PLUGHITZ Live Presents (Video)

The party never stops while at the Monster Products booth at CES. On top of being front and center to witness the Monster Takeover, this year we had the pleasure of meeting Peter Miller and finding out which of the Monster products are his personal favorites.

Getting to know Peter was so much fun!! Sure, he's a producer, spokesperson, philanthropist, professional angler, three time World Sailfish Champion and host of Bass 2 Billfish with Peter Miller, but he's also such a blast to hang out with. We share his love of listening to good music on great speakers. Music makes such a difference in life, even when fishing. Not only to keep everybody inside the boat happy, but the fish also seem to respond better when there's a kickass bass boost in the mix (as in thump, not a new fish breed).

Just like us, he loves his Elements Headphones and Monster Blaster, but when asked to choose a favorite Monster product it was hands down the new S100-S400 SuperStar Series wireless speakers. There's a size and sound for every occasion. From attaching the S100 onto a backpack for they day's outing to getting the full dynamic sound from the S300s and S400s that will kick up any party, this line does not disappoint. And for somebody like Peter, the fact that they are wireless, fully waterproof, floating speakers with long life batteries that will keep up will all of his boating adventures, there's nothing better.

Take a look at the full line of Monster Products here and let us know below in the comments section which ones are your favorite.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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.

It's hard not to love Monster Products. From their earbuds to their headphones and Blasters, our team at PLuGHiTz Live could not be more impressed. Or so we thought.

Introducing four wonderful additions to the Monster SuperStars: The S100, S200, S300 and S400. This new wireless series adds everything we love about Monster into a versatile set that provides amazing sound on their own, and superior sound when paired together. All four in the series include Pure Monster Sound, are fully water, weather, and splash-proof (Rated IPX7), and include a superior speakerphone with echo cancellation. They also include Monster's own voice command system, MonsterTalk, which has the ability to access multiple music platforms, such as iTunes, Spotify and iHeartRadio.

Starting with the S100, which is a sleek little stand alone speaker that delivers your music with a powerful punch that offers 6+ hours of continuous playtime. Next up is the S200, and don't let its size deceive you. It delivers incredible sound that is simply heroic with crazy deep bass at max volume levels without distortion. The S200 delivers 15+ hours of playtime in its three speaker configuration along with USB Direct for full digital audio performance, and has quick convenient pairing with NFC compatibility.

Moving up to the S300 and S400's. Their larger size include features such as a 4 speaker configuration that delivers sensational Monster V-Sound™, a full-range driver (x2) and passive bass radiators (x2). They can also recharge your phone with the built-in power bank that offer enough juice to charge up to 2 devices simultaneously. And to make this series even better, the S200's and higher can wirelessly pair together as a two piece stereo set that is so bold, you will swear there's a third channel.

With pricing that starts at $59, you can get more information and purchase a set of your own by visiting the Monster Products website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

Daniele is a student at Florida Polytechnic University who is studying Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security. In High School, she was introduced to the science and technology world through the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a robotics foundation where students of varying ages can compete through tasks that their robots perform. With help from mentors she met through FIRST, she became interested in programming and developing. Today, Daniele is a special events host for F5 Live: Refreshing Technology and PLuGHiTz Live Special Events and a co-host for both The New Product Launchpad and FIRST Looks.

Mix up your game night this year with the newest, coolest game in stores called DropMix. DropMix is a music mixing game created by a partnership between Hasbro and Harmonix. The game comes with 60 music cards and the DropMix board that can Bluetooth connect to your device with the DropMix app. Each card has a large name artist and song that you have probably heard on the radio, but it may only be a portion of the song such as just the vocals, base line, drum line or strings. You can play the game by placing one of these cards on the DropMix board and the music is instantly playing through your connected device. Add other music cards to create a unique mix where the game automatically sets the tempo and the key that makes the songs work cohesively.

There are 3 game modes incorporated through the application. The Freestyle game mode allows players to create the sounds they want by navigating through their cards to find the mix that makes them want to dance. Players then have the ability to save their mixes and share them with their friends. The second game mode is Clash. This mode is a strategic game that can be one-on-one or two-on-two with a race to 21 points. Then there is Party mode, the fast-paced game that has everyone working together against the computer. The app will throw out quick challenges that require the players to be able to work together in a small amount of time to get the most points they can.

Get DropMix today for $99.99 and check out some of their latest expansion packs. The 16 card expansion is $14.99 and the 5 card Discover Pack is $4.99.

Interview by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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.

We weren't exactly sure what to expect when we were invited to take a look at MobileHelp's new smartwatch. After all, what's new with smartwatches? Not much, right? Well... wrong! It was a pleasant surprise to see the life saving technology that they and Samsung have built right into this exciting new wearable.

We are all familiar with the buttons that seniors use in their homes that provide an alert when they need emergency assistance. MobileHelp is the premier Medical Alert System that provides this kind of emergency coverage. While attending CES 2017 last January, they took a meeting with Samsung to discuss how to expand upon their life saving services while also making it more accessible and fashionable for everyone. In only one year, they were able to incorporate their technology into a sleek and stylish new smartwatch.

Not only does this new watch help their user base to become mobile outside of the home, rather than being stuck where their current devices are located, but it also brings these same features to so many more people. Safety is not just a concern for the elderly, yet most able bodied people do not want the stigma of carrying around a medical alert device with them everywhere they go. But when it happens to be an added feature on the watch that they are already wearing, that stigma goes away entirely.

The watch works like a regular time piece and also has a button that calls for emergency services if needed. When pressed, the button signals their central station that you are in potential distress and receives your GPS location. They then give you a call through the phone that is built into the watch to verify your need and coordinate the medical attention to your location. So whether you are a senior who wants more independence, or even an athlete or college student who wants the peace of mind of knowing that medical attention is just a button push away, this watch is for you. As a matter of fact, even the CEO of the company, who is fit and jogs regularly, found himself in a situation where he was dehydrated during a run on a hot Florida day and could have benefitted greatly from this watch.

The only thing better than having peace of mind is getting help when you most need it. Their tagline says it all... Stay Safe Out There. To get more information, click here.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.

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!

XB360 - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

Monster Products has a lot in store for 2018 and it includes what they're calling a Monster Takeover. This Takeover has one goal in mind and that is to tackle new technology that Monster has not yet attempted. This includes but is not limited to music based voice activation, truly wireless technology, and new car sound systems.

Voice activation is coming to the music industry in the form of MonsterTalk. MonsterTalk is an all new take on requesting your music at a press of a button and a verbal statement using the AI music assistant, Melody by Speak Music. Monster brought this technology to life by debuting the use of a new 4- button ControlTalk sole purpose of activating MonsterTalk. This voice activation gives you the ability to have a truly hands free listening experience with no internet required.

The AirLinks are also new to the Monster 2018 lineup being Monster Product's first truly wireless earbuds with a focus in sportswear iSport and the fashionable Elements. The AirLinks are equip with a strong Bluetooth performance for communication between the units and come packaged in a charging compact with the ability to recharge your headphones up to three times. The AirLinks iSport wil be available for $199.95; the AirLinks Elements will be available for $249.95.

Monster has one more major surprise up their sleeves and that is the product of a collaboration with Volkswagen in a new concept car that was unveiled on the first day of CES 2018. Monster created their first car audio system entertainment that has been implemented in the Volkswagen Concept R. At the CES Press Conference, Head Monster Noel Lee exclaimed, "Looks badass… and sounds better."

Find the right sound for you at Monster's website.

Interview by Daniele Mendez of The New Product Launchpad.

Daniele is a student at Florida Polytechnic University who is studying Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security. In High School, she was introduced to the science and technology world through the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a robotics foundation where students of varying ages can compete through tasks that their robots perform. With help from mentors she met through FIRST, she became interested in programming and developing. Today, Daniele is a special events host for F5 Live: Refreshing Technology and PLuGHiTz Live Special Events and a co-host for both The New Product Launchpad and FIRST Looks.

XYZprinting has experienced quick growth over the last few years and has now become the largest 3D printer manufacturer in the world. Their reach covers more than a fifth of the global market for 3D printers. How did they grow so rapidly? By focusing on developing high quality, easy to use consumer and business printers at affordable prices. Their aim to become a one stop shop for all things 3D printed has definitely paid off.

This year at CES 2018, XYZprinting showcased their new Da Vinci Color. This four color 3D printer comes complete with a four color scanner built right inside. At a price point of $4,000, this model is designed for small to medium businesses, as well as consumers who are professional makers/crafters. It prints with a color quality similar to your home ink jet printer and offers 16 million different color shades by using their new Color Inkjet PLA Filament. It comes with a gallery of files to get you printing right away, as well as with free entry-level 3D printing software that is designed to assist you with designing your own unique 3D prints. This new version of the da Vinci will be available in the second quarter of 2018 at their website and Amazon.

XYZprinting offers a full line of personal 3D printers, as well, with prices starting at $229. Check out some of the options currently available, some of which with reduced prices, at the links below.

da Vinci 1.0 Pro Wireless 3D Printer

da Vinci miniMaker

da Vinci jr.

Interview by Allante Sparks of PLuGHiTz Live Special Events.

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!

XB360 - Enigmatic Wolff

PSN - Tsukuyomi_Okami

CES 2018 Media Day kicked off with tech giant LG. The day began with I.P. Park, the President and Chief Technology Officer for the company. Mr. Park began by introducing the company's focus for the next, which all seems to focus around seamless integration of all products, but also integration of LG products alongside other companies offerings, as well.

Another big focus was LG's Thinq campaign, which focuses on providing a better form of AI for users, with a specific focus on tailoring the AI to that particular user, with an emphasis on pattern recognition. The pattern recognition algorithm provides a better AI specific to each individual user. With time, Thinq can understand that on Tuesday mornings you go to the gym, and can prepare the bottom section of your washing machine for a small load of athletic apparel the night before. It can also control other devices, outside of the LG ecosystem, though the open nature of the platform, meaning that if you own devices that are not LG, you might still have the ability to include the device in your smarthome.

Along with the tailored AI, LG really is focusing on compatibility of all of its hardware and software to provide the greatest user experience for all consumers who decide to go with LG products. Just like their tagline says, Innovation for a better life. If LG holds to their principle focus for this year, that may just be the reality for all users of their products. We shall see.

Video by Scott Ertz of F5 Live: Refreshing Technology.

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.

The world of robotics has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last few years. As a society, we are now use to seeing the large manufacturing robots that assist with building any number of products, and the warehousing robots that assist with pallets of merchandise for packing and shipping. We're even beginning to accept the notion of self-driving cars and drones delivering our packages and carryout. So, it's only natural that our robotic dreams take us back into cartoon history, when we all wanted our very own helpful robot at home.

Well, those dreams can now be a reality. Introducing Kuri, from Mayfield Robotics.

Kuri is an adorable and real live robot that has been designed to make your home smarter and your life a little easier. Not only is Kuri cute with emotive eyes, but he is equipped with sensors to map out and adjust to your home. He has bluetooth speakers on both sides that allow you to listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks. He'll even tell bedtime stories to the kids. There is an integrated camera that captures your life's special moments by taking videos in 5 second intervals. The videos are sent to the mobile app where you can like your favorites, which helps Kuri learn the kind of content you like the best. Also through the app, you will have remote access into your home while you're away, so you can check in on things and make sure that Fido isn't on the couch. And if he is, you can talk to him and tell him to get down, right through the robot.

Kuri is a great way to keep connected to your home and life at home. Check out their website where Kuri can be preordered now with a spring delivery for the discounted price of $799. The price will go up to $899 on March 1, 2018.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.

Travel smarter with the Electron Wheel. It will turn your trusty bicycle into a powerful hybrid e-bike that's ready to take you into the future of personal travel. The Electron wheel is an attachable motor you can connect to your front wheel that will give you a powerful boost while riding. This device can be fully installed in 30 seconds, without tools, to your front wheel and pedal. The wheel has a range of 50 miles and can reach speeds of up to 20 mph. A helpful aspect of this wheel is active hill assist, in real time it will automatically give you a boost when riding up a hill without having you interacting with it. As part of the e-bike community the Electron Wheel has a fully functional app that lets you control various functions of the wheel, such as power, assistance levels and battery life.

An exciting announcement made here at CES 2018 is their new partnership with Google to integrate google assistance voice control. This will allow people when riding to change assistance levels or check battery life with just voice commands, such as being able to say "Hey google, check Electron Wheel battery life".

Moreover, Electron is having a publicity stunt where they sent a cyclist with the new Electron Wheel to bike all the way from New York to Las Vegas over the course of 10 days. To appear at the steps of the convention hall of CES 2018 on January 10th to celebrate the launch of the next generation Electron Wheel. Our team was lucky enough to be there in the lobby when he arrived.

To learn more information about Electron Wheel go to electronwheel.com.

Interview by Marissa Schiereck of The New Product Launchpad.

Ride comfortably with the new stylish and efficient Ujet. The Ujet is a fantastic city and urban vehicle that is incredibly lightweight. This electric scooter has the ability to travel 90 miles on a single charge.

But this is in no way your typical electric scooter. For example, the seat serves as a detachable battery pack that conveniently rolls around like a piece of standup luggage. This technology makes it very easy to take the seat/power supply inside to charge. This is also a fantastic security solution as it is impossible to ride the scooter away when the seat is detached.

The Ujet also has the fabulous ability to fold up to a very compact size making it easy to store in small spaces, such as the corner of a garage or hidden under the stairwell of an apartment building.

Pricing for Ujet starts at $8900 USD, making it an affordable and cost effective alternative vehicle. There is also a version with the larger battery that costs $9990 USD.

Interview by Jacob Cannon of FIRST Looks.