Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in technology, announced today that 30 of its new product innovations have been recognized as CES® 2019 Innovation Awards winners, including two Best of Innovations accolades. This prestigious program honors  devices and services that display outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge technology.

The awards highlight Samsung’s heritage of achievements in developing groundbreaking innovations that propel the industry forward. This year, Samsung’s award-winning honorees span a range of categories including Visual Display, Fitness, Sports and Biotech, Wireless Handset Accessories, Smart Home, Virtual and Augmented Reality, Computer Hardware, Components and Peripherals, In-Vehicle Audio/Video and Sustainability and Eco-Design.

“We’ve made significant investments in the areas of 5G, IoT and AI over the past year and it’s an honor to be recognized for our steadfast pursuit to helping consumers and the industry do what couldn’t be done before,” said Tim Baxter, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America. “I am so proud of the team’s creativity, drive and innovative approach to bring best in class solutions to market.”

The CES Innovation Awards are sponsored by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the owner and organizer of CES. Many of Samsung’s industry recognized products will be on display at CES 2019, which takes place January 8-11, 2019, in the Samsung booths (#15006) located in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Others will be displayed at the CES 2019 Innovation Awards Showcase, Venetian Resort Hotel, Level 2, Venetian Ballroom E/F.

Following are details on a selection of Samsung’s award-winning products:

Samsung Galaxy Note9 – The Galaxy Note series has long been recognized for launching Samsung’s latest groundbreaking innovations. The super powerful Galaxy Note9 builds on this legacy with a premium smartphone that delivers all day performance. With a powerful, all-day battery¹, a new S Pen that features Bluetooth Low-Energy connectivity, Samsung’s most intelligent camera yet, and up to a terabyte of storage², the Galaxy Note9 is the phone powerful enough to keep up with your busy life.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 – A 2-in-1 Android tablet designed for people who want to do more on the go, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 helps you work smarter by keeping you operating at the highest levels. With Samsung DeX, longer-lasting battery, refined S Pen, four speakers tuned by AKG, this new tablet makes for easier productivity and more immersive entertainment – anytime, anywhere.

Samsung Galaxy Watch – A premium, powerful smartwatch for those who want to do it all — and look good while doing it. Its long-lasting battery and LTE connectivity gives consumers a true standalone experience. With Samsung’s signature rotating bezel and more robust lineup of style options you get a smartwatch that looks like a traditional timepiece and is intuitive to use. With over 39 tracked exercises and activities and new sleep and stress management features, the powerful smartwatch keeps consumers focused on their health and wellness goals.

Wireless Charger Duo – A combination of the Fast Charge Wireless Charging Stand and the Wireless Charging Pad, the fast-charging two-in-one allows users to quickly charge their phone alongside another Qi-compatible phone or wearable simultaneously. The charger eliminates the need to fumble with cables each time you need to top up your devices’ batteries, while its built-in stand offers easy access to your phone’s screen.

Samsung DeX – Samsung DeX gives users a PC-like experience directly from their flagship Samsung Galaxy mobile device. It can be done by simply connecting a a mobile device to an external monitor, or changing a setting on Galaxy TabS4. DeX enables users to use their phone or tablet as a touch padboard or touch keypad. DeX also offers “dual mode,” so they can continue to use the phone or tablet while working on the external monitor—whether it’s participating in a video chat or drawing and taking notes.  Note9 users can also use their SPen to advance slides while in DeX mode on a larger screen.

SmartThings Tracker – A small, lightweight GPS tracking device connected through an LTE-M³ network that helps people quickly and more accurately keep track of what matters most. Whether it’s a gym bag lost at school or a pet that might have wandered too far from home, items can be easily tracked in real time through Samsung’s Android and iOS compatible SmartThings app⁴. Family members can also use SmartThings Tracker to stay connected by sending a location notification to the SmartThings app that alerts the rest of the family of their whereabouts. And, since it is SmartThings-enabled, the SmartThings Tracker can be used as an arrival sensor, triggering automations like a connected porch light turning on when the device is within range.

HMD Odyssey + – This Windows mixed reality headset captivates users in the stunningly crisp detail that offers comfort, so that they can stay immersed in their favorite games and content. In addition to its Super AMOLED displays, the HMD Odyssey+ features new display technology called the Anti-Screen Door Effect (anti-SDE), so gamers no longer have to worry about dizziness and distorted views. The premium design of the HMD Odyssey+ is perfectly complemented by rich and dynamic audio of AKG technology, including 360° spatial sound, as well as 110° field of view – all of which that delivers a more fluid and real-life user experience.

Samsung Galaxy A6 – For those who want to get more out of a more affordable smartphone, the Galaxy A6 features an immersive screen, powerful camera and a new level of convenience. With a Super AMOLED Infinity Display that brings your content to life with bright, rich colors and support for expandable storage up to 400GB, the Galaxy A6 offers plenty of room for videos, music and files. With 16MP front and rear cameras, users can capture stunning photos and selfies, and the F1.7 aperture on the rear camera helps keep pictures bright and clear in low-light settings.

Samsung 256GB 3DS DDR4 RDIMM – The industry’s fastest DDR4 and highest density memory module for next-generation enterprise server platforms is enabled with the finest high-density, high-performance consumer infrastructure solutions along, with extremely low-power consumption (15 watts at 1.2V).

Samsung 512GB Universal Flash Storage – The industry’s first 512-gigabyte embedded Universal Flash Storage (eUFS), for automotive A/V systems and next-gen flagship mobile devices, using Samsung’s new 64-layer 512-gigabit V-NAND chips. The 512GB eUFS package will transfer a 5GB-equivalent full HD video clip to an SSD in about six seconds, over 8X faster than a typical microSD card.

Samsung 3.84TB NVMe Z-SSD – The SZ1733 offers a new level of storage for supercomputing targeted for AI analysis, big data and IoT applications, using Samsung’s new Z-NAND chips that provide 10 times higher cell read performance than 3-bit V-NAND chips.

Samsung LM302S – The most user-oriented next generation lighting platform available to date is designed to improve work efficiency by achieving a healthier circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycles) throughout the day, by promoting daytime-to-evening continuity and healthy sleep. Samsung’s human-centric LED solution can improve a person’s concentration level by as much as 10% for greater work efficiency. Furthermore, it also can help people to sleep better at night due to the melatonin hormone having been suppressed by the LM302S during the daytime.

Samsung SSM-U Series – A new type of smart module featuring a series of tiny radar-based sensors with higher detecting sensitivity than conventional sensors, and invisible transmission for greater design flexibility in smart residential lighting. The SSM-U series can detect subtle movements and transmit the signal to other components to control lighting at the right time.

¹Average expected performance based on typical use. Actual battery life depends on factors such as network, features selected, frequency of calls, and voice, data, and other application-usage patterns.

²1TB requires compatible 512GB SD card (sold separately). Compatible 512GB SD card expected fall 2018; availability may vary by country. Actual storage space availability may vary depending on pre-installed software.

³LTE-M is also known as LTE CAT-M, CAT-M or CAT-M1.

⁴Compatible with smartphones that support Android 5.0 and up; iPhone 6 and up with iOS 11 or later.

Fusing rich visuals with crisp acoustics, the Samsung HMD Odyssey offers an experience that draws you in deeper to the world of mixed reality, a blend of virtual reality and augmented reality.

HMD Odyssey is a head-mounted display, developed to explore the world of Windows Mixed Reality. The headset was designed in partnership with Microsoft, creating a device that seeks to reimagine the realms of virtual reality through its high-resolution dual displays, AKG headphones, built-in microphone and intuitive installation.

Read on for our hands-on, first impressions look at the new mixed reality headset.

Out of the Box, Into the Game

Set-up is truly intuitive. As well as being ready to play right out of the box, the Samsung HMD Odyssey’s ergonomic design also allowed me to adjust the device to my satisfaction in moments.

The HMD Odyssey does not require any external motion sensors, thanks to its Inside-Out Position Tracking, which frees you from the confines of a single environment and allows you to plug and play, anywhere. Just connect the device to a compatible PC^* wherever you are and get ready to explore a virtual world.

To set up the HMD Odyssey, I first connected my device to a compatible PC. Next, I was instructed to point the headset towards my PC monitor, and draw the shape of the room, while keeping the headset facing the monitor. This allowed the device to map the physical space around me, and any obstacles, such as furniture and walls, in the physical world became “walls” in the virtual world, to prevent me from bumping into anything.

Everyone’s body is different, and the HMD Odyssey is designed for an optimal fit for everybody. For example, the hard type headband, with its cushioned Forehead Pad, is easily adjustable and ensures an even weight balance for hours of comfortable play. The headband can be tightened to sit snugly on the head, even while wearing glasses, and blocks out any surrounding light. A nice addition is the physical volume buttons, which mean that you can control sound levels with just one press, rather than scrolling through in-game controls. What is more, the Inter Pupillary Distance (IPD) Control Wheel, positioned under the goggles, adjusts the distance between the left and right dual displays, allowing you to find the perfect fit for your eyes.

See More, Experience More

At the heart of the full visual immersion is superior picture quality. The world may have been virtual, but the sharp, crystal clear images that surrounded me made it feel completely real.

The Samsung HMD Odyssey’s dual 3.5-inch AMOLED displays are finely tuned for the mixed reality experience, offering remarkable image definition.

At the same time as delivering more vibrant colors, deeper blacks and sharper contrast, the HMD Odyssey also renders motions more smoothly. The larger screen size and 1440×1600 high-resolution picture quality per each display on the left and right, provide a fluid and lifelike virtual experience, with fast focusing and a clear and stable experience overall.

The HMD Odyssey’s 110-degree Field of View alters the boundaries of the mixed reality world. The scope is greater than that of other devices and closer to the average person’s 120-degree real world field of view, allowing you to explore and move through worlds without viewing distortion, for heightened realism.

Achieving True Immersion

Incorporating the sense of sound through its built-in headphones and mic, the HMD Odyssey adds another crucial dimension to the mixed reality experience.

I was pulled further into the world by the device’s 360° Spatial Sound. By simulating 3D sound using direction, distance and environment, 360° Spatial Sound allowed me to pinpoint the source of noise in the virtual realm. The whole effect encourages you to use your hearing as you would in the real world, listening through built-in AKG headsets which produce clear, world-class acoustic and bass.

Whether working together as a team to clear missions and battle enemies, or simply chatting to other players, it is well known that building bonds a key part of the gamer’s experience. I found these bonds are even tighter with the HMD Odyssey’s fitted array mic, which allows players to communicate with each other mid-game, without ever having to remove the headset.

To help me navigate Windows Mixed Reality, the HMD Odyssey came equipped with two 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) motion controllers that tracked movements inside the mixed reality world. A tutorial guided me through using these tools when I first connected my device to a PC, in which I learnt how to maneuver through the world, performing actions like “teleport” to rapidly shift from one place to another.

I soon discovered that 6DOF goes beyond the three axes of regular VR controllers: I had the freedom to move not only straight – forward and back, up and down, left and right – but also in the rounded and rolling motions: yaw, pitch and roll. The HMD Odyssey headset also supports 6DOF, so that your head as well as your arms can control motion in the game.

Diving Into Windows Mixed Reality

The first place you will visit in your Windows Mixed Reality journey, and whenever you use the headset, is the Mixed Reality Portal. The portal appears in the virtual world as Cliff House, a spacious villa with an ocean view, that I could explore and customize to access all my Windows apps.

A wide range of apps and games can be downloaded from the Microsoft store, ready to make you feel totally immersed. There is also support for Steam VR, which has over 2,000 VR games in its catalogue^**.

My first game was the music-themed Rock&Rails, an exhilarating thrill-ride. I struggled not to flinch or recoil as I flew through the sky, fighting off enemies by shooting from my guitar. Rock&Rails is available from the Microsoft store with purchase of the Samsung HMD Odyssey headset, so you can get into the game as soon as you unbox your device^***.

With a set-up that is effortless, striking 1440×1600 resolution dual AMOLED displays, built-in AKG headphones and support for a wide range of games and media. Samsung’s HMD Odyssey provides all that you need to experience the exciting new realm of mixed reality.

^*Windows Mixed Reality requires a compatible Windows 10 PC and the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Compatibility may be checked using the Windows Mixed Reality PC Check tool available on the Microsoft Store.

^**Title availability is subject to change.

^***Bundle availability may change with location and date.