Tomorrow's technology revealed: A new Sony walkman, floating speakers and 'super-ultra-HD' TVs set to wow at CES 2015


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Resurrecting old technology might not elicit visions of the future, but at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week a rebirth could steal the limelight.

Because alongside smart homes, 'super-ultra-HD' TVs, floating speakers and more, Sony will be unveiling a new version of its once popular Walkman.

It will be among the many technologies on show, with the event being a chance for the latest and greatest gadgets to be shown off by thousands of manufacturers. 

Of the various new gadgets on show there are rumours that Sony is planning to unveil an updated Walkman at CES. It could signal that the company is planning to revamp the once popular portable music device, which was discontinued in 2010 (old model shown)

Of the various new gadgets on show there are rumours that Sony is planning to unveil an updated Walkman at CES. It could signal that the company is planning to revamp the once popular portable music device, which was discontinued in 2010 (old model shown)

Hot trends this year include Internet connectivity in everyday products such as cars and appliances and the growth of online video as an alternative to traditional television channels.

New TVs with sharper images and better colours are also expected. 

The four-day show begins Tuesday, though pre-show events took place yesterday and will continue into today.

Among the many new technologies on show, most companies will be pushing the so-called 'Internet of Things' to try and make their device appeal to consumers.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) takes place in Las Vegas this week, featuring a number of new gadgets such as the Air² (Air Squared) floating Bluetooth speaker from Axxess CE. The speaker levitates over its own base and was one of the winners of the CES Innovation Awards

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) takes place in Las Vegas this week, featuring a number of new gadgets such as the Air² (Air Squared) floating Bluetooth speaker from Axxess CE. The speaker levitates over its own base and was one of the winners of the CES Innovation Awards

This includes devices employed in a 'smart home' of the future where cars, appliances and other devices all have sensors and Internet connectivity to think and act for themselves, and make your life easier.

IS 2015 SET TO BE THE YEAR OF ANTI-TECH?

Having the latest gadget or app has been a status symbol for years, but all that could be about to change.

Experts predicted 2015 will be the year when people forsake gadgets, social networks and other technology in favour of the simple life.

Recent figures have already revealed that certain social networks are losing favour, and now a digital trends report believes we are entering the era of the 'neo-Luddite'.

The prediction was made by London-based communications agency Hotwire in its sixth annual Digital Trends Report.

'While there are many early adopters out there scrambling around to get their hands on the latest smartwatch or iPhone, there are a group of much cooler kids working out ways to kill tech altogether,' explained the report.

One reason given for the expected decline is the growing irritation of adverts on apps, sites and other screens. 

Current iterations primarily include our ability to control gadgets such as lights and security alarms or view data remotely through a smartphone app.

The Internet of Things could mean big business for gadget makers. 

The Consumer Electronics Association projects sales of smart energy and security systems alone will total £375 million ($574 million) this year, a 23 per cent increase from 2014.

Although that pales by comparison to the £12 billion ($18 billion) spent on TVs and displays, growth has been swift.

In terms of people smartening up their homes in earnest, though, it will probably be another two years before devices are cheap and widespread enough for the typical consumer, says Eduardo Pinheiro, CEO of Muzzley, which makes a hub that allows devices to talk to each other. 

It's not just smart homes that will take centre stage at CES, though - improvements to more 'regular' gadgets will also be revealed.

There are even rumours that Sony is planning to unveil a new version of its Walkman - although what exactly it might be is unknown.

But with the recent discontinuation of the iPod, it could perhaps signal a return to the era of the portable MP3 player that was once so popular. 

 

Audi also made a bold statement regarding self-driving cars by having one of their vehicles (shown) perform an autonomous journey from the west coast of California to Las Vegas. 'We're demonstrating our leading role in the area of self-driving cars,' said technical development director Professor Dr Ulrich Hackenberg

Audi also made a bold statement regarding self-driving cars by having one of their vehicles (shown) perform an autonomous journey from the west coast of California to Las Vegas. 'We're demonstrating our leading role in the area of self-driving cars,' said technical development director Professor Dr Ulrich Hackenberg

Hot stuff: An internet-enabled Dacor Discovery gas range and electric oven is pictured during the show. The 36

Hot stuff: An internet-enabled Dacor Discovery gas range and electric oven is pictured during the show. The 36" model shown is available now and retails for £5,878 ($8,999)

Jerome Bouvard demonstrates the Parrot Pot at CES Unveiled. The pot is linked to mobile devices and will automatically water your plant

Jerome Bouvard demonstrates the Parrot Pot at CES Unveiled. The pot is linked to mobile devices and will automatically water your plant

Information from the Vert wearable jump device is displayed on a watch. The device can be worn on a belt and can track how high the user jumps and track how many jumps occur for things like basketball and volleyball. Using Vert's software, the information can be sent to a phone or laptop or used during a television broadcast
epa04547010 Takuma Iwasa from the Japanese company Cerevo Inc. shows off a snowboard with sensors that indicate a number of factors including load, balance and flex at the Unveiled press preview event for the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 04 January 2015. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show runs from 06 to 09 January 2015 and is expected to feature 3,500 exhibitors presenting their latest products and services to about 150,000 attendees.  EPA/MICHAEL NELSON

Left, information from the Vert wearable jump device is displayed on a watch, which tacks how high and how often the user jumps. Right, Takuma Iwasa from the Japanese company Cerevo shows off a snowboard with sensors that indicate a number of factors including load, balance and flex

A MyFox wireless home security system is displayed here. The system includes a sensor that can tell the difference between natural noises and a break-in, and comes with a sliding physical cover for privacy

A MyFox wireless home security system is displayed here. The system includes a sensor that can tell the difference between natural noises and a break-in, and comes with a sliding physical cover for privacy

TV manufacturers are set to unveil a slew of new devices that this year focus on enhanced picture quality, as opposed to previous years where 'bendy' screens got top billing.

Others will showcase increased functionality; Samsung, for instance, will show off a TV that can play Playstation 3 games without having a physical console, by streaming games over Sony's PS Now service.

Various new smartphones and smartwatches will also be shown off, and in the rapidly growing wearable technologies market consumers can expect more wristbands, bracelets and so on. 

A 40-inch 4K Ultra HD monitor by Chinese company Seiki is displayed here. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show runs from 6 to 9 January 2015 and is expected to feature 3,500 exhibitors presenting their latest products and services to about 150,000 attendees

A 40-inch 4K Ultra HD monitor by Chinese company Seiki is displayed here. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show runs from 6 to 9 January 2015 and is expected to feature 3,500 exhibitors presenting their latest products and services to about 150,000 attendees

Tagg CEO Scott Neuberger displays the Tagg GPS device on Venus the dog. The company will put out the new Tagg GPS Plus that can monitor air temperature and activity monitoring, including GPS tracking and geofence alerts

Tagg CEO Scott Neuberger displays the Tagg GPS device on Venus the dog. The company will put out the new Tagg GPS Plus that can monitor air temperature and activity monitoring, including GPS tracking and geofence alerts

A Kevo smart lock is demonstrated, which opens with a smartphone app and a touch. It is smart enough to know what side of the door you are on and won't accidentally unlock the door when you are inside

A Kevo smart lock is demonstrated, which opens with a smartphone app and a touch. It is smart enough to know what side of the door you are on and won't accidentally unlock the door when you are inside

The XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 3D printer is shown here with a tank inside. 3D printers have been popular at CES before and look set once again to be one of the star attractions of the show

The XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 3D printer is shown here with a tank inside. 3D printers have been popular at CES before and look set once again to be one of the star attractions of the show

Many companies exhibiting at CES will also be laying the foundation for what a smart-home system will eventually do, hoping to entice consumers to start thinking about upgrading to smart gadgets - but it's not always an easy sell.

Consider wearable devices that track fitness and other activities. In many cases, the novelty wears off quickly, and devices end up in drawers.

But what if a wearable device that tracks sleep could tell the coffeemaker to start brewing as soon as you awoke?

When the coffee's done, what if the sprinklers on the front lawn automatically turned off so you didn't get wet walking out the front door to work?

The Rollkers, a transportation accessory that increases a person's average walking rate up to seven miles (11km) per hour, is seen here

The Rollkers, a transportation accessory that increases a person's average walking rate up to seven miles (11km) per hour, is seen here

One company hoping to tap in to the world of wearable gadgets is Lucis Technologies, which will soon ship a smart-lighting device called NuBryte that can learn your behavior, such as what time you tend to come home.

Sensors can turn on the night light if you wake up to use the bathroom but switch on brighter lights during the day.

A coffeemaker from Smarter will soon use data from fitness trackers such as Fitbit. If you had a bad night of sleep, the coffeemaker will know to make the java stronger that morning. 

Other products focus on better notifications: a battery for a smoke detector to alert you on your phone when the alarm goes off, or a bracelet that vibrates when the baby cries in its crib.

The bracelet is even smart enough to alternate which parent it alerts to get up.

The Parrot RNB 6 vehicle infotainment system, shown, is expected to be available this year but the pricing is still undetermined. It is developed by the makers of the popular Parrot AR drone. It will let drivers  use Apple's CarPlay and Android Auto with any vehicle

The Parrot RNB 6 vehicle infotainment system, shown, is expected to be available this year but the pricing is still undetermined. It is developed by the makers of the popular Parrot AR drone. It will let drivers  use Apple's CarPlay and Android Auto with any vehicle

The Giroptic 360cam, a full HD 360 degree camera, has three 185-degree fish-eye lenses with sensors able to simultaneously capture and stitch images in real time. It can stream video and still photos over Wi-Fi in real time as well
The Slow Control smart baby bottle helps parents track how much and how fast their baby is drinking, providing feedback on how to hold properly to prevent babies from swallowing air

The Giroptic 360cam, left, a full HD 360 degree camera, has three 185-degree fish-eye lenses with sensors able to simultaneously capture and stitch images in real time. The Slow Control smart baby bottle, right, helps parents track how much and how fast their baby is drinking

Randy Braun displays a DJI Inspire 1. The £1,890 ($2,895) quadcopter can fly up to 18 minutes and shoot up to 4K video and 12-megapixel still photos with the Inspire 1 camera. It has carbon fiber arms that lower and lift automatically on take-off and landing and lift out of sight in flight to allow an unrestricted 360-degree view

Randy Braun displays a DJI Inspire 1. The £1,890 ($2,895) quadcopter can fly up to 18 minutes and shoot up to 4K video and 12-megapixel still photos with the Inspire 1 camera. It has carbon fiber arms that lower and lift automatically on take-off and landing and lift out of sight in flight to allow an unrestricted 360-degree view

'It's got to be something people are seeing it can do and want it to do,' says Chris Penrose, AT&T's senior vice president for the Internet of Things.

'It's got to make their lives better and be incredibly easy to use.'

'True consumer value will come when devices work in concert with one another and in many cases across manufacturers,' adds Brett Dibkey, a Whirlpool Corporation vice president.

'The home adapts to the way consumers live rather than the other way around.'

At CES, Whirlpool will showcase dryers that can run at a slower, energy-saving cycle if you aren't home and thus aren't in a rush.

The dryer integrates with Google's Nest smart thermostat, which has sensors to figure out that no one's home and then lowers the heat automatically.

An XYZprinting 3D Food Printer is shown putting a chocolate cookie design on a piece of bread for a demonstration. Users can upload any design or import them from the Internet to use in making cookies and cake decorations with the device

An XYZprinting 3D Food Printer is shown putting a chocolate cookie design on a piece of bread for a demonstration. Users can upload any design or import them from the Internet to use in making cookies and cake decorations with the device

InBody displays the first wearable fitness tracker and body composition analyser. In addition to sleep tracking and heart rate measurements, the unit measures body fat percentage, total muscle mass, body fat mass and basal metabolic rate (BMR)

InBody displays the first wearable fitness tracker and body composition analyser. In addition to sleep tracking and heart rate measurements, the unit measures body fat percentage, total muscle mass, body fat mass and basal metabolic rate (BMR)

The Allie Play (left), Home (centre) and Go by IC Real Tech are displayed during the show. The dual-lens cameras can display 720-degree video which can be watched in real time on smart phones

The Allie Play (left), Home (centre) and Go by IC Real Tech are displayed during the show. The dual-lens cameras can display 720-degree video which can be watched in real time on smart phones

Meanwhile, a smart-home hub called DigitalStrom plans to take cues from Nest.

If Nest is trying to cool down the house, for instance, DigitalStrom will lower automated window shades to block out sunlight.

These are the building blocks for an eventual automated home. Once those building blocks are in place, services can better predict what you want.

For example, Netflix is already good about recommending movies to watch based on your preferences, but it might suggest something different if it could read data from a wearable device or camera and tell that you're with friends, or stressed out, says Shawn Dubravac, senior director of research with the Consumer Electronics Association.

A Re-fuel rechargeable battery for GoPro Hero cameras is displayed, which gives 12 hours of power

A Re-fuel rechargeable battery for GoPro Hero cameras is displayed, which gives 12 hours of power

The XYZprinting Green Box, shown, grows organic lettuces and herbs in about three weeks

The XYZprinting Green Box, shown, grows organic lettuces and herbs in about three weeks

The Vigilant Rainbow smart toothbrush, shown, connects to a smartphone to keep records on brushing and allow for interactive games

The Vigilant Rainbow smart toothbrush, shown, connects to a smartphone to keep records on brushing and allow for interactive games

Yohan Attal of myBrain Technologies wears the Melomind headset. A fifteen minute session wearing the connected headset helps to control stress and provides feedback for training in stress reduction.  The device can be pre-ordered online for £195 ($299)

Yohan Attal of myBrain Technologies wears the Melomind headset. A fifteen minute session wearing the connected headset helps to control stress and provides feedback for training in stress reduction. The device can be pre-ordered online for £195 ($299)

As we get closer to being able to live like the Jetsons, manufacturers will have to convince consumers that the technology is secure from hackers - and that convenience and peace of mind are worth any risks.

Ann Poletti, who now uses the Nest thermostat at her home in San Francisco, said her first apartment burned down, so she is sensitive to making sure all her appliances are off.

The Internet of Things would let her check remotely.

'Toothbrushes and ironing boards, one day it will all be connected. I think that's great,' said Poletti.

'Some people don't want all the data out there. I'm worried about access to my bank account, less so about whether my heat is going on or off.'

And quite how close we are to such a future will be on show at the this year's CES.



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