Unlike many of the super computer processors on display at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES for short)– my head is still reeling in an attempt to process all of the new technology products that dotted this year’s convention floor in Las Vegas.
Luckily, Consumer Reports (a Catalyst client) has been diligent in its on site coverage and distilled the gadgets and gizmos into a list of hot products to watch this year. The list includes OLED TVs, ultrabooks and smart phones, but what really caught my eye was a call-out for “appcessories.” These app add-ons take smart phones and tablets to the next level by using the devices to control physical objects in the real world.
This could mean massive steps forward for robotics and more serious, practical applications, but also in the entertainment/gaming industry. Right now online games like FarmVille and Words with Friends are huge – but take a second to imagine what the next wave of hybrid real world/virtual game play might look like. While the technology is still in the developmental stage (mostly being applied to kids games like the ones from AppGear), these appecessories could also be a whole new avenue for marketers and brands to explore.
National Geographic did a campaign last May to launch their Expedition Week where users could sign on to the NatGeo website and virtually control a car through miniature model sets in search of real life treasure. While it was a very interactive idea to begin with, think of how much cooler it would be if you could control the car through an appcessory on your phone or if you could organize “exploration parties” with other appecessory users. Now it’s a whole new frontier.
Speaking of new frontiers, the other bit of news from CES that really caught my eye was the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize, which promises to award $10 million to anyone who can create a mobile platform in the same vein as the Star Trek medical tricorder. Not only does this take on the ambitious task of making science fiction a reality, it also does a great job of unifying up-and-coming innovators looking to make a name for themselves and positioning X Prize Foundation and Qualcomm as ground-breaking leaders in the technology space.
Do you think these latest innovations from CES are destined to boldly go where no technology has gone before or become the equivalent of space junk?
