More than 20,000 new technology items where shown or displayed at the annual International CES (Consumer Electronic Show) in Las Vegas last week for more than 150,000 attendees.
There was much to see at CES but I thought I would summarize the state of flat panel TVs.
My executive summary for consumers on impressive big-ticket items shown at CES 2014, like 105-inch UHD 4K TVs from Samsung and LG, even ones that bend, will never make it to a store. Instead, consumers can expect new 2014 UHD 55-inch to 65-inch flat screen models to drop to just 25 per cent more of similar size HD models, according to Duncan Stewart, Director of Research for Technology Media and Telecommunications for Deloitte Canada. Although impressive UHD 4K U.S. content was announced by companies like Sony and Netflix, it remains to be seen how much of that filters to Canada, disadvantaged by more restrictive media licensing.
I saw two interesting lighting items from CES worth mentioning.
-LED light bulbs are getting better and dropping in price to a fraction of what they initially sold several years ago. They can drop your monthly energy costs by 75 per cent to that of incandescent models and run for 25,000 hours instead of only 1,500 hours. This also means they save you on the more frequent purchase of incandescent bulbs. That works out to the equivalent of paying half for incandescent bulbs in 25 years plus paying for one quarter of your current light energy costs.
The SWITCH infinia dimmable LED bulb for example, costs about $10, half the price of competitors with slightly better energy costs, and uses sealed liquid that let’s you use it in closed fixtures, not just open lamps. www.swicthlightingco.com
-On a different lighting note, the portable, inflatable solar powered Mpowerd Luci white LED light, $15, shown last year, is now joined by sibling Luci AURA, $25, that switches colours in single mode or changes automatically. The web site www.mpowerd.com let’s you gift both Luci models to third world country destinations to help students have an affordable and environmentally friendly reading light source for safety and a better life. Discounts apply on multiple units. A great cause and fun to use anywhere.
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