More than 100 Orange County companies will be in Las Vegas this week for the world’s largest technology convention.
Aliso Viejo-based transportation and logistics software maker Telogis Inc. and Irvine startup Blossom are among hundreds of newcomers to International CES.
Both will head to the show with hopes of cutting through the clutter of an exhaustive cycle of product launches and service releases.
Telogis
Telogis will get a ride to Las Vegas, making its CES debut at the booth of General Motors Inc. and its OnStar connectivity system.
It will be there to demonstrate services that help GM commercial customers cut costs, enhance safety, and boost productivity, according to Amy Hart Phillips, vice president of Telogis’ original equipment manufacturer business.
“Telogis’ goal is to introduce its technology to new audiences to position it as a key component to any mobile enterprise and show how data that’s derived from a vehicle, worker, or job—when broken down and analyzed—can help businesses run more efficiently and productively,” she said.
The company in November sold a minority stake on undisclosed terms to the automaker’s venture capital arm, GM Ventures, strengthening a relationship that was first forged between the companies in March when Telogis announced a deal to equip General Motors’ commercial vehicles with software that links operation centers with far-flung fleets.
Blossom
Blossom, fresh from a strategic investment from Irvine consumer electronics brand Vizio Inc., will debut a smart lawn sprinkler controller at ShowStoppers, one of CES’ marquee events held annually at a ballroom at the Wynn hotel.
“That will be the first public unveiling of Blossom,” said cofounder and Chief Executive Manrique Brenes. “We feel ShowStoppers will be an excellent forum.”
The $179 device, which goes by the same name as the company, allows users to automate sprinkler systems through a Web browser or smartphone app. Powerline technology essentially turns electrical outlets into Internet connections, so there’s no need to replace existing timing systems, which have seen little technological advancement since their introduction about 45 years ago.
The small box controller uses cloud computing to access and analyze real-time weather data and forecasts from thousands of weather stations and satellites, along with user feedback, in order to sync watering with weather patterns.
Grabbing media and industry attention can be a bare-knuckle challenge at CES.
Newport Beach-based startup Stelle Audio is holding a tasting of an award-winning single malt scotch at a suite at the MGM Grand with the hopes that attendees will stick around to hear beats emanating from its new mini-clutch, earbud locket and portable Go-Go speakers targeting female consumers.
“I think we have a long runway,” Stelle cofounder and Chief Executive Anna Perelman told the Business Journal during a recent demonstration of the audio devices. “There’s this blend of fashion, audio and wearable tech.”
Broadcom, D-Link
CES is old hat for the likes of established innovators such as Irvine-based chipmaker Broadcom Corp. and D-Link Systems Inc. in Fountain Valley, which have stayed true to their scripts from previous years. Broadcom will hold meetings and demos in a large dedicated space on the showroom floor in one of the wings of the Las Vegas Convention Center, showcasing several new chip applications related to Internet of Things device connectivity; ultra high-definition TV encoding; and the latest in broadband and set-top box connections.
D-Link is again opting for the more intimate setting of a suite at the Venetian Hotel Resort & Casino to promote its networking equipment and growing roster of smart devices such as motion sensors, baby monitors and wall plugs that allow users to control and access the products remotely.
No Vizio
Noticeably absent from this year’s showing is Vizio, which for years used a posh suite at the Wynn to debut several consumer electronics beyond its line of smart TVs, including computers, tablets, media players, and even a smartphone intended for the China market.
A spokesperson told the Business Journal the company has changed its product release strategy, holding individual launch events tied to specific devices in New York City or other big markets instead of at CES. The latest development for the U.S. leader in smart-TV sales marks the first time the brand won’t showcase here since it shook up the TV market in the early 2000s.
Orange County is well represented at CES, sending about 12% of the 840-plus companies from tech-heavy California, which sends more companies to CES than any other state by far. More than 160,000 people from around the world will attend the convention, where some 20,000 products will be launched.
