Swiftpoint’s Mouse makes an award-winning splash at CES 2011

Just so you know, CES is officially over. However, we’ll be reporting about its ripples in the tech world all year round.

I figure it will probably take me the rest of the month to report on all the coolest gadgets that I saw in Vegas this year, so I will start with the Swiftpoint mouse. Actually, it is not a new product, as we covered it almost three years ago.

I guess it takes a while for these gadgets to get in the hands of consumers. The Swiftpoint mouse is designed to fit just on the end of the user’s thumb, and made for places where there is no room for a mousepad. Say you are on an airplane or sitting on a bus, and you only have the little bit of room to manipulate your mouse on the edge of your laptop.

It comes with a wireless dongle for the USB port, and allows for charging via USB as well. Not only does it have the left and right mouse keys, but a customizable “up” direction and SmartTouch sensor.

Swiftpoint is designed just for that, and it won the CES Design and Engineering Program Computer Peripherals Award of 2011. Just so you know, it is available now for a price of $91.99.

Vault Xbox 360 armor from Calibur11 at CES 2011

You get to see a lot of cool things at CES, some from companies you know and trust, and some that are brand new. This looks to be the case for Calibur11.

Their Vault collection appears to be some sort of protective armor for an XBox 360. Just imagine if you had to send your XBox 360 to play hockey, then this is what you would want to send it out in.

On closer inspection of their catalog, I believe that Cailbur11 wants their Vault series to be more than just for protection, perhaps even decoration. The picture that you see here is the MLG edition, and it has its “game face” on. I believe that the MLG is an abbreviation for Major League Gamer, and it shows, doesn’t it?

In addition to that special edition version, Calibur11 wants to accessorize the Xbox 360 with Name Plates that can be chosen from ten background templates. The user can also add their own tag line as well. In the summertime will be announced some “acessory packs”.

You should be able to get the Base Vault in five colors sometime around March 2011 for a price of $59.99. As for the MLG Edition, that will launch at about the same time for about $89.99. 

ViNCi, a tablet PC for babies!

While I was walking along CES 2011, I tend to gravitate toward the booths that interest me personally. Such was the case with the ViNCi Tab.

This is not one of the eighty tablet PCs that took up space at CES. The whole reason I was attracted to it was because it looked to be a giant iPod Touch designed for a toddler. As the parent of a toddler, I know how attracted my youngest son is to the iPod Touch.

Granted, it is possible for my littlest one to mess up the information on the iPod Touch, not to mentione what harm he could do online. Fortuantely, this Android tablet is designed with no WiFi or 3G functions, which can distract junior with some serious learning while Mommy or Daddy uses the iPad or Galaxy Tab.

The ViNCi has some games that show the baby in realistic places of play, like a nursery, kitchen, farm, and zoo. They are purposely designed to introduce the baby to the world at large and “stiumulates curiosity, develops fundamental decision-making skills, and celebrates a sense of achievement”. There is even some very cute music videos for fun, so cute that only a toddler could appreciate them.

Marchon3D EX3D glasses set to hit the mass market

Does Marchon Eyewear sound familiar to you? Perhaps not if you’re wearing a pair of Cocoons or Solar Shields, but for those who have an interest in designer and sports technology eyewear, then Marchon3D will definitely be a familiar name with you considering they’re a leading distributor and manufacturer of such eyewear. Well, the company has decided to take advantage of CES 2011 to announce their latest pair of EX3D glasses which are powered by its patented M3D 3D curved lens technology. To know more about what the Marchon3D EX3D glasses are able to offer, why not head on after the jump and check it out?

Basically, the Marchon3D EX3D will address a bunch of issues normally associated with regular 3D eyewear (that seem to be popping up everywhere on the showfloor), being more than capable of functioning in all light conditions. Basically, it lets you wear a pair and to go from the theater, play passive technology video game consoles, watch passive 3D televisions and laptops without ever having to change your glasses. How neat is that? We don’t think that TV manufacturers are going to be too pleased with this though, since chances are they would prefer to have you buy their own brand of glasses instead of relying on a third party.

Not only that, Marchon knows that you don’t want to look like a dork with a sub-standard pair of 3D glasses, which is why the EX3D will not only enhance your 3D viewing experience, it also provides you with an avenue to personalize your look with an array of frame and color choices to suit individual tastes. The launch collection will comprise of 25 styles to outfit the entire family regardless of the age group. With 3D technology getting more and more common around the home, you need not feel ashamed to display your 3D eyewear in the living room. Each style within the EX3D collection is RealD certified with scratch-resistant lenses that provide 100 percent UV protection – how neat is that? It will retail anywhere from $30 to $35, and will play nice with most stereoscopic 3D devices out there.

Samsung wows crowd with new Blu-ray player and companion box

Samsung has taken the opportunity to introduce a new Blu-ray player and companion box enabling Google TV this CES in conjunction with their smart TV product offerings. Both of these new products will allow consumers to surf the Internet on their TV screens in the comfort of their living rooms as though they were on a computer, and more importantly for most of you out there, it will also let you update social networks, track fantasy football scores, and check e-mail among others. This seamless integration of web content into a traditional TV watching experience is the new direction for plain old TVs, instead of just having slimmer and larger models each year. Samsung’s new Blu-ray player and companion box enabling Google TV feature will run off an Android-powered platform, which in turn results in a range of Internet services for consumers. Not only that, a special Google TV remote control will also enable users to play around with a full QWERTY keypad and voice search supported courtesy of an internal microphone.

iWatchz introduces new Carbon Collection

Since the new Pod nano was released, there is a slew of third party accessory manufacturers out there who decided to come up with a watch strap category to slot the nano in, and iWatchz is no different although they back up their substance with style, and the new Carbon Collection echoes this sentiment. Boasting a matte-black aluminum nanoclipz system and a carbon watchband accented with coloured stitching that are available in half a dozen colors, the Carbon Collection will hit the market early next month for $49.95 a pop at Apple Stores nationwide, Apple.com and www.iwatchz.com. Sounds like a pretty steep price to pay, but if you’re on a tight budget, there is the more affordable Jelly Collection as seen above. The Jelly Collection will come with a translucent-coloured nanoclipz system and matching vibrant silicon watchbands in pink, orange, red, green, blue, white and grey. Also arriving early next month, the Jelly Collection will retail for a much more affordable $24.95. Which direction do you want to take your iPod nano to?

Motorolla Xoom nabs best in show at CES

Named Best of CES, the Motrola Xoom brings dual core power to tablet PCs.

It seems that the impact of the iPad has really been felt as this year, CES was more about tablet computing than anything else. So much so that an Android Tablet that isn’t even ready yet nabbed the coveted honors of BEST OF CES at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Running the new, custom built from the ground up, Android 3 Honeycomb OS, the Motorola Xoom is touted as the number one competitor to the upcoming iPad 2, according to SlashGear. But with other competitors like the Blackberry Playbook Tablet and a host of others, the market is now filled with budding iPad killers.

Running a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, the Motorola Xoom has features that include a 10-inch display, HDMI-out, front- and back-facing cameras, and a all while being connected with Verizon’s blazing fast 4G LTE network.

The Motorla Atrix with laptop dock is sure to be popular with road warriors

In addition to winning Best in Show for the Xoom, Motorola also took home honors for best Mobile device with the Motorola Atrix, a dual core “super smartphone” which can be docked to a laptop dock and turned into a full fledged computer platform.

Both will be out this Spring.

Polaroid GL10 Instant Mobile Printer

Ever since the mass production of digital cameras, we have certainly seen an explosion in the number of digital images to hit the Internet, with billions more trapped on your local hard drive. Well, printing them out is definitely going to take a whole lot of time and money, and the Polaroid GL10 Instant Mobile Printer intends to change all of that by offering an instant method of getting those precious memories out on paper – all without the need for ink. Yup, you read that right – the Polaroid GL10 Instant Mobile Printer is an extremely small, mobile device that boasts an intuitive design and easy-to-use feature set which produces Polaroid Classic Border, full bleed and contemporary 3×4” photos in under a minute – basically a portable photo booth in a box.

Will this help Polaroid become the household name that it used to be? Perhaps, but with the high cost of the Zink paper which it uses, it might just take a whole lot more than that to turn the company’s fortunes around for the better. Of course, Polaroid knows how to leverage on star power, and have teamed up with Lady Gaga to roll out this printer as a creative tool and fashion accessory. You can virtually carry it around with you wherever you go, letting the GL10 breathe new life into the digital images that shape your life story.

Tipping the scales at no more than 15 ounces, the GL10 printer will be able to connect to most cell phones out there that have Bluetooth support, and if you decide to connect it to a digital camera, there is always the good ol’ USB cable on which you can rely on. Of course, while this means photo printing without a computer, you can still hook up the GL10 to a Windows PC or Mac via USB as well. The GL10 will be powered by an internal rechargeable battery that is good to print up to 40 images before it requires a quick trip to the nearest power outlet. Apps for the GL10 Instant Mobile Printer on other mobile platforms will be introduced throughout the year, and if you want this hot ticket item, it will be out this May for $149.99.

HTC zaps the CES with the HTC Thunderbolt

HTC intends to make the most out of this year’s CES by announcing their latest masterpiece, touted to be the first 4G LTE Android smartphone in the world – the HTC Thunderbolt. Needless to say, something as exclusive as this will be made available via Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE Mobile Broadband network, and you can be sure that with Verizon Wireless, having speedy connections under plenty of areas is something that you can expect without having to keep your fingers crossed. This phone looks set to blaze new trails, and for those who want the latest and the greatest, the HTC Thunderbolt should be on your radar.

Also carrying the HTC Sense experience inside for a more enjoyable Android experience instead of the stock user interface, this is also one of the first smartphones to integrate Skype mobile with video calling – a feature that was recently announced, and with 4G connectivity, it makes perfect sense to use the handset for video calls rather than regular phone calls. It will not rely on a standalone application either, as a Skype mobile with video call is easily made – similar to that of a standard voice call, boasting features such as presence icons that indicate the availability status of friends built into the standard contacts list. The inclusion of a front-facing camera will pave the way for simple video calling, while its 4.3-inch display brings friends and family into clear focus.

You definitely won’t find the HTC ThunderBolt to be a slouch in any way, as it boasts exceptional speed and power with the latest generation of the super fast 1GHz Snapdragon processor. Powered by Android 2.2 Froyo, other hardware specifications of this beauty include a 4.3-inch WVGA display, Dolby surround sound, an 8-megapixel camera and HD video recording. Wireless DLNA capability is also thrown into the mix, letting the HTC ThunderBolt can easily stream and share content directly with compatible home theater components. Oh yeah, just so that you don’t complain about the lack of storage space, each purchase will ship with a 32GB microSD memory card – now how about that?

Sports Stacking Set with Practice Timer

We’re not too sure when this will end up as an Olympics event, but in any case, it is always better to be prepared, no? That’s what the Sports Stacking Set with Practice Timer is all about as its name suggests, it will allow you to stack up and down a dozen specially designed cups in pre-determined sequences as fast as humanly possible, where you will do your utmost to beat your previous best mark. Alternatively, you can always give this a go with the rest of your mates especially during one of those drunken outings, to see who is the fastest (while the loser drinks even more booze to decrease his/her chances of winning). Retailing for $25.90 a pop, you can always bring this home by telling the missus that you need it to improve your hand-eye co-ordination. Hopefully she’ll buy that idea.