Latest Tech News 2014: Top Five Tech Gadgets To Anticipate In 2014 [WATCH]
Since this time a year ago, we've seen a number of popular releases that have changed the dynamic of the tech world. We were still in the era of one iPhone release at a time, we were still playing the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, and we were all using tablets that now are seeming more out of date with every passing day. But this has all improved dramatically in the last calendar year.
So how does 2014 build upon all of this?
For now, we just have to sit back and wait to see how everything pans out. But we can at least speculate based on the information that has either been released or leaked and we'll do our best to draw some conclusions.
Without further do, feel free to check out our Top 5 list below:
1. Google Glass:
2013 was sort of the light introductory phase for the new Google Glass technology but 2014 could be the year that it breaks out. Google Glass will start being sold to the public in as early as the beginning portion of 2014, but as of now it is mostly just being experimented with.
The Explorer Program launched earlier this year and is designed for people who want to get involved early and help shape the future of Glass. We're expanding The Explorer Program little by little, and experimenting with different ways of bringing new Explorers into the program under "The Glass Explorer Program."
According to Google, "If you're a US resident and are interested in joining, you can sign up ... and we'll let you know if a spot opens up -- please note that, while we'd like to invite everyone, we can't guarantee invites right now."
We can expect the Google Glass to have more success than the Smart Watches that have been introduced. All in all, the smart watches may fare well for a bit but it is hard to see it lasting as long considering that many people stopped wearing watches as soon as their phones could tell them the time instead.
To see more, check out the video at the bottom of the page or click here.
2. The Snakebyte Vyper:
The Snakebyte Vyper has potential to be a new, unique kind of tablet but we ultimately will have to wait until we hear the reviews to make any kind of firm judgment. Unlike the Apple tablets, this one is heavily advertised by Android as a Smart TV of sorts -- you just simply plug it into the docking station and it brings the screen to your TV, thanks to an HDMI cord.
Thus, you can play a number of games on the Snakebyte Vyper via your TV screen and suddenly it becomes a game console. How cool is that?
Furthermore, this tablet also boasts a fully loaded app store, which doesn't come as much surprise considering the fact that it plays games. The store is packed with 700,000 apps of all kinds to choose from. Although the Android apps on the tablet do not get the same kind of praise as Apple's apps on the iPad, let's be honest -- out of 700,000 apps, there has to be some good ones.
"Thanks to snakebye viper's unique software, you'll be able to categorize apps faster than ever and find just what you're looking in the blink of an eye," the website reads. "The snakebyte vyper tablet is ready for demanding games and apps thanks to its quad-core processor. It's capable of rendering high detail and fluid graphics of even the most technically demanding games."
3. iPhone 6:
It is still not officially clear whether the next iPhone release will be the iPhone 6, but most signs are at least pointing towards two iPhone releases in 2014 -- even if they do not come simultaneously. This will be a huge test for Apple after the iPhone 5c did not have the kind of effect that some may have hoped. It was, after all, something very new for Apple after about a half dozen years of releasing one phone at a time.
What can we expect Apple to improve on with the next iPhone? Whether we like it or not, it appears that Apple is embracing the challenge of increasing the iPhone size -- even though the size was already boosted with the iPhone 5. Some rumors have suggested that the iPhone releases in 2014 could feature two different sized screens -- however, this has not been confirmed and there could be some question as to whether or not this is going to become a reality.
4. Tablet Keyboards: Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover:
We know there are a wide selection of tablets, but iPad still serves as the most premier tablet on the market. However, the issue that comes up with tablet users is that it can become difficult to type on a different kind of keyboard than the one we are used to on our computers or on our smaller phones. Thus, it would be wise to take a look at how the tablet keyboards are going to be in 2014 -- could they be so good that you would be willing to ditch your laptop and just use your tablet?
Finding a light tablet is already one obstacle to overcome but finding a light keyboard is even more of a challenge to some. Feel free to look around, but the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is a great choice and it connects right to iPads via a special magnetic hinge. Once you are ready to use the keyboard, all you have to do is remove the tablet from the cover and put it in the area above the keyboard.
PC World reported that Gartner Research said that the worldwide tablet marked is expected to grow 47 percent in the upcoming year -- an extradinary jump. As people become more accustomed to the idea of having a tablet and as users get more acclimated to their own device, we could see more and more tablets replacing laptop computers in the not-so-distant future.
5. The Samsung Galaxy S5:
This phone is expected to make its way to the shelves in the next few months -- perhaps around the same time as the last Galaxy S4 release -- and Android fans have plenty to be excited about. According to some rumors, we could have the option to choose from either a hard metal shell or a plastic one -- much like we saw with the iPhone releases.
The most interesting rumor so far, however, is that the phone could boast eye-scanning technology that would allow you to simply unlock the phone with your own eyes. It will be interesting to see how this plays out down the road.
Concluding Notes:
These are just a handful of the many tech gadgets that could come our way in 2014. Some of the companies will surprise us with special features that we did not anticipate and others will disappoint us after big expectations. Whatever happens, one thing remains certain: It will be a big year for the tech world.
What do you think about everything on this list? Are you saving up to splurge on one of these at some point in 2014 or are you going to wait and see how it all turns out first? Let us know in the comments section!