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Cleer promises 60 hours of listening time with its latest ANC headphones
Competition in the headphone space is fierce these days, but San Diego-based Cleer got our attention at CES this year by announcing the Enduro ANC, a pair of over-the-ear headphones with 60 hours of battery life. That's impressive enough, but Cleer says that's with active noise cancellation enabled. Naturally, it's impossible for us to test those claims yet, but I did get a chance to hear the headphones and check out its noise cancellation capabilities at a noisy press event.
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex Alpha hands-on: Cheaper, with few sacrifices
Samsung has really impressed me with its laptop game lately, delivering super thin and premium machines like the Galaxy Book Flex and Ion, as well as the Snapdragon-powered Book S. But those devices cost upwards of $999, which cuts the budget-conscious user out of Samsung's reach. For those who would like something just a little cheaper, though, the company announced a new Galaxy Book last week called the Flex Alpha. That rings in at $830, compared to the roughly $1,100 that the Flex and Ion are expected to cost.
HP's gorgeous new Spectre x360 15-inch features 4K OLED screen options
Laptops are getting thinner, lighter and prettier, but lately they've been getting bigger, too. Just look at recent devices like the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the Surface Laptop 3 15-inch and the LG Gram 17! After years of largely neglecting 15-inch (and larger) machines, laptop makers are paying attention to them again and we're about to see more here at CES 2020. HP is kicking things off with an updated version of its Spectre x360 15-inch convertible, which is perhaps the prettiest laptop of its size.
Bosch's virtual visor eliminates sun glare without blocking your view
Sun glare is responsible for thousands of car accidents every year -- almost twice as many as any other weather-related condition, in fact. Now Bosch has reimagined the traditional sun visor to help tackle the problem -- and it's an incredibly techy take on the original.
HP Envy 32 All-in-one review: A PC posing as media center
All-in-one computers typically aren't that exciting, not when we've got ultra-thin laptops hogging the spotlight. But HP's new Envy 32 All-in-One might make you rethink what's possible with a large table-top PC. It's a multimedia powerhouse, with a 31.5-inch 4K HDR screen, powerful Bang & Olufsen speakers, and NVIDIA graphics. While it's not quite as inventive as Microsoft's Surface Studio, the Envy 32 shows there's still plenty of room for all-in-one PCs to improve without getting obscenely expensive.
Nuheara's latest hearing assistance earbuds are both cheaper and more powerful
If it wasn't already apparent that assistive hearing tech is thriving, it is now. Nuheara has followed up last year's IQbuds MAX with the IQbuds2 MAX, a new set of true wireless buds that represent an improvement across the board -- including the price. They still use EarID technology to automatically calibrate the sound to fit your hearing, but they now have larger 9.2mm drivers that improve sound quality, particularly bass. The design also fits "more processing power" into a similarly small design (Nuheara hasn't said what that means in practice) and Bluetooth 5 for a faster and longer-ranged wireless link to your phone.
Netatmo's first smart door lock works with HomeKit
Smart home company Netatmo already has a HomeKit-friendly video doorbell, connected smoke alarms and AI-equipped security cameras. Now, the company is ready to introduce its first smart lock.
The toothbrush that cleans your mouth in 10 seconds is finally ready
French company FasTeesH has been tweaking the design of its full-coverage electric toothbrush since it was crowdfunded to the tune of $165,000 in 2018. Now, the Y-Brush is ready for its mainstream debut. Shipments of the Y-Brush started rolling out just before CES 2020 in January (pre-orders have been open since July 2018).
The sex toy company that won, lost, and won a CES award is back again
It may have departed CES under a cloud last year, but Lora DiCarlo is returning to the show in 2020 as a star. The company, which won, lost, and won back a robotics award for its sex toy, Osé, has prompted the show's organizers to re-think their stance on sextech. And to celebrate, the company has rocked up in Las Vegas with two new devices to bolster its growing collection of pleasure tools.
Muse's new meditation headband is designed to help you sleep
Muse first launched its brain-sensing headband back in 2013. Designed to take the guesswork out of meditation by providing real-time feedback on your brain and body's activity, the device has seen a couple of iterations over the years, and now its back with a completely new form factor. Gone are the rubbery cushions and external metal components -- the whole thing is now covered in a plush, breathable fabric and has been designed to fit better and more comfortably on a wider variety of head sizes.
Hatch made a smart sleep light to help adults rest better
Hatch, which is perhaps best known for its baby-focused products, is turning its attention to grown-ups. It made a smart sleep light called Restore, with the aim of helping people drift off more easily and get a better night's rest.
Moen's voice-activated faucet gives cooks precise amounts of water
Moen, one of the biggest faucet companies in the US, was last spotted at CES showing off its shower "concierge," but now it's turning its attention to more traditional sink fixtures. This year, it announced the U by Moen Smart Faucet -- a voice-activated faucet that helps you do everyday kitchen tasks hands-free. From preparing a baby's bottle to filling a pasta pot, just tell the faucet how much water you need, and at what temperature, and it'll dispense it on command. You can set unlimited personalized presets for specific cooking tasks, and activate water flow through voice control, a wave sensor, or via a good old fashioned button. Moen hasn't announced pricing for its latest addition, but it's likely to cost a substantial amount more than old-fashioned mechanical faucets.
Jabra debuts a sporty version of its Elite 75t true wireless earbuds
Just like it did for the Elite 65t in 2018, Jabra has created a version of its latest true wireless earbuds designed for workouts. The Elite Active 75t carries all of the improvements the company added to the Elite 75t a few months ago and then some. This means you can expect much smaller earbuds, improved battery life and better overall audio quality. Like the Elite Active 65t, this new model also has a soft-touch grip coating to make them easier to grab when you're sweaty.
The Julia smart cooking system even washes itself up
For some, cooking is an exercise in passion, relaxation and creativity. For others, it's a tedious, time-consuming chore. Fortunately, for the less culinary-inclined folk, there's an ever-growing market of gadgets that promise to make cooking an altogether easier, quicker and more intuitive experience -- and the latest to arrive is Julia, an intelligent autonomous cooking system that pretty much does everything. (While it's not officially associated with the late master chef Julia Childs, the insinuation is pretty obvious).
Jabra's new on-ear headphones cost less than $100
Jabra had a strong 2019, with the launch of its true wireless Elite 75t buds, an update to the Elite 65t which took them from good to great, and the debut of the Elite 85h over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. For 2020, the company has its sights on another area of the audio market -- the sub-$100 on-ear headphone.
Withings’ new ScanWatch is a classy heart-monitoring wearable
2020 is the year that Withings revamps its Steel HR line of hybrid fitness watches into a new product called the Withings ScanWatch. The new timepiece takes the basic idea of its predecessor and adds a built-in ECG to help folks look for issues with their heart, including atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea.
Willow's latest smart breast pump promises a more comfortable design
It's been three years since a smart breast pump stole the show at CES 2017. Since then, Willow has been doing what any tech company would do after it has its first hit: iterate, iterate, iterate. Over the past few years, Willow has made its wearable breast pump easier to operate, and it's also added an optional reusable container for moms who don't like the idea of trashing disposable milk bags. This year, at CES 2020, Willow is unveiling its third-generation pump (and allowing its space to double as a breastfeeding room for nursing mothers attending the show). Though the device looks similar to last year's model, the company is touting some under-the-hood improvements that promise better comfort and a higher milk yield. Specifically, the company claims that moms can expect around 20 percent more milk, on average, per session. (That's based on focus groups with "experienced" users who pumped at least 20 times in testing.) As for comfort, the company has added new suction levels, a slower, gentler pumping rhythm, a "sensitivity" setting and a feature that adjusts the suction settings based on the user's preferences. Of course, the Willow wouldn't be the Willow without some signature hardware features. Like both of its predecessors, it takes the form of two wearable, battery-operated cups -- one of the device's chief selling points has been that moms don't need to sit tethered to a wall outlet while breastfeeding. The pump sends milk straight into a receptacle, whether that be the standard disposable bag or the reusable container, sold separately. The device is also designed to be quiet -- an area where Willow makes progress with each successive generation. Lastly, Willow's shtick is that it promises a design so leakproof you can even do yoga poses while wearing it, though you'll have to take someone else's word for it -- our staff has yet to test that claim. On the software side, the companion app is being updated with personalized pumping tips, onboarding help for new users and what Willow claims is a faster, easier pairing process. As ever, the app tracks volume over time, so women can see how much milk they've produced in various pumping sessions. Willow Generation 3 will be available sometime this spring for $499.99, the same price at which the last-gen model launched. Like its predecessor, it will come with two pumps and 24 milk bags. It will be available in three sizes: a new 21mm, along with the current 24mm and 27mm sizes. The second-generation model will still be sold, also for $499.99 but with a container included. That, too, will be available in the smaller 21mm size, though don't expect the older device to work with the new app; those software features are reserved for Generation 3.
HP updates its Elite Dragonfly laptop with 5G and Tile tracking
HP already made waves with far-out claims about its Elite Dragonfly when it launched last year, saying things like it was "lighter than air," and the "world's first business convertible with preinstalled personal wellbeing software." But the company is here at CES 2020 with a new version that has some new unique features. It's the "world's first laptop with built-in Tile," for example, so you can find your notebook if you misplace it by using an app. The new Dragonfly also features 5G connectivity, starting first with Sprint service and other carriers to follow later. For an update that is taking place just about four months after, the next-gen Elite Dragonfly certainly seems like a meaty update.
Byton's infotainment system will feature Garmin and ViacomCBS
Since its inception, Byton has been touting its in-car experience as driver-centric. So while the company's electric cars aren't on the road yet, it's back at CES to show off the latest iteration of what it'll be like to sit in their vehicle when it launches in China in mid-2020.
Qoobo robotic cat tail pillow gets a kitten-sized sibling
It was love at first sight when I met the Qoobo cat tail pillow back in 2017, and since then, it has made its way into nursing homes to keep seniors company. Unsurprisingly, there's also a demand for this therapeutic robot amongst lonely dwellers or folks who aren't able to keep pets, and some of them have even asked for a more portable version to be their all-day companion. As a result, Yukai Engineering has come up with the Petit Qoobo, a smaller cushion with a shorter robotic tail that reacts to not only touch but also sound. Better yet, it even has a subtle vibration to mimic the purring of a live cat.
