CES 2019 unveils brand new experimental technology

CES+2019+unveils+brand+new+experimental+technology

Sean Lee, Staff Writer

The Consumer Electronics Show had its 2019 debut on January 8th. With it comes a plethora of brand new technology that has never been seen before.

The presentation had its typical showcase of new and improved hardware, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 and the Radeon VII.

Arguably, the most important part of CES isn’t the unveiling of improved technology but the unveiling of experimental technology. When it comes to the experimental side of technology, the unveiling of the roll-able LG OLED TV, the showcase of the Royole Flexpai, and Verizon’s keynote on 5G technology were some of the most notable showcases during the entire presentation.

LG’s Rollable TV

LG took center stage as they showcased their brand new rollable OLED TV. While it appears to be just an ordinary piece of furniture, the OLED TV R houses a 65 inch rollable screen. Two mechanical arms extend and lower the screen into a small compartment. The screen can be fully extended or semi-extended. When in the semi-extended mode, the screen acts more like a clock instead of a TV. LG has not released the retail price yet.

Royole and the First Flexible Phone

Royole is a relatively new smartphone company that decided that the best way to stand out from their competitors is to release the first flexible phone. Priced at $1, 320 for the 128 gigabyte mode, the Royole FlexPai is the first ever consumer foldable tablet. Constructed using a plastic screen instead of the conventional glass screen, Royole have managed to allow users to fold their tablet from 0 to 180 degrees. As cool as the FlexPai may be, there are certainly some obstacles it needs to overcome. The main criticisms of this hybrid phone and tablet is that the software is not fully optimized for the hardware and that the plastic screen feels rather cheap for a phone comparable to iPhone XS.

The Capabilities of 5G

Hans Vestberg, the CEO of Verizon, did a presentation on the capabilities of 5G technology. Some wireless carriers, such as Verizon and Sprint, have confirmed the construction of 5G cellular networks in major cities. In his presentation, Vestberg discussed all the possibilities of 5G technology, such as applying it to machine learning or to the development of artificial intelligence. Both Mercedes-Benz and BMW joined in on the 5G conversation, discussing concepts for self-driven cars using 5G technology.

Works Cited

I. https://www.cnet.com/news/lgs-rollable-oled-tv-is-incredible-and-its-actually-going-on-sale-in-2019-ces/

II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv69atwu5vc

III. https://www.cnet.com/news/ces-2019-shows-the-foldable-phone-revolution-will-be-awkward-but-essential/

IV. https://www.ces.tech/Topics/5G-and-Internet-of-Things-(IoT)/5G.aspx

V. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/09/technology/ces.html