Orange County is very much a Tech County. And this week, a number of OC companies, from big firms like Vizio and Toshiba to all sorts of start ups, will be in Las Vegas for the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show. Since OC is home to a number of car companies, there’s a lot of new car technology that will have a significant impact on how you drive in the future.
Here’s a snapshot:
There’s significant new car/camera-based active safety features. For example, There’s new bicyclist detection technology designed for select Ford and Chrysler vehicles. As cars become more electric and use less fossil fuel, OC’s many semiconductor firms stand to benefit. The car is also becoming increasingly connected, as in Internet-enabled, through what’s termed IoT (the Internet of Things). IoT is also the heart of the new “smart home” where thermostats, ovens, and air conditioning units can be remotely controlled via the Web. There will be lots of video cameras, appliances, thermostats and more connected to the net.
It’s not just IoT, but wearable technology is transforming fitness technology from heart sensors, smart watches that monitor steps, calories burned and related physical activity, and even clothing that offers geolocation technology, various safety features and health monitoring.
There’s going to be the usual array of high end ultra high-definition TVs on display, high end audio systems, headphones and streaming music technology that’s simply astonishing.
One thing you can always count on at CES is there are more mobile phone and tablet case providers than you ever thought possible.
Liquipel is a Santa Ana company that had a huge presence at last year’s CES. If you want to protect your smart phone from having a shattered screen, you need their product. There are offering a new insurance program of sorts that if your Liquipel-protected screen shatters or suffers water damage, they will replace the device. Go to www.liquipel.com for details.
Interesting, I had some ideas that good helped the county and connected with the new economy. Instead of trying to get back aerospace companies that moved to South Carolina both Republicans and Democrats can pushed the excellent trade and shop education of OC had back in the 1970’s there is demand for solar installers and repair personal and repair of electric cars like conventional cars. Also, start ups have less to do with tech than in the past looked at Uber, a sort of taxi service. The county can promote small online business in high school and community college. To deal with the housing shortage a pushed to changed zoning codes for more pre-fab housing particularly in Anaheim and Santa Ana and more rural areas. Pre-fab doesn’t have to be all mobile homes lots of pre-fab homes looked more house like.