What to expect at CES 2014: Wearables, tablets, 4K video
For those in the tech industry, the new year's eve countdown does not really end with fireworks and frivolity -- its conclusion is marked instead by the opening bell of the Consumer Electronics Show, held each January in Las Vegas.
AppleInsider will be on site next week providing live, hands-on coverage of the announcements, but until then, these are some of the trends and new products we expect to see at CES 2014.
AppleInsider will be on site next week providing live, hands-on coverage of the announcements, but until then, these are some of the trends and new products we expect to see at CES 2014.
Smartwatches
- Industry leader Pebble says they will unveil "something special" at CES, though the company is mum on exactly what it might be. The announcement will be live-streamed on Pebble's website on Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. eastern time.
- French manufacturer Archos will show off a "selection of smart watches" that the company says will retail for less than $50 and sport a "pebble-like design." The devices will be designed to interface with a new Archos Connected Self iOS app that is said to be similar to competing offerings from companies like Fitbit and Withings.
- Tech titan Sony is expected to debut its third-generation Android-compatible Sony SmartWatch during next week's festivities. The new device was spotted by Wireless Goodness in an FCC filing labeling the watch a "BT Wrist Notifier."
- A new "WristRevolution" TechZone at CES will play host to a slew of upstart smartwatch makers from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Established players TomTom and MetaWatch will also be on hand, and Qualcomm will use the WristRevolution zone to show off its new Toq device.
Tablets
- South Korean giant Samsung is widely believed to have prepared a new, larger entry in its Galaxy Tab lineup. The tablet is thought to be called the Galaxy Note Pro and could sport a 12.9-inch, 2560 x 1600 pixel display, 2.4GHz processor, 3 gigabytes of RAM, and a 9,500mAh battery, according to ZDNet Korea.
- Smartwatches will not be Archos's only play at CES. The company will also unveil a 7-inch Android-powered "Smart Home Tablet" designed to act as a hub for a new range of "connected home" devices.
- Taiwanese hardware maker Acer will launch updated versions of their Iconia B1 and Iconia A1 Android tablets next week. The new B1 will feature a slimmer profile and an updated body texture, while the A1 will add some aluminum to complement its 7.9-inch display.
4K
- Streaming service Netflix will announce hardware partners for a new 4K streaming plan aimed at connected televisions, Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt told Stuff. Hunt indicated that "several of the major TV vendors" would be debuting Netflix-compatible 4K sets.
- Seoul, South Korea-based LG announced plans to show new 55-, 65-, and 77-inch Ultra 4K curved televisions with OLED displays. The 77-inch model, which LG describes as "mammoth," has already received CES 2014's Best of Innovations prize.
- Polaroid is bringing affordable 4K video to CES with a new 50-inch Ultra 4K television developed in conjunction with Empire Electronics. The company says the set will retail for an impressively low $999.99, one of the first sub-$1,000 4K televisions to hit the market.
Comments
Wow!
Wow!
Well, one was unexpected.
Wow!
Wow!
Well, one was unexpected.
Agreed - but are Polaroid TVs any good?
That's a general question to anyone who's dealt with them/looked at them when purchasing a set - I'm too lazy to do any research on my own!
This is the worst trolling job I’ve ever seen.
I was expecting a double face palm picture! You know, when one doesn't quite cut it.
I'd be happy if Apple quietly refreshed the Thunderbolt Display with USB3, a couple of TB2 ports, and a revised magsafe connector, along with a new iMac-svelte design. I could give a damn about 4K.
I would be happy with that, especially if they also offered a reverse magsafe, so all MacBooks could make use of the built in power supply.
When i get extra PSU's for benches and desks, i still get the older one and buy an adapter for each
I would be happy with that, especially if they also offered a reverse magsafe, so all MacBooks could make use of the built in power supply.
When i get extra PSU's for benches and desks, i still get the older one and buy an adapter for each
I have a 2011 Thunderbolt Display -- which is laughably "the most current version" as per Amazon -- which was damaged in a lightning strike. It's very usable, and you only see the damage when it's warming up & on the login screen (it's weird; it looks like water damage on a piece of dark construction paper or cardboard). The event happened in late July; I got the go-ahead to replace but asked if I could wait it out a bit -- "new displays due any time now". I just got asked if I wanted to keep the P.O. open still.
I can get a new Apple Thunderbolt Display, which has 2+ year old tech, for $999 ($799 refurb) or look elsewhere. I know it's the display I want but I have a hard time rationalizing paying a 2011 price for a 2011 display with 2010 tech in 2013 (now 2014).
Apple should have at least updated the USB2 to USB3, and done a magsafe update (though their little adapter works fine with my new MBP retina). A switch to the thinner iMac style last year would have been welcome, even if it was the same old panel.
It's the only display in the lineup. Inexcusable to let it languish. Then again, one need only look at the Mac mini. Or the Mac Pro. Etc. Apple's bread is buttered by iDevices; Macs are kind of a diversion now. A pet project. And it will only get worse, per se, when Apple fully enters the living room with the TV/Entertainment system.
In the meantime, I need a new display. I'm even starting to consider Monoprice displays (which were recently highly reviewed by Macworld). This one, at under $700, is beckoning: http://goo.gl/Rppm2Z
Can the most expensive part of a 4K display be the internals to handle 4K signals, and not the LCD planel itself?
Great news. I will now wait to see what Sony offers.
Hardware-wise he's arguably right.
I think you're only referring to one to two aspects of one HW component. The color gamut and the bonding to the glass, and it's inarguably better in that respect. But is it the best tablet on the market? I don't think it comes close, even if we don't consider the SW or ecosystem. It's also a clear and pathetic attempt trolling as TS says.
ASUS will be showing off a new competitor in the 7~8inch tablet segment:
The M80T ($299)
There will also be an Android version (M81T) and a dual boot Windows/Android version (M82T)
Agreed - but are Polaroid TVs any good?
That's a general question to anyone who's dealt with them/looked at them when purchasing a set - I'm too lazy to do any research on my own!
No, they're not.
My advice to anyone in the TV market, buy a Panasonic plasma while you still can.
Just because a TV has a 4K resolution does not mean the picture quality will be good.
You left out both the processor and the speakers.
The A7 is a worse than the Snapdragon 800?
I'm also skeptical that Netflix streaming can deliver 4K reliably. Most bandwidth constrained streaming services will downgrade your resolution so it's a kind of cheat. I don't think Netflix's "SuperHD" picture matches Blu-Ray or even iTunes' 1080p for quality, and I've got 18-21Mbps down. Sometimes their SD content looks like a deteriorated VHS, or CD-ROM video circa 1993.
So, I'm excited for 4K, but it is still bleeding edge today, and anyone adopting it now will have only "so-called 4K" content (4K in name only), and obsolete equipment when the industry rallies around HDMI 2.0.
According to pieced-together press releases LG will be announcing a new line of 4K TV's next week featuring on-board HEVC decoder and HDMI 2.0
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/lg-hevc-201401033549.htm
Acer will be launching an iPad mini clone at CES.
Acer A1-830 ($149)