5 Clever Gadgets from CES 2013

At the electronics mecca that is CES, it’s easy to get caught up in all the big ideas–things like Ultra HD, connected cars and natural input–that aim to transform the world. But sometimes, the neatest gadgets can be found on the fringes of the show floor, where the goal is simply to make life a little easier.
Here are a few of my favorite small-scale, clever ideas from CES 2013:
Wi-Fi-Connected Light Bulbs (pictured above)
Greenwave Reality has gotten rid off all the electrical work required to remotely control your house’s lighting, and instead just stuck Wi-Fi chips in its light bulbs. That allows users to turn lights on or off–either by room or individual bulb–through a free smartphone and tablet app, or with an included remote control. Users can also set lighting profiles, such as “Work” or “Away,” and program daily lighting routines.
The up-front price is a bit steep, at roughly $200 for a starter kit with four bulbs, a wireless gateway and a remote control, and each additional bulb costs $20. But GreenWave claims that a well-configured home would save $150 per year on energy costs. Greenwave is working with distribution partners instead of selling the bulbs directly, and hopes to have them on the U.S. market within 60 days.
Jared Newman / TIME.com
SleepPhones
You like listening to music before bed. Your spouse does not. A company called AcousticSheep has the solution: SleepPhones is a headband with two small speakers located around the ears, so it’s more comfortable to wear in bed than earbuds or headphones. The headband can double as an eye mask as well.
Although the wired version of SleepPhones has been around for years, AcousticSheep is just getting around to releasing a Bluetooth version in April, so you won’t have to worry about strangling yourself with an audio cable. It’ll also have a built-in button that controls volume and playback, and should last between 5-7 hours per charge when listening to music. The company’s hoping to hit a price of $80.
Jared Newman / TIME.com
Tethercell
Tethercell allows an iPhone or Android phone to serve as a remote control for battery-powered devices. Just stick a AAA battery inside Tethercell’s AA-sized enclosure, and pop it into one of the battery slots on your device. The Tethercell connects to the phone via Bluetooth, and uses an app to provide or kill power to each device.
The makers of Tethercell are trying to get funded on the crowdsourcing site Indiegogo, and are selling Tethercell units for $35 each. Next, they’ll work on a version for 9V batteries.
Jared Newman / TIME.com
Alcatel One Touch Link W800
Why do we have to choose between a wireless hotspot or a laptop USB stick for our mobile broadband needs? Alcatel has combined the hotspot and USB stick into one modular device. When the stick is plugged into the battery pack, it offers 8 hours of LTE connectivity for up to 10 devices. It also comes with connectors for wall outlets and car cigarette lighters.
Of course, it’ll be up to wireless service providers such as AT&T to offer the device on their networks. Alcatel won’t give details, but says the One Touch Link will hit the United States in the third quarter of this year.
Jared Newman / TIME.com
Breffo Stick Stand
U.K.-based Breffo has come up with what might be the most minimal phone and tablet stands around. The Stick Stand is a small, bendable strip, covered in the same grippy material found in the company’s excellent Spiderpodiums (of which I own the tablet version). Just form the strip into a ridge, and it’ll keep a phone or tablet propped up for movie viewing or remote control gaming. It’s basically the stand for people who don’t want to carry any more bulky hardware around..
As with the Spiderpodium, there will be phone and tablet versions–the former running the length of an iPhone, the latter running the length of an iPad–and they should be available in about three weeks. Stick Stand for phones will cost about $15, but I’m not sure about tablet stand pricing yet.

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‘Liquipod’ takes smartphone waterproofing on the road

Amid a sea of Ultra-HD TVs, smart washing machines and various other gadgets, waterproofing expert Liquipel took to CES 2013 to make two announcements. The firm, which adds an interior and exterior waterproof nanocoating to cell phones, revealed a new and improved waterproofing material that is even more effective than its first-generation solution. Liquipel also unveiled its new “Liquipod,” a portable machine that can waterproof gadgets anywhere in the world while device owners wait, according to TechCrunch. Previously, Liquipel required customers to ship their handsets to the company’s offices for treatment.

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'Smart' potty or dumb idea? Wacky gadgets at CES

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Some of the weirdest gadgets at the International CES show are designed to solve problems you never knew you had. Are you eating too fast? A digital fork will let you know. Is your toddler having trouble sitting still on the potty? Let the iPotty come to the rescue. Are you bored driving to work in a four-wheeled vehicle? Climb inside a 1,600-pound mechanical spider for your morning commute.
Of course, not all of the prototypes introduced at the annual gadget show will succeed in the marketplace. But the innovators who shop their wares here are fearless when it comes to pitching new gizmos, be they flashy, catchy or just plain odd.
A search for this year's strangest (and perhaps least useful) electronic devices yielded an extra-loud pair of headphones from a metal band, an eye-sensing TV that didn't work as intended and more. Take a look:
—MOTORHEADPHONES
Bass-heavy headphones that borrow the names of hip-hop luminaries like Dr. Dre have become extremely popular. Rock fans have been left out of the party — until now. British metal band Motorhead, famous for playing gut-punchingly loud, is endorsing a line of headphones that "go to eleven" and are hitting U.S. stores now.
Says lead singer and bassist Lemmy Kilmister, explaining his creative input: "I just said make them louder than everybody else's. So that's the only criteria, and that it should reflect every part of the sound, not just the bass."
The Motorheadphone line consists of three over-the-ear headphones and six in-ear models. The initiative came from a Swedish music-industry veteran, and distribution and marketing is handled by a Swedish company, Krusell International AB.
WHO IT'S FOR: People who don't care about their hearing or of the sanity of person sitting next to them on the subway. According to Kilmister, the headphones are ideal for Motorhead fans. "Their hearing is already damaged, they better buy these."
PRICE: Prices range from $50 to $130.
—EYE-SENSING TV
A prototype of an eye-sensing TV from Haier didn't quite meet viewers eye-to-eye. An on-screen cursor is supposed to appear where the viewer looks to help, say, select a show to watch. Blinking while controlling the cursor is supposed to result in a click. In our brief time with the TV, we observed may quirks and comic difficulties.
For one, the company's demonstrator Hongzhao Guo said the system doesn't work that well when viewers wear eyeglasses. (That kind of defeats the purpose of TV, no?) But it turns out, one bespectacled reporter was able to make it work. But the cursor appeared a couple inches below where the viewer was looking. This resulted in Guo snapping his fingers to attract the reporter's eye to certain spots. The reporter dutifully looked, but the cursor was always a bit low. Looking down to see the cursor only resulted in it moving further down the TV screen.
WHO IT'S FOR: People too lazy to move their arms.
"It's easy to do," Guo said, taking the reporter's place at the demonstration. He later said the device needs to be recalibrated for each person. It worked fine for him, but the TV is definitely not ready for prime-time.
—PARROT FLOWER POWER
A company named after a bird wants to make life easier for your plants. A plant sensor called Flower Power from Paris-based Parrot is designed to update your mobile device with a wealth of information about the health of your plant and the environment it lives in. Just stick the y-shaped sensor in your plant's soil, download the accompanying app and — hopefully — watch your plant thrive.
"It basically is a Bluetooth smart low-energy sensor. It senses light, sunlight, temperature, moisture and soil as well as fertilizer in the soil. You can use it either indoors or outdoors," said Peter George, vice president of sales and marketing for the Americas at Parrot. The device will be available sometime this year, the company said.
WHOT IT'S FOR: 'Brown-thumbed' folk and plants with a will to live.
PRICE: Unknown.
—HAPIFORK
If you don't watch what you put in your mouth, this fork will — or at least try to. Called HAPIfork, it's a fork with a fat handle containing electronics and a battery. A motion sensor knows when you are lifting the fork to your mouth. If you're eating too fast, the fork will vibrate as a warning. The company behind it, HapiLabs, believes that using the fork 60 to 75 times during meals that last 20 to 30 minutes is ideal.
But the fork won't know how healthy or how big each bite you take will be, so shoveling a plate of arugula will likely be judged as less healthy than slowly putting away a pile of bacon. No word on spoons, yet, or chopsticks.
WHO IT'S FOR? People who eat too fast. Those who want company for their "smart" refrigerator and other kitchen gadgets.
PRICE: HapiLabs is launching a fundraising campaign for the fork in March on the group-fundraising site Kickstarter.com. Participants need to pay $99 to get a fork, which is expected to ship around April or May.
— IPOTTY
Toilet training a toddler is no picnic, but iPotty from CTA Digital seeks to make it a little easier by letting parents attach an iPad to it. This way, junior can gape and paw at the iPad while taking care of business in the old-fashioned part of the plastic potty. IPotty will go on sale in March, first on Amazon.com.
There are potty training apps out there that'll reward toddlers for accomplishing the deed. The company is also examining whether the potty's attachment can be adapted for other types of tablets, beyond the iPad.
"It's novel to a lot of people but we've gotten great feedback from parents who think it'd be great for training," said CTA product specialist Camilo Gallardo.
WHO IT'S FOR: Parents at their wit's end.
PRICE: $39.99
—MONDO SPIDER, TITANBOA
A pair of giant hydraulic and lithium polymer battery controlled beasts from Canadian art organization eatART caught some eyes at the show. A rideable 8-legged creature, Mondo Spider weighs 1,600 pounds and can crawl forward at about 5 miles per hour on battery power for roughly an hour. The 1,200-pound Titanoboa slithers along the ground at an as yet unmeasured speed.
Computer maker Lenovo sponsored the group to show off the inventions at CES.
Hugh Patterson, an engineer who volunteers his time to making the gizmos, said they were made in part to learn more about energy use. One lesson from the snake is that "side winding," in which the snake corkscrews its way along the ground, is one of the most efficient ways of moving along soft ground, like sand.
Titanoboa was made to match the size of a 50-foot long reptile whose fossilized remains were dated 50 million years ago, when the world was 5 to 6 degrees warmer. The creature was built "to provoke discussion about climate change," Patterson said.
The original version of Mondo Spider, meanwhile, first appeared at the Burning Man arts gathering in Nevada in 2006.
WHO IT'S FOR: Your inner child, Burning Man participants, people with extra-large living rooms.
PRICE: The spider's parts cost $26,000. The Titanoboa costs $70,000. Engineers provided their time for free and both took "thousands of hours" to build, Patterson said.

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U.S. debt ceiling no place for stand on spending - Nasdaq's Greifeld

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. borrowing limit should not be used as leverage by members of Congress to force the Obama administration to cut spending as there will be other opportunities to make a stand, said Robert Greifeld, chief executive of Nasdaq OMX Group .
The debt ceiling, which could be hit as early as mid-February, has been dragged into a high-stakes fiscal battle snarling Washington, with Republicans refusing to raise it unless Democrats agree to deep spending cuts to tame the ballooning national debt. Neither side is giving much ground.
"The full faith and credit of the U.S. government is an important concept that we should not violate, because these are debts that have been incurred and are coming due, so it is just not right," Greifeld said in an interview on Tuesday.
A failure by Washington to reach a deal to increase the $16.4 trillion (10.21 trillion pounds) legal limit on the nation's debt raises the threat of a U.S. default, another credit downgrade and a panic in the financial markets.
Greifeld is one of more than 100 CEOs who are part of a group called "Campaign to Fix the Debt." The group has been pushing Congress to work together to create a long-term plan to get the federal deficit under control through both increased taxes and spending cuts.
TRIPLE FISCAL FIASCO
Fix the Debt mounted a media blitz in the two months leading up to the so-called fiscal cliff - a package of automatic tax increases and indiscriminate spending cuts scheduled to start at the beginning of the year that threatened to push the nation back into recession, until averted by last-minute legislation.
During the media campaign, the business leaders lined up to say it was okay to raise taxes on the wealthy, but that spending cuts in programs such as Medicare and Social Security were needed as well to put the United States on a more sound fiscal footing.
But the 11th-hour bill, which included tax hikes on household incomes over $450,000, pushed forward the decision on spending cuts, known as the "sequester," by two months, setting up another, possibly more damaging scenario.
In late February-early March, the delay in the sequester ends, the federal government hits its borrowing limit, and authorization for the federal budget runs out.
Erskine Bowles, a former chief of staff to Bill Clinton who along with former Republican senator Alan Simpson founded Fix the Debt, called it "a triple fiscal fiasco."
"If you think you saw uncertainty and concern when we were facing the fiscal cliff, man, you haven't seen anything yet," Bowles told reporters at a press conference at Nasdaq's MarketSite in New York.
SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED
Raising the debt ceiling periodically has not traditionally been a major issue, as government must account for the deficits resulting from its tax and spending decisions.
But last August was an exception. Congress attempted to make spending cuts a condition of raising the debt ceiling, causing volatility in the markets as the United States was pushed to the brink of default and its credit rating was cut.
Greifeld said he and other CEOs were "severely disappointed" that meaningful spending cuts were not addressed in the fiscal cliff negotiations, but that they are hopeful a more balanced approach will be taken in the near future. There will also be other opportunities to force the issue.
"The sequester - we kind of stand out there as the place to make a stand. The debt ceiling is not the place to do it," he said.

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Goldman to report fund values on daily basis: WSJ

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc will disclose the values of its money-market mutual funds on a daily basis rather than monthly to satisfy investor call for greater transparency, according to people familiar with the company's plans, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The changes, some of which will take effect as early as Wednesday, is a major shift in an industry that has for years battled regulators over plans to tighten rules governing price disclosures, the types of assets funds can hold and the ways funds can return money to investors in the event of a crisis, the Journal said.
The bank will disclose the previous day's net asset value of its three U.S. commercial paper funds on Wednesday followed by its six U.S. government and tax-exempt funds next week, the Journal quoted the people as saying. The daily price of its six offshore funds will be available by the end of the year.
A Goldman spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment outside regular business hours.
Fund companies are required to report their net asset values only on a monthly basis. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission discloses the information publicly 60 days after it receives it from fund firms. (http://link.reuters.com/mad25t)
Goldman's move to publish daily values could force other firms to follow suit in the $2.7 trillion industry, according to experts, said the Journal.

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Wall Street slips as earnings season gets under way

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Tuesday, retreating from last week's rally on the "fiscal cliff" deal in Washington, as companies started to report results for the fourth quarter.
After a 4.3 percent jump in the two sessions around the close of the fiscal cliff negotiations, the S&P has declined a bit, with investors finding few catalysts to extend the rally that took the benchmark to five-year highs.
"We had a brief respite, courtesy of what happened on the fiscal cliff deal and the flip of the calendar with new money coming into the market," said Bucky Hellwig, senior vice president at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama.
Shares of AT&T Inc dropped 1.7 percent to $34.35, making it one of the biggest drags on the S&P 500, after the company said it sold more than 10 million smartphones in the quarter.
This figure beat the same quarter in 2011, but also means increased costs for the wireless service provider. Providers like AT&T pay hefty subsidies to handset makers so that they can offer discounts to customers who commit to two-year contracts.
Fourth-quarter profits are expected to beat the previous quarter's lackluster results, but analyst estimates are down sharply from October. Quarterly earnings are expected to grow by 2.7 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data. Dow component Alcoa, the largest U.S. aluminum producer, reported results after the closing bell.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> dropped 55.44 points, or 0.41 percent, to 13,328.85. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> fell 4.74 points, or 0.32 percent, to 1,457.15. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> lost 7.01 points, or 0.23 percent, to 3,091.81.
"The stark reality of uncertainty with regard to earnings, plus the negotiations on the debt ceiling, are there and that doesn't give investors a lot of reason to take bets on the long side," Hellwig said.
With AT&T's fall, the S&P telecom services index <.gspl> was the worst performer of the 10 major S&P sectors, down 2.7 percent.
Sears Holdings shares dropped 6.4 percent to $40.16 a day after the company said Chairman Edward Lampert would take over as CEO from Louis D'Ambrosio, who is stepping down due to a family member's health issue. The U.S. retailer also reported a 1.8 percent decline in quarter-to-date sales at stores open at least a year.
Markets went lower as some of the first reported earnings were weak.
"It doesn't seem to be bouncing back, it might stay here or sell off a little further," said Stephen Carl, head of U.S. equity trading at The Williams Capital Group in New York.
Shares of restaurant-chain operator Yum Brands Inc fell 4.2 percent to $65.04 a day after the KFC parent warned sales in China, its largest market, shrank more than expected in the fourth quarter.
GameStop was one of the worst performers on the S&P 500 as shares slumped 6.3 percent to $23.19 after the video game retailer reported low customer traffic for the holiday season and cut its guidance.
Shares of Monsanto Co gained 2.5 percent to $98.42 after reaching a more than four-year high at $99.99. The world's largest seed company raised its earnings outlook for fiscal year 2013 and posted strong first-quarter results.
Volume was below the 2012 average of 6.42 billion shares traded per day, as 6.19 billion were traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE MKT and Nasdaq.
Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 1,495 to 1,458, while on the Nasdaq decliners beat advancers 1,305 to 1,158.

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Redskins' RG3 to have knee surgery

WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert Griffin III is having surgery Wednesday on a torn ligament in his right knee — and to see if there's a second ligament that also needs to be repaired.
Baylor coach Art Briles confirmed to USA Today and The Associated Press on Tuesday night that the Washington Redskins rookie has a torn lateral collateral ligament. He said the surgery also will determine whether Griffin has damaged his ACL in that knee.
A person close to Griffin, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Redskins have not made an announcement, also confirmed the details surrounding Griffin's injury to the AP.
A torn LCL requires a rehabilitation period of several months, possibly extending into training camp and the start of next season. A torn ACL is a more severe injury, typically requiring nine to 12 months of recovery.
Griffin missed most of the 2009 season for Baylor after tearing his ACL in the same knee, getting injured on the game's opening drive against Northwestern State but not leaving until halftime. He recovered to win the Heisman Trophy two years later.
"RG3 will be good as new, though. I know that!" Briles said in a text message to the AP.
Griffin sprained the LCL last month against the Baltimore Ravens and missed one game. He returned wearing a bulky black brace and reinjured the knee at least twice in Sunday's playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, prompting a national debate over whether coach Mike Shanahan endangered his franchise player's career by not taking him out of the game sooner.
The Redskins said an MRI taken after the game was inconclusive, so Griffin flew to Florida on Tuesday for a more detailed examination conducted by orthopedist James Andrews. Andrews will perform the surgery Wednesday.

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RG3 to have surgery on torn right knee ligament

WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert Griffin III is having surgery Wednesday on a torn ligament in his right knee — and to see if there's a second ligament that also needs to be repaired.
Baylor coach Art Briles confirmed to USA Today and The Associated Press on Tuesday night that the Washington Redskins rookie has a torn lateral collateral ligament. He said the surgery also will determine whether Griffin has damaged the ACL in that knee.
A person close to Griffin, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Redskins have not made an announcement, also confirmed the details surrounding Griffin's injury to the AP.
A torn LCL requires a rehabilitation period of several months, possibly extending into training camp and the start of next season. A torn ACL is a more severe injury, typically requiring nine to 12 months of recovery, although Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson make a remarkable return this season some eight months after tearing an ACL — and nearly broke the NFL's single-season rushing record.
Griffin tore his ACL in the same knee while playing for Baylor in the third game of the 2009 season and missed the rest of the year. He was injured on the opening drive against Northwestern State but kept playing until halftime.
Griffin came back to win the Heisman Trophy two years later, and Briles predicted a similar recovery this time.
"RG3 will be good as new, though. I know that!" Briles said in a text message to the AP.
Griffin sprained the LCL last month against the Baltimore Ravens and missed one game. He returned wearing a bulky black brace for subsequent games and reinjured the knee at least twice in Sunday's playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, prompting a national debate over whether coach Mike Shanahan endangered his franchise player's career by not taking him out sooner.
The Redskins said an MRI taken after the game was inconclusive, so Griffin flew to Florida on Tuesday for a more detailed examination conducted by orthopedist James Andrews. Andrews will perform the surgery Wednesday.
Griffin, the No. 2 overall pick, was one of several rookie quarterbacks to make an instant impact on the league this season. He set the NFL record for best season passer rating by a rookie QB and led the Redskins to their first NFC East title in 13 years.
But Griffin also had to leave three games early due to injuries — two because of his knee and one because of a concussion — and missed a fourth altogether because of the knee. Shanahan repeatedly said Griffin had clearance from doctors to return to play, but the coach also said he trusted Griffin's own word when deciding that the rookie should continue during Sunday's game — even though Griffin was clearly struggling after reinjuring the knee in the first quarter.
Griffin remained in the game until the fourth quarter, when he hurt the knee again while fielding a bad shotgun snap.

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Cowboys defensive coordinator Ryan not returning

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was fired Tuesday after his injury-depleted unit struggled in a pair of season-ending losses that kept the Cowboys out of the playoffs for a third straight year.
Ryan was let go a day after running backs coach Skip Peete was fired, and less than a week after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said things were going to get "uncomfortable" at team headquarters in nearby Irving.
"At this time, the decision has been made to move forward in a different direction philosophically on defense," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in a statement. "I have an immense amount of respect for Rob as a person and as a football coach."
Ryan spent two seasons with the Cowboys after he was fired two years into the same job in Cleveland. He didn't hide his displeasure over being let go by the Browns before the Cowboys played them this season. He struck a different tone Tuesday.
"I enjoyed my time here," Ryan told The Dallas Morning News. "I have no hard feelings. But it doesn't matter if I coach here or not. I will find another spot."
The Cowboys finished with four defensive starters on injured reserve, including both Sean Lee and Bruce Carter at inside linebacker — a critical position for Ryan's 3-4 scheme. A fifth starter, nose tackle Jay Ratliff, missed all but six games with ankle and groin injuries. Nickel cornerback Orlando Scandrick was sidelined the last five games with a wrist injury.
Several Dallas players reacted with surprise on Twitter.
"It was a privilege to play under Coach Rob Ryan! One of the greatest," defensive end Jason Hatcher wrote. "Sad day. I'm hurting right now."
The Cowboys finished 14th in total defense this season under Ryan, the twin brother of New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, but couldn't stop the New Orleans passing game or the Washington rushing attack when they still controlled their playoff fate in the last two weeks of the regular season.
Drew Brees threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-31 overtime win for New Orleans. Dallas still had playoff hopes in the finale against Washington, but rookie Alfred Morris rushed for 200 yards despite quarterback Robert Griffin being limited by a right knee injury in the Redskins' 28-18 win.
The Cowboys were 19th in total defense in Ryan's first year but had one of the worst pass defenses in team history.
Following consecutive 8-8 seasons, Dallas is 128-128 since the start of 1997 season. The Cowboys have just one playoff win in that span.

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LB Rolando McClain bonds out of Ala. jail

DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say Oakland Raiders linebacker and former University of Alabama standout Rolando McClain has bonded out of jail on charges of violating rules on car window tint and trying to lie to police about his identity.
Authorities at the Decatur City Jail in Alabama say the 23-year-old McClain was pulled over Tuesday because of the tint violation. When McClain was asked to sign a ticket, police say he provided a false name.
Officials say McClain was taken into custody and posted $1,000 bond.
McClain had been sentenced to jail time on an assault charge. He was accused of firing a gun next to a man's head in 2011, also in Decatur. Those charges were later dismissed.
McClain served a two-game suspension this season for conduct detrimental to the Raiders. The team had no comment on his latest arrest.

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