Great designs that went largely unnoticed at this year’s Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show
Samsung NC215S Solar Netbook
The world’s first solar-powered netbook delivers the long-awaited triple header of features: power, portability, and performance, while also being environmentally and economically friendly. At $399, it is also perfect for remote international/educational locations where dependable AC power is unavailable. samsung.com
LG HOM-BOT Robotic Vacuum
The auto-rover vacuum has been with us for ages, but this big-brained wonder features on-board ultrasonic infrared sensors, dual cameras, remote control, will run 75 minutes on a single charge, andgenerates just a whispering 50dB when in use. $799 lg.com
Tamaggo 360-imager
This egg-like gadget is the first consumer picture-taking device with fully-integrated, built-in 360° panomorph technology that enables users to capture high-resolution, navigable images with just one click. Did we need one? Probably not, but somehow we still had to grab it. $200 tamaggo.com
Blue Microphones Mikey Digital
This external microphone captures professional-quality audio for the iPod touch, iPhone 4/4S and iPad with any iOS audio app. It uses premium capsules for stereo recording, auto- and manual-gain settings, and multi-source auxiliary input…just the thing for amazing sounding podcasting on a budget. $99 bluemic.com
iHome iDM5
The iHome iDM5 is the first patented combination of Bluetooth keyboard and audio on one package. It provides wireless connection to the keyboard with simultaneous music streaming, speakerphone, or videoconferencing with tablets and smartphones. Not quite small enough for our taste, but the array of features is very cool. No price listing yet, but our guess would be $150 ihomeaudio.com
Cobra iRadar
This detector/app set combines the ability to sense speed traps with the power of your smartphone. It is the world’s first community-based detection system, which alerts you to live police as well as caution areas and redlight cameras reported by other iRadar users! Essentially, we’re talking about generating a constantlyupdating historical map of cop locations, plus a state-of-the-art laser and radar detector. Awesome. $129 cobra.com
AMP Hearing Aid
Both young and old (some 35 million in the U.S. alone) struggle with hearing loss of one kind or another, owing to just normal aging or iPod/Phone headphone addiction. Trouble is, most are loath to admit it. From Starkey Laboratories, this is a hearing aid for people not ready for hearing aids. It’s invisible in most ears, affordable, and designed to produce realistic sound instead of a wind-tunnel e f f e c t . $750 starkey.com
