Once a year in Las Vegas, the Consumer Electronics Show comes to The Strip to entice us with the best of what’s next in tech.
No one is there in person this year, which saps the energy from what is genuinely one of the world’s most vibrant displays of trade show opulence and business ingenuity.
Part of what makes CES so head-spinningly dynamic is the sheer range of ideas that reach fruition. Perfumes that users can apply using scent-sensing apps, facemasks that monitor air quality, a water-powered Bluetooth shower speaker, and an LG mobile phone with an adjustable rolling screen are only some of the innovations we might see on store shelves in the near future.
Although this is the consumer electronics show, know that there’s plenty of stuff for the business world to take in, too.
Let’s have a look at what the real estate industry might look forward to:
GHSP Grenlite virus killer
Longing to experience those tedious days of driving around buyers and entertaining their stream-of-consciousness needs and wants again? Thanks to home appliance manufacturer GHSP, you may soon be able to transport strangers in your vehicle safely.
The Grenlite light treatment system installs in vehicle dashboards. When it senses the presence of a nasty pathogen, it automatically bathes the cabin in its UV-C (an electromagnetic frequency found in sun rays) healing beams. Philips is also launching a bug-battling UV-C light device.
Sony Airpeak camera drone
Aerial photography and image-editing specializations have become commonplace in today’s real estate market, so don’t be surprised if your local pro shows up at your next luxury shoot with Sony’s newest airborne innovation.
According to a company press release, Sony’s Airpeak is part of a plan to “develop today’s drone technology while achieving the utmost in value creation.” The Airpeak is smaller by UAV standards but powerful enough to carry and communicate with Sony’s Alpha line of professional cameras. They’re looking to collaborate with professional creators in Japan and the United States.
Kohler Stillness Bath
Clawfoot tubs are out. Smart tubs are in. Kohler’s Stillness Bath is showing people who are willing to spend up to $16,000 on a water container that there’s a new way to define “spa bathroom.”
The bleach-white square tub is smart-home and voice capable, allowing users to adjust temperature controls and fill volumes in the steamy ether of their primary bathroom. It can dispense aromas, softly illuminate its surroundings and release a gentle, mood-enveloping mist. Expect to see this show up in luxury homes soon.
Wi-Fi 6E
If you think 5G inspired the conspiracy theorists, wait until they get a load of the next standard in consumer Wi-Fi strength.
6E will be the next adopted standard for home networking, designed to tackle the ever-growing in-home internet of things.
Refrigerators, phones, televisions, doorbells and now our showerheads are all pining for attention from our wireless routers, and the 2.4GHz network you use to capture leads on BoomTown soon won’t have the strength.
Real estate agents should be prepared to speak “home networking” in the coming years because it won’t be long before contracts contain language about networked homes, stored data, touchpads and more defined as fixtures.
ArcX wearable joystick
Let’s face it, Siri isn’t quite as open to our suggestions as we hoped she would be by now. And poking at your car’s touchscreen or your phone while driving is still a dangerous distraction.
British company ArcX invented a Bluetooth-compatible silicon “ring” that hosts a small joystick for accessing your device. You can leave your phone stored too because the iOS and Android app enables you to manage what the joystick can control, such as picking up a call or starting a playlist.
HP Elite Dragonfly Max laptop
So you’re not a Mac person. Fine. Hewlett Packard is still here for you.
The HP Elite Dragonfly Max earned Engadget’s “Best Of” accolade for its super-slim waistline and 5-megapixel webcam with privacy shutter, perfect for closing down business after your fifth virtual listing presentation of the day. Its monitor is safe on the eyes, and the keyboard is secure on your lap, thanks to a sensor that automatically cools the housing when it detects that it’s on your legs. That’s cool.
Lasso in-home recycling center
Still in prototype, this clever, dishwasher-sized appliance scans container barcodes to determine if users can deposit them. If so, the Lasso cleans, shreds, and compresses the bottle, glass or other metal recyclable product into an onboard container. Once full, use the app to schedule a pickup for drop-off at an approved facility.
If you’re not aware, most of the United States’ recycling efforts aren’t going anywhere — literally. Hopefully, more appliances such as this make their way into our listing descriptions to help stave off the avalanche of earth-eating debris we can’t help but continue to create. If it helps, the Lasso looks as sharp as the glass it eats.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Craig C. Rowe started in commercial real estate at the dawn of the dot-com boom, helping an array of commercial real estate companies fortify their online presence and analyze internal software decisions. He now helps agents with technology decisions and marketing through reviewing software and tech for Inman.
