CES 2016: 4 New Gadgets That Could Work with Bitcoin
CES 2016 has just wrapped up its exposition in Las Vegas. New gadgets and innovative accessories were revealed and showed the public the technology sector isn’t slowing up anytime soon. Some of the devices presented at CES in the future could possibly operate with cryptocurrency functionality and increase adoption of both technologies. Let’s have a look at some of the items that could where people could integrate Bitcoin into its featured services.
Also read: The Value of a Bitcoin: Teaching Your Kids Financial Responsibility
Sandisk Connect Wireless Stick
Here’s a storage device that could be easily applied to the Bitcoin network and be quite resourceful. The new Sandisk Connect Wireless Stick is basically a USB drive with an added bonus. At only 3 inches long the USB flash drive can be connected through Wi-Fi and data can be saved and stored in a more streamlined fashion. The memory stick at $120 can hold up to 200GB of data — more than enough to add the Bitcoin-Core binary. Cryptocurrency users could also save addresses to text files and keep them safe using the wireless drive. They could also be used to store encrypted wallet.dat files via the device. With its remote functionality, it may be quicker and more convenient for those always on the run. Cold storage applications can act as a secure bank keeping coins offline and out of the reach of malicious hackers.
Casio WSD-F10
Wearing your cryptocurrency might be the next big thing as smart watches grow in popularity. Soon you may be able to quickly send a transaction from your wrist with ease. The Apple Watch has already been used with a Luxstack Bitcoin wallet and its utilization with a wearable device seems natural. Now other competitors are bringing forth their smartwatches like manufacturer Casio. The WSD-F10 can easily house a Bitcoin application like a wallet or ticker within its Android operating system. Nissan Bahar and Franky Imbesi, the creators of BitWalking, have introduced an application that could be used with Casio’s built-in sensors. Or the droves of wearables introduced at CES could be applied to this project’s model. This means that these watches or e-bracelets could spur the movement of microtransactions being paid to those who walk quite a bit. Businesses could add bonuses to people like postal service workers who are frequently walking and may deserve a little extra. The wearable applications mixed with the Bitcoin protocol could lead to a limitless array of new concepts and spontaneous innovations.
Wistiki
One thing that could be pretty scary is if you lose your USB-based device that contains a sum of Bitcoin you don’t want to forget about. Using your mnemonic phrase to get your funds back remotely might be an option but what if you wish to find the device? Wisticki is a smart tracker that can be attached to various objects so you can’t lose these items. The project is intended to protect things like wallets and purses from being lost. The Wisticki could also be applied to a device or kept in a hidden location with Bitcoin items such as a Trezor or KeepKey hardware wallet you have kept in a secure location. The battery will last three years, and the device can be found using bluetooth capabilities within a range of over 300 feet.
Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator
A smart refrigerator that can order its own food maybe something we see come into play in the future. Samsung’s Family Hub appliance has a 21.5-inch HD monitor and camera inside monitoring your perishable goods. In the future, it may be possible to load these operating systems with a digital currency in order for it to purchase food when contents run out. Imagine a refrigerator that notices you are almost out of milk, and it pays for a gallon to be delivered the very next day with cryptocurrency. This concept isn’t thought of as a figment of one’s imagination but a literal reality we could see in just a few years.
Samsung’s smart refrigerator and others like it are trying to popularize the Internet of Things vision. Created applications that use digital microtransactions to operate have already been crafted, and the idea is in its very early stages. Developers using the 21inc computer or the Ethereum computer could hack one of these smart appliances and enable refrigerators to order more eggs just when you need them.
Technology continues to shine at events like CES 2016 and other conferences held worldwide. Using the Bitcoin protocol applied to these emerging devices will add more use cases to the digital asset and bolster these IoT ideas and bring them to the next level. The connection of these two systems of digital currency and smart things is easy to see its just a matter of who takes it to the next level.
What do you think of the smart gadgets about to enter the market? Let us know in the comments below!
Images courtesy of Wiki Commons, CES 2016, and Crypto-Graphics.com
