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CNET's Next Big Thing at CES: New realities (Tuesday live blog)

CNET's supersession is one of the most popular events at CES. In 2015, we're taking an in-depth look at augmented reality, virtual reality and the amazing futures they'll enable. Catch it at 3:30 p.m. PT on January 6.

Tim Stevens Former editor at large for CNET Cars
Tim Stevens got his start writing professionally while still in school in the mid '90s, and since then has covered topics ranging from business process management to video game development to automotive technology.
Tim Stevens
2 min read

CNET

There's a new reality growing, a digital reality, a world of information and interaction evolved from concepts to objects. It's a world we've all built bit by bit, a world we access through our desktops and laptops and carry in our pockets inside our smartphones. Soon, those realities will escape these devices and be laid atop the real world.

In last year's Next Big Thing Supersession, we spoke about major improvements for hardware and how devices are getting better at detecting the world around you. This year, at CES 2015, we're looking at how devices enhance that world -- and create entirely new ones.

You can tune in to our live blog from Las Vegas from the comfort of your own reality. Just click on the link below:

Live blog: CNET's Next Big Thing, January 6, 3:30 p.m. PT

Or if you're at CES in person, join us for the standing-room-only session in North Hall, Room 257, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This much is certain: Virtual worlds are about to go mainstream. With Facebook's high-profile $2 billion acquisition of Oculus in 2014, it's clear that the industry thinks the time for virtual reality (VR) is near. While some applications like gaming seem natural, that sky-high valuation shows that VR is expected to have a far greater impact on your life.

And then there's augmented reality (AR), the art of applying the knowledge of the digital world on top of the physical. Google Glass is the poster child for AR, but that device barely scratches the surface of what's possible -- especially once the technology is ready to make for a seamless experience.

What does the future hold for the real world, augmented world and virtual world? That's the question Brian Cooley and I will pursue with a group of leaders in the complementary fields of VR and AR:

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Jeri Ellsworth -- Inventor of castAR and co-founder and chief hardware engineer at Technical Illusions
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photo credit: Derrick Coetzee
Palmer Luckey -- Founder of Oculus VR
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Jens Christensen -- CEO, Jaunt VR
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Ray Velez -- Global chief technology officer of Razorfish

Editors' note: This story was originally published December 16, 2014. It has been updated with the link to the live blog.