After per week of high-profile releases, CES 2025 is over and there was some terrible stuff on show. Here is the worst and weirdest merchandise on the present.
There may be a number of wonderful tech at CES. This 12 months, I used to be notably shocked to see that not solely have been there a number of new merchandise, however most of what I noticed was imminently delivery.
That is an enormous departure from 12 months’s previous the place most merchandise have been purely vaporware. You may see my current roundups of drugs for Apple customers and for the .
It isn’t all optimistic although. Amongst the glitz and glamor are plenty of merchandise which can be straddling the road between bizarre — and horrible.
Here is what I discovered, although there is definitely lots extra on the market there.
Stringless guitar
Selecting up the LiberLive C1 feeling like holding a futuristic model of a Guitar Hero gaming controller. I am nonetheless unsure if that is an excellent factor or unhealthy factor.
I simply cannot get behind these guitars. They give the impression of being cringy to me. Picture Credit score: LiberLive
With rudimentary guitar coaching underneath my belt, I am in no way proficient within the instrument however a stringless guitar appears soulless to me. It additionally required unlearning a lot of what I knew on really enjoying.
I bought to see an expert enjoying with the LiberLive guitar and it was unimpressive to say the least. Whether or not it was the performer feeling slightly nervous in a singular atmosphere or the awkwardness of the guitar itself.
There are conditions the place I may even see this guitar making sense. Somebody who does not play guitar however desires to might theoretically decide this up and get going.
Picture Credit score: LiberLive
However with a $500+ price ticket, that is an enormous ask and positively pigeonholes one into sticking with this guitar versus the flexibility to purchase any design or model of guitar sooner or later.
I do know there are those that love these, however I do not suppose it may be my cup of tea.
AI-powered washer
Samsung has been including AI capabilities to its machines for years however its newest Bespoke AI Laundry Combo might have taken issues too far.
Apparently, the AI is able to adjusting the washing cycle primarily based on material. I’ve a number of questions although comparable to “how truly useful that is..!”
A washer in all probability does not want a full-on AI mannequin. Picture credit score: Samsung
I am unable to think about that AI goes to regulate the wash cycle a lot extra effectively that I have to pay that prime of a premium in comparison with the essential settings which were on washing machines for ages.
Even with current sensible washing machines, like I’ve in my dwelling now that provide app connectivity and alerts on my TV — which is beneficial — the customized settings are mainly ineffective as a result of there actually aren’t that many issues to alter.
Behind the continued pointless pushing of AI, this washer can also take cellphone calls. No. I simply do not want my washer to handoff my cellphone calls whereas I do my laundry.
Cellphone charging toaster
Swippitt is pitching a brand new system the place you place your cellphone inside what seems like an outsized toaster it provides you with a complete recent new battery in just some seconds.
Do not put a Swippitt in your house. Picture credit score: Swippitt
If the pitch sounds too good to be true, that is as a result of it completely is. What this large equipment really does is mechanically substitute the battery of their proprietary battery case.
It is mainly all of the comfort of a Mophie Juice Pack with added price, counter house, and pointless app management. The holder homes a number of batteries so you’ll be able to place your cellphone inside to get a recent one whereas those within the holder are all charged up.
Possibly it is simply me, however I overlook the utility of this. The mechanical switching is yet one more level that might fail within the product. It appears far simpler to get everybody in the home their very own MagSafe battery and name it a day.
This battery altering toaster is $500. Picture credit score: Swippitt
We have seen docking stations for a number of battery packs, just like the one from RAVPower, however the Swippitt complicates this whereas including price on the identical time.
The added comfort is minor and positively does not compensate for the litany of downsides. The one potential use case I can see for a product like that is in a business atmosphere.
Possibly there an worker is on the ground utilizing an iPhone as a cell POS or stock system and as an alternative of getting to connect a magnetic battery, they’ll stroll to the again and immediately have it swapped out and all the things stays hid and managed. Maybe, it might make sense then.
However do not put this in your house.
Photo voltaic charging jacket
Anker makes a number of the greatest charging merchandise we have reviewed from whole-home backup to transportable battery stations to MagSafe battery packs. Their newest idea product is a bit head scratching although.
It is a jacket, not bejeweled in spectacular 90’s style, however as an alternative emblazoned with a large array of photo voltaic panels. It seems neither modern nor snug.
The Anker Solix photo voltaic jacket looks like an answer with out a downside. There are higher choices on the market. Picture credit score: Anker
That is not essentially the purpose although, I presume. It is to offer useful energy when you’re off-grid.
That utility although, appears minimal. The photo voltaic panels all cannot be dealing with the solar on the identical time and, even sporting one thing like a backpack would virtually actually block an excellent chunk of the panels, too.
In actuality, I feel a photo voltaic hat or blanket would make extra sense and can be far more sensible. Or, simply use a couple of carabiners and clip a photo voltaic panel to the again of your backpack as you stroll.
I am simply not prepared for a large photo voltaic panel-covered coat. Possibly sooner or later when the cells are small and versatile sufficient that it seems and works mainly as an everyday coat I will get on board.
Furry purse robots
I suppose the one factor you’ll be able to’t argue with is that the Mirumi robotic is sort of cute. So it has that going for it!
In any other case, I’ve to file it at the very least underneath peculiar. It offers me vibes very harking back to the notorious finger-nibbling cat that was proven at CES for a couple of years in a row (seems I used to be proper because it’s the identical firm that developed each.)
It is cute! However why?! Picture credit score: Yukai Engineering
This little robotic that appears like a little bit of a mixture of a sloth and an owl clings to the aspect of your tote or purse. It is meant to be slightly shy and can flip its head to bury its face if approached by a stranger.
It has distance sensors in it in order individuals cross by, it’ll lock on and “watch” them. Then in fact will get shy if they arrive as much as it.
The corporate plans to open preorders in February for $70.
Good glasses
Do not name me a pessimist right here, however I simply cannot get on board with the sensible glasses but. I do suppose that these have the potential to be the long run, just like the rumored Apple ones, however proper now, they only aren’t sensible.
Halliday glasses aren’t helpful sufficient but. Picture credit score: Halliday
I attempted in all probability a dozen totally different sensible glasses ideas at CES 2025 and none of them have been near feeling like one thing I might purchase or use.
A lot of them have comparable issues of getting to be an indoor or out of doors software. Transition lenses nonetheless aren’t quick sufficient but to not look odd and common glasses by no means look pure with darkish lenses and vice versa.
Which means you are caught utilizing them indoors for work or out of doors for issues like navigation, responding to messages, or audio playback. Not to mention how a lot bulk they nonetheless add — few look pure.
We’re simply not fairly to the purpose of constructing them a mass market product.
There have been a pair standouts they usually did catch my eye as a result of they frankly did not *strive* to do an excessive amount of. Quite simple duties very effectively.
Even Realities G1B glasses look as regular as you get. Picture credit score: Even Realities
The Even Realities G1 seem like regular glasses by means of and thru. They’ve tremendous skinny titanium frames that seem like something you’d discover at your native glasses store.
For the tech, they’ve a tiny in-screen show that reveals your typical, high-contrast, low-res, bight inexperienced textual content. It is projected simply above your eye so you’ll be able to look as much as see it.
Your cellphone does all of the processing so it truly is only a small low-res show hidden in some normal-looking glasses that I would not thoughts sporting. I bought to demo real-time translation and navigation — each of which labored effectively for these duties.
Chamelo additionally bought me excited. They’re glasses that may change their tint stage or shade.
Whereas these could be helpful for simply typical sun shades or for filtering gentle inside, there are tons of purposes right here. Think about ski goggles that may alter or ones designed for fishing to assist block the water however can go clear once you want them.
Additionally they simply regarded good.
Once more, I do suppose that sensible glasses are rising in recognition however primarily based on all those I noticed at CES, we’re nonetheless a couple of years away from something being sensible or inexpensive sufficient to be useable each day.
Most all the things now could be a gimmick, impractical, costly, ugly, or simply awkward. We’ll need to see how they evolve earlier than I am prepared to begin utilizing some with any regularity.
