In recent years, CES has gained a reputation as a show for grand introductions of products that will never make it to market — even though CES has its roots in retail stores previewing the year’s upcoming products. To decide what to stock on their shelves. . Thankfully, CES 2024 had no shortage of real product launches with strong pitches for recently released tech gadgets.
1. Rubric Flexi Pro
I’ve been very impressed with the quality of Rubrock’s robot vacuums for the past couple of years, because even though they weren’t first on the market, they’ve improved the industry by creating 2-in-1 robots that vacuum, mop, and beat their competitors. Work more reliably than I was even more impressed after speaking with Roborock President Quan Gang at CES, where he told me that the first two products that Roborock made were scrapped because they weren’t happy with the quality, and the third product. Had to succeed because he was out. of money It was an instant hit and they are now one of the best-selling RoboVac makers globally.
But the product I loved from CES wasn’t the RoboVac. It’s a smart, upright, wet/dry vacuum called the Roborock Flexi Pro (because sometimes the Roborock can’t get everywhere or you just need a quick clean). The Flexi Pro has a sleek, minimalist design, works as both a vacuum and a mop, is self-cleaning, and has 17,000Pa of suction power (double the power of most Robuxes). Pricing and release date have yet to be announced, and I can’t wait to find out more.
2. Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera
When Ecobee launched its smart doorbell camera in Q4 2023, most in the industry shrugged and thought it was a late entrant into a market dominated by the likes of Ring, Google, Logitech, and Eufy. There are a number of competitors and low-cost stalwarts like Blink, Wyze, and Arlo. But after getting a demo of the Ecobee Smart Doorbell camera and speaking with Ecobee CEO Greg Fyke at CES, I was impressed with the fact that the Ecobee team got involved in smart doorbells because of specific issues with existing products on the market. were and believed that they could improve upon them and provide a better product.
The biggest improvement is the field of view. Most doorbell cameras are great for seeing someone come to the door, but they can’t see a package set right in front of the door. The Ecobee doorbell has a 175-degree field of view so it can see anything set flush against the door. I tried it in my CES demo and it works great. I had this problem today and so have a second camera on my porch to watch packages. And since I already have an ecobee thermostat and am very happy with the quality, features and usability, another nice feature of the ecobee doorbell is that it can use the screen on your ecobee thermostat to view the doorbell camera. Is. It also previews on Apple Watch. You can also use the Ecobe thermostat as your doorbell. Keep in mind that this is wired only, so it won’t work for everyone. Still, given The Ecobee Smart Doorbell Camera sells for $160.is available today, and I’d love to use it to replace my current two-camera setup.
3. Samsung S95D OLED TV
Well, I should preface this by saying that I’d like to buy this TV as soon as it’s released — whether I can afford it is another matter. (We’ll see when it arrives this spring.) Even so, I’ve already called the S95D the “Best TV of CES 2024” and the TV with the best picture quality in the world right now. Last year’s model (S95C) was already among the consensus top three TVs in the world based on picture quality — there are two more. LG G3 And Sony A95L — At least TV customers can buy at retail.
And then Samsung announced a new feature at CES 2024 that changed the game. The S95D now has a glare-free screen and in my time with the product at CES I was surprised by how effective it is. Glare is one of the biggest drawbacks of almost all OLED TVs. They have amazing dynamic range, intense colors, and impressive black levels, but they’re difficult to use in bright rooms because they don’t have the strong backlight of LCD and QLED TVs and tend to reflect windows and lamplights. are The S95D overcomes this with its new anti-reflective display. We tested it with a bright flashlight on a smartphone camera and were amazed at how well it dispersed harsh light and turned it into a soft glow that could dominate a TV picture. That’s why I consider it the best picture quality TV a consumer can buy, and why I’d want to own one. Pricing won’t be announced until spring, but I expect it to start around $2,500 for the 55-inch model before the fall shopping season gets discounted.
4. Vasco translator E1
The most impressive demo I had at CES 2024 was with the team of the Vasco Translator E1, an earpiece that uses AI and an app to translate 49 languages in real time. We tested it with a member of the Vasco team speaking Polish, my colleague Sabrina Ortiz speaking in Spanish, and me speaking in English and having the E1 earpiece automatically translate between the three languages in our ear as well as text. I tested with displaying the translation. Phone app. There was a slight delay and the translations were about 80-90% accurate, but it was remarkable how well it allowed us to communicate across three different language barriers. The product will be released in Q2 2024 and pricing is not yet available.
The team already has a product available. Vasco Translator V4, a handheld mobile device that translates 108 languages and has a built-in SIM card that works in nearly 200 countries and includes connectivity for the lifetime of the device. The V4 is priced at $389 and will work with the E1 earpiece when it’s released. My colleagues Kerry Vaughan and Sabrina Ortiz also showcased a competing product. Time Cattle X1 Interpreter Hub, and found it to be slightly more accurate than Vasco’s product and worked better at high altitudes. However, in the volunteer work I do in community building and with youth literacy programs, I regularly collaborate with immigrants who speak less common languages covered by Vasco (such as Swahili and Farsi). come and are not included in TimeKettle, and that is why I am more interested in Vasco’s products. Oh, and the fact that the Time Kettle device costs $700 — even though it includes two earpieces, just like the E1.
5. Oclean X Ultra S Smart Toothbrush
Smart toothbrushes have a long and interesting history at CES. I’ve lost count of how many demos I’ve done over the years. But none of them convinced me to put aside my old-school Philips Sonicare toothbrush that I’ve been using for almost a decade (while replacing the brush heads regularly). This year I think I may have found what I’ve been waiting for. The Oclean X Ultra S has a built-in display that gives you instant feedback on any spots you’ve missed and brushing scores, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, a bone-conducting speaker that lets you know what’s going on. You’re brushing too fast or applying too much. pressure, Apple Health integration, and 4-6 months of battery life.
Oclean X Ultra S will hit the US market in Q3 and will be priced at $130. Considering that high-end smart toothbrushes from market leaders Philips and Oral-B cost $300 to $350, the Oclean X Ultra S could bring tech-savvy brushing to a lot more people. The Oclean app isn’t currently ranked on the Apple App Store like Philips, Oral-B, Colgate, and other smart toothbrush apps, so Oclean still has room to improve usability and the overall digital experience. Some work has to be done. But based on what I saw at CES 2024, this product has a lot going for it and is coming at a price that I finally feel comfortable paying for a smart toothbrush.
Credit : www.zdnet.com
