Every year since the mid '90s, gadget fiends from around the world have flocked to Las Vegas for what is the tech world equivalent of the Super Bowl: The Consumer Electronic Show. With 2015's CES now finished, it'll be another year before the country's tech-loving folk can gather together for four days of gadgetry worship. But in the meantime, there's a lot of positive stuff to reminisce about.
"CES 2015 represented the largest turnout in the event's history."
For starters, CES 2015 represented the largest turnout in the event's history. There were more than 170,000 people who walked the convention's 2.2 million square feet of exhibit space. Spread across this massive space were over 3,600 exhibits. You know the feeling you get when you see a new piece of technology – like the first time you powered on your brand new tablet? Well take that feeling, multiply it by 3,600 or so, and you can roughly approximate the level of excitement and awe that filled the convention space. But for attendees of the conference, a unique challenge arises: How does one sift through literally thousands of cool, never-before-seen gadgets and decide what's certifiably cool? Fortunately for us, many publications undertook that exact challenge. Therefore, we've put together a list of some of the most awesome tech pieces highlighted by various journalists and bloggers attending CES.
The gadget: Sensoria Fitness smart sock
Target audience: Anyone with a sole. But more specifically, runners
Description: What's the easiest way to get one step ahead in life? By wearing the best socks, of course. And we're not talking about Italian cashmere, although those are cool too. But as far as CES 2015 goes, there was only one pair of socks that had people talking: the Sensoria smart sock. For the world of runners, technique is everything. And running cadence isn't as simple as heel to toe. This is something that the makers of the smart sock took into consideration back in 2013, when they undertook a crowd-funding campaign aimed at producing a sock that actively works to improve your running method. The Sensorsia sock is outfitted with special pressurized sensors that work to assess your running cadence and provide analytics that can not only help you prevent injuries, but can also make you faster.
Potential for success: In a fitness-obsessed world, the Sensoria is almost guaranteed to be a success. The professional runner crowd is an almost built-in consumer base, since competitive runners are always looking for ways to lower their race times. But since Sensoria socks also provide data that can reduce the risk of lower leg and knee injuries, the product will likely also appeal to the casual runner.
The gadget: Thin TVs
Target audience: Uh, everyone
Description: The average person watches 9 years of TV in his or her lifetime. The typical kid spends 300 more hours watching TV than he or she does in school. Practically every American household has a television. So it goes without saying that in the realm of television sets, there's always a need for innovation. At last year's CES, the big TV-centered technology was the curved TV. And while those were still making the rounds at this year's showcase, the channel had clearly changed to the ultra-thin TV. So what's the difference between "ultra" thin and the beautiful plasma you have in your living room? Well, just take a look at this upcoming Sony model. At its skinniest point, the device is a mere 0.2 inches thick.
Potential for success: Extremely high. After all, every American wants a TV that's skinnier than their smartphone. However, the inevitably high costs of ultra-thin TVs could limit their audience.
The gadget: Parrot Plant Pot
Target audience: The passive gardener
Description: A plant is the best companion imaginable. It provides constant company and asks for very little in return. Except, of course, for the pesky issue of water. For people who love their house plants but never really nailed down the whole watering thing, salvation has arrived in the form of The Parrot Pot Plant. The device is an intelligent plant pot that uses sensor technology to determine when your plants need water and then dispense that water accordingly.
Potential for success: This is likely more of a niche technology, particularly because many plant owners find real therapeutic joy in the simple act of watering.
These devices only represent a tiny fraction of the technology introduced at CES 2015. And while we're just as enchanted by all of this as the next person, it does also leave us wondering: In a world where we don't need to water our plants or worry about our running form, what will we have left to focus on? Don't get us wrong, technological growth is phenomenal – but let's make sure it doesn't come at the expense of human activity.
