Hit
or a Miss? - CES 2018….
© 2018 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
BOB SKIDMORE
CORRESPONDENT
Tis the season for the introduction of new gadgets.
Some will make it, and some will not. CES-2018, the Consumer Electronics Show,
in its 51st year, is the world’s technology proving ground. Some
3900 exhibitors showcased world-changing technologies that spanned more than
2.75 million net square feet of exhibit space in Las Vegas, making it the largest
show floor in CES history.
Attendance of over 184,000 attendees included major
international brands and more than 900 startups, all vying to be the next smash
hit in the electronic world of gadgets. With such a massive event it would be
impossible for me to highlight everything, so I’ve selected a few of the most unusual.
You be the judge as to whether it will be a hit, or a miss.
So here goes…. Kohler introduced the first voice-activated
toilet, Numi, that links with Amazon’s Alexa.
Yes, it can assist you with
heating up the seat, automatically lifting and closing the lid, playing your
favorite tunes, providing illumination, and most importantly complete the
flushing cycle. Priced from $5625 - $7825, it’s a germophobic’s dream by never
having to touch a toilet handle again! Available 4th quarter of this
year. No, I’ve not tested this one.
Whill’s electric wheel chair introduced the Ci that
uses a lithium-ion battery and can travel 5 MPH for 10 miles on one charge.
Actually first introduced at last year’s show, this new version has many new
features. It breaks down into 3 parts for easy packing. The wheels contain 24
separate rollers that permit the chair to move smoothly in any direction, and
it has a joystick on the right armrest controls the operation. It can also be
linked to an app allowing users to control it via their smartphone. Available
now at $4000.00+.
Casio unveiled the GPR B-1000, a rather unusual
version of their G-Shock series of watches. This is a GPS equipped watch that
is part of the Rangeman line capable of GPS navigation for up to 33 hours on a
single charge. The new Rangeman is the world’s first solar-assisted GPS
navigation device and also has a Triple Sensor (alti/barometer, compass,
thermometer) and Bluetooth connectivity. The watch has a low-temperature
LCD display (-20°C, -4°F), sapphire crystal, and carbon fiber insert band for
enhanced durability. It is water-resistant to 200 meters and like the original
it is resistant to mud and dust. It can also display the current location
on a route or bearing to a destination in real-time. Tracking data can be saved
automatically in intervals and point data (time/date, longitude/latitude,
altitude, atmospheric pressure, and temperature) can be recorded with the push
of a button. Up to 20 tracks and 60 points can be saved to the memory log. The
Backtrack function allows the user navigate to the starting point, using track
data to display the route and current bearing. New routes can be created and
log data managed on a Bluetooth-connected smartphone with the G-Shock Connected
app, with a 2D and 3D map display and timeline for tracking data. You can even
engage the built-in solar panel to keep the GPS running for one-hour after
exposing it to only four-hours of direct sunlight. Placing it on the supplied
wireless charging plate will get it back to full-power in just 5 hours. Available
April 2018, priced at $800.00.
Other announcements included that Amazon’s Alexa is
coming to Windows 10. HP, Lenovo, Asus and ACER announced that they will
release Alexa-compatible laptops. So, every ECHO will soon present a new way to
interact with your PC. It could mean that later this year you can issue voice
commands to your computer allowing you to send things like spreadsheets to
various people in your contact list by just asking. Alexa integrated devices
dominated the show, while many tech companies focused on health related
products.… Then there was the Coravin Wine Preservation Opener, a device that can
dispense wine from a bottle without removing the cork. The most expensive model
costs a mere $999.00, but does offer a Bluetooth function that will tell you
how much wine you have consumed and how much is remaining in the bottle. LG
displayed a roll up OLED TV prototype, while Samsung’s Q9S 85” 8K TV was a
beautiful display.
A unique item from France is called Enhancia. It's software and
hardware based with a ring you wear on your finger that’s connected to a hub or
laptop that links with an electronic instrument such as an electronic keyboard.
The musician can move their hand with the ring on it to create a vibrato effect,
or raise the volume up and down by simply moving your hand in an upward or
downward motion. All this is accomplished to the musical notes you’re playing.
You can combine any or all these limitless customized effects in the final
process. Enhancia is geared towards musicians who create their own music. The
company announced they will launch a Kickstarter campaign this spring. Projected
final cost $250-$400.
As I stated from the outset of this article, CES is a
test center or proving ground that ultimately separates the marketable from the
unmarketable, while showing what technological possibilities are possible. CES
Certainly makes for an entertaining experience at the entrepreneur’s expense or
disappointment.
Images:
By the manufacturer, Google Images, CES and Youtube
Bob Skidmore is a freelance
writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent,
or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his
points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally
supplies products at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is
received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of
review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior
ratings. In some cases news services and press releases made
available to the GADGETEER are used to compile this column.
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