CES 2015: And the Winner is… Social Media

Wearable Tech, Autonomous Cars, Connected Homes and Robots. CES 2015 was as big, loud and crazy as ever but what came out on top? All the above, but the winner was social media in all its shapes and forms.

Heading to Vegas last week, I already knew what would provide the main talking points for the industry. I’m not being cocky, but if I didn’t have a damned good idea I wouldn’t be doing my job at Brandwidth and beyond.

Whilst at CES, I wrote about Smartwatches, Wearable Tech and Robots. All three articles took off in a big way on my social channels but some of my other experiences were just as popular. Twitter, Instagram and Vine were the main stalwarts, covering my initial backchat at the ‘State of the Industry’ press conference (including Selfie Stick mockery), through my BMW i8 driving at the superbly organising automotive manufacturer’s experience (complete with Laser Light Show), to the incredible performance by Frankie Moreno in the Gibson tent.

A superb week that I could have gleaned tech industry news from afar via social channels, but being there made all the difference. From outside, the event looks like a barrel full of nerds, from the inside it shows that technology supports the world in which we live but requires the entertainment, engagement and most importantly ‘soul’ of the best innovators and creative minds.

Music, film, TV, publishing, automotive, retail, leisure, museums… and many more. All these industries need to work hand-in-hand with technology as a means to drive forward and make themselves relevant in the places their customers reside. They don’t need to build the hardware or construct the platforms but they damn well need to make great digital content and experiences.

Here are my CES social landmarks…

Scourge of the Selfie Stick

This guy just got bored and is taking selfies in the corner... #CES2015 pic.twitter.com/NR6h1xLKMp

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 4, 2015

Numerous reposts and later featured on Mashable

The unsexy s(l)ide of Wearable Tech

How to make #WearableTech / #Wearables look unsexy with just one slide. All the good work undone folks #CES2015 pic.twitter.com/h0zy1XExE3

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 4, 2015

Dawn of the DumbWatch

#CES2015: Dawn of the DumbWatch http://t.co/9wTpJ3WzKK #WearableTech #Wearables #Smartwatch pic.twitter.com/CF1FXY7V7D

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 5, 2015

Taking the fight to Apple Watch – Sony SmartWatch 3

Taking the fight to #AppleWatch - #Sony #Smartwatch3 Steel & changeable strap available next month #wearabletech #CES2015 #SonyCES #tech #Vegas #Wearables #Smartwatch

A photo posted by Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) on Jan 5, 2015 at 6:04pm PST

Driving the Future – the BMW i8

Just drove the future around #Vegas - a #BMWi8. Stunning, just stunning. #BMWCES2015 #CES2015 pic.twitter.com/grA50MQFni

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 6, 2015

This shit got real! No, virtual…

Frankie Moreno and Gibson prove gadgets aren’t just for geeks

Brilliant high-energy performance from @frankiemoreno at @gibsonguitar. #CES2015 - not just geeks & gadgets! pic.twitter.com/GSJkjuuDr9

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 7, 2015

BMW Laser Lights

Stunning #BMWM4 Concept Iconic laser lights (the lights are the stars of the show) #BMWCES2015 #CES2015 #innovation pic.twitter.com/avHTJxijpJ

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 7, 2015

Wearables: The Whole Package

#VR & #AR #WearableTech at #CES2015 - #Wearables: The Whole Package http://t.co/mBcIYHnWsb - #Robots tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/qGgtqN9EcN

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 8, 2015

Rise of The Machines

You thought #CES2015 was all about #Wearables? Think again... Rise of the Machines http://t.co/IkjUa4ouj9 #robots pic.twitter.com/D5tbcWAVUg

— Dean Johnson (@activrightbrain) January 9, 2015

Wearables: The Whole Package

The 2014 wearable marketplace offered a random scattergun approach to product development. Tech-biased, fashion-biased, bracelets, watches, clips and headgear all vied for the same ground without any apparent strategy other than to get there first in the rush to the front. At CES, ‘wearables’ are bigger than ever.

I’ve written a lot about mobile, wearable technology and digital content, but I don't just sit around talking about it. At Brandwidth, we help to shape the stuff, create incredible digital experiences and tell the world about it.

When all the boxes haven’t been ticked, this makes me angry. Startups, growing brands and global giants are all guilty of this. Applying the word ‘smart’ to something doesn’t automatically make it smart and even when it is, often the implementation, narrative and marketing isn’t. Quite frankly, it’s inexcusable.

Over the past year, I have been testing a number of VR and AR platforms, including Oculus Rift, Zeiss ONE VR and Samsung’s Gear VR. Rift still owns the field and was not only the first established player in this current VR reboot but has Facebook $s to back this up. They’re doing a great job and taking their time but the product is a long way from consumer’s hands. Or is it?

Actually, Rift technology is lurking inside Samsung’s Gear VR and it’s a great product that's available now, with full mobility (none of Rift’s own cabling to contend with) and a new Milk VR store. But wait, the website’s a mess, littered with typos and poor UI and none of the gloss associated with Apple’s products or even rival Zeiss ONE VR. Ironically, there's a much better representation of Gear VR on the Oculus website.

It’s just not good enough. The website can’t be an afterthought, it’s a vital portal to the products and for many the first contact with the brand. Perception is everything in a virtual world so why sell yourself short?

It’s not all about the branding. Brands need to get their stories straight if they’re going to convince us to part with more money for devices that we’re not even sure we need.

Until we’re offered genuine digital convergence, each device must fit seamlessly into our lives and play nicely with all our existing technology.

The rest of the VR and AR field is wide open and I’ve tested some incredible products at CES this year. Ones that really stood out included the latest version of Oculus Rift – Crescent Bay. The new model features 3D audio, is much lighter, has only one tethered wire, extraordinary spacial recognition for head movements and a massive step forward in screen resolution. The demos I tried were so good that the increased quality was enough to feel as if you were really there, rather than merely experiencing a great piece of tech.

I also tried the Sulon Cortex. This provides an extraordinary mix of VR and AR by using an external camera to display surroundings, then overlaying digital content until you ‘step into’ the full VR environment. This Canadian start up is currently flying below the radar as they establish solid R&D before hitting consumers. Definitely one to watch.

My final pick of the headgear wearables is the Recon Jet. More Canadian tech, but with a sports bias. Their Google Glass-beating technology is already featured in snow goggles but the headset I’ve been waiting (a long time) for is a much sleeker unit and one of the first pairs of tech glasses not to make the wearer look an idiot. They hit the market next month. More when I have my own pair…

VR and AR has incredible potential for entertainment, sport, automotive, museums and er, the sex industry, but what about the rest of the wearables market? It’s huge (like CES itself) and I’m not writing about it all here. I’ve covered VR, AR and glasses. I’ll tackle the rest next week!

CES 2015: Dawn of the DumbWatch

In many respects, 2014 was like 2009 for the tech industry. In 2009 we found ourselves bombarded with tablet concepts, 2014 pebble-dashed consumers with ill-conceived smartwatches.

Five years ago, all the talk was about Apple’s forthcoming tablet and CES 2010 was full of Android devices rushing to beat Apple to market. The iPad was officially revealed the week after the tech world left Vegas and launched the following April.

We didn’t witness an immediate stand-off between Apple and Android, the battle lines were drawn between the 80+ tablets revealed at CES, with a fight to the death.

So, here we are at the Consumer Electronics Show 2015, with wall-to-wall ‘Wearable Technology’ or ‘Wearables’ and the smartwatch is king. Or is it? Well, Apple isn’t here again. They’re not saving money, they just have a valid point to make – everyone’s talking about the the Apple Watch anyway.

I’ve been testing a selection of so-called smartwatches to destruction for the past 18 months and the conclusion is that they’re actually pretty dumb.

I’m not going to review each one in depth – I’ve done that enough either here or on the BBC but none of them tick all the boxes they should. They even have an issue with branding: From the cheekily named ‘i’m Watch’, to the ridiculous ‘LG G Watch R’ and ‘HP MB Chronowing’, to the rather more obvious ‘Sony Smartwatch’ and Will.i.am’s anti-watch, the ‘Puls’. It’s easy to see why Apple went with ‘Apple Watch’. Who knows if we’ll ever discover the truth about why they didn’t run with ‘iWatch’.

Here’s a quick personal checklist for each watch:

i’m Watch

+ Early to market brownie points – and the cheek of a name so close to ‘iWatch’

– Naive product and interactive design, it just doesn’t work (first two died within weeks) and wasn’t waterproof

Sony Smartwatch 2

+ Sony have been dabbling with smartwatches for years, there’s a Smartwatch 3 now, using generic Android Wear UI, but I don’t think the product design is as attractive as this steel model. Good battery life thanks to the low power screen with time-only sleep mode and single screen tap to illuminate. Waterproof

– The on-screen experience is a mess and feels old.

UPDATE: Smartwatch 3 Steel Edition tested at CES – a really nice looking quality watch that goes to the top of my Android Wear list. Also, a new range of strap and face combinations to launch next month.

Cogito Classic

+ Extra marks for making an attractive watch in a range if colours, with analogue hands and an illuminated circular screen. Breaks from the smartwatch mainstream and works with both Android and iOS smartphones

– My latest model has died, leaving working analogue hands but no screen. A new software update is expected to add connected home functionality.

UPDATE: A replacement watch is on the way but a stylish new model launched at CES looks interesting. More when I get my hands on one...

LG G Watch R

+ LG also have a smartwatch track record. This latest circular model improves on past attempts, with 2+ days battery life from an always-on time display. Measures biometric data (heart rate, steps taken + personal goals). Waterproof

– The overall product design is poor and feels cheap – especially when faced with the superior visual appeal of the Moto 360

HP Michael Bastian Chronowing

+ Finally, a smartwatch that genuinely focuses on quality design and materials, that works with Android AND iOS. The partnership between fashion designer Michael Bastian and tech giant HP should have been a perfect match. No, wait…

– …despite a beautiful presentation box holding three different straps (brown leather, olive mesh and black rubber) they are very difficult to change – unlike the fast-swap system on the Apple Watch, designed to improve the experience AND encourage additional strap purchase.

Also, the Chronowing is blighted by a poor on-screen user experience: No biometric data or motion detection, the text is too small, screen illumination requires a 3 second press and hold of one physical button, Bluetooth has a habit of disconnecting (although this has improved) and the magnet in my charging cradle isn't strong enough to stay attached to the watch. HP is on the case and a new charger is on its way to my hotel in Vegas, with better instructions for strap changing. I'll reserve final judgement.

UPDATE: The new re-designed charger has arrived. It now contains a stronger magnet and attaches without issue. Bluetooth is now stable and stays connected to my iPhone 6.

Will.i.am’s Puls Smart Cuff

It hasn’t arrived yet. I’ll tell you what it’s like to live with very soon…

A watch must deliver the time for at least 24 hours, look good, feel comfortable and not require compromise or extra effort. It must also offer information at-a-glance. These are the basics, like a book offering words or a film moving images and sound. Don’t attempt to enhance something if you can’t get the basics right. Which one am I wearing today? The Chronowing (despite all its faults) as it’s still a conversation starter.

Apple has a chance to tick boxes where others have failed, but they first need to convince an audience that abandoned watches for smartphones with clocks that they actually need one now.

In 2010 99% of iPad owners didn’t think they needed a tablet, but Steve Jobs made a compelling case and developers stepped up to create amazing content (including Brandwidth on day 1). The Apple Watch won’t be such an easy sell, Steve’s no longer around and success is measured on shifting more units than the last ‘big thing’.

Stop viewing smartwatches as standalone items and think of them as the small screen for the bigger screens and they have a future, just not the ones I’ve been wearing.

The future may not be pretty, but the tech’s pretty awesome

The news that Facebook snapped up the VR startup Oculus Rift this week brought the tech into the limelight and kicked off a heated debate over the social giant’s plans.

Thanks to the media frenzy, a brand everyone had heard of brought one very few knew existed into mainstream conversation. I didn’t need to Google ‘Oculus’ or ‘Rift’, I had one on my desk.

When I say Oculus Rift isn’t new to me, I’m not being dismissive. Far from it – it’s my job to know about this stuff, assess the relevance of future platforms and create stunning content for it.

Rift has been on our radar (and our heads) at Brandwidth since its original Kickstarter campaign and we’ve had plenty of time to consider incredible possibilities for the future. The concept and rudimentary equipment has been around for decades but the whole platform fell out of favour until recently when Oculus reignited the flame of innovation in this area, along with Sony’s intention to compete with their Project Morpheus.

Virtual Reality (VR) is back, helped in no small measure by Google’s own efforts to tempt consumers to strap technology to their faces and massive advancements in CGI and screen resolution.

OK, it’s not back just yet but the technology is. Oculus Rift content and the delivery platform it requires haven’t launched yet but 2014 is the year it finally hits homes as well as developers’ desks.

So what is it? Well, it’s a black box with a screen over each eye to simulate an immersive 3D environment and motion sensors to track head movements. It’s this experience of looking around the digital landscape that truly transports you to another world. Add a set of stereo headphones and the effect is complete... or is it?

The moment you dip into this virtual world, you’ll be hooked. From rollercoaster rides to epic space battles to eerie haunted houses, the virtual feels real. But what’s missing? You are.

The next big steps will come from the ability to place yourself within these incredible environments. Using Leap gestural units, MYO armbands or bluetooth-connected smartphones, you’ll be able to see your virtual body parts in front of you. At Brandwidth we’re already using iPhones as light sabres – who wouldn’t want to get their hands on one of those inside Rift?

Surely there isn’t another step? Actually, there is. We now have the opportunity to add other people to your virtual world to share the ultimate storytelling experience, explore epic worlds like Disney’s Infinity, or meet in virtual shopping malls, showrooms or conference facilities. Social plug-ins are an obvious move.

Yes, I can see why Mark Zuckerburg wanted to add Oculus Rift to his growing portfolio. but also, if you’ve got the billions to invest and you love technology, why wouldn’t you?

There’s a business case here but there’s also a chance for Facebook to add scale and creative potential through investment dollars that may never have been achieved had they not come on board. The development units (even the new MkII) aren’t yet truly mobile. Freedom from cables and a computer will really move the game on, but we may need to wait for the second generation consumer model for this.

Instantly visit the four corners of the earth, relive history as you walk in the footsteps of astronauts, Presidents or dinosaurs or allow surgeons to operate from within a body. That’s progress.

No, the future’s not all white and shiny if many will sit in a darkened room in their underwear with a pizza on their laps, immersing themselves in virtual worlds... but the technology is undeniably awe inspiring.