CES 2017

With CES less than a week away, press releases and invites teasing products and technologies slated for introduction continue to overtake our inboxes. Here’s a look at some of the latest pre-show news.

• Samsung will introduce its second Ultra HD (UHD) Blu-ray player, the M9500, along with the H7 wireless speaker and MS750 soundbar, featuring proprietary UHQ (Ultra High Quality) audio technology said to upscale any wired or wireless audio source to “32-bits of rich, detailed sound.” The H7 delivers “a more intuitive user experience,” while the MS750 is Samsung’s first soundbar with an embedded subwoofer and up-firing tweeters to provide “a deeper sense of immersion.” The soundbar can be attached to Samsung TVs with “one simple connection” so it powers up when the TV is turned on. The M9500 player supports high dynamic range (HDR) content, Bluetooth streaming, and improved integration with mobile devices. It also has a Private Cinema Mode that wirelessly streams TV audio to Bluetooth-enabled headphones.

• Naughty America, a “leading VR content innovator” in what is predicted to be a billion dollar market by 2025, will make its CES debut, proving once again that porn always finds its place on the leading edge of new technology—in this case virtual reality. “We…encourage all headset manufacturers to visit our booth to see how well Naughty America VR videos play on their devices,” said company CIO, Ian Paul. “While VR continues to revolutionize the $99.6 billion (2016) gaming industry, the adult video industry has participated both as a change driver and beneficiary. Naughty America has been a pioneer in this regard, helping advance both VR technology and the way adult video is produced for this platform.”

• Secur Products, maker of solar chargers and other portable products for outdoor sports and emergency preparedness, will introduce a “collapsible solar-powered bottle lantern” that functions as a flashlight, water bottle, and waterproof storage container.

• Insta360 will demonstrate a 360-degree camera that attaches to smartphones and records in “up to 8K.” You can see the camera in action on insta360.com.

• Acoustic Masterminds will demonstrate AcoustiTools, a $3.99 app conceived as an “easy way to solve acoustical room mode problems with a mobile device.” In a pre-show press release, the company said: “When it comes to creating a proper listening and recording environment, reality visualizations is the future...Having an application that one could actually count on to look at your room, to know what it’s made of, looking at the composition of the walls, and reflections, and energy and placements, is what Acoustic Masterminds is all about.” The app uses Google’s Tango scanning technology and is available on Google Play. More information is available at acousticmasterminds.com.

• PhoneSoap will demonstrate the $60 PhoneSoap 2.0 phone charger that “cleans and sanitizes” your phone while it charges. The device is said to work with the largest smartphones. “Two powerful UV-C lights and a curved, reflective inner surface allow the light to surround your phone to ensure the destruction of any unwelcome guests.” For more information, visit phonesoap.com.

Watch for our show coverage, which begins on Wednesday, January 4.