The second week of January is always special for tech geeks. Over 100,000 attendees & 4,500 exhibiting companies descend upon Las Vegas to showcase & inspire the world of tech. The Veloxity team has attended for the past 5 years and we are always eager to report on the latest technologies. Here are a few of Veloxity’s favorite products from CES 2019:

  1. LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R9

Television designs have remained the same since the release of the first plasma TV back in the start of the century. The R9 is a 65” 4k HDR Smart TV with Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa capability. The R9, however, is the first display which rolls away into a smaller form factor. Pricing has not yet been announced but a release date is set for the second half of 2019.

2. HARLEY-DAVIDSON LIVEWIRE MOTORCYCLE

Harley Davidson, the American motorcycle manufacturer, is moving into uncharted territory. No longer can the motorcycle manufacturer ignore the upcoming threats from electrified propulsion. At CES 2019, Harley Davidson debuted the production version of its Livewire motorcycle, the first electric motorcycle by the company. The LiveWire targets a new demographic of motorcycle riders, one that appreciates a quiet machine for urban street riding while emitting no greenhouse gasses. Due to its electric nature, the Livewire requires no clutch or gear shifting. The Livewire is Harley Davidson’s lunge into the modern world.

3. BrainRobotics Prosthetic hand

BrainRobotics, founded in 2016, is in the final stages of releasing its affordable mind controlled prosthesis. BrainRobotics CEO and Founder Bicheng Han says this device can help users grab, hold and move objects such as cups; or possibly type on a keyboard. Patients can also use an app to further personalize gestures. According to Han, there are three or four similar prosthetic limbs on the market, but these can cost patients over $70,000. The company claims that only two percent of amputees can afford the price of current technology enabled prosthetic limb options. BrianRobotics plans to release the artificial upper limb for around $2,000 to $3,000 later this year.

4. ROYOLE FLEXPAI FOLDABLE PHONE

FlexPai is the world’s first commercial foldable smartphone with flexible display. The FlexPai can be used either folded or unfolded; phone or tablet. This allows users the functionality of a tablet, with the convenience of a phone. Royole claims that the screen is “virtually unbreakable” & can withstand over 200,000 bends. The 7.8″ tablet sized, full color flexible display offers a 4:3 aspect ratio and 1920 x 1440 resolution. The FlexPai is currently available for pre-order for $1,318 (128GB developer model), making it the first commercially available foldable smartphone.

Custom painting by number

5.  Mophie Juice Pack Battery Cases for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, & iPhone XR

Rejoice iPhone users, extended battery life is finally here. For those using the latest of Apple mobile devices, Mophie, the popular Apple-certified accessory maker, has announced their line of Juice Pack Access battery cases. According to Mophie, The juice packs extend the battery life of the iPhone XS by up to 25 hours, and the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR by up to 31 hours. The cases have battery capacities of 2,000 mAh for the iPhone XS, 2,200 mAh for the iPhone XS Max, and 2,000 mAh for the iPhone XR. The new Juice Pack Access case will retail for $119.95 in the United States, regardless of the model & will be available in black, gold, navy, & red.

PBN

6. Matrix PowerWatch 2

CES has been a hotbed of wearable tech for the last few years. Manufacturers use the stage to showcase new products & innovative designs. However, few wearables stick out from the crowd. The new Matrix PowerWatch 2 is trying to do just that. While most watches need to be charged every 24-48 hours, the PowerWatch 2 will never need to be plugged in. The PowerWatch 2 runs on solar cell & thermoelectric technology which enables it to charge via solar power & body heat.

Boasting a 1.2” color LCD display & a 200 meter water resistance depth, the PowerWatch 2 will provide endless fitness activity tracking & notifications. Currently an Indiegogo campaign, the PowerWatch 2 is planned to ship this summer with an MSRP of $499. The watch also has the flexibility to operate on Apple or Android ecosystems.

Samsung and Apple stepped up their game by introducing wireless charging technology, where your phone automatically charges when laying on a specifically designed electronic pad. But researchers at the UW might have just invented the next great phone charging breakthrough: lasers.

The first challenge they faced was how to charge a phone via laser without harming people in the process. Their system includes one main charging beam surrounded by four safeguard beams that will shut down the stronger charging beam when their stream is broken to avoid injury. The second key component is the receiver that attaches onto the back of the phone to convert the energy provided by laser into electrical energy, charging the cellphone’s battery.

If the phone is visible and in an unbroken line of sight to the laser system, it will be able to be charged from across the room without having to be plugged in or placed on a charging base. This is not a replacement to a phone battery, which is still needed to power the phone, but this will be a separate outlet that people can use in addition to their normal charging ports.

Three graduate students, Elyas Byati, Vikram Iyer, Rajalakshmi Nandakumar and their two faculty leads, Arka Majumdar and Shyam Gallakota, started this project about three years ago.

After careful planning, funding was acquired from the UW and the team began building last spring. According to Iyer, the project was derived from previous experiments the group did with wireless charging.

One of the big problems we have run into is how can we transfer enough power to charge something like a phone but still do that safely.

They have been able to collect small amounts of power from small sensors or near-field charging, which Apple and Samsung already utilize with wireless charging stations. But this laser project aims to send power over much longer distances.

When building their prototype, safety was their number one priority. They factored in additions like heat sinks to siphon off excess heat generated by the energy transfer. The prototype succeeded in being able to charge a cellphone at the approximate rate that a normal two-watt USB charger would be able to.

The speed of the charging can vary depending on the size of the laser and receiver. The more powerful the laser and receiver, the faster it can charge a phone.

Now that the team has published their prototype findings, they are working to make the technology more consumer friendly, such as making the receiver smaller and keeping safety the major priority.

https://www.facebook.com/uwnews/videos/1728445513914703/

NASA is researching a similar technology on a larger scale that would allow for wireless charging of spacecrafts in flight. Remote charging would allow NASA to push them even further into the solar system, instead of just building larger batteries and wasting valuable material.

Currently, satellites and other space exploring technologies have what Majumdar referred to as a “half-life,” meaning after they are launched, they can only travel half their battery life, and the second half is used to travel back their base to recharge.

The system allows for a larger freedom of movement when charging, as the phone is not tethered to a cord or base, and on a larger scale, the machines will not have to return to their home base to be recharged after only using half their battery life. The system is still being developed for consumer and large scale use, but has the potential to change the way we charge.

Upcoming: New Products We’re Expecting from Apple this Spring

Apple’s main events are in June and September, but there has been a trend of the company making announcements in March. In addition to refreshes on some of its less prominent devices, the spring is sometimes a venue for wildcard releases: last year’s Product(RED) versions of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, or the release of its video-editing software Clips.

This year, in addition to the rumors of new Apple products, consumers are awaiting more news on devices that Apple has already discussed. So, then, here is a rundown of a few products that we could hear about in March.

The non-Pro iPad

Last year towards the end of March, Apple rolled out a new iPad, positioning it as a lower-cost device for those who didn’t need the power of an iPad Pro. Just a year later, Apple may not need to revise that model. Its A9 chip is still pretty respectable, and with 32GB and 128GB configurations, it avoids cutting too much into the iPad Pro’s market.

On the other hand, there’s been a little rumbling about the iPad mini. The current model, the iPad mini 4, came out in September 2015 and uses the same A8 chip that’s embedded in the HomePod and the Apple TV. If Apple’s serious about keeping the iPad mini around, it seems like this might be a good opportunity for the company to bump up its specs.

AirPower and wireless-charging AirPods

Pre-announcing products is still not the norm for Apple, but in recent years, it has taken to planting a flag about some forthcoming devices. At its September 2017 event, Apple took the time to mention that it would launch sometime in 2018 its own wireless charging pad, dubbed AirPower. A case for the AirPods that supports wireless charging is likely appearing around the same time.

These may not be the most exciting of products, and it’s possible we’ve learned most of what there is to know about them aside from the prices, but they are laying the groundwork for a future where wireless charging is not only more widespread, but also starts to become an expected standard.

iPhone SE update

The iPhone’s cheapest model—the iPhone SE—debuted in March 2016. Since then, it’s been an object of intense discussion: is this a device that Apple plans of revamping regularly? Or is it merely a one-off to keep a low cost?

Rumors of a new version of the iPhone SE have been around for a while, but they’ve gathered steam this year. Again, it seems unlikely that Apple would bring any of the high-end features of its newest iPhones—Face ID, wireless charging, Portrait mode—to the SE.

32% of shoppers are looking for better in-store customer service according to a new market research report. The “2017 Holiday Shopping Report” asked consumers their holiday shopping habits, if they would be using their mobile devices during their trip, and how they felt about their overall shopping experience.

Responses were collected from more than 1,000 shoppers at malls across the country using phone charging stations.

Key Takeaways

When shoppers were asked what could have improved their holiday shopping experience, 32% said better customer service. Other responses included cheaper items (22%), more parking (12%), better product selection (10%), and fewer crowds (6%).

Shopping can be hectic this time of year for both the shopper and the retailer. It is essential that retailers make sure their staff is equipped to help shoppers and make their trip more enjoyable.

Despite the call for better customer service, 83% of shoppers felt they had a positive holiday shopping experience, while 11% had nothing positive or negative to say about their shopping trip.

The majority of shoppers (34%) plan on making only one holiday shopping trip this season, while 30% plan on making three or more trips, 21% didn’t plan on making any holiday shopping trips, and 14% plan on making two trips.

Finally, shoppers were asked how likely they were to do the remainder of their holiday shopping in-store rather than online. 75% of shoppers said it was likely, 18% were undecided, and 8% said it was unlikely.

Shoppers will use their phones for a variety of functions this holiday shopping season. Most will use them to enhance their in-store shopping experience – to find store locations (27%), find deals (18%), get or share live updates through social media (14%), compare prices (13%), access coupons (12%), make or refer to shopping lists (8%), and research products online (6%). Very few shoppers (3%) plan to use their mobile devices to make purchases directly on their devices while they are out shopping.

 

 

Wireless cell phone charging is no longer the future because it’s here. Just about every high-end phone can charge up on some inductive platform. Charging-at-a-distance, on the other hand, is the future: the technology converts wireless signals into electricity to charge phones, tablets and other small gadgets.

Energous is the latest charging-at-a-distance company to throw its hat in the ring, but it has a significant leg up over its competitors: It’s just become the first-ever technology of its kind to get FCC approval.

Energous released a statement that explained its accomplishment. The Federal Communications Commission can certify charging-at-a-distance technology, since it technically takes advantage of radio frequencies to transmit a signal.

“As the first FCC certification for power-at-a-distance wireless charging under Part 18 of the FCC’s rules, this development represents a new era of wireless charging, and opens up a tremendous opportunity for the electronics industry,” Energous announced.

Part 18 of the FCC rules deal with “Industrial, Scientific and Medical Equipment.” Before selling new technology in the United States that takes advantage of radio frequencies, companies must seek FCC approval and abide by rules concerning operating procedure, interference and restricted radio bands.

It’s not terribly interesting to the average consumer, but the bottom line is this: the company probably did not go through all the trouble of getting FCC approval if it doesn’t intend to bring the product to market within a reasonable interval. And the FCC probably wouldn’t grant approval if Energous’s wireless charging didn’t at least kind of work. Even so, FCC approval is not an endorsement of the product or its underlying technology.

As far as what Energous claims to do, it’s pretty much what it sounds like. The company says it has developed a field transmitter called WattUp, which beams a signal via radio frequency to any device with a WattUp receiver attached. WattUp is platform-agnostic, meaning you could theoretically buy a charger for any phone, regardless of who makes the device. The technology can theoretically charge devices quickly via wireless contact charging, or more slowly just by being in the general vicinity of the WattUp transmitter. Right now, Energous says its transmitter works at distances of up to 3 feet.

Energous aims to demonstrate its power-at-a-distance technology at CES 2018 next month. Even if the technology works as promised, there’s no indication of how much it might cost — or if smartphone producers will be willing to start incorporating it into their handsets. Still, if the FCC thinks there’s something to it, maybe this is a charging technology worth keeping an eye on in 2018.

Everyone has used in-store Wi-Fi and it has become a common in-store amenity for brick-and-mortar retailers. According to a collaborative study by EarthLink Holdings, IHL Group and AirTight Networks, 57% of retailers offer free Wi-Fi for their customers and store employees.

With increasing consumer dependence on cell phones, and the lack of progress with internal phone batteries, phone charging stations are becoming the in-store Wi-Fi.

Why Phone Charging in Retail is Important?

Just as retailers have given in to customer demands for Wi-Fi, stores will also embrace phone charging as an essential in-store feature. Consumers are busier than ever, and keeping our phones charged can prove to be a difficult task when we’re running from the gym, to the office or to happy hour with friends. That’s why retailers like are installing free phone charging stations to keep customers powered up.

By offering this complimentary service, they’re ensuring a stress-free shopping experience for their customers. They’re also increasing customer retention, as many shoppers will simply exit a store as soon as they notice they have low battery.

How do Retailers Benefit?

For retailers, the benefits of offering these kinds of free amenities are tremendous. By requiring a customer to agree to their terms of service before a Wi-Fi connection is established or a phone is charged, they’re receiving permission from customers to gather all kinds of important insights. This type of shopper data can then be used to help retailers tailor coupons and other messages to customers.

How Can Retailers Survive Today?

These numbers are all telling the same story: our attachment to our mobile phones is only growing stronger and brick-and-mortar stores will have to adapt their retail technology offerings to the digital world or they’ll quickly fall out of favor as many retailers have. Sticking to traditional roots has destroyed retailers like Macy’s, J.C. Penney’s, RadioShack, Sears, Kmart, and Toys R Us.

To survive as a retailer today, you have to integrate digital within the in-store experience. The same shoppers who demanded in-store Wi-Fi will also come to expect amenities that will allow them to keep their phones charged so they can take advantage of that free Wi-Fi connection.

There are always new smartphone trends to look forward to, but in 2017, updates to phones from Apple, Samsung, LG, and Google are starting to look more intriguing than ever before.

  1. Virtual Reality

The point of speeding up mobile devices is to allow them to run applications like virtual reality, which demand heavy resources. It’ll be possible to plug handsets into Google’s DayDream View VR headset to watch movies, play games, or roam VR worlds.

  1. Dual Cameras

LG and Huawei led the way last year with its dual camera setups Apple followed later in the year. You will see the rest of the smartphones released have similar dual-cameras on their backs.

Not only are you going to see a lot of dual cameras from now on, you will also going to see expanded functionality, allowing these cameras to do more than single cameras could ever do.

As wireless headphones get better, losing the headphone port makes a certain amount of sense.

  1. Faster LTE

LTE speeds will get a serious boost with new modem technologies. Smartphones like the Galaxy S7 and Apple’s iPhone 7 can download data over LTE networks at a maximum speed of 600Mbps (bits per second), and upload data at 150Mbps. Download speeds could reach close to 1Gbps with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X16 modem, which should reach devices in the second half of 2016. Achieving that speed also depends on the network capabilities of a carrier.

  1. Foldable Devices

One of the new things to watch out for will be foldable devices. Flip phones in the past ruled the market until now with mobile touchscreens. But, foldable phones and curved screens are coming. Lenovo has already shown its own vision, and there will undoubtedly be some others who will try to follow this trend.

  1. Redesigns

The iPhone has looked identical for over two years, and Samsung has stuck to a similar design with its Galaxy S series, changing materials but not appearance. But it all looks to change. Apple is purported to have an all–glass iPhone 8 in the works, which will look completely different to existing models.

Similarly, Samsung is apparently priming a new Galaxy S8 that has an all screen front, dispensing with the standard home button for a fingerprint scanner that sits below the display.

Summary

comScore shows in 2016 that 198.5 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones. Consumers now spend the majority of their digital time on mobile devices, making mobile more valuable than ever. With the exciting new smartphone trends and mobile usage it means that more than ever organizations might consider adding mobile device charging stations.

You can often find phone charging stations at healthcare facilities. Doctors’ offices, hospitals, and clinics purchase charging stations for employees and for patients in waiting rooms. To combat long wait times and prevent having frustrated patients, these medical facilities are brainstorming ways that they can keep patients satisfied.

One piece of technology, phone charging stations, allows people to charge their phone if needed. It can be frustrating waiting several hours, but it can be even more frustrating when you can’t make a necessary call or you can’t use your phone to occupy the time.

Equally as important are the employees that use mobile technologies on a day-to-day basis. A study conducted by Kantar Media in March 2015 found that 84% of US physicians polled use a smartphone for professional purposes. Both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market have medical sections devoted to health apps that prove useful for physicians and healthcare professionals. Physicians are accessing apps to help them with a variety of roles, such as:

Edward McEachern, Jackson & Coker’s VP of marketing, described the use of smartphones in the medical industry and detailed that “the common thread is that physicians in all specialties–especially more recent graduates–are relying more and more on modern technology to advance their concern to provide medical care more efficiently, cost effectively, and ‘creatively’ through digital instruments that are readily available. What this indicates in terms of future trends is that mobile device manufacturers and companies that supply mobile technologies are well aware of the growing market in the healthcare field for their products and services.”

As a leading supplier of phone charging stations, Veloxity has noticed a rise in the demand for charging products. The company has worked with organizations like Dignity Health, John’s Hopkins, (list other non-event clients in the medical field) to ensure that patients and employees have a way to charge their phone. That popularity has also transferred over to the medical event industry. Since these healthcare facilities value phone charging technology, there is an equal demand for rentals at events. Coming up, Veloxity will be providing rental kiosks at both the Global Pharmaceutical and Medical Meetings Summit and the Western Pharmacy Exchange.

With people continuing to become more and more reliant on their mobile phones, healthcare facilities will increasingly seek out products that allow people to charge their phones. Our charging lockers are designed to securely store phones, tablets, laptops or any other electronic device while charging them. This makes it easy for healthcare providers to charge and begin using their phones again.

Have you or your organization adopted mobile charging stations? If not, give us a call so we can explain the benefits, and why it’s necessary.

Today, almost half of all undergraduate students in the United States attend community college. A report from the Digest of Education Statistics shows that this amounts to just over 10 million students which is 42% of all undergraduate students. This makes two-year institutions an integral part of higher education.

Unlike the students that attend 4-year colleges and live on campus, most community college students commute. So while they’re spending time on campus, it’s important that community colleges are providing a way for these students to charge their phones. If you live 30-45 minutes away, it can be a major inconvenience to have your phone die without any charging solution.

The best community colleges are providing students with a charging solution, is yours?

Staying Competitive with Tech Amenities

Students are attending community colleges for a number of reasons, beyond the necessary preparation for 4-year schools. With the rising cost of tuition at colleges and universities, the cost of tuition at community colleges is very appealing. The financial advantage of a junior college can be extremely appealing–many costing less than $2,000 a semester for a full-time student. Community colleges, have to stay competitive with the on-campus amenities they offer. Technology on campus is arguably the most important among them.

A community college campus must provide amenities that cater to students who are commuting to campus and staying there for most of the day. Quiet rooms, lounges and on-campus restaurants are a good place to start, but in an age where most students own and use smart phones for just about everything throughout the day, cell phone charging stations are truly the ultimate amenity.

Higher education institutions everywhere are jumping on the phone charging kiosk bandwagon. Veloxity is a leading supplier for these products, and many institutions turn to us because we provide easy and high quality chargers. Students and faculty alike are using the cell phone chargers to give a quick boost to their cell phone battery in between classes.

One of the struggles of most community colleges is often the lack of involvement of the student body. This complacency outside of the lecture halls can be mitigated by campus amenities and reasons to stay on campus and stay involved. With most students traveling to campus without their cell phone chargers, you can give them a reason to remain on campus, fully charged and maybe even open to joining in. Having a secure place for students and faculty to charge their phones is also a good way to keep them safe. As community colleges are commuter based it is important to have a charged cell phone for their commute home.

What is your school doing to boost its technological amenities for students? Let us know by leaving a comment.

With over 70% of consumers experiencing anxiety from a low or dead phone battery, there has never been a greater need for new charging technologies. One of those is the promise of wireless charging, something that we have been hearing a lot about recently. But how far away is this technology from mass adoption and how much can we really expect from it?

To answer the above questions, we first need to look at what type of wireless charging we mean. Basically, there are three different types of wireless charging: close-range, mid-range, and long-range. Each of these technologies is at different levels of commercialization and development.

Close-Range

This type of charging has been around for several years now and has reached an excellent level of efficiency. The technology implements what is known as inductive charging, which essentially utilizes an electromagnetic field to transfer energy. The primary limitation here is that both devices (the charger and the device) must physically contact each other.

There are literally hundreds of consumer grade devices on the market that have excellent reviews. These devices vary in price but can be found for as low as $20. Car manufacturers like GMC, have taken advantage of this technology and implemented some of their newer vehicles.

Mid-Range

By utilizing the relatively new technology of resonant inductive coupling, several industry leaders are attempting to bring mid-range charging to the mass markets. The concept has been demonstrated many times in laboratory environments, but deployment of a viable commercial product is still in the future as phone manufacturers have yet to include the necessary receivers. It’s pretty much a chicken or the egg dilemma.

As of right now, several engineers from Kettering University in Michigan has demonstrated a device that can charge a device from up to 20 centimeters away.

Long-Range

When someone thinks wishfully about wireless charging, they usually think long-range. While it would be nice to be able to charge your device while standing up to 20 feet away from the charging station, such technology is still in the distant future. While mid-range standards are coming closer to being developed, long-range standards are barely even a thought since the base technology cannot be decided on.

Developers are currently considering a number of different options including infrared light, radio frequencies, as well as many others. However, no standard has even been roughly defined and such a product will likely not see the market until sometime next decade. Several engineers at MIT have recently demonstrated a product that claims to be a long distance charging solution. But at 30 centimeters, this hardly seems like the penultimate charging solution we are looking for.

Conclusion

The state of wireless charging has definitely improved over the last several years but it is still in its earliest stages. Many of the products currently available on the market are of decent quality, but the charging is slow and the devices can be finicky about placement.

In the next 12 to 24 months, we anticipate to see more wireless charging solutions of the mid-range type hitting the market but it won’t be a reality until phone manufacturers decide to include the receiving technology. As mid-range wireless charging develops, we expect to see an influx of new infrastructure such as wireless charging furniture.

It appears as though the charging cable will reign supreme for the near future as it remains the fastest and most efficient way to charge devices.

A DIY phone charging station craze is happening everywhere.  Nearly every consumer has a portable device that needs occasional recharging.  So DIYers are busy creating crafting at-home ways to keep cell phones charged.

Here are numerous examples of how consumers are creating DIY phone charging stations for multiple devices:

Pinterest Charging Station Pics

But of course.  Every home crafter thinks that their idea is so awesome that it gets posted to Pinterest.  Then the idea goes almost-viral.  Well, there a slew of borderline tacky DIY phone charging stations on Pinterest right here.

shampoo bottle charging station

Shampoo Bottle Charger

You can transform an empty shampoo bottle into phone charger, according a creative crafter on Buzzfeed.  For no more than $2.00, you can give you all your electronics gadgets a semi-permanent a home on your wall.  And you won’t even get shampoo in your eyes.

Convert a Bread Box into a Charging Station

bread box charging station

This DIY project is for the crafter who just so happens to have an extra bread box, a power drill, MDF board and a rubber grommet. The bread box device charging station from decosit can be made for about $6.00.

Vintage Bucket Charging Station

Got an old bucket?  Awesome! Turn it into a Vintage Minnow Bucket Charging Station: Drilling holes in both the outer bucket (with the charming minnow graphics) and the inner bucket, switching out lids, some relatively tedious wiring, and you’ve got yourself a sweet vintage station unlike any other.

device charging station diy

B2B Phone Charging Stations

People are going crazy for phone charging stations!  They want to stay connected and fully charged.  Business to business professionals can help keep people charged and happy in stores, libraries, at events and on campuses nationwide.  Companies like Veloxity rent and sell portable and freestanding device charging stations.

Great news for the exhibitions industry as CEIR reports that trade shows are on a continued growth curve.

Not only do the figures from the newest Center for Exhibit Industry Research (CEIR) report indicate robust growth for the trade show industry in 2015, but the outlook is already bright for 2016.

The exhibitions industry has had 22 consecutive quarters of growth, dating back to 2009, according to the newest index published by CEIR. Charts published with the February 25th press release from the organization show the sturdiest expansion in the first quarter at 4.4% and a continuing strength throughout all of 2015, making the past year the most solid since 2011, when the industry began to bounce back from a sharp decline during the height of the recession from 2008-2010. Perhaps the two strongest indicators are the revenue growth at 6.5% and the attendance advancement by 4.9%.

Brian Casey, CEIR’s President and CEO, indicated that the results exceeded the organization’s’ expectations and added his positive outlook for 2016, “While there are varying perspectives on the future performance of the U.S. economy, we remain optimistic for the year ahead.”

Trade Show News Network recently reported another CEIR executive looking towards the current year with a positive outlook: “The strong momentum in the exhibition industry could carry forward into 2016 and offset weaker macro factors,” commented CEIR’s Economist Allan Shaw, Ph.D., also the Chief Economist for Global Economics Consulting Associates.

The addressable market is large.  Exhibit sales and design are estimated to generate 43.6% of total industry revenue in 2016. This segment includes the sale of floor space at trade shows, conferences, conventions or expositions, according to IBISWorld.

As an economic indicator, the upswing that trade shows have experienced in the past year is an encouraging one. The release of the full CEIR 2015 Index on April 1 is expected to provide additional details.
To help keep trade show attendees happy, companies like Veloxity offer device charging solutions.  Exhibitors, event planners and venues often rent or purchase freestanding or portable device charging stations that power up events and attendees.

Samsung Electronics is showcasing three secret projects from their C-Lab innovation program for the first time at SXSW 2016.

The cat is out of the bag.  Samsung revealed a mobile app, social media network and set of headphones – all created by Samsung employees in their C-Lab. Started in 2012. C-Lab is a startup that helps employees develop their own creative businesses.

The three projects include Hum On!, an app that transforms hummed melodies into music; Waffle, a social media concept based around content-creation and sharing; and Entrim 4D, an accessory for the Samsung Gear VR that will allow users to feel events from on-screen.

All projects are still in development and are on display to access market viability and get feedback from SXSW’s tech savvy attendees.

Hum On!: A Mobile App That Transforms Hums Into Songs

Hum On!, currently in development on Android, allows anyone to hum a tune into their phone and it will convert the vocals into a musical score. Tunes can then be played back, rearranged and shared in a matter of minutes. Once recorded and arranged, the app will play the tune back to you in your preferred musical style whether that’s rock’n’roll, Hip Hop or Classical.  You can totally share your songs via social media or torment your friends and family by playing them a never ending selection of your latest recordings.

The app uses software designed to analyze a user’s voice, detecting pitch and duration and use’s machine learning to make accompanying melody similar to a real musician. Using a simple user interface Hum On! is easy to use and easy on the eye.

The C-Lab team are currently looking to partner with musicians to improve the app and will also focus on improving recognition accuracy for the software at the core of the project.

Waffle: A Social Media Network Built Around Content Curation and Sharing

Samsung has joined the world of social networking with their new offering, Waffle.

Based on the concept that social media feeds are filled with photos and videos that are mostly unrelated, Samsung have built Waffle to generate collaborative stories based off multiple points of view from related users.

Named after the grids of images assembled by users, the app allows the original creator to post into the center square, and other users post their take using the surrounding squares of ever expandable content.

Billed as community curated content, Samsung wants to allow users to fill the grids with photos, videos and even drawings related to the original post, creating multiple points of view from other people’s perspectives.

Entrim 4D: A Headset That Lets You Sense Motion You See In Your Headset

There is no argument that VR is a technology seeing explosive growth and as new headsets come on the market it takes something different to standout.

That’s where Samsung’s new Entrim 4D headset comes in. Adding another level to the immersive experience of VR, the new Samsung headset uses a smart combo of computing power and a technology sounding like something out of Star Wars, Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation or GVS, to send electronic messages to a nerve in the ear.

Designed to synchronize your bodies senses to the movements inside the video, the headphones make use of similar electrodes to those employed to help stroke patients recover balance after a stroke and combine it with complex algorithms calculated by engineers from the motion data.

The Entrim 4D team of engineers are aiming to build an unparalleled VR experience and have tested the headphones on over 1500 people so far creating over 30 different patterns of movement.

Trying to overcome one of the most difficult aspects of VR, that to have a truly immersive experience you need to feel not just to see, users can feel like they are a part of the experience not just an observer.

For example, when paired with a drone, and linked to the drone’s motion sensors, the headphones will give the user a sensation of flying.

Though still only in the development cycle, the Entrim 4D shows a lot of potential in overcoming some of the early barriers in VR to create a deeply captivating experience.

See all three projects on display between March 13 and 16 in Exhibit Hall 2 of the Austin Convention Center in Austin Texas.  Also look for a Veloxity charging kiosk.

When SXSW opens week in Austin, Texas both Veloxity charging stations and the Obamas will be present.

SXSW started almost 30 years ago as a music festival, but soon grew to include the film and technology industry as well. President Obama will open the SXSW interactive festival on March 11, by having a Keynote Conversation with Evan Smith, CEO/Editor in Chief of The Texas Tribune. According to SXSW.com, the conversation will be centered around “civic engagement in the 21st Century” and take place “before an audience of creators, early adopters and entrepreneurs who are defining the future of our connected lives.”

On Wednesday, March 16, First Lady Michelle Obama will discuss the Let Girls Learn initiative at the SXSW Music festival. This campaign focuses on education for young girls since 62 million girls – including mostly adolescents – around the world are not in school. The First Lady’s speech will be part of a celebration of Women’s History Month.

SXSW Co-founder Roland Swenson said, “I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate our event’s 30th year than to welcome both the President and First Lady to SXSW. As each new generation comes up at SXSW they look for ways they can be of service, and it’s important to reflect and support that message. President and Mrs. Obama’s visit here will inspire attendees to that purpose.”

This year will be the first time a sitting president and first lady have participated in the event. Veloxity will also be taking part since our charging stations will be located at the Austin Convention Center, the SXSW Trade Show Meet Up Pavilion and the SXSW 2016 Artist Gifting Lounge.

It’s widely known that Obama carries a BlackBerry for security reasons, but he also needs to borrow an iPhone to send out tweets from his @POTUS twitter account. If his happens to run low on either phone, it won’t be an issue since our charging stations have Micros-USB, Mini-USB, iPhone 4, and Lightning cables that are used to charge iPhones 5-7. If you have a business or are running an event, contact Veloxity about renting or buying a charging station.

Big things including the biggest tech stories often come in small packages.  And that the case with the USB-C plug and port.

USB-C is an abbreviation that tech geeks and actually most people with electronic devices are becoming more and more aware of these days.  Why?  Well, because if your gadget or PC comes with “USB-C,” it means it has a new type of USB connector, one that device makers hope will replace the old rectangular plug.  And of course who wants to be square?

The A, B and C’s of your device connections

The “C” stands for “type C” Universal Serial Bus, as opposed to the standard “type A” connector and the smaller “type B” versions found on devices from printers to mobiles. USB-C is meant as a replacement for both types A and B, and it’s easy to see why that would be a good thing.

The benefits of USB-C are numerous. It’s reversible, so it doesn’t matter which way the cable is plugged in. It’s thinner, at svelte .2.50mm, compared to a standard USB plug’s thickness of 4.5mm. It’s also designed for both mobiles and PCs, which means no confusion between micro-USB and full-size USB.

USB-C is one size fits all

Like a universal remote control that’s the USB-C highly versatile. For example, the  Apple 12-inch MacBook uses the USB-C so there’s no scavenger hunt for oddly shaped Apple chargers.  The connector can also support DisplayPort, so computers don’t need to include a separate video out.

There is buzz at Mobile World Congress

With MWC 2016 in full swing, all the hype is about the latest hardware and gadgets. Phones such as the LG G5 & Samsung Galaxy S7 debuted and so did reviews about screen resolution, battery capacity. and features.  But what about charging ports?

The Samsung Galaxy S7 (and its variants) are charged using a conventional micro-USB port, a charging convention that has become a norm, at least for Android users. The LG G5, on the other hand, comes with a USB Type-C charging port. The LG G5 is joining the small, yet growing, club of devices which feature USB Type-C including the 12-inch MacBook, Chromebook Pixel, and Google 6P & 5X.

What about my device ports?

With over 3 million USB ports shipped annually, USB Type-C still has a long way. Companies are slowly adopting the new standard and eventually will replace the old USB 2.0 & 3.0 standard. As technology develops it only makes sense that the cords we plug into our new phones and devices are updated as well.

It will take a few years for Type-C become as popular as the current Type-A, but when it does it will simplify the way we work with devices. There will be just one tiny cable needed for any device, for both data and power connections.

Device charging solutions

Companies like Veloxity offer a full suite of device charging solutions to organizations and venues. Freestanding and portable charging stations now come equipped with USB Type-C cables.

The mobile world anxiously awaits for the world’s largest mobile electronics trade show to begin once again in Barcelona this Sunday, February 21. The 5-day event is boiling up to become one of the most anticipated mobile events of the year with LG and Samsung taking main stage with the releases of their flagship smartphones. Here is an updated list with what each company is expected to bring to MWC 2016.

 

LG World Mobile Congress 2016

After announcing a press conference invite for Sunday (8 AM EST), LG is expected to launch their latest and greatest flagship device, the LG G5 along with the LG X series and rumored LG 360 VR. For those of you expecting LG Pay, LG has confirmed this will be released come Q2. We are still hopeful to see the LG White Card announcement to follow with the G5.

Processor / RAM / Display – With 2015 being the year of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810, the New Year brings exciting times for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 to be the new norm. Qualcomm’s twitter post has confirmed the metallic unibody LG G5 will feature the newest Snapdragon 820 processor. Along with confirmed processor, rumors say it will feature 3 GB of RAM, 32/64 GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, Marshmallow 6.0 and a Quad HD display (2560 x 1440) between 5.3-5.6 inches, potentially being smaller than the LG G4’s 5.5-inch screen. The screen is expected to integrate an Always On feature and a secondary screen placed above the regular screen, much like the LG V10. This secondary ticker will have a resolution of 160 x 1040 pixels for displaying notifications or app shortcuts.

Camera – The G5 is introducing a 16 MP dual back camera for wider angles along with an 8 MP front camera. In the back, we can find the finger print reader to unlock and act as a heart rate monitor. Rumors have it is similar to that of the notorious Nexus 6P.

Battery – The 2800mAh battery is the most interesting as a Magic Slot mechanism gives you the ability for removable battery powered by USB Type-C charger. Can this be answer to low battery anxiety?

For more updates head over to Twitter: @LGUSAMobile

UPDATE: What we got from LG at MWC 2016 is what some would call a step in the right direction for LG and the mobile industry as a whole. Right off the bat we saw from the rumors that LG was playing with modules, introducing a new way to think of modular functionality and how useful it can be with the Magic Slot, LG Cam Plus, and LG Hi-Fi Plys with B&O Play. LG 5 full run down:

Samsung World Mobile Congress 2016

Along with LG, Samsung announced a press conference invite for Sunday afternoon (1 PM EST), it is firm to say the Samsung Galaxy S7 series is finally coming. Rumors have it Samsung Gear 360 VR and two new Galaxy Tab S3 tablets (8 and 9.7-inch) are to be showcased as well. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge (#TheNextGalaxy) is coming to be one of the most exciting smartphones with Samsung seeing much success after revamping their Galaxy series last year with the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. For the first time ever Samsung’s event will be presented in 360 live streaming.

Water Resistance – With many anonymous sources to what it can potentially look like, this video can be of the best leaks yet if true. A recent tweet from Samsung, gives us the impression it will have an IP58 water-resistant rating giving other phone manufactures something to look forward to.

Processor / RAM / Display – Samsung is no stranger to providing the best displays and we predict either a 5.1-inch SAMOLED QHD (2560 x 1440) or 5.5-inch SAMOLED QHD for the S7 and S7 Edge respectively. Samsung is likely to also have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 complimented by an extra 1 GB of RAM totaling it to 4 GB of RAM. Internal storage of 32/64 GB is very common nowadays and it seems like a microSD card slot would only be available for the Galaxy S7.

Camera – For the back-camera, we can expect an in-house 12MP ISOCELL shooter while the front will host a 5MP front camera.

Battery – The Galaxy S7 may hold a 3000mAh non-removable battery while the Galaxy S7 Edge will definitely hold a 3600mAh battery size (according to a FCC report). Both powered by USB Type-C charger. Color availability is expected to be gold for the S7 Edge and black for the S7.

For more updates head over to Twitter: @SamsungMobile

UPDATE: You are not alone if you think the Samsung S6 is identical to the new Samsung S7. While very similar, there are small differences Samsung made sure to address with the “S6s” like the camera hump, no microSD expansion, no water resistance, and bumpy body curves on the frame. Samsung S7 & S7 Edge full run down:

Sony World Mobile Congress 2016

It is yet unknown what exactly Sony will bring but we can assure it is something. Sony confirmed an invitation for Monday, February 22, morning. Since it will be at the Sony booth instead of a bigger venue, we can expect it will not be anything of significance. There is potential of it being related to the Sony PlayStation like a new wearable add-on.

Release of a tablet, like Xperia Z5 Tablet or Xperia Z6 Tablet, is doubtful since rumors say Sony will drop tablets this calendar year. It can also be the anticipated Sony Smartwatch 4 which is competing with the watches like the Samsung Gear S2, LG Watch or Motorola 360 2nd generation.

For more updates head over to Twitter: @SonyXperiaUS

Huawei World Mobile Congress 2016

Huawei has been a known player ever since its successful making of the Nexus 6P, Mate S and Mate 8. There has been no announcements for an official product release however; people are expecting to hear about the Huawei P9 at MWC 2016.

 

HTC

No announcements have been for an invite for any releases so we do not expect for any The HTC M10 is what everyone is waiting for and as the HTC M9 was announced during MWC 2015, we expect the same for the HTC M10. However, the rumor mill says HTC M10 will be announced later at an event in March.

The Veloxity Team will be sure to provide on-going updates as we hear more about #MWC2016 Visit www.veloxity.us for custom wrapped charging kiosks available for rent or to purchase.

Facebook’s Super Bowl feature Sports Stadium really didn’t impress sports fans with cell phones. In fact, users are airing frustrations on Twitter.

Facebook just Launched Its own version of Twitter’s Moments, but just for sports social giant hits the gridiron imitation game between Facebook and Twitter continues.

For many sports fans, simultaneously watching Twitter and a game goes together like salsa and chips.  But with interest in Twitter on the downswing and its struggle to add users and captivating features prompted Facebook be creative.

The battle of Facebook and Twitter for sports fans.

The two social media companies battled it during Super Bowl Sunday with new “second-screen” features that they say enhance the TV-watching experience.  The goal: Getting more eyeballs onto their services during the most-watched U.S. sports game of the year. And of course, score more advertising dollars.

Sports Stadium enters the field and cell phones.

Facebook tested its new Sports Stadium for the football battle.  The Zuckerberg company created a playbook to run sports chatter away from Twitter.

On Twitter, users clicked the lightning bolt icon at the top of the app and  were led to a section with a highlight reel of Super Bowl tweets. Writing “#SB50,” short for Super Bowl 50, in a post automatically added a football graphic to the message, making it more noticeable and easier for the company to sort. Tweets with “#Broncos” and “#KeepPounding” (a Panthersslogan) generate team logos.

That’s how it was supposed to work.

Things didn’t go as planned for Sports Stadium.  Facebook stumbled early in its attempt to capture real-time conversation during Super Bowl 50.  There were some major hiccups during the critical first half of the game.

For example, the Denver Broncos scored the first points of the game with a field goal at about 6:49 EST. However, Sports Stadium on desktop failed to show a score update until about 10 minutes later. Additionally, for some users, the desktop version said that the game started at 7 p.m. Even with all the articles that were written and shared to Facebook, for some reason, Facebook could not properly answer, “What time is the Super Bowl?

Facebook’s loss was Twitter’s gain.

Many users who tried Sports Stadium ended up turning to Twitter to voice their frustrations. Aside from having trouble staying with the action, some people tweeted that they were underwhelmed with the amount of actual conversation about the game.

Much of the problem during the first half was because of so many users.  But come on Facebook, you knew how many people use Facebook and are sports fans.

Facebook’s Sports Stadium is no threat yet to Twitter’s live event dominance.
Sports fans are constantly plugged into the game. But they aren’t just checking in for score updates or breaking news, they also want to talk about the game, check out action photos, and ultimately advocate for their team. They are watching TV and using their cell phone.

Keeping up with the action.

To keep cell phones fully charged, many stadiums and sports bars rent or purchase a device charging solution.  This amenity offers a clever way to ensure guest happiness, no matter which team wins.  Companies like Veloxity offer a full suite of device charging solutions for any bar, restaurant or venue to purchase or rent.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) predicts record revenues will be driven by smartphones and the Internet of Things (IoT).

In a press release from earlier this month, CTA (formerly the Consumer Electronics Association) predicts the U.S. consumer technology industry will see a record-setting $287 billion in retail revenues in 2016. That huge number puts the latest Powerball jackpot to shame, and is largely driven by what’s known as the Internet of Things.

If you’re not familiar with this term, think about normal, everyday objects that are embedded with software and form a huge network of devices that can communicate and be controlled by one another. An example is the Nest Thermostat, which can be adjusted with your smartphone. CTA expects the smart home technology category – which includes the Nest and other innovations like smart smoke detectors and smart switches – to have about $1.2 billion in 2016 revenue.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CTA, talks about how the IoT will help spur revenue: “2016 will be another great year for consumers. As more products become connected, we’ll be able to manage our lives in ways that weren’t possible even just a few years ago. The exponential growth of the IoT and the lightning-fast speed of innovation are key reasons we’ll see such strong growth across so many tech categories. Highly sophisticated technology is becoming more affordable and accessible – improving our safety, productivity and entertainment.”

Smartphones are considered the dominant sales category across the consumer technology industry. Shipments of smartphones are expected to rise 5% over last year to 183 million units. That means $55 billion in 2016 revenue – a 4% increase from last year.

Top categories like smartphones, televisions and laptops will keep driving U.S. retail revenues and lead to industry growth in 2016. When combining these categories with tablets and desktops, they make up 51% of the consumer tech industry’s revenue. Newer trends and technology such as wearables, virtual reality and drones will push growth even further. Shapiro said, “newer categories, continuing innovation and improving economic conditions provide additional cause for industry optimism.”

Smartphones can be used for just about everything from surfing the web, paying online bills, scheduling appointments, etc and they continue to take the #1 spot in our lives. They are the first thing we check each morning and the last thing we check before bed. Smartphones have taken over how we live our lives and will no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

One of the largest growing categories will be Virtual Reality which CTA forecasts will have a 500% increase in unit sales over last year. Revenues are projected to reach almost $550 million due to the anticipated release of several notable VR headsets.

Members of the Veloxity team recently attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, and brought along our phone charging kiosks which were installed in the CTA platinum lounge to keep attendees cell phones powered up. Contact us about renting or buying a charging solution for you business or conference.   Veloxity offers a full suite of device charging solutions for any setting.

Should cell phones be allowed in schools?

Cell phones have established themselves as an absolutely indispensable item for students in schools these days. Parents and staff certainly know that cell phones can have amazing benefits for children today. Nonetheless, allowing kids to have cell phones in schools has remained a controversial topic the past decade.

Here’s our take on why cell phone should in fact be allowed at schools:

Cell phones ensure a child’s safety

Believe it or not, cell phones keep children safe. How?

Easy and prompt communication

Cell phones have literally empowered parents to keep a watch on their children. One quick call or text message and you get to know the immediate whereabouts of children. Of course, there’s always the call home for a forgotten lunch, homework project, or change of after school plans.

Information and knowledge at your finger-tips

Teachers often complain about students playing and fidgeting with smartphone apps while in class. Additionally, some parents might label phone apps as addictive and “bad”. On the contrary, there are several apps that could be very beneficial for educational purposes.

Over 70% of schools have reversed cell phone bans and it doesn’t come as a surprise given that students use cell phones:

Alternative thought to conventional methods

Millennials usually get bored with the conventional methods of teaching and tend to be less attentive in class. As a result their academics suffer. Students with mobile phones find learning more exciting with great mobile apps.

A stepping stone towards professional Life

Right from ordering designer clothes, vegetables, groceries, gadgets, movie tickets to checking business mails, searching and applying for jobs, cell phones have literally defined a new dimension in how the various facets of professional world operates and functions.

So how do you prepare students for future challenges without introducing them to the cell phone use in school? It is crucial and important that school students get acquainted with the world of opportunities right at their finger-tips. This is the predominant reason why more and more schools across the geography are proactively working towards motivating students to carry mobile phones to school premises.

A practical problem: How to keep cell phones charged up?

Battery life is short lived. A charging solution for 1:1 technology schools, universities, colleges, and other campuses is a LockerPower charging kiosk. The LockerPower kiosk features individual lockers that can charge virtually all phones and tablets. Students and staff can stay fully charged and always connected.

The smartphones of CES 2016: Blu Vivo 5, Vivo XL Android, Polaroid Power and Snap.

Beneath the drones, news that Netflix is going worldwide and reality about Oculus Rift, smartphones are all the rage at CES 2016 in Vegas.

The Blu Vivo XL boldly launched at CES and will be available this month priced at $149.  Blu Vivo 5 boldy be going on sale in February priced for $199. Both  phones will go on sale via Amazon and BestBuy.com in the US. The company so far has not revealed any plans to launch the new Vivo 5 and Vivo XL smartphones in more markets. The Vivo XL sports a liquid metal finish and the Vivo 5 features have full metal design.

Both of the sexy new Blu phones have similar vital organs. The Blu Vivo 5 and Blu Vivo XL feature 5.5-inch Super Amoled display with a screen resolution of 720×1280 pixels and a pixel density of 267ppi. Both have Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection. Both are powered by an octa-core MediaTek (MT6753) processor, run Android 5.1 Lollipop, and are said to be upgradeable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

One of the biggest differences between the two handsets is that the Vivo 5 features 3GB of RAM and comes with 32GB inbuilt storage, while the Vivo XL packs 2GB of RAM and includes 16GB of inbuilt storage. Both the handsets support expandable storage up to 64GB (via microSD card).

The Blue Vivo 5 and Blu Vivo XL both sport a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash while also pack a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera on the Blu Vivo 5 features PDAF (phase-detection autofocus). Both support dual-SIM and come with 4G LTE connectivity option. The Blue Vivo 5 and Blu Vivo XL pack USB Type-C ports, the highlight of both the handsets. Both the handsets are backed by a 3150mAh battery.

Polaroid proudly launched two new Android smartphones named Power and Snap at CES. The Polaroid Power unlocked smartphone will be available starting Spring 2016 and will cost $249.99.

The Polaroid Snap unlocked smartphone will be available starting next month and will come in three models featuring 5, 5.5, and 6-inch display. The company announced that the Snap will be for sale at MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) of $129.99 – $179.99 based on the different screen sizes.

Both the smartphones have been designed and manufactured by Southern Telecom, an authorized Polaroid licensee. Both the handsets run Android 5.1.1 Lollipop out-of-the-box and are upgradeable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Polaroid launched three Android 5.0 Lollipop smartphones starting at $99 (factory unlocked, without contract) at CES last year.

So many smartphones at CES.  Only so much battery power.  Companies like Veloxity rent and sell device charging solutions to keep devices fully charged at events and everywhere. You can also use the www.rewop.co app to locate charging kiosks throughout large cities.

CES 2016 will unveil tons of new smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, virtual reality, wearable technology and more.  The Veloxity founders and our charging kiosks will be there too.

Internationally renowned and the first mobile tech trade show of the year, CES 2016 takes places January 6 -9th, in Las Vegas, NV.  The 2015 CES was a record-breaking year.  More than 170,000 attendees from across the globe gathered to hear about the business of consumer technology.

Companies have been leveraging the show as the launch pad for many new products, innovations and devices.  And of course, a whole lot of buzz.

With the rise of virtual reality and wearable technology along with consumer demand for the smartphone features, companies surely have a lot in store for technology enthusiasts and the press.

Veloxity will be powering up the show with our device charging kiosks and checking out cool developments in the world of smartphones, tablets, wearables, new charging options and anything related to mobile technology.

What to expect to see at CES 2016:

Asus

Things are a bit funky with Asus.  They were going to hold a press conference on Tuesday, Jan. 5, but “due to a change in corporate strategy for 2016,” the company cancelled. Asus did say that the Sales and Media Lounge is still going to be available, so it’s safe to assume that there will be a couple of Asus devices at the event.  Good chance that their budget-friendly smartphones, laptops and tablets could make appearances, though.

Huawei

Huawei has gotten a lot acclaim from there impressive Google Nexus 6P and behind the scenes work with in-house chips. There have been a lot of rumors suggesting the debuts of the Huawei Mate 8 and the Honor line at the event, including the Honor 5X, Honor 6 Plus and Honor 7.

Plus, there’s whispering about a women’s version of the Huawei Watch

LG

LG is believed to reveal entry-level and mid-range products at CES. Some people are saying that there might be a follow-up device for the very cool  LG V10.  And who knows, maybe we will see LG’s new Tone Bluetooth headset and 4K monitors.  Of course, LG will have refrigerators and washing machines, X-Boom audio systems and projectors on the show floor.

Samsung

As much as one can pray, it’s doubtful that Samsung will debut the Samsung Galaxy S7.  However, Samsung is expected to include a couple of new tablets and mid-range offerings.  They are going to reveal their new BRITECELL technology along with some sexy digital cameras and televisions.

Sony

Sony is riding on the rollout of the Xperia Z5 to certain western markets.  Their focus seems to TVs, other appliances and, of course, PlayStation news.

ZTE

ZTE is expected to showcase entry-level and mid-range devices at the event.  Many folks are extremely hopeful for the Nubia Z11.  Maybe the Snapdragon 820-powered flagship will make an appearance.

Then there’s MWC 2016

The devices that don’t appear at CES will likely show up at MWC 2016 in February, so there’s always a lot riding on CES this month.

Meet in Vegas?

If you represent an organization or event that wants to keep customers happy, let’s meet in Vegas during CES! Veloxity keeps customers happy with device charging solutions for rent or purchase nationwide. Having a custom wrapped charging station will attract many clients to your booth to use the charging station.

Call (855) 844-5060 or email inquiry@veloxity.us to coordinate a demo at CES.

With the holiday sales boom behind us, retailers are being creative with post-Christmas sales in 2015. Most stores are offering deep discounts and perhaps device charging kiosks to kick off the all-important after-Christmas shopping season. The after Christmas shopping season is a busy one with returns, exchanges, gift card sales and using that cold hard cash you received for a Christmas present.

Retailers are digging deep to drive sales.

To entice shoppers to bring in their gift cards, help clear out inventory and buy in their stores, retailers are digging deep.  They are offering extended hours, attractive savings, layaway plans and very appealing amenities like device charging kiosks.

This year’s Christmas shopping season was largely a disappointment according to Forbes. Stores are hoping to draw in some extra revenue before the end of the calendar year.

Retailers are hustling to meet even soft forecasts for the holiday shopping season this year after the “Super Saturday” before Christmas failed to live up to its nickname, industry research groups said.

The last Saturday before Christmas often sets the annual record for retail sales, vying with Thanksgiving weekend’s Black Friday. In recent years, last-minute shopping has determined the success of the season, and a relatively weak final weekend bodes poorly for retailers.

Super Saturday weekend sales were aggressive.

This year Super Saturday weekend sales in stores and online rose 4 percent to $55 billion, after a 2.5 percent gain last year, according to retail consultancy and private-equity fund Customer Growth Partners. That puts overall store and online sales from the start of November through Dec. 22 on track to rise 3.1 percent, below the 3.2 percent pace the firm forecast and down from 4.1 percent growth in the same period last year.

Best-sellers during the holiday season have included toys and home improvement items like appliances, tools, furnishings and home decor.  And of course this year was the very controversial hoverboard – which is it a favorite in the Veloxity office.

But, apparel sales plummeted as warm weather hurt sales of winter clothing and discounts on electronics hurt retail margins, even as sales volumes in the category remained robust.

So where are the deals?

Aeropostale: Get an extra 30 percent off clearance items online with code EXTRA30 through Jan. 6, 11:59 p.m. ET.

Calvin Klein: Save an extra 35 percent off sitewide through Christmas Day 11:59 p.m. PT with code DECEMBER35.

Carter’s: Take 20 percent off your purchase of $40 or more through Dec. 31. excluding clearance items or doorbusters, as posted by RetailMeNot.

Express: Get 50 percent off everything in stores and online through Dec. 27, excluding Express Edition collection, Express One Eleven, gift cards and some other items.

Foot Locker: Get 15 percent off online purchases of $70 or more with code LKS15D5T or 10 percent off online orders over $50 with code LKS15D5N. Free shipping online on orders over $75 with code IPFL2R52.

Hollister: Through Dec. 28 in Hollister Co. stores and online at HollisterCo.com, get 40 to 60 percent the entire store.

Restoration Hardware: Save 25 to 75 percent off everything in stock through Jan. 5.

Ask for a device charging kiosk.

There’s nothing worse than running errands or shopping and having a dead mobile device battery.  Many retailers have device charging kiosks to keep customers charged and happy.  If you are shopping and need a charge, ask for a store manager and suggest a device charging kiosk.  Companies like Veloxity rent and sell device charging kiosks to retail shops, events and organizations nationwide.

Apple might’ve found a cure to iPhone woes with its new extended battery case.

With the new $99 Smart Battery Case, Apple is catering to smartphone customers who value practicality over slender designs. Unveiled Tuesday, the iPhone 6S Smart Battery Case is the company’s answer to the enduring problem of smartphones that run out of juice far too soon for frustrated smartphone users.

Apple has finally decided to step into the extended battery case game.

Third-party case manufacturers such as Mophie have long produced battery packs for the iPhone, but this is the first time Apple has gotten into the game.

Apple claims its battery case is better than others because users will be able to swipe down in the notifications center to see the battery levels for the iPhone and Smart Battery rather than relying on a button on the case itself.

When you plug in the case to charge, there’s also a battery indicator on the lock screen that tells you how much charge the iPhone battery and the external battery have.

Unlike most battery cases on the market today, this one is charged via Apple’s standard Lightning cable. The case’s outside material compares similarly to the company’s previous line of silicone accessories, with an added hump sitting in the middle of the backside where the extra battery rests.

iPhone 6S Smart Battery Case is the company’s answer to the enduring problem of smartphones that run out of juice far too soon for frustrated smartphone users.

The case costs $99 in the US, £79 in the UK and AU$165 in Australia. Apple said the battery boost is enough to increase talk time to 25 hours, video playback to 20 hours and Internet use on modern high-speed 4G LTE networks to 18 hours.

Apple has a plan to address short battery life to the relief of iPhone addicts everywhere. But the company’s new case, with a bumpy design and a hefty price tag to match, has received mixed reviews. The case is pricey and iPhone users know that the design of the iPhone is always changing and might not want to spend big bucks when they know they will be getting a new phone in the near future.

Taking aim at the much-bemoaned batteries of slimmer smartphones, the Smart Battery Case for iPhone 6 and 6S aims to extend battery life to between 18 and 25 hours, according to the product description on Apple‘s website.

But the case has also drawn its share of criticism. The bump on the back of the case is a total departure from Apple’s trademark clean, attractive design.

And then there are rumors that Apple may release a new version of the flagship iPhone at an event in March. But meanwhile, iPhone users need to keep their devices fully charged. Organizations, companies and events buy and rent device charging kiosks from companies like Veloxity to cure phone battery woes for consumers nationwide.

A ZenithOptimedia report says that two thirds of people will own a smartphone by 2018.

Today nearly two thirds of Americans own a smartphone, and 19% of Americans rely to some degree on a smartphone for accessing online services and information and for staying connected to the world around them — either because they lack broadband at home, or because they have few options for online access other than their cell phone.

Of U.S. adults who own a smartphone, 7% are “smartphone-dependent.”

Many analysts say that 66.5 percent of individuals in key digital markets will have a smartphone by the end of 2018. In the meantime, Internet user growth is slowing down.

The New Media Forecasts report from ZenithOptimedia shows that in the 47 leading countries, smartphone penetration rose from 41.6 percent in 2013 to 49.5 percent in 2014. Data suggests it will reach 55.7 percent this year.

This fourth edition of ZenithOptimedia’s annual forecast report analyzes the current state of digital marketing in 47 countries, “covering topics such as internet access, media consumption and online behaviour, and forecasts the rise of internet connections and smartphone and tablet technology,” according to the firm.

Some interesting highlights in the ZenithOptimedia report include the fact that smartphone adoption is highest in Asia Pacific and Western Europe. Singapore has the highest level of smartphone penetration, at 89.0 percent at the end of 2014, projected to rise to 97.0% by 2018 (aided by the government’s intent to push ahead with its plan for universal Wi-Fi access).

“Across our 47 countries, penetration rose from 5.3 percent in 2012 to 14.8 percent in 2014, and we forecast it to reach 19.8 percent in 2018,” noted ZenithOptimedia.

“Hong Kong tops the ranking of highest-penetration markets for tablets, with 77 percent penetration in 2015, which we expect to increase to 91 percent in 2018.”  “The rapid spread of mobile technology is transforming media consumption and marketing communication across the world,” said Jonathan Barnard, ZenithOptimedia’s Head of Forecasting. “

Among the many things that we can do with our phones today, SMS is still the most-used app in the U.S., with old-fashioned voice calls remaining in second place.

Smartphones have become the fastest-selling gadgets in history, outranking the growth of the simple mobile phones that preceded them.  In eight short years smartphones have changed the world—and they have to really begin.

But, smartphones and all devices need to be charged.  Organizations, companies and events buy and rent device charging kiosks from companies like Veloxity to keep the rising number of smartphone owners fully charged. These charging stations are easy to use and make guests very happy, because whats better than a fully charged phone?!

According to Custora E-Commerce Pulse, most online shoppers continue to turn to the Apple iPhone or Apple iPad when placing orders from a mobile device. In todays society people are on the go 24/7 and are as savvy as ever. Just because they can’t be on a computer doesn’t mean they can’t get the best deals on the web. Smart phones make it super easy to shop online. Most phones have the ability to store credit card data so you don’t even need your card to place an order.

On Thanksgiving Day, 78.3% of mobile online orders came from a phone or tablet that was running iOS. Android powered devices made up just 21.5% of e-commerce orders placed by a mobile device. That is actually higher than the 19.3% share Android devices had last year. In 2014, Apple held a higher 79.9% share of mobile online sales made on Thanksgiving.

Mobile phones have become the device of choice for online shopping.

Even though Android devices own more than half of the U.S. smartphone market, iOS users are more inclined to use their mobile device for shopping than Android users. In fact, for every online purchase made on an Android phone or tablet during Thanksgiving, 3.6 were made on an iPhone or iPad.

Demandware, Inc., a provider of cloud commerce solutions, released Monday its Shopping Index for the third quarter of 2015.  The report reveals supports are online shoppers favor their phones over tablets and computers.

“Phones go absolutely everywhere. They are never more than an arms-length away,” said Rick Kenney, head of consumer insights at Demandware. “The tablet usually has a preferred spot in the house.”

Demandware said phones are the only device showing a rise in online shopping traffic and accounting for 119 percent of the growth in website visits to shopping sites. Tablet and computer use for online shopping is down, 1 percent and 19 percent, respectively, in the past year..

“Last year the preferred pairing was a computer plus a tablet. As of quarter one 2015, the preferred pairing is now a computer and phone,” Kenney said.

Adobe reports that $639 million in Thanksgiving sales came from mobile devices. On Black Friday, $905 million in sales came from mobile devices, and of that amount, $368 million came from iPhones, $180 million came from Android smartphones, $302 million came from iPads, and $50 million came from Android tablets.

ShopRunner, a members-only online shopping service, predicted that 85% of its members intend to shop on Cyber Monday, which will overshadow both Black Friday and Thanksgiving this year.

The ShopRunner survey, which fielded responses from more than 2,500 members, found nearly a quarter (24%) of its customers plan to shop on mobile devices on Cyber Monday.

With mobile phones the preferred choice for online shopping, they need to be at the ready.  Many companies offer device charging solutions. Veloxity rents and sells charging kiosks to help keep shoppers fully charged and happily shopping every day of the year.