CES 2014 Showcases Top Tech Trends

What’s the next big thing? What’s new? What’s hot? What’s not? These are just some of the burning questions that get answered every year at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). During this year’s staging of the always highly anticipated trade show, technology companies from all across the globe again descended on the Las Vegas Convention Center to showcase their latest prized products. Not surprisingly, freshly minted mega TVs and sleek mobile devices again captured the attention and imagination of many people who followed this edition of the event. However, there were many other types of products unveiled at CES 2014 that generated significant buzz among techies all around the world. The development of many of these gadgets was inspired by some prominent technology trends that have emerged in recent times. Without further ado, here’s a look at five of the top tech trends that highlighted the event.      

 

Wearable Tech

There’s definitely no denying that the trend towards wearable technology is one of the coolest to come about within the last few years. The show at CES 2014 suggests that the wearable tech revolution won’t be grinding to a halt anytime soon. In fact, if anything, it’s gathering quite a bit more steam. The Meta Pro AR goggle, which won’t become commercially available for another couple months, is one of the latest additions to a lengthening line of reality augmenting eyewear. Its gesture-driven user interface can be used to manipulate a wide range of digital devices. However, it also packs a fair processing punch of its own. An Intel Core i5 processor and 4 GB of RAM will allow users to run standard operating systems in their virtual world. The Peeble Steel was another example of wearable tech on display at the event. When it eventually comes out, it’ll be able to run a variety of useful apps and interface with a number of popular smartphones.

           

Meta Pro AR goggles

4K TVs

Tons of ultra high-definition (UHD) 4K TVs grabbed a lot of the limelight at CES 2014 as well. Almost all of the major television manufacturers got in on the act – including Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, LG, and Vizio. These 4K TVs are increasingly being touted as the wave of the future. In theory, they offer four times the level of visual definition served up by their presently popular 1080p kin. However, before you put that UHD TV at the top of your wish list, there’s one big thing to keep in mind: there’s not yet a wealth of compatible 4K programming available. This reality is guaranteed to change though – and quickly. The rapidly rising popularity of these televisions will ensure it.         

 

Gesture Control

Clicking and tapping to control your digital devices is so passé. Well, maybe not quite yet. However, this is almost certain to become a reality if the gesture control trend in evidence at CES 2014 holds. Limited gesture control capabilities have been integrated into many of the consumer electronics that we’ve seen released in recent years. Now, it appears that a number of enterprising developers are primed to take it to a whole new level. Exhibit A: the Myo gesture and motion control armband. Instead of relying on cameras to detect your gestures, the Myo armband actually analyzes muscle activity within your forearm. It uses a number of muscle-linked sensors to determine that you’re making a variety of hand and finger gestures by gauging the level of tension it detects in your various arm muscles. It then communicates these gestural commands to your compatible digital device such as a gaming console or tablet via Bluetooth.    

 

Galaxy NotePRO tablet

There was a time in the not too distant past when advancements in the consumer electronics arena were reflected in the progressively smaller sizes of some of our favorite gadgets. Increasingly, however, it appears that more and more companies are turning that paradigm on its head. Bigger is seemingly the new better. In acknowledgment of this trend, a high volume of “bigger than normal” devices were unveiled by electronics companies at CES 2014. Samsung grabbed many of the headlines when it showcased its big-screened Galaxy NotePRO tablet. The device’s 12.2-inch display dwarfs those carried by virtually all of its competitors within the tablet category. There were also a number of manufacturers who presented smartphones with huge 6-inch displays. Gargantuan TVs from the likes of Vizio and Samsung also captured the spotlight during the four-day electronics extravaganza.          

 

Curved Displays

Quite a few of the gadgets paraded at CES 2014 featured curved displays. TVs and smartphones were among the devices that showed off their inviting curves to the numerous attendees who showed up. Huge curved TVs from Samsung and LG attracted their fair share of admirers. The promise of an improved viewing experience continues to fuel a lot of the interest revolving around these high-definition screens. The LG G Flex, which features a pronounced curved display, also made an indelible mark in the minds of many. Its arching form was designed to better fit the natural contour of the human face, bringing the microphone much closer to the mouth (and ear) than the standard flat phone does. In theory, this should lead to better voice and sound quality for the parties on both ends of the line.

 

CES 2014 showcased a host of exciting consumer electronics to the world. Many of the products on display reflected a number of trends that have been gradually gathering momentum over the last few years.             

CES 2014 Showcases Top Tech Trends