At CES 2014, if you see past the
usual slew of new TVs and laptops, there is one big trend that’s received
hardly any coverage: Smartphone add-ons. While the last few years have seen no
shortage of smartphone cases and plug-in gadgets that provide additional
functionality, it appears that 2014 will take smartphone add-ons to the next
level. At CES 2014, just to name a few, we have seen an add-on that turns your
phone into a functional medical tricorder, a case that turns your phone into a
650,000-volt stun gun, and my personal favorite: a case that turns your iPhone
5 or 5S into a thermal imaging device.
Thermal imaging on a smartphone
FLIR One diagram. Thermal imaging
on your smartphone.Let’s start with the thermal imaging case, because let’s
face it: Who doesn’t love thermal imaging? Created by FLIR Systems, the FLIR
One is the first consumer-oriented thermal imaging system for a smartphone. It
comes in the form of a smartphone case that fits either the iPhone 5 or 5S,
with a planned release date of spring 2014 and target price of “under $350.”
Cases that fit certain Android phones (presumably the Galaxy S4) will arrive
later in 2014. The FLIR One contains a normal camera, an infrared camera
(thermal energy is mostly emitted as infrared), and a battery pack at the
bottom. It looks like it attaches to he iPhone via the Lightning Bolt
connector.
In practice, output from the FLIR
(forward-looking infrared) One looks exactly like the thermal imaging cameras
that you might’ve seen on the TV. In theory, you could use the FLIR One to see
in the dark, check the quality of your home’s insulation, to play a killer game
of hide-and-seek, or to navigate burning smoke-filled house (infrared can
penetrate smoke, unlike visible light). The FLIR One website says you can use
it to detect wet areas and leaks before mold develops — or perhaps to spy on
animals (or humans?) outside as they move around under the cover of darkness.
Tase would-be smartphone thieves
Yellow Jacket smartphone taser
caseIf the FLIR One lets you spot thieves and ne’er-do-wells from a distance,
the Yellow Jacket stun gun case is what you want for close-quarters combat.
Priced at $100, and again just for the iPhone 4/4S/5/5S, the Yellow Jacket is
essentially a large case with a built-in battery and two electrodes at the top.
When you push a button, 650,000 volts flow across the electrodes, creating a
weapon. Apparently the electrodes are sharp enough to penetrate clothing.
If you watch some video reviews,
though, it’s clear that the Yellow Jacket is more of deterrent than a disabler;
the voltage is enough to sting, but it won’t knock an assailant down like a
real taser or stun gun. As a nice aside, though, when you’re not using the
Yellow Jacket to shock people, the extra battery doubles up as a reserve
battery, doubling your iPhone’s battery life. It sounds like a Galaxy S4
version is planned, but no release date is given.
Smartphone self-diagnosis
One of the most exciting
applications made possible by smartphones is the tricorder — a portable device
(from the Star Trek universe) that’s got so many sensors that it can measure/detect
just about anything: Gas leaks, electrical faults, atmospheric pressure,
whether someone is lying, cancer, etc. Basically, with enough sensors and
software, there’s no reason your smartphone can’t become a tricorder.
Smartphone self-diagnosis
Obviously, creating a universal
tricorder would be an expensive endeavor, but Scanadu is getting the ball
rolling with a specialized medical tricorder. Called the Scout (pictured
above), you hold it up to your head, whereupon its sensors can measure your
heart rate, respiratory rate, blood-oxygen levels, skin and core temperature,
and other important metrics. The Scout has no screen of its own, instead
beaming data to a smartphone app. The general idea is that you would use the
Scout on a regular basis, allowing the app to track your general health and to
alert you if it appears that something might be wrong. There’s currently no
price or release date, and before it goes on sale Scanadu still needs to get
FDA approval.
Audiovisual and increased battery life
As usual, CES 2014 is also home
to the usual selection of audiovisual and battery life add-ons. For discerning
phone photographers, Izzi showed off its Orbit Pro case for the iPhone 5 and
5S, which allows you to position four different lenses in front of your
standard iPhone camera, allowing for macro, fisheye, telescopic, and wide-angle
photography. Beyerdynamic, on the other hand, is catering to audiophiles with
its A200p amplifier, which plugs into the USB or Lightning Bolt connector on
your phone and hijacks the audio signal — a bit like the USB audio breakout
boxes that have been common on the PC for years. Priced at $300, the A200p is
definitely for audiophiles — or perhaps for emergency DJ work.
Prong PocketPlugWhen it comes to
improving your smartphone’s pitiful battery life, Prong showed off its
ingenious iPhone 5/5S PocketPlug case that allows you to plug your phone
directly into the mains. Our good friends at Power Practical are also at CES,
showing off its new PowerPot X thermoelectric generator — a saucepan, with two
USB sockets, that generates up to 10 watts of power while you heat it. The idea
is that the PowerPotX lets you recharge your smartphone (or other USB devices)
while preparing a meal in the great outdoors. (See: How to charge your
smartphone and other USB devices as quickly as possible.)
Now that almost everyone carries
a smartphone with decent processing power and PC-like connectivity, it will be
very interesting to see how the add-on (peripheral) market develops over the
next few years. It’s potentially one of the most lucrative and untapped markets
out there — and where there’s money, you can be guaranteed that innovation will
follow. The smartphone add-ons at CES 2014 are just the tip of the iceberg.
Obviously, creating a universal
tricorder would be an expensive endeavor, but Scanadu is getting the ball
rolling with a specialized medical tricorder. Called the Scout (pictured
above), you hold it up to your head, whereupon its sensors can measure your
heart rate, respiratory rate, blood-oxygen levels, skin and core temperature,
and other important metrics. The Scout has no screen of its own, instead
beaming data to a smartphone app. The general idea is that you would use the
Scout on a regular basis, allowing the app to track your general health and to
alert you if it appears that something might be wrong. There’s currently no
price or release date, and before it goes on sale Scanadu still needs to get
FDA approval. 
Samsung AMOLED According for the CES tease, Samsung is also organizing a a lot more major renovate to the GS5. The particular Universe S4 ended up being a bit on the dull part because doing so appeared very like your Universe S3. These times the organization is obviously aiming to improve screen and also the sense from the covering. Samsung is well known regarding using slick, uncomfortable plastic-type material, and so probably it’s last but not least researching a top quality material. When it comes to display screen, the 5. 25-inch 2560×1440 AMOLED has been rumored. That you will find with regards to 560 pixels per inches, more than 100 over your Universe S4 and also 190 over your apple iphone 5S. PenTile doesn’t really subject at this point.
