Bosch might be the first name you think of in regards to concept cars, but that’s exactly what they’ve brought to CES 2017.

Bosch is really getting in to the Internet of Things. They are focusing on personalisation in order we get the best tailored experience possible.

Bosch’s unnamed concept car uses facial recognition technology to change a number of settings to suit driver preferences. These range from radio station, mirror position and temperature.

As keys are so very 2000, the company is working on a secure platform that uses a mobile phone in lieu of a key.

If you thought altering the car’s preferences through facial recognition was futuristic, just hold on a second. For you to set your preferred stations, seating position, etc. you do this through a combination of a haptic touch display and a gesture control system.

Touch control and haptic feedback

The technology uses ultrasound sensors that let your hand feel whether it is in the right spot when controlling the interface via a virtual barrier.

The car also promises eye trackers that pull relevant information forward, depending on where a user’s eyes travel.

The idea is preventing drivers from needless distraction. If the car’s responsibilities include the button pressing typically reserved for humans, it’s one less thing to worry about.

Naturally, all this tech was all put inside an equally futuristic-looking vehicle. It is also packing screens, very many screens. Even the wing mirrors are screens!

Connected city

The Bosch car  actually communicates with its surroundings. For instance, with community-based parking, the car is becoming a parking spot locator. When driving along the street, the car detects gaps between parked cars. The data gathered is then transmitted to a digital street map.

High-performance Bosch algorithms assess the plausibility of the data and make forecasts on the parking spot situation. A cloud-based service that uses this data to create a real-time parking map saves the driver a great deal of time and money, and also helps reduce stress.

We just have to wait and see what makes in to our daily drivers.

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Panasonic has been showing off their latest addition to the smart home of the future by way of a transparent, gesture-powered TV.

The see-through screen allows this Panasonic LCD telly to seamlessly blended into the decor.

Being able to see right through this monitor is not its only selling point though. The Panasonic prototype shows different scenes according to the mood, as well as showing high-resolution videos whenever you want. The display functions as a windowpane when not displaying images, while it can also be adjusted for optimal height when used as a display.

The widescreen television is shown being housed in a bookcase which is an ideal situation as this makes it double up as a window or glass sliding door as it allows you to see the items (vinyl record covers, sculptures, vases, etc.) on the shelf behind it.

In addition to the almost translucent display, the television also features a gesture-controlled music app that lets you spin a carousel of your digital music over half of the display (top picture) while the other half continues to give you a see-through view or some groovy patterns to mesmerise you.

All this is made even cooler by the fact that this technology is real.

I don’t know when we’ll be seeing this on the market as the prototype shown was part of Panasonic’s smart home display at CES, but word is that it’s probably only a couple or so years away.

[youtube id=”gsbxCeJ78As”]

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Volkswagen has been teasing us with the promise of producing a new microbus for the 21st century but now their latest concept has been officially unveiled at CES in Las Vegas.

The VW Budd-e could be the long awaited addition that was expected once Volkswagen reinvented the Beetle in 1997. Four years later it looked as though this would happen when VW showed a concept for a new Type 2 Microbus. There was even more want created by the Westfalia concept in 2008.

Word is that this could become a reality by 2018 but VW has a lot of tidying up to do thanks to last year’s emissions debacle.

However, the Budd-e showcases VW’s approach to electrics with new vehicle architecture designed to underpin a whole family of battery-powered cars across the VW group, including the Porsche Mission E and the Audi Q6 e-tron.

The hardware is VW’s own system, complete with a fast-charge facility that allows a range of over 250 miles after just 30mins plugged into the grid. With electric motors front and back the Budd-e is effectively a four-wheel drive and so pretty nippy; 0-60 in just under seven seconds and 112mph top speed is more than fast enough for any Scooby Gang-in-a-hurry.

There is one particular feature on the BUDD-e that may actually make driving safer, not just more convenient. The concept’s e-Mirror replaces side mirrors with two digital displays fed by external cameras. The driver’s side 7.0-inch panel and a smaller, passenger-side 5.9-inch panel essentially eliminate the blind spot found in conventional mirrors and also make for better aerodynamics.

Volkswagen is going so far as to imagine a world where the BUDD-e can order and receive its own replacement parts. No word on if it will change its own tyres, though.

The looks might not be as retro as people (me) would like but there are some nods such as the V-shaped grille instead of the classic Type 2 nose. It is smaller, at 4.6-metres long, but it does stand taller.

You get into the Budd-e via a sliding door that opens by way of gesture-command where you’re greeted by swivelling chairs in the front and a rear seat that can be similarly manipulated to form a bench-with-a-view.

The floor is recycled wood, keeping the eco-friendly vibe. All the usual controls and such are incorporated into the large panel in front of the driver and authentically body-coloured “smart” steering wheel. There are some fun ideas there, like the car’s ability to play pre-selected tunes when you hit a certain spot on your route.

What do you think about the Budd-e, could it replace the Microbus that we hold in our hearts so dearly?

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Microsoft’s researchers have created what could be the latest breakthrough to hit their Surface tablet computer thanks to an included e-ink screen.

You are probably familiar with the TypeCover currently available that brings a keyboard to the game. Well, this dual-screen variant of the company’s Surface tablet computer is brought to you by way of a prototype ‘DisplayCover’.

The YouTube video below was posted by Microsoft’s Applied Sciences Group (basically, Microsoft’s R&D group for computer interfaces), and showcases the E-Ink screen that can be used as a Start Menu, an app launcher or as a secondary display that enhances an app’s functionality — for example, it can be used as a thumbnail browser for a photo-viewing app.

The E-Ink display sits above the keyboard at a resolution of 1280 x 305 pixels and was chosen no doubt as E-Ink is not really going to damage the battery life of the tablet.

Since the E Ink screen is multi-touch, it can also be used as a sort of an expanded trackpad — for example, you could use it for zooming in and out of a map, or as a writing surface for a stylus.

It certainly looks like the DisplayCover is quite far down the production path as the functionality is definitely there, and even the design doesn’t look too far from a finished product.

Saying that though, this is no guarantee that the case will hit the shelves. Then again, it does beg the question of what covers will appear with the Surface Pro 4.

Check it out below:
[youtube id=”OSFlvml0Sso”]

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Having the thinnest phone or tablet in the world is all very good but that usually means a skinny battery, which also points to having to carry around a clunky external battery pack of some descript. Until, perhaps, now.

Enter the Boost Band. A not particularly sexy looking device, but it does have a singular purpose – power.

The Boost Band conceals a 1,500mAh battery within its wrist-friendly shape which should be just enough to give your phone or other mobile devices an extra bit of juice when you need it.

In fact, this would give an iPhone 6 (1800mAh) about 80% extra battery life. Not bad huh?

The Boost Band comes with a standard USB port for hooking up to a charging cable and a Micro USB port so it can charge itself from the mains.

Paul Elliott and David Spang are the brains behind the idea which first came to light after Paul received a power bank as a gift.

According to the inventors:

When he started using it a close friend made the comment that it would be better if it were on your wrist, but the spark didn’t happen there…

…A few weeks later David had his first experience with a power bank at a music festival. After losing two power banks and struggling to keep his phone and GoPro charged, he knew there had to be a better solution where you could keep it on you without any extra effort.”

Boost Band comes in a multitude of colours and early backers of this Kickstarter campaign can get one of these devices for $20 in black or turquoise with shipping included in the deal. This project is hoping to raise $30,000 within the next 37 days so go and pledge if you’re a festival lover.

[youtube id=”679y8iJbFCs”]

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Could the next flagship smartphone from Samsung bring the clam shell back, albeit through bendy, flexible AMOLED?

If the uptake of the newest, and most expensive Samsung smartphone offering is good enough to prove that the consumer is looking for something different then it could pave the way for a Galaxy S7 with a folding display.

The Galaxy S6 Edge has brought with it curved and slopey sides to the display but, according to an unnamed official from Samsung display, the commercialisation of foldable smartphones will be possible by 2016. Yup, in time for the Galaxy S7 then.

With ‘foldable smartphones’ we are not talking about those flip phones that were all the rage, and still are over in Japan, but a whole new way of getting more screen in your pocket.

These next gen clam-shells will fold in on the screen, rather than simply have a keyboard and screen section with a hinge in the middle.

Samsung has shown off flexible displays at numerous tradeshows for the past few years, since around 2008 in fact. But, until now, there have been very few hints that this tech will ever make it in to commercially available smartphones.

As smartphones get thinner and thinner they’re becoming more able to be folded, just ask an iPhone 6 plus owner, without adding too much width to fit in a pocket comfortably. With this folding screen tech you could, theoretically, get the screen size of a tablet in your pocket.

It would be cool if Samsung unveils a Galaxy S7 Fold along side the regular S7 candybar, just as it has done with the Galaxy S6 Edge.

Check out Samsung’s Youm concept video from 2011 which showcases a folding semi-translucent do everything device below.

[youtube id=”f4AhTiQkWwk”]

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A lot of us look back at the days when you could accidentally drop your mobile phone without having to then replace its screen and other parts. Ah, Nokia 1310. With all the hullabaloo surrounding the iPhone 6 Plus and #bendgate, how about a phone that’s designed to bend and flex? How about the wearable Portal phone?

It has been at least a couple of years since companies started to promise us flexible, shatterproof phones but, at long last, it looks like they may start to appear.

The Portal smartphone isn’t going to shatter when you drop it and, as it is totally flexible, you can even wear it on your forearm.

The company behind Portal, Arubixis, states that the phone is designed to succeed where smartwatches have so far failed.

We have all said at some point or other that smartwatches are not really good enough for texting, making calls, or doing anything practical – short of skipping audio tracks or alerting you to the text that’s just been received.

The Portal is designed to fit comfortably on your arm and so giving you the whole smartphone experience from your wrist.

It’s waterproof and shatterproof so, even if you decide not to wear it on your wrist, it’s still a useful phone to have. If you do keep the Portal in your pocket all day it will bend, but that’s because it’s supposed to rather than it being a potentially dangerous design flaw

The phone comes packing a skinned version of Android (it isn’t clear which version) and the user interface (UI) looks pretty good to me.

It is equipped with a 6-inch display, 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a 3,200 mAh battery, 4G, NFC, and wireless charging. I am intrigued to find out what cell is being used as that will also have to be flexible, surely?

Arubixis are currently seeking funds on Indiegogo in order to bring the phone to market, and a $349 (£214) pledge will get you your own version of the phone when it launches sometime next September.

If 6-inches is too much for you, then you can wait a little while longer because there are plans to release a 4-inch version of the Portal in early 2016.

As well as NFC it looks like the Portal will be sporting some monitors as it looks as though there’s a heartrate readout on the UI renders.

It will be interesting to see how this goes. Would you have one?

I can see folding phones (Samsung Foldiplay anyone?) being the next thing – who here reckons that Apple will say that they were the first?

[youtube id=”bFQl-PiTJSg”]

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Have you ever found yourself in a position where you found yourself in a position that would make *the* best photo opportunity but either had no one to snap the moment for you or your arms just aren’t long enough to get the full frame in? If only you had a wearable flying camera drone…

There are occasions where a selfie just ain’t gonna cut it but if you’re out and about by yourself or want your companion to be in the shot too, what can you do?

Granted, with a little bit of forethought and something like a GorillaPod, you could set up a snap but there are moments where there’s nothing to hang a pod from and packing a full-sized tripod for every trip is a tad excessive.

The Nixie aims to solve those 21st century problems.

The Nixie is a wearable flying selfie drone – A flying wristband, with a camera built in. The project is the brainchild of Christoph Kohstall (a physics researcher at Stanford), and is built in collaboration with team members Jelena Jovanovic and Michael Niedermayr.

When you’re ready to share your extreme sporting achievement or you in the surrounding wilderness, it launches off your wrist, reorients to frame you in the shot, takes the snap and then hovers back over for you to catch it.

Although not quite available at the moment, they’ve got a prototype that can launch off your wrist and float away, the team behind it have caught the eye of Intel.

The Nixie has made it as a finalist in Intel’s Make It Wearable competition which means that the team have won themselves $50,000 and all of the mentorship, design help, and technical support a company like Intel can throw at them in order to make it real.

So you may have your own selfie drone soon. Now, if only they could make it into a smartwatch too…

Check out the video below.

[youtube id=”_VFsdPAoI1g”]

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I am still loving my HTC One and the follow-up, the M8, has seen even more people I know migrate from Apple to HTC. Even though it has only been 6 months since the release of the HTC One (M8), there are already plenty of hopeful designs and specs out there for the HTC One M9.

This concept for the HTC One M9’s design sees the new smartphone packing Adreno 420 graphics, a 5.2-inch Super LCD3 display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, all being pushed along by 3GB of RAM and a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 quad-core processor.

It also has a rear 13-UltraPixel and an 8-megapixel dual camera set-up with optical image stabilisation, as well as a 5-megapixel front-facing snapper. That’s a lot of imaging options for one skinny phone.

Here’s the design in a rather tasty vid.

[youtube id=”AwKAE5p85tY”]

Alternatively, others see HTC’s next One weighing in at a featherweight 140 grams with dimensions of 145mm high, 70mm wide and only 7mm thick.

This new level of sleekness would be encased in aluminium and titanium with a sapphire crystal display to ensure that it’s lovely designer clothes can withstand day-to-day hazards.

As for the specifications, this HTC One M9 comprises of a 5.5-inch screen with a minimum resolution of 1920×1080.

This wishlist agrees with it packing 3 GB of RAM but has it buddied with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 64 bit chip.

Only a pair of lenses on this concept with a 5.1 MP front camera and a 12 MP rear camera.

Internal storage and battery duties in the HTC One M9 would be taken care of by 32GB and 128 GB options and a 3200mAh cell.

The HTC One M9 is expected to be released in early 2015.

What do you think? What’s your M9 wishlist?

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As with all things tech, now that we have 4G internet rolling out across the UK, it’s time to start hankering over 5G. So, when will we see even faster over-the-air internets?

It’s not so long since 3G was a wow but 4G is already seen as being a basic human right, in London at least. The next gen connection of 5G promises up to 1000x the speeds of 4G and download speeds of a blistering 1gbps.

The future is going to be fast, and it will mean great things for cross country collaboration and connectivity whether you live and work in a city or out in the most rural of places.

As well as the likes of us, the regular consumer types, being able to enjoy swift streaming the impact of 5G on businesses will be humongous.

Not only would we have the ability to wirelessly download full length HD movies in seconds, it will enable people to easily connect and work together regardless of their geographical location. Workers will be able to dial in to video conferences without having to search for a hotspot and share chunky files for real-time information sharing.

So when will we get 5G internet?

The UK has already committed to 5G internet, with Britain and Germany making a collaborative deal to help develop a 5G infrastructure for both countries, to remain world technological leaders and to build an “internet of things”.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron had this to say to the Daily Mail regarding 5G and his internet of things:

These are developments that could allow literally billions of everyday objects to talk to each other over the internet – using low-cost, low-power chips.

And this has enormous potential to change our lives. Electricity meters that talk to the grid to get you the best deals. Health monitors that keep an eye on your heart rate. Water pipes that warn of a fall in pressure.

I see the Internet of Things as a huge transformative development – a way of boosting productivity, of keeping us healthier, making transport more efficient, reducing energy needs, tackling climate change.

We are on the brink of a new industrial revolution and I want us – the UK and Germany – to lead it.

Take British ingenuity in software, services and design, add German excellence in engineering and industrial manufacturing and together we can lead in this new revolution.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and part-time entertainer (or is it the other way around?), also committed to bringing 5G connections to Nations Capital by 2020 saying to the Independent;

London is earning a reputation for being the tech capital of Europe and that is why we need to ensure every Londoner is able to access the very best digital connectivity. Rapidly improving the connectivity of this great city is a key part of the Infrastructure Plan for London.

So, by 2020 we should be seeing the first glimpses of this magical 5G beast which will bestow upon us the kind of connections and blistering fast speeds worthy of legend.

As well as the increased speeds the major difference from a user point of view between 4G and 5G other things should be taken in to consideration. For example, higher system spectral efficiency (data volume per area unit), lower battery consumption, lower outage probability (better coverage), high bit rates in larger portions of the coverage area, and lower latencies.

As the demand for these services will surely increase, the environmental impact has to be taken in to consideration too. There’s no point in having a totally networked society if it’s not pleasant to live in.

The extra data handling could also enable 4K, as well as Full HD, links and perhaps open the door for future tech such as holographic communications – hey, you never know!

The full nationwide roll-out across the UK has been planned by companies such as EE for 2022.

Yup, it’s not going to happen overnight, or soon for that matter, but for a up to 1000x speed increase over the current top end 4G connection it should prove worth the wait.

I for one look forward to the day where, no matter my location, I can easily connect online, even if I’m in the darkest depths of the moors, to join in a video call or to even just to catch up with the latest tech news and gadgety reviews.

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