With the New Year comes new laws… and that includes new rules for hoverboard users in the state of California.
Hanna Battah reports.
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
SOME OF THE LARGEST NAMES IN THE TECH WORLD -- WILL SHOWCASE THEIR SHINY NEW GADGETS AT THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW.
DRONES DOMINATED LAST YEAR'S EVENT -- AS DID COOL CARS.
THIS YEAR -- EXPECT MORE DROOL WORTHY INVENTIONS AND MIND BLOWING TECH.
THE TECH WATCHERS AT ENGADGET PREDICT NEW TV TECHNOLOGY WILL BE UNVEILED.
BIG NAMES LIKE L-G -- SONY -- AND SHARP ARE FORECASTED TO TOUT NEW WAYS TO MAKE YOUR T-V WATCHING BETTER.
BUT AT LEAST ONE COMPANY IS JUMPING THE GUN -- AND GIVING US A LOOK AT WHAT IT WILL SHOW OFF.
SAMSUNG HAS THREE PROJECTS FROM ITS SUPER SECRET CREATIVE LAB THAT MAY SOMEDAY CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
THE FIRST IS THE WELT.
IT'S THE NEXT GENERATION OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY.
IT LOOKS LIKE A TYPICAL BELT -- BUT HIDDEN INSIDE -- THERE IS SO-CALLED SMART SENSOR TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN TRACK YOUR HEALTH.
LIKE RECORDING WAIST SIZE -- EATING HABITS -- STEPS -- AND EVEN TIME YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN.
THIS IS A RINK.
IT'S A HAND-MOTION CONTROLLER FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO PLAY IN VIRTUAL REALITY.
AND THE LAST PROJECT IS A LITTLE HARDER TO SEE.
IT'S A WATCH STRAP CALLED TIPTALK -- AND IT LETS YOU HEAR YOUR SMARTPHONE -- WITHOUT HEADPHONES.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TOUCH YOUR EAR -- AND VOILA -- CALLS -- VIDEOS -- AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU PLAY CAN BE HEARD IN YOUR EAR -- WITHOUT PESKY HEADPHONE CHORDS.
COOL - HUH?
DON'T EXPECT TO FIND THESE THINGS ON STORE SHELVES ANYTIME SOON.
SAMSUNG SAYS THE PROJECTS ARE STILL IN THE DEVELOPMENT PHASES.
BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THESE PROTOTYPES AND OTHER EYE-POPPING TECHNOLOGY AT THE C-E-S.
FOR CONSUMER WATCH -- I'M MARY MOLONEY.
Hoverboards don't really hover… and neither do the riders. Frequently, they fall, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The agency says that over the holidays, there were more than 70 reported hoverboard-related emergency room visits. Most of those involved falls and collisions.
The trend sparked the hash-tag hoverboard-fail on social media, with many postings including embarrassing videos of the spills.
There's also another safety issue tarnishing the popularity of the futuristic-looking skateboards. The CPSC issued a warning earlier this month following reports of hoverboards suddenly catching fire. The federal government is investigating 22 reports of hoverboards bursting into flames.
Instructional Links
Infographic: How Self-Balancing "Hoverboards" Work
http://www.livescience.com/53043-how-self-balancing-hoverboards-work-infographic.html