CES 2013. Novelties of the Year of the Snake – Back to the Future!

So gone into history International Consumer Electronics Show 2013 CES 2013 , held in Las Vegas. The traditional American trade show CES has been held annually since 1967. The main purpose of the world forum is to promote and grow the innovations in the modern technology industry. As conceived by the organizers, all profits from the CES go to the development of advertising, legislation, consumer market research, education and technical training.

The first exhibition had about 200 participants, and in 2013 the desire to show their goods, expand their business and get expert advice was expressed by more than 2 000 participants, who demonstrated about 3 000 exhibits.

Very often, visitors are presented with unique and cutting-edge technologies and developments. It was at this exhibition in 1970 introduced the VCR, in 1974 – optical discs, in 1981 – camcorder and CD-ROM, in 1996 – still living DVD, in 2003 – Blu-ray, in 2005 – digital television, 2008 – 2010 – tablet and netbook, without which it is hard to imagine any store of computer equipment. It’s hard to remember all the newcomers at the exhibition.

Let’s keep up with progress and see what the foreign giants were able to surprise in 2013.

USB-flash drive Kingston to 1 TB

Thanks to the exhibition CES 2013 and the company Kingston threshold of 1TB with ease overcome. If the floppy drive yes, the one you put the floppy in and that many people still have could hear and see, it would cry. And the average user, who often carries 4-8GB of flash memory will be happy and sad at the same time. What to say about flash drives when many have smaller capacity hard drives?.

In fact, considering the volume and size, the Kingston DataTraveler HyperX Predator is the most compact USB flash drive today. The write speed of 160MB/s and read speed of 240MB/s will also allow you to quickly fill the entire volume with the information you need. The zinc enclosure and retractable case will protect from corrosive environment and lovers of losing the cap of the flash drive.

The phone with flexible display from Samsung

The South Korean manufacturer is the most flexible of all. For a long time they have been threatening to bend the unbendable and try to roll up the phones of the future into a tube. We can not say that they succeeded completely, but the beginning is already there. The company presented an anonymous test smartphone with a curved display.

Alas, it is impossible to bend it more or straighten it. The ability or desire to bend the display from one edge has so far been enough. In advance, such a bend was endowed with functionality: to read incoming messages or to check missed calls without taking the phone out of its cover. Although the phone was a pacifier, but the touch screen wasn’t lacking in design quality.

There is not much to guess here. This year we will surely get several models with such displays. At a minimum, it will be stylish, and at a maximum it can also be useful in terms of functionality.

A 55-inch curved OLED TV giant from LG

If Samsung bends its cell phones, just to keep its market share in the mobile sector, their “colleagues” from LG are trying to bend their TV sets and monitors to keep their share of the TV market.

Especially for the CES 2013 exhibition they made not a 5′ display phone, but 55′ OLED TV. LG EA9800 – working prototype of a TV with a 55′ OLED display. The advantages don’t end there: the TV set supports CINEMA 3D technology, the picture on the screen is equidistant from the eye due to its tilt, which minimizes image distortion, the highest contrast thanks to the use of 4-pixel technology RGB + extra white pixel .

How realistic and pleasing to the eye the picture is to the visitors of the exhibition. We’ll wait and take your word for it, because the estimated cost of such a TV is $10 000. Such a budget device, but you need a budget of a small town.

“Pebble Smart Watch

At CES 2013 there was a demonstration of wristwatch Pebble, which supports the ability to connect to smartphones running iOS and Android. Thanks to this it was possible to significantly expand the functionality of the device.

At first glance, this watch came to the exhibition to compete with the Japanese puzzles from Tokyoflash. In fact, the distinctive feature and functionality of this watch is different – it interacts with your smartphone, of course, if it runs on Android or iOS. As a result the functionality of the watch is significantly expanded: you can find out the time, read incoming messages, learn about updates in a social network, incoming calls or get a reminder from your calendar.

Other great features include an electronic ink display, Bluetooth, accelerometer, and a built-in battery that powers the watch for a week. All this fits into a 38 gram waterproof case made of polycarbonate. Four buttons are available to control the device.Moderately stylish, moderately expensive and moderately useful.

Pebble also allows users to control music playback and read incoming messages. Battery capacity is enough to work in standalone mode for seven days, and the charge takes only two hours. Weight of the device is 38,2 g.

Pebble will start shipping on January 23. Initially they will be distributed among the sponsors who supported the project on Kickstarter, where about $10 million was raised. Then the novelty will be available to other interested buyers.

Another “skinny” phone from Alcatel

Not two months after the record-breaking 6.55mm waistline on the VVC Vivo X1 phone was described, that record has traditionally been beaten by 0.1mm. The place for fixing the record chose certainly the best. About 5000 representatives of mass media were invited to CES 2013.

So, the new record holder belongs to Alcatel. One Touch Idol Ultra stands out only for its minimal thickness and neat design, which has become a classic for smartphones.

All other parameters 4.7′ Super AMOLED HD display with a resolution of 1280 * 720 pixels 2-core 1.2 GHz processor 8 MP front and 1.3 MP front camera 1 GB of RAM will surprise only an alien from the distant past or a person without Internet access. But they squeezed, for which they got a well-deserved throne, on which they will probably have to sit for a short time.

The “free” mobile operating system – Ubuntu Phone OS

It’s quite possible that the Ubuntu mobile operating system handset at the show will, in the near future, force Android, Windows, Symbian and other developers to squeeze in and give up a decent-sized piece of the mobile operating system market, which has long been without a fresh fighter.

And they have a lot to fear, since there are quite a few users of the freely distributed Ubuntu operating system around the world. The trial version of the mobile version was released at the end of 2012, so it was decided to test it on a smartphone at the exhibition and for this task they chose a model – the excellent Samsung Galaxy Nexus. By the end of February this year the developers promise to make the beta version of the operating system publicly available. It will be able to work not only on the “giants”, but also on less powerful smartphones, tablets and even televisions.

As they say: “Big ship sails big”. Good luck to Ubuntu, because the competition will only benefit and save money for the end user, and the competitors will give them an impetus for further development.

Exynos 5 – 8-core processor from Samsung

Remember, as in the fairy tale A.With.Pushkin’s about Tsar Saltan:

“The squirrel sings songs and chews all the nuts,

And the nuts aren’t simple, the shells are all gold,

Cores are pure emerald, that’s what they call a miracle.

Tsar Saltan wonders…”

Etc.

Well as the water looked into the eyes of the poet, only in a role of tsar Saltan – users of mobile devices, which functionality will soon be compared to the spacecraft, and in the role of cores – not nuts, but the cores of the next most powerful and efficient mobile processor. More precisely, it is the 8-core Exynos 5 Octa chip from Samsung.

According to the information received at the show, the Exynos 5 is much more energy-independent and efficient than its predecessor Exynos 5, which is mounted on one of the fastest Android smartphones Google Nexus.

There are really 8 cores in the processor, but each one has its own tasks. The cores are divided into 2 groups: 4 high-performance 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A15 cores for the main core and 4 “low-performance” 1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A7 cores for nonessential tasks. And this allocation of labor reserves functions thanks to technology big.LITTLE and allows you to save up to 70% of energy compared to the previous processor.

In addition, the processor is made by 28-nm technology. The predecessor was 32 nanometers. At this rate, by the end of the second decade of the twentieth century, we will reach 1 nm.

Ultra High Definition 4K – the future of display resolution

They want to reduce in devices and home appliances only three parameters: the number of mechanical buttons, thickness and power consumption. All other parameters are increasing rapidly, and for their increase is a real war. Not an exception – the resolution of TV displays, the size of which has not steadily fallen below 50′.

If previously we contented ourselves with 720p HD resolution and later we tasted the delights of Full-HD with 1920*1080 pixels, now the producer is trying to prove that what we had is not enough. Need more and need Ultra High Definition 4K – 3840 * 2160 pixels and not a pixel less.

At CES 2013 Panasonic presented 20′ tablet with 4K resolution, and such companies as Sony, Samsung, Sharp, LG, Toshiba and Panasonic brought working models of screens with Ultra HD resolution and are threatening in 2014 to launch 55′ monitors, performed by OLED technology.

It’s hard to judge the usefulness of such “achievements”, because the TV serves and is not subjected to replacement for at least 10 years. So those who already own a plasma display with 3D function and Full-HD resolution, we have only to bite our elbows or tactfully ignore Ultra-HD and wait for Mega-HD.

Gorilla Glass 3

No matter how durable the protective glass in touchscreen phones may be – whether it’s Corning Gorilla Glass or Gorilla Glass 2 – we, the users, can easily prove that it can be broken and scratched upside down.

The company decided not to try to increase the strength of glass by 3-4%, and made the new Gorilla Glass 3 three times more resistant to scratches, and scratches themselves, if they do manage to scratch, will be 40% less noticeable. If previously glass was afraid of scratches, now the scratches are afraid of Gorilla Glass 3.

Quite a useful and necessary thing, given the stuffing and price that will be in the new models of smartphones and tablets.

Acer Iconia B1-A71 Tablet: 7-inch for $150

A tablet for those who want very much, but nevertheless cannot live without a tablet and at the same time have enough money only for a phone with an average set. Acer solves your problem and offers for a rather “symbolic” fee Iconia B1-A71 tablet running on Android.

Great solution for parents who find it necessary to buy a tablet for their child or students. A 1024*600 resolution 7′ display, 1.2Hz dual core processor, 8GB internal memory, 2700mAh battery and front-facing VGA camera – these are enough to fulfill the basic functions of a tablet.

Those who want more functionality and Gorilla Glass 4 protection for $150 should wait for something suitable at CES 2014.

Sharp AQUOS – TVs of 2013

Sharp, unlike the more powerful Samsung, has not spread itself too thin presenting a model in each market segment. They were succinct, but very succinct and introduced a whole line of Sharp AQUOS TVs. The company isn’t friendly with the lower price segment, so only the immense 60′, 70′ and 80′ models are among the featured models. All without exception have LED backlighting, Wi-fi, SmartTV support and “think” dual-core processor.

Some models of the 7′ and 8′ series work with Quattron technology the image is displayed not by three, but four pixels RGB and the fourth yellow . Some models come with active Bluetooth 3D glasses, 20-watt speakers and some even with a 15-watt subwoofer. The picture frequency in the 7-series models is 240 Hz, and the 8-series is 480 Hz thanks to Aquamotion 480 technology. It’s hard to even imagine.

Samsung’s T9000 Internet fridge

Design engineers can’t be stopped when they try to hook up the Internet somewhere. While gas stoves and water filters are still safe, the refrigerator and the Internet have already crossed. And the hybrid was brought to CES 2013.

The four-door T9000 from Samsung with a 900-liter capacity is guaranteed to feed the whole family. And the “unique” triple-cooling technology will cool the vegetable/fruit compartment just right. Unique $4,000 refrigerator price will help get rid of all your savings and stash with ease.

Of course, to use the Internet you need a display, which they have not forgotten about and made quite a big 8′. Now you can safely share videos, audio or photos over the internet, check the weather forecast, record a recipe or make a note in your calendar. The device runs on a Linux operating system.

At this rate, in about 2 years, you’ll be able to see “reinstall Windows/Linux on your fridge. Inexpensive.”

Very smart oven on Android

Apparently, so that the refrigerator was not bored in the expanses of the Internet, they invented a girlfriend for it at once – the built-in electric oven Dacor Discovery, running on Android 4.0.3. On board the kitchen helper is also a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB RAM, Wi-Fi and a 7′ touchscreen display.

The oven’s operating system is already heavily customized and optimized for the type of device. Discovery IQ Controller app will be your guide and assistant in finding recipes and step-by-step instructions for making delicious Christmas cookies. If you don’t want to get up and change your settings, you don’t have to. The oven can be controlled with a tablet or smartphone. And the smartphone can be controlled by a wristwatch more on this later in the article – so the oven can be controlled by a wristwatch.

If your home computer is less powerful than this oven, buy it – you’ll cook better and it won’t be a problem to buy a new one.

“Too bad” the oven doesn’t have a webcam, dosimeter, and wind speed device in deep water.

The price of $4,500 for the single-camera model and $7,500 for the dual-camera model won’t leave anyone indifferent. Bon appétit, so to speak.

The Xbox IllumiRoom surround lighting system

Microsoft Research laboratory demonstrated IllumiRoom project, which allows to expand an image from a display or a TV set to the whole room by means of Kinect and a projector. At the moment, Microsoft Research has worked out the game and educational use of IllumiRoom, but claims that the development can be used in absolutely different spheres.

At CES, the project was shown in conjunction with the Xbox and Kinect. During a game, the controller scanned the room and used a projector to expand a portion of the game’s image from the TV to scale the entire room.

It looks like an improved version of Ambilight technology, developed back in 2002 by Philips.Microsoft Research is not yet ready to say when and in what form the IllumiRoom could be used commercially.

Since last year Microsoft has been developing a technology to render the space around the monitor IllumiRoom, so you can achieve maximum realism of the game. Drawing should be 360° around the monitor.

The result of this work, as representatives of the company assure, is filmed on video without any video editing. The system of volumetric lighting with Kinect reads the relief of the room and adjusts itself and forms the special effects.

Sony’s $1000 3D handheld camcorder

It’s hard to imagine a movie theater that doesn’t broadcast movies in 3D. Before CES 2013 it was equally difficult to imagine how this video is filmed. Now it’s easy to imagine and shoot a high-quality 3D movie. Japanese company Sony introduced a “handheld” camera that captures the most cherished 3D volumetric video Sony Handycam HDR-TD30V.

For quite a nominal fee 1000 $ for a device of this class you can: shoot Full HD video 1920*1080 at 24 or 60 frames per second, take pictures up to 20 megapixels, watch the footage on the rotating 3,5′ Fine LCD display, use the built-in projector and Dolby Digital audio system of format 5 for broadcasting.1, Wi-Fi, GPS, HDMI port, memory card slot and most importantly – high quality G-class optics.

If all is indeed as well as described and shown at the show, then already in a month the camera will be available on the shelves. Now it will be possible to film pets and, of course, birthdays in 3D. The main thing is not to forget that in order to watch 3D you need a proper TV.

Synaptics prototype tablet with dual-sided sensor

The company Synaptics has developed a tablet, or rather a prototype, whose main feature is a dual sensor. In addition to the main touch screen display, there is a touch part on the back cover.

This device has a thin frame around the main touch screen display. False positives, resulting from accidentally touching the screen with your fingers when you’re holding the device, are not out of the question. To avoid this problem, and it was decided to use an additional touch panel on the back of the tablet.

It detects the touch of the fingers on the lid of the device. The resulting data is used to detect and exclude or respond appropriately, as shown in the image those finger touches on the touch display surface that occur when holding the device. At the same time, touch and gestures are accepted by the tablet quite normally.

It looks approximately as on the photo and in the future, in case of low-cost technology, it may be a very practical innovation.

Western Digital Thin HDD and Hybrid SSHD

Experienced and one of the major occupants of the market of hard drives Western Digital showed who’s the boss and who to ask laptop manufacturers with the question “How to make a laptop thinner?”. The company is showing two types of hard drives at the show:

• WD Blue: 2.5′ hard drives in 7 mm and 5 mm thickness with maximum capacities of 1TB and 500 GB, respectively
• WD Black: Solid State Hard Drive SSHD hybrid drives, which in addition to the classic drive uses solid state memory of 16 and 24 GB, due to which it will be possible to minimize the time to boot the operating system and start the main programs used.

The Final Mobile Device

If so to combine the 8-core processor, flexible display and not simple, but super strong from Gorilla Glass 3 with Ultra HD resolution, and free operating system Ubuntu, and a flash drive on 1TB with transparency function, but compress it properly to 6 mm and a couple of new products from the exhibition – you get the new flagship on the mobile market, for which many started hunting. And after all, some of the companies will do it.

And judging by the activity of developers at this event we will not be bored during the year.

Unfortunately, to boast of domestic developments and pioneer devices at this exhibition could not. We hope that the fate of domestic companies is not only in contemplation, but also in development and at the next annual exhibition and we will have something to share with the world.

P. S. We invite all those, who have visited the exhibition, to share their impressions in comments.