Electronics

The best of CES 2015

The best of CES 2015
Gizmag breaks down our of our favorite gadgets, concepts and gear from CES 2015 (Photo: Gizmag.com)
Gizmag breaks down our of our favorite gadgets, concepts and gear from CES 2015 (Photo: Gizmag.com)
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The Saygus V2 was a surprising waterproof superphone to come across at CES with storage expandable up to 320 GB, with 3D sound and a fingerprint sensor (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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The Saygus V2 was a surprising waterproof superphone to come across at CES with storage expandable up to 320 GB, with 3D sound and a fingerprint sensor (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
Panasonic's prototype 4K Blu-Ray player sent the message that 4K is here to stay (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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Panasonic's prototype 4K Blu-Ray player sent the message that 4K is here to stay (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
GlaGla's Bluetooth connected shoes were just one of myriad wearables at CES ranging from smart to silly (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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GlaGla's Bluetooth connected shoes were just one of myriad wearables at CES ranging from smart to silly (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
Lamborghini's 88 Tauri smartphone costs $6,000 for last-year's specs coated in leather and bling (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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Lamborghini's 88 Tauri smartphone costs $6,000 for last-year's specs coated in leather and bling (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
4K was everywhere at CES, including this large screen from Sharp (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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4K was everywhere at CES, including this large screen from Sharp (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
Sharp demonstrated its prototype 8K display with a magnifying glass (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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Sharp demonstrated its prototype 8K display with a magnifying glass (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
Sling TV is a blow to Cable TV in the US, bringing streaming live channels to mobile and set-top devices (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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Sling TV is a blow to Cable TV in the US, bringing streaming live channels to mobile and set-top devices (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
The Cooki cooks dinner with help from the accompanying app (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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The Cooki cooks dinner with help from the accompanying app (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Garmin offers a new level of wrist-top mapping with the Epix watch (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Garmin offers a new level of wrist-top mapping with the Epix watch (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Without the need for a human driver, cars can take on new forms (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Without the need for a human driver, cars can take on new forms (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Mercedes F 015 features swiveling front seats (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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The Mercedes F 015 features swiveling front seats (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Six high-resolution displays give occupants a means of passing the time (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Six high-resolution displays give occupants a means of passing the time (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Will cars look like this when they can drive themselves? (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Will cars look like this when they can drive themselves? (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a trio of digital displays (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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The Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a trio of digital displays (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Integrated cameras track your motion, allowing for gesture control (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Integrated cameras track your motion, allowing for gesture control (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Volkswagen Golf R Touch (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Volkswagen Golf R Touch (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Spur Atomic smartwatch has an LCD screen and 1.2-GHz ARM processor (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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The Spur Atomic smartwatch has an LCD screen and 1.2-GHz ARM processor (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Add a microSIM card and the Spur is essentially a smartphone on your arm (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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Add a microSIM card and the Spur is essentially a smartphone on your arm (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Oculus Rift 'Crescent Bay' prototype has us running out of superlatives, and simply begging Oculus VR to release its long-awaited consumer version (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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The Oculus Rift 'Crescent Bay' prototype has us running out of superlatives, and simply begging Oculus VR to release its long-awaited consumer version (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
Thync's wearable (and its companion app, pictured) can make you calm or energized in about 15 minutes (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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Thync's wearable (and its companion app, pictured) can make you calm or energized in about 15 minutes (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
Samsung's Ativ Book 9 is an incredibly light and thin Ultrabook (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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Samsung's Ativ Book 9 is an incredibly light and thin Ultrabook (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
Wikipad's Gamevice does one simple job, but does it well: it turns the iPads Air and Mini into portable gaming consoles (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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Wikipad's Gamevice does one simple job, but does it well: it turns the iPads Air and Mini into portable gaming consoles (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
ODG's upcoming smartglasses are a bit subtler than Google Glass, while offering a much more immersive experience (not to mention higher-end hardware) (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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ODG's upcoming smartglasses are a bit subtler than Google Glass, while offering a much more immersive experience (not to mention higher-end hardware) (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
The Windows 2-in-1 of techie eyewear: Sulon Cortex blends augmented and virtual reality (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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The Windows 2-in-1 of techie eyewear: Sulon Cortex blends augmented and virtual reality (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
A washer worth getting excited about: LG's dual-load Twin wash system does two loads at once (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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A washer worth getting excited about: LG's dual-load Twin wash system does two loads at once (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
The Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a trio of digital displays (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
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The Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a trio of digital displays (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Gogoro Smartscooter could one day recharge at charging stations, positioned around cities (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
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The Gogoro Smartscooter could one day recharge at charging stations, positioned around cities (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
The Jide Remix is a Surface rival that runs Android – only skinned in ways that make a lot of sense on the desktop (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
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The Jide Remix is a Surface rival that runs Android – only skinned in ways that make a lot of sense on the desktop (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
Though it's going to make you a conversation piece in the places where it (otherwise) makes the most sense, the Avegant Glyph hides a private screen in the band of an oversized pair of headphones
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Though it's going to make you a conversation piece in the places where it (otherwise) makes the most sense, the Avegant Glyph hides a private screen in the band of an oversized pair of headphones
Gizmag breaks down our of our favorite gadgets, concepts and gear from CES 2015 (Photo: Gizmag.com)
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Gizmag breaks down our of our favorite gadgets, concepts and gear from CES 2015 (Photo: Gizmag.com)
View gallery - 30 images

The majority of products you see at CES are forgettable, but every year there's also a handful of innovations that are either the next big thing, or so ambitious and imaginative that we can't help but shine our spotlight on them. These are Gizmag's picks for the best of CES 2015.

Lounge on wheels

The Mercedes F 015 features swiveling front seats (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Mercedes F 015 features swiveling front seats (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)

With the F 105 concept car, Mercedes takes us on a trip into the future to show us what autonomous driving will look like from the passenger seat. It looks pretty damn good. The F 015 features a roomy lounge interior, in which four passengers are surrounded by digital displays. They’re basically driving to work while kicking back in a comfy mobile entertainment center.

Mercedes F 015 coverage

Oculus Rift gets even more immersive

The Oculus Rift 'Crescent Bay' prototype has us running out of superlatives, and simply begging Oculus VR to release its long-awaited consumer version (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
The Oculus Rift 'Crescent Bay' prototype has us running out of superlatives, and simply begging Oculus VR to release its long-awaited consumer version (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)

At its third CES, Oculus VR has gone from small newcomer to the booth with the longest lines on the floor. Fortunately we were able to avoid those Disneyland-length waits and chat in private with Product VP Nate Mitchell, who showed us the mind-blowing 'Crescent Bay' Oculus Rift prototype.

The best virtual reality headset (by a longshot) is now lighter, with a higher-resolution display and positional sound – only adding to the immersive experience that is Oculus' virtual reality.

Oculus Rift 'Crescent Bay' hands-on

Dish cuts the cord

Sling TV is a blow to Cable TV in the US, bringing streaming live channels to mobile and set-top devices (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
Sling TV is a blow to Cable TV in the US, bringing streaming live channels to mobile and set-top devices (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)

American cord-cutters will soon rejoice when the new over-the-top streaming app from Dish goes live. Sling TV will start at US$20 per month and allow subscribers to stream live news, sports and other programming from channels like ESPN, CNN and Disney via a mobile app, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and select smart TVs to start.

Sling TV CES coverage

Digital drugs

Thync's wearable (and its companion app, pictured) can make you calm or energized in about 15 minutes (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
Thync's wearable (and its companion app, pictured) can make you calm or energized in about 15 minutes (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)

The Thync mood-changing wearable zaps your brain to make you feel either calm or energized (or, in our case, both), after just 15 minutes of use. After years of snake oil pitches from the technology world making similar promises, this is a mood-altering product that really works.

Thync hands-on

Android goes to work

The Jide Remix is a Surface rival that runs Android – only skinned in ways that make a lot of sense on the desktop (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
The Jide Remix is a Surface rival that runs Android – only skinned in ways that make a lot of sense on the desktop (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)

Not long ago, three guys left Google and landed in Beijing, where they founded a startup to bridge the gap between tablets and PCs. The result of that effort is the Remix, a modified Android tablet aimed at mobile productivity. It supposedly brings in the best qualities of Windows and OS X to create a solid Surface competitor.

Jive Remix hands-on

Two loads are better than one

A washer worth getting excited about: LG's dual-load Twin wash system does two loads at once (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
A washer worth getting excited about: LG's dual-load Twin wash system does two loads at once (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)

At CES 2015, we saw plenty of "throwing a chip in mundane houseware and calling it part of the bold new smart home." But LG upped the ante a bit with one new appliance that was not only smart (through its HomeChat platform), but actually innovated on how we define a washing machine.

The company introduced its new dual-load Twin wash system with an extra compartment to do a simultaneous – but separate – second load. For once, it's almost enough to get us excited about doing laundry. Almost.

LG Twin wash CES coverage

Next to every Starbucks, perhaps?

The Gogoro Smartscooter could one day recharge at charging stations, positioned around cities (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
The Gogoro Smartscooter could one day recharge at charging stations, positioned around cities (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)

One of the more ambitious ideas we saw at CES 2015, Gogoro has a unique take on the challenges facing electric urban transportation. The company wants to install battery refill stations at various points across cities, so when your Gogoro Smartscooter is almost out of juice, you're never far from a recharge.

Gogoro Smartscooter CES coverage

Startup out-specs the biggest names in mobile

The Saygus V2 was a surprising waterproof superphone to come across at CES with storage expandable up to 320 GB, with 3D sound and a fingerprint sensor (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)
The Saygus V2 was a surprising waterproof superphone to come across at CES with storage expandable up to 320 GB, with 3D sound and a fingerprint sensor (Photo: Eric Mack/Gizmag.com)

Any startup making a smartphone faces astronomical odds, but this could be one worth paying attention to. The Saygus V2 is waterproof and expandable to 320 GB, in addition to sporting a fingerprint sensor, the ability to beam HD video across a room and 3D sound. And the company says this specs beast will cost less than an iPhone.

Saygus V2 hands-on

Three-monitor setup

The Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a trio of digital displays (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Volkswagen Golf R Touch has a trio of digital displays (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)

Outside, the Volkswagen Golf Touch R is a Golf with a fancy fade paint job. Inside, however, it’s a futuristic look at how digital technology will transform the car’s cockpit. The concept car surrounds the driver with a trio of digital displays – a supersized 12.8-in infotainment screen, an 8-in touchscreen control center and a 12.3-in digital instrument panel. Camera-based gesture recognition technology means there’s no need to smudge up the displays with fingerprints.

Volkswagen Golf Touch R CES coverage

Never get lost again

Garmin offers a new level of wrist-top mapping with the Epix watch (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Garmin offers a new level of wrist-top mapping with the Epix watch (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)

Garmin makes navigation easier than ever with the all-new Epix mapping watch. The Epix pops out of the box with a 1.4-in color touchscreen, omni-directional EXO steel antenna with GPS and GLONASS, worldwide shaded relief base map, one-year subscription to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery, and 8 GB of memory for additional maps.

It also includes the ABCs (altimeter/barometer/compass) and ANT+ wireless connectivity. Garmin fancies the $600 watch an eTrex that you can strap to your wrist. We fancy it a reason never to get lost again.

Garmin Epix watch CES coverage

Taking light and thin to new extremes

Samsung's Ativ Book 9 is an incredibly light and thin Ultrabook (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
Samsung's Ativ Book 9 is an incredibly light and thin Ultrabook (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)

Ultrabooks have looked pretty much the same for the last two or three years, but Samsung's updated Ativ Book 9 is 31-32 percent thinner and 12-29 percent lighter than the most recent MacBook Airs.

Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015) hands-on

Dick Tracy's favorite booth

Add a microSIM card and the Spur is essentially a smartphone on your arm (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
Add a microSIM card and the Spur is essentially a smartphone on your arm (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)

The Spur Atomic smartwatch breaks the shackles from the smartphone, offering a host of features without the need for a pocketed phone running the show.

App selection could be a red flag (though it supposedly ships with the Play Store), but the touchscreen watch has an ARM Cortex-A7 processor, 4 GB of storage and Android 4.2. It can make calls, browse the Web, play videos and perform many other functions that you’d typically need a larger smart device for. Best of all, it isn't super heavy or uncomfortable on the wrist and retails for a relatively inexpensive $250.

Spur Atomic watch CES coverage

Robo-chef

The Cooki cooks dinner with help from the accompanying app (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)
The Cooki cooks dinner with help from the accompanying app (Photo: C.C. Weiss/Gizmag.com)

In today’s busy world, who has time to prepare a piping hot, homemade meal? Your new best friend Cooki, that’s who. This meal preparation robot makes cooking as simple as selecting a recipe and throwing ingredients into the hopper. Cooki adds the ingredients at just the right time, heats and stirs everything into a meal and sends you a text message when it’s time to eat. It’s a real meal based on fresh ingredients without the hassle of cooking or expense of a personal chef.

Sereneti Kitchen Cooki CES coverage

A portable console you (might) already own

Wikipad's Gamevice does one simple job, but does it well: it turns the iPads Air and Mini into portable gaming consoles (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)
Wikipad's Gamevice does one simple job, but does it well: it turns the iPads Air and Mini into portable gaming consoles (Photo: Will Shanklin/Gizmag.com)

Though interest in tablets seems to be waning a bit, Wikipad's MFi controller turns the iPad Air and iPad mini into powerful portable game consoles, to pair with console-meets-mobile titles like Bioshock and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Wikipad Gamevice hands-on

The rest

For a look at some of the other interesting (if not quite amazing) items we saw at CES 2015, you can hit up our image gallery, as well as our complete list of CES 2015 coverage.

View gallery - 30 images
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