A finger ring that snaps pictures and plays your favorite tune, or a 110-inch curved TV: Exhibitors at the CES are locked in a race to amaze electronics consumers. But this year, it's cars that are stealing the show.
Image: Getty Images/David Becker
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Jack spent two days driving the 900 kilometers from Silicon Valley to attend the international CES in Las Vegas - billed as the world's greatest tradeshow for consumer technology. When he finally pulled up in front of the venue, people's jaws dropped.
Jack is a self-driving car - an Audi, to be exact. The A7 sedan is just one of several driverless vehicles that are stealing the show at this year's CES, overshadowing what was supposed to be the real stars of the tech fair, such as TVs and smart-watches.
The German carmaker blew visitors' minds once more, when Audi electronics boss Ricky Hudi rolled out the company's new Prologue concept car, upstaging Jack with its ability to "learn" from its surroundings, thanks to a revolutionary Nvidia chip.
Driving the future
Las Vegas consumer electronics show
Have a look at our picture gallery showing a few of the bizarre and wonderful new devices that can be found at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
Rollkers skatewalking device
A prototype Rollkers transportation device. It's not a mere skate; it balances for you, so when you place it on the bottom of your shoe, you can skatewalk - faster than you can walk. We here at DW haven't tried a pair ourselves, but we'd sure like to. We figure it must be like having mini Segways tied to your feet. What would that be like?
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
Levitating speakers
A pair of Axxess CE Air2 wireless Bluetooth speakers levitate over their bases while on display during a press event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas at CES 2015. Can't figure out why you'd want your speakers levitating, eh? We can't either. We guess this is the sort of thing that happens when engineers, boredom, and minimal supervision get together and throw a party.
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
360 degree camera
The Giroptic 360cam, a full HD 360 degree camera. The camera has three 185-degree fish-eye lenses with sensors able to simultaneously capture and stitch images in real time. It can stream video and still photos over Wi-Fi in real time as well. Now everyone can be a spy, for the low, low price of whatever this gizmo costs. Why should the NSA have all the fun?
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
'Green Box' for growing herbs and greens
An XYZprinting Green Box. The box grows organic lettuces and herbs in about three weeks. DW reminds stoners that growing illegal herbs remains -- you know -- illegal, in most jurisdictions, so don't be getting any ideas.
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
Wearable fitness tracker
InBody displays the first wearable fitness tracker and body composition analyzer. In addition to sleep tracking and heart rate measurements, the unit measures body fat percentage, total muscle mass, body fat mass and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Now you can check whether your New Years fitness resolutions are working out.
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
Cookie and cake decorator
An XYZprinting 3D Food Printer prints a chocolate cookie design on a piece of bread. Users can upload any design from a memory stick or from the Internet to make cookie and cake decorations. Keep trying, XYZ, you'll think of something even more useful soon.
Image: Getty Images/E. Miller
This will immeasurably improve your life!
An internet-enabled Dacor Discovery gas range and electric oven. The 36" model shown is available now and retails for $8,999.00, a representative said. We expect you're wondering why it isn't priced at $8,999.99. Sadly, we don't know. Perhaps it was marked down? Also, we're wondering whether the gas range can be remotely activated via internet. We're very much hoping not.
Image: Reuters/S. Marcus
For friendless snowboarders
Takuma Iwasa (R) of Cerevo Inc. demonstrates the Xon Snow-1 snowboard analyzing system. The Xon uses special bindings and a smartphone app to analyze a snowboarder's technique. We imagine it's meant for technophile snowboarders who lack friends able to give them tips on technique. Whatever the target group - this we know: the Xon is more evidence of the inexorable forward march of civilization!
Image: Reuters/R. Wilking
CES 2015 in Las Vegas
A sign for the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, as seen on January 4, 2015 outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. CES, the world's largest showcase for the latest in consumer electronics, runs from January 6-9, with media preview days on January 4 and 5. Note: The general public can't get in. Accredited electronics industry professionals can get in on payment of a $200 entry fee.
Image: AFP/Getty Images/R. Beck
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The auto industry insists that, unlike curved TVs and smart-watches, automotive autonomy is far from a passing fad.
"Most cool gadgets here at CES actually consume your time, and take up your space in your apartment. We at Mercedes are going to show you a device that gives you more time and more space. That really is priceless," Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche said as he unveiled Mercedes' F015 prototype.
Its futuristic design allows the "driver" to flip the seat around, kick back and chat, while the luxury sedan whizzes on unaided, keeping an eye on pedestrians and even "talks" with them via a light panel.
Zetsche hailed the innovation as "access to the single most important luxury goods of the 21st century: private space and quality time."
Generation change
The novelty of self-driving cars is also intended to win over younger, eco-conscious generations, who are increasingly turning to bikes, mass transit, or car-sharing.
A 2014 study showed that 41 percent of German car owners would like their next set of wheels to drive themselves. 45 percent of those surveyed went one step further, saying they would give up their car, if they could sign up for a self-driving car service instead, according to market research firm Gartner.
Gartner automotive expert Thilo Koslowski said "consumers are starting to get impatient," and that it's time for carmakers to deliver the future of driving, rather than just prototyped visions.
