CES 2015 Day 2 Highlights: More Gadgets & PC Platforms

CES, the annual consumer electronics show for all companies except apple, started off with the bang showcasing 4K TVs and world’s thinnest tablet and laptops on Day 1. The same trend continues in day 2 with more exciting twists.

Here are the highlights of Day 2

Ever wondered what the fuss over curved screen TVs when traditional flat screens felt all the more safe. Well, LG got you covered there. LG released a 77″ TV that can be converted between a flat screen and a curved screen at the touch of a button. Welcome to the world of flexible convertible TV. Apart from this, LG also announced another TV featuring the ‘’almost-dead’ WebOS platform. The TV space now features a number of such platforms like Tizen based TV from Samsung and Android TV which Google is marketing after unofficially promoting the Google TV platform.

It would be interesting to see which platform rules the TV market in coming years.

Another development to watch out for is including such smart features in medium end TVs which only smaller companies like Micromax are promoting as of now

The new LG OLED flexible screen TV [Image – CNET]

Also, LG released its latest and greatest phone LG Flex 2 today. It features a Snapdragon 310 octacore processor, 5.5″ full HD curved display and comes with the latest android lollipop built in.

Intel unveiled a new stick PC based on its latest QUARK SE system on a chip platform using atom Z373F Bay Trail quad core processor. It will be available in two variants: preloaded with windows 8.1, 2gb RAM and 32Gb onboard memory comes at a price tag of $189.

The Linux version boasts 1gb ram, 8 GB onboard storage and is priced cheaper at $89. These platform comes with support for the newer HDMI 1.4a specification. However, The Intel cannot be powered over HDMI, instead relying on the USB powered port. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0 , WiFi 802.11 b/g/n and a mix of full sized and micro USB ports.

In the tablet segment, it was Lenovo making news on day 1 with it thinnest tablet offerings. But Day 2 belonged to Dell. They released their flagship tablet offering – Dell 8 7000.

At just 6mm thick, it officially beats the other thinner tablets like iPad air 2. Another feature to watch out for in this Dell tablet is its camera with depth sensing ability. It features 3D cameras which enables you to capture a 3D life image. This will possibly enable enhanced post filtering and refocusing capabilities in the photos though software. (Remember the facebook photo of a red rose with black/White background!)

Despite its ultra portable form factor, Dell does not cut corners with its remarkable 8-inch 2560×1800 OLED screen, Intel atom 2.43ghz atom processor, 16GB of storage, microSD card slot, 8-megapixel rear camera and radios for 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS

 

Dell also released a revised version of its XPS laptop lineup with XPS 13 and a 5K monitor. The XPS 13 has a quad HD display and Runs for a whooping 15 hours on a single charge. Storage options include 128, 256, 512 GB of SSD storage. The laptop is super portable weighing at 1.08 kgs

Toshiba unveiled a new 2 in 1 tablet cum PC convertible that is very light to carry around. Apart from this, a WiFi SD Card and HDD were also showcased

Sennheiser revealed its latest lineup of Bluetooth headphones for the audiophile community. Priced at $399 and $499 (for the on-ears and over the ears, respectively), they have noise cancellation technology that promises to deliver decent sound. This is the first major step by Sennheiser towards wireless technologies and I expect more wireless models in this year

DaVinci Junior Kids, an entry level 3D printer was showcased yesterday by company XYZ offering. It is child friendly as it does not include hot plate printing technology. So, there is no chance of hand burn. it can print devices up to 5.9″ in length. But, the most attractive aspect of this printer is its price, which at $349 packs the punch of a full 3D printer at one third of its price.

Other announcements making the news at Day 2:

• Intel demonstrated the new Real-sense technology that facilitates natural interactions with the computer. It can recognize hand gestures and facial expressions. It has depth sensing abilities much like what Microsoft has while using special Kinect sensor.

Also, they unveiled a new series of 64 bit Atom processor – Z8000. It featured better performance (upto 36 % improvement), Better battery life ( upto 16+ hours on best cases) and better onboard security hardware

• Ford Motor Co’s president and CEO, Mark Fields, announced Ford’s new Smart Mobility plan, which promises to solve today’s global transportation challenges though OpenXC developer Platform(a combination of open source hardware and software)
• Harman unveiled Individual Sound Zone Technology which allows people to listen to different things in the car, all while leaving the other passengers in the car undisturbed.
• T-Mobile will now pay you for the termination-fee cost of switching from another carrier. It is even offering every phone in their line-up for $0 down — you just pay for it over the following months.