The 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is already considered a resounding success by many technology experts. There have been numerous articles and social media posts from visitors to the show touting the exciting and potentially society-changing products on display. One area that almost all critics, professional and amateur alike, agree is that the mobile technologies coming to consumers in 2014 are among the most useful and exciting at CES.
For at least the past couple of years, mobile technology has been considered somewhat stagnant, with incremental iterations being released by the major manufacturers like Apple and Samsung and with little in major third party aftermarket innovation. CES 2014 shows that trend is already changing. “2014 will be the year that our mobile devices will finally start to become the multi-purpose, life-enhancing tools we have wanted them to be for years,” said technology expert Jason Hope. Given what we’ve seen on display, this certainly seems to be more possible now than ever before. The following are a few of the standout highlights in mobile technology at CES 2014:
Most Exciting Mobile Technologies At CES 2014
Turn your smartphone into a thermal imaging device
One of the most interesting devices at CES was the “Flir One”, which is an add on device for iPhones that acts as a thermal camera. While some might not think there are everyday applications for a thermal camera, there are actually a number of practical uses for such a device. For example, a thermal camera allows anyone to quickly and easily find where studs area in their wall.
The device is also great for birdwatchers and campers. Most importantly, the Flir One shows that the potential power of add on devices for smartphones is accelerating to a new level of functionality. The next couple of years should see many devices that are similar to the Flir One, especially if it is a commercial success.
Fully integrated cars and tablets
Although tablets and smartphones have been increasingly connected over the past few years, including USB and Bluetooth connectivity for music and phone calls, there has still been a lack of full OS integration. While some high-end cars, such as the Tesla, have managed to integrate full mobile operating systems into their vehicles, the majority of cars are still lacking such functionality.
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The Audi Smart Display is the first fully integrated Android tablet and car system that is affordable to a significant portion of the car-buying public. The tablet can be used to control most of the functions of the vehicle, including navigation, web browsing, infotainment (music/radio) controls, calendar functionality, and much more. This device will make it easier for passengers to “co-pilot”, making the roads safer from potentially distracted drivers. Hopefully, the trend in fully integrated cars and tablets is only just beginning.
Tablets that can replace laptops
The iPad unquestionable started the current revolution in mobile computing. Before the iPad, there wasn’t anything even close to a viable alternative to laptop and desktop computers. Since then, both the iPad and Android based tablets have become increasingly popular among professionals and students alike. However, one glaring issue is that they have continued to lack the level of functionality of a fully-fledged laptop, or even the hybrid devices such as the Google Chromebook.
The Samsung Galaxy NotePro, revealed at CES 2014, is set to change all of that. It is the first fully integrated tablet that has all of the functionality of a laptop but in a mobile OS format. Widgets are now used in a manner similar is Windows 8, with multiple live tiles and easy access from whatever application you are currently using. You can also create multiple widget screens so that all of your most common and popular applications and processes are easily accessible.
Best of all, the NotePro has the type of premium specs that have been severely lacking in the tablet world for years. The device has a whopping 3 gigabytes of RAM, enough to run 4 separate applications simultaneously. In addition, the device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, arguably one of the best processors currently on the market and certainly the most powerful one in a tablet. Finally, the NotePro has a 2,560×1,600 resolution screen, providing an ultra-high definition visual experience to the user.
About Author: Amy Taylor is a technology and business writer. Amy began her career as a small business owner in Phoenix, Arizona. She has taken that knowledge and experience and brought that to her unique writing capabilities. She really enjoys new business related issues that are tied directly to technology.
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