The Wired Homeschool

The Wired Homeschool


CES 2018 with Matt Kamla and Michael Prince – WHS 222

January 18, 2018

CES 2018 has passed but coverage still continues. There’s no doubt you’re seeing many articles about the gadgets and gizmos from CES 2018 that will make your life easier or more connected.
Matt Kamla (a listener of the podcast) and Michael Prince from Family Tech Blog both attended CES this year and shared some of the things they were excited to see. In addition, I shared three things from CES that caught my eye.
From VR to conductive ink, here are the things we’re excited about from CES 2018.
Matt’s CES 2018 Picks
HoloKit is a low-cost open-source mixed reality experience, which includes the HeadKit cardboard headset and TrackKit software. With your smartphone and Mixed Reality apps, HoloKit provides you access to the world of Mixed Reality right in your hands, affordably.
Oculus Rift is the 400-lb gorilla when it comes to virtual reality. Kits can be quite expensive but the experience is some of the best you’ll find on the market that consumers can get their hands on. Kits start at $399 on Amazon.
HaptX, Sense Glove, and BeBop Sensors all introduced VR gloves that provide excellent haptic feedback for virtual environments. Prices for devices like these are quite expensive and many are not available for purchase yet. Look for tech like this to miniaturize and make its way into more affordable, user-friendly accessories.
Michael’s CES 2018 Picks
Botley lets children as young as 5 can learn to code with Botley, and with his advanced features, he’ll grow with them for many play-filled years to come. Botley is ready to use right out of the box – he’ll have kids coding in minutes. And that’s not all that makes Botley unique; he’s 100% screen-free, and the only coding robot that includes a 45-piece set! Prices for Botley start at $59.
Beyond Tablet is a smart tablet without a screen. It provides a tangible games experience as well as multi-player capabilities for children and their parents. Game maps and pieces are placed on the tablet to provide an interactive experience without the distractions of a fully functional tablet. The basic package includes 5 games and costs $199. Additional games are about $40.
Ziro enables building robots using non-plastic and eco-friendly materials such as cardboard boxes. Put your Amazon boxes to good use! Attach your motors to any material and see your creations come to life. Design and construct your robots out of any material you have available including pre-made starter kits. Kit are available for pre-order starting at $150.
Monkey Wearable uses beacon technology to create a wireless bond to your child. So, you can let them wander but ensure they don’t stray too far. This $39 wearable device allows parents to keep tabs on any wandering kids. It’s a lot more affordable than some of the smart watches for kids and doesn’t appear to have any of the tracking concerns associated with an always-connected devices. Of course, you need to make sure your kids keep their shoes on in order for it to work!
TimeBox Mini is a programmable pixel LED Bluetooth speaker.