Every year, manufacturers show off their newest technology at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. In categories ranging from 3D Printing and Computer accessories to Wireless Handsets (think mobile phones) the products showcased at CES promise to be “The Next Big Thing.”
Press attend CES Unveiled, the Official Media Event of the International CES at the 2014 International CES. Photo courtesy of CEA.
Because the products showcased at CES won’t be available to the public for anywhere from a few days to a year or more after the show, CES offers a glimpse at technology that will only be available in the future…okay, it might only be the “near future” but it ‘s the most futuristic technology we can actually touch.
These are just some of the new products that will be showcased at CES 2015 (January 6-9) that could help attorneys stay productive when they’re out of the office.
Prynt Photos On-site – Styled like a camera, Prynt is a slip-on case that turns iOS or Android phones into instant-printing cameras. Based on an early prototype, Techcrunch has reported that the case can print an image in under a minute from its single-page-capacity paper cartridge. Techcrunch also reported that the planned consumer version is expected print an image in under 30 seconds from a paper cartridge expected to hold somewhere between 10 and 30 sheets. Early prototypes used a Bluetooth connection to send images from the phone to the printer. The Prynt website now shows a hardware connector on the case to connect it to the phone. While the company will display newer prototypes at CES, production is dependent on a successful Kickstarter campaign – expected to launch after CES.
More Power, Less Bulk – CasePower, a Swedish maker of power accessories for smart devices, is launching a new line of thinner and lighter-weight external batteries at CES. The smallest battery in the new Urban Series for phones and tablets, the Urban 4000, will measure less than a quarter-inch thick. Its 4000 mAh of power, 2.1Amps of output, and USB ports will make it ideal for heavy phone users to recharge after their internal battery dies. (For reference, 4000 mAh is a little more than two full charges of an iPhone 6 battery.) Larger models with 8000mAh and 12000 mAh capacities will also be available for tablets (or longer phone charges). External chargers like these include USB connectors to connect your device using the charging cable you already own.
Your Files: Everywhere, on Every Device – Lima is a hardware device combined with a multi-platform app that creates a personal, secure cloud for your own documents. First, you connect the device to your USB hard drive and Internet connection. Then you install the app on any of your (Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OS, Linux) devices from which you want to access the files stored on the USB drive. The Lima hardware/software combination makes the files available on your Internet-connected devices by tricking those devices into thinking that the files are stored locally. To ensure security, Lima uses an encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) that is decentralized to distribute the encryption process over multiple computers. Even though the Lima was introduced via a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2013, the final consumer version of the device is expected to ship after CES.
Keep in mind that these are just some of the products that we already know about. There are always surprises announced during the show.