The CES Buzz-Makers
Every January tech companies—and gadget junkies—gather in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to get a taste of what innovations people will see over the course of the year. With more than 3,250 exhibitors and around 20,000 new products unveiled, this was one of the biggest shows in CES history. Here are a few of the items announced at CES that generated the most buzz.
PC: Interactive Table Top
Phones, cameras, computers, even some refrigerators—everything has a touchscreen nowadays, so why not your coffee table? The Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon is a table PC, which basically means that it is an all-in-one PC that you can use like a typical Windows 8 desktop, but it can convert into table-top mode (which is also optimized for use by multiple people). The 27-inch PC can be laid flat—like a table—as several people can gather around and use it to play games, flip through photos, browse the Internet, and more. Lenovo says to expect the Horizon this summer for approximately $1,699.
Television: Beyond High Definition
One trend at this year’s show was the slew of Ultra High Definition (UHD) televisions revealed by most of the major manufacturers. Samsung’s S9 UHD TV can up-convert HD or Full-HD to UHD-level picture quality, which is capable of nearly 4,000 pixels. Samsung’s S9 also has the largest screen of any of the UHD TVs presented at 85 inches. It also has a unique “Timeless Gallery” design where the TV appears to be floating within its frame. There was no price or release date at press time.
Smartphone: Resistant Body, Smart Screen
The Sony Xperia Z is built for beauty and durability. The 5-inch screen boasts a 1080 x 1920 full HD Reality Display with a Mobile Bravia Engine 2 that automatically adjusts the contrast and color to depict the image in its best light. Speaking of light, the phone’s 13-megapixel camera has a next-generation Sony Exmor RS mobile sensor that can still take clear photos even against the brightest light. Additionally, the phone is both water resistant and dust resistant. There was no price or release date at press time.
Health Wearable: Light Motivation
Health wearables started popping up in 2012, but judging by their presence at CES this is one market set to explode in 2013. One such device that made its debut in Vegas was the Fitbit Flex ($100 this spring), a wireless activity and sleep wristband. The Flex syncs via Bluetooth to your iPhone or Android smartphone to keep track of steps taken, calories burned, hours slept, distance traveled, active minutes and quality of sleep. You can also set goals and Flex will let you know how close you are to achieving them through LED lights that keep you motivated.
The Razer Edge Pro
The Razer Edge Pro ($1,300) not only won CNET’s Best in Show award but it was also named the most impressive device by the attendees as it took home CNET’s People’s Voice award. This tablet is all play and no business—it is the first tablet designed specifically for PC games. The Gamepad Controller makes it easy to play games on the go while immersing you in the game with vibration feedback and reflective acoustics. Marketers might want to start thinking of ways of taking health gamification to the next level.
