CES 2021 was different from all the trade shows we’ve seen. Due to Covid-19, it was “all digital”, which really meant “mostly websites”.
To find the best this year, we don’t wander through the millions of square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding facilities, but we’ve watched streaming presentations, we’ve combed through hundreds of exhibitors ’digital activations, and, of course, we hear many selling points from entrepreneurs and marketing people eager to keep us informed – global pandemic or not.
This means that we were not able to touch and feel the innovations as in previous years – although some things were sent to our homes. Still, that didn’t stop us from bringing you the craziest, coolest and wackiest gadgets we could find.
Samsung Bot Handy and JetBot 90 AI +
Never again will you be reprimanded for putting the forks in the dishwasher the wrong way. Instead, point your finger at Samsung’s Handy Bot. The rolling robot appears to leave the Jetsons’ house, spinning to pick up and store the objects. Advanced AI allows you to distinguish materials and decide how much force to use to grab objects, says Samsung. Bot Handy is under development. What you owe this year: the JetBot 90 AI +, Samsung’s newest standalone vacuum cleaner, which has a camera to avoid obstacles and keep an eye on your home when you’re away. TBD price; samsung.com
LG Rollable Phone
LG is known for having some pretty crazy phones (case in point: the Wing with a rotating screen), but its rollable phone seems to be the craziest so far. Provoked at the end of the LG CES press conference in a short video, the phone looks like a normal rectangle until a screen rises like a side garage door to become a small tablet. The company has not revealed any other details, but says it will come this year. TCL, another phone maker, also introduced a mobile phone with a screen that ranges from 6.7 inches to 7.8 inches with just a touch of the screen. lg.com