CES 2017: What to expect at the massive Las Vegas tech show

CES 2017 promises to live up to the Las Vegas expo’s reputation as the place to see what’s next in tech. Whether eye-popping TVs, futuristic cars, shiny mobile devices, mind-boggling virtual reality or amazing cameras, CES rarely disappoints when it comes to showcasing unbelievable tech.

The official CES 2017 dates are January 5 through January 8, 2017, though as always, there will be plenty of pre-show announcements on January 3 and January 4.

We’ve already heard whispers about what’s in store for this coming CES, and you’ll find the latest rumors and news detailed below. We also have our own predictions for the annual tech bacchanal, and have included these for your reading pleasure as well.

TV is still king

Looking into our crystal ball, we see televisions continuing to rule the roost, with manufacturers vying to one-up each other with their latest big-screen innovations.

As our Senior Home Entertainment Editor Nick Pino points out, all of the big players will come to Las Vegas looking to prove their TV tech is the best. LG will tout its OLED screens, Samsung will talk up SUHD and Sony will likely have something to say about Android TV and OLED screens, if the latest rumors are correct.

Expect the typical 4K TV reveals, though we could easily see displays pushing 8K and beyond. Of course, the latter are uber-unrealistic purchases for the average shopper, but they remain a tantalizing looks at where TV is headed.

What’s more, CES is the time for outrageous concepts, so if it bends, rolls up or cooks you dinner, it might just show up in Vegas.

Beyond pixel count, the big TV talk at CES 2017 will likely surround High Dynamic Range (HDR), and particularly how the Dolby Vision format stacks up against HDR10.

For more on that battle, check out our comprehensive HDR10 vs Dolby Vision comparison.

But why should you care about HDR? Netflix manager of corporate communications Yann Lafargue put it like this to TechRadar: “HDR is a new standard for home entertainment. It’s a big leap forward in colour, contrast, and brightness, as significant as the addition of surround sound, or the introduction of HD and 4K. It offers a new set of tools we can use to make bright and colourful scenes really pop, and at the same time, bring out more detail in dark scenes.”

HDR tech is the most discussed TV feature these days, and we expect plenty of chatter around it and HDR content during CES.

Samsung is also set to unveil some enhancements to its smart TV line, namely three additional features that revolve around sports, music and a new “TV Plus” upgrade for the EPG guide.

While not a proper TV, several reports point to Nvidia unveiling Shield Android TV gear at CES. In fact, the GPU giant may even announce two new boxes.

According to SlashGear, the updated Shield TV 2 will stick with the Nvidia Shield Android TV name and feature an upgraded controller and remote. 4K content will also be a focus for Nvidia, according to the report.

Then, Android Police chimed in in late December that Nvidia is actually planning two Android TV boxes for CES 2017, each of different sizes and sporting a redesigned controller. Seems like Nvidia is up to something, that’s for sure.

Source: http://www.techradar.com/news/ces-dates-news-reviews-and-videos