Job seekers, Rejoice. While unemployment tries to recover from stagnation, the IT industry has a bright outlook. CompTIA, a professional IT certification company, predicts a worldwide expansion in the industry of around five percent with only Canada and the UK lagging behind.

Companies are understaffed already in the technology department and 70 percent of managers report they expect to have a shortage of IT professionals to draw from to fill the gaps. The CompTIA report pegs unemployment in the IT industry lower than that of other fields nationally. In 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics averaged the unemployment rate for technology professionals at 4.4, about half the national average at that time. The image breaks that down by position. The picture hasn’t changed much.

A shifting environment due to acquisitions and mergers adds to the complexity of staffing. Not surprisingly, top on the list for growth are areas that make headlines: cloud computing, mobile, and as indicated by events such as Anthem Blue Cross’s hack attack, security. Established entities with familiar names have cash flow to entice employees with salaries and uncommon benefits that go beyond such traditional subsidies as health insurance.

If you plan to go job hunting, you might want to arm yourself with some hardware and software skills. That’s what companies continue to search for when interviewing applicants.

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Gaming, sports in particular, is playing well for Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA). Double digits look good on their Wall Street game board. With more than 300 million registered players worldwide, Electronic Arts has its game on scoring a 12.8 surge in share price.

The Sims, Dragon Age, Plants vs. Zombies keep the numbers rising, but Madden NFL is in the spotlight now with the Super Bowl on tap for this weekend. Electronic Arts simulated the game, updating the rosters and showing the Seahawks vs. Patriots on Xbox One. It gives the game to MVP Tom Brady. How can you go against Madden’s impressive predictive record … 8-3 in the last decade, but did the prediction come before or after “deflate-gate”?

EA’s financial picture played out well in fiscal 2014 which pegged net revenue at $3.6 billion for the Redwood City California based gaming company. Quarterly non-GAAP revenues came in at $1,428 million. Mobile gaming scooped up $139 million of revenues overshadowing last year’s figures by 13 percent year over year, pulling in 160 million monthly active users for the quarter.

Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen said: “Our ongoing digital transformation, including live services like EA SPORTS Ultimate Team, coupled with ongoing cost discipline, enables us to deliver consistent cash flow and earnings growth.”  You can add to their cash flow by buying Madden NFL 15 Xbox One at Target for $39.99 on sale.

EA’s GAAP earnings for fiscal year 2015 are expected to be $2.35 per share. Zack’s says EA’s game portfolio, new consoles and a large mobile segment form the basis of this positive outlook.

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Google Maps has taken its Street View to the skies.

Google’s cameras went to Lake Pitkäjärvi in Finland where the Aurora Borealis shines. These Northern Lights will be explored also by unmanned space probes sent by NASA to study their effect on satellite communications. The display occurs when highly charged electrons from the solar wind interact with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the earth’s upper atmosphere.

Aurora Borealis with moon and stars over the frozen lake. Green denotes oxygen atoms, blue-violet is nitrogen.

The average individual rarely has a chance to glimpse this awesome display unless they are dressed for mighty cold temperatures. The conditions that make the glow visible only occur at certain latitudes and times of the year. The lake site is about 550 miles above sea level at a latitude of 63°9’0.01″ and longitude of 25°19’0.01″. This week’s weather hovers around 9°F and 98 percent humidity with a light dusting of snow.

Clouds replace the aurora borealis over Lake Pitkäjärvi.

Charles Swenson, a Utah State University professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the principal investigator for one of the NASA probes, known as the Auroral Spatial Structures Probe (ASSP). The missions are concerned with how the aurora affects Earth’s weather and how they impact Earth’s atmosphere. The ASSP probe will primarily study how heat from the aurora can impact satellites orbiting the Earth. Heat in and around the aurora is an expanded thermosphere. The expanded gas can increase the drag on satellites shifting their orbits significantly.” The probe also will look at how auroras and geomagnetic storms affect power grid infrastructure around the world.

There are five NASA suborbital sounding rockets. The rockets will launch from Poker Flat Research Range near Fairbanks, Alaska. The ASSP probe is disposable according to Swenson. After approximately 10 minutes of collecting data it will splash down in the Arctic Ocean.

Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere Turbulence Experiment (MTeX) at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Image Credit: NASA/Berit Bland

The Mesosphere-Lower Thermosphere Turbulence Experiment (MTeX) will be flying on NASA Terrier-Improved Malemute. A second test, the Mesospheric Inversion-layer Stratified Turbulence (MIST) will study atmospheric turbulence and how atmospheric properties are mixed vertically by deploying trimethyl aluminum (TMA) vapor trails seen as whitish clouds that can be photographed for study according to Miguel Larsen, MIST principal investigator from Clemson University, South Carolina. These tracers will be released between 50 and 87 miles up and according to the scientists do not pose a risk to health or the environment.

The phenomena of the Aurora Borealis is named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas. The aurora inspired myths among many Native American tribes. Once such story as quoted by Ernest W. Hawkes says: “There is a hole in it through which the spirits [of the dead] pass to the true heavens. The spirits who live there light torches to guide the feet of new arrivals.”

The colors of these torches are caused by the element and the altitude at which it encounters the sun’s messenger. Oxygen flames green up to 150 miles in altitude or red higher. Nitrogen displays as blue up to 60 miles in altitude and purple/violet higher.

If you want to see the spirits dance, the displays are visible close to the planets’ magnetic poles (not to be confused with the geographic poles). In the US, the Upper Michigan Peninsula should provide a good view, as should the northern coast of Russia or Fairbanks, Alaska. For a current forecast across Alaska and Canada refer to the website of the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The Northern Lights counterpart, aurora australis can be seen from Earth’s southern locations in Antarctica, South America, New Zealand and Australia. Additionally, auroras have been observed on most planets in our solar system from Venus to Neptune.

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Drugs, kids, and robots seem an unlikely mixture. However, robotics are helping kids through the stress of doctor visits, helping hospitals dispense medications more accurately, and standing in for a surgeon’s hands.

MEDi is yet another of those cute robots that interact with people. You’ll find him in medical settings where his specific task is to be a companion to children, educate them, and be a pain coach. He’ll greet a child as they come for a vaccination or other injection. He explains the procedure saying that the alcohol swab the nurse uses to clean their skin at the injection site “feels wet like a puppy licking your arm”. You can see the interaction between MEDi and a child in their YouTube segment.

MEDi is child height, slightly less than two feet tall. His 25 degrees of movement, eight pressure sensors, nine tactile sensors, two cameras, and four directional microphones make his interactions lifelike. To distract and entertain, he tells stories, plays games and dances. Together with built in cognitive behavioral skills, the robot is clinically proven to reduce children’s pain and anxiety by 50 percent. His explanations help kids understand and anticipate what a procedure will entail.

MEDi dances to entertain, but mostly to keep a child’s mind off a medical procedure they may be undergoing.

Rx Robots says their mission is to transform pediatrics through robotics. The Canadian based company first put MEDi to work at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. MEDi’s programs are specific to various medical procedures, such as blood tests or vaccinations. The MEDi Kits which contain an NAO Robot, a battery pack and charger, choreographe software and applications can be ordered individually. The University of Calgary with Setareh Aghel Manesh, Tanya Beran, Ehud Sharlin, and Saul Greenberg are credited with MEDi. Beran was providing information and demonstrating their little guy at CES 2015.

Robots have been used in medical settings for some time. The first in 1985 was PUMA 560 which performed a neurosurgical biopsy. It had only six degrees of movement controlled by six brushed DC servo motors. In 1990, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) got into the picture, approving the AESOP system  for an endoscopic surgical procedure.

More recent is the da Vinci robot typically used in cardiac valve repair, hysterectomy, and prostatectomy procedures. The surgeon controls the robot remotely from a console. Interactive Surgical, the company behind da Vinci, claims that its 3D high definition vision system with magnification up to 10, special instruments, and computer software help the surgeon operate with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control. However, their website warns that “Patients should understand that risks of surgery include potential for human error and potential for equipment failure. To emphasize the potential problems, in 2013 the company recalled the da Vinci units because of defective Hot Shears where cracks allowed electrosurgical energy to leak to patient tissue.

Robotic equipment helps with drug inventory and dispensing as well. Robot-Rx, not to be confused with the child-focused Rx-Robots, is an automated medication dispensing system. Medications are placed in envelopes or cassettes with bar-codes that links to the computer record of the patient. It updates the drug inventory as prescriptions are filled.

Medicines are stored and dispensed via bar code to the related patient by Robot-Rx.

The vault-like appearance of this robotic system which stores as well as dispenses drugs is far removed from MEDi, the cute humanistic robot.

The Robot-Rx complex stores, dispenses, and inventories medications.

McKesson Corp. sold their hospital pharmacy automation unit Robot-Rx over a year ago to the newly named Aesynt Corporation. The system runs under Windows 7 and provides real time inventory control as well as bar code medication administration.

Whether addressing kids, drugs, or surgery, robots are here to stay in the field of medicine and health care.

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Physiological monitoring combined with bio-mathematical modeling provides information aimed at improving health-related decisions. LifeQ based in Atlanta, Georgia is partnering with tech companies and scientists hoping to enable the understanding and management of physiology, behavior, and health. To this end, you could see a demo in their CES booth, as well as in the booths of Texas Instruments, Bosch, and Atmel .

Executive founder of LifeQ, Dr. Riaan Conradie said: “We can now deliver incredible insights to people about their bodies, potentially even predicting a heart attack.” The company goal is to help people really understand their own bodies so they can make decisions based on highly personalized health records and insights. It provides an on-demand record of one’s physiology and health. Using this data, individuals can make intelligent choices regarding their lifestyle, food, exercise, and even medications, all with one device.

Dr. Franco Du Preez, systems biologist, is deeply involved with LifeQ.

Franco Du Preez, Ph.D., world-renowned systems biologist who has authored several articles on the topic, applies computational systems biology to real-world health problems. He is the Chief Science Officer at LifeQ. Working with him in this unique field are computer scientists, electronic design engineers, mathematical statisticians, researchers, biomedical engineers, software architects, and scientists. They coordinate their expertise in an aggressive effort. The result: one device

LifeQ Lens captures physiological info.

A mighty three some, LifeQ consists of Lens, Core, and Link. LifeQ Lens is a multi-wavelength optical sensor that can be integrated into most wearable devices. It then monitors a range of key metrics with laboratory-level accuracy using the company’s proprietary algorithm. LifeQ Core translates the raw data from the Lens through biologically-orientated mathematical models. These models are turned into digital, virtual simulations of your body’s physiological systems. LifeQ Link is the open-access platform through which the company’s cross industry partners can use LifeQ’s technology.

Athletes can personally use the real-time information to regulate, increase or decrease their activities. Individuals with a nutritional interest can keep tabs on their nutrition by measuring calorie intake and calorie burn rate. Medical personnel can use LifeQ to improve diagnoses or manage a chronic condition.

Finally, on a more global scale, the company foresees the data generated by LifeQ’s platform providing population-level analysis of health and physiology which can lead to research never before possible. The company is looking forward to being able to monitor clinical trials which could potentially help create safer medicines and more effective treatments.

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Two concerned fathers temporarily lost their children – one in a parade crowd and the other in a crowd of shoppers. Both created a wearable tracking device to prevent this from happening again. The products are amazingly similar and are competing for attention at CES 2015 and on Indiegogo.

The companies sit on two sides of the world. Child Angel is out of Staffordshire in the UK. Kiband is out of Utah in the US. The companies base their technology on two different approaches. Child Angel tracks a child’s movements by combining GPS, GSM (Global System for Mobiles) and Wi-Fi hot-spot triangulation technologies. Kiband uses Bluetooth 4.1 and an audible alarm approach.

Kiband, named for the CEO’s four year old child Kimball, argues that coverage, accuracy, and cost of GPS are questionable. Their smartband technology covers 5 to almost 200 feet in any direction and you don’t need to interpret a map on your cell phone to locate a child who wanders too far. Kiband lets out an 85 decibel alarm alerting the parent and those around the child until it and the child are back with the parent. The band displays contact information for do-gooders trying to return the child to his parents.

Kiband smartphone display of child’s proximity.

Child Angel, on the other hand, has no distance limitations. It notifies parents via its cell phone app and displays the child’s location on a GPS map. The battle has begun with Child Angel adding comments on its project site regarding the limitations of Bluetooth … as we’ve noted is used by their competitor, Kiband.

Its exact pinpoint location is sent by Child Angel wrist band to smartphone.

Another differentiation is the ability to remove the band from the child’s arm. Child Angel sends an alarm to the parent if the band is removed and marks its location, whereas the Kiband cannot be removed until unlocked by the parent via their cell phone.

The free downloadable Child Angel app is compatible with Android, Samsung, Apple iPhone, and iPad. The band’s rechargeable battery can last for 48 hours. The band is “splash, sand, and sticky proof” and geared to those 3-13 years. Kiband is fashioned for children from 18 months to 7 years. Child-friendly Child Angel can be customized with a click-on image. It can also be imprinted with a licensed business partner’s logo.

Both provide boundary settings such as Geo Fencing on Child Angel. If your child goes beyond your pre-set safe zone an automatic alert goes to your cell phone. Kiband differentiates itself by claiming to alert you to your child’s location before they disappear, not after. Its goal is to prevent a lost child, rather than trying to find one after they go missing. The band involves the child in their own safety by vibrating when they wander too close to the perimeter set by their parents. It is not only water resistant, but if submerged will put out an alarm.

Child Angel’s wrist band design.

Spencer Behrend, Founder and CEO of KiLife Tech, claims a background in entrepreneurship, technology of an unspecified nature, finance, and corporate leadership. Heather Palmer has the unique title of CMO – Chief Mommy Officer – bringing a mother’s touch to the company. None of the bios of the rest of the team mentions any technology experience, leaning on backgrounds in operations, finance, and social media. However, the company profile claims to be “a diverse collection of tech entrepreneurs.”Andrew Purcell is the father and CEO behind Child Angel. His team consists of persons with financial, organizational, and sales skills. No one mentions having technology expertise, but their project site shows how the device was developed. Child Angel’s Indiegogo project has raised $2,572 USD towards its more aggressive $100,000 goal with 24 days left.

Kiband reveals its electronic composition.

Kiband on Indiegogo has raised $10,754 USD towards its $25,000 goal with 10 days left. Its sale price is pegged at $110.

As a parent, you have choices to make regarding your child’s safety. Child Angel and Kiband offer two slightly differing ways to keep track of a busy and mobile kid. Which would you choose?

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Wearables no longer refer only to fashion on the runways of Paris. Wearables will be on parade at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, 2015. Devices that snuggle into fabrics, wrap around your wrist or stick to your tummy make people into walking displays of cutting edge technology.

When you talk about wearables, you’ll hear about MEMS (micro-electro mechanical systems). One definition says: MEMS is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon substrate through microfabrication technology. You can learn more at a CES Conference Track running from 9am – 4:30pm on January 6, 2015.

Early this year, one research firm noted that the global wearable technology market was $750.0 million USD in 2012 and is expected to reach $5.8 billion in 2018. Not everyone agrees. In fact, a panel of analysts will chew on that prediction in the Venetian’s Marco Polo room.

Another presentation will be about Valencell’s PerformTek, sensor technology based on more than 20 patents, that measures real-time biometric data. Tiny optomechanical sensor modules are embedded in earbuds to provide information for gaming, performance coaching, and fitness training. The blood flow, heart rate monitoring technology removes extraneous noise to provide accurate readings. The sensor module includes an optical emitter, an optical detector, specialized optomechanics, and an accelerometer. It should be interesting to hear Dr. Steven LeBoeuf, President, explain the product during the conference.

Smart watches to wearables have been providing information about our movements and our bodies. From information comes knowledge. But what good is knowledge if we don’t act upon it? That’s where Ben Waber, CEO of Sociometric Solutions comes in. He analyzes communication patterns identified by social sensing technology. Coming at it with a PhD from the Human Dynamics Group at the MIT Media Lab, Waber translates information into suggestions for improving how employees work and collaborate.

Sociometrics Dashboard graphs information for use by organizations wanting to improve employee performance.

Wearable Sociometric Badges capture face-to-face interactions and extract social signals from speech and body movement and by measuring the proximity of each individual. Waber’s talk will incorporate ideas from his book People Analytics.

Discussions will also address how OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and embedded systems integrators can take advantage of MEMS and sensors for wearable devices. A roundtable will include top executives from several companies. InvenSense pioneered the industry’s first high-volume, commercial MEMS fabless business model. Benedetto Vigna, VP from STMicroelectronics, a large semiconductor company headquartered in Switzerland, will talk about his company’s involvement. Another company on the panel, Bosch Sensortec GmbH from Kusterdingen, Germany develops and markets a wide portfolio of MEMS sensors and solutions for smart phones, tablets, wearable devices. They offer 3-axis acceleration, gyroscope and geomagnetic sensors, integrated 6- and 9-axis, environmental sensors, and software.

QuickLogic helped make WiiU Game Pad possible.

If you’ve used a WiiU Game Pad, you’ve experienced the expertise of QuickLogic an inventor of customizable semiconductor solutions for mobile and portable electronics that should have a few words about gaming. Another panelist, PNI Sensor, develops geomagnetic sensors and sensor fusion technology for consumer products, the military, and scientific organizations. Stephen Whalley, Chief Strategy Officer, MEMS Industry Group will act as moderator.

In addition to this conference track, the Wearable Tech Awards will be given out the next day on Wednesday, January 7 on the Haymarket Stage of the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Ten smart products from glasses to watches, health and fitness trackers, virtual reality, and new apps will take a walk in front of the judges.

Winners of the $1.3 million in cash awards from Intel’s Make It Wearable challenge that the company threw out a year ago will be announced. The Challenge combined competition and an entrepreneurial mentorship program. The products that were considered had to be a sensor or computing device that is attached, embedded or worn on the body. It had to be based on Intel technology. Steven Holmes, Vice President – Intel New Devices Group, will speak about Smart Device Innovation.

Instead of asking What’s in Your Wallet?, the question at CES will be What are You Wearing? and that’s not referring to Armani.

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Three winners from the Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) will be chosen at CES 2015. All ten finalists will appear on stage at the Venetian in Las Vegas to vie for the opportunity to present their product later to Sir Richard Branson.

Finalists have been helped towards their goal with a boost from such companies as Amazon who provides web service. Rackspace offers no-fee hosting. Back-up and recovery services come from Axcient.  Helpful tools were additional perks, such as app development from Progress and from Spotfire data analytics from TIBCO.

Entrants came from more than 100 countries and were whittled down to the final ten. Only three will be chosen at the CES showdown to go to Branson’s Necker island to meet with him. Kym McNicholas, Executive Director of Extreme Tech Challenge said: It was truly a tough call as we had an incredible set of high quality candidates that I believe will be the next billion dollar wave.

Contestants range from a graphics app thru medical equipment, a publishing platform, travel booking, drones, facial recognition to a high end motorcycle helmet just to name a few. Judges have experience in many of the industries represented. Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of Priceline, should be able to evaluate Wanderu that is geared to making bookings, not for planes or hotels, but a different segment of the travel industry – intercity buses and trains.

Howard Leonhardt, XTC judge, holds 21 U.S. patents for products for treating cardiovascular disease.

BioHeart founder Howard Leonhardt another of the XTC judges is steeped in the medical environment. The company works with cell technologies to treat cardiovascular diseases. Robert Scoble will also sit on the panel. A well-known tech blogger who once worked at Microsoft, Scoble is now with Rackspace’s Small Teams, Big Impact (previously Building 43). This division, a new content and social networking website, is geared to help new startups and encourage groundbreaking technology. The Extreme Tech Challenge is right up their alley.

New fangled stethoscope from Eko Designs.

One entrant is by Eko Designs founded last year at UC Berkeley. Eko Designs’ Core is a digital stethoscope attachment that allows clinicians to switch between analog and digital information. It helps visualize, record, playback, share, and analyze heart sounds. The added device standardizes the recording of heart sounds, attaches them to medical records, and provides better coordination of care between professionals. It attempts to address the misdiagnoses and unnecessary referrals that occur in heart-related cases.

The device’s integrated Bluetooth links the Core to Eko’s smartphone app and its HIPAA compliant  web portal. These digital tools provide heartbeat analysis, audio visualization, and secure data storage. You can sign up for one of the beta units coming in 2015 and see for yourself if you can amplify, record, analyze and securely share heart sounds which identify heart murmurs more accurately than ever before.

Ghost is an open source publishing platform for bloggers. Its tools make you look professional while it adds in a few rules to live by when blogging. The Ghost Foundation is a small nonprofit organization that runs the project. As with any open source, the public, people from all around the world, contribute to its structure and features.

Ghost has a set of rules for users to follow.

Although the software is free, as with any open source application, with free comes “basic.” Beyond that, a fee is attached. Ghost sustains itself by renting space for, or hosting, your blog for $10 a month. Their marketplace contains a directory of themes, apps, and resources which have been created specifically for Ghost. Some are free; some are premium, meaning you pay a fee to use them. For $10/month you get unlimited transfer and storage with automatic updates and backups and worldwide CDN & security protection. For a team of ten bloggers you pay $100/month and receive priority support. You can sign up and try it out for free.

Wanderu, unfortunately is only currently covering the US and Canada. If you have ever tried to get around Europe which has a better public transport system than most of the US, you’ll appreciate this new app. They have City Travel Guides for prominent East Coast cities. Bus and train schedules for Boston make your visit to one of the important sites of the American Revolution easy. Wanderu connects you with 10 different bus companies within the Boston area.

Their bus routes are short hauls on each coast. No nationwide trips are available yet. If you want to go from San Francisco to Los Angeles and see scenery along the way, Wanderu is the ticket. Want to take a look at Florida, then after seeing Disneyworld in Orlando, hop a bus to Miami to sun yourself on the beaches using Wanderu’s routing and ticket app. The company selects only the safest and most trusted brands in ground travel. It provides mobile information on Apple, Android or Blackberry.

All ten finalists will appear at CES 2015. Look for the contest to take place January 8 in the Marco Polo room at 2PM.

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More than 1,900 applied, only 10 were chosen. The Extreme Tech Challenge  finalists vying to pitch their company to Sir Richard Branson on Necker, his private island, includes Skully, a smart motorcycle helmet. Skully combines the latest in technology in one extreme helmet.

To begin with let’s cover the basics. The streamlined helmet is water and dust proof with a comfortable NASA originated Outlast lining that is removable and washable. It comes in black or white and gives you a Darth Vadar appearance. Now, on to the technology.

Essentially, the Skully AR-1 eliminates blind spots. The helmet sports a 180 degree rear view camera with a fisheye lens that projects revamped, dewarped images of what’s happening behind you onto a cube at the front of the helmet. This rearview mirror is not the only information displayed. The cube is transparent so it does not impair your front vision while providing dashboard-like data.

A small gasoline icon notifies you when fuel is low.

Other information you can see includes a tachometer, speed readout, gear position, and incoming calls. The helmet provides a blue tooth GPS with worldwide mapping. The visual information displayed is augmented by audio directions. The stereo speakers provide clear phone conversations and good music enjoyment, as well as route indications.

Worldwide maps provide GPS assistance as you cruise along.

Looking to the future, at the rear of the helmet you will find RGB LED lights in place that can light up as turn signals or to indicate braking. They also will help with diagnostics. The system runs on two individual rechargeable batteries reloaded via micro USB.

The helmet was designed for comfort. The informative cube is set to eliminate eye strain. Your eyes don’t have to refocus from distance viewing down the road to close-up to read gauges previously mounted on the dashboard. Material for the wide-angle-view visor is anti-glare, anti-fog, with a button you can push for bright light correction. To prevent you from becoming a hot headed motorcyclist, the helmet has vents on the front, top, and both sides to air cool your skull.

The transparent informational cube is designed and placed to eliminate eye strain while driving and checking data.

Speaking of heads, the helmet comes in S, M, L, XL, and XXL. A chart gives dimensions in hat size, centimeters and inches. For example, a Large fits hat size 7 1/8 – 7 1/ 4. Additionally, if it still doesn’t fit, the company promises to send another premium padding set at no charge.

This company put out an Indiegogo project with a goal of $250,000. Instead, in less than two months, they closed the fund October 9, 2014 with $2,445,425 USD. During and since, videos have been posted that have gleaned positive and negative comments regarding the approach, cost, safety, sturdiness, and the usefulness of this new technology aimed at the motorcycle enthusiast.

The company says the Skully AR-1 is DOT/ECE (US Department of Transportation / Economic Commission for Europe) certified and is currently pending AS/NZS 1698:2006 certification. As to damage during an accident, they suggest checking your insurance policy to see if you are covered for Custom Parts and Equipment (CPE) coverage.

Skully’s Vice President of Design Joshua Bloom produced a very detailed look at the streamlined helmet in a YouTube video.

Skully VP of Design Joshua Bloom proudly displays the AR-1.

One viewer commented: Looks interesting, but cost is prohibitive. It is currently listed as $1,499 plus $99.99 shipping. Another person summed it up thus: When it comes to pricing think about it in this manner. You’re buying the equivalent of 1) a decent helmet 2) a GoPro camera 3) a Google glass 3) a communication system 4) a photo chromatic face shield. Does it really seem that expensive??

You can judge for yourself at CES in Las Vegas. Skully and the other nine finalists will vie to become the top three winners on stage January 8, 2015 at 2pm in the Marco Polo room at The Venetian. If you want to buy the product, the company website’s store is your only option. You can place a pre-order and hope shipment happens by the promised July, 2015 date.

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CES, the consumer electronics show, commonly thought of as a showcase for hardware, games, TV’s, and techie gadgets hopes to appeal to the intellectual’s mind this January. One of the big events at CES 2015 is Gary’s Book Club. Gary Shapiro, the President and CEO of CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) is featuring two of his own New York Times best sellers and one book by CEA’s Chief Economist, Shawn DuBravac, Ph.D.

Several other authors will appear discussing their works which will be for sale through Barnes and Noble and autograph-ready on site. All the books are hefty reading material. The titles of the three featured books themselves aren’t quite fodder for a Twitter-like short blast. The books are listed as: “The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream” and “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” and “Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate”.

DuBravac’s stance is that the digital age is the beginning of a new era that will rival the invention of the printing press which coincidentally is the historical instrument making dissemination of his work possible, not counting eBooks. Humanity will feel the new era’s transformational effects personally as will countries and institutions worldwide.

Andrew Keen’s latest writing indicates that the Internet is negatively causing one of the greatest shifts in society since the Industrial Revolution.  The intriguing title, Humans 3.0 is by journalist Peter Nowak who in juxtaposition to Keen’s writing posits that technology is propelling us into a new epoch and improving mankind along the way.Entrepreneur and investor, Frank Gruber, has penned Startup Mixology which gives tips on all aspects of starting a new tech company. Patrick Stroh tells how to keep success going in Business Strategy; Plan, Execute, Win!, his book published in April this year by Wiley.

Thinking of creating something unique? Paul Paetz’ book title lets you know what to expect in Disruption by Design: How to Create Products That Disrupt and Then Dominate Markets.

Also geared to helping businesses succeed, Nicole Gallucci presents: Adversperience: The Convergence of Advertising & Experiential Marketing. She concentrates on the physiological impact a brand has on consumers.

Also contrary to Keen’s gloomy view of the Internet, Alexis Ohanian who with co-founder Steve Huffman started Reddit talks of harnessing the power of the Web for good in his book Without Their Permission: How the 21st Century Will Be Made, Not Managed.

And finally for those who can’t just sit still reading a book, Anna van Slee and Carolyn Chandler give us an interactive book to help us learn design methodology using games and exercises. The book is appropriately titled: “Adventures in Experience Design published by Peachpit Press. 

 These and other authors will be present at Gary’s Book Club on the CEA Stage in Las Vegas Convention Center’s Grand Lobby during CES 2015.

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The title of the latest book by Andrew Keen, “The Internet is Not the Answer” raises some serious questions. Keen is one of the authors who will be at CES 2015 as part of Gary’s Book Club exhibit. Several authors will discuss their works, answer questions, and autograph books purchased on site during the Las Vegas Convention.

Andrew Keen is himself a disruptive influence in the tech industry with his sharp opinions. Among other positions, he is Executive Director of Futurecast which since 1996 has held up a crystal ball looking to the future with an historical perspective across industries, including consumer electronics, the Internet, education, science, employment, and telecommunications.

Andrew Keen presents his disruptive views in his latest book.

Keen’s new book will be released in hardback January 2015 through Barnes and Noble, and other mainstream outlets. Indie Bound, Powell, and Books a Million  will also offer Keen’s eye opening take on technology.

His views do not flatter high tech society, saying that the Web rather than being a force for good has effectively been more harmful, favoring a small group of privileged white youngsters who have become multi-millionaires in a cloistered tech environment. His opinion is that contrary to its promise of promoting democracy, the Internet has empowered mob rule.

Keen’s book is filled with footnotes supporting his facts. He states: “The Internet is a winner-take-all economy. It’s creating a two-tiered society … with economic inequality between tech workers and everyone else.” As an example, he notes that in Santa Clara County California, home of Silicon Valley, poverty rose from 8 percent in 2001 to 14 percent in 2013 with food stamp recipients growing from 25,000 to 125,000 over the same time period.

Homes are priced out of the reach of most as Silicon Valley’s impact is felt in Santa Clara County California.

Now one could argue that it is the economy in general that has produced such gaps, but his examples continue. Inequality exists within the tech companies themselves. Silicon Valley is charged with bias against older workers and women. Women fare worse in Silicon Valley than the already acknowledged disparity elsewhere. Here they earn less than half what their male contemporaries do. Beyond wages, Keen points to “a persistent sexist culture among many of the young male programmers … who openly treat women as sexual objects and unashamedly develop pornographic products … designed to humiliate their female colleagues.”

He calls the San Francisco Bay Area the most important social experiment of our age where technology is beginning to usurp government. It represents a “libertarian fantasy about how Internet companies can somehow detach themselves from their wider responsibilities in society and how networked technology can replace government.”

Keen notes such troubling trends as Web service platforms like TaskRabbit which he takes to task. He opines that such endeavors provide “no role for unions, no place for anything protecting the rights of the laborer, no collective sense of identity, no dignity of work.”

Google’s Googleplex is called a medieval-style walled city, with entirely self-enclosed offices, restaurants, gyms, laundries, and dormitories …”that will, in good feudal fashion, cut off its privileged workers from everything around them” physically detaching themselves from increasingly impoverished communities around them. Businesses that have traditionally relied on the business patronage of local workers are suffering. For example, Twitter’s free food service while benefiting its employees has destroyed the business of local restaurants and cafés. Paraphrasing Weekly Standard’s Charlotte Allen, Keen claims: “The digital overlords have seceded from the analog peasants.”

Keen’s scathing analysis of what the Internet and Silicon Valley success bodes for society continues in his book “The Internet is Not the Answer”. He is scheduled to appear 12:30pm – 2:00pm at the CEA Stage, in the LVCC, Grand Lobby.

The post Andrew Keen: The Internet is Not the Answer appeared first on VR World.

Looking very similar to the BlackBerry Bold, the beleaguered company has announced its new BlackBerry Classic. It’s smaller and most importantly, sports a full QWERTY keyboard and navigation buttons that are not virtual. That’s right; you can do your input on physical keys once again.

Nicely designed keys let your fingers know where they are and increase the accuracy of input.

Aimed at diehard fans who held on to the original BlackBerry which had been considered the best game in town, the Classic is reminiscent in design. If the newer, bigger touchscreen devices are too bulky for your shirt pocket, the Classic’s touchscreen is only 3.5 inches leaving room for the retro keyboard. The sculptured keys are backlit and come with a click so you know where you are and when you strike a key. Overall, it is 5.1 inches x 2.8 inches x 0.4 inch.

Easy to reach on the right side are the mute and volume control buttons. Call, Menu, Back, and End buttons are conveniently above the keyboard. You can set shortcut keys too. There is no telling if this move is a shortcut to a better company outlook. Currently, BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY) is trading at the high end of its 52 week range of $6.08 – 12.54. Hoping to increase its bottom line, the company has made inroads with the auto industry with a recent partnering with Ford. The car company replaced its Windows based MyFord with Sync 3 using a BlackBerry QNX platform.

Neither the stock, nor the Classic’s technology is spectacular, but the device is serviceable. Its front and rear facing cameras are only 2 and 8 megapixels respectively. Video is pretty standard 1080p HD recording at 30 fps (frames per second). Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz 8960 dual core processor powers the Classic with BlackBerry 10.3.1 for its operating system. RAM consists of 2GB and16GB Flash. With SD cards you can expect 144 GB of storage. It promises 22 hours of battery life from its 2515 mAh non-removable Lithium Ion battery, depending on usage.

John Chen, CEO, smiles as he introduces the BlackBerry Classic. Photo Credit: CTV

BlackBerry telegraphed its focus by unveiling the Classic in New York in the financial district, hoping to catch the attention of the business-based consumer. BlackBerry World, the company’s store, offers secure, enterprise level apps to entice businesses back into its fold. Its motto is “Serious Mobility for Serious Business”. An added plus, you can run Android apps now.

The phone supports several multi-media formats, as well as network and connectivity for Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Canada,Latin America, and the US (LTE/HSPA+ ). The bummer disclaimer says this version only currently works on GSM carriers, which does not include popular Verizon and Sprint CDMA based networks in the United States. It also requires a nano SIM card which will add slightly to the going $449 price tag.

The company is attempting to retain faithful customers with its old/new form factor while trying to draw new devotees in with its Passport.  Classic comes in old-fashioned black but you can get Passport in red or white. This writer, for one, prefers the old-fashioned, manual approach of a physical keyboard rather than a “touchy,” sometimes spastic, touch screen. If you prefer voice interaction, you can use BlackBerry Assistant, Siri’s  distant cousin.

There are several demo videos  on YouTube if you want to learn how to use many of the functions of the BlackBerry smartphone.

With BlackBerry’s choice of a name for its new release, you can’t help but draw a parallel with the soda company that returned to its successful roots. Will BlackBerry Classic be a hit with the retro crowd who loved their earlier model just as cola drinkers returned to their favored Classic Coke?

The post BlackBerry Tells Loyal Fans: Rejoice appeared first on VR World.

Hiku scans, records, categorizes, locates, and marks your favorite items to make shopping a no-brainer. The handheld device scans bar codes on your favorite and incidental items. The item is then listed on a shopping list on your smartphone ready to take to the store.

You can assign an item to any number of user-named lists – Safeway, Petsmart, RiteAid, GNC, and so forth. Head for the store, display your shopping list on your phone and proceed down the aisles. In this review, I’ll show you with pictures how easy it was to install,  learn, and use. I’ll also tell you what I did and didn’t like about Hiku.

You’ll need either an iOS or Android smartphone to download the free Hiku app. I tested the Android version as soon as it was released. The beta packaging still only refers to the original iOS version though.

You can buy the related scanning device direct from Hiku. The same device works with both iOS 6.0+ and Android 4.0+ since it sends the scanned information to a neutral cloud. The device contains a 1D linear scanner, a microphone, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery.

Inside the box you’ll find the device, a micro USB cable for charging the battery, and a tiny three-fold 3”x3” Start Up Guide.

Hiku seems like an odd name for an application that creates a grocery list. When I questioned Matt Beebe, head of product and design, he explained: “The name Hiku comes from the Japanese short-form poetry, meant to be said in a single breath. When done well, a haiku communicates meaning in its simplest form, and is beautiful. That captures the ethos of our brand: to bring simplicity and beauty to people’s lives.”

The product’s instructions themselves are simplicity personified. They start by telling you to download the application from the Apple App Store < https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hiku-mobile/id721935991?ls=1&mt=8 > and follow the on-screen instructions to connect Hiku to your Wi-Fi. It needs to be a 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi network. Because I was beta testing the Android version, I went instead to Google Play  for a copy of the software. The product’s documentation obviously needs to be updated to include the new version. When you search for Hiku on either site be careful of what you choose.

A search for Hiku on iTunes and Google Play displays several misleading, but interesting, choices.

One choice might include the following Haiku poem by the 17^th century Japanese master Matsuo Basho: < http://poemhunter.com/matsuo-basho/ >

A field of cotton –
as if the moon
had flowered.

Take a moment to mentally contemplate the image … Now let’s continue with our study of a more mundane topic: grocery shopping.

INSTALLING HIKU

Installation of the Hiku app on an HTC was easy and automatic. You are asked for your Wi-Fi connection.

You are told when to sync your device to the application by placing the device on the phone’s display.

Make note of the warning that accompanies the placement. It is no B.S. The bright pulsating action that takes place during the synchronization is intense.

You’ll be rewarded with a message of success that displays on the phone below the device.

The process creates an icon on the phone’s home panel.

The Hiku icon appears here in the lower right corner of the phone’s display.

To sign onto Hiku, you’ll need yet another password to keep track of. They do have a way of assisting you if you forget it. After you have started a shopping list, you can share that list because it is stored in the cloud not on your phone. You could send your mate to the store and they could access the list by signing in to their own smartphone with the same email address and password you created during set up.

 USING HIKU

The device itself is made of a study, water resistant, shell designed to resist damage to both exterior and interior even when dropped. It is fitted with a magnet that attaches tightly to your refrigerator and is covered by a soft silicon rubber that keeps it from scratching the appliance. The activating button on the opposite side is of brushed aluminum. A recessed window protected with a rubber framing is what you point towards the bar code for scanning to take place. You also can set the device on this end on a flat surface.

Hiku adheres securely within easy reach on the refrigerator door.

The same device can be used with either an iOS or Android phone. The downloaded app on your phone talks to the cloud to retrieve your stored information. Hiku has an established and growing data base of 17 million bar codes that it draws upon.

The same device can be used with either an iOS or Android phone.

With the oval Hiku device in hand, I began scanning a variety of items and checking how they showed up on the phone.

Most familiar items were quickly categorized by the program.

When you select to display Details, you are able to edit the information. You can change the name in your list that was associated with the bar code, assign the item to another aisle, and enter the quantity you want to purchase. You can mark common items as “Regulars”.

I scanned a variety of shapes and conditions. Flat cardboard boxes of course do well. Yet, I had no problem with the bar codes being recognized on round cans, moist milk cartons, wrinkled labels, irregular tubes, or cellophane covered containers.

Hiku read bar codes of various and sundry shapes and conditions.

Hiku has three audible signals which translate into: It’s Added. Bar Code Not Recognized. Voice Not Recognized. One item Hiku didn’t recognize was a bottle of Port wine. I guess it doesn’t read Portuguese codes. However, referring to the paper Start Guide that came in the box, I found the solution.

Afer I scanned the bottle again, I immediately pushed the silver button, aimed the scanner at my mouth and said “Porto Morgado” using my best accent. Bingo. Hiku can even spell. There it was on the No Aisle category along with the Epson ink cartridge that the system didn’t know what to do with either. Hiku even spelled the brand name correctly from my verbal input.

I assigned my after dinner drink to the Beer/Wine/Liquor aisle.  Now that Hiku has my Port in its data base anyone can access the information immediately because I “taught” Hiku the bar code.

Porto Morgado has been added not only to my shopping list, but to Hiku’s data base for everyone’s benefit.

Alphabetical aisles come already defined, such as Baking/Spices, Dairy, Grains/Pasta, Meats, Produce. You can add a new aisle which I could have done for the ink, but I decided School/Office Supplies would suffice. I also could create a separate Shopping List for, say, Staples, and assign the Epson ink to that list instead to my general Grocery List.

PROS and CONS

To get started, you can name a list, go to that store, walk the aisles scanning bar codes from your common purchases to quickly set up a thorough list in the order in which you will find them in the store.

As you learn how to use Hiku, if you can’t figure something out, you can tap My Hiku and display links to the site’s FAQ’s or send an email to support@hiku.us. For example, although Hiku has an almost flat, easy learning curve, I didn’t intuit how to remove an item completely. I could “Cross It Off” by swiping it, but to get it off that list the FAQ that displayed on my phone told me I needed to hit the Clear button. I could not locate a Clear button, so I will contact Support for a more specific direction or graphic.

The My Hiku also has Tips, which are a reiteration of the compact Start Up Guide, so help is always a tap away on your phone. It is in place to allow language selection for voice recognition with three forms of English, two forms of Spanish, German, French, and Italian. The product currently supports English only. The other choices will be an enhancement.

Finally, the company responds to problems as evidenced by this notation on their website about their first version. “We’ve identified an issue in the hiku mobile app version 1.0 where new item refresh fails for AT&T customers under certain conditions. The issue is now fixed, available in the App Store as version 1.1. You can download it.”

CONCLUSION

This compact, patent pending, shopping assistant could be called a gadget according to Merriam Webster which says: “Gadget: an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty.”

Hiku is something that is new and unusual, as well as practical. Introduced at San Francisco’s Pepcom in November, Hiku saves the user time, provides organization to an often chaotic procedure, and is easy to use. Instead of scurrying from aisle to aisle, backtracking to the canned vegetable aisle because you forgot to get lima beans when there, you can methodically move up one aisle and down the next, checking items off your list.

I did not find a way, however, to mark that I had put the item in my shopping cart. So for now, you’ll need to remember what you selected and what you still need to pick off a shelf and place in your basket. It’s time to request an enhancement.

I was told that another enhancement I wanted had been requested by other users as well: printing. If your neighbor offers to pick up a few things for you when they go to the store, you’d probably prefer to give them a printed list instead of access to your Hiku account.

This scanner is also perfect for someone who has difficulty writing, perhaps due to severe arthritis. Scanning or speech can take the place of painful attempts at maneuvering a pencil.

Hiku is priced at $79, but I think $50 would be a better price if you weren’t sure you’d really use it once you had it. Also, if you were just counting dollars, a smaller price in today’s economy might be more enticing. However, it depends on how you value your time. This device is definitely a time saver, and “time is money”.

Founders Rob Katcher, CEO, and Rajan Bala, VP Engineering, urge you to “Get the App”.

This app is a must for the busy person who has a deadline and an empty refrigerator that needs filling. No fumbling for a list, no forgetting the one special thing you went to the store for. It’s a convenience for every single mom with limited time, any bachelor who hates to shop, and every person who has a large family and a long, varied shopping list.

Hiku is seeking retail partners 9bizdev@hiku.us) and developers (devrel@hiku.us) to pair their product with Hiku. You should contact them on their career page if you are an experienced mobile software engineer or a data scientist looking for a job.

The post Hiku: Add it to Your Shopping Cart appeared first on VR World.

Whether the company name was intentional or not, EHang paints a picture of what its product does. China-based EHang creates unmanned aerial vehicles that hang in the air taking video or photos of what’s below. Ghost, one of the company’s drones, is an Indiegogo crowd funding success story. The company has far surpassed its original goal of $100,000 by raising $596,702 with 26 days to go.

Ghost landing gear sets the drone down gently.

Ghost does not require a cumbersome RC controller. You guide it with your iOS or Android smartphone and a small G-Box with 2.4GHz 80mw standard Bluetooth communicator. Auto Mode points the drone head first towards its destination and allows you to concentrate on the visuals you want to capture instead of worrying about piloting. You’ll want to use the micro control mode to pinpoint a specific location by simply sliding it in the direction you want to drone to go. It can get there tail first if necessary.

A simple finger tap points your drone to its destination.

GoPro equipment is compatible with Ghost including the Hero 4 and is assisted by the 2D gimbal which keeps your shots stable. Flying at night is possible due to Night Mode with LED lights to visually keep track of its position. Ghost is wind resistant to 21 knots and waterproof so weather won’t ground the aerial vehicle. If anything goes awry, Ghost incorporates automatic return if the connection is lost.

You can still get in on the Indiegogo Ghost project. Support starts with a $5 fan club contribution and goes to $49,000 with a list of perks in between including a $355 DIY kit that includes parts for you to assembly the Ghost yourself. Cyber Monday offered the following:

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The campaign started November 10, 2014 and will close on January 9, 2015 at the end of CES. The company will be exhibiting in the Las Vegas Convention Center, LVCC South Hall 2. BSN* will be able to provide our readers with a hands-on opinion of this and other unmanned systems after the show. In the meantime, you can tell EHang what you want them to do to improve on their Ghost with the cash they have raised beyond their original goal. Vote at their survey site.  One option is to expand the white ghostly finish to other colors. Maybe one of these? Or ask for your favorite color – neon orange perhaps?

In addition to Ghost for recreational use, EHang also develops the larger Skyway for commercial use. The Chinese company also has offices in San Carlos, California.

The post Indiegogo Drone Project Raises Half A Million Dollars appeared first on VR World.

Mota, a successful company founded 15 years ago, is hawking a Kickstarter project aimed at GoPro owners. GoPro’s stock price isn’t affecting Mota’s enthusiasm for developing an accessory for the adventuresome camera wearer. The already established company wants you to help it develop a wireless battery charger for the GroPro Hero cameras. The new product would allow you to recharge your camera without removing it from its housing.

You probably are already familiar with Mota founded by Michael and Kevin Faro. The company makes imaginative products for mass marketing in wearables, portable power, and playful flying objects, such as drones and helicopters. Don’t forget its SmartPhone Anti-Lost Companion  that fits on a key ring. Already known for its external power battery the MOTA 4,000mAh power block which includes 5 different USB cable connections for Apple 30-pin, Apple Lightning, Micro USB, Mini USB, and Sony PSP, Mota is looking to connect to GoPro.

Kevin Faro, co-founder of Mota, discusses its proposed product

GoPro itself sells extra batteries and battery chargers. You wouldn’t want to be caught near the summit of Kilimanjaro with a dead battery in the video camera that is capturing your treacherous ascent. However, that extra battery you plan to replace a depleted one with requires you to open the device, risking dropping the battery in the snow or fouling the inside of the equipment with greasy fingers that just changed the spark plugs in your motorcycle right before the big race.

Mota GoPro’s battery charger is designed for action in the field.

You might ask why an established company is using Kickstarter to raise money for a new product. You could say they are doing test marketing. The company explains their reasoning in its FAQ’s. They need to make new tooling for the new design. “That’s a significant cost that we can’t justify unless we know there’s significant demand. Your backing will show us you want us to manufacture it.”

The wireless receiver technology that makes the Mota Wireless Charger compatible with Hero 3 and Hero 4 batteries has a pending patent.

As a reward for backing the Mota Wireless Charger for GoPro, you can get one at “a very special pre-release price”. Yesterday, Mota launched their Kickstarter project. Today, as this article is being written, two more backers have signed on, bringing the total to 65 for $4055 pledged. The goal is $15,000 by January 7, 2015, so if you are interested, don’t get caught up in Christmas Shopping and forget to pledge.

The intended release date is March/April 2015 when assembly, batch testing, complete and Reward fulfillments begin. In the meantime, you can buy completed Mota products at several retailers, including TigerDirect, Newegg, Walmart, Staples, and Best Buy.

The post Kickstarter Mota Project is Aimed at GoPro as Stock Slips appeared first on VR World.

GoPro stock (NASDAQ:GPRO) after a bump up following its IPO is losing points for no news-breaking reason other than the usual leveling out after all the hoopla dies down. The price is down to $64.34, more than $30 below its 52 week high, but still higher than half its 52 week range of $28.65-$98.47. Analysts think Black Friday sales have already been factored into the price and they don’t expect the price to rise much over the holidays.

Companies who are associated with the wearable camera saw their value move in tandem. Ambarella (NASDAQ:AMBA), a supplier of chips for GoPro, and the camera company itself both posted quarterly earnings that were better than expected. However, Ambarella’s and GoPro’s stock prices dropped an identical five percent yesterday. If you ran to get on GoPro’s post IPO bandwagon as its stock shot upwards, you might be having second thoughts as you watch your investment lose value.

Ambarella’s 52-week range has been $21.60-$58.00. Today’s pricing has been in the low $50’s. If you bought early, the recent down angle would not be of great concern to you, especially in light of historic sales growth which has analysts predicting $250 million in yearly sales.

Hero4 Silver has a touch display which allows you to navigate menus, preview photos and videos, and frame shots.

GoPro’s soiree into outfitting drones and Ambarella’s potential market expansion as law enforcement puts wearable cameras on their officers should increase the value of both companies. GoPro’s new Hero4 series has improved on previous versions. The Hero4 Black is pumped up with ultra high resolution, high frame rate 4K30, 2.7K50, 1080p120 video, and 12MP photos up to 30 frames per second. It is waterproof for divers who stay above 131 feet. On their website you can purchase it for $499.99.

BSN* staff did a full review of the new Hero4 Black.  A sister version Hero4 Silver  offers 1080p60 and 720p120 video and integrated touch display for $399.99.

Unless you bought stock as well as one of the cameras, you are probably enjoying your GoPro without worrying about Wall Street.

The post GoPro Pulls Tech Partners' Stock Down With It appeared first on VR World.

The results are in: consumers want their car to be a wireless hotspot.

That’s according to a new survey by market research group Compass Intelligence.

Compass Intelligence received responses from 1,320 vehicle and smartphone owners to create a profile of what drivers wanted. Surprisingly, having entertainment DVD systems in the car was of little interest. Younger and younger children are becoming more and more computer savvy. Most have their own or access to their parent’s tablets or phones for diversion while riding around town or across the country.

Social media feeds didn’t rank as a top requirement either. Text messaging and email from within the car has lost favor. Traffic laws and the push to warn against accidents caused while texting may have had an impact.

The connected car was a big item at CES 2014.

What did get high points from end users were maintenance and predictive analytics, i.e., how is my car performing, is it safe.

Keith Robinson, Sr. Strategist at Compass Intelligence said: “This is an untapped opportunity for companies that participate in the in-vehicle wireless broadband market.”

The statistics read like this: 66% of those responding to the survey said they want a system that detects when parts are malfunctioning before a complete breakdown. Half of the people want their system to tell them when preventative maintenance is due. Drivers who are on the road frequently want to get real-time traffic updates – 60% of respondents want to know where the traffic jams or accidents are so they can take alternative routes.

Much of what is driving opinions is a view of insurance rates. The survey found that people are willing to pay for a service that provides usage-based information that affects insurance rates in an effort to reduce their premiums.

Broken down by generation, baby boomers rated these services as of high importance. Millennials are the most likely individuals to buy vehicles that are equipped with in-car wireless broadband solutions.

The connected vehicle survey of consumers was part of the Mobility & Wireless Research Track at Compass Intelligence.  The company is a market analytics and consulting firm, specializing in strategy acceleration and insights for the high-tech and telecom industries. It supplies end-user behavior and purchasing pattern data to vendors hoping to get a jump on future trends. You can order the entire report or others for a fee.

The post Consumers Want In-Vehicle Wireless Broadband appeared first on VR World.

Thanksgiving is a day for turkey. Black Friday is a day for statistics. Traffic on Thanksgiving from mobile devices edged just over 52 percent of all online traffic, while Black Friday mobile traffic dipped just below 50 percent. According to 24/7 Wall St, sales from mobile devices on Black Friday were about 30 percent higher than last year, accounting for 28 percent of that day’s online sales. Thanksgiving Day sales were below those of the widely hyped day that follows indigestion.Those online shoppers live mostly on the East Coast with Los Angeles wedged in the middle of New York City, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Chicago. Smartphones accounted for 35 percent of all on-line traffic, but tablets led the charge in sales numbers and dollars spent by $18.95.

The Apple platform outdistanced that of Google with Apple products typically being higher priced than Google’s. IBM Data reports as Average Order Value: ”iOS users averaged $121.86 per order compared to $98.07 for Android users, a difference 24.3 percent.” The data shows as Online Sales: “iOS sales accounted for 21.9 percent of total online sales, nearly quadruple that of Android, which drove 5.8 percent of all online sales.” According to comScore, Apple has 42 percent of the market, and Android has 52 percent. However, Android’s market share advantage pales beside iOS popularity.

In general, all online sales were higher than those of last year. Department stores sold an average of just over $143. Health and beauty’s average order was just under $73. Apparel’s average ticket online sale slide to just under $115, while home goods had the highest average order – $238.46.

We’ll have to wait to see what Cyber Monday brings after all the online sales that have already taken place over the weekend.

The post Black Friday Mobile Sales Top Online Traffic appeared first on VR World.

If you were hoping to save $100 on an Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi-Gold with its 9.7 inch Retina display, 8MP iSight camera, and 64GB of storage, you’re too late. Best Buy has posted it as Sold Out on line. It was priced at $499.99. It’s still available at Fry`s for full price.

Apple iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi-Gold is selling out fast.

If you are willing to settle for a 7.9 inch LED display and a 5MP iSight camera and only 16GB of storage, you can save $75 at Best Buy on the Apple iPad mini with Wi-Fi – 16GB, Space Gray/Black.
Not wanting to restrict bargain shoppers to a single day, Walmart has been having Cyber Week. They are offering a slightly better discount amount of $79 for the same tablet.

Best Buy and Walmart sell the Apple Mini iPad 16GB for $249.99 and $219.99 respectively.

Now here is the curious part: Walmart is quoting the list price as $299.00 which they are discounting to $219.99. Best Buy shows only their regular price is $249.99 or refurbished for $10 less. Now you decide which is the “best buy.” Seems like a simple mathematical problem at first glance. But Oh No. Let’s look closely. The Devil is in the Details. Both have the same Model Number: #MF432LL/A. Both tablets carry the same exact name with the only exception being the color. Best Buy lists Apple iPad mini with Wi-Fi-16GB, Space Gray/Black. Walmart has Apple iPad mini 16GB Wi-Fi, Space Gray or White. You can do your own comparisons from the data taken directly from their respective websites.

Amazon offers several choices on the same tablet: New from $229.99, Used from $203.95, and Refurbished from $199.99. Clicking on the Used or on the Refurbished category, you come to NYC Electronic Warehouse Storefront. A search of their site did not find the refurbished model. It must have been sold leaving Amazon out of sync with their reseller. Radio Shack offers what they refer to as Refreshed for $229.99 with free shipping.

The Apple Store itself is selling the tablet, Space Gray or Silver “beginning at” $249. . Extras they suggest you add to your purchase include: Lightening to USB camera adapter for $29, an Apple Wireless keyboard for $69, or Apple EarPods with remote and mic for $29. It is ready to ship in one day and you might have in store pick up possible. However, the site warns: “Quantities are limited and availability can change quickly. Items will not be reserved for in-store pick up until you’ve completed checkout.”

As a bonus, Apple offers 6, 12, or 18 months special financing. And they’ll laser engrave up to two lines on the back of your iPad for free. If you click that it’s a gift, you can add an Apple Gift Package for another $5 and a free gift message. One more plus, you can Live Chat with a specialist before purchase. Apple is the only company offering Chat help.

Best Buy provides free shipping if you want it by December 11. If you want it sooner, you’ll pay an escalating shipping fee. The company offers a 1-year Protection Plan from the Geek Squad for $49.99. They say “We Fix It Or Replace It” covering a No-Lemon Policy, Normal Wear & Tear, Power Surges, Screen Issues.

Walmart offers a 2-year Care Plan for $47, but they don’t try to sell you additional accessories other than a $25 savings if you open a Walmart credit card. The Plan indicates: “Drop, Spill and Cracked Screen Problems – We’ll repair or replace it. We cover 100% of the repair costs. There are no deductibles or hidden fees.” Hummm, so you should look for Catch 22’s when considering a protection plan.

A quick look at other on-line retailers showed that Target offers the tablet for $249. MacMall will save you $5 at $244. PC Connection wants you to login or call for pricing. MicroCenter an Authorized Apple Reseller is listing the tablet at $229, but you have to search their site for your local store and drive to the brick and mortar building, because they don’t offer shipping. And purchases are restricted to one tablet per household. Of course, there’s always eBay hawking a new tablet for $299.99 with a money back guarantee.

So, the old adage “Buyer Beware” holds true on Cyber Monday as at any time of the year. Don’t get enamored by a low price. Check out the details. If it sounds too good to be true … it’s worth making comparisons.

The post Online iPad Deals Require Detailed Comparisons appeared first on VR World.

Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) is considered a best buy on Wall Street right now. Although the high of the past 52 weeks was $43.19, the stock stumbled to $22.15. From there it started to rise and after third quarter reports this week, shares climbed nearly 9 percent.


The downside is that year to date, value dropped 4.4 percent. Today, at $38.22 still below its 52 week high the share price has room to grow. Earnings per share (EPS) surprised Wall Street by almost doubling to 30 cents. Revenues are close to $9.5 billion. Despite the favorable showing, the company is seeing challenges in international sales related to the currency exchange rate and lackluster sales in China.

Best Buy is a favorite stop for consumers looking for electronics. They’ve been a touch-and-feel brick and mortar store that felt the sting of walk-ins walking out to buy on line. It didn’t take them long to establish their own on-line presence. It is reported that US customers are purchasing 21 percent more on line from Best Buy than previously.
Founded in Minnesota in 1966 by Richard M. Schulze, Best Buy is now led by CEO Hubert Joly. The company continues to find new avenues to draw customers. Best Buy encourages customers to trade in their mobile phones, tablets, and video game software at one of their stores regardless of where they originally purchased them. However, their Buy Back program should be reviewed before anyone gets too excited.
Best Buy isn’t making its profits so much on the latest tablets or cell phones as on gaming, TV’s and appliances. And those profits that make stock purchases look attractive come at a cost. Layoffs have benefited the bottom line.

Fry’s Electronics, a competitor to Best Buy, offers similar products, but its trade in program did not meet with enthusiasm if you read old comments on its forum. A search of their website for “Trade In Program” today finds only book titles, no company program anything like that offered by Best Buy. Hoping for a competitive edge, Fry’s aggressively offers a Price Match Promise, even hanging a banner to that effect on the side of its freeway located store.
The website has a notice regarding a temporary change in its return policy. The company has extended its return time frame for gifts purchased the month preceding Christmas. To encourage holiday gift purchasing, the company has posted Black Friday specials already on its website. As for returns, personal experience at the local store has been positive. Just yesterday, without a hassle, they accepted back a wireless keyboard/mouse combo for a full refund that was purchased within their standard 30 day guarantee.

Fry’s Electronics is privately held, so no stock quotes and no opportunity to buy in if you think highly of their operation. The company was founded by two Fry brothers, John and David, in 1985 as an all-encompassing brick and mortar shop for the high tech professional. Now you can buy everything from stuffed animals to refrigerators to the For Dummies book series for the low tech individual.

Staples, (NASDAQ: SPLS) originally touting itself as an office supply store, now carries a limited, in-store line of computers, cell phones and cameras, with a larger selection on line. Staples offers a service by warraty company SquareTrade which is not a trade in program either, rather another name for a customer purchased warranty. Like all retail establishments with a dwindling physical presence, Staples announced the closure of 225 retail stores early this year. However, its on-line presence is surprising – it is reported to be the second largest on-line retailer after Amazon.

Staples year to date has lost over 13 percent of its value. Still, it is trading up over 7 percent currently. Today saw prices range from $13.685 to $14.04 then wobbling back to the previous day’s close.
There are many choices and reasons to invest in an electronics-based company whether it’s in your favorite shopping mall or on your computer screen. An analyst’s discussion of one of those choices, Best Buy, is presented in a video by CNBC.

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