CES 2014: Bendy TVs, wicked watches and cars that drive themselves
January 7 to January 10 in Las Vegas was the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Every year, this event draws tech people from all over the globe to Las Vegas to see the newest gadgets.
This year, there were a lot of updates that took a lot of people’s attention, like the new updates to smartphones and tablets.
There were a few new workout gadgets trying to vie for top billing as well, but it was the new tech gadgets that really stole the show for most people.
LG unveiled a 77-inch flexible OLED TV that can be adjusted to the viewer by use of the remote control. The TV is based on organic light emitting diodes, which means that the LED bulbs in the TV are run though an organic screen and don’t need a backlight. Users can change the screen size and distance from the viewer as well.
In what is being considered as the apparel-tech that is going to take down Google Glass and estimated at $3,000, the Meta Pro AR Goggles use a gesture driven interface. You can create and shape 3D models with your hands and then manipulate them in virtual reality including picking them up, carry it around and make final edits. You can then carry it over to the side of the screen and save or print them, if you have a 3D printer, which leads to the next item.
The Makerbot Replicator Mini was unveiled this year by Makerbot. It is potentially the first actual affordable 3D printer to finally usher in the 3D revolution we’ve been waiting for. The price is approximately $1,375 and will be available for shipping this spring.
“It’s basically one touch, set up for speed,” said the CEO of Makerbot, Bre Pettis. “It’s the point and shoot of 3D printers.”
Pebble, one of the innovators in the smart watch field, unveiled their new Steel watch. In Steel and with leather and steel bands the company hopes that it will make the smart watch look more like something that the business professional would wear. They also have their own app store that they have gotten deals with Pandora, ESPN, GoPro, Yelp and Mercedes-Benz and will be showing up soon on markets.
The Driverless car also took a huge leap this year with Audi unveiling the Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight concept car. Even with laser lights in the headlights to make it brighter, this car packs a bigger punch than that; it can drive itself. With a computer system that is mounted inside the glove box, the car can recognize traffic signs and pedestrians, lane changes and speed limits as well as control all the functions of the car itself like acceleration and braking. At first the cars will be semi autonomous in working with the driver, but soon people expect that it will completely drive itself, while you sit inside with your other tech.
The CES brings new technology to light every year and 2014 was no exception
