There is a lot of investment in Virtual Reality (VR) and a lot more players in the space. However, based on what I saw at CES, the jury is still out on how each or any of us will use VR. By contrast, the laptop, whose death by tablet and smartphone was predicted a few years ago, is back in full force with Dell's XPS13, HP's Envy, and Lenovo's X1 Carbon delivering superior performance in lightweight, aesthetically pleasing packages. What really struck me at this year's CES is the impact of Design Thinking and how the kind of industrial design that Apple is known for (sleek, attractive, ergonomic, functional) now permeates every category of consumer electronics. So, for example, if a car drives itself, how can you reimagine the interior, Over at Samsung and LG they have rethought the design of refrigerators - allowing screens on door to become see-though, or opening in different ways to allow easy access to the items you use most.
Sensor driven devices continue to improve and now extend to almost any kind of human activity. Speaking of personal, there are Toto toilets and washlets with remote control and deodorizers and driers and front back washing. 200 connected hair brush, a "Hair coach." that measures how you brush your hair as well its condition (and I assume then recommends beauty products to use). 149) which allows you to make your existing lock into a smart lock set. Once inside the home, the next battlefront is improving Wifi reception - to which the answer is Mesh (as opposed to meh). Mesh is a thing. 399 for a three pack of hexagonal pucks) improves WiFi throughout your home, adds a layer of security protection, and allows to control (or even pause) internet usage in your home. A hexagonal puck and an app control. Another mesh offering, AmpliFi HD from Ubiquity, I found both attractive and impressive (I have been testing one).
While we're in the home, we would be remiss if we didn't say that connected lights which only a few years ago seemed gimmicky and expensive have now become commonplace. There are still expensive bulbs loaded with new features (speakers) or that claim to be better in one way or another, but there are now affordable systems. Of course, since connected devices have to be part of everything you do, you need connected devices outside of the home, even for riding your bike. Another are where there seems to be rapid advances, new technology, and many players is what I'll call: Noise & Sound. Blame it on the Iphone 7's lack of an earphone, but wireless earbuds seemed everywhere. 219) offering great audio quality, a choice of ear buds for fit, a microphone and a long lasting rechargeable battery power (they offer a portable dock which can recharge the ear buds for up to 24 hours).
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