Formula E’s Spark-Renault SRT_01E electric racer makes its official public debut in Las Vegas

Sure, we’ve already heard about Formula E’s car being tested and detailed as it progresses towards its inaugural season, we haven’t yet had opportunity to get cozy-like. The fledgling race series chose Las Vegas and CES 2014 to give the public its first proper demo and peek at the car and we simply couldn’t miss the chance. As a primer, if you’ve missed the other announcements, the SRT_01E is an all-electric car producing 200kW — that’s roughly 270 HP — with the motor, gearbox and electrics designed by McLaren, batteries and management systems by Williams, tires by Michelin, monocoque chassis by Dallara and all integrated by Renault.

So what do we think? Well, with the shopping list of F1 teams above how could it not be fantastic? Of course, the proof will be in the sport’s uptake as it starts its maiden season next fall. In the interim, have a listen as the car does donuts in Lucas di Grassi’s — wearing a helmet with a very similar design to his Formula 1 days — capable hands in a parking lot in beautiful Las Vegas.

Richard Lawler contributed to this report

Filed under: Transportation

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A closer look at TCL and Hisense’s Roku TVs

It’s only been hours since the little black box maker introduced Roku-loaded TVs and now we’re getting our first look at a few sample sets from Hisense and TCL. The sets we saw were of the 48 to 55-inch variety and were all accompanied by standard Roku remotes. The company’s representative pointed out that we can expect the standard 20-button remote, with different manufacturers controlling the overall design. The 48-inch TCL set that we saw has a 1080p, 60Hz display and contained a Sigma UXL processor. Roku has yet to release pricing details, but said we will be seeing that closer to launch. For a closer look, check out the gallery below.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD

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Epson introduces new Moverio glasses with head-motion tracking and camera

Everybody knows about those other smart glasses, but they’re certainly not the only ones making a big fuss these days. Epson has been working on a similar product called the Moverio BT-100, for the last few years, and it’s ready to show off the next iteration of its signature wearable at CES. This one, the BT-200, will retail for the same $700 price point as the original, and comes with Android 4.0 support and a few new features and capabilities: Bluetooth 3.0 support, head-motion tracking aided by sensors and Dolby Digital Plus for surround sound are among the new options. Also, there’s a front-facing camera with image and video capture, but bystanders won’t need to worry about asking you if you’re filming them — an LED lights up on the lower left corner anytime you’re trying to capture precious moments.

But how does it look inside the glasses? Thanks to a pair of tiny transparent displays built into the glasses, you can view movies, play games, do augmented reality and conduct other tasks while walking around, talking to other people or any other normal activity. It comes with an Android device attached that doesn’t actually feature a touchscreen; rather, it acts like a mouse of sorts, mimicking your movements on the display and letting you drag the cursor around to wherever you want. It also features wireless mirroring, so other people can watch you fall flat on your virtual face on a HDTV. Sound good to you? Check out our full gallery of images and save up $700 before March.

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Epson’s Pulsense fitness wearables can measure your pulses, of course (hands-on)

Epson, for better or worse, is best known for printers and projectors. However, it has been known to dabble in wearables, like its Moverio head-mounted displays, and even the occasional GPS watch. Now at CES 2014, the company is going up against the likes of Fitbit and Basis (and the rest) with a duo of fitness-focused watches. Called Pulsense, the wristbands are designed to monitor your heart rate, activity levels, calories burned and sleep patterns based on Epson’s patented biosensors and internal accelerometer. The initial launch of Pulsense consists of two models: the Pulsense PS-100 and the PS-500. The PS-100 is just a simple LED bracelet, while the PS-500 has an LCD display that lets you read (at least a little bit of) fitness data on the go.

Among other things, the aforementioned bio sensors are able to measure your heartbeat by the amount of light reflected from red blood cells, and find out calories burned based on personal info like age and gender. There’s also built-in memory, which means the watches can store about 480 hours of data before having to be offloaded to either an app or a PC. Additionally, each Pulsense wristband has a 3-in-1 proprietary chip that promises faster processing, a thinner profile and better battery life. Other features include heart rate-based “zone training” so those looking to shed extra pounds or get a bit more of an aerobic exercise can get additional guidance.

Both watches will ship starting during summer 2014. The PS-100 will be available for $129, while the PS-500 will cost $199. Those deciding to pick Epson’s fitness wearables over the increasingly tough competition will apparently be able to pre-order one starting today. We’ve added a few impressions after the break.

Between the two wearables, it’s the screen-less PS-100 that seemed like a more sensible bet. The watch doesn’t look premium enough. We know it’s a $200 device, but the screen looks like pulse monitors of yesteryear, and the plastic casing puts it roughly on par with the original Pebble, which is $150 and, just as importantly, holding on to a bigger mindshare, important when there’s just so many wearables. The LED band has a latch mechanism that ensures the band fits comfortably and securely, and you need it to fit snugly to ensure it’s able to read your pulse. We’ll be returning to Epson’s stand later this week, because we weren’t able to see how the companion apps worked — expect an update soon.

Brad Molen and Mat Smith contributed to this report.

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Source: Pulsense

MakerBot announces Replicator Mini 3D printer: one-touch printing for $1,375

When MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis hit the CES stage today, he was joined by three tall, somewhat ominous black boxes (along with, strangely, acoustic versions of Goo Goo Dolls and Stone Temple Pilots hits). After reminiscing about just how far the company has come in its past five CES appearances, the big unveiling commenced. The first box in the middle was the Replicator Mini. The printer, Pettis noted, is roughly the same size as the company’s original Cupcake printer — albeit a lot more powerful. It’s also much more user-friendly, with a single-button experience. “If I was announcing cameras today,” he added, “this would be the point-and-shoot.” Pettis added that the printer has been “years in the making,” getting the device “just how we wanted it.” The Mini works with PLA and has built-in WiFi, so you can connect it directly to your devices for printing.

There’s also, interestingly, an on-board camera, which offers up print monitoring with photos you can share with your social networks via the aforementioned WiFi. Inside, you’ll find a “Smart Extruder,” which snaps on and off magnetically, for easier filament loading. And when it runs out of plastic, the printing just pauses. The printer will run $1,375 when it starts shipping in spring of this year.

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MakerBot announces a new Replicator: a connected 3D printer for $2,899

You heard all about the new Replicator Mini, right? Well, MakerBot’s got a new “prosumer” machine to go along with it. “We didn’t call it the Replicator 3,” CEO Bre Pettis explained about the device, which breaks with the naming conventions of its predecessor. The build volume has increased by 11 percent over the Replicator 2, and the printer can create objects with resolution as small as 100 microns. As with the Mini, the new Replicator was built for PLA plastic. When you run out, the Replicator will actually send you a message to let you know. There’s a 3.5-inch color LCD on the printer and a dial to navigate around it that was “modeled on high-end stereo equipment.” The display will tell you, among other things, how much time you have left to print.

There are connectors for USB and Ethernet, as well as built-in WiFi for printing from third-party devices. As with the Mini, there’s an on-board camera for sharing build pictures. Both devices also feature the “Smart Extruder,” which snaps on and off magnetically. The build platform, meanwhile has a light that indicates when it’s leveled during the setup process. The third Replicator is up for pre-order right this minute for $2,899. It starts shipping next month. You can find an officially video announcement after the break.

Filed under: Peripherals

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MakerBot unveils the extra-large Replicator Z18 3D printer

As for hardware reveal number three at today’s MakerBot press conference at CES: This one’s a biggie — quite literally. The new MakerBot Replicator Z18 is a beast of a printer. The printer can do prints up to 12 x 12 x 18 inches, the latter number being is how the device got its name — it can print up to 18 inches in the Z axis. All together that’s 2,592 cubic inches of printing space. “This is industrial-strength 3D printing,” Pettis explained. Feature-wise, you’ve got the same color display and USB/Ethernet/WiFi connectivity, built-in camera and Smart Extruder as the new third-generation Replicator. They also share that delicious stereo-like knob that subtly clicks in to place. Unlike the other Replicator, however, this one is enclosed, with a heater built in to assure more stable builds. Heating up that large of a space means it takes a little bit longer to start laying down filament, but the quality should be worth the wait. The Z18 starts shipping in spring for $6,499.

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