[CES2014] My Personal Favourites
So yesterday was the final day of CES 2014, and there was really nothing more interesting to justify posting a Day 4 Report of CES, so I decided to not post something that may or would be boring for all of you to read. Instead, in this blog post, I will be telling you my favourite gadgets, devices, basically things at this year’s CES. If you don’t agree with some (or all!) of my choices you can vote by voicing your thoughts in the comments section down below! Without further ado, here are my favourite things by the category!
Best Gaming Product/Service: Sony PlayStation Now
In the very near future, you won’t need to have an additional console box sitting by the TV. You can just play a game via streaming through your TV, tablet, smartphone etc! Of course, internet speeds need to be sufficient, but with UFB currently rolling out, this will no-doubtedly make for an excellent game-streaming service!
Best Meltdown: Michael Bay
Yes, you probably heard about it a thousand times already, but this was the biggest (and best :P) meltdown on-stage at CES 2014 during a Samsung presentation. It was just… weird to see a famous director not being able to describe what he does for a living! I guess everybody has a stage-fright some time in their life!
Best Startup: Airtame
Ah, Airtame. Airtame is a wireless PC/Mac/Linux mirroring-capable device for the TV, projector. According to the video demonstrations, mirroring seems to be responsive and easy to set up, so hopefully this will make a good wireless mirroring option for desktop/laptop users!
Best PC Gaming Device: Razer Modular PC – Project Christine
The Razer Modular PC – Project Christine, makes it very easy for noobs to replace or change PC parts, as all you have to do is remove (disconnect) a pod off a “shelf”, then put (connect) it back in again! There weren’t many interesting PCs at CES, except for this one.
Best Television: Vizio 4k Television
Now I haven’t personally seen the picture quality on this TV, but the price alone makes it the best 4K TV available (or yet to be available). Note: This TV will probably be only available in the US.
Best Virtual Reality Combination: Virtuix Omni with Oculus Rift 3D Head-Tracking Goggles
As I said before in a CES2014 Daily Report, I would really like one of these in my home! They would make for the best, most realistic gaming experience you could probably experience! Coupled with the Oculus Rift, whatever direction you turn in, will turn you in the direction of the game! So this would be ideal in a game of FPS for example, coupled with a plastic gun!
Best Smart Watch: Pebble Steel
I personally think the Pebble Steel was the best smart watch at CES 2014 because it acts like a lifestyle accessory and not another full-on tech gadget. Basically it resembles as much as a watch can be, without adding too much “gimmicks” on to the device. I mean, yes, a full-on Android experience may be good for that one or two special people, but most people don’t need or want a watch that is practically a full-on tech gadget/or another mobile device.
Best Automobile: (Haven’t seen enough to be able to justify an opinion)
So.. yeah.
Best “Futuristic-Looking” Product: Toyota i-Road
Even though this was actually unveiled sometime last year, I only heard about this now and it really looks like a neat “personal transporter”. You could probably say it was a very advanced Segway, as it has only three wheels and can only transport one person and runs on electricity! Would really love to test-drive one of these!
Best Fitness Wristband/Wristwatch: Razer Nabu
There was certainly a lot of fitness wristband/wristwatches at CES this year, so it was a bit hard choosing which was my personal favourite fitness wristband, but I was finally able to narrow it down to the Razer Nabu. I chose this because most other wristwatches are currently only able to deliver what the manufacturer has made for them (i.e track steps, count flight of stairs), but the Razer Nabu has made all information available to developers, so we may see something made by first or third-party developers for the Nabu, that will be a first on any fitness wristbands!
Best Audio Product: ClearView Clio
ClearView has made a very interesting audio product shaped like a clio, that is deemed as being “the first invisible speaker.” The sound resonates about the transparent, curved glass at the top, which then create sound waves. It certainly makes the speaker, less “speakery-looking.”
Best Wireless “Personal Assistant”: Sen.se Mother
Feel like you want your mother to nag you again? The Sen.se Mother is a wireless personal assistant that will tell you what you want, based on activities, using Cookies – a special sensor that can adapt to your activities. With the Senseboard, it will layout all your activities and information using the Cookies sensor in an easy to read Flipboard-like magazine dashboard!
Best Child-Friendly Product: Mimo Baby (By Rest Devices with Intel tech)
This will be a great gift for first-born baby parents! The Mimo Baby device is basically a baby monitor. It has sensors connected to an onesie made especially for the baby, that can measure the baby’s body position, skin temperature and activity level. This will then be shown on your iOS/Android app or on Intel’s smart mug that will potentially light up to show the baby’s respiratory trends.
Best Prototype Device: Oculus Rift Crystal Cove
Even though this is still a prototype, it has definitely improved from last year’s version of the Rift. These include improved head-tracking, the ability to peer around corners and even lean over the edges all in the virtual reality world. Even better, developers have started creating apps for them, one is a space-fighting game that will probably make you very dizzy afterwards!
Best Automobile Tech Product/Service: Audi Traffic Light Assist
The Audi traffic light assist helps you get over in green traffic lights by calculating the speed and time that it will take you to get to that traffic light. This is thanks to some of the traffic lights being “smart” in the US, and the upcoming traffic lights will transmit this data to the Audi dashboard. So less, if not any, waiting for red traffic lights!
Best Toy: Parrot Jumping Sumo/Sphero 2B
Now this position is shared by two toy gadgets – Parrot’s Jumping Sumo and the Sphero 2B. They are both very fun devices to play with in order to kill time, or just when you’re having a few friends over with and you need something to impress them with!
Best Mobile Accessory: Mophie Space Pack for iPhone 5/5s
This means (if I have an iPhone 5/5s) I will be able to charge up my iPhone on the go when the battery is nearly depleted WHILE ALSO adding additional expandable memory onto the iPhone! How neat!
Best Screen-less Device: Sony Life Space UX (Ultra Short-Throw) 4K Projector
Imagine all the possibilities of your wall being a 4K screen! You could even potentially fool people that you’re looking outside a window!
Best 4K PC Monitor: Lenovo ThinkVision Pro2840m
It is good to see that 4K displays are starting to come down in price and this is one of the companies that are helping push down these prices!
Best Food Device: 3D Systems Food Printer
Printing out certain foods can now be the next big thing instead of buying them – but at a costly price of buying the 3D food printer first!
Best Camcorder: Sony 4K FDR-AX100 Handycam
You can now shoot high quality 4K UHD footage at both 24 and 30p for a comparably low price – that is if it makes it to NZ at a similarly low price… If not, you could always go for the next best thing – shooting 4K footage on a Samsung Galaxy Note 3!
Best Smart Phone (Mobile Device): Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
This compact Xperia Z1 device packs all the punch (specs) of the original Sony Xperia Z1 in a 4.3-inch screen, all except for a smaller battery pack. What more can be said?
Best Android Tablet: Samsung Galaxy NotePRO
Samsung has completely re-designed the native Android look into something more like the Flipboard UI, effectively naming it the Magazine UX. I think it looks a lot more “refreshed” and a complete redesign, unlike the transition say from iOS 6 to iOS 7.
Best Windows Tablet: Lenovo ThinkPad 8
While most 8-inch tablets are of a lower quality and specs and made for the consumers, the Lenovo ThinkPad 8 has impressed us by implementing high quality materials (an aluminium chassis) and higher specs than the rest of the competition!
Best Personal Protection Device: Yellow Jacket iPhone 5/5s Stun Gun Case
Well.. this is scary just thinking about it! I hate being zapped!
Best Surprise At CES 2014: Samsung/LG Bendable TV
Who thought that we would very soon be able to bend a TV at our will? Samsung and LG thought so! With a touch of a button, you can demand that the TV be curved or be flat! So if you are by yourself, you could utilise the “3D effect” by sitting in the sweet spot with the TV being curved. And as usual, they will come at a price!
