A geek's tech dream comes true at the CES 2013
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is always a great road map of future technology. Some of the greatest innovations and ground-breaking products have been launched at this mega event. But it's also a perfect showcase for some really silly, stupid and downright ugly tech. Today we will discover all three - the good, the bad and the very ugly.
Yota Phone
The most frustrating thing about owning a smartphone is obviously the battery life. And one of the most power hungry parts is the screen. Yota Phone finds a nifty solution. A full-size e-ink screen at the back that gives you all the info you want while consuming very little power.
Lenovo IdeaCentre Horizon 27
Let's learn a new term: Table PC. A desktop PC that is a single slab with everything built in. It can go from being vertical on a desk to lying totally flat for family games and other things. Lots of added touch tricks and the fact that it is battery-powered makes it an amazing experience.
Philips' HTL9100
This soundbar leads a very chameleon-like existence. It is fairly long, you can either keep it together for high-quality virtual surround sound or just pop off the two side panels and you've got wireless rear speakers and true 5.1-channel surround sound.
Panasonic 4k camcorder
The next big thing in TV is 4K and now with the Panasonic 4K camcorder, it is finally a thing of today. TV anchors, actors and all others, prepare for a whole new shift, as this will reveal what you really look like beneath those multiple layers of makeup.
JBL PowerUp
It streams, it works on Bluetooth, it can produce some outstanding bass and sound from a very small frame. And, it can charge your Nokia Lumia phone wirelessly while doing all of that. Phew!
Kingston 1TB Flash Drive
A 1TB flash drive in your pocket! Enough said.
Fujifilm X100S
This is the anti-tech camera. In a world where Wi-Fi and 3G cameras rule the roost, this one goes the other way and offers killer optics. A 16-megapixel CMOS X-TRANS II sensor, phase-detection auto focus, which is the fastest in the world, RAW six-frame-per-second shutter blast and you know you've got an optical powerhouse in your hand.
Tobii Gaze
Capacitive touch-based input on your computer was the stuff dreams were made of. No longer. Tobii has it now! Your eye movements are matched to keyboard taps to do things like select or scroll through onscreen items. The result is a super-fast, seamless way to navigate computer interfaces.
Belkin Thunderstorm
Watching a movie on an iPad is great - excellent retina display, fantastic colours, but the sound can really suck. Enter the Belkin Thunderstorm, a portable snap-on home theatre for your iPad. Take it from me, this little thing can shake up your room. 
Samsung camera NX 300
It looks like a million bucks, has fantastic optics, fits interchangeable lenses and can shoot 3D movies and stills from one single lens.
ViVOplay Watch
A lifesaver for parents. This device can track your child's location wherever and whenever. It uses assisted GPS, Wi-Fi triangulation and cell tower triangulation to consistently provide a child's information to an iPhone, Android smartphone, or web portal even if the child is in a basement.
Pure Jongo
Finally, Sonos' monopoly on idiot-proof wireless music in every room has competition. Pure's multiroom Jongo family is simple to set up, provides great audio and is cheap too.
JBL PowerUp
It streams, it works on Bluetooth, it can produce some outstanding bass and sound from a very small frame. And, it can charge your Nokia Lumia phone wirelessly while doing all of that. Phew!
Panasonic 4k camcorder
The next big thing in TV is 4K and now with the Panasonic 4K camcorder, it is finally a thing of today. TV anchors, actors and all others, prepare for a whole new shift, as this will reveal what you really look like beneath those multiple layers of makeup.
Philips' HTL9100
This soundbar leads a very chameleon-like existence. It is fairly long, you can either keep it together for high-quality virtual surround sound or just pop off the two side panels and you've got wireless rear speakers and true 5.1-channel surround sound.THE BAD
TrackingPoint PGF
That's all we need. A gun that uses automated tracking technology to make sure that even the worst shooter can kill accurately. This is called a Precision Guided Firearm and its built-in processor allows you to lock on to a target and automatically compensate for distance, gravity, wind and other factors.
The iPotty
A potty for kids with a built in iPad activity stand. While it's being touted as an educational tool, I'm still wondering if it is such
a good idea for your toddler to spend more time in the loo shooting aliens while he goes about his morning business. Not so sure!
SUPER UGLY
Super Ugly Hyper FemBots in Body paint
Booth babes and skimpily-clad women at product showcasing areas is gimmicky but effective. This year however, it got taken to a whole new ugly level. 'Fembots' at the Hyper Booth were wearing nothing but body paint. Sad to see how much technology has evolved and yet companies still resort to such old school crap at CES.
Check out all the gadgets:
A 1TB flash drive in your pocket! Enough said.
Fujifilm X100S
This is the anti-tech camera. In a world where Wi-Fi and 3G cameras rule the roost, this one goes the other way and offers killer optics. A 16-megapixel CMOS X-TRANS II sensor, phase-detection auto focus, which is the fastest in the world, RAW six-frame-per-second shutter blast and you know you've got an optical powerhouse in your hand.
Tobii Gaze
Capacitive touch-based input on your computer was the stuff dreams were made of. No longer. Tobii has it now! Your eye movements are matched to keyboard taps to do things like select or scroll through onscreen items. The result is a super-fast, seamless way to navigate computer interfaces.
Belkin Thunderstorm
Watching a movie on an iPad is great - excellent retina display, fantastic colours, but the sound can really suck. Enter the Belkin Thunderstorm, a portable snap-on home theatre for your iPad. Take it from me, this little thing can shake up your room. Samsung camera NX 300
It looks like a million bucks, has fantastic optics, fits interchangeable lenses and can shoot 3D movies and stills from one single lens.
ViVOplay Watch
A lifesaver for parents. This device can track your child's location wherever and whenever. It uses assisted GPS, Wi-Fi triangulation and cell tower triangulation to consistently provide a child's information to an iPhone, Android smartphone, or web portal even if the child is in a basement.
Pure Jongo
Finally, Sonos' monopoly on idiot-proof wireless music in every room has competition. Pure's multiroom Jongo family is simple to set up, provides great audio and is cheap too.
JBL PowerUp
It streams, it works on Bluetooth, it can produce some outstanding bass and sound from a very small frame. And, it can charge your Nokia Lumia phone wirelessly while doing all of that. Phew!
Panasonic 4k camcorder
The next big thing in TV is 4K and now with the Panasonic 4K camcorder, it is finally a thing of today. TV anchors, actors and all others, prepare for a whole new shift, as this will reveal what you really look like beneath those multiple layers of makeup.
Philips' HTL9100
This soundbar leads a very chameleon-like existence. It is fairly long, you can either keep it together for high-quality virtual surround sound or just pop off the two side panels and you've got wireless rear speakers and true 5.1-channel surround sound.THE BADTrackingPoint PGF
That's all we need. A gun that uses automated tracking technology to make sure that even the worst shooter can kill accurately. This is called a Precision Guided Firearm and its built-in processor allows you to lock on to a target and automatically compensate for distance, gravity, wind and other factors.
The iPotty
A potty for kids with a built in iPad activity stand. While it's being touted as an educational tool, I'm still wondering if it is such
a good idea for your toddler to spend more time in the loo shooting aliens while he goes about his morning business. Not so sure!
SUPER UGLY
Super Ugly Hyper FemBots in Body paint
Booth babes and skimpily-clad women at product showcasing areas is gimmicky but effective. This year however, it got taken to a whole new ugly level. 'Fembots' at the Hyper Booth were wearing nothing but body paint. Sad to see how much technology has evolved and yet companies still resort to such old school crap at CES.
Check out all the gadgets:
Rajiv Makhni is managing editor, Technology, NDTV, and the anchor of Gadget Guru, Cell Guru and Newsnet 3. Follow Rajiv on Twitter at twitter.com/RajivMakhni
From HT Brunch, January 27
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