Virtual reality makes splash, but not ready for prime time

LAS VEGAS, United States — Virtual reality showed off its spectacular side at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, whisking people onto hockey arenas, baseball fields and even into the internet with animated film trouble-maker “Wreck-it Ralph.”

But even with the impressive visuals, VR appeared to be in the slow lane toward mass adoption, according to analysts and industry attendees at the massive technology trade show.


“VR is not dying or failing; it is continuing to progress well,” said Dan O’Brien, Americas region general manager at Taiwan-based HTC, which makes Vive virtual reality gear.


“We see the gap between how people are using VR and how they use their other computing devices, and we are working really hard to solve for those things so we can really bring it to mass market adoption.”



HTC packed a casino ballroom with virtual reality experiences, some of which showed off eye-tracking capabilities newly built into Vive.

“Home Run Derby” created by US Major League Baseball let people step up to a virtual home plate and hit balls out of a digital park.

Fidelity Investments let people step into financial portfolios, entering a digital world where share prices were all around.

HTC is working with Firefox browser maker Mozilla and Amazon’s cloud services team to enable websites to provide online access using eye-popping virtual reality.

While O’Brien wouldn’t specify figures, he said Vive sales were steadily growing, with interest heating up for business or professional use.


“It’s not mainstream, and it shouldn’t be mainstream this year,” O’Brien said.

Arcades and offices

Companies are finding efficiencies and cost savings in using virtual reality gear for tasks such as training workers or designing products.

A delivery truck driver crash in virtual reality, for example, is harmless compared to what might happen in the real world.

HTC demonstrations included VR software to coach people on public speaking.

“There will be a significant number of people who are introduced to VR in either an arcade or an office,” O’Brien said.

The Void VR system offers arcade-style experiences in several countries, overlaying virtual worlds on real rooms to let people move about as they might if really in the fantasy.

Void experiences in Las Vegas included plays on “Wreck-it Ralph” and “Star Wars” films.

Hurricane 360 VR shown off at CES combined the technology and a multiperson chair manipulated by robotic arms to take people on wild amusement park rides — eliciting exhilarated cries.

Sense Arena set up a VR hockey rink where people tried to send pucks past a virtual goalie.

VR was also being used for medical treatment and diagnostics such as managing pain or diagnosing brain impairments, and to allow senior citizens to “travel” to far-flung destinations.

Feel the VR punch

Startups touted accessories from foot gear for moving through virtual settings to a Teslasuit that let wearers feel what happens in faux environs.

“So, if you are playing ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ and someone punches you in the gut, you are going to feel it in your stomach,” Consumer Technology Association senior director Ben Arnold quipped in reference to Teslasuit.

Most of the VR offerings on the show floor were aimed at gamers, notorious early adopters of tech the provides intense play.

The fact that there was a virtual and augmented realities section on the CES show floor is a promising sign, according to Gartner principal analyst Tuong Nguyen.

“People have been waiting a long time for this,” Nguyen said.

Despite high expectations, more time is needed for VR hardware and software to become untethered, simple, and magically immersive, according to the analyst.

Facebook this year is to release an Oculus Quest VR headset with power to handle the intensive graphics of digital worlds without being plugged into a computer.

VR gear remains pricey, especially considering it is limited mostly to gaming, so is a tough sell for the mass market, according to Nguyen.

And, the analyst noted, graphics lags in VR can make some people nauseous.

Ari Grobman, chief executive of Israeli optics specialty firm Lumus, foresaw the coming of glasses that can overlay digital data on the world around a wearer, but convert as desired for VR experiences.

“Ultimately, you’ll have a hero device that will converge augmented and virtual realities,” Grobman told AFP. /ee

source: technology.inquirer.net

A show of force for 5G at CES 2019

The coming year will be a pivotal one for 5G, the fifth generation mobile communications standard which will set new bandwidth records. Mobile network operators and mobile phone manufacturers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, running Jan. 8 to 11, will be unveiling a host of new smart solutions for homes, companies, cars and entertainment, which make use of this new technology.

Smart cities already figured large in discussions at the 2018 CES. This year’s show is expected to be marked by the emergence of practical applications in a range of areas: the internet of things, home automation, corporate environment automation, self-driving cars, entertainment, as well as virtual and augmented reality.


A number of 5G infrastructure projects will be unveiled at Las Vegas, with others expected for the end of February at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. At a time when AT&T has only recently launched its network, which for the moment is limited to a dozen cities, Verizon and other competing operators may take advantage of the show to publicize their new offers.

With regard to the first 5G-compatible smartphones, these are also expected to be released in the first quarter of 2019. Hot on the heels of Qualcomm’s presentation of its latest 5G-compatible Snapdragon 855 processor, Chinese manufacturers OnePlus and Xiaomi are already embroiled in a telecom war over who will be the first to bring out a phone featuring this new 5G chip.

The arrival of 5G is set to pave the way for download speeds that are up to 100 times faster than those that are possible under 4G as well as game-changing developments in electronics markets such as very high definition streaming, the widespread adoption of the Internet of things, and the launch of self-driving smart vehicles. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

GM unveils Bolt electric car in Vegas

LAS VEGAS, United States—General Motors on Wednesday unveiled the production version of its Chevrolet Bolt electric car, on which the US auto giant is pinning its hopes for the emerging segment.

The Bolt aims to appeal to consumers looking at a more affordable price tag than the luxury, market-leading Tesla.

“It’s more than a car, it’s a platform that can be upgraded,” said GM chairman and chief executive Mary Barra, speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

“Who are our customers? Anyone who wants to save time, money and the environment in a car that is truly fun to drive.”

The Bolt, set to go into production later this year, is designed to travel 320 kilometers (more than 200 miles) between charges.

It also features some of the connected technology found on rival vehicles including a Wi-Fi hotspot offering access to apps and services.

The price tag is expected to be in the range of $30,000 after government tax incentives, which is less than half the price of the current Tesla models on the market.

“The Bolt EV is truly the first EV that cracks the code of long range and affordable price,” Barra said.

The new GM car will be compatible with various connected platforms such as Apple CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto.

Bolt will also feature its own dedicated smartphone app, which will manage vehicle information and functions, such as charge status, maintenance and navigation.

The app will include a “gamification” feature that allows owners to “compete” by comparing driving styles to determine who is driving most efficiently.

The Bolt also includes a rear camera connected to the interior rear-view mirror, enabling drivers to see behind them even if their view is blocked by passengers.

Barra said the Bolt is the next step for GM toward more autonomous vehicles, and possibly new ownership models such as car sharing, two concepts other auto manufacturers are also eyeing.

“Down the road, the connectivity… will one day help us offer other technologies and transportation solutions that customers will demand,” she said.

“Everything from car-sharing apps to ownership models and automated driving, and one day self-driving cars.”

source: business.inquirer.net

Ultra-thin, high-def TVs battle for CES crown

LAS VEGAS, United States — A battle for the title of best new television opened Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show, with LG unveiling a new model no thicker than four stacked credit cards.

The South Korean consumer electronics colossus opened a packed day of press conferences at the annual tech extravaganza in Las Vegas with a line-up that included an OLED Signature panel touted as “quite literally, a picture on glass.”

The television measures an unprecedented 2.57 mm, LG Electronics USA marketing vice president David VanderWaal said during an on-stage presentation.


“Our passion and commitment for OLED has never been stronger,” VanderWaal said.

“OLED TV is already recognized as the best TV ever.”

OLED displays have pixels that emit their own light, while pixels in LCD TVs are illuminated by backlights.

OLED screens boast deeper blacks, allowing for a wider range of color than LCD displays. They also tend to come with higher price tags.

LCD televisions remain “the king of screens” with sizes trending up, according to the Consumer Technology Association, the trade group behind CES.

One in every five televisions sold this year is expected to be 50 inches or more, measured diagonally, and feature ultra high-definition 4K resolution.

‘Premium’ certification
LG was among the TV makers here introducing new models that will come with a freshly minted Ultra-High Definition Premium Certification signaling that they meet standards freshly established by an alliance representing manufacturers, technology companies and studios creating content.

“The criteria established by this broad cross-section of the Ultra HD ecosystem enables the delivery of a revolutionary in-home experience,” UHD Alliance chair Hanno Basse said in a release.

“And, the Ultra HD Premium logo gives consumers a single, identifying mark to seek out so they can purchase with confidence.”

Analysts told AFP they expected adoption of 4K ultra-high definition televisions to pick up speed this year as prices get in reach of more consumers and the displays become marketplace norms.

LG built Dolby Vision technology into its new televisions.

“Dolby Vision creates a picture so lifelike you will forget you are looking at a TV screen,” Dolby Labs senior vice president Giles Baker said during the presentation.

Dolby Vision has been used in major films including box-office record-breaker “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” according to Giles.

The LG television line-up included “Super UHD” LCD displays as slim as 6.6 mm and a new flagship 8K television measuring 98 inches diagonally.

Samsung steps up game

Later in the day, leading television maker Samsung unveiled a new line of ultra-high-definition LCD televisions capable of not only streaming games or shows from the Internet but able to serve as command centers for smart home devices, from locks and lights to thermostats and appliances.

Samsung Electronics visual display business president Hyun Suk Kim pulled back the curtain on new SUHD Quantum Dot televisions that he said marked the “start of a new era of TV.”

“This year we are focused on bringing the television experience into the future,” Samsung Electronics America executive Dave Das said.

“The new SUHD TV is a giant leap forward in time.”

New models have software designed to better consolidate traditional and online content, and remote controls that automatically detect and command accessories with no set-up needed.

Samsung’s new SUHD televisions will also allow people to play more than 500 video games, including blockbusters such as “Assassin’s Creed” streamed online in partnership with Sony’s PlayStation Now service, without needing consoles.

– Smart home hubs -The TVs will also act as command centers in smart homes by incorporating technology from Silicon Valley start-up SmartThings, which Samsung bought in 2014, allowing them to control devices synched to the platform.

“I think this is really a big step forward for opening up the market,” SmartThings founder and chief Alexander Hawkinson told AFP.

“You can have a smart home basically for free as a starting point; it is pretty amazing.”

SmartThings is based on open standards, letting tens of thousands of developers tailor applications to work with the platform.

“In 2016, we’re going beyond anything we’ve done before to offer a remarkable synergy of design, engineering and craftsmanship,” said Hyun Suk Kim.

Samsung also unveiled its first Ultra HD Blu-ray Player, along with partnerships with Hollywood studios to release films in the format.

source: technology.inquirer.net

The hottest gadgets of CES: 3-D printers to 4K TVs

LAS VEGAS – The biggest gadget trade show in the Americas wrapped up on Friday in Las Vegas after swamping the city with 150,000 attendees. This year, “wearable” computing was big, along with various 3-D technologies, especially 3-D printing.

Wearable devices in the shape of smartwatches and head-mounted displays have been a staple of the show for a long time, but manufacturers were excited this year because the field is finally gaining traction with consumers. Fitness bands were a breakout hit last year. The 3-D printing section bustled with activity, and it was clear that even though most people won’t be buying a printer any time soon, they may be enjoying 3-D printed products, such as jewelry, wedding cakes and dental braces, in the near future. Meanwhile, TV makers were heartened by the support they received for their new ultra-high-definition TV sets.

Here are some of the most notable products and services revealed at the show:

DRIVERLESS CARS – The state of the art in car electronics is in systems that eliminate or ease the task of driving. French company Induct demonstrated its Navia driverless shuttle, which putts along at 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) per hour on a pre-programmed route. It’s intended for university campuses, airports and other locales with enclosed roads.

What about road safety? When a staffer walked slowly in front of the Navia, the vehicle slowed down, rather than coming to a full stop, because it recognized that the pedestrian ahead was moving, too.

Then there was Audi’s automated parking demonstration. With a press of a button on a smartphone app, the German automaker’s computer-equipped car squeezed into a tight space between two other cars, a situation that would give many drivers pause. The car has multiple cameras and ultrasonic sensors, giving it a 360-degree view. It puts rubber-necking and looking through the side-view mirror to shame. The car executed a three-point turn flawlessly —and the driver didn’t have to worry about dinging other cars’ doors, because he had already exited the car.

UV-SENSING WRISTBAND — The wearable computing trend has unleashed a lot of creativity. One example is a wristband with a “gemstone” that measures exposure to ultraviolet light, the kind that causes tanning and skin cancers. Using Bluetooth wireless technology, the Netatmo June sends readings to the owners’ smartphones, warning, for instance, when they’re approaching their daily limit of UV exposure. The battery lasts for six weeks. Netatmo, a French company, hopes to sell the device in the U.S. for $99, starting in the second quarter of this year.

ULTRA-HIGH-DEF NETFLIX — Netflix demonstrated ultra-high-definition, or 4K, video streaming. The company will offer relatively easy access to shows that take full advantage of the 4K TVs set to go on sale later this year. (The 4K TVs on the market today don’t have the chips necessary to decode the picture.) Netflix’s 4K content will stream at 15.6 megabits per second, so viewers will need a relatively fast Internet connection.

ENVELOPING PHOTO BOOTH — At the Nikon exhibit, Los Angeles-based photographer Alexx Henry set up a small tent with 68 inward-facing, off-the-shelf Nikon cameras. When a subject steps inside the xxArray photo booth, an operator triggers the cameras simultaneously, yielding an image of the subject from all angles. Computers then process the images and create a 3-D rendition of the subject, which can then be posed in the computer as if it were an action figure. The 3-D model can also be imported into a game. So instead of playing with a generic game avatar, you may someday see yourself running around, blasting bad guys.

Industry-watchers expect setups like the xxArray to become more common and coupled to 3-D printers. In a few years, when you go to a photo studio, you might come home with a statue of yourself.

SUGAR PRINTER – A company called 3D Systems showed off the ChefJet, the first restaurant-approved food printer. The device uses water to melt sugar into shapes as complicated as the mind can imagine. The company’s booth featured a wedding cake held up by an edible lattice-work tower that would have been nearly impossible to create by other means. The ChefJet can print complex works in chocolate, too. Unfortunately, the samples the company handed out didn’t taste very good, but party planners and restaurateurs will likely be excited about the possibilities culinary 3-D printing opens up.

SONY’S HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY — Sony’s head-mounted display looks like an enormous pair of glasses. When you strap it on, you take on the perspective of a motorcycle driver racing through the English countryside. Looking down shows the pavement speeding by, looking up shows the clouds. When you swivel your head to the right or left, you may feel like waving to the crowds along the road. All this is enabled by a sensor attached to a strap that tracks your head movements and adjusts the wide-angle picture accordingly.

Although there were a few kinks that marred the illusion, the demonstration gave a taste of what’s possible when “wearable” displays and computers combine with movement sensors.

HEAT SENSING IPHONE — FLIR Systems Inc., the leading maker of professional imagers that “see” heat, is bringing out its first consumer-level product: a jacket for the iPhone that contains a heat camera. Temperature differences show up in different colors on the screen of the phone. For instance, you can set it to show hotter things in yellow, medium-hot in red and cold in purple. It can discern temperature differences as small as one tenth of a degree. The FLIR One will cost $349, which compares with $995 and up for FLIR’s professional thermal imagers.

Practical applications for the camera include identifying leaky insulation and moisture. Fun applications include spotting wildlife, high-tech hide-and-seek, and crazy party pictures. (“Everyone was so hot!”)

ANKI DRIVE RACING GAME— In this very high-tech update to Scalextric slot racers, your iPhone doubles as a controller for cars that zip around on a track painted with an infrared pattern the cars see with small cameras on their undersides.

Somehow, the cars fly around without rails, unless you do something really crazy. You can shoot imaginary weapons with rapid-fire tapping on your screen, disabling cars in front of you so you can race ahead. For kids, the game is a mind-blower that could inspire them to create their own gadgets, the way Erector Sets once did.

source: technology.inquirer.net