Sunday, January 13, 2013

2013 International CES

We’re just back from the 2013 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show). Here’s what caught our eyes and ears as we roamed the conference halls and sat in at the press conferences:





NEW New:
    Small, truly portable power supplies that use fuel cell technology to recharge or power small mobile devices such as smart phones, iPads, iPods (but not yet laptops). These fuel cells provide 6-15 recharges before you need to replace the fuel capsule.
    A window cleaning robot. This little device crawls around your window on tiny suction cups built into tractor treads. It really does do windows.
    Earphones that use bone conduction to hear music or cell phone, leaving the ear canals unobstructed for hearing ambient sound, conversations, traffic noises.




 
TV: The new crop of TVs are bigger, brighter and, oh my, is the display sharper than we’ve ever seen. Large 55" versions of the long-anticipated  OLED (organic light emitting diodes) displays were especially notable. Want big? How about 80" and 90" displays (with price tags to match). A few “ultra HD” 4K and 8K sets were also on display. Look for improved sound quality from the TV’s built-in speakers. And most TVs are “smart,” connecting to the Internet with a built-in browser or included apps from TV and music providers such as Netflix or Pandora.





 Bling: One exhibitor proudly proclaimed “Bling My Thing!” Not what you think, but referring to a way to decorate your mobile devices as a fashion statement. Colorful crystal-encrusted covers for your smartphones, iPads and even earphones were everywhere. Likewise, wild and crazy colorfully designed covers for a variety of devices. Want a pink or purple wireless pedometer? We saw them--and lots more.



 
Home Networks: Products from Netgear expand the reach of your home wireless network to eliminate those annoying dead zones. Simple, plug-in and self installing.

Home Automation: Central control and monitoring, local or remote, for entertainment, heating and A/C, lighting, security and more in your home are available from several vendors, but prices are still high for the better quality systems and most need professional installation.

More details coming. Stay tuned.