CES 2016 demonstrates how tech is changing
The 2016 version of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas every year in January, did not produce any revolutionary technologies but demonstrated how the world and technology in general is changing. CES 2016, held from January 6-9, mostly had refined versions of previously-launched tech. Showcasing everything from drones to 3D-printers, from televisions to cameras, it is the world's biggest tech event.
The next generation of televisions at CES 2016
TV industry breakthroughs have been relatively slow since the release of 4K resolutions, as everyone waits for 4K to become mainstream. However, LG launched its 98-inch 8K TV sporting resolutions that were eight times the FullHD 1080p standard - a resolution so high, that a 98-inch screen was needed to justify it. Panasonic revealed a television that was transparent when switched off.
Autonomous cars, electric cars and more
American technology company, NVIDIA, announced a supercomputer that would be able to power autonomous cars in the future, marking one of the biggest vehicle-related news of CES 2016. Meanwhile, Chevrolet announced an all-electric Bolt with a 200+ mile range at $38,000. Tesla Motors announced a software update for their cars that would allow the owner to summon the car from his phone.
The emerging world of virtual and augmented reality
Two big pieces of virtual reality (VR) devices, HTC and Valve's Vive Pre, and Facebook-owned Oculus' VR rig, the Oculus Rift made the VR headlines. Oculus Rift finally went up for pre-order at a hefty price tag of $599. Meanwhile, Intel highlighted the industrial-grade Daqri Smart Helmet, showing how augmented reality (AR) could be used in real-world work environments from construction to manufacturing.
A world of single-passenger drones?
A Chinese company named EHang launched an autonomous copter called the 184 capable of transporting a single-passenger. The 184, a 440-pound pilotless vehicle with four rotors, has a flying time of 23 minutes or about 10 miles before its batteries need recharging. The cost of the 184 is estimated to be around $300,000-$400,000, and there has been skepticism regarding the practicality of the drone.
Products which debuted at CES
Most of the technology we use today debuted at the CES over the years. Some of these are the Camcorder (1981), CD player (1981), DVD (1996), HD Television (1998), Blu-ray Disc (2003), Tablets, Notebooks and Android Devices (2010), etc.
