Bleu's CES Top Picks

The CES convention is a place for companies to announce innovative technology that could benefit consumer’s everyday life. Convention-goers explored the latest gadgets in blockchain, gaming, smart home, and virtual reality technology. This year’s innovations included a stunning transparent OLED television from LG and Hyundai Mobis’ transformative concept car that can drive sideways. However, not all of these products are affordable, practical, or even readily available. These are the most useful gadgets from CES 2024 that you and other tech junkies can get your hands on sometime this year.

Rabbit Inc., an artificial intelligence startup based in Los Angeles, announced its first consumer product called Rabbit R1. The Rabbit R1 is an orange, handheld square with a touch screen, 360-degree camera, push-to-talk button, analog scroll wheel, microphone, and speaker. The device is meant to transform the way we interact with apps like Uber and Spotify. The operating system utilizes AI to understand natural language and execute actions within the apps for you. The operating system is called LAM which stands for large action model. This stands in contrast to LLMs, large language models, like ChatGPT or Gemini, that can help you research options for flights but cannot book one. Instead, Rabbit R1 was built to be your “companion.” Rabbit R1 can act as a personal assistant booking flights, playing music, and ordering Ubers. You can even use the built-in camera to scan items in your refrigerator and prompt it to generate a recipe with those ingredients. It is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capable. The Rabbit R1 is available for pre-order on the company’s website for $199.

This device might feel like an uncomfortable step into the past but those who miss their Blackberries will appreciate this nostalgic piece of hardware. The Clicks Creator Keyboard is an attachable, backlit keyboard that lengthens your iPhone and frees up screen space for more content. While Apple’s on-screen keyboard takes up almost half the screen, Click’s keyboard gives this space back to the user and allows for precise typing that feels natural. The external keyboard also offers users the opportunity to utilize iOS shortcuts like command + H to go to the home screen. The product does not need to be charged and detaches from the phone with ease. It comes in Bumble Bee yellow and London Sky gray. The keyboard is available for iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max starting at $139. It is currently sold out but customers can sign up to get notified when it is available next.

Withings BeamO is the first of its kind: an at-home health technology device smaller than a smartphone that can provide daily checkups. The sleek device is called a multiscope and combines a thermometer, stethoscope, and electrocardiogram and can measure blood oxygen level. The stethoscope and thermometer are on opposite ends of the rectangle of the device and the electrocardiogram and oximeter are on the side. It can detect abnormal heart rates and body temperature as well as atrial fibrillation. It can also record heart and lung sounds to help doctors evaluate patients for conditions like asthma. The device syncs with an app on your phone that stores data from each checkup which can be shared with your doctor. It can be used by up to 8 people within the same home and has an 8-month battery life. It will cost $249.95. It is currently awaiting CE marking and FDA clearance but the company hopes to launch the product sometime this summer.

Garmin announced a variation of its HRM-Fit heart rate monitor designed specifically for seamless attachment to sports bras. Most heart rate chest straps need to be placed underneath the elastic band of women’s sports bras causing an uncomfortable tightness and making it difficult to remove. The new HRM-Fit is a black band with three clips that attach directly to the sports bra’s elastic band and can be easily removed. Once in place, the gadget monitors heart rate and shares the data with the Garmin Connect app and compatible devices in real time. It can also track steps, calories burned, and more. The HRM-Fit is not just for runners. It can track heart rate and other metrics for cycling, HIIT, and strength training. The device has up to 1-year of battery life and costs $149.99. It is available on Garmin’s website and ships in 1-3 business days.