“It is a mind-blowing array of the latest consumer gadgets.”
Every January, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas sets the tone for companies and retailers who bring consumer technology to our high streets.
For over 40 years, the CES has been uniting innovators, business leaders and reviewers in a meaningful forum where exciting ideas are exchanged and challenged.
Ultimately, it is a mind-blowing array of the latest consumer gadgets presented as concepts or market-ready products. Here are DESIblitz’s picks of CES Vegas 2015.
1. Smartphone
Star of the show, with a curved, 5.5-inch 1080p screen and a 13-megapixel camera, the LG G Flex 2 was named the best smartphone of CES 2015 jointly by TechRadar and Currys PC World.
It looks like the iPhone 5, but is better and cheaper. The Blu Vivo Air has a 4.8-inch 720p display, is 5.1mm thick and lighter than 100g.
At US$199 (£132), you get a 1.7GHz octa-core processor, an 8-megapixel main camera and 5-megapixel front camera, too.
On the other side, even its impressive capability – 5-inch 1080p display, 3GB of RAM, 20 megapixels camera – does not justify a price tag of US $6,000 (£3,970) for the Tonino Lamborghini 88 Tauri.
Other cool gadgets include Storedot’s prototype charges a phone battery from empty to full in under two minutes. Expect them to hit stores in 2017.
2. Laptop and PC
Light as a feather, the Samsung ATIV Book Blade 9 weighs just over two pounds and boasts up to 12.5 hours of battery life.
It comes with a 12.2-inch LED screen and 10-watt Dolby Surround Sound speakers. Price starts at US$1,199 (£793).
In addition, the sleek HP Pavilion Mini desktop is as small as your palm and takes up no more than 2.06 inches of workspace but can store up to 1TB of data. Price starts at £212.
The 13-inch Lenovo LaVie Z HZ750 is an extremely skinny and light touchscreen laptop that doubles comfortably as a tablet, and prices steeply at $1,500 (£990).
3. Tablet
It is time to say goodbye to your stylus!
You can write with any graphite or metal point larger than 1mm on Lenovo’s Yoga Tablet 2 with AnyPen.
And no need to worry about damaging its 8-inch scratch-resistant touchscreen.
The tablet costs only US$300 (£200).
4. TV
This year’s must-have is the 4K TV. You should check out LG’s 55EF9500 – a 55-inch OLED (organic light-emitting diode) flat HDTV.
Confused by the jargon? All you need to know is it captures reality better than your eyes.
And if 4K isn’t enough, you’ll be happy to know that 8K is here! Samsung showed off its 110-inch 8K TV, glasses-free 3D TV.
Japan will likely to enjoy the technology first from 2016 and not until 2018 for the rest of the world.
5. Gaming
What we learned at CES is that virtual reality is just as important as actual reality.
Put on the Oculus Rift headset and enter a world of sonic waves that will heighten your senses to a new level. We are promised a consumer launch this year.
Mad Catz brings you the ultimate gamepad. The L.Y.N.X.9 can transform from a standard controller to a customised device for tablets and smartphones. Get it now for $300 (£200).
6. Wearable
With better designs and looks, wearables are ready to rock fashion. Add sophistication to your style with Withings’ Swiss watch-styled Activité Pop.
At $150 (£99), it is equipped with a standard fitness tracker and a silicone strap available in three colours.
It can even wake you up in the morning and automatically set new time zones.
Run with a Band-Aid; FitLinxx’s AmpStrip is made for your torso and monitors your heart rate. The beginner’s set with 30 adhesive strips and a charger will be available at US$150 (£99) in July 2015.
7. Camera
Not incredibly exciting but the Nikon D5500 does impress with its first touchscreen SLR.
Though very light and compact, it gives a strong hand grip. Price starts at US$899 (£595) for the body.
With drone tech another big trend of 2015, you can fly your camera with DJI’s Inspire 1 for a whopping US$2,899 (£1,920)!
8. Audio
Who needs tangle-free headphones when you can own a pair of wireless earbuds for just US$299 (£198)? Of course, the Bragi Dash is noise-cancelling and touch-enabled.
Let your mood guide your speaker as Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound Moment knows your feelings better than your partner.
It plays music from your collection according to your mood and environment. They hit B&O stores from end of January 2015 at £1,795.
Music and booze all-in-one, Kube is the only thing you need to keep your drinks cool and the party alive with your music at a premium sound quality.
Scheduled for May 2015 release, the US$1,100 (£727) speaker hybrid will be what your heart desires this summer.
9. Car
Driverless mobility is the hype of 2015. The only car on everyone’s lips is the Mercedes Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion concept car.
It boasts a futuristic exterior and luxurious interior. Runs entirely on electric power, it is capable of covering 700 miles.
It is a concept for now, but one that sends a strong message to Google – we can make one too and it looks way cooler.
10. Security
Protect your personal online security with Intel’s groundbreaking True Key, which employs facial recognition to access secured files. Sorry, Apple fans.
The current product preview only shows capability with Windows and Android.
Home security gets stylish as Netatmo’s Welcome security camera also works with facial recognition. It can recognise friendly (saved) faces and sends alerts upon detection of unfamiliar (unsaved) faces.
Its infrared sensor allows it to fully function at night. They will arrive stores in summer 2015.
There are two more tech jargons that will be buzzing in 2015. The first is the Internet of Things, connecting home and personal devices with wireless technology; and 3D printers – consumer-friendly machines that can print anything from pizza to an iPhone.
As gadgets continue to integrate into our daily lives and gain popularity among different age groups, the latest development in technology has become relevant for everyone.
Stay tuned as we keep bringing you exciting updates of 2015, the year of tech!
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