With another CES in the books—that’s No. 6 for those following this column—let’s take a closer look at how some OC companies tried to cut through the clutter in Las Vegas at the world’s largest consumer electronics show:
• Aliso Viejo-based startup mJoose took up residence for the second year at Eureka Park, a sprawling area within the Sands Expo that housed 600 new and emerging players. The company held demos of its smartphone case, which triples as a battery extender and signal amplifier.
“We just need to get the awareness that there’s a product for $129 that could solve your problem,” said founder and Chief Executive Dan Ash.
• Santa Ana-based Universal Electronics Inc., which posted 2015 sales of $602.8 million, held court at one of the main halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center, promoting concept models of remote controls in development; new contract wins with digital cable providers WOW and Dish Network; and the development of a Bluetooth Low-Energy voice remote for Dish Network’s AirTV Player.
“The idea at CES is really to let customers touch and feel the technology and to hear what is coming down the pipe,” said Ramzi Ammari, UEI’s senior vice president, corporate planning and strategy.
• Fountain Valley-based D-Link Systems Inc. displayed several home networking, surveillance and connected home products at a private suite at the Venetian, including the Omna 180 Cam HD, its first product approved for Apple Inc.’s developing HomeKit platform.
• Lake Forest-based Kwikset, the top-selling U.S. residential lock maker, used Pepcom, an annual pre-show for journalists held at the Mirage, to unveil two smart locks, including a touch-screen model with a contemporary, flush design that helps users mask fingerprints through at least two security prompts.
“We wanted to create a product that has a newer style that has a very defined look,” said Senior Product Manager Michael Magnani.
• Huntington Beach-based smartphone accessory maker olloclip showcased its new Pivot grip with 225 degrees of rotation, the latest selfie-stick advancement geared for mobile photographers and adventurers, plus lens kit sets for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that feature new optics, lenses and mounting methods, according to founder Patrick O’Neill.
“This is the most complicated thing we’ve ever made,” he said.
The process included dozens of iterations and design tweaks over only a few weeks, because Apple doesn’t release the specs of its devices to partners until they’ve been launched.
More than 100 OC companies attended the tech fest, including Irvine-based storage products maker Western Digital, Irvine-based networking provider Greenwave, Fountain Valley-based memory products maker Kingston, Irvine-based PERI Audio, Irvine-based accessories maker Incipio and Irvine-based computer product manufacturer Iogear.
Impressive, though still a small portion of the 3,800-plus exhibiting companies that occupied more than 2.6 million square feet of space at the Las Vegas Convention Center alone.
Some locals, like Irvine-based Vizio, stayed true to form over the past few years and opted to skip the event, likely saving six- and seven-figure marketing dollars for other purposes.
The year’s showcase didn’t deliver the same wow factor as years past, though it’s importance on the global business stage can’t be minimized, as CES has evolved well beyond tech, becoming a must-attend and exhibit event for the auto, apparel, sports and healthcare industries.
