Starting the year right often involves putting your best foot forward. For most people, that means making New Year’s resolutions that they hope won’t get broken after just a few weeks. For those playing in the consumer electronics arena, that translates to showing off their best products, designs, and ideas in Las Vegas. Unsurprisingly, CES 2023 is filled to the brim with devices, gadgets, and products across different industries and catering to people from different walks of life. Some are expected and even commonplace, while others look out of this world for better or worse. Whether it’s a shiny new gaming laptop, a health-tracking ring, or even a flying car, all of these designs are united in their mission to help improve our lives. Without further ado, here are Yanko Design’s Best of CES 2023 awardees, showcasing some of the best products designed to improve our quality of life here and now.
Acer Halo Swing Smart Speaker
Smart speakers have now become commonplace, and that market congestion has thankfully given birth to plenty of new designs. At first glance, the new Acer Halo Swing smart speaker seems almost old-school, sporting the same canister design of first-gen smart speakers, though a little bit boxier. Looks can be deceiving, however, and Acer’s smart speaker will pleasantly surprise you with some eclectic design choices that easily charm their way into your heart.
Designer: Acer
Right off the bat, the Acer Halo Swing comes with a transparent base that displays psychedelic colors once you start pumping out tunes. Beneath the black fabric exterior, you’ll also discover an LED dot matrix display that can show the time, weather, or other icons to spruce up the visual experience while listening or dancing to the music. In all honesty, these design elements would normally clash with each other, but the Acer Halo Swing smart speaker miraculously blends them together into a quirky and memorable product that adds a little flavor to your listening experience, whether indoors or even outdoors.
AeviceMD Wearable Stethoscope
We have plenty of wearable devices today that can measure and keep track of various aspects of our health, but almost all of them do so indirectly through our wrists or fingers. Compared to dedicated medical equipment, these smartwatches, smart fitness bands, and smart rings can really only make approximations, but they come with the benefit of having them always on your body, or at least most of the time. What if you could have one of those more accurate doctors’ tools available for your personal use all the time? That’s exactly the proposition that the AeviceMD is making, and it won’t be taking up room on your wrist to deliver it.
Designer: Aevice
The AeviceMD is nothing more than a small white disc that you stick to your chest, quite a far cry from the iconic stethoscope of medical practitioners. Despite that nondescript appearance, however, the device is able to measure not just your heart rate but also your respiratory rate, something that no smartwatch is able to do. It can also detect wheezing and coughing, which is critical for those with cardiopulmonary conditions. Of course, all the data it collects is still meant to be checked by a doctor, but the wearable device goes a long way in enabling 24/7 monitoring without having to see a doctor in person all the time.
Amazon Echo Show 15
Amazon has come a long way from the first-ever smart speaker that created a new market that still stands today. Although the Echo started as a modest and tall cylinder, the brand now encompasses a variety of devices, including those that aren’t just speakers anymore. Even the display-toting Echo Show now comes in a variety of sizes, and Amazon really went all out with the new Echo Show 15, which really takes the brand out of its comfort zone.
Designer: Amazon
Unlike the awkward first Amazon Echo Show devices that didn’t seem to know their proper place in your home, the Echo Show 15’s large 15.6-inch screen is clearly meant to be hung up on a wall. It is pretty much like an interactive picture frame or a wall display that acts as a portal to Amazon’s world. This is where the Echo Show’s UI really shines, inside a big, vibrant screen that displays all the necessary information that you need to see even from a distance. It can also be used for video calls, of course, though that might be a bit awkward, depending on where you’re hanging it. And, yes, it has native YouTube apps available for your large-screen viewing pleasure.
AMD Ryzen 7040 Laptop CPU
Rising like a phoenix, AMD has managed to recover its ground quickly and shake up the processor industry against an already rattled Intel. It has successfully gotten rid of the stigma of simply being a cheaper alternative and is now a force to reckon with. With its latest “Zen 4” architecture and Ryzen 7000 series, AMD is taking aim not just at gamers but also creators that need all the silicon they can get to produce astounding works of art and effective designs. And with its new “Phoenix Point” CPUs, it is taking that power and shoving it into this latest generation of laptops.
Designer: AMD
By introducing desktop-grade performance to laptops, AMD is opening the doors for more varied workflows, especially for creators still doing hybrid work. Although the CPU doesn’t exist nor work in isolation, the raw power that it offers gamers, designers, engineers, and broadcasters is no laughing matter, especially when there’s no discrete graphics card inside the laptop. With the introduction of a dedicated AI architecture in the Ryzen 7040 mobile CPU for upcoming laptops, AMD delivers the hardware resources required to boost the performance of new AI-powered experiences, from creative apps like Photoshop to real-time ray-tracing for games and videos. It’s also hard to ignore the appeal of more affordable laptops bearing AMD processors, especially when they’re just as or even more powerful than the competition.
Anker GaNPrime Technology
As we become more dependent on electronic devices like phones and laptops, so, too, have we become more beholden to the electricity that keeps these things running. Chargers and portable batteries have always been a big concern for consumers, not just because of their inconvenience but also because of their speed or lack thereof. Fast-charging tech in smartphones only works if you have fast chargers, and even then, it’s often something that a few brands and specific power bricks offer. Enter Anker’s GaNPrime technology, revolutionizing how charging works across a variety of products.
Designer: Anker
Utilizing Gallium Nitride or GaN, Anker’s latest line of chargers, power banks, and even power stations boast faster charging times, improved safety, and smaller packages. More efficient than the traditional silicon found inside charging hardware, GaNPrime is able to reduce the unavoidable energy loss incurred during this process. In addition to reducing downtime when you have to charge a device and reducing the physical size of the charging component, Anker GaNPrime Technology also helps save the environment by reducing carbon emissions through more efficient power use.
Aska eVTOL
We are living in a world where the idea of flying cars and their market-ready prototypes are already stirring the air at CES 2023. California-based visionary startup ASKA has brought A5, a fully functional eVTOL to the mega show in Las Vegas with a promised range of 250 miles when it finally hits the roads in 2026. Dubbed the “world’s first Drive and Fly,” the four-seater flying car wants to bridge the gap between land and sky commuting. The electric motor-powered flyer has large wings like a single-seater plane and six rotors that retract back in land-driving mode. For added range, the company has also fitted the flying car with a gasoline-powered engine.
Designer: Aska
The vehicle is crafted out of advanced metal materials in combination with a carbon fiber body for certified strength and safety rating. The company has incorporated in-wheel motor technology to operate with equal dexterity on the road and in the air. In particular, the drive mode hones dynamic handling capabilities with all-wheel-drive traction. ASKA has also announced the On-Demand ride service fueled by the fleet of multiple A5 vehicles that’ll change the complexion of transportation as we see it in the current era.
ASUS Spatial Vision 3D OLED Display
Whether it’s for games, movies, or the metaverse, 3D is becoming an expectation among many people. Both viewers and creators, however, often have to experience these seemingly realistic objects through literally tinted glasses or, worse, heavy headsets. It doesn’t have to be this way, especially if we can harness the power of technology to “hack” our eyes and fool our brains. That’s exactly what ASUS is bringing to the table with its Spatial Vision tech, giving creatives a new dimension to experiencing their work the way they were intended to be seen.
Designer: ASUS
It’s almost ironic how these 3D objects are created, tested, and refined in 2D space only, but such has been the status quo for decades. Thankfully, ASUS Spatial Vision applies modern technologies and sciences to monitor the viewer’s eyes and feed each one a different part of the image, creating a stereoscopic display that doesn’t require wearing specialized glasses or eyewear. By putting this innovation inside the new ProArt Studiobook 16 3D OLED and Vivobook Pro 16X 3D OLED, ASUS is empowering digital creatives to easily view their 3D work, be it models or games of visualizations for presentations, without the inconvenience of having to put on glasses and take them off again repeatedly. It creates a more seamless and non-disruptive workflow where you can switch from 2D to 3D at the push of a button.
ASUS ROG Azoth Keyboard
Gamers can be very particular about the peripherals they use, especially in competitive gaming, where the smallest detail could mean the difference between sweet victory and painful defeat. The variety of gaming keyboards, particularly mechanical ones, is almost overwhelming, and yet not all gamers will be satisfied with what’s available off the shelf. Gamers and heavy typists often try to pick and match parts to their liking, though that often ends up costing them more. ASUS’ Republic of Gamers wants to challenge that status quo with an affordable mechanical keyboard that they can customize to their hearts’ content.
Designer: ASUS Republic of Gamers
The ROG Azoth is a handsome mechanical gaming keyboard that could be a DIY hobbyist’s dream come true. If the switches aren’t to your liking, you can easily pull them out and switch them with something else, pun intended. In fact, ROG encourages you to do exactly that, providing a DIY kit that includes a lube for those switches. And once you’ve assembled your dream keyboard, the Azoth’s OLED display is the icing on top that adds both flair and functionality to your gaming sessions and work.
Bluetti AC300+B300 Modular Power Station
There has been a rise in the need for emergency power, and the traditional gasoline-chugging generators just don’t cut it anymore. Portable power stations, sometimes called portable solar generators, now offer a greener alternative that utilizes rechargeable batteries to deliver quiet and safe power, be it in an emergency or when camping outdoors. Just like with power banks, there’s almost no one size fits all and you’re often stuck with the size and capacity you bought. Not unless you invest in the Bluetti’s modular power station, the AC300, and its partner battery module, the B300.
Designer: Bluetti
Unlike your typical all-or-nothing power station, the AC300 itself is just the inverter part of the equation, providing 3000W of Pure Sine Wave AC power. What makes it notable and more flexible is that you can connect up to four 3,072Wh B300 battery modules for a whopping 12,288Wh of power. Of course, you can use only one, two, or three such modules, letting you and your circumstances decide how much power you need to bring rather than the product forcing you into a box. It also means that if one or the other module break, you can easily replace only that rather than throwing away the whole package, increasing the power station’s sustainable appeal.
BMW i Vision Dee Concept
If ever the iconic Pixar franchise Cars movie could be a real-life avatar, it would be the recently unveiled BMW i Vision Dee concept sedan at the CES 2023. The Dee means “Digital Emotional Experience” in the namesake and sets a new precedence in human-vehicle interaction. BMW has made it clear that the vehicle will not go beyond the conceptual stage, and some of the features exhibited will start trickling down to their future-forward vehicles in 2025. The car’s body is wrapped in 240 E-Ink panels, making it change color like a chameleon with 32 different color options at the driver’s disposal. Now is that cool or what?
Designer: BMW
The futuristic appeal doesn’t end there – i Vison Dee gets a nostalgic kidney grille capable of changing shape to mimic different facial expressions to express joy, astonishment, or visual approval. On the inside, the HUD expands to the entire windshield blurring the lines between real life and augmented reality for an AR driving experience. Of course, the three-box sedan can interact via voice commands to prompt the user to keep their eyes on the road. BMW wants the iVision Dee to be a companion with a sense of emotional intellect along with a lively character for a never before seen bond between man and machine.
Davinci Motor DC100 Electric Motorcycle
Davinci Motors has jumped on board the electric vehicle bandwagon with the DC100 electric motorcycle showcased at Booth 10163 in the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show 2023 in Las Vegas. The heavy-duty ride comes with a unique self-balancing mechanism courtesy of a number of assist features, including superior traction control and overall balance control. It is fitted with more than 1,000 smart chips and 200 advanced sensors to access road conditions, motor temperature, lean angle, movement status, and other dynamics for an easy, safe riding experience.
Designer: Davinci Motor
They deem it the “motorcycle of tomorrow,” giving the 1000cc combustion engine motorcycles a good run for their money. DC100 comes loaded with a 17.7 kWh battery pack delivering power to the electric motor. The bike can churn out 134 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque which is good enough for acceleration from 0-100 km/h in mere three seconds flat and a top speed of 200 km/h. Davinci Dynamics claims a range of 249 miles on a single full charge (achieved in just 30 minutes via DC fast charger), and we’re colored impressed already.
German Bionic Cray X exoskeleton
We’re beginning to see robots (not disembodied AI) starting to do the more menial and sometimes more dangerous jobs that humans used to do. It will take a long while, however, before they can really fully replace the precision, speed, and flexibility that humans have. Unfortunately, that means that humans will continue to be exposed to health risks and injuries in the workplace, especially in warehouses and industrial settings. Wearable exoskeletons are slowly inching their way into these industries, but few look as sleek and polished as German Bionic’s Cray X.
Designer: German Bionic
Rather than just metal bars sticking out of your back or clinging to your legs, the Cray X looks more like a robotic helper embracing you from behind. Providing protection and support for your lower back when lifting heavy objects, the fully-connected and powered exoskeleton augments human capabilities rather than supplanting them. Best of all, you won’t look ridiculous while wearing it, and it might even make you feel like a high-budget sci-fi show character with its aesthetic and appealing design.
Ixana Wi-R Wireless Technology
It seems that our world’s technologies are becoming more and more wireless each passing year, from wireless communication to wireless charging. Despite that, there are very hard limits to today’s tech resulting in slow data transfers, spatial restrictions, and interference. There’s also the inconvenience of simply pairing two devices together, as anyone who has ever handled Bluetooth products will attest to. Wouldn’t it be grand and almost dreamy if you could simply do all these with a simple touch? That’s the proposition that Ixana’s Wi-R tech is making, and it definitely sounds like it should be the future of wireless.
Designer: Ixana
It may sound like NFC’s “tap to pair” feature, but it is so much more than a one-off contact. Imagine immediately pairing with a headset or a smartwatch simply by touching it with your fingers or being able to stream music from your phone to your earbuds without using Bluetooth or even Wi-Fi. Ixana Wi-R uses your body as the conduit for such communication, which also means you’re unlikely to be leaking out data that others can snoop on as long as they’re within Bluetooth range.
Lenovo Project Chronos
Whether you subscribe to the concept and buzz of the metaverse, there’s no denying that virtual worlds and characters are becoming more common today. From virtual reality to games to even VTubers, many people have started taking on virtual personas to represent them in these artificial worlds. Most of the rhetoric around the metaverse and mixed reality, however, requires the use of headsets and controllers that limited mobility. More importantly, these tools only let you see the virtual world without really being able to control your avatar like you would your real body. Lenovo’s Project Chronos concept does away with the middleman and allows you to control your avatar’s moments and even its facial expressions more naturally.
Designer: Lenovo
Project Chronos is practically a box with a camera that you can connect to any TV or monitor at home. Rather than having to wear headsets and body sensors, the device uses depth cameras and intelligent algorithms to watch your body movement and facial expressions to map them to your virtual avatar. Although you do have to see that virtual world on a flat screen, it opens up other applications, such as live streaming with a virtual avatar, real-time fitness coaching, and even just socializing with other friends’ avatars, all from the comfort of your living room.
Lenovo Smart Paper
Even with the advent of computers and tablets, some experiences never truly died. In fact, they transformed and evolved, thanks to advancements in technology. Books have become digitized, and eBook readers like the Amazon Kindle have proliferated even today. In fact, these, too, have evolved to take on a new form and new capabilities. E Ink notebooks (not the laptop kind of notebook) are becoming more popular these days, and the Lenovo Smart Paper brings that technology to book lovers, students, workers, and everyone who is in need of a digital analogue to analog pen and paper.
Designer: Lenovo
Combining the best of both worlds with few of their drawbacks, the Lenovo Smart Paper brings an E Ink device that replaces dozens of paper notebooks with a sleek and minimalist device. Its companion pen requires no charging, just like a real pen, but also doesn’t require ink or changing nibs just to get different types of brushes. Comfortable to the eyes and convenient to carry around, the Smart Paper adds convenient features you wouldn’t even be able to experience on pen and paper, like the ability to record audio lectures and meetings and play it back the correct section just by selecting the text you wrote while recording that part.
Lenovo Tab Extreme
In no small part thanks to a certain fruit-named company, tablets have experienced a renaissance as more than just a media consumption device. That said, the Lenovo Tab Extreme’s large 14.5-inch 3K 120Hz OLED screen and eight 4-channel speakers definitely make that enjoyable, but it’s only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. With plenty of processing power, ports, and features, the Tab Extreme is not only Lenovo’s largest Android tablet to date, it is also its most powerful, enabling hybrid workflows and mobile workers today.
Designer: Lenovo
Beyond just the tablet itself, though, Lenovo is also bringing accessories and features that transform the Tab Extreme experience, depending on what you need. A magnetic stand supports both horizontal and vertical orientations, and a keyboard cover lets you lift the screen to a more ergonomic angle to let you work for hours comfortably. The tablet can even become a digital drawing pad or a second monitor, depending on which USB-C port you connect to. Power, portability, and flexibility is what the Lenovo Tab Extreme brings to the table and in your hands, empowering you to do what you need, wherever and whenever.
LG ARTCOOL Gallery Air Conditioner (2023)
People have become more appreciative of interior designs in recent years, especially after being stuck indoors for months on end. It’s no longer enough to just bring pretty furniture and decorations into the room; they also need to blend well together. That’s a bit more difficult when it comes to picking appliances that have their own design language and aesthetics, visual elements that can conflict with the rest of your room’s decor, no matter how elegant they might be. The LG ARTCOOL Gallery Air Conditioner solves that problem by masquerading as part of your decor, one that you can change according to your mood and tastes.
Designer: LG
The ARTCOOL Gallery definitely doesn’t look like an air conditioner and is more like a picture frame. In reality, it is actually both. A square, wall-mounted air conditioning unit has a large 27-inch LCD screen right in front of it, hiding a common house appliance behind beautiful art or family photos or even animated images to mesmerize your guests. Hiding in plain sight, this smart air conditioner, which can also function as a heater on cold days, offers a customizable and functional decoration for your home, something you’d wish were available for other home appliances as well.
LG Minimalist-Design Appliances
We see a lot of home appliances with sophisticated features and luxurious designs, especially here at CES 2023. Some even come with bespoke configurations, allowing the buyer to really integrate their refrigerators or washing machines into the rest of their house’s decor. That definitely bodes well for making homeowners more perceptive of the designs of their appliances, but it might also be overwhelming for others. Embracing the minimalist philosophy to the extreme, LG is launching a new line of unadorned, achromatic appliances that blend into their surroundings by becoming almost invisible. More importantly, however, his minimalist-design appliances also wholeheartedly embrace a sustainable mission to reduce their negative impact on the environment.
Designer: LG
By espousing simplicity, these LG appliances use fewer components and require fewer resources and energy to manufacture. Many parts are made from recyclable materials, and the appliances can be upgraded with new features through software, prolonging the life and usefulness of the appliance. With a simple design language and a sustainability focus, the LG Minimalist-Design Appliances bring an understated selection of home tools whose appearances belie their power, just like many minimalist designs you might have adorning your home.
LG XBOOM XL7S Party Speaker
Smart speakers are the rage these days, spurred by the success of products like the Amazon Echo, Apple AirPod, Sonos, and many more. While they come in many shapes and sizes, there seems to be an unspoken agreement that the standard design should be cylindrical or something similar. That might be fine for more portable designs, but it will definitely be lacking for those that need not only a bigger speaker but also a more eye-catching one. Whether you regularly hold parties or go busking often, the LG XBOOM XL7S speaker has you covered in a rather colorful and whimsical way.
Designer: LG
In addition to its larger soundstage, this “Party Speaker” also features pixel lighting on the front that can change its colors and intensity depending on the music, pretty much like an EQ visualizer. It goes well beyond that, though, offering a display that can be customized with emojis and text, anything to keep your guests and audiences captivated. The dust and waterproof speaker has a telescopic handle that helps you bring it anywhere you need to blast some music. While it’s targeted at college kids who love to party, anyone with a penchant for mixing music and visuals will definitely get a kick out of this quirky speaker.
Logitech G Cloud
The success of the Nintendo Switch ushered in a new age for handheld gaming devices, especially with many trying to recreate that magic formula for other platforms. The most natural candidate is, of course, Android, which has already been dabbling in this kind of market years before the Switch even came to be. Those pioneers might have unfortunately been far ahead of their time, and it’s only with the convergence of today’s hardware and software that Logitech is able to pull off a successful attempt like the G Cloud gaming handheld.
Designer: Logitech
Some might scoff at the idea of a dedicated Android handheld when there are plenty of smartphones to go around, but there is definitely a case for a device that boots directly into a gaming hub and is primarily used just for that, similar to consoles and, well, the Nintendo Switch. Fortunately, the Logitech G Cloud isn’t constrained to just Android games like those early devices. Thanks to cloud game streaming, which is probably where it takes its name, the device has access to a wider library of titles from different platforms. Too bad this is exactly when Google decided to pull the plug on its Stadia streaming service.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2+
The Microsoft Surface brand has definitely gone a long way from the game-changing detachable 2-in-1 tablet that finally broke the company’s string of bad luck when it comes to hardware. Although the name now covers a variety of products, including accessories, the Surface is still famed for its Pro tablet and its focus on creativity and productivity in whatever form. That mission is embodied in Microsoft’s surprisingly popular Surface Studio all-in-one PC, which takes a step and a half forward with the Surface Studio 2+.
Designer: Microsoft
Clearly designed for artists, designers, and all sorts of digital creatives, the Surface Studio’s reclining display has always been a work of both art and engineering. Its large, beautiful display is perfect not only for viewing videos and images but also for displaying accurate colors when working with digital assets. And with the Studio 2+, Microsoft finally gives the elegant desktop computer a much-deserved internal upgrade that delivers the processing and graphics power needed by its intended users.
Movano Evie Ring
Smartwatches have definitely gotten better, both in terms of battery life and especially in aesthetics. Some luxury brands have been able to successfully hide the techy nature of these gadgets, making them look like normal elegant timepieces. Not everyone is a fan of replacing their faithful companions, though, which is where smart rings come in. But like most gadgets, especially wearables, these devices seem to be designed primarily with a male audience in mind. Movano wants to change that status quo and is launching a beautiful smart ring that was made specifically for women.
Designer: Movano
Some will definitely argue about the dangers of associating designs with genders, and the Movano Evie’s elegant design will definitely appeal to all sexes and genders. That said, this smart health ring isn’t just made to appeal to women’s aesthetic tastes but also to provide them with features specific to their body’s needs. Period and ovulation tracking, menstrual symptom tracking, and the like are just some of the features that Evie offers right off the bat, offering women an all-in-one solution in a single wearable rather than having to look for yet another tracker in addition to a smartwatch.
MSI MEG Trident X2
Many gamers, especially PC gamers, love to flaunt their gear, which is why many gaming products come with almost outrageous designs and plenty of RGB lighting. It would be unfair, of course, to presume that all gamers’ tastes are the same, and there will always be those that prefer their computers to look a little less glamorous and a lot more stylish. Fortunately, there are a few such designs available, and the new MSI MEG Trident X2 definitely takes the crown when it comes to classy elegance.
Designer: MSI
Rather than the psychedelic affairs that most gaming desktops are, the MEG Trident X2 is more subdued and graceful in glossy black with LED highlights that contrast with that dark surface quite nicely. The tower still has an unusual geometry, sharp edges, and restrained lines that easily make it stand out from anything else you might have on your desk. Plus, it comes with a rather cool-looking HMI Dashboard that provides easy access to system information as well as important controls at a single touch.
Nanoleaf Sense+ Control
Even before smart home products became a thing, Internet-connect or phone-controlled lights were already making their way into people’s homes. Today, smart lighting is still the easiest way to get started with this whole smart home trend, considering how easy they are to install and use. But if manually switching your smart light on or off was still too tedious, Nanoleaf’s newest smart light switches will do it all for you hands-free, at least after it learns from your routines and habits.
Designer: Nanoleaf
The Nanoleaf Sense+ Control switches have motion and ambient light sensors, and with learning algorithms from Nala’s AI learning assistant, these switches will be able to give you the right kind of light when and where you need it without having to even ask. Of course, it actually has to learn from you first, and you can still manually control the lights with a literal flick of the switch, but having smart lighting control that is truly intelligent and truly automated could help make people’s lives more convenient and less mechanical.
Nebula Capsule 3 Laser Portable Projector
Many people have already cut the cord, but most haven’t cut ties with their TVs. Of course, cord-cutters still want to watch videos and play games on a large screen, but there are those who have taken the freedom to the extreme by getting rid of the huge panel as well. Home projectors have become a sort of compromise that lets homeowners clear their walls and shelves but still have the opportunity to enjoy a good old-fashioned movie night with the family when they want to. Portable projectors take that one step further, delivering entertainment you can carry around with you anywhere, which is exactly what Anker sub-brand Nebula wants you to do with its latest laser projector.
Designer: Nebula (Anker)
Despite coming in the size of a large soda can, the Nebula Capsule 3 Laser packs quite a punch for a portable projector. You might scoff at its 1080p output, but the fact that you can watch a full movie almost anywhere without having to plug it in definitely makes up for it. It also has a built-in 8W speaker, which can be enough if you’re not too picky. Its minimalist aesthetic is also a plus, freeing you to focus on the content it projects and not on the projector itself.
Neutrogena 3D Printed Skin Supplements
You can print almost anything these days, from car parts to sculptures to even food. Yes, 3D-printed food is actually a thing, odd as it might sound, but it hasn’t completely caught on yet because of the logistics and costs involved. Some might not even be able to make sense of what the technology can be used for, but Neutrogena has come up with a creative way to use 3D-printed gummies to make skincare a little personal.
Designer: Neutrogena
Neutrogena and Nourished teamed up to create a rather unique skin care program that will probably have you addicted to gummies, whether or not you realize they’re not made the traditional way. Customers will need to send photos of their cleaned skin and answer a few questions, after which they will receive a recommendation for the best skin supplement “stack” for them. These stacks come as rainbow-colored 3D printed vegan sugar-free gummies that are promised to be good for your skin while also being good for the planet.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
Computer graphics play a critical role in our civilization today, and not just in the entertainment that we consume daily. From the designs on websites to the presentations for architectural projects to even visual models of mathematical or scientific theories, the need to create graphics has never been greater. Of course, these digital assets don’t just pop out of thin air, and someone has to make them, and NVIDIA is giving creators one of the most powerful tools to add to their belts.
Designer: NVIDIA
The GeForce RTX 4090 for laptops isn’t just for gaming, though that definitely is its primary use case. The raw power it delivers, plus AI-enabled functions, also make it perfect for actually creating the content that goes into those games. And with a laptop variant of this desktop-grade graphics card, creators don’t have to feel forced to stay at their desks just to work on their latest masterpiece. With both hardware and software tools at their disposal, NVIDIA frees artists and designers from having to worry about technical requirements and just let their creativity fly.
Panasonic MultiShape Ultimate Special Edition
Personal grooming has always been a chore, no matter the gender. There are plenty of gadgets that try to make that easier or at least more convenient, but you often have to look for and buy each tool that does a single thing only. It can be a waste not only of money but also of precious resources, adding to the waste that is killing the planet. Panasonic’s award-winning MultiShape grooming kit solves the problem of space, money, and waste by having a single battery-powered based unit with interchangeable heads for trimming or shaving all kinds of hair as well as brushing your teeth. It’s the ultimate modular grooming kit that’s not only extremely portable but also more sustainable overall as well.
Designer: Panasonic
With its Ultimate Special Edition Kit, Panasonic has partnered with another environmentally-conscious brand, British style icon Molton Brown. The three travel-sized Bath & Shower Gels from the marque included in the kit are made from fine and rare ingredients produced in a carbon-neutral factory. The refillable bottles themselves are also made of 50% recycled PET in line with Molton Brown’s strong commitment to sustainability. With the Panasonic MultiShape Ultimate Special Edition Kit, not only will you look good, you’ll also feel good that you’re doing your small part to help keep our planet alive.
Samsung Bespoke 4-Door Flex with Family Hub+
The kitchen is probably the last place you’d expect to see a screen as large as a TV, but Samsung has been pushing the envelope of what you can expect inside the kitchen, from its smart ovens to the smart refrigerators it has dubbed Family Hubs. With the Bespoke 4-Door Flex with Family Hub+, Samsung has revealed its biggest fridge with the biggest screen yet, a whopping 32 inches. Not only does this display have enough room for your family photos, sticky notes, weather warnings, and the like, it’s even spacious enough for comfortable watching of videos while you cook or clean the kitchen.
Designer: Samsung
Of course, the 4-Door Flex isn’t smart just because of that. The large screen does serve as a convenient dashboard for checking all your SmartThings and Smart Home devices. It has all the benefits of other smart Bespoke refrigerators, including smarter cooling and energy efficiency. Suffice it to say, your kitchen might indeed become the family’s new hub with this fridge, and you might even be able to rope your kids into doing chores with it.
Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Monitor
If you thought you knew widescreen monitors, you clearly haven’t seen the Samsung Odyssey Neo G9. Whether it’s a beauty or a monstrosity will depend on the eye of the beholder, but it’s hard to argue that it’s a head-turning design. With a 49-inch 1000R screen, the monitor offers the equivalent of two QHD 16:9 curved monitors side by side. If you wanted an extreme cinematic experience on your desk, this definitely fits the bill.
Designer: Samsung
It’s clearly made for gaming and enjoying video content, especially with quantum mini LED technology that delivers sharper contrasts and finer control over dimming zones. Content creators will also have a blast with how much space they have to work with, while the curved surface offers a more ergonomic view that conforms to how our eyes work naturally. You’ll definitely have to make room for this behemoth of a computer monitor, but you would be in the same boat anyway if you opted to buy two or more separate screens.
Sony PlayStation VR2
There has been plenty of talk about VR or mixed reality headsets lately, but most of these revolve around gear that either connects to a PC or can function on its own. They also come with more ambitious goals for spreading the good word about mixed reality and the metaverse, whether or not they actually succeed at it. There’s definitely plenty of room for some good old-fashioned and more direct VR gaming, and the Sony PlayStation 5 is finally getting the VR accessory that it deserves.
Designer: Sony
The PlayStation VR2, or simply PSVR2, is the VR system that Sony should have released years ago. It does away with cumbersome external beacons with the addition of inside-out tracking. The headset also has eye-tracking for foveated rendering, focusing only on where your eyes are actually looking at. Plus, the headset and its controllers finally mesh with the PS5’s design, making it look and feel like a system designed for Sony’s strongest console yet.
Sony Project Leonardo PS5 accessibility controller
Gaming is an activity that everyone can enjoy, but most video games and gaming hardware are unfortunately designed to cater only to a certain majority of able-bodied players. Some games include accessibility settings, but these become moot and academic if the input methods for playing them are inaccessible by design. That’s how game controllers are, unfortunately, which leaves many people with physical disabilities out in the cold. Following Xbox’s lead, Sony has revealed Project Leonardo, an accessibility controller kit that opens the gaming doors wide open for all people while also looking quite peculiar and interesting.
Designer: Sony
Unlike the Xbox Adaptive Controller board, Project Leonard takes on a circular form with buttons around its edges and a smaller circle sticking out on one side that can sit a joystick. Every part of the controller can be customized with different parts and buttons, and accompanying software on the PS5 console will allow mapping these to traditional controls. It also works with other accessibility devices, which is a good thing considering Sony is coming late to the game. Project Leonardo is still in development, but it has definitely kicked up interest and buzz, especially thanks to its rather quirky looks.
Skyted Sound-absorbing Open Air Mask
Face masks have gotten a bad rep for various reasons, but sanitation isn’t the only use for things that cover our mouths. One French startup has come across a rather novel way to turn this accessory from an annoyance into a necessity, especially to support the growing number of hybrid workers out in the open these days. Skyted turns the voice-muffling property of face masks into a strength, providing the privacy you need to take a voice call in public.
Designer: Skyted
The Skyted sound-absorbing open air mask uses the same technologies used to silence the noise of jet engines. Ten embedded resonators absorb 80% of voice vibration and prevent external noise from being picked up by the internal mic, ensuring that you get a clear line of communication, whether you’re in a plane, in an open workspace, or traveling the metaverse at home while everyone’s sleeping. And unlike conventional face masks, it actually allows the smooth flow of air in and out of the mask, resolving one of the biggest comfort problems people have with these accessories.
TCL RayNeo X2 AR Glasses
The dream of Iron Man-like AR glasses hasn’t really died, but the high-profile failure of early implementations, including Google Glass, has made both consumers and manufacturers more cautious of this field. That never stopped display and TV maker TCL from trying, resulting in AR glasses that were almost ready for primetime. At this year’s CES, the company is again presenting its latest innovation, this time with a different name that comes along with a new design.
Designer: TCL
The TCL RayNeo X2 not only ditches the NXTWEAR branding but also adopts a design that looks more like a regular pair of untinted specs. Despite the clear glass, each lens actually embeds micro-LED displays that put a floating screen before your eyes without occluding your vision. The glasses have their own processor inside, as well as mics and cameras for seeing the world around you, perhaps raising red flags again when it comes to privacy concerns. The thick frame and rim aren’t exactly appealing, but such is the way of early prototypes.
Withings U-Scan
We have plenty of devices on our bodies and in our homes that try to give us a clue about our health, like the smartwatches on our wrists and smart weighing scales that tell us to lay off on the chips. These, however, only show a few parts of our overall health, mostly because they only focus on select parts of our body. In reality, our bodies have plenty of stories to tell, especially from the fluids that our bodies produce, some of which make people feel awkward. Withings doesn’t have qualms about getting its hands dirty, however, and its newest smart device is boldly going where few devices dare to go.
Designer: Withings
U-Scan is a simple white circle that hangs inside your toilet bowl to serve as your at-home urinalysis device. This helps avoid all the discomfort and inconvenience of the typical procedure at a clinic or hospital. It can even help women with their monthly hormonal fluctuations, giving them recommended actions to take based on biomarker analysis, cycle phases, and past data. While it won’t replace professional medical checkups, just like smartwatches, the Withings U-Scan can provide early warning signs before you need to actually see a doctor.
