The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 held in Las Vegas last week saw 3,600 exhibitors showcasing their cutting edge technology and services; clear testament to today's technophile society.
At the heart of this year's show was connectivity and how the Internet of Things (IoT) megatrend would enable us to live easier, more efficient and in essence, better lives.
One domain where this was perfectly epitomised was the home. Samsung President and CEO of Consumer Electronics offered examples of TVs that automatically pause when you leave the room and music systems that seamlessly transitioned from your home speakers to your headphones.
Better connected bricks and mortar was indeed an extremely popular trend at the CES with numerous new innovations announced including the Eve Room (Elgato) which gathers data on air quality, temperature, humidity, air pressure, energy and water consumption in your home, smartphone-controlled lightbulbs which also act as security cameras, extend your Wi-Fi signal and even play music (Sengled) and a new water-usage sensor, alarm notifier and sensors for detecting when windows are opened from Belkin.
"Speak & Eat" technology also featured with the Switch (iDevices), a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled device which lets anything plugged into it including the coffee machine be controlled with Siri voice commands or through an app, being well received by the hungry media and public alike.
James Wyatt, Partner of prime Surrey estate agency, Barton Wyatt and a tireless technophile, comments,
"The sheer volume and range of technology for the home presented at CES this year perfectly reflects the demands of today's property owners. Hometech seems to have lagged behind others of our lives and it's superb to see innovations such as these finally entering the market, making all our lives easier."
In addition to high-tech services for the home, a number of new technologically advanced products were also released. A staple of every household, the humble TV has undergone a serious reinvention. Move over the standard 1080 pixel TV, 2015 is the year of the 4k TV. A staggering 4,000 pixels wide, this gogglebox will give you incredible resolution or if you want to go further then choose a curved screen complete with Quantum Dots which allow even LED screens to appear brighter and more colourful (Samsung).
If you want to supersize and create your own in-house cinema room then a projector in the gadget for you. Announced at CES is the Epsom Cinema 600, a compact digital projector that can scale up its display to 25 times larger than a 60-inch TV screen; Sony's impressive 4k projector (available for £6,700) and the ThesPro2 (ZTE), a smart HD projector with Wi-Fi capability, 200 lumens, auto-focus, anti-glare, touch screen controlled with video conferencing via Skype.
You've got your canvas but now what to watch? 2015 will see the continuation of the trend in recent years of on-demand programing and streaming. SlingTV (Dish) the streaming TV service will see the end to unsightly cords and cables but also consider the new Sony Playstation Vue and Milk VR, a hot new virtual-reality game streaming service.
Should you wish to snuggle up and pop on an almost archaic DVD then why not do it in style with Panasonic's first 4k Blue-ray player whilst enjoying superior sound quality from Monster's Superstar Backfloat wireless and Bluetooth enabled speakers?
Finally, should 2015 be the year you decide to get some help into the home, then maybe consider a domestic bot? No longer the stuff of science fiction, CES demonstrated that we are one step further to this reality with South Korea's Furo-i Home. This slick yet friendly looking sensor-laden bot on wheels can be verbally instructed to take control of internet-controlled devices such as turning off the lights or heating.
James Wyatt comments,
"Whilst I wouldn't necessarily trust the Furo-i Home to help the kids with their homework or check on elderly relatives as the makers claim this device is capable of doing, I can see a use for this type of technology in the home of the future. Having eyes on the ground, albeit a HD camera lens, which is capable of relaying real time information and taking action to control the home could be very appealing for owners who are regularly away from their property yet want to remain in control when it comes to appliances and energy consumption."
For more information on the top tech or for rental homes in Sunningdale and Virginia Water, contact Barton Wyatt today on 01344 843 000.
