CES 2015 Tech
Ray Rush
January 15th, 2015
Ray Rush
January 15th, 2015
The word is wearable.
For smart health devices, to robotics, to communication, today's electronics is on you...literally. It’s a brave new connected world where your body acts a conduit to the future. You are what you wear, which is evolving beyond style and towards a new identity: how you connect socially, professionally, and sometimes physically to the ever-present business/social media/entertainment digital ether. All with a simple gesture. Does that idea scare you? Well then strap in- you haven't seen anything yet!
Fresh back from Las Vegas and the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), I am happy to report to Bloated Hippo Magazine that it's the best I've seen in over a century. Way back when I started attending as a doe-eyed sales rep with an electronic's accessories company. Funny how things flip like that: we are now the accessory.
The Eureka section of products at the Sands convention center was jaw-dropping with aisle-by-aisle of smart, hungry, clever entrepreneurs showing off their latest inventions in the hope to win eyeballs and customers. High off the fumes of the latest tech Kickstarter campaign that turned into a multi-million dollar company or hoping to turn their latest viral video into a Kickstarter campaign into a multi-million dollar company, the nerds got aggressive! So, I spent my time in the dessert of Sin City soaking up the e-rays of a myriad of vibrant (and sometimes bizarre) new tech opportunities.
But, compared to other years I was not disappointed. The name of the tech promo game here was in the “ivity”: interactivity, utility, wearability, and connectivity. Unlike previous years where flashy video tech demos with CGI were enough to get people buzzing; this year, it was about real prototypes with real working software applications and "smart" solutions that go beyond a simple tagline.
Here are a few highlights from my two-day CES tech-dork-engorgement:
For smart health devices, to robotics, to communication, today's electronics is on you...literally. It’s a brave new connected world where your body acts a conduit to the future. You are what you wear, which is evolving beyond style and towards a new identity: how you connect socially, professionally, and sometimes physically to the ever-present business/social media/entertainment digital ether. All with a simple gesture. Does that idea scare you? Well then strap in- you haven't seen anything yet!
Fresh back from Las Vegas and the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), I am happy to report to Bloated Hippo Magazine that it's the best I've seen in over a century. Way back when I started attending as a doe-eyed sales rep with an electronic's accessories company. Funny how things flip like that: we are now the accessory.
The Eureka section of products at the Sands convention center was jaw-dropping with aisle-by-aisle of smart, hungry, clever entrepreneurs showing off their latest inventions in the hope to win eyeballs and customers. High off the fumes of the latest tech Kickstarter campaign that turned into a multi-million dollar company or hoping to turn their latest viral video into a Kickstarter campaign into a multi-million dollar company, the nerds got aggressive! So, I spent my time in the dessert of Sin City soaking up the e-rays of a myriad of vibrant (and sometimes bizarre) new tech opportunities.
But, compared to other years I was not disappointed. The name of the tech promo game here was in the “ivity”: interactivity, utility, wearability, and connectivity. Unlike previous years where flashy video tech demos with CGI were enough to get people buzzing; this year, it was about real prototypes with real working software applications and "smart" solutions that go beyond a simple tagline.
Here are a few highlights from my two-day CES tech-dork-engorgement:
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Open Bionics is developing affordable and lightweight bionic solutions for amputees with a focus on open source software. Real retail robotics is quickly becoming a thing of the present offering terminator-like tech for less apocalyptic and more noble causes like helping the disabled, elderly, and our brave veterans.
Samsung showcased a new line of Bluetooth speakers at the show to allow customers to decorate their homes while still enjoy amazing sound quality. One of the biggest struggles for the tech industry is to combine fashion, form, and functionality. Samsung seems positioned to take the lead.
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Drones have exploded at the show with more options to buy than I could count. New designs are incredible with GPS and other capabilities. Their application is huge now and have become more accepted- ranging from recreational to consumer delivery to art and photography to industrial to police and of course, military.
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Earbuds with heart rate monitors were very popular along with pretty much anything audio related which remains a sweet spot for most consumers. Now with tons of wireless prospects and some big companies starting to invest in better technology, the trend is continuing to look (and sound) hot!
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Over-protective parent? Un-attentive parent? Don’t mind your kid getting bullied in the pool while you read Fifty Shades of Grey… again? If you answered yes to all of these here’s a great solution. Thankfully, a large segment of the evolving wearables category is targeted now towards a specific sport or medical need.
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This garage-band version of Google Glass illustrates a challenge for many companies as the tech becomes smaller, more affordable, and more accessible- you might as well build a custom version that fits your style.
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3D printing has moved to the next level. Prices are coming down, and product design is going up. Soon, it will be common in many homes. Imagine, by 2020, holiday family cards will be replaced by even more obnoxious holiday family resin statues to keep your level ninety Night Elf company on that dusty shelf.
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For TV's, it was all about the next level of resolution and screens that can effortlessly change from flat to curved in seconds. Pretty amazing. Let’s hope that curved screen technology can find more utility and application support than it’s expensive side-show gimmick cousin- the 3D TV.
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This oh-so-subtle noise-canceling hood (aka “quiet bubble”) is part of the audio fetish that dominated CES this year. If they really wanted to connect to a target tech-core audience they would make a version shaped like a giant Darth Vader helmet.
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And then there’s this guy. A CES staple. One thing hasn’t changed over the last ten years. Brilliant minds and billions in R&D has yet to evolve techie fashion, making the idea of “wearable” still a very subjective term.
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