MacRumors

Google today announced Google Cast for audio, a new music streaming technology in the vein of Chromecast that lets users stream sound from their smartphone, tablet, or Chrome-based web browser to Google Cast-ready speakers.

The service uses pre-existing apps like Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Google Play Music, amongst a sizable list of others, to play a user's songs on a selection of speakers from companies like Sony and LG. With the long list of supported apps and sites, Google Cast supports a wide variety of input devices from iPhone, iPad, Android Phones and tablets, to any Mac or PC with a Chrome browser.

While Google Cast at first glance appears similar to Apple's AirPlay in that it is a standard available to speaker manufacturers to ensure support for wireless audio streaming, Google Cast speakers stream content from the cloud rather than directly from the control device. As a result, Google promises users will receive the best sound quality and can multitask on their devices without disturbing the streams.

The company promises the first Google Cast-ready speakers from Sony, LG, and HEOS by Denon will be made available this spring. Alongside the promise of a wider array of brands supporting the service with their own speakers throughout 2015, Google states that these devices will accompany "a growing Google Cast ecosystem," which plans to include Android-based TVs, gaming consoles, and even set-top boxes.

2015's Consumer Electronics Show is just getting started, and one of the major themes this year appears to be connected smart gadgets for the kitchen. While some of the devices shown off this week have been around for some time already, their focus on a hassle-free kitchen experience is a major presence at this year's show.

Pure Imagination showcased its smart scale device, the Perfect Bake, to start off the week. Already available from a number of retailers such as Brookstone, the device is a smartphone-connected scale that uses weight adjustments to correctly measure recipe requirements without use of a traditional measuring cup.

Including three mixing bowls of varying size, an oven thermometer, and a tablet/phone stand, the Perfect Bake can not only be used with personal recipes, but its iOS/Android app comes pre-loaded with hundreds of new baking ideas for users to try out. The comprehensive app allows recipes to be scaled to quantity, pan size, and even adjusts the ingredients in real time when you accidentally over-pour a particular ingredient. The Perfect Bake can be purchased now, most notably from Brookstone, and retails for $69.99.

Elsewhere in the show, XYZPrinting unveiled its new Food Printer that turns various ingredients into uncooked food. XYZ focused on showing off how ingredients like chocolate or dough can be printed into cookies or decorations for cakes, all of which require the need to be baked before consumption, of course.

As noted by CNET, XYZPrinting's Food Printer has a touchscreen that allows users to choose pre-set design shapes for their food, with additional options available for download. Customers can even upload their own design makings via USB. Though the food printers have received a bit of coverage in recent months, XYZPrinting appears to be one of the early entrants: the company says its Food Printer will be available as early as the second quarter of 2015.

British-based startup Smarter is announcing its latest take on a smart coffee machine, following 2013's iKettle, with the simply titled Smarter Coffee machine. Billed as "the world's first bean to cup, wifi enabled coffee machine," the device syncs with a free iOS/Android app that, amongst other things, wakes users with a pre-scheduled morning cup of coffee, sends a reminder when it needs a refill, and, thanks to a "Welcome Home" mode, can ask a user if they want to start a pot going when arriving at their house.

The machine, which can sync with various fitness bands and adjust the strength of morning cups of coffee alongside a user's overnight sleeping data, also allows customers to adjust coffee strength manually within the app. The carafe that comes with the device can be used for up to 12 cups and allows for single-mug use as well. The Smarter Coffee machine will cost £129.99 and is set to be released next month, although no confirmation on release outside the UK has been given.

Toshiba today at CES 2015 announced the launch of the company's first TransferJet file transfer dongle with support for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The new TJM35420LT dongle includes a Lightning adapter for iOS devices and allows for the transfer of files between compatible devices using Sony's TransferJet close proximity wireless transfer technology.

The low-power TransferJet dongle works over very short distances (3 cm or less) and supports data transfer speed of up 375 Mbps, which is fast enough to send a 100 MB file in just three seconds.

Users only need to attach the 24 millimeter-square adapter to their iOS devices and open the TranferJet iOS app in order to initiate file transfers. Files can be transferred via the TransferJet dongle to another iOS device or other TransferJet-compatible devices such as CyberShot digital cameras, VAIO computers, and more.

Toshiba's new TransferJet for iOS with Lightning adapter will be available this spring starting first in Japan and followed by Europe, the Americas, and Asia. A Toshiba spokesman tells Macworld the dongle is planned to retail for the equivalent of $33-$41.

2015's Consumer Electronics Show has seen the unveiling of Cerevo's XON SNOW-1, a "smart" snowboard binding system that syncs via Bluetooth with a downloadable iOS or Android app to provide a slew of real-time analysis on a user's current run and a detailed overview of everything once at the bottom of the mountain.

The snowboard system tracks movement, speed, and technique, and can even monitor weight distribution on the fly. Thanks to four load sensors at the bottom of each foot, riders can visualize their balance and adjust their weight accordingly. Among other things, the app shows off: weight balance of each foot, center of gravity, board bend of the top and tail-side, and acceleration.

The data accrues for each run, allowing its users to delve deep into the app's functionality at the end of each run or while waiting on the ski lift for the next one. The board also has four bright LED lights installed in each toe and heel side, simultaneously allowing an easy riding position check and providing a safety feature for dusk and nighttime riders.

Customers interested in the XON SNOW-1 can go to the official website and sign up to receive the latest information on the bindings. Little else is known at this time, but Cerevo states the bindings will be available "within year 2015" and will cost around $500.

Misfit kicked off its CES 2015 by introducing the Swarovski Shine Collection, a collaboration between the fitness wearables company and the well-known crystal jewelry maker. The new Swarovski Shine Collection includes the Swarovski Shine Activity Tracking Crystal and accompanying accessories.

The Swarovski Shine Activity Tracking Crystal is a Swarovski crystal with Misfit's fitness and sleep-monitoring sensors. The clear version is powered by a replaceable battery, while the violet Swarovski Shine is charged using patented solar power technology.

This is the world’s first wireless activity and sleep monitor that utilizes an energy harvesting technology to enable it to never require charging or replacing of batteries. Simply expose the violet Swarovski Shine to light to keep it charged.

Both the clear and violet versions of the Swarovski Shine are waterproof, and similar to previous Misfit Shine models, the Swarovski Shine tracks activity, monitors sleep, and includes a connected iOS app for food and weight logging.

The Swarovski Shine will be sold with a variety of optional accessories including slake bracelets, pendants, and wristbands. The clear version will be available in three sets that include two accessories each, with prices ranging from $169.99 to $249.99. Pricing on the violet version has yet to be announced.

Building on its GPS roots, Garmin today introduced three new smartwatches with solid navigation features for hiking and fitness activities. The three vastly different products are designed to appeal to a variety of consumers in the burgeoning smartwatch market Apple will soon be entering, and include the watch-centric Fenix 3, the rugged Epix and the fitness-focused Vivoactive.

The Fenix 3 is the next generation in Garmin's multisport GPS watch category. With its built-in GPS, 100m water resistance and onboard barometer and altimeter sensors, the Fenix 3 supports a wide variety of outdoor and fitness sports, including swimming, biking, skiing and snowboarding. It also connects to the Connect IQ store allowing users to add apps, widgets, and other smartwatch features to the GPS watch. The $499 Fenix 3 will go on sale starting Q1 2015 with both Gray and Silver color choices and a heart-rate monitor bundle that will cost $50 extra. Garmin also is offering a premium Fenix 3 Sapphire with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens and a suggested retail price of $599.99.

The Epix is a rugged GPS mapping watch for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a backcountry navigation solution. With its 1.4-inch color touchscreen, the Epix offers the ability to preload up to 8GB of maps that can be viewed and manipulated in the field. The watch features GPS and GLONASS for accurate positioning as well as support for external sensors that measure outdoor temperatures, user heart rate and more. Similar to Garmin's other new watches, the Epix connects to the Connect IQ store, allowing users to install apps, widgets, watch faces and more. The Epix will be available in Q1 2015 with a starting price of $549.

The Vivoactive is focused on the fitness enthusiast with a sunlight-readable color display, GPS activity tracking, smartphone notifications and support for wireless sensors such as heart rate monitors. The watch also features an interchangeable band as well as app and widget support via Garmin's Connect IQ store. Priced at $299 with a heart rate monitor and $249 without, the Vivoactive will begin shipping in Q1 with white or black color options.

AcousticSheep has brought its soft, elastic SleepPhones headphones that are thin and comfortable enough to be worn while sleeping to CES 2015. The company aims for the headphones to provide music or ambient noise to users who need soothing sounds close by as they fall asleep.

Created by a doctor who has trouble falling asleep herself due to frequent patient phone calls late at night, SleepPhones allow users high-quality music options without disturbing anyone trying to sleep nearby. The headphones also provide a decent amount of ambient noise blocking, and offer 10-12 hours of use on a single charge.

SleepPhones are available in multiple models of varying colors, including the original wired Classic model for $39.99, a Bluetooth Wireless version for $99.99, and multiple bundle packages that vary from a three-pack to packed-in ambient noise CDs. New to CES, however, is the unveiling of a new Bluetooth version of the headset that will provide induction charging for an even easier way to keep the device ready for every-night use. The new induction charging model will launch in April for $149.

The SleepPhones and all of their bundle options can be purchased directly from the company's official website.

Automotive convenience system marketer and manufacturer Firstech is showing off its comprehensive vehicle app service DroneMobile at CES 2015. While DroneMobile has been available for some time, the service's latest systems allow customers to remotely interact with their cars in a bevy of ways, including everything from general vehicle status to opening a trunk.

The DroneMobile app connects with a Drone module, which must be installed into a vehicle's remote start or security system, allowing unlimited access to a vehicle. Once done, the app allows users to interact with their cars from anywhere, letting them unlock their cars for friends or start the engines to turn on the air conditioning or heater. The app also provides detailed vehicle maintenance information, sending push notifications when the connected car is broken into by a burglar or impacted in any way.

According to Firstech, DroneMobile is compatable with 100 percent of cars, from imports to luxury vehicles and hybrids. The equipment needed to start using DroneMobile retails at $449.99 for the "Start It" Bundle and $549.99 for the "Max It" bundle, both offering Telematics, GPS, and Remote Start, but only the latter allowing Security features.

On top of these bundles, a yearly subscription to DroneMobile is required to enable full access to the system's features. Bundles are available at a "Basic" level of $49.99 a year allowing Keyless Entry, Remote Start and Alarm Alerts, along with a 90-day free trial, and a "Premium" level of $119.99 a year with everything from the previous level plus GPS Tracking, Alerts, and comprehensive Vehicle Status.

Customers interested in discovering nearby retailers who offer the DroneMobile bundles near them can visit the DroneMobile official website.

Residential lock manufacturer Kwikset revealed its extension of the Kevo platform with Kevo Plus at CES 2015, which features the ability to enable remote access capabilities for the Bluetooth smart lock. Kevo Plus, available this spring, establishes a direct online connection to the Kevo app, letting users lock and unlock their doors from any location in the world.

Previous Kevo account holders will be able to upgrade to Kevo Plus at any time through MyKevo.com, and will receive a free Bluetooth-enabled gateway that plugs into the user's router and allows a secure connection between the Kevo lock and a user's Kevo Plus account. The membership will also allow for unlimited and scheduled eKeys, which users can distribute using the Kevo app to allow guests access to their home immediately or at specific time and dates.

The app doubly serves as an activity monitor for all those accessing and interacting with a user's home Kevo lock unit at any given time. Kwikset promises more upgrades in the future, including Event Scheduling to allow users to plan Kevo's locking or unlocking at predetermined periods and Lock Grouping to let users group multiple Kevo locks and send one eKey for all of them at the same time.

Also revealed today at CES 2015 is a partnership between Kevo and the Nest Learning Thermostat that will allow customers of both devices to set Nest to Home and Away modes through the Kevo app. The partnership is one of fifteen new Works With Nest connections being shown off at CES.

Under Works With Nest, the Kevo app will also prompt users, upon locking their home, to set Nest to an energy-saving Away mode, which they can customize to fit their personal preferences in the Nest itself. In reverse, when a user unlocks his or her home, Kevo will promptly ask to readjust Nest to its natural temperature.

“Kwikset’s integration with Nest is an example of Kwikset’s commitment to improving the Kevo user experience,” says Keith Brandon, director of residential access solutions, Kwikset. “Both Nest and Kwikset add convenience to users’ active, on-the-go lives and we are proud to provide added value for consumers with both products.”

Nest integration is available starting today to Kevo users who have iOS 8 or greater. The iOS Kevo app is available for free on the App Store. [Direct Link]

In addition to its new charging accessories, Griffin at CES 2015 also introduced a new line of cable organizers for the home, office or in-car use. The launch lineup includes the Guide, Sleeve, Hanger and Clip with additional products planned for 2015.

Designed for desktop usage, the Guide features three magnetic cable holders that attach to a steel base. The three cable holders allow you to organize different sized cables in orientations suitable for your desktop needs. The $29.99 Guide will be available in a variety of material options starting in Q2 2015.

The Sleeve is another desktop accessory designed to hide the clutter of multiple cables and prevent them from tangling. As its name implies, the Sleeve is a braided, abrasion resistant sleeve that fits over your cables and self-closes to keep them together. The Sleeve will be available starting in February 2015 in three length options, including 1-foot, 1.5-foot and 2-foot lengths. Pricing starts at $7.99.

For the car, Griffin is pairing its Premium Flat AUX Cable and PowerJolt SE charger with its new Clip holder. The Clip is a flexible silicone holder with slot for both a Lightning connector charge cable and an AUX audio cable. The Clip is designed to hold the pair in an orientation that allows you to plug both cables into your iPhone simultaneously. Compatible with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the new Car Connections Pack featuring Clip ($39.99) will be available in February 2015.

Lastly, Griffin also introduced the new Hanger, a car mount designed to hold audio and charging cables that are not in use, keeping them off the floor and making them easily accessible. The mount attaches to the car's heating vent and features three molded slots for cables. The $4.99 Hanger will be available starting February 2015.