I’ll be honest, I use to follow CES well before Android was even born. This is because I’m a huge videogame and technology fan and CES has been quite generous in launching new and innovative technologies. It seems that companies are stepping up their CES offerings this year and launching quite a few amazing Android products that will come into play as the year moves on. This article will highlight some of the best products that can potentially be used in Android devices or be our Android devices themselves. So, let’s get on with the best Android products at CES 2017 list.
1. QUALCOMM Snapdragon 835
While the latest flagship processor from QUALCOMM was announced back in November last year, it was officially shown to the public at CES 2017. One of the biggest focus of this new processor is virtual-reality and the company focused on it on the show floor as well. Although there were no partners announced for the latest flagship chipset, I’m pretty sure that a ton of Android manufacturers are already planning to use it in their next flagship device. Another significant point to be noted here is that this is the first major CPU to be built on the 10 nm processor. This means that the chipset will be great performers as well as have power efficiency improvements. I’m sure that we’ll be seeing ton of Snapdragon 835 this year, possibly in the non-exploding variant of Samsung Galaxy Note 8 US version which will inevitably be released later this year.
2. Asus ZenFone AR
Asus came in swinging this CES and announced 2 different smartphones, both of them come with unique offerings. However, while the Asus ZenFone Zoom is an impressive piece of hardware, the augmented reality version of the smartphone took the limelight. This is the first Android smartphone to combine Google’s Daydream VR with Tango AR. This marriage of virtual-reality with augmented reality results in something spectacular. Granted that Lenovo first tried their hand on AR well before Asus, Asus managed to make a very stunning piece of hardware both in specs as well as looks. The Asus ZenFone AR comes with bleeding edge specs inside it, chief among the highlights is the 8 GB of RAM. The smartphone certainly has me drooling over it and I’ll be sure to check it out as soon as I can get my hands on it.
3. BlackBerry Mercury
Back in the 2000’s Nokia dominated the smartphone field but Blackberry had the business market locked down firmly. Over the years Blackberry has lost its grip on the smartphone market but with this product, they are aiming to change that. While technically, the BlackBerry Mercury is still a concept that certainly seems like the hardware is almost finished. It is running on the Android operating system and that’s not what makes it different than other smartphones. The BlackBerry Mercury comes with a full candy bar QWERTY keyboard underneath the fairly large screen. I assume that most loyal Blackberry fans are familiar with this type of keyboard, it was quite the rage back in the days. So, by combining Android with their well-polished hardware, Blackberry aims to capture its fair share of the pie. All I have to say is it’s about time that the company made a big Android-centric move.
4. Nvidia Shield 2017
To be fairly honest Nvidia Shield is only Android TV that captures your attention immediately. If you want to gain everything from gaming to watching movies and from browsing YouTube to streaming Games of Thrones, then this Android TV is made for you. The 2017 version of Nvidia Shield was announced at CES 2017 and there are several improvements that are in motion. For one, only Android TV is getting better and faster and at the same time smaller and affordable. The gamepad is also seeing an updated design which will surely make it more comfortable to hold for a longer duration. The Nvidia Shield was featured on our best Android TV list as well and it seems that we will be updating the list with this new version soon. As a side note, I was quite disappointed when Nvidia didn’t announce their new GTX 1080ti graphics card, but the Nvidia Shield softened the blow.
5. Garmin Fenix 5
There were a lot of Android wear devices being shown at CES 2017 but this particular one was eye-catching. Previously I was not aware of a company called Garmin, probably because I’m not interested in an Android wear smartwatches yet. Looking back at their portfolio, I think I have missed a true gem of an Android wear watch. This is the 5th iteration of the Android wear smartwatch and it looks fantastic. One would argue that these devices are not exactly smart watches but fitness trackers with a bit of smartwatch sprinkled in and they would be right. The smart watches are not exactly affordable and obviously are not made for everyone but they are remarkable in design and durability. If you like to keep fit and you also happen to use some of the best running apps for Android, Garmin Fenix 5 is one of the best fitness smartwatches you can purchase.
Conclusion
These were a few great Android products at CES 2017. I’m pretty sure I have missed a few other Android related products in this list but these were the cream of the crop. Granted, the CES show is not always about Android devices but I was quite satisfied with the Android variety available at the show. So what do you think about these smartphones and gadgets? Are you going to purchase some of these products or are you going to wait for the technology to further develop before investing? I’m quite interested in what Asus is doing in the smartphone market and will probably upgrade to their flagship this coming year. Do talk to us in the comments and share your own views with us. Feature Image Credits
