Let’s face it — the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) which is held every year in Las Vegas, can be a dizzying experience. I’ve been going for about 25 years, almost always repping a product and sometimes more than one, from kids education software and the world’s best speech recognition system in my younger days to a myriad of startup innovations ever since. I tend to find the product recaps predominantly male; in other words, most of the top picks tend to center around early adopter products and they tend to fall in the following categories: video, cars, audio, and big screen TV’s. While these categories impact all of us, especially car technology, I tend to look at unique designs, products and services which also appeal to women and solutions that help travelers on the road, either be more productive, or have more fun.

I’ve curated a list of 25 products in several categories and some of the factors that I looked at when making the cut include originality, innovation, design, and whether it is or can look at the bigger picture and solve a need beyond what it is doing today. I include wellness, because that matters to me a lot, so much so that we’ve expanded the Wellness category. In this piece, you’ll find the following: Toyota’s futuristic car that thinks for you, the easiest to learn electronic guitar you’ll ever use, a smart suitcase cover, a smart bed, a personal connected wine bar, a companion robot, the world’s smartest air purifier, a fashionable wrist wearable that pairs with headphones, vibrating jeans and swim suits that alert you when to apply more sunscreen, a stylish panoramic camera with 17 lenses, smart dumbbells, a smart skateboard, the world’s first electric violin made from a 3D printer, a genetic measuring kit, a smart assistant, a Titanium folding bike, a wireless speaker with a wool covering to integrate with your living room, a wireless antenna so you can cut those ties to Comcast and others, intelligent thermal clothing, a device that helps women increase their readiness and interest in sex, an AI-based smart home hub, a voice operated kitchen assistant, a pocket flying camera that all travelers will love and smart aromatherapy to improve your well-being. I also shot some video of this year’s CES, which runs around five minutes but it includes product shots and some on-site experiences, so be sure to tune in.

The Toyota Concept-i

Cars are always fun to see at CES since it allows you to get away from large TV screens, audio and video devices, and in this year’s case, Virtual Reality and Connected Home promised life changing innovations everywhere.  The new Toyota Concept-i is focused on utilitarian autonomous transport. This car is so futuristic looking that it may be hard to imagine driving, at least if you’re a woman that is. It has scissor doors and edgy styling and while it’s not available to purchase just yet, it is setting the bar for other manufacturers to meet in this category.

The guys at Calty Design Research center have dreamed up a new concept of automotive UX for Toyota — intelligent cars that continually learn, and, in turn, keep getting smarter. They idea was to build a brilliant car that gets to know you and your needs, and then starts to anticipate them for you. Yui, in tandem with Artificial Intelligence (AI), anticipates your needs and informs the car so that Concept-i can consider and execute that next action accordingly.

It may sound all too futuristic, right? The key is that you’re still in charge of the car however, through biometric sensors throughout the car, Concept-i can detect what you’re feeling. That information then gets analyzed by the car’s AI after which, automated features kick in. If you’re feeling sad, the AI will analyze your emotion, make a recommendation and if necessary, take over and drive you safely to your destination. Yes, really! One of these days, it would be great to test drive this sleek device — in the meantime, she’s beautiful to look at for those into modern and future design.

D-Vine Connect, Your Personal Connected Wine Bar

At the Sands in Eureka Park, it seemed as if French startups were dominating the aisles. You couldn’t turn around and not hear a French accent or French being spoke. Enter French start-up who apparently launched at last CES but came back with more innovation. Keurig for wine on steroids and beyond? Sort of. Their D-Vine Connect is a 10-Vins’ wine-centric appliance, which allows you to taste a whole lotta wine at home without having to head to a restaurant or a vineyard. Given that we’re big foodies here at We Blog the World and have a whole section dedicated to Food/Wine and Restaurant Reviews, we love this innovation. Their product features an interactive built-in touchscreen, which allows you to get top notch information instantly, kinda like having your own sommelier in your own kitchen.

Imagine having wine transform into even better wine immediately. In other words, it actually changes the QUALITY of the wine. Additionally, D-Vine Connect helps you pair wine as well. For example, say you’d like to grill a steak with a salad and string beans for dinner. Or alternatively, you’re in the mood for a smooth Cabernet Sauvignon or a Chardonnay — D-Vine Connect will deliver suggestions on dishes, food pairings and so on that will go best with your preferred wine for the evening. This can be incredibly useful when you have guests over or simply don’t want to think about it.

Given my background in Artificial Intelligence (AI), I was impressed by the AI integration. Yes, this machine learns your tastes over time, so it can even make recommendations to you in the future based on your preferences. Simple, easy and oh so wonderful for wine lovers like me. Bravo! We liked the user interface as well, which makes it easy for anyone to browse through a myriad of wines and learn in the process. It’s great for discovery and for making meals that much better.

We also love the fact that the D-Vine Connect sets the right temperature for each chosen wine. The machine decants it for you from a dispenser after you make a selection and approve, automatically. Their assistant plays movies with views of the vineyards and explanations from 10-Vins’ oenologist about the wine you’re tasting — how cool is that?  Apparently, it will also analyze data on wine consumption and share it with the wine industry. The D-Vine will be shipping later this year and apparently is planning to open a wine lounge bar in California before the end of the year – we hope that they let us know when they launch this so we can check it out.

Sleep Number 360 Bed

While we’re talking lifestyle and home, we should also mention the Sleep Number 360 Bed, which was getting a bit of attention at the show.  Imagine being tired after a long day and you’re ready to head to bed, but before you do, the Sleep Number 360 automates a process that will keep you toasty warm before you dive under the sheets. Yes, really. The bed will heat up the foot of the bed, which is such a great feature for those who live in cold climates — oh so lovely right?

Photo: BusinessInsider

What else is cool is that the bed also adjusts the actual angle as well as the firmness of the mattress as the user moves in his or her sleep, making it a more comfortable and relaxing sleep overall. For example, if you move from your back to your side, it will adjust accordingly. And, this feature will be a godsend for so many — et hem, but can it work? I call it the Reduce Snoring Feature. In other words, if it senses you or your partner snoring, it will automatically adjust one of the individual headrests to make it stop. Wow, right? Could potentially save a lot of marriages.

The bed also has a feature that will alert you to wake up, adjusting your alarm to your own preferences. The Sleep Number 360 smart bed uses SleepIQ technology and intelligent biometrics to sense everything you need so it can customize a sleep experience for you.  Yup, the bed is kinda like a smart bed in that it knows how you’re sleeping and comes with a mobile app so you can track it.  In the morning, you’ll both learn how the Sleep Number 360 smart bed is adjusting to your individual comfort and the effects the bed has on your sleep quality through something they refer to as a SleepIQ score.

 

BibeliB, the Smart Suitcase Cover

My Buddy Robot

This adorable robot is being pimped as the Companion Robot, a new innovation from San Francisco and Paris-based Blue Frog Robotics. My Buddy Robot has a number of fun and useful features that enhance your home, making it smarter I suppose one could say. On the edutainment side, you can participate in interactive games, math and language learning, which is great if you have kids of the right age. There’s also a security component as well. You can use My Buddy to patrol, detect, alert and notify you remotely of any issues at home, including a potential burglar. It can also act as a smart baby monitor, another great family feature in a device that does look like a friendly ‘companion.’

He’s adorable right? On the smart home side, My Buddy can act as a hub and connector to IoT and home automation appliances — think thermostat, smart TV, door locks, motorized curtains, lights, a HiFi station and more. You may not want to enable all of those features depending on your needs and interests, but from climate control to the kitchen, there are useful benefits. Imagine it also acting as a photographer, a concierge, a messenger of daily weather, news, recipes and more.

I also think the elder care piece of it is also a wonderful feature. For example, you can use the robot to detect any falls from an aging parent, and it can maintain social links as well as act as an agenda posology. Cool stuff and…..the design is incredible cute. See a few second video clip of him buzzing around in Vegas in early January.

Helix Cuff

They were pitching the Helix Cuff as the world’s first fashion wearable with smart wireless headphones — on your wrist. Helix Cuff is the flagship product of Ashley Chloe, which caters to fashion-forward consumers who crave sleek digital wearables that are modern and elegant. Helix Cuff aims to bridge the gap between high fashion and functional form, they say. It comes in six fun colors and is paired with a smart app.

Magic Instruments Guitar

If you love to sing, Magic Instruments elevates your talent by providing you with the power and freedom to accompany yourself.  I somehow found myself singing on the Sands show floor ignoring who was watching, simply because I was ‘so into the learning process.’ Why? Because it was so easy and so much fun. Whether you want to personalize your favorite songs, or create your own original music, the guitar contains an encyclopedia of chords and scales in every key, all instantly available at your fingertips.  Since I didn’t have enough time to fully go through the process, we’re keen on reviewing this fabulous musical device sometime this year, so we’ll be covering it in more depth a little later on — be sure to watch out for it. So far, I’m a huge fan though, so bravo to the team for making learning both easy and fun.

Spinali Design Clothing

Spinali Design produces smart clothes which are designed to integrate with your smartphone with a goal of helping to fight the “burnout” factor in your life. French designed and owned, they manufacture smart clothes (they had their jeans and swim suits at CES) and smart accessories. Their “smart bikini” line Neviano, embeds a device that alerts you when to apply more sunscreen. Cool, right?

A range of 70 swimsuits numbered from 01 to 06 (from the most covering to the least covering), combine design, sensuality, innovation and technology.  The Neviano UV Protect has “suntanning tips” and as noted above, a “sunscreen alert”, which integrates the function “Valentine” which makes sure you apply more sunscreen when necessary.  The Neviano UV Protect also manages the UV index, the Distance function and the Multisensor function.

Their vibrating jeans (yes, really — and we hope to review them soon) comes with two vibrating sensors on the belt which is connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth.  The geo-location feature allows you to make it easier to find your car or your meeting place. A feature called “Ping” will allow people to interact with their surroundings through a vibration that can be customized by duration, frequency and intensity.  They tout this feature for those who want to discreetly attract someone’s attention, for people communicating in open offices, or for students. The system can also be programmed to inform you if you are running late. With its integrated push button, this smart clothing has a variety of uses, from security alerts, home support, geo-location of your children, isolated workers, and more.

The Hair Coach by Kerastase

You’d expect a hair coach product to come out of a French company wouldn’t you? Powered by Withings, I had a chance to see the new hair coach at CES in early January.  Totally personalized, they tout this as the world’s first smart hairbrush that empowers you to track and improve hair health over time. This product results from a collaboration between Kérastase, L’Oréal and Withings, which brings state of the art sensors and app connectivity to everyday products. The resulting innovation is a brush that syncs seamlessly to your smartphone to provide valuable insights that can help revolutionize the home beauty routine. I had a chance to chat with someone about their new innovation in their booth, so while the sound isn’t great, my short video will give you an idea of the jist of it from a spokesperson at the show.

You simply brush and the technology does the rest. For dry hair, you can follow hair elasticity to learn how to avoid dry hair and measure your cuticle damage to help ensure moisture retention. It also helps with breakage and the ability to optimize sebum distribution to avoid tangles. The smart app will measure all of this and provide insight into how to avoid damaging hair. I love this since this so called gesture analysis helps you understand and improve brushing habits.

The handle is sleek and lightweight and boasts high density of professional-grade boar and nylon bristles and the brush seamlessly integrates with a mobile app.  The brush detects when it is being used and begins data collection automatically. As soon as you complete your brushing session, all data will be sent automatically to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. They tell me it should be available sometime in Q3 of this year.

STARO: Panoramic Camera

I love the design of this very cool panoramic camera, STARO, not yet out and only shown as a prototype, at least that was my understanding. This 360 panoramic camera claims to have the highest resolution at 136 mp which avid travelers will love. It’s also small,easy to pack and beautiful to look at as well. Of course, I only saw it at their booth so didn’t have a chance to test it out though we’d love to sometime this year on a trip where we can catch the best drama of course.  The stitching of photos is decent but may require software to make it all come together.

See a sample shot of the Great Wall below, where you can see that the camera was able to capture most of the highlight detail in the clouds, while also showing detail in the wall itself. As noted above, the camera has quite a few lenses — 17 in total (multi-lense simultanous imaging), which makes shooting sports easy. All lenses can simultaneously photograph and stitch 17 photos into a single panoramic photo with 136 million pixels.

They also boast one touch shoots, all of which can be managed within the Staro mobile app. Three photos in different EV levels automatically do HDR-merge, which is what provides the higher dynamic range they tout as a notable feature. Auto 3D modeling makes scene roaming more fluent and smooth and it is compatible with computers/tablets/smartphones and VR equipment. They offer wifi synchronization as well which makes it easy for travelers on the road to post to social media and share with friends/family at home. Total weight is sweet at only .4 pounds.

This is a standalone device that can supplement other camera devices you may already be using, unlike the Insta360 Nano which I reviewed recently and included in both our Holiday Gift Guide as well as my top picks for 2016.   The Insta360 Nano churns out a few different 360 effects and note that the below shot was a selfie I took from inside a balloon on my most recent trip to the Dominican Republic. Here’s another shot taken on a boat from the same trip.

Helko’s Smart Dumbbells

Since we’re huge fans of wellness and holistic lifestyles here, I was drawn to the smart dumbbells at the show, which bring games to fitness from Helko.  It seems to be early days from these guys so I don’t have a lot of details on the product itself, except that its goal is to combine universal fitness equipment with multi-functionality of a biotracker and gamepad. These dumbbells are most definitely futuristic in every way with a modern sleek design that is sure to attract women and hipster millennials. They weave games and entertainment together to motivate your workouts — cool idea and I’m looking forward to hearing more as they get closer to shipping.

SPECTRA: Most Portable & Intelligent Personal Vehicle

While we’re talking about transportation, let’s visit something smaller but also elegantly looking. Enter the SPECTRA, the most portable and intelligent personal vehicle. Like the Segway, you need to be aware of your posture and stance but it has a lot of great features to help you along the way. Unlike the Segway, it’s portable, electric and they say, you’re up and running after only five or so minutes of learning.

While this may be a little male dominated (it seems to be a theme for my post, right?), I love what these guys are doing. As a kid, I was a big skateboarder, so this chic innovation really resonated with me. As someone who has always had good balance, the Segway was a natural for me the moment I stepped on one so the SPECTRA in a natural progression, only smaller and cheaper.

Its length is around 19.4 inches, its range can go 11.2 miles at a 12.5 mile (top speed) and it only weighs in at around 12 pounds — there are heavier laptops than this if you get all of the bells and whistles. The device boasts a 2D posture sensing module which has a series of pressure sensors and an intelligent algorithm, meaning you can control it simply by shifting your weight. Even though I gravitated to it because I’m a former skateboarder, you don’t need any skateboarding experience to be able to use it — they’re designing this for everyone.

With the same stable structure as a skateboard, SPECTRA is mechanically robust (they say) and adaptive to all kinds of commuting needs. With the dual-hubmotor design in the front, it has the ability to climb up a 20 degree ramp and recharge when decelerating or going down ramp (nice feature!!). It comes with an app, which has a speed mode selection, digital control keys, a battery status and odometer screen, lock mode and sharing economy feature and a path post and SNS. There’s also flashing brake lights in both the front and the back and in addition to the brakes on the bub motors, SPECTRA has dual protection with its extra electromagnetic drums. The company is Walnutt Technology and they’re planning to do a Kickstarter campaign this spring, with shipping planned for sometime in the late spring or early summer.

Varius, World’s First Electronic Violin (from 3D Printing)

3D printing is growing in popularity and is becoming more known among the masses. There seems to be no shortage of new products that can be created from a 3D printer, but an instrument? If you’re a serious music guru regardless of what instrument you play (or teach), you may have a hard time thinking that an instrument created through a printer can deliver the same quality of sound as a traditional one. This will largely be a personal opinion of course, but the bottom line is that a 3D printed violin is now possible. Varius claims they’re first to market with a 3D printed concert electric violin. Have a listen to a very short video I shot on the CES show floor of someone actually playing it.

Printed as a single piece, the 3D Varius violin departs from traditional musical instrument production technology. This particularity ensures a perfect accuracy of the audio spectrum and a total respect of the musician’s emotion, they say.  It was designed to facilitate the transition for all violinists from a classical violin to the 3Dvarius. Its dimensions can be customized and adapted to any morphology. The instrument was also designed to offer a maximal playing comfort as the weight distribution was optimized to re-create the comfort of a classical violin.   Its sound sensors, located under each string, were carefully selected to accurately translate the sound frequencies.

ORIG2N

Join the genetic movement if you haven’t already. I love this stuff — bottom line, the more you know about your personal temple, the more proactive you can be to take better care of it. A very cool genetic assessment kit by Orig2n measures a bunch of things, including food sensitivities, fitcode (exercise, recovery, endurance, etc), your skin and whether you have genes or not for super strength, speed or intelligence (yes, really!).

I actually did this test with their team on the show floor so am still waiting for my results and whether I’m a SUPER WOMAN or not. It’s a simple and quick process that merely requires you to take a swap of the inside of your cheeks (left and right) and send it in. Genetic assessments can empower you with information about your body so you can make more informed decisions about your fitness, diet and skin health. The company behind this cool test is ORIG3N, which is involved in stem cell research and regenerative medicine and apparently has established the world’s largest cell repository in the world – how cool is that?

Based in my former hood and stomping ground — Boston — these guys are at the forefront of genetic testing in ways that can directly help consumers. After I get my results back in a month or so, I’ll post an update on my experience including using their app.

Lenovo’s Alexa Smart Assistant

Truth be told, I’m a Lenovo fan and no, I am not a Lenovo ambassador nor have they ever been a client. I’ve owned a few of their laptops over the years and long for one today after several years of glitches with my MacBook Pro. I don’t want to hear it from Mac fan boys — there are issues despite your love with the simplicity and beauty of a Mac’s design and I don’t just mean compatibility ones. The Lenovo at CES I’m referring to is not one of their latest laptops however but a speaker…something they refer to as the Alex Smart Assistant, which many in the press room compared to the Amazon Echo although it’s a tad cheaper.

They call it a smart speaker (of course it has to be smart given the trend at CES in the last couple of years) and it employs Amazon Alexa. The speaker is available in two models and a variety of colors. I cringed when I saw a male writer talk about how he gravitated toward the black edition, which apparently sports Harman Kardon speakers.

If you read WBTW often enough, you know that I applaud vendors who think about women buyers and offer a variety of fun colors and I don’t mean masculine red, orange and bright blue. Lenovo gives us choices in elegant soft colors – bravo!! I’ve yet to test them out and would love to review a set, so check back for more when we get our paws on a pair.  The basic Lenovo Smart Assistant is priced at only around $129. The Amazon Echo has 7 microphones whereas the Alexa has 8so in addition to their beautiful design, the sound should be top notch as well. The more advanced version (aka the Harman Kardon edition) delivers even better audio apparently.

Seattle Cycles’ Titanium Folding Bike

This beautiful prize isn’t an option for those on a budget. Starting at around $10K, the gorgeous titanium folding bike on the CES show floor was a stunner. Seattle Cycles tout their latest as the worlds lightest e-bike — it folds up, is airline ‘legal at only 16 inches and weighs about 18 pounds.

Designed for taking on travels by plane, boat or train, the Burke 20 can be folded and packed into a 28″x22″x12″ suitcase in one minute, without disassembly of wheels, handlebar or use of tools. Unfolded, the 20-inch wheels, wide gear range, and a full titanium frame with an extended cockpit give a fast and reassuring ride. It apparently ‘fits’ like a full-size bike, has adjustable seatpots and handlebars and will work well for any rider from 5′ tall to 6’+.  It has a leather saddle, foam grip and MKS pedals. They may be targeting men, but I love the design and let’s just say, wish I had one in my garage.

Photo credit: Seattle-Cycles.

Beoplay M5 Speaker

Not quite as attractive as the Alexa Smart Assistant, but a speaker that touts itself as a piece of furniture, the Beoplay M5 is a wireless connected speaker that can function as a standalone or be connected to other speakers across multiple rooms. It is covered in wool so I applaud them for getting away from ugly black and gray, and the material is soft, covering is soft and can integrate well into a living room.

Photo: BeoPlay

Beoplay’s music systems and speakers feature the Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound, sound which they say is honest, clean and with passion. We haven’t tested these out yet either, but hope to sometime this year, so stay tuned. All their products are made from premium crafted materials and offer a palette of colors and placement options to match your style and interior. (YAY — thanks guys!)

For technical geeks, you may want to know that it’s actually Bang & Olufsen’s sub-brand which is a bit more affordable than some of their higher end solutions. To get your music music to the Beoplay M5, simply connect via Bluetooth, Chromecast, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, or Bang & Olufsen’s Beolink Multiroom.  It seems like this is going head-to-head (so to speak) with the Sonos Play:5, however unlike the Sonos, you don’t need a dedicated app. With the M5, you can play it all via a regular Bluetooth speaker. Many of us want the ability to have Spotify et al to deliver music directly and have a little more flexibility and freedom for how we use the device. The cost is around $599.

The Mohu AirWave Wireless Antenna

Let’s be honest, I HATE dealing with Comcast and am not alone. We’ve all been at dinner parties or networking events where there’s a hate fest discussion over Comcast and it doesn’t seem to be any easier to cut ties with them — believe me, I tried. The last time I called to nuke my TV to bring my cost down and just use them for wifi access, it cost more, a way to keep you tethered to their God awful expensive plans.

Also shown at CES, the Mohu AirWave wireless antenna can go anywhere in your house, and I have to admit, I love the fact that you can avoid those ugly wires which none of my engineer friends seem to mind. This flexible feature allows for optimal positioning, so you can access live, local broadcast channels onto your Fire TV, Apple TV, Android, iOS, Roku, and more.

They tout this as the industry’s first-of-its-kind wireless over-the-air (OTA) and over-the-top (OTT) device that integrates live, local broadcast TV with free streaming channels across popular streaming devices as noted above. It is really dedicated to people like me who are looking for smart and creative ways to CUT THOSE CABLE CORDS for good.  AirWave was built to give cord cutters open, simple and complete wireless access to the live TV and streaming content they enjoy, all in one place and with no monthly fees.

Photo: Mohu

AirWave wirelessly connects to the Mohu TV application (available for free across all compatible devices), so you can channel up and down through live broadcast content and free streaming content in a familiar, cable-like TV guide.  You’ll be able to view streaming video in a cable-like program guide, complete with program descriptions and select your favorite channels, while also being able to view up to 14 days of upcoming content. You can set up AirWave anywhere in a home where there is an Internet connection and the price point is sweet at only $149. (available this spring). Bravo!! We can’t wait to test this out — if it works, I’ll be their loudest voice and biggest fan!

Sprimo, World’s Smartest Air Purifier

Let’s face it — indoor Air Pollution is dangerous and climbing at alarming rates. Air pollution in general rise worldwide, killing more than 3.3 million and one study says it could double by 2050. Given that we spend nearly 90% of our time indoors (some research says more) and indoor air pollution is slated to be from 3 to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution, it’s no wonder that that cases of Asthma and Allergies are climbing and at an all-time high.

If you think that all the places where you or your kids spend time is at safe levels, think again. Studies show that 50% of America’s schools have problems linked to indoor air quality and an issue in 6 out of 10 homes worldwide. Purer air is said to improve kid’s productivity and results at school. Bottom line, what we breathe in day after day, can impact the quality of our sleep, energy levels and even life span.

Enter Sprimo, the “go-to” product for people who want the best quality air in the personal spaces they work, play or sleep. Unlike traditional air purifiers that focus on large square footage areas to measure success, Sprimo is aimed at improving the quality of life through bursts of clear air instantly. Sprimo’s small, lightweight and nearly silent air purifier is smart and adapts based on people’s issues, from chemicals and dust to seasonal allergens.

Anyone who suffers from allergies can benefit from Sprimo as well as those at higher risks, such as children and the aging. The purifier’s low entrainment air flow works as a shield to block contact by reducing the chance of you breathing an airborne virus by up to 60%. Sprimo’s new Personal Air Module (PAM) and cloud-based mobile app delivers real-time data on air quality via your smart phone so you can be alerted wherever you may be. Simply plug it into your iPhone and you’re good to go – you’ll be alerted whether you’re breathing in poor quality air or not. They’ll be taking pre-orders starting in March and Sprimo will ship sometime in Q4. See a video of me at their booth – note that the steam you see was made possible by cold ice and merely for the purpose of seeing roughly how large the clean air blanket is around you when using Sprimo.

C-me Pocket Flying Cameras by Hobbico

Truth be told, I didn’t have much time to learn about this product at all but I did SEE it briefly and loved the design as well as the fabulous four color options. I’ve been wanting to test out a drone for awhile now, however the combination of ugly designs, the price and the fact that they seem to cater mostly to men, has held me back. Top all of that with the need to get a certificate, a process of registration that albeit I’m told is easy, is still a barrier. They’re also sizeable and I get the feeling there’s more of a learning curve then I’m willing to commit to, at least now. And dang, they’re noisy.

Travelers will likely be most interested in camera drones, which are typically ready-to-fly quadcopters that have stabilized cameras for shooting both video and stills. Drones with cameras can be used for a variety of things, including video production, search and rescue, agriculture and more. The simplest reason to use one is to simply see the world from above, which is an entirely different perspective than we normally get when we travel.  I ran across a small and attractive one that seems to be a great fit for travelers called C-me, which they don’t really call a drone, but a pocket flying camera — they tout it as the smallest micro folding pocket flying camera to be precise.  Those who think (like I do) that most drones are ugly, made for geeks and too bulky, take a look at this more consumer-oriented option that comes in fun colors and cloaked in a design that women will love.

Photo: Hobbico.

It’s small enough to fit in your pocket and provides one-touch instantaneous social media sharing of full HD images and videos including selfies – bravo!  So, whether you’re taking high-flying selfies or full HD aerial images and videos of your trip to the Grand Canyon, Hobbico’s C-me makes selfies and video easy. It is the first micro folding drone that fits in your pocket, the first device of its kind with a Full HD 8MP digital camera, and the first to feature touch-of-a-button social media sharing to your favorite social channels. It’s also a snap to use – no previous flight experience necessary – as it comes with an innovative single-thumb control interface that can be mastered in only five minutes plus connectivity to the most popular IOS and Android smartphones via their free-to-download C-me app.

When not in flight, the arms and propeller blades uniquely fold completely inside the body cavity for the ultimate protection against accidental snagging or catching that can cause damage or imperfection to the blades or arms resulting a less-than-perfect flight performance. A proprietary chip delivers many of the features of a commercial-grade drone for half the price of other camera drones. The device uses a Full HD 8MP digital camera with resolution equivalent to the iPhone 6 and self-generated WiFi, which all travelers will love. There’s also a 360° option for panoramic video, a burst mode that captures up to 15 images sequentially with one touch and a feature which I love, a ten second delay timer, although I wish they offered longer options, i.e., 25 seconds and even up to a minute for those harder to take shots when you’re on the road. Nature shots come to mind. And look at this fabulous C-me in PURPLE!

Although we haven’t tried it yet, they tout one-touch takeoff and landing, which for those who fear the drone learning curve, seems like a godsend.   It’s not quite available yet (dang) but a spokesperson tells me I may be able to get my paws on one sometime in March to review — we can’t wait!

Photo: Hobbico.

Clim8: Intelligent Thermal Clothing

This is a B2B innovation — in other words, it’s not clothing you can go out and buy, but technology that will be built into clothing you already know, a bit like the Intel chip inside for clothing, but rather than speed, it’s about warmth, or more accurately — regulation. They don’t think of themselves as a smart wearable but it absolutely is in that it’s smart about regulating the temperature in your body. You can receive what they refer to as thermal consistency in order to maintain personalized comfort, no matter what the weather conditions or activities that you do.

Their revolutionary (their word, not mine) textile process, integrates tiny sensors into the yarn, leading to optimal temps. Sensors in the garment monitor skin temperature and their app analyzes your surroundings, activities and skin temperature. From this process, heating zones embedded into the garment activate to adjust skin temperature and maintain thermal comfort. Cool, right? The garment then regulates heat exchanges by evaporation as it matches sweating zones on your body.

Fiera: Personal Care Device for Women

So many online sites cater to the geek in all of us, but let’s face it, most of the picks and reads are tailored to men. I read the round-ups and rarely do we find cool innovation picks that’s about something a bit more obscure or, hmmm, controversial, like sex.

Fiera, which they refer to as a Personal Care Device, is the first hands-free wearable product for women, which is designed to increase interest in and physical readiness for sex, naturally. Fiera is used before sex to help get her mind and body ready for a physical, mental and emotional connection with her partner.  Given that the chief ‘scientific officer is a woman, I decided to listen for a bit longer when I first heard the pitch at the Showstoppers media event.

Photo: TheVerge/YouTube.

The device is typically worn for 5-15 minutes and features pattern and intensity settings for a customizable experience.  Fiera uses gentle suction and stimulation to enhance blood flow, increase lubrication and get a woman ready to go, so to speak. The company was founded by ExploraMed Development which is an incubator that has launched a bunch of disruptive healthcare solutions to market apparently. Does it work? Let’s just say I haven’t tried it yet, but I think it’s a cool idea.

WooHoo’s Smart Home Hub

WooHoo is an Artificial Intelligence based Smart Home Hub & Cloud-based platform designed by SmartBeings. They were exhibiting at Showstoppers and at the Sands (Eureka Park), so in the early startup category. They say they’re the first device with facial recognition, voice recognition, an Internet of Things (IoT) hub and a 7 inch touchscreen all in one. The world’s easiest-to-use cloud based SmartHome software is also baked in, they say. Is it the easiest and most innovative? Hard to say since I only had a quick peak at it, but I like the promise.

With a name like WooHoo, it’s no surprise that they’re Silicon Valley based, the home of some of the silliest names I’ve ever heard. That said, its easy to remember and I suppose….cute! Think of it as an Amazon Echo combined with a Nest Cam except that it also has a touchscreen.  Its motion detection is a useful feature as well, meaning you can use it as a security cam for your home (cool) and you can make video calls on it as well, the connection being via Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Wifi, and more. The extra security comes from a number of ways, but some of it has to do with its smart ability to recognize both your voice and your face, as well as your own personal touch, i,e, customize it with your own commands that you use frequently.

Photo: WooHoo

Its early days, so it’s not shipping yet, but I’ll be curious to test it out when it is and not one of the earliest shipping ones either – I’d rather wait until any early version bugs are ironed out, but overall, it seems to be a really comprehensive solution with lots of bells and whistles for the price.

AromaCare, a Wellness Aromatherapy Companion

You know we’re huge fans of mind/body balance here at We Blog the World, so much so that we have an entire section dedicated to wellness, from general wellness travel to wellness stays and health-related products and services. I love Aromatherapy and am a huge believer of its value — we even included essential oils in our holiday gift guidethis past year.   Imagine a smart aromatherapy diffuser and a smart app that allows you to control smells through your smartphone.  The AromaCare delivers you a blend of essential oils by a simple and calibrated way to improve your well-being and health.

Photo: AromaTherapeutics

Their connected diffuser creates a well-being bubble for 20 minutes, which they refer to as a “personal and natural care” session. The company behind it, Aroma Therapeutics, has developed six blends as ready-to-use essential oil capsules: Sleep to help improve falling asleep and improve sleep quality, Calm to destress and calm down, Tonic to stimulate the body and soul, Memory to improve concentration, Breath to liberate the lungs and Pollen which provides seasonal support. AromaCare also plans a White capsule for people wishing to use personalized treatments (by using their own essential oils), a feature that I personally love. It works with a mobile App which allows you to control sessions, get access to the consumption as well as coaching – Boost, Air or Zen – sessions over a one-month period in order to obtain longer lasting health benefits.

Hello Egg

What a name right? Hello Egg seems like it would be an assistant right? Maybe even one that belongs in the kitchen? This smart voice-operated kitchen assistant from a company called RnD64 (seriously??) has a number of useful features, including the ability to plan your weekly meals and order groceries for you. It will also provide easy-to-follow step-by-step recipes via video  RnD64, whose name I’ll never remember, unveiled it for the first time at this year’s CES.

Photo: RnD64

Think of it as a smart digital assistant that can automate your meals for you based on dietary preferences and needs and can also adjusts to unplanned surprises, such as a friend stopping by for a bite and you have very little in the fridge. Hello Egg can also overlook your kitchen pantry, orchestrates your shopping list priorities, and if you want, handles the delivery of your groceries, a godsend for so many single men I know. The device will also answer cooking-related questions and backs you up with 24/7 support of a real cooking experts team — who couldn’t use that? I know I could. Give or take, it will be priced around $350 and available sometime in Q2.

My video recap of the show:

Renee Blodgett

Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.

She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.

Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.

Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.