For tech geeks around the world, few occasions are as joyous as the four days occupied by the Consumer Electronics Show. Hosted in Las Vegas, CES is the Comic-Con of the consumer technology market. Tech fans are always eager to see the latest developments in televisions, watches, phones and other high-end gadgets.
Some popular tech goodies were introduced to the world at CES 2013 in January. Following are some of the highlights:
Changing TV trends
Television has always been a hot topic at CES, and this year, the buzz was all about Ultra HD, also known as 4K – extremely high-definition television that has the capability to bring movie-theater picture quality into living rooms everywhere. Current HD TVs have a screen resolution of up to 1920 x 1080 pixels, but 4K nearly quadruples the number of pixels on your screen. The question right now is whether programming will be able to keep up with 4K technology.
Samsung unveiled its 55-inch OLED TV at CES. In addition to its sharp colors and smooth video images, it has an optional feature that its creators insist will save marriages: multi-view TV. This feature allows two individuals watching the same screen to put on two separate sets of specialized glasses – which are outfitted with built-in headphones – and watch two separate programs at the same time, side-by-side.
Flexible phones
Samsung also wowed CES visitors by confirming the long-circulated rumors about its development of a flexible phone. And to every consumer’s surprise, the company has indeed created a phone prototype that can endure abuse unlike any of its predecessors. Dubbed Youm, this phone is the star of Samsung’s flexible display technology and can be bent out of shape without compromising its functionality.
A cure for jet lag
Frequent travelers are well aware of how jet lag can confuse the internal clock. Australian inventors have a solution. It’s called the Re-Timer: a set of specialized LED light glasses that emit soft green light into your eyes and more or less reset your circadian rhythm. The device can be used to improve alertness and make waking up in the morning easier, particularly when you find yourself in a different time zone.
The best company showings
While some of the tech industry’s biggest names – including Facebook, Microsoft and Apple – choose not to unveil their new products and advancements at CES, other companies stepped in to grab the spotlight. Arguably, no company has been more impressive at CES than Samsung, which blew conference attendees away with its flexible display phone technology and a new multi-view TV that will soon hit the commercial market. LG also had a strong showing with impressive TV models and strong smartphone prototypes.
It remains to be seen which tech products will take the commercial world by storm and which ones will remain relevant. Ultimately, consumers will make their preferences known. But whatever does happen, expect some of this year’s CES reveals to be coming to a tech store near you.
