CES: Fun Picks

Even though I’m still reeling from CES, like many other bloggers and media outlets, I’m already fielding many exciting emails for Toy Fair events and booth visits.  But before I can appropriately shift gears to Toy Fair mode, I have so many CES finds that I want to share.

Though there were hundreds of thousands of products being showcased at CES, obviously, not everything is necessarily family-friendly or geared to kids.  There were, however, a good amount of products that are of interest to families who appreciate technology.  Here are a few family-minded products that I’d love for myself:

Disney Computer Speakers

I spotted these Disney-themed computer speakers at a booth that showcased products designed by students from a Korean University.  While not all the products are being marketed yet in the U.S., some products are in the process of being launched stateside.  These speakers, I thought, were a modern, functional yet whimsical nod to Mickey and friends.

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iPod Dock and Boombox

This M&M iPod Dock/Boombox caught my eye when I walked the floor of the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.  I mean, who doesn’t love M&M—kids and adults, right?  After I snapped a couple of pix, the reps at the booth stopped me from taking photos, so, unfortunately, I don’t have many details on the product, other than this.  Still, what a fun idea for an iPod dock.

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Asus 100P Seashell Netbook

Asus may have turned heads this year at CES with several new innovative products, but this hot pink textured Seashell Netbook definitely turned my head.  Geared to moms and teens alike, while the stylish Seashell Netbooks aren’t entirely new, this line of netbooks has garnered great reviews.

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The New Ford Explorer

I had a very cool walk-through with Ford on their Sync technology, the computerized system in the dash that allows you to do, um, practically anything.  I’ll talk more about it later, but what I liked most was that the system leveraged the technology that you may already have within your smartphone.  During my demo, they showed me how to implement Pandora through the car via Bluetooth and Sync.  You can control Pandora on the steering wheel’s controls once it’s synced so you don’t have to fumble with the phone while you’re driving!
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Aside from that cool tech, I fell in love with the new body design of the Ford Explorer.  My family always had Fords growing up, so, naturally, I loved seeing the new body design in person, and envisioned carting around my own family in that sleek SUV.  While I’ve been overlooking SUVs as a practical vehicle for our family due to fuel inefficiency, the V6 model of 2011 Ford Explorer is said to rival MPG of other conventional SUVs.  Although, seeing is believing…

CES Roundup: Mom Tech, Kidos and Sesame Street USB

Just a few short weeks ago, thousands of techy types convened in Vegas for The Consumer Electronics Show.  This year, more than ever, Moms had a presence at CES.  The industry trade show even had a summit focused on mom consumers called Mommy Tech.  As cringe-inducing as the name may be, it’s true Moms, we are yet again a demographic that companies hope to woo.

If you’re reading this, or perhaps if you tweeted, texted or Facebooked at some point in the day.  YOU are the market that Mommy Tech encompasses.  In a report released by BabyCenter.com, they found that Moms want tech, not toys.  The report, called The 21st Century Mom, Tech Mom is a 36-pg report that essentially divulges the stats that we all confirm, what with our arsenal of gadgets, social media prowess and the role the internet plays in our daily life.

Technology, especially in regards to managing our home life, is hot.  And because I focus primarily on kid products, I wanted to mention a few findings from CES.

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