It’s a new year, which means there will be a lot of speculation about the gadgets that will emerge during 2017’s crop of tech events. At CES 2017 in Las Vagas, Nevada, experts have revealed which tech trends and gadgets will be in the news for the year.
Like in the previous years, the name of the game is still the “Internet of Things”, a fancy catch-all pertaining to how we can use tech to connect appliances and creature comforts in our home to one centralized hub – enabling control with just a smartphone. There are also wearables outside of just watches. Tech has advanced that more and more apparel containing tech have been popping up; even shoes!
So aside from computer hardware, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, take note of these terms that will define our future in the coming years. Yes, we’re very close to flying cars! Expect the trends below to keep popping up in newsfeeds throughout the year:
1. Vocal Computing
Long have we stared at smartphone, tablet, and computer screens, waiting for our input. This year (and the years to come), expect a lot more devices to employ voice recognition software in their learning banks. Your smart home will now have voice control options, with apps smart enough to learn and memorize not just your voice, but the voices of your family members. Now, in true “Demolition Man” fashion, you can now turn on the lights by saying “Illuminate!”
2. The Rise of the AI
With voice recognition comes smarter artificial intelligence built-in to the devices we use. AI is not just science fiction anymore, as researchers are finding more ways for AI to be more adaptive to the user and at the same time, feel more natural to interact with. Sure, we may be just starting off with your device’s AI giving recommendations based on your travel and browsing history (among other factors and parameters), but interaction in the style of “Her” is closer than you think!
3. Network Usage Increase
The presenting panel at CES 2017 also mentioned how broadband and WiFi usage will increase this year, as more and more people will want to be connected to the Internet for their work or entertainment. In our country, expansion of mobile networks has started, with both Smart and Globe acquiring assets to boost their respective networks’ coverage across our islands. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that bandwith and network stability will be improving in the coming months.
4. Transportation Upgrades
The topic of smart cars has been a widely-discussed topic in recent years, and this trend doesn’t show signs of slowing down when it comes to relevance any time soon. This topic doesn’t just stop at self-driving vehicles for the common user (provided you can afford it), but also encompasses driver assist tech as well as green car innovations. A lot of driver assist features have been available to commercial cars already (case in point: Ford’s park assist feature in their 2016 Fiesta) and here’s to hoping that safety for the people inside the car and especially people outside the car will be improved. In a few more years, we can finally have our flying cars!
5. Futuristic Consumer Experience
Future-styled video games like Mass Effect and Deus Ex showcased the future of shopping. Sure, you can go queue up in mall boutiques, but online shopping malls like Lazada, Amazon, and even eBay have gained popularity in recent years because if their ease of use. With the rise of virtual and augmented reality, you can expect to shop for furniture in the near future that has the exact space specifications you need! You can even expect being given sneak peaks at travel/vacation destinations from online booking companies thanks to VR tech.
Follow this writer at @twenty8two.
Images taken at CES 2017 courtesy of Ellyn Vilar
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