CES 2014

Two new items from Digital Innovations caught my eye at CES2014. The first was the company’s new antimicrobial formulation for its line of ScreenDr. portable screen and device cleaner. The new cleaner includes antimicrobial ingredients that “stab” bacteria to kill them rather than employ a resistance-building antibiotic ingredient. The fluid in the Screen Dr. cleans the surface of your portable device or flat-screen TV and helps prevent the re-growth of bacteria and microorganisms on the treated surface. The patented all-in-one bottle/cap/cloth holder design is extremely convenient, too. Two ounce bottles are available for $9.99. Five ounce bottles are available for $14.99. Nine ounce bottles – ideally suited for use on large-screen displays – sell for $19.99. The Digital Innovations folks say that the best value is the combo pack containing a two-ounce and a five-ounce bottle for $19.99. Also available from Digital Innovations is the cleverly designed Nest Earbud Case that quickly stores earbud cables and allows them to be removed tangle-free with a single pull. The soft, flexible silicone case is available in blue, pink, and green for $9.99.

You wouldn’t think that an ultra-fast 3-port USB hub would be exciting enough to write about, but Innergie’s LifeHub is special because it looks fantastic and has multiple features that make the LifeHub one of the most convenient multi-port USB hubs on the market. The LifeHub has three 2.1-amp, ultra-fast charging USB ports plus s 4.5 meter (14.7 feet) power cord. It’s excellently thought out CableCradle Manager provides power cord storage as well as a stable, magnetized base on which the rounded LifeHub securely sits. The InnerShield Power Protection includes short circuit, over current, and over voltage protection; and the GreenSense Technology incorporates high-performance, energy-efficient, power-saving charging capability. The beautifully designed LifeHub is available now for $54.99.

"We knew this was a bunch of people who love music," said an appreciative Stevie Nicks about the Monstrous crowd at Fleetwood Mac's muscular 75-minute set, which capped Monster's 2014 Retailer Awards at the Paris Ballroom in the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas on January 8. The mighty Mac were the headliners for a night that saw Monster celebrate its 35th anniversary with style and class.

There’s been a lot of talk at the show about 4K – or Ultra High Definition, if you prefer – but no one is talking about how you’re going to move that signal from one side of your house to the other. Well, HDBaseT wants people to know that its technology is ready and waiting for the 4K revolution, and that it can send 4K video – along with full-resolution audio, control, Ethernet and power – over a single Category rated cable up to 328 feet!

Rapper 50 Cent signs autographs at the SMS Audio booth to promote his Street by 50 headphones. Available in black or silver, the $280 'phones have built-in noise canceling, powered by a lithium-ion battery said to last 70 hours when fully charged.

Portable Bluetooth speakers seem to be multiplying like bunnies here at CES, so it must take something very special to earn a CES 2014 Innovations Award. The speeCup managed to break through the clutter with a really great set of features, and a design that’s just begging to be in a cupholder on your next road trip or out on a bike ride. In fact, I’m dying to get home and try this one on my beach cruiser.

iUi Design’s Bass Jumper is an adorable little speaker designed to clip onto a backpack or parachute pack ready to leap off any building, antenna, span, or earth - the four elements that make up B.A.S.E. Jumping. A rather clever play on words, don’t you think?