The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest conferences in the US. Almost every sizable hotel and conference center is being used over the 4 days of the event. Since there are so many products and solutions to see, one cannot see everything during the event. This is why I’ve compiled a list of things that I saw during the event that many may not have. I’m sure there were many other things I could have added to this list, but these ones stood out the most for me.
Soundcore
Anker, best known for their affordable chargers, cords, and Bluetooth speakers, has a sister company called Soundcore. One of my favorite announcements was the new Soundcore Infiniti Pro sound bar. Packed with a 120W output and Dolby ATMOS support, this has become their most ambitious project yet. They may not be the absolute best sound bar on the market, but they will be the most affordable high-end audio. They are shooting for a price tag of under $300. The next cheapest Dolby ATMOS sound bar would be just over $400. At this price, many will start to adopt ATMOS.
The Infiniti Pro will have HDMI ARC and optical outputs. Ditching the coaxial and other basic outputs likely helped with the cost reduction. I can’t comment on the quality of the Infiniti Pro since they didn’t have it plugged in, but I hope to get my hands on one soon.
They also showed off their new Liberty Air true wireless earphones. True wireless was one of the themes of CES 2019, so it was no surprise to see these on the showcase. It’s surprising to see the $79.99 price tag. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, touch controls, wireless charging station, and other features, there isn’t much sacrificed in terms of their competitors. Many of the true wireless earphones I saw seem to have used the Apple Air Pods for reference. The Liberty Air were no different. As for sound quality, we should have a review up soon. Keep an eye out for that. More products and info can be found on the Soundcore website.
Cemtrex
In terms of office space and functionality, much has been attempted to upgrade that physical space. Not much has come to fruition, however. Cemtrex may be onto something with their new SmartDesk. 72″ of touchscreen, touchless controls, wireless charger, motorized sit and stand adjustment, file and image scanner, true wireless earphones with a charging storage drawer, all built-in. It is almost an all in one. The only component you need is a PC to plug it into. Whether you are a gamer or work from home, the SmartDesk may have me wanting to upgrade my desk space. It helps to keep things tidy and elegant. There is no price point mentioned or expected release date, but you can stay tuned to more info on this product from the SmartDesk webpage.
Motiv
Fitness tech is growing rapidly. Fitbit has many more competitors than they ever imagined. Watches are a huge success, but what about a smart ring? Motiv has created a fitness ring that tracks heart rate, sleep, and much more. New to this list of features is biometrics. In order to add additional functionality, a new ring was announced that will allow the user to verify their identity based on heart rate. The ring will begin to know who you are based on your heart rate. Super interesting stuff, and to be honest, a bit over my head.
Since the sensors need direct contact with the skin at all times, the ring gets more consistent and accurate statistics than a watch would. Not a huge advancement in terms of physical tech, but an interesting development in biometrics. More info on Motiv website.
Matrix
Matrix showed off their new PowerWatch 2 that they have on Indiegogo. Powered and charged by thermoelectric (body heat) and solar energy, it’s potentially an infinite battery. One of my biggest gripes with fitness watches has been the battery life. The best one I have found so far is the Withings Steel HR, but the PowerWatch 2 changes the game. Features include onboard GPS, heart rate monitoring, gesture recognition, and more on a full-color LCD screen. Matrix developed a new smartphone app that provides metrics for activities, sleep, calories, and other fitness. Compatibility with 3rd party apps is also integrated (ie. Apple HealthKit & Google Fit). Keep an eye on the Matrix Indiegogo for updates.
MPOWERD
A company which looks to clean up our energy usage, MPOWERD’s mission is “Through clean, affordable light, we’re making the world a brighter place for the three billion people who still live without reliable access to electricity.” It sounds a bit hippy, but these products are useful and thoughtful. The LUCI is an inflatable solar light that can also charge your mobile devices. The LED lights can be customized with the LUCI Connect app. This can also be useful if you want the light to match the color of other lights.
The USB port is 2-way. Meaning, other than charging devices, it can be charged. The light can be charged via USB (2-3 hours) if you don’t have time for the solar panel to do its thing (14 hours). The reason it is inflatable is for easy storage. LUCI can easily be packed and inflated to save some room, but the device is also IPX7 waterproof as well. It doesn’t mean you can charge your phone in the pool, but instead, you can use it as a light for the pool since it will float. There are a series of other solar powered products you can find on the MPOWERD website.
Final Reaction
I saw lots of techs, but these ones seem to stick out. In terms of the significance, CES 2019 does not rank high. There weren’t many groundbreaking tech products, but one thing is for sure, companies are fine-tuning and even copying each other’s work. This usually means that some truly innovative tech is around the corner. If we’re looking at the press conference from the big boys, like Sony, LG, and Samsung, there were very few announcements or details. However, I’d expect many more announcements throughout the year.
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