CES 2012: What we want to see

Now and then we get a real glimpse into what’s to come in the consumer electronics space and that time comes each January with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.  EFTM will be there next week – so what would we like to see?

Smarter TV’s

It’s all well and good of the big guys like Sony, Samsung and LG to market their devices as “Smart TV” – but how smart are they really?  I think they have the brains but not the means by which to use them.  The problem is the user interface.  Rarely is it truly intuitive and easy to use.  The content is certainly building but it’s very global, and while that makes it look like there is a lot to choose from, in reality we as consumers want the big global titles, and the best local content.

So, what I’d like to see is some real innovation in the User Interface on these Smart TV’s.  This has to be fool proof, allowing a teenager and a pensioner to get to the right place in the device with the same ease.

We shall see.

UltraBooks

Intel are the driving force behind the new range of Ultrabooks from a large number of PC makers.  Inspired in both form and looks by the Apple MacBook Air these are tipped to be the hot item in computing outside of the tablet space in 2012.  So we expect to see a large number of Ultrabooks announced and on show across a range of vendors and of course at Intel.

Appcessories

I love my iCade and my Remote control Helicopter – Birthday and Christmas gifts from late 2011 – these are Appcessories and there is likely to be literally hundreds on display across the CES show floor.  With both iOS and Android devices pushing further and further into the lives of everyday Australians, these Appcessories are complementary to the device you take everywhere, doing everything from making gaming better, taking payments, battery life or photographic enhancements.  There will be endless numbers to read about!

Smart Homes

Eco and Smart are two words that will prefix almost every ‘home’ style announcement in 2012.  Smart homes will do the work for you, Eco homes will save you and the environment.

There are some class leaders out there who will announce a host of new simple products to make managing your energy consumption easier, plus there will be new and innovative devices (some will be Appcessories) to control and manage your home systems.

CES is big and bigger than ever in 2012.  Trevor Long will travel to CES thanks to Intel.  Reports across the week here at EFTM.