CES 2020: Tech That Turned Heads And Raised Brows

Well, apart from the long-anticipated mainstream products such as Samsung's 8K TV lineup and a couple of phones or the Play Station 5, the technology trade fair also saw some unorthodox line of products. Though these devices scored low on practicality, they sure caught everyone's attention. We've managed to boil down a list of products that we feel are worth talking about. Let's have a look:

 

Alexa-Powered Shower

(Image: Future)

Day one of CES 2020 belonged to Samsung as the company unveiled a new line of 8K QLED and MicroLED TVs for this year. Though these products were top-notch, they still fell short to make to our list. However, the Kohler Moxie Showerhead with built-in Alexa didn't!

We have seen numerous products integrated with smart assistant Alexa functionality. But, CES 2020 delivered something different from what we've seen earlier. Well, the new shower speaker might put an end to the lack of background music that the bathroom singer in you always wanted.

Made in conjunction with the renowned audio brand Harman Kardon, the Alexa speaker is detachable and also capable of controlling the power and temperature. Priced at $159, the speaker can run for five hours on a single charge.

Flying Uber

Ever saw traffic and imagined about gliding over it? Well, Uber and Hyundai have turned this into reality. Both companies revealed a four-seat flying car which will give you a ride when summoned via the Uber app. A human driver will have control until the companies finalize software for autonomous riding.

Before you get too excited, do note that the actual prototype will be ready by 2023. Until then you'll have to make do with regular Uber. Well, if you happen to be in New York, Uber is offering chopper rides over Manhattan.

Toddler Robot

CES 2020 also saw the launch of many robots, but the one that had everyone's attention was Lovot. It's a mechanical pet that keeps you entertained with its cute responses blended of giggles and joyful movements.

If you're a 90s kid, you might have seen the Teletubbies. Lovot borrows a few of its looks the popular TV show but with a couple of wheels thrown in. It has a camera tucked on his head allowing it to navigate across the house. But if you want a cute little robot roaming around your house happily, be ready to set yourself back with $3,000. Still find it cute?

Dog Mood Revealer

No matter how well you think you know your four-legged best friend, there are times when you can't tell whether Bruno is barking out of excitement or he smells something fishy. Well, now you can, thanks to Inupathy's wearable for dogs.

The device will pack a small heart rate monitor backed by a processor. It sports an LED display to show the dog's mood using three different colors. If the LED is green, your dog is having a relaxing day; however, red LED means stress. If your dog is happy throughout then you'll see a rainbow. The wearable can be synced to your Android or iOS phones making it convenient to understand your dog better.

Neon Human Chatbot

No, they are not here to replace humans but to give a more human response to our queries. Samsung describes its technology "a computationally created virtual being that looks and behaves like a real human, with the ability to show emotions and intelligence."

But don't confuse Neons for a digital assistant, they are only skilled to strike conversations and act like actual human beings. They can also help goal-oriented tasks and can take some cues from actual human beings. But they can never be exact copies of already-existing humans.

Smart Toothbrush

Never really thought that technology will be so deeply integrated into our daily lives. Well, times have changed and we now have smart toothbrush checking for our dental care. Dubbed Colgate Plaqless Pro, the device also won the CES 2020 best innovation award.

So how does it work? The toothbrush is capable of detecting biofilm buildup inside the mouth. Depending on the cavity, the brush alerts you to clean a specific area of the mouth properly. As fascinating as it may sound, but the toothbrush also has an iOS and Android app where one can constantly keep track of their dental health.

There's no word on how much this toothbrush will cost, but the company seems certain about launching the product for masses this year itself.

Sony Vision S Electric Car

What Sony did at CES 2020 was a straight punch in the gut. The company unveiled its Vision S electric concept car and surprised everyone. The car has some in-car entertainment facilities and aims to transform the way we consume content on-the-go.

Since Sony is the master of audio products, the car is loaded with high-quality speakers built into each seat. Besides, it has a huge panoramic touchscreen which both driver and passenger can access. We will be seeing more of the Vision S in the future and its 360 Reality Audio system.