CES is known for being the venue for major tech industry announcements, but alongside the usual array of docks, accessories, and televisions at the Las Vegas trade show are more unusual devices that offer something a bit different. AppleInsider spent time with a few of the off-beat products on display.
Romy Paris Personal Cosmetic Lab
Skincare company Romy Paris showed off its Personal Cosmetic Lab, a tabletop device that dispenses skincare products that are adjusted to fit the user's skin each time it is used. Compared to mass market skincare products, which can sit on a shelf for over a year, the Lab instead mixes together a formula on a daily basis.
The companion app monitors weather patterns, the user's sleep schedule, and food intake, with each factoring into the well-being of a user's skin. The app then determines which beauty product capsules to put into the machine, before the Lab combines them together into a custom formula.
In a similar way to a food diet, the firm believes people should have a balanced skin care diet, and customizing what is applied to the skin on a regular basis could help keep it in good condition. Romy Paris also advises the machine has passed French regulations, which it calls the most stringent regulation in the world in relation to makeup and skin care.
It is expected the Personal Cosmetic Lab will cost around $500 when it ships in the future. The capsules will be sold in packs of 10 for between $10 and $15, with the number of capsules used in each treatment varying between two and six capsules per day.
Caveasy One wine collection rack
The Caveasy One is aimed at simplifying the storage and management of a wine collection. The app-connected and expandable rack uses multiple stackable trays, housing up to five bottles per level, with the racks holding sensors that detect when a bottle has been placed into one of its slots, as well as the environment's humidity and temperature.
Users can take a photo of the wine label via the app to add it to their digital collection, with the app recognizing the label and downloading further information about the beverage, such as when it will be unconsumable or when it will be at the peak of flavor. The app can then offer up suggestions on what food to pair with the wine, as well as other similar wines the user may enjoy based on that selection.
The app will also provide notifications if the rack detects an issue with the rack's environment, providing advice on how to rectify it before majorly affecting the wine collection itself.
When a wine is to be consumed, the user can search for a specific bottle in the app, which can prompt a light to shine underneath the bottle, making it handy for large collections. Once removed from the rack, the wine can be automatically removed from the collection.
Originally an Indiegogo project and expected to start shipping in June, the Caveasy One will initially be offered with ten trays, enough capacity for 50 bottles, and will apparently cost $531.87. Other capacities are offered through the crowdfunding page, from the 10-bottle starter pack through to a 100-tray kit able to contain 500 bottles.
StarkBoard mobile-connected skateboard
Other app-connected skateboards we've tried have relied on a remote for control. The StarkBoard senses the user's weight shifting, with it controlling more like a snowboard than a skateboard.
An app for the StarkBoard display statistics like battery power, temperature, distance travelled, and speed, as well as controls the ground-effect lighting on the unit. It has a 10 mile range, and a 20 mile-per-hour top speed.
The battery is removable and replaceable in the field. A depleted battery can be charged to 50 percent in about 20 minutes, with a full charge achieved in 2 hours.
The StarkBoard skateboard retails for $599, and will be available in February.
Aveine Aveinologie app-enabled wine aerator
We don't drink a lot of wine at AppleInsider, but you might, or you may know somebody that does. If proper wine aeration is a major problem for you, then Aveine has a solution for you.
The Aveinologie "is the best of the new technologies serving one of the most beautiful traditions for new multi-sensory experiences" according to the company. It consists of a wine bottle cap, and an app. Scan the label with the app, and the software identifies the app, and instills the right amount of air as you pour.
Beyond the basics about the product, most of Aveine's website is in French. Pricing has not yet been announced in Francs, Euros, or in dollars.