PLUGHITZ Live Presents (Audio)

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 from The New York Times.

• Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) - The small screen is good in certain places, while the Echo Show 10 is better in other places.
• Google Nest Audio Smart Speaker - If you're in the Alexa ecosystem already, check out the Echo Dot.
• Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug (KP400)
• JBL Bar 2.1 Deep Bass - Expensive but solid.
• Chromecast with Google TV - Good for a Google home, but the Roku is better for others who don't have it already built-in.
• Wacom Intuos Wireless Graphics Drawing Tablet
• Ducky One 2 SF
• Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) - The hands-down best in the industry.
• Apple Watch Series 7 - Okay for Apple users, though we don't find it as a benefit.
• 9th-gen iPad
• EarFun Free 2 - Decent for the price.

These are some items that don't seem like a great deal.

• Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo - We would recommend an Audio-Technica AT-LPW40WN for quality or Crosley for the retro feel.
• Sonos Roam Bluetooth Speaker - The Altec Lansing LifeJacket XL Jolt is a better portable speaker, and the Altec Lansing GVA2 Live is a better smart speaker for the price.
• Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 - The Monster Persona sounds better for less money.
• Pixel 5a - At this point, only consider the Pixel 6 series.

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 from POPSUGAR.

• Infinity Mirror LED Wireless Speaker
• Amazon Echo Show 10

These are some items that don't seem like a great deal.

• Loftie Alarm Clock - $149 for an alarm clock is insane. Anything else seems better.
• Courant Catch:3 Classics Charging Station - You can get a similar (or better) charging pad for under $50.
• Urbanista Los Angeles Headphones - These days, it's not worth spending this kind of money on an unknown brand when you can get Monster or Sony for the same price or less.

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 from Autoblog.

• Hot Wheels Track Builder Barrel Box
• VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam
• Dr. Squatch Men's Soap Variety Pack - We also recommend Duke Cannon.
• DJI Mini 2 Ultralight and Foldable Drone
• Costway 12V BMW 507 Electric Kids Ride On Retro Car - We all wish we could have had one of these.
• Tamiya Volkswagen Replica RC Cars
• LEGO Porsche 911 Model Building Kit - In fairness, all LEGO kits are great choices.
• Hot Wheels Unleashed - A fun game with some wild issues.
• Kindle Paperwhite

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 for creators from The Verge.

• RODE Invisilav
• IKEA LÅNESPELARE gaming hand
• Elgato GameCapture HD60 S+
• DJI Ronin SC2 gimbal
• RODE VideoMic NTG
• Zoom H6 Recorder with Single Mic Capsule
• Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro
• Elgato Master Mount L - Be careful with this. When they fail, they're terrible - but generally fantastic.
• Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip - Fantastic if you're programming the lights. Otherwise, we recommend the Monster Smart Illuminessence LED Strip.
• Wacom One Drawing Tablet - In fact, all Wacom devices are great choices.
• Kanto Yu2 Powered Speakers - We can't recommend against these speakers as we're unfamiliar, but the Edifier MR4 and Klipsch ProMedia are both good choices.
• Adobe CC subscription
• Neewer Chromakey Backdrops
• Drop ALT Mechanical Keyboard

These are some items that don't seem like a great deal.

• LaCie Rugged Mini 2TB External Hard Drive - ALWAYS avoid LaCie because of the high failure rate. A Seagate or Western Digital will do better and cost less.
• Sony A6600 Mirrorless Kit - We prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T8i.
• Shure MV7 Microphone - A good microphone, but an XLR microphone with an interface will serve you better.
• Peak Design Everyday Backpack v2 - That's one expensive backpack with nothing particularly special to recommend it. The Vivitar VIV-DKS-18 is a far better deal.
• Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro - Too expensive compared to Neewer SL80-APP
• Aputure Amaran MC Video Light - Once again, too expensive compared with Neewer.
• Keychron K6 Mechanical Keyboard - An okay keyboard, but if you want a great mechanical keyboard, check out the Patriot Viper V765
• Logitech StreamCam - The Logitech C922 is still the standard and the Razer Kiyo Pro is a better pro camera.
• Nanoleaf Shapes Triangle Smarter Kit - Expensive and less functional than the Monster Smart Prism.

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 from Engadget (via Yahoo).

• AeroPress Go Portable Travel Coffee Press
• Blink Indoor HD security camera
• Cosori Gooseneck Electric Kettle - An electric kettle is a nice addition to any office desk, but we would prefer to go with the Heatworks Duo when it becomes available
• Govee Glide Wall Light - These are a cool, simple lighting system. But, for a more advanced and less expensive lighting system, we recommend the Monster Smart Illuminessence Prism
• Jabra Elite 3
• Logitech C922
• Razer Kraken BT Kitty Edition - A fantastic set of earphones, including in non-kitty mode.
• Rode VideoMic GO
• Roku Ultra Streaming Device
• SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card
• What Do You Meme?

These are some items that don't seem like a great deal.

• Custom TikTok Sign - We disagreed over the perceived value of the concept, but the price made this a hard pass.
• J-Lab Go Air Pop - A $20 true wireless earbud is never going to be great. We recommend Motorola Tech3 or the TCL SOCL500TWS instead.
• Lexar Professional 2000x 64GB SDXC - SanDisk is the only brand of SD card we recommend. Better performance, better lifespan, less money.
• Nanlite LitoLite 5C RGBWW Mini LED Panel - Too expensive for an off-brand light. We recommend the Neewer Dimmable Portable LED Panel.
• Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 - These are decent, but we prefer the Aoycocr set, which is less expensive and more featured (when paired with the Monster Smart app).

We also mentioned an interesting product, in response to a photo on the article.

• NEAT Microphones King Bee II - We use the first generation in our studio and recommend very few other mics (product review).

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 from BuzzFeed.

• Chop Sabers Light Up LightSaber Chopsticks
• MUSICOZY Bluetooth Sleep Mask
• Chicken Nuggets Soap Set
• Adult Coloring Book
• Fertgo Garden Solar Light
• Shrek pooping toothpaste topper
• All I Do Is Win candle
• Personalized Chalkboard Ceramic Coffee Mug
• VOBAGA Coffee Mug Warmer

These are some items that don't seem like a great deal.

• Sharper Image Light Up Electronic Word Clock - Despite the photo, these things are impossible for most people to actually read.
• ALEXTINA Stainless Steel Spinner Ring
• Home & Office Timer with Clock
• Rainbow Scratch Off Notes Set

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Here are the products we thought were the most interesting from the Holiday Gift Guide 2021 for Tweens from Toy Insider.

• Among Us Official Toikido Yume 16-Inch Super-Soft Squishy Plush Toy
• Artie Max The Coding, Drawing Robot
• HEXBUG BattleBots Arena MAX
• Game Builder Garage - Nintendo Switch
• HEXBUG HEXMODS Pro Series Elite Raceway
• Mario Party Superstars - Nintendo Switch
• NERF Elite 2.0 Flipshots Flip-32 Blaster
• Snap Circuits Code Journey
• Smartivity Pinball Machine
• Tetris Head-To-Head Strategy Game
• HEXBUG VEX Robotics Excavator

These are some items that don't seem like a great deal.

• Coding Charms, 15 Science Experiments, Coding for Kids - This appears to actually just be a crafting toy, though it claims to teach coding while making keychains.
• Tamagotchi Pix - These things are worse than a drum kit. You will certainly regret this purchase.
• Tiny TV Classics - A tiny TV with clips of your favorite shows. Which are all available on streaming. Why?
• Wrebbit Titanic 3D Jigsaw Puzzle - This seems like a disaster.

We also mentioned an interesting product, in response to a chat question, that was part of our CES 2021 coverage.

• Biohacking ORB

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Allante - also well known as Wolff - is the newest member and co-host for PLuGHiTz Live! Radio. A gifted artist, he is usually found drawing up a character or two or sketching up whatever comes to mind. Do not think that he is not a hardcore gamer because he is about as hardcore as it gets! His favorites range from fighting games to RPGs, adventure and even a racing game here and there. Fighting games are his forte and he relays this message for all who oppose: You mess with the Wolff and you get the fangs!

Xbox Live - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Every year during CES, we expose a little bit of inside baseball about how our show or the industry works. This year, we got the opportunity to speak with Steve Winter, president and founder of Brotman-Winter-Fried Consulting. Steve has been a long-time friend of the Tech Podcasts Network team, and we feature several of his clients annually. This year, Steve brought us 5 companies: Cutii, Domalys, Publidata, GoSun, and Clean Air Zone.

But, as we have worked together for years, the conversation naturally went to the future of trade shows. With CES going virtual, we experienced new problems. Depending on the length of the lockdowns, there is a possibility of a lot more like this. Different events are planning to address them in different ways. Some are looking to follow CES's lead. Others are looking for virtual equivalents of physical shows. Both have their ups and downs, and only time will tell which works best. Fortunately for us, the way CES decided to handle virtualization worked well. However, exhibitors might have preferred a closer to traditional representation.

One thing we noticed was that there was a lot less news during CES 2021. Steve pointed out that, under a normal CES there are around 4200 exhibitors. This year, the number was just under 2000. With fewer exhibitors, you can expect less news. But, we saw more than a 50% decrease. This suggested to Todd that those who were participating were not taking it as seriously as in years past. Steve points out that, with so many unknowns, companies spent extra time preparing their presentations. Todd and Steve present an inside view of the future of conferences, with decades of experience between them.

To learn more about Steve's work or to engage his PR services, head over to the Brotman-Winter-Fried Consulting website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central.

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Virtual reality, and its flat-screen equivalent, have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. One of the places that we have seen this technology take a strong position has been in real estate. The ability to virtually explore a new house, apartment, or condo ahead of a visit can help prevent spending time seeing a place that doesn't fit your needs. iStaging started in that space, but has recognized a new need and is applying its technology to this new market.

The new market in need of virtual space technology is trade shows, like CES itself. Some shows have taken a simplistic approach, where it's more like browsing a standard website. Some shows, though, have looked to keep the feeling of an in-person event while still being virtual. That is where iStaging's new offering is really standing out. The app creates virtual meeting venues and experiences by putting control in the hands of the owner.

The system is designed to give full control to the conference owners. There are no hard and fast pre-existing layouts that you are forced to conform to, making it different from in-person events. You can create DaVinci-era open-air amphitheaters for presentations. You can create custom presentation spaces for each exhibitor. You can even create a virtual meet-and-greet area, where people can walk around and meet other attendees. In fact, you could even create a "chill zone" featuring music, artwork, and more.

Obviously, nothing is going to replicate the feeling and energy of a traditional conference in every way. However, with technology like iStaging's virtual expo venues, we can get as close as possible. If you are planning a virtual event and are looking for a VR-style experience, you can learn more about features, processes, and pricing by heading to the iStaging website.

Interview by Christopher Jordan of The Talking Sound.

Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.

Cassie Gong, Overseas PR Manager for RoboSense, was at CES 2021 to share the company's latest developments in LiDAR technology.

Founded in 2014, RoboSense (Suteng Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.) is the leading provider of Smart LiDAR Sensor Systems. The systems incorporate LiDAR sensors, AI algorithms, and IC chipsets that transform conventional 3D LiDAR sensors into full data analysis and comprehension systems. The company's mission is to develop outstanding hardware and artificial intelligence capabilities to provide smart solutions that enable robots (including vehicles) to have superior perception capabilities.

The RoboSense product line includes various Smart LiDAR perception system solutions, including the MEMS and Mechanical types LiDAR HWs, fusion HW unit, and AI-based fusion systems. At CES, the company announced the SOP version of their automotive grade high-performance solid-state LiDAR, which is also the world's first mass-production ready solid-state automotive LiDAR. The solid-state system, says Gong, serves the critical automotive industry need to achieve large-scale commercialization of autonomous vehicles with a new generation of high precision 3D environmental sensing.

The high resolution, high reliability, and low cost of the system make it attractive to the automotive industry, as does the fact that MEMS technology has been long used by companies like Texas Instruments for a long time, making it a mature technology in terms of therefore it is very mature in terms of production, cost, and performance

RoboSense technology has earned the AutoSens Award, Audi Innovation Lab Champion, and the CES Innovation Award twice. To date, RoboSense LiDAR systems have been widely applied to autonomous driving passenger cars, RoboTaxi, RoboTruck, RoboBus, automated logistics vehicles, and intelligent road by domestic and international autonomous driving technology companies, OEMs, and Tier1 suppliers.

The company expects to be able to get the cost of their solid-state LiDAR system to $700-$800 per unit, with the goal of getting it in every autonomous vehicle in the near future, to provide a safe and reliable drive. To learn more about the technology, head to the RoboSense website.

Interview by Christopher Jordan of The Talking Sound.