CES 2008: Best tech for and by small businesses

LAS VEGAS - The 150,000 nerds that swarmed to Vegas from around the world didn't witness the birth of the next iPhone or similar blockbuster. In the words of FSB tech columnist Jonathan Blum: "In 2008, the tech thing will be sort of like going to Costco: You'll have to be prepared to dig a bit to get the really good stuff." Below, his picks for the best of CES for and by small businesses.

Viable VPad
For the deaf, by the deaf
Viable VPad
Approx $399

Technology designed for the deaf is often created by people who can hear. Rockville, Md.-based Viable has a different approach: The company is run by hearing-impaired managers, including chief operations officer Jason Yeh. It has built a Web-based video communications unit filled with features for the hearing impaired.

The unit not only displays a signing person, but it also shows a second feed of the other signing party so both communicators know who is speaking when. Better yet, the units are portable and can function with PC-based versions of the same software. This all sounds straightforward enough, but these features are advances in the world of enabling technologies. Sometimes it takes people who can't hear to actually listen.

Last updated January 11 2008: 3:38 PM ET

Underwater Digital Camera Mask

OmniMount Motion 52

Viable VPad

RiData SATA Solid State Drive

NetGear ReadyNAS Duo

e-Detail Prezenter PSR

NRG Dock
A startup dazzled CES attendees with its vision of open-source gadget construction kits. But can the do-it-yourself approach work for hardware? (more)
FSB tech columnist Blum says the Navigon 2100 GPS is ready to rumble with the big boys. (more)
The Nokia N95 is complex and expensive, but it's an impressive camera/phone/Web multitasker. (more)

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.