Thursday, February 1, 2018

CES ~ 2018



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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