New Gadgets at the CES

The 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show is wrapping up in Las Vegas today.  What did the trade show offer of interest to law librarians?  

Library administrators planning for emergency situations may appreciate SpareOne, the world’s only mobile phone powered by a single AA battery.  It delivers up to 10 hours of talk time when in use and has a storage life of 15 years.  (In addition to library personnel, those preparing for a zombie apocalypse may appreciate this product created by XPAL Power Inc., as well)  http://spareone.com/spareone/spareone-emergency-phone

The YotaPhone is half e-reader, half smartphone.  The tech-savvy librarian can flip between the two screens and “throw” an image from one side to the other.  The e-reader side uses the battery saving e-ink technology, while the smartphone side has a full-color LCD screen.  PC Mag says “Not boring, the Yotaphone is.” http://www.yotaphone.com/

Are you running out of space in your library?  Clear out those traditional tables and desktops and replace them with Touch Table PCs by Moneual.  There’s no need to worry about requiring lidded drinks in the library; these touch table PC are recommended for restaurants and cafes and can be configured to act as a PC with audio jacks and speakers.  http://ces.cnet.com/8301-34441_1-57563552/moneual-smart-table-lets-you-order-and-pay-for-your-food/ 

The Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses might just tempt us to set aside our librarian-friendly, thick-rimmed glasses for a moment.  Vuzix glasses provide access to an iOS or Android smart phone from the cloud, hands free.  New doors of multi-tasking possibilities have just opened.  http://www.vuzix.com/site/_news/2013/vuzix-unveils-M100-smart-glasses-at-CES.pdf

The Apex HD+, Wi-Fi Snow Goggle by Liquid Image Co. is a cold weather alternative for eyewear.  It is the first snow goggle with full HD recording and live streaming to an iOS or Android device.  Think of the instructional library videos you can create while carving the slopes. “Nice try,” your boss says.  http://www.liquidimageco.com/products/model-339-apex-series-hd

For more CES award winners, visit http://www.cesweb.org/Awards.aspx.