CES 2024: Transparent TV, dual-screen laptop, AI robot, pillow and 10 other cool gadgets at the biggest tech show of the year

The 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) had some really cool gadgets on display. Out of all the things showcased, there were quite a few gadgets that stood out. The show included futuristic TVs with amazing resolutions and immersive features, groundbreaking laptops that are both powerful and portable, and innovative robots with unique capabilities. The show also had smart home devices that are revolutionising the industry, and advancements in virtual reality that were mind-blowing. These are 10 of the cool and quirky gadgets that stole the show at CES 2024 and grabbed our attention.

LG Signature OLED T is a 77-inch transparent OLED TV. It can be fully transparent or adjusted like a traditional TV. When turned off, it can blend in with your home or be used as a fish tank, fireplace, or even a real-time window. It also has a holographic mode and can be placed in front of a window. Signature Series T can raise a black film for a traditional OLED viewing experience.

Samsung’s Music Frame is a wireless speaker that functions as a photo frame as well. This speaker is Dolby Atmos-compatible and equipped with SpaceFit calibration technology. You can use it as a TV speaker, rear speaker or subwoofer by pairing it with a Samsung TV or soundbar. The Music Frame also has the option to pair two speakers or connect up to five for synchronous play. It includes an IoT hub for smart home connectivity and comes with a Diasec matte acrylic plate Art Panel for a more professional and durable display.

​Asus' Zenbook Duo is a dual-screen laptop with an OLED panel that is slightly larger than the competition, offering a 3K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and stylus support. It is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The Zenbook Duo is portable, measuring just 0.78 inches thick and weighing 3.64 pounds, and comes with a built-in kickstand that promotes a stacked setup. The keyboard can be stored inside the system, or placed in front of the system to double screen space.

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid from Lenovo combines a laptop and an Android tablet. The "Hybrid Station" base has an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, Intel Arc GPU, up to 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The detachable "Hybrid Tab" has a 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display that can function as a Windows 11 display or an Android tablet with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The two systems don't share files. The Station can connect with an external monitor.

The first-ever gaming handled of MSI, the Claw, is a Windows gaming handheld, which comes equipped with Intel's Core Ultra chip, 16GB RAM, and up to 1TB of PCIe M.2 storage. The handheld has a 7-inch Full HD display with a 120Hz refresh rate, macro buttons, thumbsticks with RGB lights, and a 53Wh battery. It runs on Windows 11 and can run PC and Android games via its App Player.

LG's AI Agent is a robotic home manager that anticipates and caters to its owner's needs. It evaluates and reports on your home's temperature, humidity, and air quality. With a two-legged wheeled design, the robot can travel through your home and respond to specific needs. It can also maximise your home's efficiency by patrolling for any appliances left on unnecessarily. The AI Agent greets users at the front door, assesses their mood through vocal and facial expressions, and plays music to suit their mood. It connects to smart appliances, lights, and outlets, learns your routines, and reports on the weather. LG intends for its AI Agent to "liberate users from the burden of housework" by automating your home's processes through learning from your daily life.

Samsung unveiled a new robot called Ballie that comes with a built-in projector. The robotic sphere will be available for purchase within the year. Ballie has a spatial LiDAR sensor and a 1080p projector, which can display movies, video calls, and greetings on surrounding surfaces. It can be controlled by voice commands and text messages and can send clips of what it sees. The robot is capable of automatically turning connected lights and gadgets on or off, as well as non-connected appliances with its infrared transmitter.

Sony showed off a new mixed-reality headset at CES for spatial content creators. The standalone headset has a matte grey finish and dual 4K OLED microdisplays, with a flip-up visor and two front-facing cameras. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 and has six cameras and sensors for user and space tracking. The headset comes with two controllers, and Sony wants creators to design 3D models in real time. It is scheduled to be released later this year, and pricing details are yet to be announced.

Withings has launched the BeamO, a four-in-one health monitoring device that measures body temperature, blood oxygen saturation, provides medical-grade ECG readings, and serves as a digital stethoscope to monitor heart and lung functions. The device alerts users for signs of major health issues like AFib, asthma, COPD, among others. Users can log their readings and share them with healthcare professionals via the Withings app. The device has an eight-month battery life and supports multiple user profiles for an entire household.

The R1 from Rabbit is a device powered by a natural-language operating system. R1's "Large Action Model" AI foundation learns a user's typical app and web experiences and reproduces them on a customised cloud platform. Rabbit hole is a private web portal that enables users to sign into their accounts, grant permissions, and more. Rabbit OS performs tasks with user permission, without storing their identity information or passwords. The R1's security extends to its industrial design, which features a downward-facing "Rabbit eye" camera and a microphone that activates when the side-mounted push-to-talk button is pressed. The device has a 2.88-inch touchscreen display, a scroll wheel for OS navigation, and a USB-C port for charging. It also has a 1,000mAh battery, 128GB of storage, and a SIM slot for mobile data.

Razer's Project Esther is the world's first HD haptics gaming chair cushion with 16 haptic actuators, ultra-low latency, and automatic audio-to-HD haptics conversion. It can be controlled for directionality, multiple-device integration, and multi-actuator experiences. Compatible with most gaming and office chairs, it provides an immersive experience that can be combined with a VR headset.

The Motion Pillow is an AI-powered to help individuals dealing with snoring problems to get a better quality of sleep. The AI Motion System incorporated in the pillow is capable of detecting snoring patterns and inflates airbags slowly, which in turn lifts the user's head, thus opening their airway and reducing snoring. The accompanying app helps track and analyse sleep data, including snoring time, airbag operation time, sleep score, sleep time, and even recordings of your snoring. This information can be played back later to better understand your sleep patterns.

Philips showed off the Wi-Fi Palm Recognition Smart Deadbolt on the floor. The lock has a built-in palm scanner that unlocks the door when it detects your unique palm print. It can register up to 50 palm vein patterns and also allows you to use a PIN or a key if preferred. The device doubles as a doorbell and has proximity sensors that detect when you're reaching for the doorknob, automatically unlocking the door as you approach it. The lock is also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Sony showcased their Afeela EV prototype car at CES 2024, which has a massive ultrawide dashboard screen and a bumper screen called the Media Bar. The car uses Unreal Engine 5.3 for displaying graphics, and it can also be used for playing games, watching movies, and AR navigation. Sony demoed a new game called Monster View, which encourages drivers to catch virtual creatures while driving. The Afeela may have features like "Smart Entry," Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Spatial Audio support, and a noise-cancelling system.