From the fun and functional to the jaw-dropping, the CES 2017 consumer electronics exhibition which ended recently had it all, writes Edwin Kee
THE annual tech gala known as CES 2017 kicked off and ended in a glitzy manner last week, signifying its 50th anniversary. Scouring the showfloor, one could not help but notice that Artificial Intelligence and smart homes are on the ascendant for this year.
But staples such as larger and thinner TVs continue to command attention while wearables continue their evolution to be more than just a fancy timepiece with an operating system skinned underneath it.
Cars also played a huge role at this year’s edition, where many displayed an uncanny level of intelligence and self-driving capability that bodes well for the future.
1. ULTRA HDTVs GALORE
Forget about Full HD resolution that has been the staple in the industry for years now. As more and more content move to 4K resolution, so too, must TVs evolve to cater for the Ultra HD market.
While 4K content is not yet all that common in many countries, it is always good to prepare for the future, and all of the major players have done their part to wow the audiences at CES 2017. Sony has its Bravia A1E 4K TV that boasts of a special kind of technology which enables sound to be emitted right from the Bravia A1E’s screen itself. Known as Acoustic Surface sound technology, this makes the screen resonate with sound to deliver a perfect unification of both visuals and audio.
LG delivers with its Signature Oled TV W, just 2.57mm of thickness for the 65-inch model. This makes it light enough to be mounted on the wall with magnetic brackets, giving off the optical illusion as though it is embedded right into the wall.
Samsung leads with the QLED (Quantum Dot LED) range, touted of delivering dramatically improved colour performance as well as 100 per cent accurate reproduction of colour volume. Sharp has its P9500 Series Quantum Dot TV which carries Ultra HD Premium certification alongside Motion 480.
Motion 840 is said to offer smooth, articulate motion even in fast-moving scenes, and full array local dimming ensures some of the blackest blacks in the market. It will even upscale standard and high-definition content as far as possible to resemble 4K quality with its integrated Revelation upscaler.
2. WEARABLES ARE NO LONGER CONFINED TO SMARTWATCHES
Smartwatches were thought to be the next big thing in recent years, but it seems that the wearable market is experiencing a plateau as manufacturers assess their options.
A smartwatch is not good enough anymore these days, and small increments are being made in the wearables niche as opposed to quantum leaps. You have smarter shoes — either with built-in sensors or paddings that must be placed within that will be able to provide a better metric reading of your daily activities, as well as wristbands that do more than just calculate your pulse. Not only that, the world of wearables have entered the realm of parenthood. There has been a shift in this direction, knowing how busy new parents can be in this day and age. Hence, having a wearable around your wrist that reminds of you feeding times while keeping track of your physical activity throughout the day would be able to help you better manage your schedule and keep you fit — so that you can take care of baby, too.
3. LIFE GETS SMARTER WITH ALEXA
While AI has yet to arrive at the level of Iron Man’s J.A.R.V.I.S., this does not mean that there has been no strides made in the arena. There are many additions made to the smart home appliance market which will certainly make life easier and more convenient for everyone.
There is plenty of Amazon Alexa integration across numerous devices, and you know that it is only going to get bigger when even Lenovo comes up with its Smart Assistant, while Huawei announces the Mate 9 smartphone with built-in Alexa right out of the box. Everything is beginning to get integrated through the cloud, edging us closer to a futuristic smart home that has far more automated features than ever before. Alexa has also managed to make its way into vehicles, and Ford has already integrated this smart voice assistant from Amazon into the Focus Electric, Fusion Energi and C-Max Energi, and will continue to do so with new models.
Hyundai follows the Alexa trail with its Ioniq ride. LG’s Smart InstaView Refrigerator too, has Alexa running behind the door, making sure that you are able to stock up on your items accordingly.
4. CARS INCREASE THEIR LEVEL OF AUTONOMY
There is an even higher degree of AI and automation involved in modern day cars, and Nvidia has a big role in it. In fact, Nvidia has managed to position itself as a crucial chipmaker globally, offering cloud-based graphics processing via GeForce Now, and more importantly, improving the autonomous driving landscape with its Co-Pilot. With Co-Pilot, a car needs far less time to be trained in order to be fully autonomous, and the chipmaker has partnered with Audi to roll out a Level 4 autonomous car by 2020.
Level 4 autonomy would allow the system to control vehicle under all environments, except when there is severe weather. When enabled, there is no need for any kind of driver attention whatsoever.
China’s Faraday Future also made a statement with its FF 91 model. Touted to be the fastest production electric car in the world, the FF 91 is able to hit 60 mph from a standstill in less than 2.4 seconds thank to its 1,050 horsepower capability — clearly a whisker faster than Tesla’s Model S P100D with its “Ludicrous Mode” turned on. Targeting a release date of 2018, the FF 91 can be pre-booked for US$5,000 (RM22,307) without a final price tag determined just yet. Not only that, the FF 91 lays claim to a maximum travel range of 608km.
There is an ongoing joke at the Press room that CES is starting to end up as the “Cars Electronics Show” from now on, underlining the importance of vehicle link up with technology today, and for the future. In a nutshell, the world of cars will no longer be confined to getting from point A to point B in the most comfortable manner possible. Rather, it would be an extremely productive trip for cholerics, while the rest of us are able to use the free time to indulge in reading a book or even taking a short nap as you are autonomously driven to your destination.
CONCLUSION
The biggest surprise from this year’s CES would be the all-pervasive presence of Alexa. It looked as though this is the standard that will unify all artificial intelligence appliances and products across a wide range, be it at home or while you are on the road. Based on the trends seen, we are moving in the direction of having more and more things get automated - which theoretically speaking, will free up more time for us to take a step back and enjoy life.
However, it does not look as though there is any trend in reducing the amount of screen time among the masses based on the devices and new technologies revealed. The increase in virtual connections with one another across digital platforms will continue to drive a wedge through face-to-face interaction that is already sorely lacking in today’s society.
CRAZY TECH
JUST like Psy’s Gangnam Style, who would have ever thought that such a ditty would be a global music hit that transcended the language barrier? The same can be said of Kosaka Daiamou’s Pen Pineapple Apple Pen song.
In the world of consumer electronics, there are bound to be some crazy ideas that have actually come into fruition, although some may fade into oblivion while others spark off a totally new craze. This year’s CES has its fair share of crazy stuff that could just end up a success.
KERASTASE HAIR COACH
Powered by Withings, the Kerastase Hair Coach is a smart brush. Yes, a hair brush that is hooked up to the internet. L’Oreal, Withings and Kerastase have come together to develop the Hair Coach. This smart hairbrush sports a microphone which is capable of “listening” to the sound created each time you brush your hair.
Integrated functions such as an accelerometer, gyroscope and other sensors will work together to collate data, before sending its summary to a mobile app. The app will then provide you tips on how to brush your hair in order to reduce the amount of damage.
The asking price of less than US$200 (RM892) should be well worth the long-term investment, especially when an inbound hair stylist among the elite in Malaysia would cost upward of RM1,200 per visit.
POWERRAY
Wanna catch a fish? You can try sending this mini camera-equipped submarine drone down there to find out where they’re hiding. Well, apparently you’ll soon be able to. The PowerRay even features an add-on sonar kit. Preorders begin in February, for an undisclosed sum.
LOVEBOX
She loves me, she loves me not. Forget about peeling petals from a flower to figure out whether your interest shares a mutual feeling for you. Get straight to the point with the LoveBox, an Internet-connected device that will see the heart on the box spin each time it receives a message. The message can be read via the mirror that is located on the box. The US$99 asking price is proof that love makes people do crazy things, including forking out insane amounts of money for something that is not so practical.
DENSO VACUUM SHOES
Dirt is everywhere, and the Denso Vacuum Shoes is the spiritual successor to the crazy idea of wearing “mop” slippers around the home. Not content with having your slippers mop up after you, the Denso Vacuum Shoes would suck up dirt particles and other debris wherever you go. All dust will be stashed into a small box that is located in its soles. Right now, the Denso Vacuum Shoes remain as a prototype.
HUSHME VOICE MASK
Are you the shy type who feels uncomfortable when you need to attend to a phone call in a particularly boisterous environment, but have to raise your voice in order to talk? The Hushme Voice Mask is the perfect solution for you. It looks like a human muzzle, but it functions in a totally different manner. You listen to the conversation via a pair of earbuds that are hooked to the padded mask, which in turn covers your mouth to muffle your voice as you speak. Certainly makes the wearer look more like Hannibal Lecter on the run.