The Morning After: CES 2024 kicks off with transparent displays from Samsung and LG
They look good. They look expensive.
Viva Las Vegas! I am contractually obliged to write that in at least one of our posts at CES 2024. So I’m getting it out of the way early. This year, LG and Samsung brought out the big guns, both revealing similar (but technically very different) transparent displays for assembled media and analysts to gaze at and wonder… why.
I’m being cynical, of course. LG, first of all, revealed a wireless transparent OLED. The 77-inch OLED T also taps into the company’s work in wireless transmission technology, reducing wiring needs to power alone. To ensure the display still offers black-enough blacks, a contrast screen rolls down into a box at the base of the OLED T.
A few hours later, Samsung revealed its own transparent display, but it used MicroLED. Samsung showcased the transparent MicroLED display side-by-side next to transparent OLED (oh, snap) and transparent LCD models to emphasize the brighter capabilities of MicroLED. Oh, and it wasn’t only bezel-less — it was frameless.
Lots of questions remain: pricing, availability, and once again, why? The onus is on LG and Samsung to make a case for what will be incredibly expensive displays.
Remember to follow along with all the big CES reveals (and insider views) right here.
— Mat Smith
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You know what’s also transparent? A cat flap. Don’t worry, it’s also high-tech and expensive. Flappie’s AI-powered cat door automatically locks if your kitty tries to bring in its caught prey. The flap uses sensors and cameras to detect if your cat has a present — very dead present — for you. Flappie says it has compiled a “unique and proprietary” dataset over the years, which ensures its AI-powered detection system is accurate more than 90 percent of the time. Flappie plans to launch its pet door in Switzerland and Germany later this spring, but there are plans for a US launch. It’ll be $399.
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Hide Dolby Atmos audio behind your framed photos.
This just looks… nice? Samsung also announced the Music Frame. It’s a wireless speaker that pulls double duty as home decor, like Samsung’s popular Frame TV series. There’s no screen here, though. Instead, you literally use it as a frame for your printed photos or art. There is no word on pricing or availability for the Music Frame, but expect to hear more in 2024.
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JBL adds a touchscreen case to 3 new wireless earbud models
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