NBC News and MSNBC business correspondent Olivia Sterns and NBC News producer Chiara Sottile are among the hundreds of journalists covering the Consumer Electronics Show, the biggest conference to hit Las Vegas every year, where the newest innovations from around the world are debuted.
“I’m excited about us giving people an inside look into our reporting tactics beyond what they might see on television,” Sottile told TVNewser before revealing that the secret to their success at CES is using a golf cart to navigate the massive marketplace at the Las Vegas Convention Center. We caught up with Sterns for her first interview since joining NBC News in October, asking 5 Questions about cool gadgets, how technology can change our lives and her move from Bloomberg TV to NBC News.
TVNewser: You’ve featured everything from smart refrigerators to BMW’s car of the future. What is the coolest thing you’ve seen at CES this year?
Sterns: The HTC Vive Virtual Reality headset blew my mind. I’ve seen other VR, and even tried Facebook’s Occulus headset here at CES, but the 3-D optics on HTC’s device are a step above. It also has a built-in camera in the front–so you can actually see things in real life too and not run into them. The potential applications are so exciting–from medical use to architecture to education.
TVNewser: Is there a particular product that should be in every American home a decade from now?
Sterns: Jibo the robot. “He” is the brainchild of Cynthia Breazeal, who directs the Personal Robots group at MIT’s Media Lab. Jibo is a social robot that interacts with the family, intelligently tracks actions around him, can act as a personal assistant, photographer, video conference, teacher and more. It’s still a long way off from Rosie on the Jetsons, but it’s the closest thing to “her” that I’ve seen.
TVNewser: Does all this technology actually make life easier?
Sterns: That’s the trillion dollar question. A lot of the innovations around smart home products in particular can seem like we’re complicating devices unnecessarily. After all, how many things do you really need your washing machine to do besides clean? But long-term I’m certain that a lot of this new technology will help us live longer, more productive and healthier lives. If we just find the patience to learn how to use it all. Hopefully that learning process also becomes more intuitive in time–no more VCR manuals.
TVNewser: Do you have anything fun, non-work related, planned while in Vegas? Maybe a show or a meal you’re looking forward to?
Sterns: If we had time I’d love to see Cirque de Soleil, but we won’t. Honestly, I’m looking forward to sleeping on Friday night.
TVNewser: So far, what are the biggest cultural differences between working for NBC News and Bloomberg TV?
Sterns: I’m moving at a quicker pace and covering a broader array of content across more platforms: Today, Nightly, MSNBC and digital. I’m also getting to focus more on consumer angles that are important to our viewers. The environment is collaborative and supportive. You genuinely feel that everyone is rooting for you.