January may be a cold and miserable month for many, but for the tech industry it’s an exciting time. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) takes place in Las Vegas every January and sees various tech brands showcase new products, many of which grab the headlines. As a technology PR agency, we’re always keen to see the latest tech innovations, so with CES 2016 now over, what were the highlights?
Quirky products will always get attention at CES, and this year was no exception. Samsung demonstrated its ‘Family Hub’ refrigerator that has a screen on the door to allow you to communicate and surf the web. Thanks to this invention, you could order new milk as soon as you realise you’re running low, or message a family member to buy some on the way home. It must be exciting to attend CES and be one the first people to witness a new product. The show also introduced the world’s first wearable translator, which you can work by speaking into one side, before the other side speaks those words in the desired language. It’s not dependent on Wi-Fi either and it works using a database, which is in-built in the small device.
But among all of these novel products is an indication of how technology is shaping the future of so many industries. Tech company New Tempo unveiled its virtual reality changing rooms, where you can view a screen and virtually try on clothes. Considering that it fills a gap in online shopping experiences, could virtual reality be the future of online retail?
They say that necessity is the mother of invention after all. Back in 1970 when the VCR was unveiled at CES, I can imagine how appealing it sounded to be able to record and play back television. Then lo and behold, the VCR became a household product for years to come. I wonder how many of this year’s products will prove a hit and stand the test of time too?
Alex Brown has just started his career at Skout PR and will be a regular contributor to the Skout blog.