Self-driving cars! Artificially-intelligent stoves! High-tech collars that can show you exactly what your dog is seeing when he randomly starts barking at 3AM! These and other high-tech highlights are just a few of the thousands of cutting-edge and offbeat gadgets on display at the Consumer Electronics Show – America’s largest consumer technology trade event – which runs January 9-12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Offering a glimpse at what’s next in everything from smartphones to laptops, TVs, and even futuristic home appliances, following, you’ll find ten of the most unique and interesting items which caught our eye at this year’s show.
Lenovo Smart Display
Looking for an 8-inch or larger tabletop-ready tablet which can sit on a countertop in your kitchen or bedroom that makes it easy to access music, online searches, and smart home functions? This nifty accessory – which comes equipped with support for the voice-controlled Google Assistant – makes it effortless to control everyday high-tech needs with a spoken command. All it takes is a brief request to set alarms and reminders, access traffic and weather reports, place video calls to friends and family, and get the latest news report over your evening meal. Available around Q3 2018, with prices starting at $199, it’s designed to give Amazon’s Echo family a run for the money.
HTC Vive Pro
The latest edition of HTC’s popular virtual reality headset amps up visual resolution (think higher-quality graphics and more realistic 3D computer-generated landscapes to explore) and adds built-in headphones for a fully-integrated experience. Slip it on, and you’ll be dropped into lifelike digital landscapes that are ready for exploration and adventure – and look far sharper and more polished than first-edition counterparts could ever hope. You can fully experience the difference in first-person shooters, high-energy action sequences, and other VR demonstrations where visuals play a significant role in promoting suspension of disbelief.
Samsung The Wall TV
Because, really, who wouldn’t want a 146-inch television capable of displaying at ultra-high-definition image resolutions, and that’s designed to take advantage of tiny LED arrays to offer richer, brighter colors and deeper picture contrasts? (Or, for that matter, the kind of home which could fit one?) Designed to show off the power of new microLED technology, this stunning set – which measures more than 12 feet across – delivers the kind of huge, lifelike images you’d typically have to hit an IMAX theater to catch, minus the $20 surcharge for a small drink and popcorn.
Ultra Game Boy
Still trying to master the art of matching falling blocks in Tetris? Thanks to Hyperkin’s remake of the popular old-school gaming handheld, which offers six hours of battery life, USB-C connectivity, and hipster street cred in spades, you can catch up on lost classics between layovers. Capitalizing on the growing popularity of new ways to play old 8-bit digital diversions – see Nintendo’s popular NES and SNES Classic sets – it invites enthusiasts obsessed with modern-day dynamo systems like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One X to revisit a simpler era of interactive entertainment. Models, which will retail for around $100, also add stereo speakers so you can enjoy every nostalgic bleep and bloop in style.
Acer Swift 7
Among the thinnest laptops on the market, this handy notebook clocks in at just 0.35 inches thick – slimmer than many smartphones. But despite cutting back on girth, it doesn’t sacrifice on power and performance: You’ll find that models pack in a 14-inch high-definition display, Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of onboard space for storing programs, files, music, movies and more. While battery life (around 10 hours) is less than that of rivals such as the LG Gram (which boasts nearly a full day’s charge), it’s hard to argue with the engineering of this bite-sized (or is that byte-sized?) travel companion.
Huawei Honor View 10
Among the most novel smartphones out this year, this 5.99-inch model (due out in Q1 2018) packs artificially intelligent camera software capable of auto-detecting photo scene settings (i.e. a self-portrait vs. action hot) and adjusting lens/image settings without user input. Other clever touches include support for facial recognition, so you can unlock the device more easily, and enough horsepower and memory under the hood to quickly load and swap between even the most high-end applications without batting an eyelash. You don’t have to be a shutterbug to appreciate this helpful handset – but it’ll definitely leave a lasting impression.
Garmin Speak Plus
Don’t have support for voice commands built into your household car? This practical gizmo – which connects to your phone via Bluetooth once attached to your windshield and plugged into your cigarette adapter – can help give that old hooptie a high-end upgrade. Once installed, you can use spoken-word prompts to get directions, activate dash cam features, call up songs and playlists, and access a variety of online functions. It effectively adds hands-free navigation and entertainment controls to a wide selection of vehicles for under $250.
Vuzix Blade
If you fancy the promise of augmented reality (AR) – a.k.a. the practice of superimposing computer-generated images and digital pop-ups over real-world scenes – but not the fashion sense of most gadgets that enable it, Vuzix has just the accessory for you. Enter the company’s new Blade smart glasses, which tone down the geek factor while amping up the device’s usability and expanding its range of features by adding support for Amazon’s voice-controlled Alexa digital assistant. Just be warned: Early predictions place prices around $1000.
FordwardX Robotis CX-1
Seemingly ripped straight out of The Jetsons comes the idea of a robotic, self-driving suitcase that’s capable of steering along behind you at the airport as you head for the gate. Featuring built-in sensors and four-wheel-drive capabilities to help avoid obstacles, the device is intelligent enough to automatically glide around hazards and stay at a comfy distance. An internal battery even allows it to double as a portable power station, so you can use the CX-1 to charge other gadgets.
Kohler Numi
Thought you’d seen it all? Here’s a first: An Internet-connected toilet. Capable of responding to spoken-word instructions (say, to flush, raise the toilet seat, or fire off the bidet) via Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, or Google Assistant, it hopes to bring a little bit of the 21st century into your boudoir. There are even built-in speakers so you can sing along with favorite tunes while sitting on the can.
Contributing Editor Tim Stanton is a longtime veteran of the nightlife and entertainment scene who covers bars, restaurants, travel, technology, and other topics. A noted high-enthusiast and foodie, he's our resident go-to guy for inside tips on your city's most promising options.
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