The Consumer Electronics Show has come to an end, with a focus on 5G, televisions, autonomous vehicles and a weird and wonderful range of new gadgets.

The second half of CES – one of the biggest tech shows of the year – saw a specific focus on the opportunities and growth of 5G technologies, with a number of major companies making big strides in the space, along with some new TVs straight out of a sci-fi movie and a bread-making robot.

Big TVs

This year’s installment of CES saw a number of interesting announcements in the television space, with bigger screens with higher definition.

LG went in a different direction though, unveiling its new rollable screen. The OLED TV R has a 65-inch screen which can silently retract itself into the soundbar when not in use.

With a panel that slides over the slot, the screen becomes completely invisible in a matter of seconds.

The soundbar can also play music when the screen is retracted, with the screen able to emerge a quarter of the way up in “Line View” mode.

The TV is set to be available in Australia in the second half of this year, but is likely to be quite expensive.

Apples opens up

Apple announced that it would be integrating its platform with a number of TV providers, in a major step away from its usual closed-off network.

The biggest news was that Apple will be releasing iTunes onto Samsung TVs, the company’s biggest competitors in the smartphone space.

“We look forward to bringing the iTunes and AirPLay 2 experience to even more customers around the world through Samsung Smart TVs, so iPhone, iPad and Mac users have yet another way to enjoy all their favourite content on the biggest screen in their home,” Apple senior vice president of internet software and services Eddy Cue said.

5G technologies

The potential for 5G to change our way of life and lead to the creation of a series of new technologies and opportunities was a key focus of CES 2019.

Telco giant AT&T outlined how 5G could transform smart cities, with VP of Internet of Things and general manager of Smart Cities Mike Zeto describing a number of projects in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

“We really believe that 5G is fundamental for smart cities in the use cases that drive the value of the citizens, whether it be bridging the digital divide, providing infrastructure for businesses to expand, autonomous vehicles, public safety use cases, and emergency preparedness,” Zeto said.

“5G is really going to make a difference.”

In Las Vegas, the company will be trialing a new smart lighting solution with Ubicquia, aiming to improve public safety and energy efficiency, with the pilot running for six months in the Innovation District.

Smartphone giant Samsung also unveiled a prototype of its new 5G phone, displayed at the conference protected by a glass case. The phone is set to be released later this year.

“Our experience and effort have compelled commercialisation of 5G forward,” Samsung CEO HS Kim said at CES. “In the US we’re helping major carriers roll out 5G.”

Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon also espoused the vast potential of 5G to transform the lives of everyday people around the world.

“You will get a phone, and there are 30 models that have been announced that are going to be coming starting in Q2, that will have at least 10 times the speed you have today, with instant response time,” Amon said.

“Things you take for granted today, like storing music in the cloud, are going to spread to other areas. Video will be as easy to send and consume as music is today on a smartphone. The sport and news that you want will be instantly accessible.”

A bread-making robot

CES isn’t all about major and important announcements from large multinationals; it’s just as much about the strange and futuristic gadgets that smaller companies put on display.

This includes Bread Bot, which is exactly what you’d guess from the name: a fully-automated bread-making machine that can mix, kneed, proof, bake and sell its own bread.

The Wilkinson Baking Company product will be initially targeted at retailers that want to easily serve up fresh bread for their customers, but is likely to be transformed into an at-home option at some point too.

A new way to brush your teeth

In what sounds exactly like a dentist’s worst nightmare, a French company has displayed a new way to brush your teeth that takes only 10 seconds.

The FasTeesH Y-Brush resembles a mouthguard and requires the user to add toothpaste, insert it into their mouth, turn the motor on and make chewing motions for five seconds, before flipping it and doing the same.

The new brushing technology will set you back $US125.

Noise-cancelling for the car

Headphones titan Bose has applied its noise-cancelling technology to cars in order to take away the noise of the vehicle and allow the driver to be more exposed to outside noises.

Using microphones and an algorithm, the QuietComfort technology measures a car’s vibrations so it can eliminate the usual noises from the driving experience.

SmartOven

For the lazy and inexperienced cooks among us, this new oven can identify the food that is put inside it and decide itself how long it should be cooked using AI technology.

The SmartOven also lets the user to watch their food being cooked in real-time via its internal cameras.

The Whirlpool makes it almost impossible to burn your dinner, setting the temperature and cooking time itself.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) takes place every year in Las Vegas in January, giving an opportunity for some of the biggest tech companies in the world to make some major announcements, and other firms to show off their bleeding-edge technologies, from the potentially life-changing ones to some more novel discoveries.