Take our tour of the hottest tech at CES 2015
If you're here at CES in Las Vegas, you'll quickly find out just how overwhelming the show floor can be. Here are the hot spots you won't want to miss.
- Webby Award ("How To, Explainer, and DIY Video"); Folio Changemaker Award, 2020
4K TVs, curved screens, and smart home solutions continue to dominate, but don't miss growing trends like robotics, medical tech, and 3D printing.
There's a lot to see, so we've made it easy with a self-guided tour that includes some of the more notable products, companies and growing trends.
Las Vegas Convention Center
Download: Show Floor Tour PDF
1. A first for . "Siri, brew a cup of coffee." iDevices released one of the first HomeKit-compatible products, the Switch. The Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled device lets anything plugged into it be controlled with Siri voice commands or through an app.
2. ZTE. What if you could upgrade your phone the way you could a PC? That's what ZTE, a leading Chinese phone maker, is showcasing. The Eco Mobius' parts can be swapped and upgraded by simply replacing its various modules.
And don't leave without testing ZTE's Star 2, an impressive voice-controlled smartphone.
3. Belkin. Charging ahead with home automation, Belkin is showcasing a new lineup of connected devices. Look out for a water-usage sensor, an alarm notifier, and even sensors for detecting when windows are opened.
Plus, take an early look at Belkin's Echo technology, a system of sensors that collectively analyze your utility usage.
4. Parrot. Camera-laden drones are an ongoing trend at Parrot, but this year, the company is also focusing on car tech. The RNB 6 lets you upgrade any car (including older models) with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
5. Intel Everywhere. Going beyond PCs, Intel is taking its investments to wearables. One of its focuses is on Quark, an SD card-shaped chip that can be plugged into a variety of wearable devices.
While you're here, check out the Lenovo LaVie Z, a 1.7-pound 13-inch laptop powered by Intel's new Broadwell chip, which significantly increases battery life and lets laptops go fan-free.
6. Streaming TV. Cord cutters, rejoice. Streaming TV is finally becoming a real option and Dish's $20-per-month SlingTV is a compelling example. The service works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, LG Smart TVs, Xbox, and ESPN makes it shine.
But Dish isn't the only one in the game, keep an eye out for competing services like Sony's Playstation Vue.
7. LG. In 2015, 60 percent of LG's TV lineup will be in 4K, with a combination of both flat and curved screens. The new sets will run on the WebOS platform, a smart TV interface that can stream in 4K. For those who can't decide between curved and flat, there's even a 77-inch flexible concept TV.
And don't miss the G Flex 2, a curved smartphone that can withstand drops and pressure thanks to its flexible screen.
8. The connected car. While the real car showcase is in the North Hall, take a look at Panasonic's connected car setup. The company, which has a solid track record of building in-dash units, is now incorporating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into its hardware.
9. Samsung. Curved screens are still plentiful at Samsung, where the company is now taking its flexible screens to desktop monitors. Bendy screens aside, the new focus is on Quantum Dots (also called nanocrystals), which allow even LED screens to appear brighter and more colorful.
Also take a look at Milk VR, a new virtual-reality game streaming service, along with a bevy of smart home appliances and a 105-inch bendable 4K TV.
10. Sony. As the company's lineup of 4K TVs expands, its also offering ways for consumers to create 4K content. Take a look at the various camcorders and action cams that shoot in 4K, and don't miss Sony's impressive 4K projector (available for a modest $9,999).
Tech West
Download: Show Floor Tour PDF (Tech West)
1. Smartwatches. As the smartwatch transitions from geek novelty to mainstream device, companies like Martian are finding ways to make it look less like something out of a sci-fi flick. Check out its colorful lineup of watches, which delivers notifications and vibration alerts while still looking like a traditional watch.
2. Sengled. Going beyond just smartphone-controlled bulbs, Sengled makes light bulbs that act as security cameras, extend your Wi-Fi signal, and even play music.
3. ZigBee. The greatest challenge for the smart home? Proprietary platforms. ZigBee remedies that with a wireless standard that allows various devices to "talk" to each other. With ZigBee's Light Link, for example, consumers can control a mix of brands over the same wireless network.
4. 3D Systems. One of the leaders in 3D printing, 3D Systems announced three new compelling printers, including one that prints chocolate and one that helps you make a custom drone. And don't miss the Touch 3D stylus, a $500 haptic feedback device that can be used for creating 3D designs and as a gaming controller.
5. XYZ. Now that 3D printing is gaining popularity, printer makers like XYZ are experimenting with ways to make it go mainstream. Take a look at the da Vinci, a $500 plug-and-play printer. The unit requires no assembly and is designed in such a way that makes 3D printing easy for inexperienced tinkerers.
6. Quell (NeuroMetrix). There are health and fitness wearables, and then there are FDA-approved medical devices. Quell is one such device, which uses electrical stimulation to relieve pain. The electrical signal travels up the central nervous system to the brain, releasing opioids that soothe pain.
7. FitLinxx. FitLinxx, a young company that got its start on Indiegogo, is taking a unique approach to fitness tracking. Its flagship product utilizes disposable adhesives that measure heart rate, activity, calories burned, respiration, sleep, and heart rate variability (which can be an indicator of stress.)
8. Sleep Number SleepIQ. Even mattress makers refuse to get left behind in the Internet of Everything. Check out SleepIQ, a mattress with built-in sensors that measure your average breathing rate, heart rate and movement to track how you're sleeping. And -- you guessed it -- all of that data can be viewed on your phone or tablet.
9. Robotics. Robots for both commercial and personal use are invading CES. Opobotics is a small but ambitious company that designs sub-$1,000 robots for personal use. The base model can play games with kids and host simple interactions, but with a few add-on accessories, it can vacuum, put your scraps in the trash, and even serve you a soda.
10. Tobii's eye-tracking tech. With a focus on gaming, Tobii is building precise eye-tracking tech that can be built into gaming hardware and PCs. Stop by the booth to give it a try -- you'll go through a short setup process before being able to control a computer with your eyes.