drop off the wifi and start to flash the light till powercycled.
IFTTT channels have massive delays on actions sometimes, then they all come thru at once, so the light becomes a strobe for a few seconds till the queue clears.
Ridiculous setup process that requires me to manually choose the wemo wifi network in the phones wifi settings before it can be configured.

Richard rich.ms

Dingbatt

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#1461349 5-Jan-2016 10:18

To get back on topic. :-)

And they're off!
I see the press conferences have started. LG announces 2 new phones. Ford about to start.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

dafman

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#1461669 5-Jan-2016 14:05

Dingbatt: To get back on topic. :-)

And they're off!
I see the press conferences have started. LG announces 2 new phones. Ford about to start.

Rumour is that LG's next flagships will be all metal affairs. We'll find out soon.

And will any have snapdragon 820 on board?

Jaxson

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#1461670 5-Jan-2016 14:08

Any word on the new Pentax FF camera.

Anyword on a Sony A6000 replacement, and if it will have the sensor shift stabilisation of the FF A7 equivalents.

lchiu7

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#1466182 8-Jan-2016 20:12

i'll let Steve post all about what he has seen. I am also here with a friend with a press pass and not only do we get to see things that the regulars don't, we get free lunch/snack!

I echo Steve's comments about drones - there was almost an entire floor of them. Hard to know what to look at.

For me the most impressive has been a Sony 4K laser projector that is $60K. But you can mount two of them and double the brightness. The displays overlap pixel perfect. The wall image was 200+ inches - most impressive.

I also took the time to visit the new startup area called Eureka Park (in the Sands Convention Centre) and found a Kiwi company selling new technology rechargeable batteries - Volt Technology. They are funded by Kickstarter. Their proposition are rechargeable batteries that don't fall off slowly but retain their full voltage until the end and can be recharged 1000 times. Hope they do well.

And I also ran into the design engineer for D-Link. He was the designer for their 500Mbs powerline adapters and also their WiFi wall plugs. I asked him why there were only 110V versions and he said actually they were 110-240V 50/60Hz but UL Labs only allowed them to say 110V/60Hz. So the 110V versions on Amazon would fine in NZ apart from having to use plug adapters.

http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-DSP-W110-Wi-Fi-Smart-Plug/dp/B00M5FKN0U/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1452236276&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=dlink+home+automation

I bought a couple for fun to try them out.

Finallly I was lent one of these units to try out.

http://events.dji.com/osmo-free-trial/en/

I had to provide a CC and my driver's licence but they gave me their unit and phone (iPhone) and I was able to wander around the show floor shooting stable video. It's pretty cool but at $695 a bit expensive. When I realised I had no way to pull the 4k video off the MicroSD card in the camera I returned it. They then just took the 16GB card out and gave it to me!

Also stopped by the Sony stand to look at the Sony A6000 mirrorless camera which I am keen on. He said while he could not confirm the press and public seem to believe there will be an update soon which might be A6100 fetures not stated. I am keen on the A6000 only because of the OLED eyelevel viewfinder.

Tons of stuff to see but as this is my fourth or fith CES I have learnt it's not possible to cover more than a small bit of the show and so you get selective. I started with the Sands Convention centre (home automation, drones etc.), did the Central and South Hall and maybe might do the North Hall if I have the energy. Otherwise willl just hit the buffets with friends and do lots of walking, averaging about 20k steps a day!

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

paulchinnz

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#1466952 10-Jan-2016 13:04

So sadly sounds like smartwatches didn't really feature?

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Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

sbiddle

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#1466964 10-Jan-2016 13:23

It was my first visit after lots of years of planning to go. I'm not sitting back in my room having a beer after lots of walking again today!

Overall I have to say I'm disappointed. Not in the show itself, or being here (it's simply an event like no other), but disappointed in where consumer electronic are going. Chatting to many others today many felt the same way - there was no "killer" product or category this year, but there were lots of drones, lots of wearables, lots of zwave / iot gadgets, and lots of hoverboards.

Everybody said the fridge would one day be connected. That day has come, but I'm actually not at all excited about it. All of these IoT things that will suipposedly talk to each other and talk to your fridge are cool, but I simply don't care about them.

I suspect having finally made it here that trips here will become a regular event, but all I can say is I hope that we start to see some more exciting things!

So what was my highlight? There wasn't one in particular that stood out, however the Tag watch was amazing. I have to admit I am a Tag fanboy (as I own one) but to me it simply redefined the smartwatch, and is the first smart watch to really define the beauty that is a nice Swiss watch.

I too have to say I found Eureka Park great, but didn't get time to really look around it in detail. Many of the products that up and coming or Kickstarter companies had were much more exciting than the tech from the big companies.

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