What did we learn from CES: Part Two
By Fay Capstick
Last week we looked at part one of our round-up of the newest gadgets, tech, and gizmos to come out of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. This included wireless televisions, urine sensors and exercise bike desks. There were plenty of fun items, but there was also a strong emphasis on sustainability and using recycled plastics from most exhibitors. This week, part two.
Colour changing car
Lots of car tech was on display. One of the strangest innovations on offer was a car that changes colour using e-ink from BMW. Remembering what colour your car was set to when you parked it will make locating it in a large car park that bit more challenging. It is only a concept car at this stage, but it is fascinating to see which direction the car manufacturers are heading in. Voice activation was also heavily pushed.
A smart bath mat
BBalance is a bath mat that is also a scale, meaning it will weigh you and transmit the data back to an app without you having to go to the trouble of keeping a separate scale in the bathroom or bedroom. BBalance are calling it a Matscale. It will also analyse your body composition, posture and balance and features a rechargeable battery that lasts 6 months between charges. We would expect its popularity to be based on how much of a premium such a bath mat carries. The current pre-order price is $299.
Robot dog
Many people got a pet during lockdown, but for those that didn’t another option has launched. WowWee have released a robot puppy for $80. The robot’s personality will emerge as you interact with it. If you don’t like the personality of the one you have, you can start again and see what emerges. It is cute in a plasticky way.
E-Ink laptop
Most of us are familiar with E-Ink and it’s benefits from Kindle eReaders. For prolonged reading sessions the E-Ink screen is kinder to our eyes and uses less energy to power. Lenovo’s new product has a colour E-ink screen as well as an OLED display. You can decide which screen you pick by swivelling them, as the second one becomes the lid. This is very exciting. Hopefully one day Amazon will release Kindle e-readers with a colour display too.
https://gizmodo.com/lenovo-thinkbook-plus-twist-rotating-e-ink-display-16p-1849952127
Integrated smart home tech
Matter is an open sourced smart home protocol that will work, and is being backed by, Apple, Amazon, and Google. This will end the dilemma of which smart home tech to buy into as Matter will bundle compatibility with all standards. The good news is that older devices will be compatible with Matter through a software update.
https://www.nordicsemi.com/products/matter
Folding Phones
We have already seen folding phones come back onto the market, and Samsung has taken things one step further with a phone screen that both folds and changes size to suit your needs. Currently only a prototype, it seems an excellent idea and one that is likely to help them gain a boost in the market.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/see-samsungs-futuristic-screen-fold-slide-and-shapeshift/
A flying car
Yes, deja vu. It feels like a flying car is something that we have been promised for decades but this time it might finally happen courtesy of a company called Aska. To be fair, calling it a flying a car is rather charitable as it looks more like a helicopter. It is driven by electric batteries, so has environmental credentials.
Aska have started taking pre-orders for $789,000, so it isn’t something that any of us are likely to see in the skies around us anytime soon. Plus, as would be expected, there are regulatory challenges to pass first.
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/great-scott-this-flying-car-could-roll-out-sooner-than-you-think/
Razor Edge handheld gaming device
The newest edition of the Razor Edge handheld gaming tablet will be launched in a couple of weeks. It is small, as you’d expect from a handheld, with a 6.8 inch screen and will cost $400.
The Razor Edge will be able to tap into the nostalgia element for consoles past. Only yesterday I was fondly looking at my old Nintendo DS. There is something quite nice about a gaming experience that is detached from your phone.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/razer-edge-game-handheld-arrives-january-26-pre-orders-opening-now/
Trainer cleaning machine from LG
Many people take their trainer collection very seriously. LG have shown off a shoe cleaning system which looks like a clear locker-style box. Via steam cleaning, after 37 minutes your shoes are fresh. Of course, you might just want to spray them with Fabreze.
Final thoughts
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