Last week, the world’s tech firms descended on Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Always a good indicator for the year ahead, the latest cutting edge technologies are typically unveiled, and 2014 didn’t disappoint with attendees wowed by the latest in curved TVs and new gaming technology plus a plethora of exciting gizmos and innovations.
While the main event in the mobile event calendar remains some weeks away, mobile tech also had a strong showing at CES with two themes in particular standing out in the extensive media coverage – the explosion in wearable technology and the new wave of tablets. Here is our wrap up of the key mobile stories you may have missed that caught our attention throughout the week.
Wearables
Intel’s new boss opens CES with a vision for wearable technology
Venturebeat
Intel chief executive Brian Krzanich described his vision for wearable computing — including a number of devices designed by the world’s biggest chip maker itself — in his first major international event speech. Krzanich made the announcements during his opening keynote speech in the vast Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, where the huge 2014 International CES tech trade show is underway. He began the speech with wearables.
Go Ahead, CES 2014 – Prove There’s Tech I Want To Wear
Tech Crunch
Tech you wear isn’t new, but many more people are throwing their hats in the ring with new products, many of which will be on display at CES. The problem: None of those playing in this space have yet demonstrated that they’ve got something most people are willing to add to their existing wardrobe.
Spec Sheet: the wearables of CES 2014
The Verge
Wearables are everywhere. It’s hard to find a big technology company at CES this year that isn’t unveiling a gadget that straps a sensor or a display to your body in one way or another. The idea is nothing new, but we’re seeing companies start to make more of them, in more forms, that can perform more functions.
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Sony Unveils A Wearable Device That Will Log Your Whole Life, Not Just Your Physical Activity
Business Insider
Sony wants to break out a type of wearable tech that does more than just log your physical activity. At its CES press conference this evening, Sony presented a data tracking device it calls the “Core” which pairs with its “LifeLog” app to help you track your life in more than a dozen different ways.
Tablets
CES 2014: Samsung unveils new Galaxy NotePro and TabPro tablets
Telegraph
Samsung has unveiled two new tablets that aim to be as good for work as they are for play, and claimed that in 2014 it will take over leadership in the category from Apple. The South Korean company revealed the NotePro and TabPro at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, showing a new interface that is based on Google’s Android, but is the firm’s most bespoke version of the operating system yet.
Tablets of CES 2014
Cnet
Though companies flock to CES to show off big tech, like TVs and smart appliances, there are still plenty of tablets shown off at the event. We’ve already seen two big releases from Samsung, the Galaxy Note Pro and Galaxy Tab Pro and plenty of models from Asus. Stay tuned to this page for videos of the tablets from our CNET team on the ground. We’ll update this page with new releases as they happen.
The best tablets of CES 2014
The Verge
The line between tablets and laptops has blurred in the last few years, and the tablets of CES 2014 continued to take on traditional computers with convertible form factors, scaled-down PC gaming chips, and combinations of Windows and Android.
Tablets stealing limelight at CES 2014
Business Today India
The huge curved smart TVs with 4k resolution may have stolen the limelight at the annual CES this year in Las Vegas, but this doesn’t mean there were no innovations in tablets, a rapidly evolving product category. Here are our picks from the plethora of tabs showcased at the event.
These articles are not written by MEF and do not represent any views of individuals, members or the organisation.
The importance of wearables is unsurprisingly one of the key predictions for 2014. For expert views on what 2014 has in store for mobile globally, sign up for our The Year Ahead webinar and hear from international analysts and journalists from App Annie, Nielsen, Mobile Money Revolution and Mobile Time Brazil as they give their expert insights on regional and vertical trends.
