Accessories take control at CES

The coolest accessories to debut at this year’s CES focused on letting users take control of their digital data and content – and, in one instance, their pets, too.

The Slingbox from Sling Media lets TV fans access their live television and PVR-recorded content from anywhere, anytime, using an add-on box that sits between a home router and a cable box, a satellite receiver, or a PVR. Pair it with a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop, and you can watch television content from any room in the house or wherever you roam.

Complete control of in-home digital data is promised by the Nevo SL universal remote from Universal Electronics. The sleekly designed $800 (estimated) remote includes built-in 802.11b Wi-Fi, which enables it to not only control audio/video devices but also networked PCs and media servers.

For iPodders, Belkin demonstrated a prototype Bluetooth accessory that enables iPods to wirelessly stream music to home stereos and simultaneously serve as a remote control. The TuneStage device consists of a Bluetooth receiver that connects to a stereo or entertainment system and a Bluetooth transmitter that plugs into the top of the iPod.

Fossil boosts your ability to access data by putting it on your wrist. Its new Wrist PDA embeds a Palm-powered device in a watch. The interface is the familiar Palm OS, enabling wearers to access calendars, contacts, memos, and third-party Palm apps. The Wrist PDA is under the Fossil and Abacus brand names and will cost $249 and $199, respectively.

Gizmondo aims to put a lot of data – and fun – in the palm of your hand with its new eponymous portable gaming gadget. In addition to on-the-go gaming, the $399 Gizmondo delivers wireless text messaging and e-mail, GPS capabilities, a digital camera, and a portable video player. It includes an SD slot for data storage. Gizmondo says that 12 games will be available at launch.

Finally, for tech enthusiasts seeking canine control, a new company has taken dog collars sky-high-tech with a new GPS device called Globalpetfinder. It tracks straying dogs by sending location alerts to your cell phone, pager, or e-mail and IM accounts. The 5-ounce wireless device, which houses a GPS satellite transceiver and a cell phone radio, straps onto the dog’s collar (it’s designed to fit medium and large breeds). Once a pet exceeds a predefined boundary, Globalpetfinder begins sending alerts describing the dog’s coordinates. Globalpetfinder is expensive – $349 for the collar, plus $17.95 per month – but considering the hefty rewards dog owners are willing to pay to find missing pets, it could be good insurance.