We're talking about bigger TVs, more foldable screens, a world of clean energy solutions and a future of electric cars that looks even more promising. That was the stage that was set in glitzy, dazzling, and extravagant Las Vegas at the world’s largest tech show, CES. Here are some fascinating products that caught our eye.
Rabbit R1
The most talked-about gadget at CES 2024!
Price: $199
I am not quite sure how to describe this particular device. This revolutionary tech was the most talked-about gadget at CES 2024 and most people are still trying to figure out how it works and what it does. Intriguing, right?
Remember the Tamagotchi, the egg-shaped handheld video game introduced in 1996? It went on to become one of the biggest fads of the 1990s, selling more than 80 million units.
The Rabbit R1 is unlike any gadget you know. It’s not a phone, not an assistant like Alexa or even a camera. The square-shaped device is half the size of a regular phone, has a camera, a screen, speaker, microphone and 4GB of memory, as well as 128GB of storage space. Speaking at the launch, Rabbit CEO and inventor Jesse Lyu said that the smartphones and in particular the apps we use daily have become cumbersome for users. He says that we use different apps to do different things, be it to call an Uber or do grocery shopping or check our banking. Because there are so many apps that we use, the process is not intuitive. Lyu said that most of the top-ranking apps today focus on entertainment, and that our smartphones have become the best devices to kill time, instead of saving time. I thought that was such a profound statement, and so true.
Essentially this device is an intuitive computer using an AI large action model (LAM). It's almost like an advanced AI that understands human intentions. It is driven by its own operating system called Rabbit OS.
Imagine a personal assistant on steroids.
Think of it as pocket companion that will help you get through tasks easier. Once you log in to the different services you use, you simply press a button on the R1 and ask any question. Order an Uber or groceries, for example.
This may sound like gobbledygook to you, but there’s something incredibly intriguing about what is possible with this. Oh, and in case you thought this was a junk gimmick, it sold out in a day and there’s now a waiting list for a several months to get one.
Clicks Technology
Bringing back the Blackberry days
Price: $139
Are you one of those people who becomes frustrated typing on your phone’s virtual keyboard? Even after getting a bigger form factor phone? Well, there’s good news on the horizon. Clicks Technology has designed a real keyboard for your iPhone that will make you reminisce about the good old days of Blackberry.
Yes, remember those? How addicted we were to those keyboards. Let’s be honest: they were brilliant! Well, the guys at Clicks Tech have seen a gap and tapped into a marked that wants a physical keyboard. Clicks frees up screen real. estate previously consumed by a virtual keyboard, giving iPhone users more space for apps and content. The technology brings users a full keyboard with real buttons and is even backlit for typing at night. It will give iPhone users more control of their phone with keyboard shortcuts and new dedicated keys that unlock the full power of iOS. And yes, users are typing more words per minute and making fewer mistakes than when using a virtual keyboard.
What’s that saying again? Ah yes, the more things change the more they stay the same!
Withings BeamO
Revolutionary home ‘multiscope’
Price: $250
https://www.withings.com/hu/en/beam-o
One of the most frustrating things when you have someone sick at home is having to use different devices to check things like temperature, blood oxygen levels and so on.
Withings, one of the early pioneers in health tech, want to solve that problem. Its new BeamO device, about half the size of a TV remote, is packed with sensors that combine four vital monitor checkups: a thermometer, electrocardiogram, oximeter, and a stethoscope.
The first sensor measures temperature and it can measure your temperature from your temporal artery, which is a blood vessel on the side of your forehead.
It has sensors that will measure photoplethysmography, an optical technique used to measure blood volume changes in tissues. It will read your blood oxygenation and heart rate readings simultaneously while also conducting a medical-grade 1 ECG.
The digital stethoscope is quite incredible. It has a built-in piezoelectric disc that captures chest or back acoustic sound waves. This allows users to get precise heart and lung measurements. You simply plug in the headphones and you can literally hear your body. Where this gets really cool is the telemedicine functionality. It shares all the data via an app and users can share access with their healthcare professionals. A doctor can also guide you live through audio streaming as to where to place the BeamO while getting checked up.
This innovative 4-in-1 device will measure your body temperature, heart, as well as your lung health in under a minute. It will alert users to possible infection, fever and will even flag cardiovascular issues, including atrial fibrillation.
Flappie
The cat flap for the squeamish
Price: $399
There’s always a bizarre gadget at CES. But it is one of those technologies that after asking why, you have the ‘Aha!’ moment – there are actually people who would buy this stuff.
I am one them. If you have cats, you will know exactly what I am talking about. I am not squeamish but when my cats bring a dead bird or mouse into my home and put it on the bed, even I shriek out.
This is why Flappie, a Swiss start-up, will make these chaps millions. It is one of those innovations that will make you say to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Flappie is a revolutionary smart cat door with integrated prey detection. On the outside it has a night-vision camera and sensors that AI uses to recognise when your cat tries to bring those ‘special’ gifts for you. Once it recognises the prey, the cat door locks and the cat stays outside until the prey is disposed of. You, of course, will get all the alerts via the app.
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