Here is a look at the most pleasant surprises and the most uninspiring disappointments we came across during our four days at CES 2019.
There’s a simple but powerful reason tech enthusiasts flocked to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show this week – it’s the first peek into some of the exciting, groundbreaking technology we’ll see hit the market in 2019. But CES also serves as a bit of a crystal ball into what technology might look like in three or four years. You get a glimpse of the bits and pieces that have yet to coalesce, but you can see all the promise and potential.
Of course, while some booths flash that promise or showcase potential realized, others can fall flat. Here is a look at the most pleasant surprises and the most uninspiring disappointments we came across during our four days in Vegas and what they might mean for the tech world in 2019.
Voice activation and bots everywhere: One of the big surprises at CES this year was that the simplest manual tasks we take for granted in our daily lives are rapidly relying upon bots and voice activation. Take, for example, the process of traveling. Here’s what it could look like based on tech at this year’s CES: You voice activate your flight and hotel check in. Upon entering your room, a robot will sort and fold your clothes. You summon the room’s bot to bring late night snacks and beer. Then you voice activate the Wall to watch TV. When It’s time for sleep, you cuddle up next to a sleep robot to ensure a good rest. The night stand clock wakes you up gently, or wildly, depending on the sound of your voice. Let’s hope you’re happy so that the clock bot isn’t too harsh. And once awake, you check the bathroom smart mirror to tell you how good (or bad) you look. You then clean your teeth for 10 seconds with a bot toothbrush. You then tell the shower to turn on and what temperature the water should be. Next, you grab a piece of fresh bread from the bread bot, tap the head of your companion cat bot, and leave for the show while your voice activated smart door locks behind you.
