The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas has just come to an end. This years expo covered more than 1.85 million square feet, and played host to around 3000 exhibitors.
The biggest names in the technology world (with the notable exception of Apple and Microsoft) are represented at CES, showing off and talking about their latest products and future plans and trends for the year ahead. This year it was estimated that 20,000 gizmos, gadgets and products were launched at the show with everything from a computerised fork which buzzes and lights up when you eat too quickly to a wi-fi enabled fridge on which you can update your weekly shopping list and my personal favourite; Pebble, the world’s thinnest watch.
CES is also where the latest televisions are unveiled and this year all the excited twitter chatter surrounded the Ultra High Definition models. There were huge ones, skinny ones and curvacious ones with both Samsung and LG showcasing their ‘world’s first’ curved OLED TV. No one is sure who can lay claim to the title but the curvy TV’s look cool and the five degree curve is supposed to prevent the ‘fade’ that some people perceive at the edges of flatscreens.
The real buzzwords in the television world were Ultra HD: 4K, 8K and OLED, representing the next big thing in evolution for high definition TV. And once again at CES there were two manufacturers claiming a ‘world first’. This time it was between Panasonic and Sony who were both launching brand new 4K OLED screens.
4K televisions pack in around 4000 pixels and 8K around 8000, this is in comparison to the typical 1080p televisions that we are watching now. There is however a lack of 4K/8K content being broadcast at the present time and therefore availability of that content could determine the future success of these screens.
OLED (organic light emitting diode) panels are made up of layers of organic material such as carbon. They do not need backlighting which results in thinner and more energy efficient products. The new screens are literally wafer thin and consume very little energy…there is a real likelihood that these gorgeous screens will become the future of TV production.
Aside from all the Ultra HD/OLED televisions, there were still plenty of 1080p TV’s on display at CES. The one that caught our eye here at Moss of Bath was the Panasonic ZT60, a new flagship range of plasma screens. In comparisons being made with their (already brilliant) VT50 panels, the new ZT60 is already being hailed as the successor to the much loved Pioneer Kuro TV. The ZT60 will be available in two screen sizes, 60” & 65” and we are eagerly awaiting an announcement at the European trade fairs as to when it will be available in the UK.
CES showcases innovative new products, ambitious new businesses and highlights a real sense of optimism in the consumer electronics industry.
http://www.hapilabs.com/products-hapifork.asp http://www.samsung.com/us/topic/apps-on-your-fridge http://getpebble.com http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/TC-P65ZT60