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If there is one central theme that technology companies love to talk about, it is interruption.
The internet has disrupted newspapers, social media has disrupted long-distance calls, computers have disrupted typewriters, smartphones have disrupted computers, and so on. The goal is always to be the company that will make the next big break in the hope of changing the world (and staying ahead of the competition). But after a year like 2020, even the biggest electronics companies in the world had to step back.
CES 2021: The 20 best things we saw at the Consumer Electronics Show
The consumer electronics fair (abbreviated to CES) will take place last week, becoming virtual for the first time in its 53-year history. Last year, 189,000 people – including us – attended a major convention hall in Las Vegas, this year the companies featured live or pre-recorded videos at Microsoft Teams. For the first time, the world has disturbed the world of technology.
To their credit, each company began its presentation by recognizing that Covid-19 was a global problem that impacted the lives of everyone on the planet. They recognized that we all have to change our plans and offered solidarity to those who suffered the most.
Then they talked about their next gadgets, whose main objective is to help you enjoy your time indoors. This is best summarized by Sebastian Seung, president and chief of Samsung Research, who started the company’s press conference by saying “our world looks different and you’re faced with a new reality, where, among other things, your home has taken on a meaning bigger. “
LG
CES has always been a program about the latest innovations in TV technology and this year was no exception. The focus this time was on 8K devices, which have twice the pixels of a 4K TV. The world is not yet ready for 8K – the screens are here, the content is not – but there is no denying that that future is coming.
The most exciting TV ads came from TCL and LG, the two companies that worked hard to make the best sets possible. TCL announced its first 8K TV, which will use a technology called AiPQ to increase (sharpen, improve) 4K or HD content to look better. The Evo G1 from LG has an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen, which produces a more detailed image than a traditional LED panel. LG has also designed a dedicated game mode to reduce lag and uses a custom processor to optimize the video quality of anything you are watching or playing.
Both companies recognized that the screens are getting bigger and have exceeded the limits of the size of the TV. LG’s Evo comes in an 83-inch configuration, and the TCL XL-TV series has configurations up to 85 inches. “Larger screens mean a more impactful, engaging and engaging experience,” said Aaron Dew, Director of Product Development at TCL North America. Dew also said that the screen size is the second most important factor that people consider before buying a TV, the first is the price.
Sony
Sony innovated on the speaker side by introducing the SRS-RA5000, a single speaker that can simulate surround sound thanks to a custom technology called “Reality 360 Audio”. The column follows this trend of making your home even better, without taking up much space, which most of us do not have. It has also pushed the limits of design by bending the speaker to ensure that its drivers point in different directions for more immersive sound.
As impressive and exciting as they are, these devices represent an evolution of existing technology, rather than something entirely original. CES is an event where technology companies launch themselves with big and bold ideas, and I couldn’t help feeling that this year’s ads were a little safer. On the positive side, you are much more likely to see this equipment available on the market this year.
The most striking “new” technology announced at the show was, strangely, a face mask geared towards technology. Masks became an important part of our lives in 2020, and technology companies are looking to stop them.
Razer
Razer, whose gaming laptops are undergoing major revisions in 2021, announced “Project Hazel”, which it calls “the smartest face mask in the world. Their version of the N95 has a pair of smart capsules that filter at least 95% of the airborne particles. They are designed to have a high resistance to fluids (think of the sneeze moisture) as well.
It even has a built-in microphone to increase your voice, so you are easy to understand even when connected. Although “Project Hazel” looks like a piece of functional, futuristic technology, it’s hard to forget why we need it in the first place. Charlie Bolton, Design Director at Razer Inc said “when designing this mask to be safe, social, sustainable, comfortable and personalized, Project Hazel is our answer to what the smartest mask in the world can be.”
Another underlying theme of CES 2021 was established companies entering entirely new fields. GE, which started launching smart home accessories last year, renamed this division to Cync and announced its first smart, connected HD camera. Samsung, known for its TVs and soundbars, has revealed the smartest robot vacuum cleaner we’ve ever seen, with a built-in camera and sensors that can use AI to not only detect objects, but determine what they are and how to proceed. Again, both devices are designed to make your time at home easier.
Roland
The third trend we saw at CES 2021 was the idea of creating something at home. This was typified by Roland’s Verselab MV-1, an all-in-one home studio that allows you to record vocals and instruments, loop beats, sequence sounds and add effects. For a solo musician, the MV-1 is a big step forward, replacing multiple pieces of single-use equipment with multitasking.
Lenovo’s 5G-enabled IdeaPad laptop is another highlight. Your internal cellular radio allows you to work from anywhere, opening doors for photographers to take, edit and upload photos from more remote locations. Musicians can broadcast live shows even if the venue (or even their home) has spotty Wi-Fi, and students in more rural areas have a better chance of staying connected to classmates and teachers.
At best, technological improvements make our lives a little easier, our work a little faster and our opportunities a little bigger. Although 2021 is still a strange year, CES offered a brighter view of what is to come.