This year’s Consumer Electronic Show was the biggest yet, with more than 170,000 attendees and upwards of 375 startups present. And while CES is filled with cool perks like glamorous parties and celebrity sightings, it also presents a pretty cool opportunity for marketers to get a glimpse into future technology that may affect consumer behaviors in major ways.
What we liked…
Self control just got a lot easier with the launch of the QuitBit, a smart electric cigarette lighter that tracks smoking habits to help people meet their goal of quitting.
A washing machine that multi-tasks. LG’s new Twin Wash system lets you do two loads of washing at the same time with a separate drawer to handle smaller, delicate loads. With wi-fi compatibility the washer can connect to the ThinQ app for cycle alerts and programming.
CES was all about the “Internet of Things”. Smart Theromostats, Cameras, Ceiling Fans, Phones. Those things need power. Wattup is a router that makes true wireless charging a reality. 30 Foot Radius. Power Up.
DISH wowed the crowd at CES with their new Sling TV product that is threatening to take the cable industry by storm. For $20 a month, subscribers will be able to watch ESPN, CNN, TNT, TBS, HGTV and much more. Sling TV is contract-free on any iOS and Android device, anywhere (as well as XBox One, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku and more down the road). Subscribers will also get a built in movie rental service. As more channels are added to Sling TV (and when HBO launches its standalone HBO GO service this year) more and more consumers will be hard pressed to find a reason to keep paying that ridiculous cable bill. DISH calls the Sling TV the perfect compliment to services like Netflix and Hulu. Sounds about right.
While charging mats have become a popular way to charge our smart devices wireless, Witricity takes wireless charging one step further with what they call “highly resonant wireless power transfer.” This device creates a magnetic field that operates at a frequency capable of wirelessly charging phones, laptops, even electric cars. Witricity can charge several devices at once and works across the house (devices don’t have to be placed right next to out) and can even work through walls.
From a tech/art perspective the Zuta has a lot of potential. The Zuta is a mini-robotic printer that crawls across pages as it prints. Beyond the desired use of printing text-based documents, hacking a bunch of these and setting them loose on a large canvas could yield some interesting results. The printer works for a full hour off a single charge and can print 100 pages with one cartridge. The Zuta currently only prints monochrome.
And what we didn’t like…
The LogBar ring allows you to control various devices from a distance using hand gestures. While cool in theory, reviewers seem to report trouble with accuracy, and without accuracy we’d imagine a product such as this would be quite frustrating to use.
The Umbrela is a connected, home control panel that knows if you’re home and will learn and adapt to your activity patterns in an effort to reduce your energy consumption. It replaces existing light switches, which is awesome. The fact that each panel costs $500 is not.
The Cube
$1,100 for a cooler that streams music. We’ll stick with a Coleman and an iPhone.
Taking the internet of things one step too far, the Belty motorized smart belt connects to your smartphone to track your steps and acts as a personalized fitness coach of sorts. However, the main feature that puts it into the “do we really need this” category for me would be its ability to loosen and tighten the belt around your waist for “maximum comfort.” Perhaps it might come in handy over the holidays.
The unholy union of Spin Class and the Matrix.
