When a better mousetrap is built, it probably will incorporate digital technology and it almost certainly will show up first at the International Consumer Electronics Show.
Of course it’s possible that Sony could invent a robotic cat to go along with its Aibo dog. But such a creature would probably cost even more than the $1,500 the company’s cyber-Fido now commands. No, tomorrow’s better mousetrap probably would require a hypersensitive electronic grid built into a kitchen floor.
The drop of a mouse’s tiny paw would occasion the transmission of signals to the house’s Ethernet system, which would automatically e-mail a warning to the homeowner at work, asking permission to engage the room’s powerful free-flow vacuum system and suck the varmint into oblivion.
No muss, no fuss, no mercy.
Anyone who considers this scenario far-fetched hasn’t attended a Consumer Electronics Show in the last two or three years. At CES, no concept is considered too outrageous, too outlandish or too absurd, unless it’s too expensive or impractical to appeal to consumers.
And of course, that’s what makes the annual convention so darn much fun. It’s the place where digital spaghetti is thrown on a wall to see if it sticks.
The best place to find unique gadgets at CES is on the fringes of the primary exhibition halls, in the maze of booths set aside for companies from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Asian countries. That’s where electronic devices come in three distinct sizes: smaller, faster and cheaper.
This year, a search of the Hong Kong space resulted in a remarkable discovery–one that takes the “rough” out of “roughing it,” and pampers the weekend outdoorsman.
Anyone who has spent time in the wilderness knows the perils of venturing too far into the unknown and not having the proper tools. Thanks to John Manufacturing Ltd., of Kowloon, much of that problem has been solved.
Setting a new standard for all-in-one camping accessories is Johnlite’s rechargeable Cool Man, which incorporates into its compact design a two-speed fan, cassette player, AM/FM radio, liquid-crystal display clock and twin fluorescent lamp. It also includes a siren alarm and blinking light in case a bear tries to steal the picnic basket.
On the company’s Web Boy model, all of the lamps and spotlights come on a swivel, while Weather Boy adds a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather-band channel and storm alert to the package. The Weather Worker Alert, which can easily be stashed in even the smallest of car trunks, combines a swivel spotlight, NOAA weather-band and AM/FM radio and toolbox.
Many of these devices are available in specialty stores like Sharper Image and Brookstone, as well as J.C. Penney, Sam’s Club, Sears and at www.johnlite.com. They range from $29 to $69, and come in many colors.
A stroll up the aisle of the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center reveals further evidence that luxury camping is here to stay.
The same suburban couples that believe it is necessary to have a Mercedes or Cadillac sport-utility vehicle (complete with rhino guard) for those harrowing trips to Door County will want to check out the latest gear from Coleman Co. (www.coleman.com). Among the high-end camping gear, all decorated in the company’s distinctive forest green, is a variation on Johnlite’s fan-in-a-lantern concept ($59.95), as well as a prototype for a combo first-aid kit and lantern.
But what really catches the eye here is the not-yet-available Coleman Coolbox, which takes the basic design of a portable ice chest, and adds a wet bar and stereo CD player. Alongside this deluxe cooler in the exhibit is a 5-in-1 TV Lantern (around $125), which also has an AM/FM radio, but, unfortunately, doesn’t come in wide-screen, high-definition just yet.
“We go to Coleman with product ideas, and we sit down to decide what makes the most sense from both the licenser and a licensee’s point of view,” explains Rich Romlow, of the Connecticut-based Polyconcept USA Inc., which also generates themed gadgets for M&M Mars, Coca-Cola, Slinky, Mattel and Hasbro. “We take the concepts, go to mock-ups and involve some of our key customers in the decision-making process. Then, after tooling, we go to the finished product.
“These definitely are upscale types of products, so they will go to a Sharper Image, Brookstone type of outlet. One of the directions Coleman is going is not just camping, but outdoor leisure activity as well.”
As for the idea of adding a two-speed fan to outdoor appliances, Romlow asks, “How many times are you outside during the summer, and want some air to circulate? We actually have a lantern with an ultrasonic mosquito repeller built into it … and it’s effective within a 15-foot radius.”
For its part, Coleman knows that roughing it has taken on a whole new meaning in these days of wireless communications and portable entertainment centers.
“These products enhance the outdoor experience,” says David S. Mitchell, president of licensing for Sunbeam Corp., which owns Coleman. “You take a product that most people wouldn’t expect to see at Coleman, like this Coolbox, and give it a Coleman look. It’s not something Coleman is likely to do on its own, because we don’t have the people who have this kind of expertise.
“That’s why we do licensing with companies like Polyconcept. They have the expertise to develop the product, source the product and sell it.”
In this same vein, a South African company called Freeplay Energy Group (www.freeplay.net) has taken the lead in developing portable radios and flashlights that require virtually no maintenance, thanks to a wind-up energy producer, solar panels and rechargeable batteries that are incorporated into the design of its products. The wind-up units provide a battery-free light and audio source when recharging isn’t an option.
A full wind–about 60 turns–provides illumination for about 10 minutes, and the device can be rewound as often as required. The battery on some models retains spring- and solar-produced energy and can provide 15 hours of radio-play time, when fully charged.
For years, Chicago-based Cobra Electronics Corp. has been providing truckers and other professional motorists with communications equipment. It also markets attractive, affordable and highly practical two-way communications devices–walkie-talkies–to families, businesses and outdoor enthusiasts.
With its recent acquisition of Lowrance Electronics, Cobra has a prime stake as well in the marine and recreational global positioning system and sonar businesses. Along with the innovations the company already has brought to the radar-detection and CB-radio market–weather-alert and highway-condition systems, noise-reduction technology, illuminated panels and, soon, satellite radio–the addition of Lowrance promises to make even more high-tech inroads with the more cost-conscious Ford and Chevrolet set.
“Cobra specializes in two-way radio communication, and has done so for years,” explains Tony Mirabelli, senior vice president for marketing and sales at Cobra (www.cobraelectronics.com). “Lowrance, on the other hand, specializes in GPS, marine navigation, SONAR and fish finding. On the Cobra side of this marriage, we now have the opportunity to develop GPS products for consumer use.
“With our expertise in two-way communications, it presents a great opportunity for us in the marine-navigation market. In addition to that, the business patterns of the two companies are exactly reversed, in terms of seasonality.”
For the average anglers who just want to know the best places to drown their worms, however, this corporate marriage will provide an entry point into the world of digital technology. No longer will anglers have to rely on mimeographed maps of the local fishing holes, supplied by some bait-shop employee.
At the Lowrance corner of the Cobra booth at CES, company executives demonstrated miniature computers that combined traditional fish-locator technology with state-of-the-art mapping software.
Virtually every lake in the country has been surveyed and diagrammed, with special attention to contour and structure below the surface. CD-ROMs provide updated information on lakes and rivers, as well as surrounding towns and businesses.
“Cross hairs take you anywhere, and then you zoom in,” Mirabelli says. “Not only that, but, if you find a cool little fishing hole, you can mark it on your computer. When you return to that lake, the locator will tell you how to find it again.”
That isn’t the same as picking out the right jig or spoon and enticing a fish to take the bait. But it’s a start.
Although none of this comes cheap right now–a really super locator/computer costs about $2,600–the natural progression suggests this technology could become available soon at a much lower price and on hand-held devices.
But yarns about the ones that got away, you’ll have to supply for yourself.
