Technology Trends From CES 2018 That Will Really Matter
Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show features gadgets from manufacturers to showcase their technical excellence and give consumers a glimpse of what’s coming to store shelves. Whether people decide to buy said products is another matter. Sure, this fold-out TV might be cool and could be bought for Christmas, but here’s the technology that will really make the difference in 2018.
Get ready for wireless charging everywhere
If you need a wireless charging stand for your new iPhone, 2018 is for you. With five debut models from accessory maker Belkin alone, you have a pretty wide selection to choose from.
Don’t like Belkin’s look? Take a look at the iOttie chargers which are covered in fabric and use USB-C ports (thank goodness). Car chargers, dual charging pads and charging stands in various styles, materials, shapes and price ranges will be available in 2018 for your shopping pleasure. And since wireless charging competitor PowerMat is adopting the Qi wireless charging standard in its future products, it’s safe to say that one charging method that works between iOS and Android smartphones will explode this year.
Of course, Android proponents will remind us that they had smartphones with Qi wireless charging long before Apple, but that hardly cared until Tim Cook added support for his iPhone 8 and iPhone X devices, smartphones that seem to dictate the direction in which technology will develop. marches.
Companion robots are still (mostly) bad
If you thought you were adding a companion robot to your home this year, think again. The robots offered by companies like LG are not only fairly easy to use with traditional robotics, but they are incredibly expensive, surprisingly specific in their use case, and just plain boring to look at .
Fortunately, one important robot is back in the game: the Sony Aibo robotic dogs are back, baby. Sure, they’re only available in Japan and cost around $ 1,750, but caring for a robotic dog that can recognize your face, respond to touch, and requires a subscription is probably worth the high price tag, especially since you don’t. will have to wear it to withstand the harsh winters .
And here is the universal voice assistant
While the Amazon Echo lineup and Google’s trio of home devices have brought voice assistants to more homes than ever before, 2018 seems to be the year your voice assistant is everywhere.
Google dominated this year’s event (after integrating Alexa with pretty much everything at CES 2017) and showed off a slew of new Assistant-enabled devices from companies like LG, Lenovo, and Sony with smart displays that display this kind of information. like your schedule, recipes and other visual attributes when you ask the Assistant for something. You’ll also find Assistant integration on more headphones, TVs – even newer cars, thanks to Android Auto, which is already available in over 400 car models .
VR is already in good shape
VR headsets are back at CES and they are much better this time. HTC showed off the Vive Pro , an updated version of its first VR headset, complete with a higher-resolution display and an optional wireless adapter. This means that you can walk around your virtual space without cables dangling behind you (although you will still look like a weirdo).
Not to be outdone, Google and Lenovo are releasing a standalone VR headset powered by Google’s Daydream VR platform. The Lenovo Mirage Solo , which delivers smartphone-like VR, doesn’t require you to hold your smartphone in front of you. When paired with the optional Mirage Camera for recording 3D content, your next Christmas gift can be one that immerses you in a world made just for you (just don’t bump into anything).
Your fancy TV is out of date
Just bought a 4K TV for Christmas, huh? Cute. Oh, before I forget: the future has already arrived, and it’s called 8K . LG showcased the 8K Concept TV, a giant 88-inch OLED screen with 33 million pixels – enough to make you wonder what you’re still doing with this trendy 4K TV. It’s a pity. The company also showcased a fairly new 65-inch TV that, thanks to its flexible plastic display, can literally unfold out of a fancy storage box.
Is the console connected to the TV? Gamers should start hoarding for an NVIDIA-based “big gaming display” designed to deliver 4K resolution and minimal latency for gamers with deep pockets .
With NVIDIA Shield integration, you can stream games from your PC (4K) or use the GeForce NOW streaming service (1080p). This means you can play high-quality PC games or Android apps (including your regular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu) using just a controller and a large format gaming display. Asus, Acer and HP are using this technology and will release 65-inch large format gaming displays later this year that could be your next TV if you want to buy one when it launches.
No more ultra-thin laptops please
Acer has reclaimed the award for “world’s thinnest laptop” with the second generation Acer Swift 7.. Looking at the trade-offs, however, hopefully it doesn’t bode well for the future. This 8.98mm laptop has a built-in fingerprint sensor, USB-A zero port, only two USB-C ports, one headphone jack, a camera located at the bottom of the screen (so it points to your nose), and the ability to connect to the 4G LTE network (which is very cool).
Dell also unveiled a fairly thin laptop, an updated version of its XPS 13 laptop with USB-A port zero. Sadly, 2018 seems to be phasing out USB-A altogether. While this is great for future-oriented devices, it makes your current set of gadgets a lot harder to charge or plug into a computer without a fucking dongle.