Zone’s Ross Basham handpicks and shares the five best new stories on digital trends, experiences and technologies…
1. ‘World’s smartest face mask’ unveiled at CES
CES 2021 — the annual trade show where tech companies show off all their new innovations — took place this week (entirely online, of course). One of the most eye-catching concepts came from gaming company Razer, who unveiled what is claimed to be the world’s smartest face mask, complete with a built-in microphone.
The prototype claims to amplify the user’s voice to prevent muffled speech and includes active ventilation, exhaling warmer air while pulling in cooler air. It’s made of transparent plastic for lip-reading and has a ‘low light mode’, meaning the mask’s interior lights up automatically when it’s dark in order to illuminate your mouth.
2. WhatsApp ultimatum causes privacy uproar
You probably saw an in-app notification on WhatsApp recently that said the messaging app’s privacy terms have changed. And, like me, you probably tapped the ‘accept’ button, mainly because the only other option was to stop using WhatsApp altogether. But the ultimatum led to a lot of confusion and outrage on social media.
In reality, the privacy changes only affect a relatively small number of WhatsApp Business interactions. But what it did bring to light was the fact that WhatsApp already shares a wealth of your information with Facebook (not your private chats, but basically everything else. This Fast Company article explains it all.
3. Smart home tech mirrors our current lives
Back at CES 2021, the best smart home tech reflected our stuck-at-home situation, with a focus on cleanliness, keeping the home organised and keeping fit. Among the picks was a new robot vacuum from Samsung that uses a built-in camera and AI to avoid objects in its path, and also acts as a security watchdog when you’re out.
The NordicTrack Vault is a connected home gym display with a mirror so you can watch yourself working out while being barked at by an instructor on a touchscreen — then you stow the equipment away behind the mirror. Finally, the Lockly Duo is a smart lock for people who have two locks on their front door. About time too!
4. Twitter boss says Trump ban is ‘dangerous’
Twitter supremo Jack Dorsey has said banning Donald Trump was the right thing to do but expressed sadness at the “extraordinary and untenable circumstances” surrounding his permanent suspension. Dorsey accepted that the move would have consequences for an open and free internet and “sets a dangerous precedent”.
Twitter has been both praised and criticised for its action, with incoming US President-elect Joe Biden wanting social media companies to do more to take down hate speech and fake news, but the German chancellor Angela Merkel — who is no friend of Trump — among those who have spoken out against the ban.
5. Robots ranging from functional to fluffy
Finally, CES wouldn’t be CES without a bunch of robots popping out to say hello, ranging from the cute to the weird and vaguely menacing. Of course, this year’s robots are having to show what they can do over a Zoom call, which blunts their impact a bit. But there were still some impressive droids strutting their stuff.
In these Covid times there were robots that can sanitise surfaces, such as Coro-Bot, an “antivirus disinfection robot” from South Korea. Elsewhere, Moxie is a companion robot that helps children build social, emotional and cognitive skills while Moflin is a fluffy AI pet that develops a personality. Just don’t let your actual pets near it.
