The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) brought a lot of interesting technology to the surface. 

As we head into CES 2015 (The Consumer Electronics Show), lets take a look back at some consumer tech that caught our eye and a reality check. Some surprise contenders have won us over and some still haven’t left the manufacturer.

BLUMOO

The now $99 hub that turns your smart device into a universal remote and bluetooth streamer. But with remote giant Logitech having nearly the same capabilities in a better looking app, plus either a physical keyboard/mouse/remote, dedicated remote or both, it’s hard to still want to choose BLUMOO. The Harmony Hub product line may not include steaming audio, but BLUMOO can’t control home automation products and that’s a significant advantage for Logitech in the Internet of Things.

http://www.blumoo.com/

AIRTAME 

I was intrigued by this video streaming competitor to Apple, Google and others, but a year after debut, they are still tweaking. It’s not going to turn out well for them I’m afraid, as they are manually modifying each and every one of the prototypes. To effectively compete, they really needed to be in full production 6 months ago. Too many lower priced options out there to keep their $150, unavailable product in the game I fear.

https://airtame.com/

POWERMAT

With P&G’s money and the Duracell brand recognition backing them, Powermat Technologies’ $10 charge rings that can also be borrowed at Starbucks, started rolling out in November at San Francisco locations. However battery, processor and component improvements are changing the need and this stop gap solution may never see a wide spread rollout. It’s popularity remains to be seen, but with inexpensive and sometimes free portable batteries popping up everywhere, expect the lifespan of this device to be short.

http://powermat.com/how-it-works/

AUGUST

After a lengthy delay, August began shipping their smart lock partly designed by Yves Béhar. I cancelled my own pre-order after the company failed to ship by August after announcing further delays. Turned out they were preparing to stock Apple stores and Amazon. Aside from saving $50, pre-order meant nothing as many did not receive their pre-orders, but could walk into an Apple Store and buy one. Early reviews have been mixed and the installation reportedly finicky.

http://www.august.com/

OKIDOKEYS

Silly name aside, OKIDOKEYS which also appeared at CES 2014 flew largely under the radar of most tech journalists. Their parent company OpenWays is an experienced manufacturer that supplies secure room locks and hospitality software to hotels worldwide. For $200 on Amazon, they offer two different packages with 3 covers of your choice to match your existing door hardware, or a paint your own option. This truly easy to install smart lock does everything they claim, and can be opened by any cell phone or a NFC (Near Field Communication) fob, not just Bluetooth 4.0 enable smart phones with their $250 package. There’s also a Smart-Gateway option for remote operation and connected home integration, Smart-Gate openers, Smart-Garage openers, more optional covers, upcoming integration with Apple HomeKit, Logitech Harmony Hub, and geo-location unlocking additions. OKIDOKEYS is the only manufacturer to date that specifically states their product uses strong 256bit AES encryption, instead of just stating "same as bank encryption" or "a company secret" as competitors have.

https://www.okidokeys.com/