Last week, tech companies, industry professionals, and consumers came together for the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The week was packed with product demos and unveilings. Below, we’re looking at some of the coolest products for our cord cutting readers that were introduced at CES 2018.
Samsung The Wall
We’re kicking the list off with a truly larger than life product. Samsung introduced the CES crowd to The Wall, a 146 inch screen with MicroLED technology, offers the possibility of a much more customized viewing experience. The screen can be customized in size, brightness levels can be adjusted, color filters can be changed, and background noise can be cancelled.
With the use of Bixby, a tech assistant developed by Samsung, The Wall can connect to other devices and make your entertainment experience even better. Samsung will also be introducing SmartThings, a platform that will work with all of the company’s Smart TVs, along with other smart home devices, from thermostats to door locks.
No pricing info or release date has been given yet.
Sony X900F Television
The Wall might be excessive for a lot of us, but CES brought us plenty of more accessible options for smart TVs with new features. Sony brought this year’s new Android TV models to the show, including the X900F. The new model will be available in five sizes: 49, 55, 65, 75, and 85 inches. Each will be compatible with the Sony HT-X9000F Soundbar.
The X900F is loaded with features to improve the viewing experience, perfect for streaming your favorite TV shows with excellent sound and picture quality. The company is using X-Motion Clarity to keep images crisp and clear, reducing blurriness during fast moving action scenes. Sony also promises more realistic colors, to create bright and vivid displays.
Sony is listing the prices and availability of all models as “available soon.”
TCL 6 Series
Cord Cutters might be especially excited about the products introduced under Roku’s Whole Home Entertainment Licensing Program, including a line of TVs from TCL. The companies have been partners since 2014, aiming to bring Roku technology to consumers in an easy, seamless way through smart TVs. This year, TCL unveiled their newest series and piqued the interest of those at the show.
The 6 Series will be available in 55 inch and 65 inch models. Each has a sleek metal design, backlighting and dimming feature for optimum viewing, 4K resolution. Most importantly, the TVs come with a built in Roku platform and Roku remote. Those who got up close and personal with the models at CES note the crisp picture quality, vibrant colors, and ease of use with the Roku platform.
The series will be released later this year, and no pricing info is available yet.
Acer Swift 7
Sleek and slim was the theme for laptops being unveiled at CES. Acer takes the prize for the thinnest of the bunch, at just 8.98 mm. The 14 inch aluminum laptop comes with a 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor and 8GB of memory.
While the Swift 7 is thin, it’s also durable, with a Gorilla Glass touchscreen. The laptop will also feature a backlit keyboard, and is expected to have a 10 hour battery life. This is one of the more expensive laptop options, and doesn’t have the power and speed that many cord cutters will be looking for. But, if you want the bragging rights of having the world’s thinnest laptop, this is it.
The Acer Swift 7 will hit the market in April, with a price tag of $1700.
Dell XPS 15 2-in-1
Is it a tablet? Yes. Is it a laptop with a full keyboard? Yes. Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1 is a bigger, better, and more powerful version of the hybrid introduced last year. A 360 degree hinge allows for the screen of the laptop to fold back completely, giving users the option of using the device as a tablet, and making it easy to stand the device up for watching content on the 15 inch screen. That content streaming should be much smoother, thanks to the new processor and graphics combo chip, created by Intel and AMD to provide more power to thinner laptops.
Another of the more significant changes from last year’s model to the version introduced at CES 2018 is the maglev keyboard. The keyboard uses magnets to provide the feeling of pushing the keys, without taking up the extra room of a traditional keyboard that uses rubber pieces to create that feel.
The Dell XPS 14 2-in-1 will be available in the spring, with prices starting at $1299.
Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless Headphone
There were plenty of new wireless headphone product releases at CES. One of the best and most talked about was the Beyerdynamic Amiron WIreless. The company is known for making high quality products that are a favorite among audiophiles, and the wireless model was a much anticipated addition to the collection. The design fits with the classic look of other products from Beyerdynamic, and the comfort and sound quality are still there as well, making them a great option for those who are watching content on the go.
The wireless model can be charged with a USB-C, offering up to 30 hours of battery life when fully charged. One feature that sets this brand apart from the rest is the MIY (Make It Yours) app. Pairing the app with your bluetooth headphones, you can take a hearing test that customizes your headphones to your exact needs and specifications. After the initial setup, the app also has features to track your listening habits and further customize your experience.
The release date and price of the Amiron Wireless headphones are to be determined.
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