Earlier this month I attended CES and got a glimpse into the future. Every nation was present showing off the latest technology that they are producing. It’s a Vegas beyond any scale I could have imagined. With manufacturers taking over restaurants to server as their booths in 27 hotels plus the convention center and 180,000 some people in attendance it is mind boggling. Most of what you see below is USA innovation.
I did note some very interesting new technology that I thought I would share with you. Here’s my short list. If you follow Harbor on Facebook you have seen some of these. In addition to exposure to new products and technologies we also had an opportunity to meet with the CEO and publisher of Wired Magazine and in most cases the VP’s for the products below. CES was a great experience overall and very worth the time.
I bought myself a few of these futuristic items: An Alexa device for my car that also has 2 high powered USB ports. Now I can say Alexa play Amy’s playlist and the car obeys! A padlock that unlocks with my finger printer and that of up to 500 others should I choose. It also responds to morse code should my finger print not work for some reason. I have the BitDefender Box2 protecting all of the IoT and mobile devices in my home and belonging to Harbor as I mentioned in a previous blog post. I’m waiting on a device that reads water quality through my cup using electo-magnetic pollutant signatures to arrive.
One take away for those of you interested in home automation and security products is that the market is very confused right now. I can’t tell which is going to be the winning technology. Currently there are 3 different protocols being used and they don’t talk to each other. So if you are buying that type of thing now make sure that you stick with the same manufacturer or family of products. Otherwise you’re going to find that managing them will get difficult.
Cars, Scooters, Bicycles and Trucks. An electric car for $9,999 that goes 100 mph. Small cars and innovative electric bicycles and scooters were in abundance. The innovations in the motors for the vehicles were detailed and very impressive. In addition, the self driving semi is production ready with orders being taken and so is the self-flying helicopter which I personally find more scary. The auto companies where there in full force showing off their visions for smart cities. You should know that they weren’t showing any cars in these cities of the future.
3D printing, Additive manufacturing, Robotics, and 6d mice. 5 axis 3D printing and 5 axis CNC built into the same machine were popular devices. As is on-demand short run manufacturing. And they’ve finally built all of the spaceball type stuff into a regular looking mouse. Robotics have come a long way. Not only can they do what you ask of them but they can make decisions on the fly. Witness the robotic arm playing ping-pong with a human below.
Handheld computing, stand-up desks, and video distribution. Need a 6 inch computer? How about wireless HD signage? Or a desk that moves from sitdown to standup with one finger supports 2 monitors and isn’t ugly?
Reading glasses. With super powers of course. They automatically adjust when you’re looking at something you need to read. Arguably the most popular item of the entire show.
In summary the future is bright. The innovations coming and those available now are nothing short of amazing. We live in fantastic times. As a good friend says, “it would be wonderful to be 10 again”
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About Harbor Computer Services
Harbor Computer Services is an IT firm servicing Southeastern Michigan. We work exclusively under contract with our clients to provide technology direction and either become the IT department or provide assistance to the internal IT they already have. We have won many awards for our work over the years, including the worldwide Microsoft Partner of the Year in 2010. We’re the smallest firm to have ever won this most prestigious award. Most recently we were recognized as one of the top 20 visionaries in small business IT by ChannelPro Magazine (2015). And in 2016 as the top Michigan IT firm for Manufacturing. There are a few simple things that make Harbor Computer Services the best choice for your business. •We are Professionals •We are Responsible •We are Concerned About The Success of Your Business.
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