10 of the Coolest Gadgets From CES 2017
Wallpaper-thin TVs, drones that can dive underwater, and a
computer the size of a credit card. Those are only a few of the gadgets that
have been unveiled this week at the annual CES gadget
expo in Las Vegas, where companies in the tech, automotive, and home appliance
industries flaunt their latest innovations.
Many
high-profile tech companies, like Apple and Google,
typically hold their own separate events throughout the year to unveil new
products rather than debuting new wares at CES. Still, the annual convention,
now in its 50th year, often provides a look at the next big trends in tech.
The
biggest themes at CES this year include self-driving cars, home robots, and
tons of integrations
with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. We also saw razor-thin
laptops and convertible computers, along with show-stopping massive
televisions.
Here's
a look at some of the most interesting gadgets at CES 2017:
Dell 2-in-1 Laptops
Dell introduced several convertible laptops this year, and the most notable include its Latitude 7285 and new XPS 13 models. The former is a Surface Pro 4 rival that includes a sharp screen, stylus, and a sturdy keyboard that more closely resembles that of a laptop than most hybrids. The latter is an updated version of Dell's already great XPS 13 that includes a flexible rotating hinge for use in different positions.
Lenovo Smart Assistant
Lenovo's new speaker is a slightly cheaper and more colorful
alternative to the Amazon Echo. It includes eight microphones that Lenovo
says can pick up speech from 16 feet away. It's also powered by Amazon's Alexa
voice assistant, meaning you'll get access to the same array of
"skills" that you would with Amazon's own gadget. Similarly, Lenovo
is touting the Smart Assistant as ideal for tasks like answering questions,
managing calendars and to-do lists, and playing music. It launches this May in
several colors and will cost $130 for the standard model and $180 for a version
with upgraded Harman Kardon speakers.
Razer Project Valerie
When
you're using a laptop for doing work, playing video games, and streaming Netflix,
one screen isn't always enough. So why not include three? Razer's Project Valerie
concept does just that by adding two foldable displays that
expand out from the primary screen in the center. Each display is 17 inches
diagonally and supports 4K resolution, and Razer says they can be used
independently or together as one giant display. The downside: it weighs 12
pounds, which isn't unacceptable for a beefy gaming laptop but is way more than
the average notebook.
Asus Zenfone AR
Asus is
betting that in the near future we'll be using our phones for way more than
hailing Ubers, playing games, and video chatting. The Zenfone AR, as its name implies, is built to provide augmented
and virtual reality experiences. It supports two platforms created by Google to
enable these technologies: Tango and Daydream, meaning its hardware is tailored
to track motion, perceive depth, and learn about its surroundings to run AR and
VR apps.
Toyota Concept-i
Toyota
doesn't believe the future of the car is only about teaching vehicles to drive
for us. While the Concept-i vehicle shown at CES would be capable of
driving autonomously, its biggest draw is the artificial intelligence that
powers it. Toyota claims the car will be able to learn more about the drivers'
preferences and needs over time, such as suggesting destinations after a driver
chats with the vehicle's virtual assistant, called "Yui."
Intel's Credit Card-Sized Computer
While
some laptop and desktop computers are designed to be customized and
upgraded, Intel is
thinking about how we'll be upgrading the various Internet-connected home
appliances and robots we may own in the future. Intel's Compute Card, which is about the size of a credit
card, is a mini-computer designed to be easily inserted into smart devices. The
idea is to make upgrading gadgets like smart refrigerators, interactive retail
kiosks, and connected security cameras as easy as swapping out one component.
This prevents the need to buy an entirely new system once new standards in
connectivity or faster processors are released. The computer includes
essentially all of the same aspects of a standard-sized computer, including a
processor, memory, storage, and wireless tech.
PowerRay Aquatic Drone
PowerVision's new PowerRay drone sounds like a fisherman's dream. The
waterproof vehicle is compatible with an optional FishFinder add-on that uses a
sonar system to detect fish and send images to the user. It operates in both
fresh and salt water and includes a 4K camera that can shoot 12-megapixel
stills.
LG W-Series TV
LG
hopes to make large-screened TVs blend into the living room as naturally as
wallpaper. The company's new 77-inch
TV is incredibly thin and light for its size, weighing just
over 27 pounds, Similarly-sized smart TVs from Samsung and Sony weigh around 80 and 73 pounds respectively. That's
because LG's new TV is designed differently; the screen itself is separated
from the guts of the system, which are contained in a Dolby Atmos sound bar
that also includes I/O ports for connectivity.
Mattel Aristotle
Mattel's
Aristotle is like a smart baby monitor and Amazon Echo
rolled into one. The smart voice-activated speaker works with a companion
camera and is intended to help with tasks like soothing a crying baby, buying
more diapers, encouraging kids to mind their manners, or helping them learn a
foreign language.
Mohu Airwave
While
cord-cutting has improved the binge-watching experience in many ways, its
Achilles heel has always been its lack of local broadcast TV offerings. Antenna
maker Mohu hopes to address this with its new Airwave, a $150 wireless antenna
that brings local channels to platforms like Roku, Apple TV,
Fire TV, Android, and iOS. It makes live TV viewable through an app, making it
possible to access in the same way you would Netflix or
Hulu.
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