New family products shown at CES 2014
Jan 8, 2014, 8:18 PM | Updated: 8:18 pm
The Consumer Electronic Show might seem like an event just for techies and gadget geeks.
But it seems it’s for families, too.
At CES 2014, which runs from Jan. 6-10, notable electronics were shown off to the media, consumers and company representatives alike. And some of these products are of high interest to families. Many everyday products are being integrated with the Internet and helping homes stay secure.
One of the bigger products up for show was Samsung’s bendable television, which is 85 inches long and is still in a prototype phase, BBC News reported. LG also unveiled their version of a bendable television, which is 77 inches long, BBC reported.
“The tech would allow the sets' owners to determine how bent the screens should be taking into account how many people were watching them and how far away they were sitting,” wrote Leo Kelion for BBC. “The screens would have the added benefit of being able to be left flat against the wall when not in use.”
But the cool and innovative nature of the TV screens might not be completely necessarily for families to enjoy just yet, BBC News reported.
“The challenge for the firms is to demonstrate that the world really needs this,” said Martin Garner, a TV tech consultant to BBC.
Other devices might be more important for the home, according to USA Today. Security devices — like “a device that doesn't require a monthly subscription, a new Wi-Fi doorknob that tells you who's at the door via an app, and a new Optical way to provide security — like fingerprint, but with your eyes” — were also on display, USA Today reported.
The Canary is the home security system that doesn’t require a monthly subscription, USA Today reported, and it will be available for $199. Using a built-in webcam, users can watch who approaches their door from a computer monitor.
The Goji Smart, which will likely be out in March for $199, allows people to know who’s at their door using smartphone apps. “For security, a picture gets taken every time someone enters, so if a bad guy is sneaking in, you're alerted right away,” wrote Jefferson Graham and Edward Baig for USA Today.
The Myris device, USA Today said, manages your security by recognizing and scanning your eye.
But there’s more for the home, too. NPR published a report from correspondent Steve Henn who mentioned an Internet-capable toothbrush, which “measures how long and perhaps how thoroughly you've brushed, in an effort to improve your oral hygiene.”
And there’s a device that’s going to help you get more sleep and take your vitamins, NPR reported. It’s a robot called Mother. CES 2014 also showed an Internet-connected sleep monitor, called Withings, which “is placed in the user's bed to detect movements, heart rate and breathing rate. It monitors sleep stages and aggregates the information on a phone app,” NPR reported.
As technology continues to invent new products, it seems a lot of them are hitting closer to home.
Email: hscribner@deseretnews.com
Twitter: @hscribner
