CES 2017 was set to be the biggest so far, with more exhibitors, products, and visitors than ever before in its 50 year history. But one signal sparked my interest above everything else: increasing focus on how technology brings value over technology per se. It was hard to find anything not labeled "smart" or "intelligent" this year. While just a year ago AI seemed futuristic, people now expect it … and expect it to work straight out of the box. This is because we've reached sufficient maturity in what I call the 4Cs of useful AI: computing, connectivity, cognition, and convergence.

You won't have to use TiVo's in-house voice control to steer your DVR in the near future. TiVo has unveiled plans to add smart home integration, including voice control through Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant. If you have a supporting device like your phone, an Echo or Google Home, you can control your DVR without reaching for the remote. PCMag describes the functionality as different depending on which voice assistant you choose. Alexa is more about straightforward navigation control, while the Google Assistant support is more about searching for shows and tying in with other devices (such as dimming the lights when you're ready to watch).

Would your burger taste as delicious if it was made by a robot? You'll soon be able to find out at CaliBurger restaurants in the US and worldwide. Cali Group partnered with Miso Robotics to develop Flippy the burger robot, which made its debut this week at the Pasadena, California CaliBurger.

An IPO legitimize TPaaS (Telco Platform as a Service.) Huge firms seek to corner "Big Data in the Cloud." Start-ups take command of "The Internet of Things." These highly-ambiguous terms have replaced "Mobile", "Social" and "Collaboration" in the word clouds of the Digital Age. They are shiny objects with great growth potential and transformative power.