The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 is just around the corner, returning to Las Vegas from January 7-10, and it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable event. As the world’s most powerful tech event, CES brings together global companies, innovative startups, industry executives, media, and government leaders to showcase the latest advancements in technology.

A Glimpse into CES 2025

With over 4,500 exhibitors, including approximately 1,400 startups and more than 1,100 speakers participating in over 300 conference sessions, CES 2025 promises a wealth of knowledge, networking opportunities, and groundbreaking innovations. According to Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), “We’re ready to DIVE IN to CES 2025,” emphasizing the momentum heading into the show with a record 3,400+ Innovation Award submissions.

Key Features to Explore

Here are some of the must-see highlights at CES 2025:

1. Artificial Intelligence: AI will dominate the CES landscape, with generative AI at the forefront of innovation. Expect to see how AI enhances user experiences, increases productivity, and advances healthcare. Key exhibitors include LG, Samsung, and Siemens.
2. Digital Health: From increasing longevity to improving health equity, the digital health sector will showcase technologies aimed at empowering patients. Major participants include AARP, Resmed, and Withings.
3. Energy Transition: Dive into discussions and innovations addressing the energy transition, with a conference track focused on shaping a sustainable future. Leading exhibitors include Eaton and SK.
4. Mobility Innovations: Explore the future of mobility, encompassing everything from passenger cars to marine tech. Key players like BMW and Waymo will highlight advancements aimed at creating a more connected world.
5. Quantum Technologies: Discover how quantum mechanics is paving the way for improved security and innovation in technology. This year’s CES will feature a dedicated program in partnership with Quantum World Congress.
6. Sustainability: Witness technologies that target emissions reduction and energy efficiency. Exhibitors such as D-Carbonize and Jackery will present their sustainable innovations.

Must-See Keynotes and Conference Tracks

CES 2025 features an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, including:

• NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang: Kicking off the event on January 6 at Mandalay Bay.
• Panasonic’s Yuki Kusumi and CTA’s Gary Shapiro on January 7 at The Venetian.
• Delta Air Lines’ Ed Bastian: This keynote will be held at the incredible Sphere venue, combined with an immersive exhibit featuring Lenny Kravitz.

In addition, engaging conference tracks will cover topics like accessibility, energy transition, digital health, and the creator economy, with sessions led by industry experts and innovators.

Experience the Show Floor

CES 2025 will feature dedicated areas for varied sectors:

• LVCC Central Hall: Explore the best in home tech and immersive entertainment.
• North Hall: Focused on smart communities and IoT.
• South Hall: Highlighting accessories and products aimed at improving everyday life.
• West Hall: A showcase of the mobility ecosystem.
• C Space®/ARIA: Where brands and content creators can meet to discuss the latest trends.
• The Venetian: The hub for digital health and smart living solutions, as well as the Innovation Awards Showcase in Eureka Park.

Engage with Innovative Startups

Eureka Park at The Venetian will feature nearly 1,400 startups from around the globe, showcasing groundbreaking advancements that could shape the future of technology. This is a must-visit area for anyone interested in entrepreneurship and innovation!

Media and Networking Opportunities

Media Days, taking place on January 5-6, will allow journalists to hear breaking news and product previews from top brands. Events like CES Unveiled and CES Tech Trends will provide invaluable insights into the tech landscape for the upcoming year.

Conclusion

If you’re passionate about technology, innovation, and the future, CES 2025 is not to be missed! With a diverse array of exhibitors, engaging keynotes, and trendsetting conference sessions, this year’s event promises to be a transformative experience. Join the tech community in Las Vegas for what’s sure to be an inspiring deep dive into the future of technology. Don’t forget to download the CES app for planning and navigation, ensuring you make the most of this powerful event!

For the latest news and information, visit CES.tech. Register for CES 2025 here.

About CES^®:  
CES is the most powerful tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world’s biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2025 takes place Jan. 7-10, 2025, in Las Vegas. Learn more at CES.tech and follow CES on social.

About Consumer Technology Association (CTA)^®:  
 As North America’s largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world’s leading innovators – from startups to global brands – helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES® – the most powerful tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech. Follow us @CTAtech.

Advertisement

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

https://stmdailynews.com/

Please leave this field empty

Want more stories
“Your morning jolt of Inspiring & Interesting Stories!”

Sign up to receive awesome articles directly to your inbox.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Please check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Smart devices for your home, office and while on the go

(Family Features) Technology is constantly evolving, so it’s not always easy to keep up with the latest gadgets and gizmos. From PCs and smart wearables to earbuds, smartphones, mixed reality devices and beyond, updated devices provide solutions for practical purposes and entertainment alike.

This season’s latest and greatest devices bring new opportunities to explore and engage for everyone – students, parents and everyone in between. With cutting-edge technology and top-tier performance, these innovative devices transform entertainment, empower more connections and help you work together with ease.

Learn more about what’s powering your favorite tech devices at qualcomm.com/snapdragon.

A Classic Comeback

Its launch 20 years ago was groundbreaking, but the Motorola Razr+ expands the boundaries of smartphone technology even further. This stylish, pocket-sized smartphone brings the power of AI to more users’ hands and offers a 50-megapixel, high-res camera system and a host of AI-powered camera features. It’s also one of the world’s first flip phones to feature the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, allowing users to explore AI through accelerated performance, unparalleled connectivity, fast-paced gameplay and better content capture.

See Things Your Way

From music festivals and birthday parties to first steps, graduations and beyond, Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses free you from the constraints of a handheld camera. Instead of keeping the world at arm’s length (or missing out on the action completely as you struggle with your smartphone’s lock screen), these smart glasses, powered by the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 Platform, let you snap a photo or video clip from your unique point of view, allowing you to relive the moment and truly live in it, too.

Time and Place for Everything

Kids love to move, bounce, run and play, but they love video games, too. Bring these ideas together with Fitbit Ace LTE, powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 wearable platform, with fully immersive, interactive 3D games on their wrists. Each game is built specifically for the device using haptics, sounds, the accelerometer and more to deliver fun and engaging gameplay. The watch recognizes and rewards all sorts of physical activity, whether playing hide and seek, jumping on the bed or having a dance-off, by unlocking more game time the more they move.

It’s All in Your Head

From watching your favorite TV shows on a cinema-sized screen to your own personal trainer you can take anywhere you go, the Meta Quest 3S mixed reality device offers something for everyone. The headset, which also features multitasking capabilities, gaming and more, is powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 Platform and is an ideal choice for someone new to mixed reality and immersive experiences or who might have been waiting for a more affordable upgrade.

Your Partner in Time

If you’re looking for a smartwatch that simultaneously supports your daily activity while motivating you, too, the OnePlus Watch 2 is packed with flagship features, including exceptional battery and charging performance for unrivaled reliability and longevity. It features Dual-Engine Architecture powered by two different flagship chipsets, the Snapdragon W5 performance chipset and the BES 2700 MCU Efficiency chipset, so it’s well-equipped to handle background activity and simple tasks simultaneously with more demanding tasks, like running favorite apps.

Listen and Learn

If you’re looking for a better balance between connecting and disconnecting, Bose Ultra Open Earbuds feature an innovative cuff-shaped design that provides top-level comfort for all-day wear without making you choose between immersive audio and awareness. In addition, because they attach to the side of your ear, you can wear them with glasses, a hat or jewelry and they won’t interfere, and thanks to their integrated Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite, you can count on seamless, robust connectivity.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (family using tablet)

SOURCE:
Qualcomm

Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.

Shariq Siddiqui, Indiana University

The growth of “halal mortgages” over the past 20 years has expanded financial access to homeownership for many Muslims. Halal mortgages provide interest-free loans in keeping with Islamic beliefs.

These mortgages are available in over 80 countries that have a significant Muslim population, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, Bahrain, Indonesia and Pakistan, where they account for the vast majority of the global US$3.9 trillion Islamic finance economy.

Access to halal mortgages has been growing in the United States. Until 1997, no financial institution was willing to offer halal mortgages, but in 2024, over 25 banks had made them available.

The Conversation asked Shariq Siddiqui, assistant professor and director of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at Indiana University, to explain halal mortgages.

What are halal mortgages?

Halal mortgages are a tool of Islamic finance and offer an equitable way to gain homeownership. They emphasize risk-sharing and mutual cooperation with the aim of checking unfair exploitation and wealth accumulation in the hands of a few. In such a system, money is a means of exchange rather than a commodity that generates profit.

What are the religious roots of Islamic finance?

The Muslim holy book, the Quran, and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, the Sunnah, prohibit riba, (interest), maisir (speculation) and gharar (uncertainty or uneven risk).

Advertisement

For example, the Quran says, “O you who believe, do not eat up the amounts acquired through ribā (interest), doubled and multiplied. Fear Allah, so that you may be successful.”

Over time, Muslims have sought to develop systems that adhere to these rules. These include bonds that do not receive interest but are based on profit-sharing; socially responsible mutual funds that comply with ethical rules; and insurance that provide protection through a communal fund.

Since World War II, however, monetary policies in the global financial market are largely based upon interest.

How does Islamic financing work in modern context?

In the modern context, Muslims use contract law for economic activity and offer home mortgages without interest. For example, as an attorney, I would develop mortgage contracts that would allow buyers and sellers to transact without interest. This “mortgage” contract would be recorded with the county.

Traditionally, there are three kinds of halal mortgages. In the first, known as ijara, the bank purchases the property and leases it to the homeowner; the homeowner pays rent, principal payments and bank charges; the buyer’s share in the home remains the same until the entire loan is paid off.

Diminishing musharaka is another type of joint ownership plan between the bank and the buyer. The buyer makes principal monthly payments and pays bank charges rather than interest. With each principal payment, the ownership of the buyer increases and the bank’s ownership decreases.

In the third type, murabaha, the bank purchases the home and resells it immediately to the buyer at a higher price – termed as profit. The buyer typically pays a 20% down payment. Thereafter, the buyer makes fixed interest-free payments until the loan is paid off.

What is the availability of halal mortgages in the US?

In 2001 and 2003, respectively, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae started buying Islamic mortgage products to provide extra liquidity in the U.S. Islamic finance market. These government-backed housing giants work under the conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and are one of the principal means of bolstering homeownership in the United States.

Advertisement

These mortgage buyers have grown to become the main investors in Islamic mortgages. For example, Freddie Mac has invested in Guidance Residential, one of the largest halal mortgage companies in the U.S.

What are the advantages?

These systems ensure that there is mutual risk-taking between the bank and the homebuyer. For example, should the homebuyer be unable to keep up payments, their prior principal payments are protected and not consumed by the interest. Furthermore, if the home loses value, both homebuyer and bank proportionally lose out on the principal value of the home.

They require greater transparency on costs, fees and responsibilities; both parties are required to work together and fulfill their obligations.

This reduces the risk of failures like the subprime lending crisis, when banks overvalued homes and financed mortgages that buyers could not afford, leading to a global recession in 2008.

What are the downsides?

Halal mortgages are more expensive and more difficult to enter into, as they require a down payment of at least 20%. Furthermore, they are not available in every state in the United States.

Additionally, many Muslims are unwilling to deposit their money in banks, if those banks are required to pay interest or earn part of their revenue based upon interest.

Shariq Siddiqui, Assistant Professor & Director of the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative, Indiana University

Advertisement

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Welcome to the Consumer Corner section of STM Daily News, your ultimate destination for savvy shopping and informed decision-making! Dive into a treasure trove of insights and reviews covering everything from the hottest toys that spark joy in your little ones to the latest electronic gadgets that simplify your life. Explore our comprehensive guides on stylish home furnishings, discover smart tips for buying a home or enhancing your living space with creative improvement ideas, and get the lowdown on the best cars through our detailed auto reviews. Whether you’re making a major purchase or simply seeking inspiration, the Consumer Corner is here to empower you every step of the way—unlock the keys to becoming a smarter consumer today!

https://stmdailynews.com/category/consumer-corner