Through the thick and reality-bending lens of the COVID-19 pandemic, many technology companies have had to adjust and pivot to approach the work-and-life from home situation. ShowStoppers TV, via the webinar format, recently presented several companies who were demoing their products under the “Health and Wellness” banner. Most of the products and technologies shown were about appealing to folks interested in enhancing their lifestyle even if their time is spent largely at home. A few of the products and tech demoes — from Jabra, Energous, and HyperX — had a specific appeal for gamers. These are the companies and products/tech from that live event we’ll touch on:
HyperX:
Among the presenters, HyperX, a company which focuses on gaming hardware and accessories, specifically had fresh news to announce.
Mark Tekunoff, Corporate PR Manager at HyperX, echoed the company’s announcement, made on May 28, that HyperX is collaborating with esports team Panda Global in the development and rollout of new special edition glasses to add to their gaming eyewear line. Given the Panda Global pedigree in esports, the esports, streaming, and gaming markets are clearly very much in mind.
The HyperX Gaming Eyewear Panda Global edition will offer nylon lenses designed to reduce eyestrain. Blue light filtering will be baked into the lens itself, with the idea in mind to minimize exposure to eye strain-reducing artificial blue light while reducing the artificial coloring (such as a yellow-gold color) often seen in blue light glasses. The lenses are also intended to reduce the distraction of reflections on both sides of a lens. The frames are listed as a lightweight 26g, with integrated spring hinges and acetate frames.
The Gaming Eyewear will also come with a Panda Global-themed microfiber bag and a hard-shell case to protect the glasses during transport.
Both function and form will be addressed in these HyperX gaming glasses: given that it is the “Panda Global Edition,” The design will feature the team’s logo and green/black colorway. The core features of the upcoming glasses can be found in the existing line of HyperX Gaming Eyewear, which was launched in 2017 but feature different colorways.
For those who need prescription lenses, a prescription variation of the HyperX Gaming Eyewear Panda Global edition glasses will be available, but for those who prefer clip-ons or sunglasses over prescription lenses, that option will not be offered.
The HyperX Gaming Eyewear Panda Global edition seems like a distinctive and timely addition to their gaming eyewear line-up. Given how many people are working (and playing) from home for many hours a day, products like these could help deal with issues like eye strain and the effects of artificial blue light on the eyes.
The HyperX Gaming Eyewear Panda Global edition will be available this summer 2020 for $99.99 MSRP
Jabra:
Jabra, an A/V hardware brand, brought a set of earbuds to showcase. Will these be an accessory that can be used for gaming? Let’s take a glance at this accessory to see if that shoe — or set of earbuds, that is — fits
Adam Robertson, Director of Product Marketing for Jabra, got into the nitty-gritty details about the Jabra’s Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds. As the product name itself implies, these earbuds are designed for the active lifestyle, perhaps more for outdoors than indoors. But Jabra’s Robertson explained that use of headphones have skyrocketed during the current work-and-life-at-home focus, adding that people are investing much more in their headphones than ever before.
But let’s say you are on the move a lot or are a mobile gamer and prefer wireless earbuds to the feel of over-the-ear headphones. Let’s take a glance at the Jabra’s Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds through that lens.
But let’s say you are on the move a lot or are a mobile gamer and prefer wireless earbuds to the feel of over-the-ear headphones, then what are the details about the Jabra’s Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds?
Announced at CES 2020, the Jabra’s Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds have an active “grip coating” to help the ear buds stay in-ears as intended, with waterproofing, sweat- and dust-resistance, that are 22% smaller than the Jabra’s Elite Active 65ts model, with up to 7.5 hours of battery life and up to 28 hours with the charging case. If an owner wants to let in sound, as opposed to noise-isolating, the earbuds’ “HearThrough” setting will allow some sound in to music or a call if desired.
Jabra has been busy updating with the 75t’s with extra functionality. New customized controls, called MyControls, and a sound profile feature, MySound, has been added to the iOs (and soon for Android) version.
The Jabra’s Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds are currently available at the MSRP of $199.
Energous:
For those who prefer interaction with electronics with as few wires as possible, Energous represents a possible solution, at least in terms of the charging aspect of their digital life — at least for the manufacturers who want to integrate this technology, and someday the consumers who may be using this tech within perhaps a couple years.
Gordon Bell, the Vice President, Marketing at Energous presented the info, explained the company’s objective with wireless power this way: “(We want to) enable wireless power the way Wi-Fi enables wireless data.”Â
In an application of Energous’Â WattUp wireless distance technology (as the company’s official video shows), one device would have an RF transmitter and another an RF receiver, which receives the power via signal. Imagine if you had a wireless game controller in need of a charge. (For a bit closer look, the Energous website goes into a little more detail.) So you place your controller within a foot or two of the console, while it wirelessly charges, possibly even to use the controller as it quietly juices up.Â
But the use cases for Energous’ wireless charging technology are potentially broad, including smart speakers, consoles, PCs, access points, and more as transmitters, while devices like smartwatches, remotes, phones, and so on could charge wirelessly from the transmitted signal.Â
Whether the Energous technology will live up to expectations, especially in the products consumers use every day, remains to be seen, but it will be interesting to see if the company can deliver on what it promises.
Events for Gamers will keep a lookout for more chances to share news, previews, and reviews of products and tech you can use, especially while at home!
