Andrew O'Hara
ShowStoppers is yet another CES staple, and for 2020, AppleInsider was in attendance checking out more of the latest accessories that spanned impressive Mac peripherals, innovative iPhone companion screens, to new smart home accessories. Here were our favorites.
Brilliant
In 2019, Brilliant announced HomeKit support was coming to its flagship wall switches. HomeKit still hasn't arrived, but Brilliant says that it is actively working with Apple diligently to bring that functionality to the product.
In the meantime, they've released two new products. There is a new single wall switch that doesn't have a built-in display. It can be tapped to turn lights on or off, or lights can be dimmed and brightened by sliding your finger up and down.
They've also debuted a new simple smart outlet. Both of which can be controlled from the Brilliant wall panel and, eventually, Apple's HomeKit as well.
OWC
OWC had a massive lineup of new announcements for CES 2020, so we focused on just the ones that looked the most exciting.
OWC ThunderBay FLEX 8The new ThunderBay FLEX 8 is a massive storage and PCIe option for professionals that combines a Thunderbolt 3 dock, external storage, and a PCIe expansion solution.
There are eight bays inside that can house up 128TB of storage. On the front are two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, an SD card reader, and a CFExpress reader, all of which connect over Thunderbolt 3.
OWC Thunderbolt 3 Pro DockThe new Thunderbolt 3 Pro Dock has a variety of ports, including Ethernet, USB-A, DisplayPort, and eSATA. The back also has a switch to turn off that fan, which will run for 30 minutes before the heat becomes an issue.
Akitio Node Titan eGPUThen we checked out the Akitio Node Titan eGPU enclosure. This enclosure is easily accessible from the top and can be done all without any tools. It can house a full-sized graphics card and can provide up to 650W of power as well as charge your machine at up to 85W over Thunderbolt 3.
Speck Predisio2
Speck Presidio2 iPhone casesSpeck has long-touted its Presidio line of iPhone cases, and CES 2020 is bringing the new Presidio2 generation. The updated design retains the internal ribs but adds an air layer around the outside to add an airbag-type effect when dropping the phone. The air inside compresses and absorbs much of the shock when a device hits the ground.
CastAway second-screen
CastAway successfully raised a significant amount of money through its crowdfunding campaign in 2019, and they were at CES 2020 to show their progress on the device.
CastAway multi-screen iPhone caseFor those not familiar, CastAway is essentially a second screen experience for iPhone and Android handsets. The display itself is just a Chrome-based tablet that sits next to your iPhone. It allows improved productivity, such as the ability to disconnect the CastAway device while you are on a phone call to take notes.
It also can turn into a larger full-screen keyboard when horizontal or perhaps even a removable gaming controller for the iPhone.
At ShowStoppers, we got to hold their non-functional prototype to see the progress on the housing and magnetic connections. It felt solid — for a prototype — but we are still a bit away from the device shipping this May.
Matias Apple & Windows keyboards
Matias aluminum keyboardThe Matias aluminum keyboards largely borrow their aesthetic from what Apple has already done, but they fill in the small gaps that Apple leaves out.
For example, their wireless keyboard has the multi-device connection feature as well as slightly larger right-hand keys for the European market. They also have keys such as "Home" and full-sized arrow keys, but don't go as far as adding the number pad.
Apple also discontinued its only wired keyboard, so Matias once more steps in with a wired version as well for the users that require it.
Stay tuned to AppleInsider for additional CES 2020 coverage. Be sure to check out our previous roundups covering the best of Unveiled and the best of Pepcom.
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Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
14 Comments
why even show CastAway, it is just a concept mock-up just one step above slideware.
Not sure why so many people still put their money into crowdfunding, the success rate of real usable and supported products coming out of crowdfunding is very low. I heard of more people giving their money who never saw the actual product. The reason these people go to crowdfunding verses VC, VC will not give them money since there people can not articulate a viable business plan. It take a lot more than a good idea and money to being a good idea to market and these people are trying to cut corners.
I am looking for an outdoor camera with light and motion detection to replace one of my spotlights on the eve of my house. It needs to be AC powered with wireless communication. The location is hard to reach, so battery powered cameras are not a good solution.
I havent seen any systems that match these specs. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Wired keyboard!
As a whole, I really liked what I saw out of CES this year. Nice to see that Apple was back, even if that means absolutely nothing for us on this forum and probably for hardly anyone at the show.
It's a little odd to see automobiles at CES, but it also makes sense. It's very odd to see Impossible Foods at CES since it's not a consumer electronic in any sense of the term, so it makes it feel like how San Diego ComicCon has e"volved" into supporting anyone that wants to pay for a both.
The CastAway Case looks like a really cool idea. I know of many many uses for this extra screen and I really like the fact that it can fit several sizes of iPhone models. I could potentially see help for people that have to carry two phones for work and personal. Since reading this, I have read about it on the crowdfunding site and it looks like it has some very good progress being made. I like the fact that it can be disconnected or work together; isn't bulky, well designed, can charge your phone, has front and back cameras, a decent screen, can be used as a protective case, and can be used with Wifi or Bluetooth. My only fear is disconnecting it and losing it. Maybe they will add a beep alarm if it gets too far away from the host.
I agree with another comment about the crowdfunding of certain products. Many of those involved in new ventures and ideas have never been through the whole process of creating a product. The steps that appears to really foul things up are the concept to production process and fulfillment process. Yet, the CastAway team has been pretty good about transparency of the product workflow and any issues being encountered. Much more information is available about the product and the timeline for concept to production, and shipping to fulfillment appears to be well thought out.
It is designed in the US, but made China which means you are prone to delays. I wonder if the actual working model ever made it to CES. Apparently, there are working models to show.