CES 2021: Gadgets business pros can’t live without

CES 2021 is in full swing with an array of gadgets being displayed featuring some of the most innovative technology on the market. Companies have unveiled groundbreaking holograms, interactive home management systems, and much more. 

Here are some of the gadgets at CES 2021 that business pros will not be able to live without.

SEE: Gartner’s top tech predictions for 2021 (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

G-Technology ArmorLock Encrypted NVMe SSD

Security has become one of the keys to any technology now that multiple attacks and breaches are announced on a daily basis. To address the dire need for beefed-up security, Western Digital unveiled the G-Technology ArmorLock encrypted NVMe SSD, which offers users up to 1000 MB/s read/write speeds through a SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps interface and “zero knowledge” security features.

The drive can be unlocked wirelessly straight from your smartphone using the ArmorLock app and can even let you give multiple people access to different drives. By using biometric authentication features from your smartphone or laptop, the app can ensure that access is always limited to those who have been authorized. 

“No more taping passwords to drives, no more encryption software downloads that slow you down. ArmorLock eliminates compromise between performance and high-grade security by delivering both,” the company said, according to the CES 2021 website. 

Owl Connect And Whiteboard Enhance

Owl Labs’ Whiteboard Enhance is the next step forward for digitally innovative whiteboards that can be used at offices and at home. The software used by Whiteboard Enhance was made specifically for both businesses and classrooms that already have the Meeting Owl Pro, which provides users with a 360-degree smart video conferencing camera. 

Whiteboard Enhance gives anyone the option to zoom in and increase the visibility of any images on their whiteboard, and with the Whiteboard Tags feature, even those without the Meeting Owl app can use the tool. 

Owl Connect also debuted at CES 2021. The software is built to work with the Meeting Owl Pro video conferencing camera, mic, and speaker. It allows you to use two Meeting Owl Pros at the same time for expanded video and audio features that can be helpful for larger meetings and classrooms. 

Tools like these have taken on even greater importance since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which forced almost all companies to go remote. As people return to the office, with social distancing rules in place, the Owl Connect can help users “comfortably and safely have more in-room meeting participants in larger spaces, while still creating an immersive meeting environment for remote participants.”

Vuzix NGSG

Vuzix Corporation announced a new set of smart glasses called Vuzix NGSG, which the company said brings together features you would find in both a smartphone and smartwatch.

The modern glasses allow users to connect to the internet without using your hands at all and offers a 3D display while you look out into the real world. The glasses respond to voice controls or hand gestures, allowing you to keep your smartphones in your bag or pocket. 

“NGSG allows you to stay connected with your surroundings and with the digital world as if they were merged into one space,” the company said in a statement. 

Vuzix NGSG was an honoree selection in CES 2021’s innovation awards. 

Flexible Cover Window (FCW)

Many smartphone companies are working hard to release the next generation of smartphones that are bendable. At CES 2021, SK IE Technology unveiled their version, introducing the FCW, which they said is a “colorless polyimide with functional coatings including anti-fingerprint.”

The innovative FCW is stretchable, rollable, and foldable, making it particularly ideal for cars as well as IT departments. It is easily customizable depending on what you want to use it for and comes with a protected OLED panel. 

BOOST↑CHARGE™ TrueFreedom PRO Wireless Charger

Belkin International announced the release of their new BOOST↑CHARGE TrueFreedom PRO, which is a multi-coil wireless charging tool that allows users to put two Qi-enabled devices on the same charging pad for up to 10W of wireless charging.

There have been a number of wireless charging pads on the market for a while, but users often complain about a lack of functionality or the need to perfectly place a device in the right spot in order for it to fully charge. 

With the BOOST↑CHARGE TrueFreedom PRO, Belkin said a device can be placed “liberally” on the pad and can easily charge multiple devices on its wide surface space. 

eufy Security Smart Lock Touch&WIFi

Anker Innovations’ eufy Security Smart Lock Touch&WIFi comes with a variety of new features that range from built-in Wi Fi, a year-long battery life, IP65 weatherproofing and 3D fingerprint recognition that unlocks in less than two seconds.

The smart door lock has a multitude of ways to be unlocked, including a digital button pad, physical keys locks, Bluetooth access, Wi-Fi remote controls, as well as fingerprint recognition, giving users a bevy of secure ways to open it. 

TAU

Rolling Square debuted their latest keychain power banks at CES 2021 called TAU. The company called the 3-in-1 power bank the “smallest in the world” and added that it comes with cables for Lightning, MicroUSB, and USB-C enabled devices. 

The company said it can charge nearly any device and has a built-in magnetic dock that allows users to stick it anywhere it might be useful, like a wall or the side of a desk. In designing the device, Rolling Square wrote that they wanted to tie the concept of the power bank to where people keep their keys. 

“Everyday, when we get back home, we set down our keys somewhere, on a tray or on a key-hanger. The idea is to exploit that daily habit to recharge TAU,” the company said. “So that TAU will always be charged, without having to think about it.” 

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