CES 2014: A New Year unveils new technology

The New Year has started with a bang at the ever-popular International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which takes place in Las Vegas every year. It might only be January but technology companies everywhere have already revealed some of their most prized gadgets from lightweight ultrabooks to hybrid laptops, so what have we go to look forward to over the coming year?

Revolutionary convertibles and laptops

If you’re a fan of highly portable devices with exquisite capabilities, you’re in luck. Multinational technology company Lenovo used the trade show to display a host of convertibles and laptops that are sure to get your blood pumping. That’s right, as well as Lenovo’s quirky little ThinkPad 8 tablet which sports an 8.3 inch 1080p display, boasts a quad-core Intel Bay Trail processor, can be used with a keyboard base and handles Windows 8.1 with ease, you can also get hold of slightly larger gadgets such as the detachable Windows 8 hybrid Miix 2.  Ideal for anyone who enjoys the portability of a tablet and the reassurance of a laptop, this multi-functioning invention has it all and is great for both business and pleasure. Consumers can also get their hands on Yoga 2 (an updated version of the original IdeaPad Yoga) as well as a new version of the Flex, the Flex D series.

nokia_fan / CC BY-NC

What’s more Lenovo have also paid homage to traditional notebooks with both the Z and Y series boasting sleek and efficient 14 and 15.6 inch models. While the Z series includes a host of breathtaking features including an Intel Core i7 processor, optional 1080p display, optional Nvidia 840 graphics and an impressive 16GB of RAM if needed, the Y series is sure to capture the interest of gamers everywhere. The latter comes complete with an Intel Core Processor, Nvidia GTX or AMD Radeon R9 M270 graphics and 3840×2160 display, which makes for a great gaming experience.

Futuristic mock-ups and concepts

As well as impressive designs that are sure to improve the world of computing, CES has also seen a host of headline-grabbing concepts including bendable TVs. Yes, you heard right. This year, Samsung not only announced two series of LED LCD curved TVs, which got people talking but they also showed off a rather swanky bendable TV. The demo model was an 85-inch LED LCD with 45 resolution and had the ability to transform from a flat screen to a curved screen with just a push of a button – pretty cool huh? One can only imagine what such a device would cost as no price was given. Other futuristic designs included BMW’s driver-less car, which not only had the ability to detect the presence of objects but could also steer, accelerate and break without any human intervention. Amazingly, the system can even counter-steer if the car slips on a wet road to prevent it from doing a 180. Made up of a Lateral Control Unit and a Longitudinal Control Unit, each played its part to determine the motion of the vehicle and are central to autonomous vehicles.

Every year, exciting developments come from CES and it seem like 2014 is no different so keep a look out for these outstanding creations.