While we definitely get hyped over smart home tech here, CES is home to a smorgasbord of gadgets and concepts that give us a peek at what’s coming.
And we can’t wait to see these products hit store shelves this 2023!
The age of wireless TVs?
Televisions are one of the cornerstone products of CES. And this year’s standout innovation involves wires—or the lack of them. The Displace TV goes the ambitious route with a completely wireless TV. It has vacuum suctions that allow it to stick to any surface. And it comes with hot-swappable batteries to power it.
But it is similar to LG’s new Signature OLED M3, which gets audio and video wirelessly from a base station. LG’s option gets a power cord, though. But everything else is done wirelessly. Be ready to shell out a large amount for either television. The Displace TV will cost a hefty USD 3,000, while LG has yet to reveal the price for this premium OLED. If past LG Signature TVs are to go by, it’ll be expensive.
Lenovo’s versatile gadgets
One of our favorites from the show is an unusual laptop form factor. The two-screened laptop isn’t new, but we like what Lenovo did with the new Yoga Book 9i. This sleek gadget is a great mix of form and function. It comes in a gorgeous teal shade and offers more useful configurations than your typical laptop.
But that isn’t all that caught our eye at CES 2023. Lenovo plays around with e-ink screens on its new gadgets.
There’s the fourth-generation Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Twist with an extra 12-inch e-ink display on the back cover, which supports touch and a stylus. As its name suggests, you can twist the screen to use it as your main display (instead of its 13.3-inch OLED screen) or use it as an e-ink tablet.
There’s also the Kindle Scribe-esque Lenovo Smart Paper. It’s an e-ink tablet that the company describes as a “digital notepad.” With an e-ink screen, it makes it easier to read walls of text or scroll down ideas as you would on a regular notepad.
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i ThinkBook Plus Twist will be available in June at a starting price of USD 2,099.99 and USD 1,649, respectively. Meanwhile, the Lenovo Smart Paper will come later this year at a starting price of USD 399.99.
Citizen CZ Smart
The new Citizen CZ Smart is following a trend in the wearable space that we welcome. It gives you context over the health data it collects, so you’d make the most of your energy levels. If you’re the type that loves optimizing your day, it’s the kind of smartwatch for you. The Citizen CZ Smart will be available in March at a starting price of USD 375.
ASUS’ glass-free 3D laptop & controller with a built-in screen
ASUS has also revealed several gadgets at CES, but the notable ones for us are the two mentioned in this subheading’s title. ASUS experiments with glass-free 3D on its laptops through the new ProArt Studiobook 16 and the upcoming Vivobook Pro 16X. With its Spatial Vision technology, you can view 3D models or watch 3D content without needing glasses. It’s a pretty niche segment still. But we appreciate ASUS for trying something out.
The company’s gaming arm, the Republic of Gamers, also introduced a new intriguing peripheral. The ASUS ROG Raikiri Pro is an officially licensed Xbox controller with a built-in OLED screen. It can show everything from custom images, battery life, to microphone status. With “tri-mode” connectivity, it supports Bluetooth 2.4GHz, RF, or USB-C. It even has a built-in ESS DAC for great audio.
ASUS hasn’t revealed pricing for these devices yet, but they are expected to launch in the second quarter of 2023.
LG ARTCOOL Gallery
We probably should’ve included this in our smart home tech list, but you might get tired of us talking about this appliance. The LG ARTCOOL Gallery appeals to our affinity for gadgets that don’t look like tech. This air conditioner cleverly masks its tech with the help of a 27-inch LCD screen you can turn into a digital frame for artwork or family photos. LG hasn’t revealed the pricing for this one yet.
L’Oreal Brow Magic
As someone who doesn’t have the patience to put on eyebrows regularly, the L’Oreal Brow Magic is the literal magic beauty gadget for me. It will still need a steady hand, of course. But the simplicity of swiping on what’s basically a temporary tattoo on your brows is fascinating to see. And the demos we’ve seen so far look quite natural. L’Oreal hasn’t revealed the exact price, but it might range between USD 149 and 199.
Displays on wireless earbuds
Before you ask, the displays aren’t on the earbuds themselves, but on their charging cases. And we’ve seen a couple of brands bring this to the table at CES. There’s the HP Poly Voyager Free 60 Plus and the JBL Tour Pro 2. These two devices let you check battery levels, control music playback, and even your notifications or other phone functions.
The Poly Voyager Free even turns into a wireless transmitter for the earbuds. It has an analog-to-USB-C cable that you can plug the charging case into, say, a seatback headphone jack on a plane (or any other headphone jack-equipped device). HP hasn’t shared pricing for their buds, while the JBL Tour Pro 2 costs USD 250.
Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra
Razer brings DSLR camera quality to its newest webcam. The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra claims to have the largest sensor in a webcam ever (courtesy of a Sony 1/1.2″ STARVIS 2 sensor with a 2.9μm pixel size). With an f/1.7 aperture lens, this webcam promises better low-light performance and excellent detail. It also gets features like autofocus, background blur, and face tracking. The Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra is available for USD 300.
Which gadget launch at CES 2023 were you most excited to see? Let us know!