CES 2017 has got off to a cracking start, together with invention pouring in from each corner of the Las Vegas strip. From paper-thin TVs into AI... well, AI everything, the smartest minds in customer tech have descended upon Sin City with some of the trendiest gadgetry around.
Therefore, what's the finest of CES 2017 up to now? The TechTnet team was occupying the Las Vegas Convention Center halls and catching front row seats at all the significant press conferences to cherry pick the top that this season's show had to offer. That is exactly what our specialist team of editors have emphasized since CES 2017's highlights - and everything you, our beloved readers, have chosen out as your most-wanted new equipment, also.
Without further ado, here are the winners of TechTnet's 2017 CES Awards!
Best in Show - LG’s OLED W7 Signature Series TV
CES has ever been around Valhalla for TVs, debuting sets so mythically amazing (and necessarily expensive) as to be worthy of the living areas of the gods. This season, nothing in the whole show can fit the"wow!" Variable of LG's OLED W7 Signature Series TV. At only 2.57mm lean, packaging in four future-proofed kinds of HDR support and complete with its Dolby Atmos soundbar, it is the really (ultra) definition of audio-visual opulence.
People’s Choice - Nvidia Shield (2017 Edition)
Whether you were a gamer or a person on the search for a feature-rich media participant, the first Nvidia Shield ticked plenty of boxes. Its next edition, debuting at CES 2017, has deservedly grabbed the interest of the TechTnet readership, who have voted to summit it with this season's People's Choice award. Having a revised controller, superlative 4K HDR streaming options and built-in Google Assistant for voice control, this gaming-orientated Android set-top box packs plenty of features into its small frame.
- Everything you want to know about the Nvidia Shield 2017
Best Smartphone - Asus Zenfone AR
While the large guns traditionally maintain their devices back for next month's Mobile World Congress smartphone blow-out, Asus has taken an early lead in this year's smartphone with its Zenfone AR in CES 2017. Only the 2nd high-end Android device to feature Google's Tango augmented reality technology, its incredible spec sheet also comprises a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED display, 8GB of RAM, a 23MP motion-and-depth monitoring camera system and strong Snapdragon 821 guts.
Best Laptop - Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
Ever-reliable Dell actually pulled out all the stops with its XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop. A portable, adaptive Windows workhorse having a lovely IGZO screen, it is super slim and Windows Hello ready, with support for Thunderbolt growth pushes and accessories. Launched in either laptop or tablet mode, it is going to be on the shopping list of each laptop hunter since it lands in stores this season.
Best TV - LG OLED W7 Signature Series
Already our best in show, the LG OLED W7 was obviously the best TV we watched also, beating off stiff competition from the Dolby Vision-equipped Sony OLED and Samsung's QLED displays. You better start saving though - the LG OLED W7 Signature Series is predicted to have a cost starting at approximately $10,000 (£8,120 / AU$13,760) as it starts shipping in March, which makes this one for elite cinephiles.
Best Digital Camera - Panasonic Lumix GH5
Three years in the making, the Lumix GH5 is what you would need to see out of a Micro Four Thirds camera. First shown back in Photokina 2016 (though with a couple blanks left its spec sheet), its own full unveiling at CES 2017 was something of beauty. Using a 20.3MP detector and OLED viewfinder, it's an autofocus double as fast as its predecessor (using a staggering 225 points of autofocus), in addition to the capability to shoot 4K video in 60fps.
Best Audio Accessory - LG SJ9 Sound Bar
Seen in the show partnered with LG's W7 OLED TV, the LG SJ9 is the perfect audio companion to get a severe screen. With built-in Dolby Atmos support (just two of its own plethora drivers are pointed in the ceiling to get overhead surround sound) it may up-sample audio files into hi-res 24-bit, while additionally completely happy to provide a 4K passthrough option for your games console or UHD Blu-ray deck.
Best All-in-One PC - HP Envy 34
Who said Apple had to have all the fun when it comes to All-in-One PCs? The HP Envy 34 will fall jaws also, using a 34-inch, 3440 x 1440 resolution, curved screen design that'll make even your office workplace drool. Packing the vast majority of its components (like Bang & Olufsen speakers along with the newest Kaby Lake desktop processors from Intel) to the machine's bottom, it has a pop up IR webcam to maintain its lines as clean as possible.
Most Unique Product - Holo Cube
Perhaps it's the horror film lovers one of the TechTnet group showing their sway, but we enjoyed the expression of the augmented reality driven Holo Cube out of Merge VR - even should it look like the creepy mystery box in the Hellraiser movies! Working in tandem with a smartphone, app and AR headset, the Holo Cube (geared toward kids) may be used for recreation or education, turning the cube (via the headset viewfinder) to anything in a beating heart into some Minecraft-like blocky world.
Best Car Tech - Toyota Concept-i
Sit back. Grab a pencil and pencil. Bring the car of the future. Odds are, your sketch could seem a hell of a lot like Toyota's Concept-i. Using its one AI, Yui, residing from the dash, it points to a future in which artificial intelligence does not always take over the delight of driving entirely, but rather complements it with security features if a driver gets tired or distracted. Additionally, with its own wheel covers and scissor doors, it merely looks super cool.
- That is what it is like inside Toyota's Concept-i
Best Home Theater Product - Dish AirTV box
A sign of things to come in the TV viewing planet, the Dish AirTV box seems equipped to handle every possible living room seeing desire. With 4K Android and compatibility TV smarts, it's options for choosing up over-the-air signals using its built in antenna, or merely internet-based streaming services. Whether you are watching Netflix or tapping to some Sling TV subscription, then the AirTV has you covered.
Best Gaming Device - HTC Vive Tracker
With every passing year we are getting nearer to that Matrix-like promise of the VR near future, and as it's HTC using its Vive gear leading the bunch. At this year's CES, it had been showing off the brand new Vive Tracker, which is combined together with practically any item to permit the room scale VR cameras to monitor and insert them in a digital universe. Those VR gloves that constantly seemed so apparent? Together with the Vive Tracker, they might soon become a fact.
Best Fitness Tech - Polar Smart Shirt
A smart shirt, with an enormous gap. No, it is unlikely you will be sporting Polar's new top in another important job meeting or supper using the in-laws. Rather, this fitness-focused garment is directed toward sports teams, allowing coaches understand in real time how hard a participant is operating out. Comfortable despite being loaded with detectors, do not be shocked if you see some big name sports stars heating up in one of these from the future.
Best App / Software - Amazon Alexa
There's could just be one winner , and that's Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. It is in practically every connected gadget on the show floor, including voice-activated smarts to everything from cars to speakers to fridges. It is proving that Alexa is defined to become very much a platform beyond Amazon's personal devices - and needs to be departing the Siri and Assistant managers at Apple and Google respectively struggling to grab.
Best Wearable Tech - Misfit Vapor
Misfit has been at the wearable area for years now, so it is somewhat surprising that it has taken them this long to generate a proper touchscreen smartwatch - particularly when the market for these timepieces seems to be slowing. But fitting good value (using its $199 price tag) using a feature rich spec sheet, it has still got it where it counts. Packing a 1.4-inch AMOLED screen, a Snapdragon 2100 processor, 4GB of storage, and GPS and heart-rate monitoring, it is going to be one to watch ahead of Google's Android Wear 2.0 reboot.
Best In-Home Gizmo - LG Smart InstaView fridge
Remember how we mentioned Amazon's Alexa was anywhere? Well, here that is actually in practice. Cramming as much tech as possible to its refrigerator whilst still leaving you distance to the milk cartons, the LG Smart InstaView features a 29-inch touchscreen display that can show what is inside and highlight products close to their expiration date, while also making use of all the Alexa feature's you would expect in an Amazon Echo. Out of eggs? Have a chat with your refrigerator and it is going to purchase them from Amazon's pantry. But the future does feel like it is finally here, eh?
- New year, new tech -- check out all our policy of CES 2017 directly from Las Vegas, the Best gadget show on Earth
