HYDERABAD: Over the latter half of the last decade, technology has evolved so much and into so many different categories, that the idea of one single show to feature the latest developments in the field became a little outdated. Smartphones and wearables are among those that get their own launch events now, but for everything else, from televisions to cameras, 3-D printers, drones and everything in between, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas every January, is still the place to be. This year’s CES, held from January 6-9, had a lot more of the usual fare with minor improvements and additions, but it also marked some changing trends that could well reflect the direction of technology in the year to come. Here are our takeaways:
Pixels. Pixels everywhere Television manufacturers have been pushing the envelope in terms of how much resolution can be squeezed into a screen, and the past few years have seen the emergence of 4K, a resolution, as the name implies, that is four times the current FullHD 1080p standard seen on televisions and phones. This breakneck pace has seen a slowdown this year, as everyone waits for 4K to become mainstream and the first 4K blu-rays to come out, but that did not stop LG from showing off a 98-inch 8K TV. The resolution is so high that the TV needs to be that massive to even justify it, and even then, the sheer demand of shooting video of such quality means cameras capable of shooting it are still in early stages, leading to LG showcasing super-high quality images instead. While on the subject of televisions, Panasonic has made a television that is transparent when turned off, allowing it to double as frontage for a bookshelf.
Retro returns Amidst the flashy future stuff, there was a little nostalgia. Kodak brought along a Super 8 film camera that shoots on 8mm film. While the TVs next door boast of the latest digital playback capabilities, this was a nod to those bemoaning the lost art of shooting on film, which some maverick directors still do. The film cartridges will set you back as much as $75, which have to be sent back to Kodak for processing. The good news is that the amount covers processing costs and the company will also upload a 4K version of the footage to the cloud for playback on those swanky new TVs.
Vinyl fans also had something to cheer about, with Panasonic and Sony showcasing direct-drive and belt-driven turntables respectively. The Sony version even allows songs to be ripped from vinyl to high quality digital format, once again offering the best of both worlds. Polaroid has continued its march into the modern age this year with the Snap+, which can print out photos using zero ink printing tech, and also connect wirelessly to nearby printers to use those instead. The technology also allows printing of adhesive-layered photos, which can be used as stickers.
VR is here Virtual reality has been on the cusp of mainstream for a good long while, and the big name in the business, Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, finally went up for pre-order at CES. Primarily focused at the gaming industry, the Rift has come under criticism for a rather steep sticker price of $599, though early Kickstarter backers who supported the original version of the Rift will get theirs for free.
Wired wheels With smart and electric vehicles on the rise, deciding on whether to present cars at automobile shows or tech shows must be tricky. This year saw two new names break ground in electric vehicles, with industry pioneer Tesla taking a backseat. First up was the futuristic FFZERO1 concept from Faraday Future, a 1,000 horsepower electric car. While the company has been heralded as a possible rival to Tesla, the uber-futuristic concept revealed little beyond the existence of a common platform underneath that could be adapted to varying body styles and battery configurations. The bigger splash was made by General Motors (GM) when they unveiled the Chevrolet Bolt, a $30,000 electric vehicle (EV) with a range of 200 miles, making it the first affordable electric vehicle with the magic 200 mile range (Tesla's Model S costs over $70,000). With Tesla themselves set to release an affordable Model 3 later in the year, this could well be the dawn of a new motoring era.
