In early January 2025, many who work in tech traveled to Las Vegas to attend the annual trade show called Consumer Electronic Show (CES). The event is the biggest tech trade show in North America, spanning more than two-million square feet of space across two convention centers and many suites, hotels, and venues throughout the city. It’s there that we get to see the latest and greatest in tech coming for the new year.
Trying to distill it all down to the most exciting, most innovative, and most futuristic pie-in-the-sky products is a challenge since there’s so much to see. But after walking the show floor for the entire week, here are standouts in top tech categories.
Most Innovative Bookshelf Speakers: Onkyo and Kanto
The Onkyo Creator Series GX10DB and GX30ARC are both powered monitors that can connect via Bluetooth, USB-C, optical, RCA/iPhone, RCA Sub Pre-Out, and Aux, so you can use them with everything from a laptop to a smartphone or even a turntable. They each come with a speaker stand/base that helps prevent rattling. Finished in black or white, each one includes an IR remote as well.
Kanto, a Canadian company, showcased the ultra-affordable UKI compact bookshelf speaker that it plans to sell for just US$199 per pair, or likely under $300 in Canada. With Bluetooth, USB-C, and RCA, there’s also a headphone jack for private listening. With colours like black, white, cobalt, and sage, it’s the perfect speaker for a computer room, to add to your turntable set-up, or even in a small apartment or dorm.
Coolest Portable Bluetooth Speaker: LG xboom by will.i.am Line
LG had singer, songwriter, and producer will.i.am at its booth and various events to celebrate the launch of a new collaborative line: the xboom by will.i.am portable Bluetooth speakers. He played a role in helping develop not only the design of the speakers but also the sound, focusing on powerful bass for one listening mode and soothing sounds with the other. Each one has useful features, too, like a built-in strap for easily carrying it around or interactive lighting that syncs to the music for cool ambiance. What sets these portable Bluetooth speakers apart further is the integration with will.i.am’s RAiDIO.FYI AI-powered interactive audio experience, which allows owners to have two-way conversations with favourite radio STAiTiONS and better connect with the content you love. The line includes the xboom Bounce that has up-bouncing passive radiators, an IP67 rating, and 30-hour battery life; xboom Grab with strap, IP67 rating, and 20 hours of battery life; and the xboom Stage 301, ideal for karaoke or gatherings, with an IPX4 rating and 11-hour battery life.
Most Unique Small Appliance: Roborock Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum
Robot vacuums are high-tech devices now, with built-in cameras to map a navigation path and detect and avoid objects, wet mopping functionality, and even AI intelligence to tackle specific rooms or sense carpet versus hardwood flooring or tile. The Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum adds a completely different element: a five-axis mechanical arm that articulates, lowers down, and uses pincers to grab lightweight items from the floor before continuing to clean. This might be a pair of socks, a rogue Lego, or a cable that it can pick up and move to a specified location so you can put the items away in their rightful place once a vacuum job is done. It accomplishes this using dual cameras and an LED light, with AI technology able to recognize common objects. The arm can also be controlled manually using the Roborock app.
Most Interesting Home Theatre Product: Canvas All-in-One HiFi System
Catching the eye of many show-goers who have never quite seen something like it, the Canvas all-in-one hi-fi system is a wall mount for a TV that includes a speaker system attached to the bottom of it. The one-piece system is like furniture that neatly mounts to the wall for a clean look. Thanks to technology called BACCH 3D Sound, invented by BACCH Labs and licensed from Princeton University, you can purportedly get a full 3D experience with just two speakers positioned closely to one another inside the unit. Connect the system to Android and iOS devices, and use the included wireless module for streaming via Apple AirPlay and Google Cast. Connect a Sonos Connect or other box via Toslink digital optical input and use HDMI eARC for connecting to your big screen TV. It can accommodate TVs from 55 inches up to 85 inches in size and there are interchangeable magnetic covers in 13 finishes.
Most Helpful Health Tech Product: Scosche PreEvnt isaac
There were a lot of health tech products throughout CES 2025, but one in particular has the potential to make a massive change for those suffering from Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes as well as pre-diabetics. The Scosche PreEvnt isaac is a non-invasive device can take a reading from your breath versus a finger prick to monitor your blood glucose level. It works by detecting acetone from exhaled breath, which can then determine if you have elevated blood glucose levels. Worn on a lanyard or clipped to your pocket, it provides real-time readings, which you can see in the Android or iOS app. If blood glucose levels are rising, you’ll receive customizable notifications so you can take appropriate action. It’s rechargeable and lasts all day per charge. Backed by extensive research, the device is still under FDA review and isn’t yet for sale. But it has the potential to make it easier and more comfortable for diabetics to keep track of their health and status.
Most Innovative in Computing: Lenovo ThinkBook Gen 6 Rollable Laptop
Seeing innovations you have never seen before is par for the course at CES, and it was no exception with the Lenovo ThinkBook Gen 6 rollable laptop. It’s a rollable computer with a screen that can vertically expand from 14 inches to 16.7 inches via the push of a button so you get more real estate to see the content you’re working on, whether it’s multiple documents or a video call. Lenovo says this also helps encourage better posture and reduce strain when you’re working long hours, keeping the screen at eye level even on a lower desk surface and eliminating the need for a separate monitor. At just 19.9mm thin and weighing 1.7 grams, the ThinkBook Gen 6 is compact and travel-friendly, expanding only when you need it to do so.
Leverage the ThinkBook Workspace to enable split screen functionality and access dedicated widgets for frequently used apps and tools. The computer is no slouch either, as a Copilot+ PC with AI features like the Lenovo AI Now smart assistant and Cocreator from Paint. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors, you get Thunderbolt 4 and Intel Wi-Fi 7, an edge-to-edge keyboard, and 120Hz OLED with 400 nits brightness.
Most Bizarre Product: Kirin Electric Salt Spoon
When I came across this product, I just had to try it. The Kirin Electric Salt Spoon is designed to help with an issue that is prevalent especially in Asian cultures: too much salt intake. While Western cultures typically struggle with sugar, ingredients like soy sauce and miso and food like fried rice, ramen, soups, and curries in Asian cultures tend to have a lot of sodium. The idea behind this spoon is to enhance the saltiness and umami flavours of dishes without actually using so much salt. It accomplishes this by delivering a weak electric current to your tongue that mimics the taste of salt. It offers four levels of salt taste intensity and requires that you hold your finger on a sensor on the underside of the spoon as you take a bite. It’s perhaps an extreme measure but one that could be a welcome addition to the kitchen of anyone who has a serious need to reduce their salt intake but wants to continue to enjoy the foods they love. Admittedly, it took a few tries before I tasted a difference, so it takes some practice to hold the spoon just right and have it come in contact with the right part of your tongue. But it’s an interesting and quirky gadget with an admirable purpose to promote better health and wellness.
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