The 2009 International CES held last month in Las Vegas may have been a bit "downsized," but it was still a giant of a show, with way too much technology for any one person to begin to digest. Penton’s Electronic Design Group, which includes Mobile Dev & Design, had a team of editors and videographers canvassing the event, which included many significant products for the Mobile Dev & Design community.

One of the most interesting gadgets, the Neutrano WristFone, brings the Dick Tracy vision to life with smart-phone functionality built into a wristwatch. This product was particularly interesting to me because it represents the realization of a prediction that I’ve been making for quite some time—the comeback of the wristwatch.

The WristFone represents a great start for this renaissance. However, as is often the case, the battery technology is the weak link, since it roughly doubles the watch’s thickness. Future generations of the WristFone, the company says, should integrate the battery into the watchband instead. So stay tuned.

Several companies are promoting the use of magnetic inductance technology for wireless charging for mobile devices. Powermat, a new company, has developed a mat that can charge multiple devices. The system currently requires a case or adapter for the mobile device, but Powermat plans to work with the design community on OEM integration. The next-generation Powermat will be a smart charger, shutting down “vampire” power draw when there is no load to charge on the mat.

M2M Communications, another hot technology, is making inroads in the consumer marketplace via home automation systems like the one demonstrated by Eaton. The company’s Home Alert uses sensors around the house to monitor motion, temperature, power use, water leaks, and more. So now, your cell phone can tell you if you remembered to turn off the coffee pot when you left the house!

Coupling local wireless communications with Internet connectivity, the system can send alerts to home owners via SMS messaging. Then, the Eaton system even allows the homeowner to remotely control the system via PC or cell phone, for example, allowing homeowners to activate and shut off the water main remotely.

Other CES trends with an impact on the mobile design space include:

• Enabling the cell phone, via IR or Wi-Fi, to be a remote control for home automation and media setups
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  Pico projectors like those based on TI’s DLP technology
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  The emergence of OLED displays
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  Accelerometers in more handsets for gaming and control
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  Emergence of the Bluetooth ultra-low-power standard, leading to more personal-area networks with standardized interfaces
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  GPS chips are also being integrated into more products, from cameras to handsets, making more products location aware

Electronic Design video coverage of CES 2009

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