Eversense ThermostatSometimes the gadget isn’t as cool as the story behind it. And while the Eversense – a thermostat that thinks it’s a smartphone – is cool, the story of the art and design students who made it happen is pretty impressive.
Also impressive is the new DISH DVR that lets consumers essentially bring their TV service wherever they go.
Finally, the force is strong with some cool Bluetooth headsets from Earloomz.
Dish with SlingDISH Hopper with Sling DVR
DISH announced their new DVR, Hopper with Sling, at CES. The Hopper now has Sling built into it, which means that consumers will be essentially able to take their TV with them wherever they go, watch their live channels, everything on their DVR and On Demand titles anywhere they have an Internet connection. The new DVR allows folks to download shows onto their iPad and watch it whenever and wherever, even without an Internet connection.
DISH says Hopper with Sling has the fastest processor in the industry. The Primetime Anytime feature lets subscribers record every primetime show on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC every night of the week while automatically skipping ads when you play back these shows. The new DVR will be available to consumers on Feb. 4, 2013.
Smart thermostat has smarter back-story
What’s being called the world’s smartest home thermostat went from concept to market in 12 months. It premiered at CES, where manufacturer Allure Energy explained how they hired art and design students who were able to slash the development timeline and expenses, giving the company a leg-up in the race to market.
It’s called Eversense, a home thermostat that uses the GPS capability of your iPhone, iPad or Android to remotely manage the temperature of your home based on your proximity. A pre-selected distance triggers Eversense to adjust the temperature to a desired setting as you approach or leave the dwelling. The first generation of Eversense was introduced at CES last year and will be available nationally through Amazon in February 2013.
While Allure Energy has a cool product, it’s their approach that truly impresses.
CEO Kevin Imes’ engaged the services of students from the Savannah College of Art and Design who used their multi-disciplinary training to bridge technology and design for his device. The students brought the product from concept to market in less than a year on a shoestring budget and staff of fewer than 10 people. Working with SCAD’s Collaborative Learning Center, industrial design students created different personas to gain an understanding of consumer preferences and then decided how these attributes should translate into the thermostat user interface.
The students created the prototype of the first iPhone user interface and Imes also hired three SCAD graduates as full-time employees to bring the Eversense device to market.
EarloomzEarloomz Bluetooth headsets
The force is strong with this one, but only because I chose the Darth Vader headset from Earloomz. It’s one of the many custom designs you can choose from their line of licensed Bluetooth headsets – including everything from sports teams to cheetah print, turning the standard Bluetooth device into a style statement.
And they do more than just look cool. The sets come with Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR technology, CSR Chip technology, noise cancellation, voice prompt and low power consumption – making them as functional as it is fashionable.
The headsets support multiple devices and last for up to four hours of talk time on a single charge.