Somebody ought to write a novel called Sleepless at CES. They'd have to cut some of the drearier parts out of the experience, of course, but surely there's enough to be found in the crowded exhibition halls to warrant a couple thousand words about the latest and greatest in consumer technology.
For now we'll have to settle for news stories detailing the most interesting things at CES 2017. The first day centered on Intel 7th generation processors (Kaby Lake) and the products rushing to support them; the second day is more focused on the wonderful world of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. There were other announcements, yes, but the Tom's Hardware team spent a lot of time with the VR and AR and XR products you'll want to know about.
I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own
Much of the XR focus today revolved around eye-tracking technologies and their spread, including using it for foveated rendering. Other highlights include new ways to create XR experiences, a box that lets you interact with virtual objects, and the first phone to combine Google's Tango and Daydream platforms into one device. Here they are:
- Eye Tracking Is Coming To Qualcomm’s Snapdragon VR820 Platform Via SMI
- Lenovo's VR HMD, Such As It Is
- A Taste Of Tobii's Foveated Rendering And Head Tracking
- Vuze VR Camera, Software Suite Bolstered By Content Creation Technology Partnerships
- Linden Lab Introduces Sansar Monetization System, Reveals First Video Footage
- Merge VR Announces HOLO CUBE Augmented Reality Interactive Object
- Tango And Daydream In One Phone: Asus’ ZenFone AR
Still Drowning In Kaby Lake
Yep, the updates to support Intel's lates processors keep comin' in. There weren't as many announcements related to the new processors as there were yesterday, but that doesn't mean Kaby Lake hasn't continued to beat on the shore of our consciousness... or let us write bad metaphors. Anyway:
- Corsair Ready For New Intel CPU, Chipsets With PSU, DRAM, And CPU Cooler Compatibility
- HP Brings Kaby Lake to Elitebook, Spectre, Envy AIO
- Asus Put RGB Lighting On Its Entire Lineup Of Z270 Motherboards
And So They Said: Accessorize!
It wouldn't be CES without a veritable flood of accessories. Whether it's companies RGB-ing all the things (PSUs anyone?), embracing the shift to curved monitors, or trying to help our feeble hands keep pace with our need for more computer time, CES 2017's accessory extravaganza officially began today:
- Thermaltake To Intro Toughpower Grand RGB Gold, Smart Pro RGB Bronze Series PSUs At CES
- Logitech Reveals $150 G533 Wireless Headset
- HP Goes Big, Wide, And Curved With Omen X Gaming Monitor
- Speedlink Obsidia Mouse Looks Like A Ball, Promises To Feel Like A Dream
- LaCie d2 Thunderbolt 3 And Rugged Debut at CES 2017