More of the Coolest Stuff We’ve Seen So Far at CES 2019
Photographs by Amy Lombard. Also see a selection of the coolest stuff we saw at the show on Tuesday, and follow our liveblog for up-to-the-minute updates. And be sure to check out all of our CES 2019 coverage.
01Elvie Pump
One day, people will look back at the medieval torture devices that used to pass as breast pumps only to be astounded and appalled. The Elvie breast pump—which just announced FDA clearance here at CES, to start shipping in February—is the world’s first silent, hands-free, smart breast pump. It’s attractive and discreet, with multiple flange sizes for women with different breast shapes and a clear reservoir to check how much milk you’ve pumped. You can also connect to the Elvie app to log your pumping history and volume. Soon, an analog breast pump will seem as outdated as a phone with a rotary dial.—Adrienne So
02Eargo Neo
The third iteration of Eargo’s direct-to-consumer class 1 hearing device has a redesigned tip that makes it much more comfortable. Now, it’s almost completely invisible when inserted in the ear (I can see it when I peer waaaay down in there). The new shape also minimizes occlusion, a phenomenon that commonly occurs when a hearing aid starts amplifying the sound of the wearer’s own voice. Just double-tap your outer ear to switch between hearing profiles as you move between different environments. The Neo has an app if you need to connect with someone to get a better fit pronto. And it’s affordable—at $2,550, it’s about half the cost of other hearing aids on the market.—AS
03Dogness JS04 Smart Retractable Leash
What do you look for in a gadget at CES? Utility, sure, but creativity as well. It should be accessible but also indicative of broader trends. Ideally, it should also be brand new, not warmed-over or iterative. And the only gadget I’ve seen to check every single one of those boxes is the JS04 Smart Retractable Leash from Dogness. Launching this week, JS04 makes leashes modular, letting you screw on a Bluetooth speaker, an LED light, or a poop bag container. If you think that sounds silly, you’re right, but it’s also gloriously practical. It doesn’t just rethink the humble dog leash, it blows up your conceptions of what a dog walk should be.—Brian Barrett
04NordicTrack VR Bike
Having trouble getting motivated to ride your stationary bicycle each day? NordicTrack thinks VR gamification may change your mind, and it’s going all in on the idea. The NordicTrack VR Bike is a stationary bike that comes boxed with a HTC Vive Focus standalone virtual reality headset. The game we played (Aeronauts) had us pedaling to power a flying vehicle through rings, like Pilotwings. The bike has Xbox-like controls attached to the handlebars, can alter its intensity, change its incline, and even shoot gusts of air at your face. It comes out this summer for about $2,000.—Jeffrey Van Camp
05Butterfly Ultrasound
We first wrote about Butterfly Network’s personal ultrasound when it launched in 2017. It’s worth revisiting. At CES this year, the company showed off its first artificial intelligence application, which helps users position the handheld iQ device to get a useful image of their heart, and then computes ejection fraction, a measurement of cardiac performance. Butterfly also demonstrated its tele-guidance capabilities, showing how any of the company’s ultrasound customers could benefit from specialized knowledge. Some FDA hurdles remain to be cleared before consumers can use it—professionals already can—but iQ is about as smart as home healthcare gets.—BB
06Mui
When you see the Mui from across the room, it just looks like a sanded wood panel. But walk up to it and drag your finger across the grain of its wood, and it springs to life with glowing light. The Mui is a discreet smart home controller—use it to adjust the lights and the thermostat, fire up a playlist, or display the weather. Stop interacting with it and it turns back into a neutral (and beautiful) wood panel. So much better than yet another screen in your home. The Mui was a successful Kickstarter and should arrive (fingers crossed!) in the fall. When it starts shipping to non-backers, you'll be able to get one for $999.—Michael Calore
07Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar is suited for audiophiles. It sounds almost as nice as an expensive 5.1 surround system, giving movies and TV a room-filling soundstage with booming bass in a single, hassle-free bar. It does that with an army of 13 drivers and a tuning system that uses an external microphone to precisely map out the walls and ceiling height of your room. It’s the only soundbar we’ve seen that’s compatible with Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and MPEG-H standards and can play Bluetooth and Chromecast as well. Sennheiser says it will hit stores in May for $2,500.—JVC
08While HTC Vive Pro is the most immersive VR headset on the market, HTC’s new Vive Pro Eye takes virtual reality to another level. With built-in eye tracking, it lets you can select objects and options within the VR experience just by looking at them, turning your eyes into a controller. Games or apps will know when you’re looking around, confused or lost, and can better guide you. Eye tracking also helps VR software conserve CPU and GPU power. You won’t even realize it, but an eye-tracking headset only needs to render what you’re looking at in extreme detail. The Vive Pro Eye will likely cost north of $1,400 when it comes out later this spring.—JVC
Amy Lombard09Owlet Band
What do you mean, there’s a person inside of me? And I can’t see it, touch it, or ask if it’s all right? The Owlet Band is a thin fabric tummy band an expectant mother can wear while sleeping after she’s 24 weeks pregnant. Thin ECG sensors are woven into the fabric, which count kicks, note the mother’s sleep position, and log contractions (all metrics that expectant mothers are encouraged to keep track of on their own). Hopefully, it can reduce the number of times an expectant mom has to send a worried phone call or text, even if maternal anxiety tends to increase when the baby is actually out.—AS
Comments
Back to top
Wired Coupons
Exclusive 10% Off Squarespace Promo Code
10% off Dell Coupon Code for New Customers
Samsung Promo Code: 10% off TVs
10% off Canon promo code with upgrade
Exclusive NordVPN Coupon: 76% off
LG Promo Code: 20% Off Your First Order