Techces 2015Consumer Electronics ShowHP

CES 2015 Day 1: Parrot's Strange New Headphones And HP's Virtual Reality Display

CES 2015 Is Off To The Strangest Start
Thomas Tamblyn
|

The Consumer Electronics Show 2015 is off to a strong -- albeit strange -- start and already we're beginning to see that the trends for this year are 'curved' and 'virtual reality'.

HP has unveiled all the monitors you could possibly imagine including one incredibly cool virtual reality display that uses 3D and motion-tracking to let you physically interact with objects on the screen.

Parrot is also off to a strong start thanks to its new super-smart Parrot Pot that'll keep your plants alive even if you can't. They've also unveiled a follow up to the incredible smart Parrot Zik 2.0 headphones with the Parrot Zik Sport headphones boasting one of the strangest designs we've seen all year.

Here's our roundup from the first day of CES 2015:

CES 2015 Day 1: Parrot's New Headphones Are The Strangest Thing
3D Rudder(01 of05)
Open Image Modal
This is the 3D Rudder, and while it may look like a large robot vacuum you actually couldn't be further from the truth. With a dome on the underside it's a giant balancing ball that turns your body into a living games controller. Lean forward and you'll walk forward in-game, lean back and well, you get the idea. Designed for Oculus Rift, the 3D Rudder is certainly something new, even if it'll cause a fair few bruised heads.
HP Zvr Virtual Reality Display(02 of05)
Open Image Modal
HP's Virtual Reality Display is the closest thing you'll get to a science fiction film thus far. A large Full-HD 3D display is then combined with four motion-tracking cameras at the top. What results is a display that'll let you physically interact with the 3D objects that you see on the screen letting you rotate, enlarge and edit. If it works as well as we hope it could redefine how designers work. Shame one of them couldn't work on the design of the display itself.
Parrot Pot(03 of05)
Open Image Modal
For those of you, like us, who couldn't be further from green-fingered if we tried the Parrot Pot is a lifesaver. It removes all responsibility of actually keeping the plant alive and instead just provides you with a nice shiny app that you can occasionally tap, thus entrenching your belief that actually, you're somehow gifting the plant with life. You're not, the pot is, with it's in built hydration system and array of smart sensors.
Parrot Zik Sport(04 of05)
Open Image Modal
Parrot hasn't been sitting on its laurels, not even slightly. Next up are the Parrot Zik Sport headphones. They look slightly odd. With strange cushioning pads just above the ears Parrot claims that this very definitely unique design means they won't fall out while also remaining comfy. We'll be trying that before we take their word for it. The good news is these tiny headphones retain all of the Zik's incredible noise-cancelling tech while adding the ability to track your runs and measure your heart-rate.
Belty(05 of05)
Open Image Modal
It's hard to describe Belty as anything other than a gadget you definitely don't need. That said, there are plenty of gadgets you don't need in life but that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy them. Belty is the smart belt buckle that'll loosen when you've eaten too much. That's right, this buckle will quietly and discretely do what half the nation does after eating a Sunday Roast. We see some potential issues, the most prominent of which being how noisy it is, but rest assured we'll try them out and let you know.
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip