Tech Wonderland: The Ultimate Gadget Roundup from CES!

CES commenced on Sunday evening with Unveiled, a media-exclusive exhibition of a selection of gadgets that I found somewhat uninspiring. It’s not that there hasn’t been captivating technology revealed at the event, but it gets lost beneath layers of exaggeration, excessive promotion, and an ocean of jargon.

Above everything, however, each gadget seems overly preoccupied with artificial intelligence. I’ve encountered a few fascinating AI applications thus far, but the majority of what is branded as AI is simply not accurate. It seems that in the rush between the media and gadget company PR, firms feel compelled to present an AI narrative to grab attention. Additionally, the gadgets are often drowned out by the expansive, warehouse-like areas where they’re showcased. The magnitude of CES (and Las Vegas, for that matter) is immense, making everything else appear minuscule.

Nonetheless, there’s something unarguably enjoyable about CES. Exhilarating claims regarding answering calls from your washer/dryer merit the eye rolls they elicit, yet the true challenge is in the pursuit of discovering the gems within CES. There is a signal amidst all the promotional clamor, and that’s what Brendon and I will be searching for today as the exhibition floor opens for the first instance. With numerous products having been pre-announced, I thought it would be wise to create a summary of what has captured my interest that I will be monitoring on the CES exhibition floor.

LG UltraFine 6K Display

The edge-to-edge design of this forthcoming 32” 6K IPS monitor from LG is as impressive as its specifications. The monitor is also among the first to be revealed with support for Thunderbolt 5, potentially making it an excellent match for the M4 Mac mini and MacBook Pro. Although not all specifications have been unveiled yet, I’m eager to discover more on the exhibition floor.

Swippitt

At first glance, the Swippitt is captivating. Utilizing a combination of a specialized iPhone battery case and a device that resembles a toaster, the Swippitt exchanges spent battery packs with new ones when you insert your iPhone. The company claims to have a solution for future iPhone design modifications, which I sincerely hope is accurate, as otherwise, the Swippitt poses as an expensive short-lived charging convenience.

A Robotic Vacuum That Cleans Up After You

The Roborock Saros Z70 features a retractable robotic arm that extends from its center, which Roborock asserts can collect dirty laundry and other obstructions while it vacuums – as long as they weigh under 300 grams. This appears to be a promising concept that may be challenging to execute in reality, so I’m excited to observe a demonstration.

OWC’s Fiber Optic USB-4 Cable

If you’ve heard Federico discuss the King Kable he utilizes to connect an eGPU to his Legion Go, this announcement from OWC will be familiar. Indeed, OWC’s cable, which is available in lengths up to 4.5 meters, strongly resembles a rebranded King Kable with its matching design and connectors. Whether that assertion holds true or not, it’s fantastic to see longer USB-4 cables becoming more accessible.

A More Aesthetically Pleasing Smart Lock

I’ve refrained from purchasing a smart home lock for a couple of years as I disliked the appearance of any models that supposedly functioned well; I also sought a lock that would operate hands-free. The Schlage Sense Pro unveiled at CES appears to be what I’ve been searching for. It features a simple rounded rectangle shape with no buttons or embellishments, which I greatly appreciate. Additionally, it supports Matter-over-Thread and ultra-wideband for hands-free functionality.

Anker Solar-Powered Beach Umbrella

As reported by TechCrunch, Anker is set to launch a solar-powered beach umbrella later this year capable of providing 80W of power. There aren’t many additional specifics about the product yet, but I could envision this making its way onto Federico’s summer shopping list.

Bizarre CES

As always, I’m eager to discover peculiar and remarkable gadgets too. Here are a few early contenders that I’ll be looking for on the CES exhibition floor:

Acer Nitro Blaze 11

Numerous individuals have sent me this image of Acer’s newly released 11” Windows “portable” gaming console. It’s not the first 11” gaming tablet I’ve come across, but something about Acer’s promotional image makes it appear particularly massive. I desperately wish to capture a photo of Brendon with this device.

A Cuddly Robot Companion

On the whimsical side is a fuzzy little robotic entity that interacts with individuals while resting on a handbag. Long-time followers of my CES summaries will recognize my fondness for “Bizarre CES,” and Yukai Engineering, the maker of the Mirumi creature, consistently impresses, having previously launched a headless cat pillow and a soft toy that nibbles on your fingers.

You can keep track of our CES coverage here on MacStories.net under the tag ‘CES 2025’ and this designated RSS feed. You’ll also find two playlists on our YouTube channel: ‘NPC @ CES’ for handheld gaming updates and ‘MacStories @ CES’ for all other content.