Is there a practical business model for wearables? A CES panel on “What’s New in the Quantified Self” did a deep dive on that question, with panelists drawing from their own early experiences. Engaging consumers with wearables is proving to be much more difficult than anticipated, say the panelists, who report that 85 percent of wearables are abandoned after one month. Success may rely on the industry identifying models that address interaction with data and long-term consumer engagement. Continue reading CES: The Quantified Self – Is There a Model for Making Money?

While Netflix has emerged at several CES press events in Las Vegas this week promoting HDR and various partnership deals, the streaming video service also announced its new smart TV certification program, Netflix Recommended TV, designed to help consumers select Netflix-friendly TV sets that are “built for a superior Internet TV experience.” The recommendation program was announced during LG’s press conference. Initial program participants include LG, Sharp, Sony, Vizio and Roku TV makers. Continue reading Netflix Announces Smart TV Certification Program in Las Vegas

Google confirmed that it plans to add native support for 360-degree videos for its YouTube streaming video service “in the coming weeks.” At the 2015 CES, French company Giroptic revealed that its soon-to-be-released $499 360cam — a rugged, lightweight, waterproof camera looking to take on the GoPro — would be the first 360-degree camera that YouTube plans to support. The announcement could also be good news for users of new cameras such as the Bublcam, Kodak SP360, Ricoh Theta, VSN Mobil V.360 and others. Continue reading YouTube to Support 360-Degree Videos from Giroptic 360cam

During its CES press conference, Nvidia announced two new computing platforms for automobiles — the Drive CX and the Drive PX, both of which are centered on the idea that future vehicles will require an increased number of screens and great deal of computing capability. The Drive CX is a digital cockpit for powering the infotainment system, based on the company’s new X1 processor, and featuring an advanced visual computing architecture. The Drive PX is Nvidia’s image processing solution for self-driving cars. Continue reading Nvidia Unveils New Computing Platforms for Cars at 2015 CES

Sharp is focusing on subpixels again this year at CES in another effort to widen the color gamut and bring more sharpness to the TV screen. “The company’s highest-end 4K sets, which launch this Spring, come packed with 66 million subpixels — about 42 million more than your average RGB-only 4K television,” reports Wired. “The company says it will put the new UH30 ‘Beyond 4K Ultra HD TV’ panel next to the 85-inch native 8K TV Sharp has showcased at its booth the past few years.” While the new TV is not being billed as an 8K set, the company claims it can reach an effective resolution of 7,680 x 4,320, and can upscale 4K content to a higher definition.

CEA Director of Industry Analysis Steve Koenig described the evolution of displays and what to expect in 2015 and beyond. Bottom line: Consumers are going for bigger screens, smarter functions and more resolution. CEA studies show a growth in awareness of 4K/UHD among consumers, and that translates to an intent to purchase. Of the approximately 168 million U.S. adults who say they plan to buy a new TV in the next three years, 27 percent — 45 million consumers — intend to buy a 4K/UHD set. Continue reading 2015 CES: The State of Displays – Bigger and Smarter and 4K

The Internet of Things (IoT) is just a pipedream if the network to connect devices and people cannot handle the traffic. 5G is the fifth generation mobile network that aims to enable the IoT, and at the 2015 CES executives from Cisco, Ericsson and Samsung discussed how the network will be created. Dramatic increases in global mobile traffic are widely anticipated, with an estimated 50 billion connected devices in play by 2020. Cisco predicts an 11-fold increase in global mobile data traffic between 2013 and 2018. Continue reading The Internet of Things: 5G Mobile to Enable Connected Devices

Sony demonstrated its SmartEyeglass product during APPNATION VI at CES, held at The Cosmopolitan Hotel. The augmented reality glasses use two forward-facing projectors built into see-through glasses to overlay data at a controlled stereoscopic distance in space onto the real world. Sony will sell the glasses at “a high price point” to consumers in a few select markets starting this quarter. More importantly, they hope to interest and involve developers worldwide and build out an ecosystem of apps over time. Continue reading SmartEyeglass: Sony Demonstrates AR Glasses at APPNATION

Envision Peripherals Inc. (EPI), a North American subsidiary of TPV that brings Philips displays to market, unveiled a 34-inch curved IPS display at CES today. The new Philips Brilliance Curved UltraWide LCD Display offers a “gentle curve” with “subtle immersion effect,” featuring a 21:9 panoramic aspect ratio with over one billion color depth and UltraWide QHD 3,440 x 1,440 resolution. The display also features an ultra-narrow bezel and a built-in pair of 7W DTS stereo speakers. Continue reading EPI Announces New Philips 34-Inch Curved UltraWide Display

During CES, Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry announced the formation of a coalition that plans to “set the bar for next generation video entertainment by establishing new standards to support innovation in video technologies including 4K and higher resolutions, high dynamic range, wider color gamut and immersive 3D audio.” According to Carolyn Giardina of The Hollywood Reporter, the UHD Alliance was formed by companies including DirecTV, Dolby, LG, Netflix, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony Visual Product, Technicolor, The Walt Disney Studios, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

During its CES press conference, Panasonic placed a spotlight on Ultra HD by emphasizing its part in the newly announced UHD Alliance, and illustrating its commitment to its line of 4K CE devices and professional 4K broadcast cameras. Among its announcements, the company unveiled a new 4K Blu-ray player, nine new UHD 4K TVs, and two 4K-capable palm-size camcorders. “Panasonic also plans to show a prototype 8K display, notable as Japan’s NHK is looking to leapfrog 4K and go directly to 8K, which it intends to have ready for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Dolby arrived at the 2015 CES with a Warner Bros. partnership that includes a slate of 4K titles mastered in the high dynamic range-supported Dolby Vision format. “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Into the Storm” and “The Lego Movie” are among the titles to be released in Dolby Vision in early 2015 in preparation for the launch of Dolby Vision-enabled TVs. “There’s a lot of HDR interest coming out of Hollywood,” writes Carolyn Giardina for The Hollywood Reporter. “Dolby Vision is intended to be a complete system, through which Hollywood would produce content in the format, and a delivery system would get that content to Dolby Vision supported TV.”

The Consumer Electronics Association raised the curtain on the 2015 International CES Sunday afternoon with media-only presentations on Trends to Watch this year and a comprehensive briefing on the State of the Consumer Tech Industry. Shawn Dubravac, CEA’s chief economist, shared business trends, market forces and consumer dynamics behind the technology on display at the 2015 CES. Steve Koenig, CEA’s director of industry analysis, said consumer tech spending for 2014 is estimated at $1.024 trillion. Continue reading CES Kick-Off: The Magnificent Seven and a Trillion Dollar Year

At CES Unveiled, the wearable manufacturers from the 2104 International CES were back… and they were joined by a dizzying number of new products. The majority of wearables are again focused on fitness and aimed at a demographic that exercises and is digitally plugged-in. At last year’s CES, wearables were a major hit; this year, the rush to innovate has produced more products and solutions than the space can ever support. Today wearables galore; tomorrow, the shake-out. Continue reading 2015 International CES Unveils Wearables Galore in Las Vegas

Wearables with fitness and health applications dominated last year’s CES. This year, manufacturers looking for new market segments have targeted new parents, a digitally savvy demographic likely to be open to wearable solutions. At this week’s CES in Las Vegas, we expect to see an array of compelling new wearables for babies that track temperature, breathing, sleep positions, activity levels, and more. Early product announcements point to wearable patches and sensors, clip-on devices and smart clothing. Continue reading New Market: Baby Wearables Take Their First Steps at CES