From flying Uber’s to toilet roll robots, here are the biggest stories from this year’s event.
By Alanna Duffield.
CES, the biggest consumer technology show in the world, kicked off this week as tech-savvy household-name brands from all over the world met in Las Vegas to showcase their cutting-edge creations.
Despite #BoycottCES trending at the beginning of the week, largely due to the controversial keynote choice in Ivanka Trump, people poured in their thousands to see what the likes of Sony, Samsung and — er — Charmin were bringing to the table in 2020.
New whips
Much of the spotlight this year fell on the automotive sector, with a whole host of new models being exhibited. Perhaps the most impressive was Sony’s Vision-S concept electric car, which boasts 33 sensors capable of identifying objects both inside and outside the car, as well as widescreen displays and a predictably punchy sound system. While Sony is by no means jumping head-first into the car manufacturing market, CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said the Vision-S “embodies our contribution to the future of mobility.”
Another set of wheels worth mentioning is Mercedes’ Vision AVTR concept car. Oddly inspired by James Cameron’s epic Avatar, the Vision AVTR is supposed to embody what the car of the future might be like. The car features 33 bionic flaps (don’t ask) and is, according to Mercedes’ Steffen Köhl, “reminiscent of scales from the dinosaur-like creatures from the film.” In short, it’s an advert for the upcoming film Avatar 2, not something you’ll give way to at a roundabout any time soon.
Finally, we’d be amiss if we didn’t mention a cool innovation from Land Rover, which has equipped its new Defender with dual eSIM connectivity. The new model is the first car ever to be fitted with two embedded LTE modems for enhanced connectivity, making it an always-on, always-connected vehicle.
PlayStation’s new logo falls flat
Joining Ivanka Trump in the Twitter firing line during this week’s event was Sony’s highly anticipated PlayStation 5, which unveiled a rather disappointing logo update for fans to enjoy. Expecting a little more from the announcement, the public took it upon themselves to comment on how similar the new logo is to its predecessor PS4.
One user wrote: “The funniest part of the PS5 logo being identical to the PS4 logo is you *know* there were HOURS of meetings and discussions and notes and follow up calls and approvals for this design.”
Uber and Hyundai bring a new meaning to ‘surge’ journeys
Arguably one of the most talked-about announcements from this year’s CES is Hyundai and Uber’s flying taxi. The S-A1, whose blades rotated magnificently over the CES showroom, could be the future of lift-sharing.
The S-A1 has an impressive wingspan of 49 feet, a travelling speed of 180 mph, and can be piloted by a single person alongside four passengers.
For those nervous about taking to the skies to get places, don’t worry, the S-A1 has a built-in parachute in case of emergencies. All you need to worry about is finding somewhere soft to land.
Lenovo’s foldable laptop
Folding phones are so 2019. In 2020, it’s all about the folding laptop, courtesy of Lenovo, which debuted its ThinkPad X1 Fold at this year’s CES.
But wait, don’t laptops already fold, you ask? Not like this one. The ThinkPad X1 Fold literally folds across its 13.3-inch display screen, turning into a giant tablet when unfolded, and looking like a rather posh notebook when fully closed.
And, unlike most of the tech listed here, this device could be yours in a matter of months, with commercial roll-out scheduled for mid-2020. Get saving now though, it’ll retail for $2,499.
Charmin’s Rollbot to the rescue!
Charmin, the ever-tongue-in-cheek toilet roll brand, has quite literally rolled out its latest invention at CES this year.
Yes, if you’ve ever found yourself without toilet paper while already, shall we say, “preoccupied” — and you DIDN’T have a robot servant on wheels to deliver it at your feet — I have very good news for you.
Charmin’s Rollbot is a self-balancing toilet roll delivery robot which also comes equipped with SmellSense, an electronic sensor that’s able to tell you how a bathroom smells before entering it.
And with that, I’m now going to log off…
Until next year, CES.
