From USAToday.com: More gadgets are powering up thanks to solar energy, homes are growing more tech friendly, and what happens when a CEO crashes his rival’s party?
Here are a few things we learned during the second day of the Consumer Electronics Show.
1. The Marissa Mayer show
Yahoo’s CEO used a little star power during her CES keynote to lay out the tech giant’s plans for 2014, recruiting John Legend, Saturday Night Live cast members and newest Yahoo Katie Couric, who will anchor a news program.
Along with the news program, Yahoo launched a pair of new websites called Yahoo Food and Yahoo Tech.
Mayer says the company is undergoing “a massive shift to mobile,” pouring more of its resources into creating content for smartphones and tablets. The company topped 400 million monthly mobile users, and Mayer forecasts 3.8 billion connected devices worldwide.
2. Devices go solar
This is a gadget show, after all, so let’s get back to the devices, some of which will be fueled with solar power.
Colorado-based EnerPlex unveiled a $99.99 smartphone battery case that users recharge through solar energy. It will be available for iPhones and Android smartphones.
Meanwhile, automaker Ford showed off its C-Max Solar Energi Concept car at CES. The vehicle’s battery recharges using solar panels located on the roof.
3. PlayStation games off to the cloud
By this summer, owners of Sony’s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 video game consoles will have access to the platform’s library.
During its CES keynote, Sony unveiled PlayStation Now, which will allow players to stream older titles onto PS3 and PS4. Other devices will follow, including PlayStation Vita handhelds, Bravia TVs and even other smartphones and tablets.
Users will be able to either rent individual games or sign up for a subscription and gain wider access. No details were revealed on pricing.
4. Tech for the home
CES played host to countless devices aimed at securing your home and making every day tasks easier. Here’s a quick peek at some of the interesting items spotted on the show floor:
— Scooba. The latest model from iRobot not only vacuums the floor, but scrubs up any excess moisture during a second passthrough. It works on surfaces such as tile, wood and linoleum. And it’s expensive — $600 to be exact.
— Lighting Science bulbs. A retired NASA astronaut takes advantage of his experiences in space to create light bulbs that help users wake up and fall asleep. The Definity Digital Good Night bulb helps people doze off at night, while the Awake & Alert energy enhancing light helps them pop out of bed in the morning. The bulbs will cost $69 a piece.
— The iOS Kitchen Thermometer. In search for a sophisticated kitchen thermometer? iDevices has created a gadget that features remote monitoring and temperature presets. Users can also share temperature data with friends. The Kitchen Thermometer launches this month for $79.99.
5. T-Mobile might want to its own CES party
Maybe T-Mobile CEO John Legere won’t be attending AT&T parties any time soon. Legere reportedly attended the party of wireless rival AT&T, saying he just wanted to check out main act Macklemore. However, Legere was quickly escorted off the premises.
Naturally, Legere didn’t shy away from taking a dig at his rival. As Re/code reports, Legere said with the money AT&T spent on the party, he could have cut prices on T-Mobile devices. AT&T did not comment on the incident.
Read more at USAToday.com: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2014/01/07/ces-day-two/4366277/
