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Health monitoring products have recently seen a huge surge in popularity, with offerings like the Jawbone UP and the Nike Fuelband bringing consumer awareness to the connected devices.

Several different companies debuted new wearable fitness tracking devices at CES this year, including Fitbit, Fitbug, Withings, and BodyMedia.

Fitbit Flex

Fitbit, known for its tiny clip-on Fitbit One, announced the Fitbit Flex, which is a wristband that is similar in design to the Jawbone UP.

Like the Fitbit One, The waterproof Flex automatically counts calories burned, distance walked, and steps taken. It can also be used to record food intake and sleep quality, via an app.

Data is sent to a personalized website using Bluetooth Smart, and the band lasts between five and seven days on a single charge. The Flex will be available in Spring 2013 for $100.

Fitbug Orb

Fitbug (via Engadget) is a UK-based company that just debuted its new Fitbug Orb, a small, button-sized activity monitor.

The Orb measures steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and sleep quality. Like other offerings, the Orb allows for food recording. The Orb is designed to be worn in different accessories, like a belt clip, lanyard, fitness band, or sleep pouch.

Though the Orb has no display, it does use Bluetooth Smart to connect to the iPhone or the iPad. Fitbug's Orb will be available in Spring 2013 for $50.

Withings Smart Activity Tracker

Withings Smart Activity Tracker is a small, clip-on health monitor that is similar in design to the Fitbit One. It measures sleep quality, food intake, movement, and pulse rate, with a touch-sensitive front and a heart rate sensor in the back.

The Activity Tracker also uses Bluetooth Smart to connect to Withings' Health Mate app, and it comes with an estimated two week battery life. Withings Smart Activity Tracker is due before the end of March, and while no retail price has been announced, Withings says that the pricing will be in line with competing products.

BodyMedia CORE 2

BodyMedia CORE 2 is the second iteration of BodyMedia's popular health and fitness tracking band. Like the prior version, the Core 2 captures 5,000 data points per minute, measuring calories burned, exercise intensity, and sleep patterns. It has a three-axis accelerometer in addition to heat flux and galvanic skin response sensors.

The quarter-sized device is designed to fit into a range of fashion-oriented interchangeable straps and cuffs, and connects to BodyMedia's existing apps and web portal using Bluetooth Smart.

The BodyMedia CORE 2 will launch in August of 2013, with additional faceplates, straps, and cuffs coming at a later date. Pricing information is not yet available.

LaCie introduced a pair of high-capacity storage devices at CES today.

The first, the LaCie 5big is a 10 or 20TB external RAID box connected via Thunderbolt. The box includes five drives with multiple RAID options for backup and speed, as well as a pair of Thunderbolt ports for daisy chaining. The box is $2,199 in 20TB configuration, and $1,199 for the 10TB version.


LaCie also introduced the 5big NAS Pro, a gigabit ethernet equipped network storage box available in multiple capacities: 0TB (diskless) for $529, 10TB for $1,199, and 20TB for $2,199.

Today LaCie announced the 5big NAS Pro, its latest high-performance 5-bay network-attached storage solution powered by Intel®. Thanks to hybrid cloud technology, the LaCie 5big NAS Pro lets employees collaborate easily using a single interface for both network/cloud storage and remote access. Plus, data stays secure thanks to novice-friendly SimplyRAID and client-side cloud encryption.

With transfer speeds up to 200MB/s*, the LaCie 5big NAS Pro boosts business productivity. Powered by a dual-core 2.13GHz Intel 64-bit Atom™ processor and 4GB RAM, it also features dual LAN and link aggregation for optimized network speeds. This performance-driven combination accelerates file sharing, remote access, and backups for small businesses.

The 5big Thunderbolt drive is available for order from LaCie today, while LaCie is taking sign ups to be notified when the 5big NAS Pro is available.

Way back in September 2011, Belkin quietly showed off a prototype of its Thunderbolt Express Dock, a desktop docking station offering users a broad array of connectivity options through a single Thunderbolt cable. By CES 2012, the product had evolved in design and received a September 2012 launch date with a $299 price tag.

By June of last year, Belkin had decided to add USB 3.0 and eSATA capabilities, at the cost of $100 price increase to $399.99. But as the September launch window came and went, Belkin pushed back the launch date to the first quarter of 2013.


With CES 2013 now underway, Belkin has officially announced further changes to the Thunderbolt Express Dock, removing eSATA compatibility and dropping the price back to $299.99. Belkin is still quoting a "Q1 2013" launch, and Belkin representatives have told us that it should be closer to the early part of the quarter.

- Instant access to up to 8 desktop devices with one cable
- Cable-clutter-free design for a cleaner workstation
- 3 USB 3.0 ports
- 1 FireWire 800 port
- 1 Gigabit Ethernet port
- 1 3.5mm-out port
- 1 3.5mm-in port
- 2 Thunderbolt ports (1 upstream, 1 downstream for daisy-chaining up to 5 additional Thunderbolt devices)

Belkin's Thunderbolt Express Dock can be compared to the DS1 from Matrox, which launched last month for $249. For an additional $50 compared to the DS1, the Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock offers three USB 3.0 ports as opposed to a single USB 3.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports on the DS1.

Perhaps more importantly for some users, the Belkin dock also includes two Thunderbolt ports, allowing the device to support Thunderbolt passthrough for peripherals further down the chain. Matrox's DS1 offers only a single Thunderbolt port, meaning that it must be placed at the end of a chain.

Adding to existing rumors that Apple is planning to add high speed 802.11ac wireless networking to its lineup later in 2013, AppleBitch notes that Apple has posted a job listing for a System Test Engineer with expertise with 802.11ac network environments.

System Test Engineer - Wi-Fi (802.11)

System Test Engineering is looking for an experienced test engineer with excellent problem solving and communications skills. In this role, you will be testing, automating, leading, and working closely with the entire cross-functional team to ensure quality for Macintosh products.

- Technical knowledge of WiFi (802.11a,b,g, ac) and Ethernet network environments

802.11ac should roughly triple the speeds seen with the current 802.11n standard, supporting up to 450 Mbps on one antenna and up to 1.3 Gbps when used with three antennas as on Apple's latest Macs.

There is no indication of when Apple will begin introducing the new standard into existing products.

Griffin and ShopKeep POS have partnered up on a new iPad stand with integrated credit card reader, designed to be a physical point of sale terminal for retail stores.

The stand will be available only to ShopKeep POS customers beginning this quarter.

Durability and secure credit card transactions are often the main concerns merchants have for their POS system. Griffin's Kiosk Retail addresses these pain points with an integrated magnetic card reader and impact-resistant housing for the iPad. For secure transactions, the built-in magnetic card reader is TDES encrypted and has DUKPT key management, similar to the current MagTek® swiper that ShopKeep POS offers.

[…]

"We researched many POS companies before selecting ShopKeep POS as an exclusive launch partner for the Kiosk Retail in the United States," said Dean Shortland , Director of Business Development at Griffin Technology. "We are devoted to creating intuitively designed solutions that enhance user experience and the simple and powerful solutions that ShopKeep POS offers to small businesses fit well with our company focus. Plus, with over 3,500 merchants across the country, they are the leading iPad POS company in the US, and we are looking to scale our solution quickly."

The press release does not share details about pricing or how the stand actually connects to the iPad, whether through Lightning/30-Pin ports, or via the headphone jack like Square's more portable card reader does.

Griffin yesterday announced (via Engadget) the forthcoming launch of its PowerDock 5, a $99.99 charging station that organizes up to five iOS devices in the space otherwise taken up by one iPad laid flat.

PowerDock 5 is the ultimate space-saving, countertop charging and storage solution for up to 5 iPads. Designed for convenience and efficiency, PowerDock 5 contains five charging bays large enough to accommodate an iPad encased in even the largest of cases, including Griffin's own Survivor case. When not in use, PowerDock 5 keeps all the users' device cables tucked away and organized, ready for use at any time.

The PowerDock 5 will launch later this spring.


Griffin PowerDock 5
Griffin is also introducing several other charging accessories at CES, including the PowerBlock wall charger ($29.99) and PowerJolt car charger ($24.99). Both devices include Griffin's new "ChargeSensor" technology that automatically senses a device's power profile and charges the device accordingly.

All mobile devices have specific charging profiles that dictate how much, and how quickly, they can charge. Most chargers are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach which typically does not support the requirements of each individual device. Griffin's new ChargeSensor technology senses the requirements of any device plugged into it, providing optimal charging for all USB-chargeable devices.

Both the PowerBlock and PowerJolt will also be launching in the spring.

As, noted by Engadget, Lego has announced Mindstorms EV3, a new line of kid-friendly robotics designed to introduce children to building and programming robots while also attracting hobbyists and other robot enthusiasts.


The new Mindstorms system is powered by the EV3 Intelligent Brick, which features an ARM9 processor, 16MB of flash memory, 64GB of RAM, and the ability to function without the PC that previous Mindstorm systems have been dependent on. Lego has been producing Mindstorms since 1998, but the EV3 is the first version that can be programmed without a computer.

The Intelligent Brick offers full compatibility with iOS and Android devices right out of the box, and a new infrared sensor provides additional control over robots. Mindstorms EV3 also features Linux-based firmware, a USB port, and an SD expansion slot.

We are equipping today's tech‐literate generation of children with a more accessible, yet sophisticated robotics kit that meets their tech play expectations and abilities to truly unleash their potential so that they may surprise, impress and excite the world with their creativity.

At launch, the set will include building instructions for 17 robots, like "Reptar" the robotic snake that slithers and "Everstorm" the mohawk-sporting humanoid that can shoot mini spheres while it walks.

Lego has partnered with Autodesk to incorporate its first set of 3D building instructions, which will be released in the form of an iPad app.

Lego Mindstorms EV3 will be available for purchase in the summer of 2013 for $349.99.

IDEO founder David Kelley had a wide-ranging interview on tonight's 60 Minutes in which he speaks about his relationship with Steve Jobs, the creation of the first Apple Mouse and more. Kelley and his company, IDEO, were integral in Apple's early history and designed the first Apple Mouse, the Lisa and more.

Kelley talks about Jobs and how he was very specific in wanting things, which isn't a surprise as there have been numerous stories of Jobs calling up people in the middle of the night finalizing details for various products. Kelley also talks about their personal relationship and how Jobs advised Kelley to seek western medicine to treat his wife's throat cancer and how Jobs tried to set up an original iPhone for Kelley by calling AT&T.

"The day after the iPhone was announced, he had one for me. You know,  your own iPhone given to you by Steve Jobs the day after it comes out - it was a lovely feeling. So he decides to hook it up for me, so he gets on the phone to AT&T and he's going to hook up my phone and it's not going well.

Eventually he pulls the 'I'm Steve Jobs' card, you know, he says to the guy 'I'm Steve Jobs.' I'm sure the guy on the other end says "yeah buddy, and I'm Napoleon" like get out of here. Yeah, but anyway he never did get it hooked up. No, not that day."

The Steve Jobs and Apple parts are at the 3:00 and 7:42 marks. The rest of the video focuses on Kelley's early life, IDEO's process and his new relationship with Stanford.

HAPILABS HAPIfork (via The Verge) is an electronic fork that is designed to monitor eating habits with built-in Bluetooth, a capacitive sensor, and a vibration motor.

HAPIfork provides information about eating schedules and alerts users when they are eating too fast, a leading cause of weight gain, according to the manufacturer.


The fork measures each movement from fork to plate, which is recorded as a "fork serving." The fork monitors how long it takes to finish a meal, the number of fork servings eaten per minute, and the interval between each fork serving.

All of this information is uploaded through USB or Bluetooth to an online dashboard. The fork is also designed to work with the HAPILABS app to provide a coaching program that encourages better eating.

HAPIfork will retail for $99.99. The USB version will ship during the second quarter of 2013 and the Bluetooth version will ship during the third quarter of 2013.

The trade organization behind the USB 3.0 specification has announced a new upgraded spec that promises higher data speeds over backwards compatible connections.

The new spec enhanced SuperSpeed USB 3.0 spec should deliver a 10 Gbps data rate -- the same as current Thunderbolt connectors -- though don't expect it any time soon. The new protocol should be finalized sometime in 2013, with initial products featuring the connector appearing in late-2014 or 2015, reports CNET.

To take advantage of the double-speed USB 3.0 interface, devices such as computers, hubs, and digital cameras will need new USB controller hardware. However, the new version of USB 3.0 uses the same connectors, so existing USB devices can be plugged into the higher-speed ports.

USB 3.0 cables may or may not work. "Existing SuperSpeed USB cables are not certified to operate at 10 Gbps; it is possible that some existing SuperSpeed USB cables may be capable of operating at 10 Gbps," the group said.

The new devices should be backwards compatible with older USB hardware, though not at the upgraded speeds.

Thunderbolt, which moves data at up to 10Gbps in both directions, appears mostly on Apple devices currently, but devices tend to be more expensive than their USB 3.0-compatible counterparts. However, Thunderbolt does have a strong ally in Intel, with the company pushing the standard heavily.