Minneapolis, MN, 2016-Sep-27 — /EPR Retail News/ — Silicon Valley is the heart of tech innovation, so it’s only fitting Best Buy would go there to open a new, one-of-a-kind store experience that showcases the latest technology from some of the world’s most inventive entrepreneurs and startups in consumer electronics.
We’ve added dedicated space inside our new Mountain View Best Buy store (which opened Sept. 16 after relocating from its previous location in Sunnyvale) where customers can discover and learn about some of the newest tech products on the market. The space is divided into three sections: crowdfunded gadgets, wearable tech and audio.
The revamped store is part of our new Best Buy Ignite program, which aims to give our customers access to even more of the world’s newest tech products. We’re also adding a new section on BestBuy.com for startup products.
Here’s a quick look at some of the items on display at the Silicon Valley store, most of which are also available online.
Crowdfunded gadgets
The Ignite space features a selection of crowdfunded gadgets from startup companies, including:
- Tangram Smart Rope, a jump rope that tracks your workout data, including jump count, calories burned, elapsed time and fitness goal progress.
- Flic smart button, a small, wireless button that creates easy, one-touch access to stream music, control lights and other mobile functions without having to touch your phone.
- RoBo 3D printer, which is made with a “unibody” design to eliminate common 3D printing issues, such as misalignment and inaccurate prints. At $179, it’s cheaper than most other 3D printers.
- Zuli Smartplug, an outlet plug that can estimate your energy usage, communicate with your smartphone and even put your coffee maker on a schedule.
- Noke Bluetooth padlock, which allows you to track its location, share access with friends and manage multiple locks.
Wearable technology
When you hear the Under Armour name, you probably think of workout clothes and basketball shoes. But the sports apparel giant is also an emerging player in the world of wearable technology.
The Ignite space features the Under Armour UA HealthBox, a smart fitness system that comes with everything you need to keep track of your overall health. It includes an activity tracker that monitors your steps, sleep quality and resting heart rate, a smart scale that measures your body weight and fat percentages, and a sweat-resistant chest strap that measures heart rate and automatically sends the data to Under Armour’s health and fitness app, UA Record.
Audio
The store also features some of the world’s newest and most advanced headphone technology, including:
- Muzik, a smart and connected headphone that is designed to enhance user experiences in third-party apps and platforms. With programmable shortcuts, called “hot keys,” users can easily activate their favorite playlist, save or share their favorite tracks, or identify what’s playing with one touch.
- Bragi, wireless smart earphones that combines a music player, activity tracker and smartphone into one device. You can listen to music without any device synced by using taps or swipes, and you can hook up your phone so you can answer calls or track your activity.
For customers outside of the Bay Area, other startup products can be found online and in hundreds of Best Buy stores nationwide. Examples include the Anova precision cooker, Fizzics draft beer system, Keen Home smart vent, Petcube pet camera and Luma Home Wi-Fi system. Many stores also have the Mevo live event camera, SkyLab camera stabilizers and Prynt instant photo printer
Source: Best Buy