Tech Stuff: CES2014
CES stands for Consumer Electronics Show, and it kicks off every year in January. This year is now different, and this was the week of the wearable. Apparently, the in things for 2014 is wearable electronics. Here’s a good overview article. In short, when I hear “wearable,” I think of the jacket with pockets for every device imaginable or the Fitbit Flex (wristband), but a hearing aid is a wearable piece of consumer electronics. So are heart rate monitors, which, if I understand things correctly, can be installed on what is called an e-health patch. A person can wear this, and if, say, their heart rate either drops or rises dramatically, a signal is sent to medical personnel who check on the person wearing the patch. This can allow for an intervention in time to prevent more severe health emergencies. That sounds like a positive and productive use of wearable consumer electronics.
The new iPhone 5S, with its motion co-processor, could replace my Fitbit One that I carry in my pocket, because Fitbit’s app now interfaces with the iPhone 5S to result in no need for carrying a Fitbit device, too. I still carry my Fitbit One more easily than my iPhone, though, so, for me, I’m not interested in replacement yet. It certain clips onto my pajama top more easily than the iPhone for sleep monitoring.
Mashable did a spread about the best tech of CES2014. I’ve been watching 4K monitor development. I’m really not interested in the 105 inch curved 4k display for nearly $70,000, but supposedly more reasonably sized ones for people without a need to prove their masculinity by screen size are approaching the $1,000 and below mark.
Of course, if you have a 4k monitor, what kind of content can you display on it that will render that technology useful? Now you can create your own with Sony’s 4k Handycam for around $2,000.
The Parrot Mini Drone got a lot of attention. Who wouldn’t want a drone of their own?
Fingerprint scanning for security is so yesterday now that a mouse-sized iris scanner will be coming onto the market in a few months. I think I’ll wait for a later version, but it’s a nice start.
Nvidia announced an incredible processor that will bring game console playing capability to mobile devices. Not much interest for me, but I imagine gamers everywhere are salivating.
How about a solar powered concept car from Ford? The C-Max has a roof constructed of solar panels, and that sounds pretty cool to me. Head straight for the top floor of parking garages and soak up a charge for free.
Three-D printing is gaining more traction, too. Did you hear about anything new and interesting in the technology world this week? What was it? What do you think is going to be big in 2014?
I got the iPhone 5S for my birthday in the beginning of December. Just this month, I got an app fitness tracker, Argus, for free. A $2 add-on app lets me measure my heart rate, using a combination of the motion sensor and the camera lens/flash. It’s very cool.
Someday, I’d love to go to the CES, but I can’t justify it yet.
I really like the idea of the co-processor in the 5S. My contract won’t be up until the next version comes out, but I will be hard-pressed to justify upgrading unless I’m having troubles with the 5 or running out of space (I don’t anticipate either).
I had an app like that for the iPad called cardiograph. Since I still have the iPad2, I’m anxious to upgrade it, but I am having trouble justifying that, too, since the iPad2 does everything I need it to do and has plenty of space. When I do upgrade, I’ll get the 128G version. But the overwhelming feature list is gaining momentum — retina, lighter weight, and 128G. But there are still a couple of things they could do, and I think I’ll wait and see.
I read about a 3D printer that prints CANDY in wacky shapes. Yay for candy! (It’ll also apparently set you back like 6,000 Pounds, er, the monetary kind not the weight kind).
3D printers are still pretty pricey. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the concept. I think it’s the term “printer.” I’ve seen manufacturing tools that machine parts out of blocks of material, and they are fascinating. I suspect this is the “home and office” version.