Personal electric aircraft have teased us for years. They look futuristic, promise freedom from traffic, and usually come with prices that put them out of reach or timelines that feel uncertain. Recently unveiled at CES 2026, the Rictor X4 entered that conversation with some bold claims.
It is a single-passenger electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft designed to make short-range personal flight more accessible and far more affordable. If those promises hold up, it could change how we think about flying for everyday trips.
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CES 2026 put health tech front and center, with companies showcasing smarter ways to support prevention, mobility and long-term wellness.(CES)
The Rictor X4 uses a multirotor design with eight propellers spread across four carbon fiber arms. Those arms fold inward when the aircraft is not in use, allowing it to fit in the bed of a pickup truck. The aircraft focuses on low-altitude flight and short hops rather than long journeys.
Key specs include:
Top speed of about 50 mph
Maximum flight time of 20 minutes
Payload capacity of up to 220 pounds, including the pilot
It can lift off and land vertically like a helicopter, then transition into forward flight once airborne. Rictor describes its mission as light aerial mobility, which essentially means short-distance commuting and professional applications.
Inside the X4’s propulsion and power system
According to Rictor, the X4’s propulsion system is built around stability and redundancy rather than raw speed. Each axis uses a coaxial dual-motor configuration designed to provide consistent thrust during low-altitude flight.
Key propulsion details include:
Rated thrust of up to 165 pounds per axis
Peak thrust exceeding 285 pounds per axis
Maximum continuous power output of 10 kW
120-volt operating system designed for outdoor conditions
Together, these systems aim to deliver controlled, predictable flight with built-in safety margins, especially during takeoff, landing, and hover.
The Rictor X4 is a single-passenger electric aircraft designed for short-range, low-altitude flight with a folding multirotor layout. (Rictor)
Safety systems and flight control in the Rictor X4
Rictor puts safety at the center of the X4’s design. The aircraft uses a semi-solid state battery system with dual battery redundancy, which helps enable a controlled landing if one battery module fails. In addition, an emergency parachute system provides backup protection during critical situations. At the same time, a centralized flight control system actively manages propulsion, attitude, and overall system health. This system continuously monitors key flight data to help maintain stability in changing conditions.
Beyond software, the hardware plays an important role. The X4 features 63-inch carbon fiber folding propellers in a 4-axis, 8-propeller configuration. Together, they support a payload of up to 220 pounds, including the pilot. According to Rictor, the aircraft is designed to operate at noise levels below 65 decibels, although independent testing has not yet been published. Finally, Rictor’s proprietary Dynamic Balance Algorithm adjusts the output of all eight motors in real time. As a result, the X4 can maintain a stable hover even in side winds rated up to Level 6.
The FAA rule that could make personal flight easier
One of Rictor’s most attention-grabbing claims involves regulation. The company says the X4 is designed to comply with FAA Part 103, which governs ultralight vehicles in the US. If operated within Part 103 limits, the X4 could be flown legally without airworthiness certification or a pilot’s license. Rictor says this is enabled by autonomous pre-programmed flight paths and very low altitude operation, reportedly as low as three meters above ground. It is worth noting that Part 103 still carries operational restrictions, including where and how flight can occur. Final compliance depends on real-world use and FAA interpretation.
Designed to fold, transport, and recharge
Portability is a major focus. Rictor says the X4 folds down to about 42 cubic feet, which makes it compact enough to transport in the bed of a pickup truck. The company also highlights in-vehicle charging support while parked or on the move, positioning the X4 as something that can be transported and recharged alongside ground vehicles rather than stored at an airfield.
The Rictor X4 carries a launch price of $39,900 with a $5,000 deposit. That alone separates it from most personal eVTOLs currently discussed in the market. The aircraft is produced by Kuickwheel Technology, Rictor’s parent company. According to the company, first customer deliveries are scheduled for Q2 2026. As with any aircraft launch, timelines remain aspirational until production units reach customers.
Why this matters now
Personal eVTOLs have lived in a narrow space between concept and reality. High costs, regulatory hurdles, and safety concerns have slowed adoption. If Rictor delivers an aircraft that performs as described while operating within ultralight rules, it could expand personal flight beyond niche enthusiasts and into practical short-range use. Now it comes down to whether the company can deliver on what it’s promising.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
The Rictor X4 brings together aggressive pricing, compact design, and regulatory positioning in a way we have not seen before. Folding propellers, redundant safety systems, and Part 103 alignment make it one of the most ambitious personal eVTOL launches to date. The unanswered questions center on real-world performance, regulatory interpretation, and production readiness. Until aircraft are flying outside controlled demonstrations, healthy skepticism remains warranted. Still, this is one of the most compelling personal flight announcements to come out of CES in recent years.
Would you trust a personal eVTOL like this for everyday trips, or does flight still feel like a step too far for now? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
This year, over 4,000 exhibitors descended on Las Vegas, Nevada to showcase their wares at CES, and the Engadget team was out in full force. The week started with press conferences from the biggest companies at the show, which were often a flurry of AI buzzwords, vague promises and very little in the way of hard news.
More than one company even decided to forgo announcing things during their conferences to make way for more AI chatter, only to publish press releases later quietly admitting that, yes, actually, they did make some consumer technology. It’s appropriate, I guess, that as we’re beginning to feel the knock-on cost effects of the AI industry’s insatiable appetite for compute resources — higher utility bills and device prices — companies would rather use their flashy conferences to reinforce AI’s supposedly must-have attributes rather than actually inform the public about their new products.
We’re by no means AI luddites at Engadget, but it’s fair to say that our team is more excited by tangible products that enrich our lives than iterative improvements to large language models. So, away from all of the bombast of NVIDIA’s marathon keynote and Lenovo’s somehow simultaneously gaudy and dull Sphere show, it’s been a pleasure to evaluate the crowd of weird new gadgets, appliances, toys and robots vying for our attention.
Over the course of several days of exhaustive discussion and impassioned pitching, our CES team has whittled down the hundreds of products we saw to pick our favorites. Starting with an initial shortlist of around 50 candidates across a diverse range of product categories, we eventually landed on 15 winners and our singular best in show.
If you’ve been with us all week, stay tuned for a lot more to come — despite publishing almost 200 articles from the show already, there’s still plenty we have to tell you about. For now, though, here are our winners, each introduced by the editor most familiar with it. — Aaron Souppouris, Editor-in-chief
Best robot: Switchbot Onero H1
Onero H1 robot (Onero)
We saw a lot of robots showing off intriguing and useful capabilities at CES 2026. While a lot of robots impressed us, there were fewer companies willing to commit to actually making them available. But Switchbot’s Onero H1, which we watched pick up clothes and load a washing machine, is a helper robot the company intends to sell this year.
The demo we saw was limited, but Switchbot claims it can help with an array of household chores (even if it might do them more slowly than a human). It’s also kind of cute. The company hasn’t said how much Onero will cost, though it promises the droid will be less than $10,000. A five-figure price tag is still out of reach for most, but it at least gives us hope we’ll see it somewhere outside of the CES showfloor. — Karissa Bell, Senior reporter
Best accessibility tech: WheelMove
WheelMove power assist for manual wheelchairs (Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget)
WheelMove offers a simple upgrade for manual wheelchairs that could make it much easier for the rider to navigate rough surfaces like grass and uneven dirt paths. The add-on is affixed to the front bars of the wheelchair and can lift the small caster wheels off the ground, in addition to providing power assistance with five speed options. It’s portable, has a decent range of about 15 miles — with the option to swap out its battery on the go — and could give wheelchair users greater access to areas that would otherwise be difficult to move about in. It can also keep the wheelchair from speeding up when a person is traveling on a downward slope.
This feels very much like a product that will actually see the light of day, and could be genuinely helpful. It builds upon an existing category of wheelchair accessories to address a real issue in a way that doesn’t overcomplicate things, and would work with the wheelchairs people already use. — Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend editor
Best TV: LG Wallpaper TV (OLED Evo W6)
LG OLED Evo W6 “Wallpaper TV” (LG)
I’ve seen plenty of TVs at CES this year, but few stopped me in my tracks like LG’s OLED Evo W6. It’s the resurrection of the company’s “Wallpaper TV,” but this time it’s even thinner (about the depth of a pencil), and it’s no longer tied to a soundbar. It also uses LG’s wireless control box to reduce cabling — the only cord you need to hide is the one for power.
And best of all, the OLED Evo W6 features LG’s latest OLED technology, which promises to be about 20 percent brighter than previous generations. Video demos looked absolutely stunning, with all of the wonderful contrast and black levels we’ve come to love from OLED. But it’s also a work of art when it’s turned off, one that practically disappears when viewed from an angle. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior reporter
Best AI hardware: Subtle Voicebuds
Subtle Voicebuds (Subtle)
Subtle’s Voicebuds are earbuds with a twist: They feature an AI model that’s trained to transcribe your voice accurately in very noisy environments, or when it’s below a whisper in quiet spaces. We’ve seen these things in action on the bustling CES show floor, where they managed to transcribe several sentences amid the chaos. The only downsides is that the Voicebuds require internet access to use the best transcription models, and you need to subscribe to the Subtle app to use it. Without the app, it relies on a smaller local model for transcription.
While we still need to put the Voicebuds through their paces, they’re intriguing because we haven’t seen many genuinely useful AI hardware products. Plus, it’s been a while since we’ve seen a tiny startup deliver hardware trying to take on the likes of Apple. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior reporter
Best smart home: IKEA Matter-compatible smart home
IKEA Matter-compatible smart home (IKEA)
The best smart home devices I saw at CES had nothing to do with AI or robots. It seems every other company, from Bosch to LG to Samsung, had one or both of the buzzy technologies baked into their new smart home offerings. But IKEA came to its first CES with a simple lineup of basic, Matter-enabled smart plugs, sensors, lamps and remotes at screamingly good prices. Function paired with accessible pricing is sort of what IKEA is known for, so the lineup didn’t exactly surprise me as much as make me appreciate that someone is finally simplifying and democratizing smart home stuff.
There are 21 Matter-compatible devices in all. They include a $6 smart bulb, an $8 smart plug, a $6 smart remote and a slew of home sensors. A slightly pricier ($15) globe bulb looks very lovely. Finally, there’s a smart bulb you’d actually want to look at — one that doesn’t cost $50. Another standout is the BILREA remote control. Not only is it an intuitive controller for IKEA’s smart devices and new smart lamps, it also has a magnetic mount so you don’t lose the thing. Matter devices require a hub to function. Here, you can either go for IKEA’s own DIRIGERA or use a Matter hub you already own. The new lineup should land at IKEA’s website and stores sometime in January. — Amy Skorheim, Senior reporter
Best home theater: Samsung HW-QS90H
Samsung HW-QS90H soundbar (Billy Steele for Engadget)
Many companies claim their soundbars have enough bass that you don’t need a separate subwoofer. Those promises rarely pan out, even when the company devises new technology to solve the problem. With the HW-QS90H, Samsung is pledging to do the same with its Quad Bass woofer system. Those woofers move in two directions, producing a lot more low-end tone than most soundbars are capable of on their own. What’s more, Samsung included its Convertible Fit Design tech that debuted last year, so you can lay this speaker flat or mount it on a wall and the built-in sensors will automatically adjust the driver output accordingly. So, if you’ve longed for deep bass on a soundbar without a large or ugly sub in the corner, you may finally get your wish later this year. — Billy Steele, Deputy editor
Best audio: Shokz OpenFit Pro
Shokz OpenFit Pro (Shokz)
When it comes to open fit earbuds, companies that claim to offer active noise cancellation (ANC) usually don’t deliver; It’s difficult to effectively block external sound when your ears aren’t completely sealed off. Shokz is one of the few that has cracked the code with its OpenFit Pro. The over-the-ear hook design allows the earbuds to sit outside of your ear for a clear line to your surroundings. When you need a bit more quiet, the company’s noise reduction tech does well to silence moderate sounds in a cafe, office and more. It’s seriously impressive how much noise reduction you’ll get here, and the fact that nothing is stuck in your ear canals makes them very comfortable to wear. Plus, Shokz improved overall sound quality with new drivers, and tacked on Dolby Atmos for good measure. — Billy Steele, Deputy editor
Best outdoor tech: Tone Outdoors T1
Tone Outdoors T1 (Whisper Aero)
Outdoor tool companies have increasingly shown up at CES, especially the ones that offer a range of battery-powered gear. Tone Outdoors isn’t your usual power tool outfit though; it’s a spin-off of the aerospace engineering company Whisper Aero. Through its development of quieter electric airplane engines, Whisper Aero realized its technology had other uses. Enter the T1 leaf blower.
The T1 is significantly quieter than most handheld gas models, clocking in at just 52 decibels of peak noise on average. It’s also more powerful than most of them with 880 CFM of airflow volume. The T1 can run longer too, and an upcoming backpack will extend run time for several hours. But the most important advancement here is not annoying your neighbors — or yourself — when it’s time to do some yard work. — Billy Steele, Deputy editor
Best toy: Lego Smart Play
Lego Smart Play (Lego)
Lego is constantly evolving, but rarely does it make as big a move as it did with Smart Play. The system is designed to take standard Lego sets and make them more interactive thanks to a tech-packed Smart Brick. Those bricks have a tiny chip the size of a Lego stud that enables things like motion, color and proximity sensing. They also have a tiny speaker that further helps bring Lego builds to life.
The Smart Brick is mostly a blank slate, but pairing it with Lego’s Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures is what enables these new play scenarios. Unsurprisingly, Lego introduced the Smart Play system alongside Star Wars sets that make these new immersive elements more obvious. An X-Wing piloted by Luke Skywalker can get into a dogfight with Darth Vader’s TIE fighter, and you’ll hear the engines roar to life, the characters exclaim as they come under fire and the spaceship explodes if it gets hit too many times. And Smart Play requires no setup, meaning that the technology packed into the Smart Brick fades away and lets kids (and kids at heart) get down to the business of playing. You don’t need to know how it works — it just does. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy editor
On the XPS 14 and XPS 16, we’re getting brand new chassis featuring the latest chips from Intel, gorgeous tandem OLED displays and precision engineering that embodies everything we loved about XPS laptops from previous years. Dell also streamlined its designs with the larger XPS 16 dropping an entire pound compared to the previous generation. The company even addressed a number of our previous critiques by switching from capacitive touch controls back to a classic row of function keys and reverting to segmented touchpads instead of seamless glass ones that made it hard to keep track of your cursor.
But perhaps the best part is that Dell isn’t stopping here, because the company also teased a new version of its legendary XPS 13 slated for later this year, the thinnest and lightest member of the family yet. There are also placeholders for two more XPS models slated to arrive in the not too distant future. — Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter
Best health tech: Eyebot vision test booth
Eyebot vision test (Eyebot)
Wouldn’t it be nice if getting an updated eyeglasses prescription wasn’t as lengthy a process as it is right now? Eyebot’s new kiosk is designed to automate the process of visiting a doctor’s office to three minutes rocking up to a machine. It uses a combination of analog and digital wizardry to identify what you need to see properly in no time at all. Even better is that the prescriptions have to be signed off by a licensed eye doctor, so you can still rely on a degree of professional rigor. We like Eyebot because it proved itself in our tests: its brief examination matched my professionally completed prescription from last year. But its ability to make effective eye care accessible and affordable in a way that it isn’t at present is even more compelling than the tech itself. — Daniel Cooper, Senior reporter
Best gaming tech: ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo
ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo (ASUS)
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo is big, weird and potentially awkward to set up. But honestly, what kind of gamer doesn’t want more screens? Even if you can’t use its second display in the middle of a firefight, more real estate means extra room for Discord, build guides or anything else you might need. Furthermore, ASUS included not one but two brilliant OLED panels with up to 1,100 nits of brightness and color accuracy so good you won’t have a problem editing photos or videos. You also get a ton of ports, and with support for up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU, the ROG Zephyrus Duo has more than enough performance to handle anything you can throw at it. — Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter
Best mobile tech: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold
Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
Samsung might have announced the latest iteration of its foldable smartphones in Korea, but CES was the first chance for many of us to see the Galaxy Z TriFold in person. It’s a 10-inch Android tablet hidden within a 6.5-inch smartphone form factor.
The jump from the almost-square screen ratio of Samsung’s past foldables to approximately 4:3 is a major improvement. This is a device that I could happily watch entire movies on. There’s more horizontal space to read, more room to type and more bright, vivid AMOLED everything. Unfurling the sides is incredibly satisfying and, perhaps because it’s thicker, it has a reassuring heft, too. The rest of the spec sheet reflects another fashionable Galaxy phone with a 200-megapixel main camera and the biggest battery yet in a Samsung foldable.
It’ll likely be expensive though. Samsung hasn’t confirmed pricing in the US, but based on its launch cost in Korea, it could be around $2,500. — Mat Smith, UK bureau chief
Most promising concept: Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable
Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable (Lenovo)
Concept devices are hard to judge because even the ones with a ton of potential might be too difficult to make or too niche to bring to market. But with the Legion Pro Rollable concept, Lenovo created something with a simple yet powerful premise: A gaming laptop with a screen that gets wider at the touch of a button.
To make the Legion Pro Rollable, Lenovo took a regular Legion Pro 7i and then swapped its standard 16-inch display for a flexible one that can expand all the way up to 23.8 inches — with a bonus stop in between. This means you have the option to choose from 16:10, 21:9 or even 24:9 depending on the situation, which feels like an incredible way to enhance racing games, flight sims and anything else that can take advantage of extra wide aspect ratios. Granted, when its screen is fully deployed, it does look a bit ungainly. But of all the concepts we saw this year at CES, the Legion Pro Rollable is the one we hope survives to become a proper retail product someday. — Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter
Best emerging technology: IXI autofocus lenses
IXI Autofocus lenses (IXI)
IXI’s autofocusing glasses were a late addition to our discussions, but we were impressed by what could be a significant advancement in spectacle technology — something that’s been largely static since the 1950s. IXI’s glasses feature an elegant, unique, cameraless eye-tracking system that uses ultra-low-power LEDs and photodiodes to precisely monitor the user’s eye movement and focus convergence. This data drives a liquid crystal lens layer, enabling a focus switch between near and far distances in approximately 0.2 seconds. Focus your gaze elsewhere, and your glasses return to their normal prescription. Think of them as a high-tech take on the often thick and clunky multifocal lenses we’re currently stuck with.
IXI is now finalizing the production process, developing manufacturing and gaining the necessary medical certification to sell its glasses, but it has already struck deals with lens manufacturers in Europe. The company has a busy year ahead as it turns its technology into a consumer product. — Mat Smith, UK bureau chief
Best in show: Lego Smart Play
Lego Smart Play (Lego)
There’s perhaps no place better than CES to highlight how quickly industry trends die. Over the years the show has been a driver of cornerstone technologies like the VCR, DVD, flatscreen TVs, PDAs and more. Some trends stick, some don’t.
Lego could almost be seen as the antithesis of the typical CES product: The company’s core concept of creative play has remained in place throughout its long history, boosted by a gradual and ongoing evolution of block types and brand tie-ins.
Announced at its first-ever CES press conference, Smart Play represents a thoughtful integration of technology to the classic toy. A tiny chip the size of a single Lego stud allows the company’s Smart Bricks to sense what’s around them, opening up new ways to play. The system will debut with a trio of Star Wars sets, but we’re sure Lego has plans for a wide range of licensed and unlicensed options.
Our team instantly fell in love with Smart Play, and Deputy editor Nathan Ingraham had the opportunity to both build some sets and talk with some of the people behind the technology. Amid parental anxieties about screentime, it’s refreshing that Smart Play doesn’t require an app or a screen to get started. Kids can just get building. — Aaron Souppouris, Editor-in-chief
The Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES, is the world’s largest consumer technology event, and it’s underway in Las Vegas. It takes over the city every January for four days and draws global attention from tech companies, startups, researchers, investors and journalists, of course.
CES is where many of the products that shape the next few years of consumer tech first appear. Think of it as a preview of what may soon land in our homes, hospitals, gyms and workplaces.
At CES 2026, flashy gadgets and robots are everywhere, but health technology is drawing some of the most attention. Across the show floor, companies are focusing on prevention, recovery, mobility, safety and long-term well-being. These 10 health tech products stole the spotlight in Las Vegas and hint at where wellness innovation could be headed next.
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CES 2026 put health tech front and center, with companies showcasing smarter ways to support prevention, mobility and long-term wellness.(CES)
The 10 health tech products turning heads at CES 2026
From AI-driven health insights to tools designed to reduce everyday risk, these are the health tech products people are stopping to look at on the CES 2026 show floor.
1) NuraLogix Longevity Mirror predicts your health in 30 seconds
NuraLogix introduced a smart mirror that turns a short selfie video into a snapshot of your long-term health outlook. The Longevity Mirror analyzes subtle blood flow patterns in your face using AI and scores metabolic health, heart health and physiological age from zero to 100.
Results appear in about 30 seconds along with clear explanations and recommendations. The AI was trained on hundreds of thousands of patient records, which helps translate raw data into understandable insights.
The mirror supports up to six user profiles. It launches in early 2026 for $899 and includes a one-year subscription. After this, the subscription costs $99 per year. Optional concierge support connects users with nutrition and wellness experts.
2) Ascentiz walking exoskeletons keep getting lighter and more practical
Ascentiz showed how mobility tech is shifting toward real-world use at CES 2026. The Ascentiz H1 Pro walking exoskeleton stood out for its lightweight, modular design, which reduces strain while supporting motor-assisted movement across longer distances.
The system uses AI to adapt assistance to the user’s motion and terrain, making it useful on inclines and uneven ground. A belt-based attachment system keeps the device compact and easy to wear, while dust- and water-resistant construction supports outdoor use in different conditions.
For users who need more power, Ascentiz also offers Ultra and knee or hip-attached models that deliver stronger assistance. Together, the lineup shows how exoskeletons are moving beyond clinical rehab and toward everyday mobility support.
3) Bambini Kids brings powered walking to pediatric rehab
Cosmo Robotics earned a CES Innovation Award for Bambini Kids, the first overground pediatric exoskeleton with powered ankle motion. It is designed for children ages 2.5 to 7 with congenital or acquired neurological disorders.
The system offers both active and passive gait training modes. Encouraging guided and natural movement helps children relearn walking skills while reducing complications linked to conditions like cerebral palsy.
NuraLogix’s AI-powered mirror uses a short selfie video to estimate heart health, metabolic health and biological age in about 30 seconds.(NuraLogix)
4) Sunbooster turns desk work into sunlight exposure
If you spend most of your day indoors, one of the wellness products drawing attention at CES 2026, Sunbooster, offers a practical way to replace a missing part of natural sunlight.
The device clips onto a monitor, laptop or tablet and projects near-infrared light while you work, without adding noise or disrupting your routine.
Near-infrared light is a natural component of sunlight linked to energy levels, mood and skin health. Sunbooster uses patented SunLED technology to deliver controlled exposure and tracks daily dosage, encouraging two to four hours of use during screen time.
The technology has been tested in human and laboratory studies conducted at the University of Groningen and Maastricht University, adding scientific backing to its claims. The company is also developing a phone case and a monitor with built-in near-infrared lighting, which could make sunlight replacement even more seamless in indoor environments.
5) Allergen Alert brings a pocket-sized lab to the table
Allergen Alerttackles one of the most stressful parts of eating out with food allergies. The handheld device tests a small food sample inside a sealed, single-use pouch and detects food allergens or gluten directly in a meal within minutes.
Built on laboratory-grade technology derived from bioMérieux expertise, the system automates the entire analytical process and delivers results without requiring technical knowledge. The company says the technology has attracted interest from highly demanding environments, including Michelin-starred restaurants, as a way to help reduce cross-contamination risk.
At CES 2026, Allergen Alert positioned the device as a tool designed to restore confidence and inclusion at the table. The mini-lab will be available for pre-orders at the end of 2026, with plans to expand testing to additional common allergens in the future.
6) Samsung Brain Health explores early cognitive changes
Samsung previewed Brain Health, a research-driven feature designed for Galaxy wearables that analyzes walking patterns, voice changes and sleep data to flag potential early signs of cognitive decline.
The system draws on data from devices like the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring to establish a personal baseline, then looks for subtle deviations linked to early dementia research. Samsung emphasizes that Brain Health is not intended to diagnose medical conditions. Instead, it aims to provide early warnings that encourage people and their families to seek professional evaluation sooner.
Samsung plans for future beta availability, but no public release date has been confirmed. At CES 2026, people can check out the feature during an in-person demo.
7) Withings BodyScan 2 turns a scale into a health hub
Withings is rethinking what a bathroom scale can do with BodyScan 2, which earned a CES 2026 Innovation Award. In under 90 seconds, the smart scale measures ECG data, arterial stiffness, metabolic efficiency and hypertension risk.
The connected app helps users see how stress, sedentary habits, menopause or weight changes affect cardiometabolic health. The focus shifts away from weight alone and toward early health signals that can be tracked over time.
An attendee sits for a one-minute UNO BrainBody health screening at the UNOVINS booth during CES 2026, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Jan. 7, 2026.(REUTERS/Steve Marcus)
8) Garmin Venu 4 focuses on health trends, not single stats
Garmin earned a CES Innovation Honore Award for the Venu 4 smartwatch. A new health status feature highlights when metrics like heart rate variability and respiration drift away from personal baselines.
Lifestyle logging links daily habits to sleep and stress outcomes. With up to 12 days of battery life, the watch supports continuous tracking without nightly charging.
RheoFit A1 delivers a hands-free, AI-guided massage experience designed to speed recovery after workouts or long days at a desk.(RheoFit)
9) Ring Fire Watch turns doorbells into wildfire sensors
Ring introduced Fire Watch, an opt-in feature that uses AI to detect smoke and flames from compatible cameras. During wildfires, users can share snapshots with Watch Duty, a nonprofit that distributes real-time fire alerts to communities and authorities.
It shows how existing home tech can play a role in public safety during environmental emergencies.
10) RheoFit A1 delivers hands-free AI recovery
RheoFit A1 may be the most relaxing health gadget at CES 2026. The AI-powered robotic roller glides beneath your body to deliver a full-body massage in about 10 minutes.
With interchangeable massage attachments and activity-specific programs, it targets soreness from workouts or long hours at a desk. The companion app uses an AI body scan to adapt pressure and focus areas automatically.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
CES 2026 showed how health tech is becoming more practical and more personal. Many of the products on this list focus on catching problems earlier, reducing everyday stress and helping people make better decisions about their health. From tools that flag potential health risks to devices that improve safety at home, the real shift is toward technology that fits naturally into our daily lives.
Which of these CES 2026 health tech products would you actually use first in your daily life, and what problem would it solve for you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
iMogul AI, created by a Rockville startup, is designed to help screenwriters, actors and producers connect — using artificial intelligence not to create content, but to analyze it.
iMogul CEO Chris LeSchack at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.(Courtesy Steve Winter)
iMogul CEO Chris LeSchack at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.(Courtesy Steve Winter)
Breaking into Hollywood has never been easy.
For decades, aspiring screenwriters have faced a familiar cycle: write a script, submit it, wait, follow up, wait some more — and often never hear back. In an industry where who you know is invariably more valuable than what you know, even strong material can die on the vine before it ever reaches the right decision-makers.
At CES 2026, a Rockville, Maryland-based startup believes they have found a way to disrupt that process.
Exhibiting this year from Eureka Park at CES, iMogul AI is unveiling a platform designed to help screenwriters, actors and producers connect more efficiently — using artificial intelligence not to create content, but rather to analyze, validate and accelerate the acceptance process, essentially trimming that all-important barrier to entry.
“The company and the product is called iMogul,” CEO Chris LeSchack said. “As we all know, it’s incredibly hard to get into Hollywood. iMogul is essentially designed for screenwriters who have created screenplays but don’t know where to go with it.”
LeSchack speaks from personal experience. In 2005, he attempted to pitch a screenplay to Fox Studios. While the studio expressed interest, the project ultimately stalled.
“They said, ‘Yeah, Jerry Bruckheimer has done this before. Maybe next time,’” LeSchack recalled.
The experience planted the seed for what would eventually become iMogul AI.
Rather than acting as another script-hosting site or marketplace, iMogul AI aims to create a feedback-driven ecosystem around each screenplay. Writers upload their scripts to the app, where audiences can read them, vote on elements such as casting, filming locations and creative direction, and provide validation that can be shared with potential investors and producers.
“What if I had an app and got the demographics or the information from the audience that actually go and read the script, vote on actors, vote on directors and cinematographers?” LeSchack said. “And then I take that information and provide it to friends and family investors or actual real investors who are interested in Hollywood.”
iMogul AI, LeSchack said, absolutely does not use generative AI to write or alter scripts.
“I don’t use AI to do anything with the content itself,” he said. “That’s all the screenwriter.”
Instead, the platform applies AI to market analysis — evaluating potential audiences, identifying tax incentives and shooting locations, and recommending actors who might align with a project’s budget and goals.
“If the screenwriter is interested in selecting their own talent, they can go and do that,” LeSchack said. “While the higher tier actor or actress a film engages, the higher will be the value of the screenplay; but in many instances, we want to bring in relative unknowns … some B-listers and others … talent that might bring down the cost down while also helping the screenwriter pitch it to investors and producers.”
The AI also analyzes scripts to suggest optimal filming locations. By parsing external and internal scenes, settings and themes, the system can flag regions with favorable tax incentives.
“We’re using AI really to … deal with flow,” LeSchack said. “Help actors, screenwriters get back to work, producers — in fact, everybody in the film industry.”
Bypassing traditional gatekeepers
For emerging creatives, that promise resonates strongly.
Zsuzsanna Juhasz, an employee of iMogul AI, is also a junior at USC majoring in film studies and production. As she embarks on her career in the entertainment industry, Juhasz is fully representative of the sort of individual for whom iMogul was created.
“One of the scariest things about breaking into the industry is not knowing the right people,” Juhasz said. “If you don’t know the right people, maybe your work won’t be recognized or it won’t get out there. And that’s terrifying as you’ve invested four years into your education building your portfolio.”
She sees iMogul AI as a way to bypass traditional gatekeepers.
“This app will bridge that connection,” she said. “My work will be in front of audiences. People can read the kind of worlds I’m building, the characters I’m building, and they’ll be interested in that. They can vote for it.”
The platform’s casting features are also central to its appeal. Actors can read sides, submit reels and audition directly through the app — opening doors for performers without agency representation.
“It lets you have a sort of control that the industry doesn’t always offer you,” Juhasz said.
That functionality will soon expand, thanks to a new feature called iMogul Take One, which LeSchack announced at CES.
“Take One is going to invite actors to come in and read sides … and then pitch it out into the real world,” he said. “So we might be able to find the next up-and-coming actor.”
The app is currently free to download on Apple’s App Store, with a Google version presently in the works. While screenwriters may eventually pay a modest monthly fee, LeSchack said the priority is growth.
“The more screenwriters that put screenplays up there, more audience comes in,” he said.
As iMogul AI makes its CES debut, the company is positioning itself not as a replacement for Hollywood, but as a smarter on-ramp. For creatives long locked out of the system, that may be the most compelling pitch of all.
At CES 2026, Anthony Wood, Roku’s founder, chairman, and CEO, offered a hint about the future of the company’s newest streaming channel, Howdy, and its ambition to become a broader competitor in the market. Launched last August, the $2.99 per month streaming service offers ad-free access to library content, at a time when rival streamers are raising their prices.
“The opportunity for Howdy was — if you just look at what’s going on in the streaming world with streaming services, they’re getting more expensive. They keep raising prices, and they keep adding larger and larger ad loads,” Wood explained at the Variety Entertainment Summit at CES. “And so, the part of the market where it actually started — low-cost and no ads — is gone now. There’s no streaming services that address that portion of the market.”
The exec also suggested that Roku intends to bring Howdy to a broader market than just Roku customers, saying that while it started on Roku, the company “will take it off-platform as well.”
Asked to clarify offstage if that meant mobile apps, the web, and elsewhere, Wood told TechCrunch the company has not yet said where, specifically, it plans to bring Howdy, but that “we want to distribute it everywhere.” That seems to suggest that Howdy could be an app that you one day load on any device, large or small. Wood declined to share subscriber numbers with TechCrunch, but said onstage, “I think if I just look at the market, it’s going to be a big streaming service.”
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company has raised $20bn in its latest funding round, the startup announced Tuesday, even as its marquee chatbot Grok faces backlash over generating sexualized, nonconsensual images of women and underage girls. xAI’s Series E funding round featured big-name investors, including Nvidia, Fidelity Management and Resource Company, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, and Valor Equity Partners – the private investment firm of Musk’s longtime friend and former Doge member Antonio Gracias. The Guardian
Almost half of pornography users have accessed adult sites without government-mandated age checks since the measure came into force, new research shows. Since the law changed in July, 45% of 1,469 adults who use porn have gone on websites without age checks to avoid submitting their personal information, a poll by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation found. The research also showed that 29% of pornography users had used a VPN to avoid age checks on websites that do require them. Sky News
The first Android security update of 2026 has now been confirmed. It includes a fix for a critical security vulnerability that exposes phones to attack. The good news is that the update will be available to Pixel owners within days. But the bad news is that another update is also now hitting Pixel phones, causing serious issues for users. The critical vulnerability patched in January’s Android update “is a flaw in Dolby’s DD+ Unified Decoder,” Jamf explains. And because “audio attachments and voice messages are decoded locally,” this “can be exploited without any user interaction.” Forbes
Hisense has turned up to CES 2026 with two big swings at colour performance – and both involve adding an extra colour channel to the usual red, green, and blue recipe. The company says its next flagship LCD TV will use so-called RGB Mini LED Evo tech (which introduces cyan into its RGB Mini LED backlight system), while its latest true Micro LED set will add yellow at the sub-pixel level, forming RGBY. In other words, Hisense is betting that the path to punchier, purer colour is… more colours. After launching an RGB-backlit LCD TV in 2025, Hisense says its second-generation approach will be marketed as RGB Mini LED Evo, debuting in a 116-inch UXS model called the 116UXS. WhatHiFi
Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto V maintained their dominance as the most-played games on US consoles in 2025, according to Circana’s Player Engagement Tracker. The top five titles remained unchanged from 2024 across both PlayStation and Xbox platforms, revealing a stagnant competitive landscape for new releases. Circana analyst Mat Piscatella shared the data via Bluesky, showing Fortnite secured the top position on both PlayStation and Xbox in the US market. Call of Duty ranked second on both platforms, followed by Grand Theft Auto V in third place. Roblox and Minecraft completed the top five. Technobezz
Lego has unveiled Smart Bricks – tech-filled versions of its small building blocks – which it says will bring sets to life with sound, light and reaction to movement. However, the new product range has got a mixed reaction from play experts, who say it risks undermining what makes Lego distinct for children in an increasingly digital world. Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, the Danish toymaker’s Smart Play system introduces new electronic components to the classic plastic blocks. BBC
We’ve seen laptops that fold and laptops that roll, but what about a laptop that spins? Lenovo’s latest weird notebook design that’s soon to become an actual product you can buy is a new ThinkBook with a screen on a pivot. In a version of a beleaguered coder’s worst nightmare, the laptop’s screen can follow you no matter how far you try to scurry around your desk.
Previewed to Gizmodo for CES 2026, the $1,650 ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist uses a hinge that can rotate along a horizontal and vertical axis. Alongside face tracking with its webcam, the laptop can follow your movements when you’re pacing during a meeting or lounging back in your chair, watching Netflix and ignoring all the pings you’re getting on Slack. The Auto Twist should be available starting in June this year.
In person, the spinning mechanism is near-silent and somewhat eerie for how well it can track your body as you try to maneuver out of frame. The one issue with my demo stemmed from positioning two people in the frame at once. The Auto Twist grew confused and would follow one person or another despite how close they were to the laptop. It was the same problem with Lenovo’s Smart Motion Concept laptop holder, though the ThinkBook is far more mobile than that massive brick of a device.
Despite the odd contraption that lets the display pivot, you’re not sacrificing much for the sake of a concept-made-reality. The new 14-inch ThinkBook comes with a 2.8K OLED display that sports up to a 120Hz refresh rate. It features an Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processor inside with options for a chip with 12 Xe3 GPU cores. The extra GPU headroom could be handy if you intend to make this laptop a portable workstation for some lightweight graphics tasks.
If that wasn’t enough, Lenovo is also considering a revised version of its ThinkBook Gen 6 Rollable laptop from 2025. The new ThinkPad Rollable XD is another concept device built for Lenovo’s long-standing business-oriented laptops, though with a twist. It still features a 14-inch flexible screen that extends to just north of 16 inches vertically. Whereas the ThinkBook uses a mechanism to feed the screen into the laptop body, the ThinkPad uses a host of carbon fiber cables and pulleys to drag the display into the laptop lid. There’s a piece of clear plastic on the top to protect the folded display’s most sensitive part.
Putting the flexible display in the lid has a few benefits. One, it keeps the chassis available for the kind of higher-end specs and cooling apparatus you want for a pint-sized laptop. Two, the collapsing screen then becomes a secondary half-display on the back. Lenovo showed how this could be used for alerts and updates while you have the lid closed or to show off a video to people looking on the opposite side of your laptop.
That concept isn’t quite a real-life product yet. The rolling and twisting ThinkBooks have proved that Lenovo is willing to make these oddball products a reality. Sure, you may not have use for these laptops, but at least Lenovo’s staying at the front of keeping the old, staid laptop design fresh.
Gizmodo is on the ground in Las Vegas all week bringing you everything you need to know about the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You can follow our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.
If you’ve been an avid Gizmodo reader since at least the start of the 2020s, you will not need to be told that a guy named Jeff Bennett has been working on an adhesive patch for your taint—the fleshy spot between your anus and genitals—that doesn’t hurt to remove, and delivers mild electrical pulses. Victoria Song, who used to work here, has been on the case for six years now.
What’s new, however, is that bringing Bennett’s dream product to market is now a solved problem. Song, now at our competitor publication The Verge, discovered yesterday at CES that it’s called the MOR patch, it’s cleared for use by the FDA, and you can order it immediately for $299.00 and your gooch can be getting a good zapping in no time. You’re welcome. I assume you have no further questions.
If, for some strange reason, you’re not already up to speed on what this invention is all about, I’ve got you covered: the Mor patch is for sex, it may surprise you to learn. Hopefully all will become clear when you watch this video:
The MOR website says if you wear its product, you’ll “likely feel a mild tingling sensation,” and that “Most users describe it as a comfortable, even pleasant feeling that helps them stay in control.” But it appears the MOR patch is not specifically for anything. Its FDA approval is for safety, and any claims about it treating sexual dysfunction have not been clinically validated. This is something Bennett is being fairly upfront about:
Many have asked why we named our product MOR.
In this video we share the story behind MOR, our FDA-cleared product designed to enhance intimacy, confidence, and connection through safe, proven technology.
So the MOR is, for the most part, a sex toy—no more doctor-prescribed than a vibrator or a french tickler. Things like this get tossed into the sex universe from time to time, and they either slot into someone’s particular sex niche, or they don’t. Sex is the only hobby in the world with almost 100% adoption by nearly every human being who has ever lived, so only the tiniest sliver of the world’s sex-havers need to buy one for Bennett to get a nice business going.
But the MOR comes from a company called Morari Medical, with “morari” being Latin for “delay.” And that’s because this doohickey was originally conceived as a device for dealing with premature ejaculation. So when the Morari Medical site says the device “contains elements that, when activated, interfere with the nerve signals from the penis to the brain that may enhance or improve sexual performance,” the vagueness is probably intentional, but the word “interfere” gets the point across.
It’s not just the intensity but the overall design of the MOR that separates it from a TENS unit, however. Rather than electrodes attached to a controller by wires like in a TENS unit, almost everything on the MOR is right there between the user’s legs during use. Control happens within a smartphone app, which communicates with your patch via bluetooth. It’s arguably a bit much compared to the only control scheme the patch probably needs: a tiny little switch with “LOW” “MED” and “HI” settings that you could turn on before you apply it, with perhaps a 30-second delay before it activates. Plus, when I downloaded the app I noticed a setting that records your data, though the setting defaults to opt-out, which is nice.
But while I can’t claim to have tested the MOR, I find myself admiring the directness and unpretentiousness of this gadget and its marketing materials. Plus, there are zero mentions of “AI” or “artificial intelligence” anywhere on the websites for Morari Medical or the device itself, so that’s at least one thing this product is not trying to cram anywhere near your ass. Others should follow Jeff Bennett’s example.
Gizmodo is on the ground in Las Vegas all week bringing you everything you need to know about the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You can follow our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.
With CES 2026 upon us and some predicting that the first affordable home robot will set off a technological race to market this year, those walking the conference floor in Las Vegas this week can expect thrilling robot demos and big promises we’ve been hearing since the 1960s. The explosion of AI has thrown the humanoid home robot hype machine into full tilt, and to be fair, an AI home revolution is indeed underway.
While we’ve embraced Roombas, smart thermostats, and AI-powered security systems like Ring doorbells for years, significant issues remain, such as data availability, privacy, and social acceptance, before we achieve Jetson-era assistants who will not only fold our laundry and help us care for our children and aging parents, but be trusted to do so.
As our cars continue to gain more autonomy, it would seem the time is ripe for home robots. After all, if the AI, sensors, computing hardware, and other components required for autonomy have become powerful and safe enough for the road, why can’t they take on the home?
I’ve been around computers since receiving my Commodore 64 as a kid. Now, as an AI and robotics professor and a founder of an AI startup, I’m exploring how computer-based systems interact with our world. While we have come far, there are many technological hurdles the industry must overcome to deliver fully autonomous humanoid robots.
The Autonomy Myth
For all the hype and advances in AI programming, over 46 percent of companies fail to turn their exciting, demo-ready proofs of concepts into something usable in the real world—in part because systems lack the data and experience to complete their AI training. In the home robotics space, being an early adopter puts a large portion of that training onus on users (paying users in fact) while also bringing up larger issues of privacy and safety.
Like autonomous cars and systems on the road, home robots must function safely and efficiently 99.999% of the time because one mistake could lead to catastrophic results such as a stovetop burner being left on, a missed pill, or a fall in the shower. In addition to being trained on the massive amounts of data captured by cameras, sensors, and experiments in the real world, home robots must also be prepared to perceive, reason, and act in the face of unexpected scenarios.
This ability to adapt to real-world and unexpected situations has been a thorn in the side of autonomous cars on the road (remember that they were supposed to be available in 2020).While synthetic data, simulations, and experience help fill these holes, teams like Waymo’s Fleet Response also keep humans in the loop to help the AI make decisions and act fast when faced with scenarios that confound or confuse them.
Robots coming into our private homes will run into far more unexpected scenarios that range from each building’s unique physical map to the culture—the so-called patterns of life—of those who live there. No matter how much training is done off-site, setting up and continuously training for our environments today means sending to the cloud rich personal data about everything from when we sit down to eat to how we resolve conflicts with and parent our children.
Amidst the ongoing privacy issues surrounding door cameras and the backlash over social media giants exploiting user data to train their own models, today’s robots invite both passive and active observers into our homes and leave our data exposed to bad actors.
Take the automotive road to success by solving one problem at a time
Working to resolve this privacy issue is one of the exciting challenges before the industry today. Even as we strive to find solutions here, developers and early adopters anxious for home robots that can actually deliver today can take a lesson from the automotive industry’s success.
Ten years ago, our cars had basic cruise control, and today, that early AI assistance has evolved into adaptive cruise control, lane following systems, and more. Autonomous cars are, in fact, several AI systems working in concert.
While the auto industry has been peeling off problems and use cases, one by one, we have not woven this sort of progress into the home. Over two decades after Roombas first entered our homes, most of our smart devices—Alexa assistants, Ring doorbells, and AI chatbots—still don’t physically interact with or move through the world around us.
The right refrigerator might notify us when we’re low on milk and even create a grocery order for us to approve, but there’s still no robot to unpack the groceries, let alone do our ironing or hang up our clothes—two of the many promises featured way back in this 1960s BBC predictions video.
Going up? Social acceptance is essential in stepping up new technology
While many of us would love to hand off our housework and even, at times, our kids to a trusty robot, the industry needs to do more than make them safe and reliable while being respectful of social expectations around privacy. Innovators also have to convince us to trust them.
Today, we take passenger elevators for granted, but as the very first autonomous vehicle, they were radical when introduced in the 19th century. Humans could suddenly step into a box, perhaps hear gears grind, and then exit the box on a different floor—and even as safety features were innovated, that was terrifying. That’s why when this remarkable feat became as easy as the push of a button, human operators remained on board.
Elevator operators are now a sign of prestige, but in the early days of this technology, their presence was essential to building trust and acceptance to evolve the social norm.
Similarly, while it’s hard to avoid stories about AI backlash since ChatGPT exploded, the technology has quietly been assisting us for years via services like credit card fraud detection. Credit card companies implemented protective algorithms without advertising the fact, and avoided backlash from users by bringing the human back into the equation once transactions were flagged for review.
In the home, another human is not the answer, which brings us back to the most challenging piece of the puzzle. While the home robotics industry can find success by addressing smaller problems that require less data and compute, innovators must also solve the much larger problem of how to acquire and protect the data that will fuel, train, and inform our trusty helpers.
We may not have to wait 50 years to catch up to the Jetsons, but the path is certainly longer and more complex than the home robot demos you’ll see at CES suggest. When walking the halls this week, don’t ignore the less exciting but useful window washer, bartender, or snowblower. Be inspired by the promise of those walking robots, even as we focus on the challenges that lie ahead.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.
Robot vacuum maker Narwal unveiled its new set of smart vacuum cleaners at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with AI-powered features such as monitoring pets, finding valuable objects, and notifying users about misplaced toys.
The company said that its new flagship Flow 2 robot vacuum has a rounded design and easy-lift tanks for better cleaning. The device uses two 1080p RGB cameras with a 136-degree field of view to map out the area and recognize different kinds of objects using AI models.
Narwal said that through this tech stack, the vacuum cleaner has the ability to identify an unlimited number of objects. The device first tries to identify an object locally, but in case there are no matches, it sends the data to the cloud for further processing.
Image Credits: Narwal
The Flow 2 has three key modes called pet care mode, baby care mode, and AI floor tag mode. With pet care mode, you can define zones where pets usually rest or hang out to clean them. Plus, it can monitor pets and also check in on your pets via two-way audio (there is no guarantee that they would listen to you, though). In the baby care mode, the vacuum switches to quiet mode near the crib and notifies you of misplaced toys. In the AI floor tag mode, the vacuum recognizes valuable items like jewelry, avoids them, and alerts you.
Narwal said that its newest vacuum cleaner has four cleaning modes that can identify different types of dirt. The device can also return to its base to wash the mop and then re-mop a certain area if it is dirty. The company noted that the Flow 2’s design allows for a higher hot water washing temperature for better cleaning.
Image Credits: Narwal
Along with the Flow 2, the company also showed off a handheld vacuum called the U50 that weighs 1.41kg (3.1 lbs) and has UV-C sterilization along with heat treatment for allergen removal. The company also demoed an unnamed cordless vacuum with a slim design, 360-degree swivel, and up to 50 minutes of run time. The cordless vacuum also has an auto-empty station that can support up to 60 days of dust disposal.
TCL introduced the next entry in its flagship line of televisions during CES. The X11L SQD-Mini LED Series is available for pre-order now in three sizes. But like much of the gear on show in Las Vegas this week, it doesn’t come cheap. The 75-inch model of the X11L costs $7,000, the 85-inch option is $8,000 and the 98-inch model goes for $10,000. That’s more than double the costs of the QD-Mini LED TV the brand unveiled at last year’s CES.
The most notable addition in TCL’s latest screen is the company’s new Deep Color System. This tech leverages Super Quantum Dots, combined with its CSOT UltraColor Filter, and the Advanced Color Purity Algorithm. While a mini LED screen can’t match the true blacks of an OLED, the X11L has TCL’s Halo Control System to reduce the presence of bloom. The television also has 20,000 discrete dimming zones and boasts peak brightness of 10,000 nits.
Well-known brand Bang & Olufsen continues to be responsible for the TV’s audio system. The models use an upgraded AI processor to deliver enhanced color, contrast, clarity, motion, upscaling and sound. It’s also integrated with Gemini for Google TV.
Qualcomm was so excited to talk about its most powerful ARM-based PC CPUs in 2025, it left off its lower-end, humdrum processor for the big reveal of all its partnered products. Alongside the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Elite Extreme (cue the guitar riff), Qualcomm is coming to CES 2026 with an X2 Plus chip.
Qualcomm’s sequel to its initial batch of ARM-based chips that brought us Copilot+ PCs all boast a similar strong battery life and large 80 TOPS NPU (neural processing unit) built for background and low-scale AI tasks. Compared to the previous-gen Snapdragon X Plus, the higher-end X2 Plus promises 2.3 times better GPU performance and upwards of 50% better CPU multi-core performance. All told, the chip could be better for multitasking, light photo editing tasks, and—potentially—some light gaming.
The X2 Plus comes in two flavors, one with six Oryon CPU cores and one with 10 cores. The higher-end version, specifically the X2P-64-100, sports a max multithread frequency of 4GHz with a 34MB cache. The lower-end version sports the same frequency but a lower total cache. The integrated Adreno graphics also hit a higher 1.7GHz frequency compared to the six-core variant. All that is to say, if you’re looking at an X2 Plus laptop for any photo editing or any other graphics, you want the higher-end version.
Devices with this chip will support up to three 4K external monitors as well as Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The mid-range ARM chip is supposed to compete against Intel and AMD’s latest lightweight laptop CPUs. These chips won’t just have to perform well in battery life as well. Qualcomm claims its new chip demands 43% less power for the same performance as its first-gen Snapdragon X Plus.
One of Qualcomm’s big bugbears for ARM on PC has been compatibility. Late last year, the chipmaker launched its Snapdragon Control Panel, a kind of game and app launcher that was supposed to help users update access to Microsoft’s refined Prism x86 emulator and keep on top of drivers. Working on an ARM-based Windows machine is far better than it was at the Copilot+ launch in 2024. Support for Windows AVX and AVX2 extensions in the Prism emulator means it’s much easier to run previously unsupported programs and even some games on Qualcomm’s latest chips.
Still, for the sake of a PC that can keep up with the Joneses of Intel and AMD’s top-end laptop CPUs, the X2 Elite Extreme with its 18 Oryon cores (12 “prime” CPU cores and another six “performance” cores) will still offer the best overall performance. At least, there will be an interesting three-way competition for laptop supremacy in 2026.
Gizmodo is on the ground in Las Vegas all week bringing you everything you need to know about the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You can follow our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.
It’s the first week of a new year and there’s no time for the tech world to slowly ease back into things following the holidays. That’s because CES 2026 is in full swing, with all manner of companies descending on Las Vegas to reveal their latest innovations and what they’re planning to bring your way in the near future.
Many of the Engadget crew are on the ground to check out as much of the new tech as possible. Of course, we’re keeping tabs on all of the major CES press conferences too. Samsung has already held its First Look presentation, which focuses on home products, while LG has shown off a wide array of TVs. Presentations from NVIDIA, Sony, Lego, Hyundai and others are yet to come.
You can catch up on all of the big CES 2026 announcements (and some of the more offbeat gizmos that are being shown off at the event) right here. We’ll be keeping this story updated throughout the week.
Micro RGB TVs
Samsung’s 130-inch Micro RGB TV. (Devindra Hardawar for Engadget)
Micro RGB is a term you can expect to hear about quite a bit in the coming months and years, especially when you’re shopping for your next TV. Micro RGB is a new tech that’s similar to Mini LED, though it uses red, green and blue LEDs instead of white backlights. Contrast ratios aren’t quite as high as those on Micro LED and OLED displays, since the pixels can’t be turned on and off individually. However, Micro RGB units are said to be brighter and more color accurate than TVs that use other display tech, in part because the LEDs in these screens offer smaller, more customizable dimming zones.
We’re seeing more of these TVs pop up at CES 2026, including a mammoth 130-inch concept model that Samsung brought to Las Vegas. The company unveiled its first Micro RGB TV in August, — that’s a 115-inch, $29,999 model. This year, you can expect it to start offering Micro RGB TVs in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes. There are also 85-, 100- and 115-inch models on the way.
LG revealed its first Micro RGB set at CES as well. The largest variant is 100 inches, but there are 86- and 75-inch models too. Elsewhere, LG showed off its latest Wallpaper TV, which is a 100-inch OLED display. We also got a look at LG’s new Gallery TV — The Gallery is the company’s take on Samsung’s Frame TV format.
Other new TVs and OS updates
Ember Artline TV. (Amazon)
We’ve got another competitor to The Frame, as Amazon has entered that scene with the Ember Artline TV. The 4K OLED model has Amazon Photos integration and you can choose from 2,000 pieces of free art to show on the screen. The Ember Artline can switch on or off automatically when someone enters or leaves the room.
It runs on the Fire TV platform and (of course) there’s Alexa+ integration, along with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Wi-Fi 6. The Ember Artline is expected to start shipping this spring. It starts at $899 for the 55-inch model.
The rounder redesigned Fire TV UI. (Amazon)
Speaking of Fire TV, Amazon has revamped the platform’s user interface with rounded corners for show, movie and app tiles; a little more space for said tiles; and typography and color gradient changes. The company has reworked the platform’s codebase as well, and it says the Fire TV OS will deliver speed boosts of up to 20 to 30 percent. Amazon will start rolling out the updated UI next month.
On the Google side of TV land, you can expect more Gemini-powered features. The company is bringing the ability to search Google Photos for certain moments and people to Google TV, along with the options to remix photos into different styles and create slideshows on the fly. The Veo and Nano Banana AI video and photo generation models are coming to Google TV as well. You can also expect the ability to adjust TV settings using your voice. These Gemini features are coming to Google TV-powered TCL models first, then other devices in the following months.
Samsung
Samsung’s Music Studio 5 speakers at CES 2026. (Billy Steele for Engadget)
At the First Look showcase on Sunday, Samsung talked up “AI experiences everywhere. For everyone” (sigh). Here, we saw more TVs, such as the thin S95H OLED, which has a zero-gap mount that allows you to position the unit flush against a wall.
First Look has long been focused on home products. Naturally, Samsung execs discussed some features for the company’s fridges, such as recipe selection updates, AI cooling tech and Google Gemini-powered AI Vision that’s said to be able to recognize more items and help you figure out what you need to buy without having to manually take inventory. FoodNote, meanwhile, is a weekly summary that breaks down what has gone in and out of your fridge.
Moreover, Samsung highlighted the Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo and its new AI wash cycle. With the new Air Dresser — which has an Auto Wrinkle Care feature — Samsung aims to do away with irons (thank you, Samsung). As for the Bespoke AI smart vacuum and mop, that can apparently keep an eye on your pets when you’re not home.
LG
LG’s CLOiD robot. (LG)
Likewise, LG brought other non-TV tech to CES. The company is shining the spotlight on its CLOiD robot. Like the far creepier-looking 1X Neo, the CLOiD is designed to help with household tasks such as starting laundry cycles, folding clothes, unloading the dishwasher and serving food. This appears to be more of a concept than something you’ll be able to buy anytime soon, but we should get a closer look at the CLOiD in person this week.
The company also debuted the LG Sound Suite, a modular home audio system it developed in conjunction with Dolby to take on the likes of Sonos. Just ahead of CES, LG pulled back the curtain on a new batch of xboom speakers as well as some monitors and ultralight Gram laptops that are made with a material it’s calling Aerominum.
L’Oreal
A pair of transparent eye masks with wires and bulbs inside them. (L’Oréal)
L’Oreal often brings some interesting beauty tech to CES and the company did so again this year with a trio of gadgets. The LED Eye Mask uses red light and near-infrared light to address the likes of puffiness, discoloration and fine lines.
The LED Face Mask seems to be a more pliable version of masks that we’ve seen from the likes of Dr. Dennis Gross, Omnilux, Therabody and Shark in recent years. However, it’s only in prototype form for now and it isn’t expected to hit the market until next year.
The Light Straight + Multi-styler uses infrared light to help dry and style hair in similar fashion to L’Oreal’s AirLight Pro. It’s said to have sensors that employ “built-in proprietary algorithms and machine learning” so they can adapt to your gestures and “maximize individual experience.” L’Oreal claims that while traditional straighteners can operate at 400°F or higher (temperatures that can damage hair), its latest innovation “effectively straightens hair while never exceeding 320°F.” You can expect the Light Straight to arrive in 2027 as well.
Laptops and desktops
LG Gram Pro (Engadget)
It’s CES, so of course we’re going to see a bunch of laptops and desktops. The majority of those will surely emerge after NVIDIA’s press conference on Monday evening, though we’ve already had a peek at LG’s Aerominum laptops.
Mobile
Back at CES 2024, we got to try out a physical keyboard phone accessory from Clicks. Fast forward two years, and the brand is making its own Blackberry-esque phones, as well as a new physical phone keyboard accessory. The Android 16-based Clicks Communicator has a tactile keyboard with a fingerprint sensor in the spacebar, a 4-inch OLED display, a 3.5mm headphone jack (hooray!) and expandable microSD storage up to 2TB. You can reserve one now for $399 — the price will increase to $499 on February 27.
As for the new accessory, Clicks is calling that the Power Keyboard. It connects to an iOS or Android phone via MagSafe or Qi2, and it can operate as a power bank in a pinch thanks to the 2,150 mAh battery. The Power Keyboard has Bluetooth functionality as well, so you can use it with devices like tablets, smart TVs and virtual reality headsets. Pre-orders are open now and the Power Keyboard is expected to ship in the spring. Early adopters can lock in a pre-order for $79 before the retail price jumps to $110.
The Punkt MC03 phone. (Punkt)
Those who prefer their mobile phones to have fewer bells and whistles might be interested in the latest model from Punkt. The MC03 is a nifty-looking touchscreen model that runs on the privacy- and security-centric AphyOS, which is based on the Android Open Source Project. It has a UI that borrows a page out of the Light Phone’s playbook, though you can still install any Android app. The MC03 will hit European markets this month for €699 / CHF699 / £610. There’s a mandatory subscription, however. You get a year of access included with a phone purchase, then it’s a €10 / CHF10 / £9 monthly fee (paying for a long-term plan up front can reduce the cost by up to 60 percent).
AI
Amazon introduced Alexa.com to Alexa+ Early Access customers. (Amazon)
No prizes for guessing that there’s going to be a ton of AI-related news at CES this year. Amazon, for one, announced that it’s rolling out a web-based version of Alexa+. That means you won’t necessarily need to have an Amazon device to try out the generative AI-powered assistant. However, Alexa+ Early Access customers are getting first dibs on the web version.
Two Sweekar devices are pictured on a table, one wearing a pink and blue snowboarder outfit and the other (behind it) wearing a cowboy hat and outfit (Karissa Bell for Engadget)
There are a boatload of AI-powered devices on the CES show floor too. One that we saw early on is a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet from a startup called Takway. The Sweekar will remember your interactions with it (you’ll need to feed and play with the pet to keep it healthy and happy). Once it’s all grown up, the Sweekar will head off on virtual adventures and tell you about its exploits when it “returns.” Takway will soon start a Kickstarter campaign for the Sweekar, which will likely cost between $100 and $150.
The Fraimic art display at CES (Amy Skorheim for Engadget)
We also saw the Fraimic, an E Ink display that can tap into OpenAI to generate images. There’s no subscription for the Fraimic (which costs $399 for the standard size, which has a 13-inch display) and you get 100 AI-generated images per year included with your purchase. Pre-orders are open now and the Fraimic is expected to start shipping in this spring.
MindClip held in a hand. (Daniel Cooper for Engadget)
Some companies still trying to make wearable AI devices happen. SwitchBot has a wearable mic called the AI MindClip, which can seemingly record and transcribe everything you say (no, thank you!). Plaid, meanwhile, brought its NotePin follow up to the dance. This time around, the NotePin S has a button that you can push to record conversations. You can also press the button to flag key moments for an AI-generated summary to focus on. The NotePin S is available now for $179, should you be enticed to buy such a thing.
A significant portion of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is about TVs, and this year, LG is showing off its manufacturing chops with a new Wallpaper OLED TV that is just 9mm thick.
The South Korean company first launched the Wallpaper line in 2017, and is now bringing it back with this model, dubbed OLED evo W6. The company says you can connect the TV to its Zero Connect Box wirelessly to stream lossless 4K video and audio, provided the box is within 10 meters of the TV.
LG claims the TV improves on brightness, color and blacks compared to its predecessor, and is certified “reflection-free” by product testing group Intertek. The display has a refresh rate maxing out at 165Hz, and supports AMD’s FreeSync Premium tech.
LG didn’t provide any pricing details, but it said that the W6 will be available in 77 and 83-inch sizes.
When they said, “Nothing in this world is sacred,” they meant Tamagotchis, too, or at least Tamagotchi rip-offs. While you might remember your virtual pets of yore with all the analog goodness that the ’90s had to offer, this is the year of our lord 2026, and everything has to have AI. Yup, everything.
While the Sweekar, which I saw at CES 2026, isn’t actually a Tamagotchi, it pretty much is in everything but name, and, as you may have already guessed from the words above, it’s centered on AI.
What exactly is that AI doing? Ya know, just normal stuff that allows it to “feel your touch” and remember “your voice, your stories, and your quirks.” It’s time to go deeper with your virtual pets, people. Clicking a few buttons until they inevitably die from neglect isn’t enough. On a hardware level, there’s some cute stuff happening. The egg one kind of vibrates and shakes and grows, which is a fun tactile experience.
As far as capabilities go, the Sweekar allegedly “needs your love, just like a real pet,” which also means it has moods like happy, angry, sleepy, and something that Takway.Ai, which makes this little toy, is calling “sneaky smile,” which is basically just mischievous? I think? I shudder to think what else it could mean.
Just like a Tamagotchi, the Sweekar has growth cycles that include an “egg stage,” a “baby stage,” a “teen stage,” and an “adult stage.” At each stage, the pet is supposed to gain certain abilities and continually grow and understand more about you and your personality.
More than anything, though, the Sweekar is centered around using AI for memory, so it can remember your name and your favorite color and that time you forgot its birthday. This Tamagotchi’s therapy bill is going to be sizable. The people at Takway.Ai tell me that it’s using a combination of Google’s Gemini and ChatGPT to do that, and that everything you tell the Sweekar is private, though I obviously cannot verify the data practices of a company selling an AI Tamagotchi at CES.
There’s also the whole issue with AI toys having a mind of their own, which means you may want to think twice before you give this little guy to a kid.
If an AI Tamagotchi is really high on your list of things that you absolutely must have then you can eventually throw money at Sweekar’s Kickstarter in March. While there’s no official price right now, the makers of this little virtual pet say it’ll likely debut for between $150 and $200.
Gizmodo is on the ground in Las Vegas all week bringing you everything you need to know about the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You can follow our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.
If you think the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is thin at 5.1mm, think again. At CES 2026, I came across a tablet that’s merely 3.1mm—a whole 2mm thinner than the skinniest device that Apple currently sells.
Tucked in the back sides of CES Unveiled, a mini kickoff event for the main event, is an Android-based tablet called Paper from a company called Haining Toall Technology Co., Ltd. I thought it was an external display at first or even a dummy tablet, but nope, a rep told me it’s a whole tablet.
The Paper’s main selling point is how thin it is. To achieve its slim profile, most of its components are crammed inside a section on the back left of the tablet. The ports—mini HDMI and two USB-C ports—are also jammed in there. This hump also serves as a way to grip the tablet with one hand. Because the Paper is so damn thin and the bezels surrounding the screen are also super slim, there’s really no way to hold the lightweight (400g) device comfortably. So the grip-like design actually works well.
What I don’t know is almost everything about the specs. The Chinese company reps and translator had a difficult time understanding what I was asking and gave me vague responses like “it’s Chinese innovation” or “because of miniaturization” when I asked them how they made the device so thin or for specific specs on the front-facing camera and battery life. I was able to confirm that the Paper’s screen is AMOLED. And the touchscreen seemed responsive enough when I tapped and swiped on it.
Oh, and they also told me the Paper costs $1,500. Yes, one, five, zero, zero. That’s a lot of money for a tablet from a brand that almost nobody’s heard of and for which there’s very little online info about.
Alas, this is something that’s common at CES. Vendors come from all over the world to show off their innovative products, but don’t always have answers for curious media.
As for whether the Paper is the world’s thinnest tablet right now? Maybe? I’m not aware of any tablet that’s slim. But do correct me if I’m wrong.
Gizmodo is on the ground in Las Vegas all week bringing you everything you need to know about the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You can follow our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.
Lockin has announced the Veno Pro Wireless and V7 Max, two new smart locks that the company says will have “zero need to recharge or replace batteries.” That’s because each uses wireless optical charging—infrared light, pointed at the lock at all times and beaming low-level power into it at a distance.
This is made possible by a separate, wall-mountable module that transmits wired power as light beamed at a small panel on the lock’s indoor portion. Lockin spends most of its press release talking about the V7 Max, which it says has a four-meter wireless charging range. Wireless charging locks like these aren’t exactly new, but they haven’t exactly been something you can just go out and buy. (The tech is apparently quite nice, though; my former colleague at The Verge, Jennifer Tuohy, has said she never wants to go back after testing such a lock from Alfred.) That’s all set to change with the Veno Pro Wireless and V7 Max, both of which Lockin says will be available for preorder soon after CES 2026 and shipping early this year.
Of the two, the V7 Max is the fanciest, building upon the company’s existing, similar V5 Max (which isn’t available in the U.S.). Like the V5 Max, it offers palm vein-scanning and facial recognition, but also offers finger vein, rather than fingerprint, scanning. It includes both 5-inch touchscreens and cameras on the inside and outside. The V7 Max will be Matter-compatible, which makes it usable with any major smart home platform that supports the universal standard. Finally, the V7 Max is neither a normal door handle nor a deadbolt replacement; it’s a mortise lock, which is more common in commercial buildings and would require significant rejiggering to install on the front of your house; unless you’re extremely handy, you’ll want a professional to put it in.
The Veno Pro Wireless is a redesigned version of the existing Veno Pro, which also offers palm vein and fingerprint scanning, doubles as a video doorbell, and is Matter compatible. The Veno Pro Wireless will be an easier sell for most people since it’s a simple deadbolt replacement and shouldn’t require any costly modification to install. Lockin hasn’t yet revealed specific pricing for any of the locks, but in an email to Gizmodo, Lockin says the Veno Pro Wireless will be around the same price as the $380 Veno Pro.
Gizmodo is on the ground in Las Vegas all week bringing you everything you need to know about the tech unveiled at CES 2026. You can follow our CES live blog here and find all our coverage here.
AMD is kicking off CES 2026 on Monday, where it’ll cover its latest AI developments and perhaps show off its newest Ryzen chips. The company will outline the full scope of its vision for AI implementations across the full spectrum of consumer and enterprise applications. The presentation — which is the lead keynote for CES 2026 — will be led by CEO Dr. Lisa Su.
We’ll tell you how to tune in to the livestream and what else you can expect to see.
How to watch AMD’s keynote live
Dr. Su will deliver a keynote speech from the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian on Monday, January 5 at 9:30PM ET (6:30PM PT). You can watch the event live on the CES YouTube channel (we’ve embedded the livestream below).
What to expect
While AMD says it’s keeping its product details under wraps, we can expect “updates on AI solutions, from cloud to enterprise, edge and devices.”
It’s also likely that AMD will unveil its new versions of the Ryzen chips during its keynote on Monday, as Su will talk about the “advancements driven by Ryzen CPUs.” That could include the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, which is expected to have better single-threaded performance. Additionally, we can expect to see the Ryzen 9000G series, which is potentially built with AMD’s Zen 5 architecture.
Regarding AI, AMD could further discuss its new FSR Redstone technology, which it previously previewed on December 10. AMD’s upscaling tech aims to close the gap on NVIDIA’s DLSS 4, which was announced during CES 2025.
Su’s presentation caps off CES’s press day, so she’ll be taking the stage in the hours after rivals NVIDIA and Intel present their chipmaking and AI plans to the world. As a reminder of how cross-linked these companies have become: OpenAI has pledged billions of dollars of hardware orders to AMD, while rival NVIDIA has invested billions in OpenAI — and taken a stake worth billions in Intel, too.
Hardware maker Plaud launched a new AI notetaker called Plaude NotePin S, along with a desktop app that helps you take notes for digital meetings, ahead of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The company first launched its pin-styled notetaker in 2024, which my former colleague Brian Heater really liked. The new pin brings a physical button that lets you start and stop the recording. Plus, during the recording, you can tap the button to highlight a certain point — just like you can do on the newly launched Plaud Note Pro.
One nice thing about the $179 Plaud NotePin S is that you get a clip, a lanyard, a magnetic pin, and a wristband in the package. That means you can wear the device however you like. The company is also adding Apple Find My support for the pin, so that you can easily look for the device if you can’t find it.
The core specifications of the device remain the same from the previous generation. There is 64GB of onboard storage with a battery capacity of 20 hours of continuous recording. The device has two MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) mics that can capture clear audio within 9.8 feet of range. Users will get 300 minutes of transcription per month for free and
As compared to the Note Pro, this device has a shorter recording range and lower battery life. But it is smaller in size to carry using any of the above mentioned accesories. The company said that the pin is suited for people who are constantly on the go.
Image Credits: Plaud
This is Plaud’s fourth device, and the company has sold more than 1.5 million devices until now. With these devices, the focus has been on in-person meetings. However, Plaud also wants to take on meeting notetakers like Granola, Fathom, and Fireflies with a new desktop client that works across meeting apps. The company said that the app can detect when a meeting is active and prompt you to capture the transcript.
The Mac app takes notes using system audio to capture the meeting, and then structures the transcription into notes using AI. The company introduced multimodal inputs for notetaking with its app that allows users to add images and typed notes along with audio transcription last year. Plaud is bringing that functionality to its desktop app as well.
Voice AI startup Subtle, which creates voice isolation models to have computers understand you better in loud environments, today launched a new pair of wireless earbuds that help users sound clear in calls and get clear transcription for notes.
The company unveiled these earbuds ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and said that it plans to ship them in the U.S. in the next few months. The buds cost $199 and will come with a year-long subscription to the iOS and Mac app. The app will let users take voice notes or chat with AI without pressing any keys. The company said it is using a chip that allows it to wake the iPhone while it is locked.
The startup is also trying to compete with AI-powered voice dictation apps such as Wispr Flow, Willow, Monolouge, and Superwhisper by allowing users to dictate in any app using the voice buds. The company claimed that buds would deliver five times fewer errors than AirPods Pro 3 combined with OpenAI’s transcription model.
In a demo seen by TechCrunch, the voice buds were able to capture audio in a noisy background. The buds also managed to capture the text for a voice note when Subtle’s co-founder and CEO, Tyler Chen, was speaking in a whispering tone.
“We are seeing that there is a huge move towards voice as a new interface that a lot of folks are adopting. You can do much more with voice in a natural way than with a keyboard. However, we saw that voice is rarely an interface people use when others are around. So that using our noise isolation model, we will give consumers a way to experience a voice interface in the form of our earbuds,” Chen told TechCrunch over a call.
Last year, companies like Sandbar and Pebble launched rings for note-taking. Chen said that with its buds combined with app, it wants to provide functionalities of different tools like dictation, AI chat, and voice notes in one package.
Users can place a pre-order of these buds using the startup’s site. The Voicebuds are available in black and white colorways.
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Subtle has raised $6 million in funding to date, and has been working with consumer companies like Qualcomm and Nothing to deploy their models for noise isolation.
