From hair-loss solutions to household tech, Philly connections had CES covered

"I'M FROM Philly!" "Hey, went to school in Philly!" "Our agency is in Philly!" The shout-outs were plentiful to this Consumer Electronics Show attendee wearing a big "Philadelphia Daily News/philly.com" badge earlier this month in Las Vegas. And the salutations pretty much demanded that I stop, chew the fat on Philly connections and pick up on their cool gizmos at the huge confab.

HOT STUFF: The smart-room-register Ecovent grabbed my gaze even before I heard that co-founders Dipul "Dip" Patel, Nick "Laus" Lancaster and Shawn "Bucky" Rose started collaborating as students at Drexel and Penn. Their mission? Balance the output of a home's central air/heating system to most efficiently serve your needs. Sensors and motorized, sliding-shutter Eco-vents adjust temps as you enter a room, shut down when you depart. Devices will go for $100 each, come August; preorder at 30 percent discount at ecovent systems.com.

STAR SPOTTING: Gizmo Guy had a brief encounter with Neil Young over HD music, marveled from a'near at towering inferno Shaquille O'Neal (a Monster products endorser) and shared whispers with a CES handler about guiding Kanye West (under cover of a hoodie) around the show in search of the most bombastic Ultra HD TVs.

But my longest celeb interaction was with Dhani Jones, former Eagles linebacker turned VH1/Travel Channel show host who's now pitching the Sony Smartwatch 3 ($250), the brand's first "powered" by Android Wear. Jones swears by SW3's fitness apps Golfshot Golf GPS (using built-in location fixing) and iFit. The gizmo also takes voice commands, alerts to incoming calls and can "track your moves and play music when you go for a run and leave the phone home," he enthused.

INTEL-LIGENCE: Wharton MBA grad turned Intel Security Software manager John McDowell shared Intel's True Key, a soon-launching and free (within limits) website-passwords manager that encourages users to assemble a customized combination of keys, including face recognition, for much greater security. (Learn more at truekey.com.)

Also super cool, the Intel Compute Stick, a full Windows 8.1 computer on a plug-in HDMI thumb drive that treats your HDTV as its "dumb" monitor screen. Coming this spring for $149. Details at intel.com.

MORE HOME SMARTS: Malvern-based home automation integrator Zonoff showed off new capabilities and partners for its Staples Connect smart-hub system that works with lotsa different smart door locks, security cameras, thermostats and motion sensors. It also plays nicely with rival wireless communications standards.

Lehigh Valley tech innovator Lutron was touting growing interoperability for its low-cost, user-installable Caseta smart light switches and Serena motorized blinds. Both now work with Harmony remotes, while the blinds are newly part of AT&T's Digital Life platform. More at casetawireless.com.

GLASSES-FREE 3D: Center City-based Stream TV Networks was back at CES, showing Ultra-high-definition prototype screens that produce 3-D images without wearing glasses - displays geared mostly to commercial applications.

Chinese TV maker Konka has signed on to make consumer sets but only for their domestic market. (Even Disney seems to have given up on home 3-D in the U.S.: "Frozen" is available on a 3-D disc only as an import.) More at ultra-d.com.

THE NEAT COMPANY: Our local developer of small scanners and software that organizes (and cloud-stores) business receipts, memos and business cards has newly licensed the tech to HP for inclusion in its Officejet printers and backup hard drives. Way to go. Study up at neat.com.

FASHION TECH: You may have enjoyed the fine art and yule log displays offered in Philly entrepreneur Stephen Spivak's Screen Dreams videodiscs and smart TV apps.

Soon, tech fashionistas will be checking out smart watches, fitness trackers, action cams, portable music gear and more at his well-named but not-yet-launched TheWearablesStore.com.

HAIR TODAY: Ardmore-based Gregory FCA publicist Denise DiMeglio got me interested (kinda) in the igrow Hair Growth System. This lab-tested helmet glows inside with follicle-stimulating, low-level red laser and LED lights said to reverse hair thinning and loss for as long as you keep using it. Built-in headphones hold the thing in place and entertain during treatments. $695 from Aspira Science (igrowlaser.com).

On Twitter: @JTakiff

Online: ph.ly/Tech