Skip to main content

Rob Enderle’s CES wrapup: So much awesome stuff, so little availability

Image used with permission by copyright holder

OK, whoever said there was never anything big announced at CES anymore (I think it was me) was sure wrong this year. It was kind of amazing how many products from Chinese vendors I lusted for that you just can’t get in the US, but that was far from the end of my wish list. We also saw an amazing game system from Nvidia that won’t be here for around five months, and 3D sound from Audi which I can’t get in the car I’d like to buy from them, and that’s just scratching the surface.

Let’s chat about the amazing tech that you can’t now, and in some cases, may never buy that was showcased at CES 2013.

In-car DVR

I’ve picked up a somewhat sick habit of late, as I’ve gotten hooked on videos of crazy Russian drivers. Just search on the topic. Apparently a ton of them have video cameras running all the time in their cars and, from what I understand, they use the videos to prove they weren’t the ones that caused an accident. And accidents there are plenty of. In Russia, crazy driving is apparently an understatement. Well, a Chinese company was showcasing an in-car DVR with a camera that sits next to your mirror and has a light treatment kind of like KITT (the name of the artificially intelligent Pontiac Trans Am) in the old show Knight Rider. It runs all the time and, if you have an accident, will lock down the image before and continue filming. But you can also just leave it running and automatically capture stuff you see while driving, and if you are like me, you see crazy stuff that would be fun to share at least weekly. I’m in California, where we are kind of crazy; if you are in New York I’ll bet you’d get something every day. The product is called the Black FXD700 from Thinkware, and I’ll be on the short list of buyers.

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

Audi 3D Sound

The most impressive car section of the show belonged to Audi (though the car I most wanted was actually the new Viper over at Chrysler). The booth was a white collapsing box so brightly lit, it looked from a distance like a rare door to outside the convention center. In front was a full F1 race car, followed by the new S-5 RS (I have an S-5 myself) and the new Q7. But the amazing part was the 3D sound demonstration that was far, far beyond anything I’d ever heard in a car. The problem was, when I went and asked if I could get this amazing car audio system in the car I wanted (that bright red with graphite trim S-5 RS) I was told no, it only comes in the Q7, a vehicle that I have no desire for whatsoever. So Audi had the best OEM sound system at the show, and a car I might have actually bought, but since I can’t get them together I’m unlikely to buy either.

Huawei 6.1-inch smartphone

I like big phones. Anyone that argues that bigger isn’t better is an iPhone user, and that’s because they don’t have a choice. I’m using my phone now more and more for email, browsing the Web, and even my near 5-inch screen is starting to feel small. I’m also at that age where I should be wearing glasses, but don’t’ want to. So in smartphones, bigger is better for me, and at 6.1 inches, no one was bigger at CES than Huawei. This was a huge Android phone, and I so wanted it. The problem is that while Huawei is huge in China, it’s unknown in the U.S., and apparently having issues getting carriers. So it’s unlikely I’ll get the big phone I want, until someone else that is already in the US market builds it.

Nvidia Project Shield

Now, of all the gadgets I saw at the show, the one that first got me drooling was the Nvidia Project Shield handheld game system. It has an impressive built-in screen, full-on game controller, and fully ported onboard sound system, plus it can output a 4K Ultra HD image to any Ultra HD TV. This is truly next-generation game platform. The woman sitting next to me was just mumbling “I want, I so want” over and over again during the Nvidia presentation. This makes conventional handheld gaming systems and the old “give away the razor, sell the blades” gaming model seem last century. Problem is, it won’t be out for another five months at least, and I want it now.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Surface Pro

Although Microsoft didn’t have an official presence at CES 2013, I also got a chance to play with its upcoming Surface Pro platform. Suddenly this product is looking a lot more interesting to me, and there are some unexpected surprises. Unfortunately, I can’t share any of that for a few weeks, yet nor will I have one to play with until next month. But at least I won’t have to wait long for that product.

In the end, CES was full of surprises, but most of the ones I really wanted I can’t buy now. Fortunately, I only have to wait a few weeks for some of them. Now if I can just figure out where my wife hid my wallet by then, I’ll be good.

Guest contributor Rob Enderle is the founder and principal analyst for the Enderle Group, and one of the most frequently quoted tech pundits in the world. Opinion pieces denote the opinions of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of Digital Trends.

Rob Enderle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rob is President and Principal Analyst of the Enderle Group, a forward-looking emerging technology advisory firm. Before…
Robotaxi aside, a $25,000 EV would be pointless, Tesla CEO says
Blue Tesla Model 3 Highland on the road

Enthusiasts expecting to one day put their hands on the steering wheel of a $25,000 Tesla EV may feel like they’ve been taken for a ride.
CEO Elon Musk has just put a serious damper on those expectations, saying that outside of the driverless Robotaxi recently unveiled by Tesla, a regular $25,000 model would be “pointless” and “silly.”
During a conference call with investors, Musk was asked to clarify whether such a model was in the works.
"Basically, having a regular $25K model is pointless,” Musk said. “It would be silly. It would be completely at odds with what we believe." Tesla, Musk continued, has “been very clear that the future is autonomous.”
On October 10, Tesla unveiled its much-awaited robotaxi, called the Cybercab, an autonomous-driving EV with no steering wheel or pedals. The company also unveiled the Robovan, a much larger autonomous vehicle expected to carry people or goods.
The automaker said the Cybercab is expected to be produced in 2026 and cost $30,000. Musk, meanwhile, said that it would be a $25,000 car without specifying if that price tag included federal tax credits.
Tesla’s ambiguity about an affordable entry-level model has been going on for years. In 2020, Musk signaled that a $25,000 Tesla would arrive within three years. It was later reported that Tesla had ditched the idea, instead favoring the development of a robotaxi.
Language within Tesla’s latest financial report still hints that new affordable Tesla models are on the way. But Musk’s latest comments are putting a floor on just how affordable these would be. So far, Tesla’s Model 3 Rear-Wheel-Drive remains the company’s cheapest model, with a base price of $38,990.
Some rival EV makers, meanwhile, are entering the affordable space more aggressively in the U.S.
General Motors has already put out its Chevy Equinox EV at a price of $27,500, including federal tax credits. Volkswagen America says it plans to release an under-$35,000 EV in the U.S. by 2027.

Read more
Stellantis’ 2027 Dodge Charger Daytona might feature solid-state battery tech
Front three quarter view of the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona sedan.

The battle to use cheaper, more efficient, and safer EV batteries is heating up among automakers. At the heart of this battle, the development of solid-state battery technology, an alternative to highly flammable and costly lithium batteries, is garnering more and more attention.For proof, Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker, is betting on the technology for its next generation of electric vehicles. The Netherlands-based company announced that it will launch a demonstration fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona EVs that will feature solid-state battery tech made by U.S. startup Factorial.The demo fleet, expected to launch by 2026, will provide a real-world assessment of Factorial’s technology. Factorial has been partnering with Stellantis since 2021 and is also partnering with the likes of Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.Besides Dodge, the technology would eventually be deployed on the Stellantis STLA Large multi-energy platform, which includes brands such as Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati.Stellantis said that the integration of solid-state battery technology will yield “improved performance, longer driving ranges, and faster charging times in the coming years.”Factorial, meanwhile, says its technology provides higher energy density, reduced weight, improved performance, and the potential for further reduction in total vehicle cost over time. Stellantis, Daimler, and Hyundai aren’t the only ones to bet on solid-state battery tech. Toyota, the largest automaker in the world, has heavily invested in the technology. It also created a coalition with Nissan and Panasonic to boost its production in Japan. So far, making solid-state batteries has remained an expensive endeavor. But steps such as the Stellantis demo fleet and production at scale by the likes of Factorial are expected to improve manufacturing processes and costs over time.Other automakers, meanwhile, are working on ways to improve lithium batteries. Volkswagen, for one, is developing its own unified battery cell in several European plants as well as one plant in Ontario, Canada.

Read more
Costco partners with Electric Era to bring back EV charging in the U.S.
costco ev charging us electricera fast station 1260x945

Costco, known for its discount gas stations, has left EV drivers in need of juicing up out in the cold for the past 12 years. But that seems about to change now that the big-box retailer is putting its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington.
After being one of the early pioneers of EV charging in the 1990s, Costco abandoned the offering in 2012 in the U.S.
While opening just one station may seem like a timid move, the speed at which the station was installed -- just seven weeks -- could indicate big plans going forward.
Besides lightening-speed installation, Electric Era, the Seattle-based company making and installing the charging station, promises to offer “hyper-reliable, battery-backed fast charging technology in grid-constrained locations.”
Its stalls can deliver up to 200 kilowatts and come with built-in battery storage, allowing for lower electricity rates and the ability to remain operational even when power grids go down.
If that sounds like it could very well rival Tesla’s SuperCharger network, it’s no coincidence: Quincy Lee, its CEO, is a former SpaceX engineer.
Costco also seems confident enough in the company to have put its brand name on the EV-charging station. Last year, the wholesaler did open a pilot station in Denver, this time partnering with Electrify America, the largest charging network in the U.S. However, Costco did not put its brand name on it.
In an interview with Green Car Reports, Electric Era said it was still in talks with Costco about the opening of new locations. Last year, Costco said it was planning to install fast chargers at 20 locations, without providing further details. It has maintained EV-charging operations in Canada, the UK, Spain, and South Korea.
Meanwhile, the wholesaler’s U.S. EV-charging plans might very well resemble those of rival Walmart, which last year announced it was building its own EV fast-charging network in addition to the arrangements it already had with Electrify America.

Read more