Trouble in Your Tank: Implementing Direct Metallization in Advanced Substrate Packaging
It’s Only Common Sense: Storytelling That Sells—Stop Pitching, Start Painting Pictures
The Right Approach: Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6
CES 2016 Wrap-Up, Part 1
January 12, 2016 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
The Blaze, Fitbit's latest tracker, is aimed at smartwatch lovers. A number of smartwatches were introduced at CES, but this one caught our eyes. This watch focuses on fitness, as you would expect from FitBit. It can’t read e-mails and texts like the Microsoft smartwatch and others can, but this wearable device leans on style, with a dash of extra watch-type smarts. You can change its design, too. The center part of Blaze pops out and can be swapped into other bands and accessories. The Blaze is reasonably priced at about $200.
The first in D-Link's new EXO line of Wi-Fi routers, the DIR-879 strikes a balance between performance and cost. This is an AC1900 router (1,300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and 600 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band). The router features gigabit Ethernet for fast wired connections, a high-power amplifier for better Wi-Fi range, SmartConnect that blends two Wi-Fi bands into a single network, and Intelligent QoS that offers traffic optimization for Internet applications. It will be available soon. D-Link also introduced the Unified Home Wi-Fi Network Kit that consists of a Wi-Fi router and a range extender: the AC4200 Tri-Band MU-MIMO Wi-Fi Router (model DIR-891L) and the AC1300 Gigabit Wi-Fi Extender (DAP-1655).
Intel showed its next-gen Compute Stick. The new unit has a similar look and feel to the previous model, though it is slightly longer. This is because the new model has two ports (one USB 3.0, one USB 2.0), which is handy if you want to plug in wireless dongles for a keyboard and mouse, or any other peripherals. It's shipping now for a suggested retail price of $159 in the U.S.
Speaking of IoT, if you ever need to turn your oven on or off while you're out, Samsung has you covered. The company has added Wi-Fi to some of its newer ranges.
Dell's new Latitude Ultrabook has a couple of different options. The slim keyboard has full-size, backlit keys, despite being very thin, much like the keyboard cover on a Surface Pro. The premium keyboard acts more like a dock than a cover, with deeper keys, a better touchpad and a channel along the back that allow you to slot the tablet half in single-handedly. While I was very impressed with this computer and some of the new ultra-slim offerings from HP, the most impressive new notebook I have seen and used is the new Microsoft SurfaceBook. I did not see any on display but I did see some of them being used in the press room. (By way of disclosure, I just bought one and I love it, especially its power, extremely long battery life and very slim, cool-looking design).
Speaking of computers, check out the MSI Gaming 27XT desktop computer. It too supports a discrete desktop-class graphics card, grafted onto the rear of its screen. Origin's Omni ups the ante by cramming an Nvidia Titan X and an octa-core Intel Core i7-5960X into its all-in-one. I am not sure if I liked the design, however.
Again, in the IoT category, there is the new Kwikset Premis, a Bluetooth deadbolt that boasts compatibility with Apple HomeKit, the set of smart home protocols programmed into iOS devices. That means you'll be able to ask Siri to lock and unlock it. Kwikset’s SmartCode deadbolts and levers with Home Connect technology integrate with home security and automation systems, allowing the locks to communicate with other wireless products in the home such as security systems and home entertainment systems. Home Connect technology delivers convenience and peace of mind to homeowners with complete remote locking and unlocking via smartphones and tablets. When paired with most home automation systems, homeowners can receive text messages when their doors are locked or unlocked.
Cobra Electronics launched a new series of Drive HD Dash Cams for high-definition road recording and added security. Two new models sport 1080P full HD recording and ultra-wide viewing angle to capture as much of the road as possible, with the flagship model integrating Bluetooth smart wireless technology for added iRadar alert capabilities.
uSens showed off its advanced 3D hand- and head-tracking for augmented reality and virtual reality. The company’s 3D hand-tracking technology replaces the need for peripheral device support such as connected game controllers, cameras, and other input devices. It recognizes, tracks and learns from hand, finger, and head movements in the real world. This unit is not as yet available, but it is reported that it will be released by mid-2016. Again, VR and AR taking hold.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Advint Incorporated Brings Artificial Intelligence to Electroplating Training
09/11/2025 | Advint IncorporatedAdvint Incorporated is introducing a new dimension to its electroplating training programs: the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to providing PCB fabricators and manufacturers in the USA and Canada with training that is practical, forward-looking, and directly relevant to today’s production challenges.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Running the Signal Gauntlet
09/11/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonIf you’ve ever run a military obstacle course, you know it’s less “fun fitness challenge” and more “how can we inflict as much pain in the shortest time possible?” You start fresh—chest out, lungs full of confidence, thinking you might even look good doing this—and 10 seconds later, you’re questioning all your life choices.
It's Only Common Sense: The Evolution of Prospecting
09/08/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseCold calling isn’t dead. I don’t care what the LinkedIn gurus or the TikTok “sales coaches” say. Picking up the phone and talking to another human being is still one of the fastest ways to grow your business. But (and it’s a big but), cold calling is different now. The world and buyers have changed. You can’t smile-and-dial like it’s 1987, reading the same tired script, hoping the gatekeeper is too bored to block you. If you’re still cold calling the old way—no research, relationship, or relevance—you’re showing up to a gunfight with a butter knife.
Elementary Mr. Watson: Routing Hunger Games—May the Traces Be Ever in Your Favor
08/26/2025 | John Watson -- Column: Elementary, Mr. WatsonI’d like to share a harsh truth, and I say this as a friend: PCB designers are often their own worst enemy. It’s rarely the complexity of the circuit, the last-minute changes from mechanical, the limited enclosure space, or the ever-expanding list of design rules that send projects to the dust heap of failed boards. More often, it's our own decisions, made too quickly and narrowly, and with too little foresight, that sabotage an otherwise good design.
It’s Only Common Sense: 20 Lessons in 20 Years—A Career in Common Sense
08/25/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseIt’s been 20 years and 1,000 columns since I published my first monthly edition called “It’s Only Common Sense” on Sept. 5, 2005. I had only written 10 columns when I realized I couldn’t be confined to once a month. I simply had too much to say. So, on July 31, 2006, I started writing once a week, and let me tell you, that’s a lot of Mondays spent thinking, listening, watching, and writing about this wild, brutal, and beautiful industry we call the printed circuit board business.