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Each year, CES plays host to the latest and greatest that the world of technology has to offer. But it also hosts some of the weirdest and most idiosyncratic tech you're likely to see all year. This year has been no different, with everything from smart pet dryers, wine robots, to a tiny, tiny dishwasher.

Here are some of the weirdest smart appliances from this year's CES.

Bob might be a personal favorite of mine. Made by French company Daan Technologies, Bob is a tiny dishwasher with enough space for the daily dishes of up to two people. Using only three liters of water per cycle, Bob operates using a water tank rather than being plugged into your home's water system. Bob also uses a magnetic aperture system for drying dishes, and an ultrasonic cleaning method for silverware.

This dishwasher is also equipped with Wi-Fi. This allows for connectivity with the corresponding Bob app, which lets you create your own dishwashing cycles away from Bob. It's also got a small screen with readouts for water temperature, water level, a button to enable/disable Wi-Fi, and more. Importantly, Bob also features a wide variety of color options for the door.

Bob is available for pre-order now for €299 (about $344), and will start shipping in November.

See at Daan

If you want idiosyncratic tech, we need to talk about Edgar. Coming in at about the size of a mini-fridge, Edgar is built for bettering a single type of drinking experience: serving wine by the glass. A smart wine dispenser, Edgar is built around precisely serving three types of wine using a custom dispensary system.

Rather than serving from bottles, Edgar serves wine from specialized internal bags. These replaceable bags are tagged with RFID chips, which tell Edgar which type of wine that's in each bag. These tags also provide sourcing information about each wine.

It should be noted that Edgar isn't exactly meant for standard consumers. Instead, the machine is being marketed towards restaurants, bars, hotels, and other businesses.

Drying off a wet dog can be a chore. Towels are often less effective than we'd like, while getting a dog to stand still while using a hair dryer can be its own special endurance trial. That's where Korean company PePe comes in. PePe's pet dryer is meant for small pets and can dry them in about 25 minutes.

To use the pet dryer, you put your wet pet inside, close the door, and set the temperature. Warm air will slowly move around inside the dryer to slowly dry your pet.

Currently unavailable in the U.S., PePe's pet dryer can be purchased in Korea, China, and Singapore for about $660.

The brainchild of the Wilkinson Baking Company, BreadBot is a fully-automated bread-making solution. Another piece of tech aimed at businesses rather than consumers, BreadBot bakes bread itself once it's filled with all of the necessary ingredients, then dispenses it in an attached bread vendor. According to the Wilkinson Baking Company, BreadBot is meant to sit in your local grocery store, and lets customers know exactly when, where, and how their bread was made.

BreadBot is built to produce 10 loaves of bread per hour, which the company says is based on a survey of the needs of grocery stores. It has options for automatically starting and stopping the bread baking process, and stores can also set the machine to produce the desired number of bread loaves for up to the next three months. BreadBot is also smart enough to send messages to store employees, including sending requests to empty the bread cabinet, asking for more mix, or announcing that it's done baking for the day.

BreadBot will be available to stores with a five-year lease that should cost about $100,000 over that period of time.

Cleaning out the litter box as always been one of the most unappealing aspects of cat ownership. Enter LavvieBot, a smart litter box that cleans itself. Self-scooping, self-filling, and equipped with smart alerts, this litter box takes the hassle out of a big part of owning a cat.

LavvieBot features sensors that detect when your cat has entered and left. The Wi-Fi-connected litter box can send you notifications when your cat uses it, and when your cat has left, LavvieBot gets to scooping, dropping everything down a chute to a waste receptacle at the bottom of the device. The box will then automatically refill itself from the built-in litter storage container.

When the receptacle is full, LavvieBot will notify you so you can change out its bag. You'll also get an alert when you're low on litter so you can order more.

LavvieBot will launch an Indegogo campaign this May, with a starting price of $379.

Your favorites?

Have you seen a weird appliance from this year's show that's not on our list? Tell us about it in the comments.

SCOSCHE, the creators behind several popular consumer technology and car audio products and accessories, has just announced the BTFREQ, a small but mighty Bluetooth FM transmitter and car charger with Amazon Alexa built-in. You'll get hands-free communication, entertainment, Power Delivery, and Alexa, all in one convenient package.

The BTFREQ is first and foremost a car charger that plugs into your vehicle's cigarette lighter. It's a dual-port charger with both USB-A 12W and USB-C 18W, and features Power Delivery, so you get a charge that's three times faster than other car chargers. Apple and Samsung Fast Charge are supported. And since it utilizes USB-C, the growing industry standard, the BTFREQ is fairly future-proof.

Users can also connect the BTFREQ to their car via Bluetooth or Aux-in cable, which grants access to Amazon Alexa. With the BTFREQ and Amazon Alexa, users can have Alexa play music, get the news, check the weather, and much more. And since Alexa is in the cloud, the BTFREQ is constantly getting smarter as it gets new capabilities delivered automatically. BTFREQ can be paired to a smartphone to work with Apple's Siri or Google Voice as well.

SCOSCHE designed the BTFREQ with thought and care. The satin silver arc is to accommodate a second microphone at an optimal distance from the first, which helps ensure clearer voice activation and less noise pollution. BTFREQ is also made from a premium automotive grade ABS plastic, helping it blend in seamlessly with most car interiors. The blue glow is also a nice touch, and it is reminiscent of other Amazon Alexa devices, such as the Echo Dot.

SCOSCHE's BTFREQ is scheduled to arrive sometime in Fall 2019. The price is unknown at this time.

Functionality and portability are the two most important components when it comes to the new dongle-free Linedock all-in-one docking system. Built for professionals and home users alike, Linedock is the first laptop power bank that also includes a USB-C Hub and internal storage. It's available now for the 2018 MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro and coming soon for the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

On display at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Linedock is a 9mm piece of wonder made from aluminum that you slide under your laptop. It offers nine ports, which allows you to dock up to seven devices at once, including your smartphone, tablet, mouse, display, and other compatible products. There's one port for HDMI, three USB-C ports, three USB-3 ports, an SD Card Reader, and a Mini Display Port.

Linedock has the same dimensions as a 13-inch MacBook Pro and Air: 11.97 by 8.36 inches and weighs 2 pounds. The gadget ships with a compact line-u USB-C to USB-C accessory that connects it to your laptop without needing a more traditional dongle.

You can use the device to fully charge your laptop in 2.5 hours thanks to its 20,000 mAh battery. Side ports can support up to 60W of charging, while the central port offers 100W. Linedock can be charged using a regular USB-C laptop charger.

Linedock is available with 256GB or 1GB of SSD storage or you can buy it without storage and save yourself some cash. It's available in matte black and space gray starting at $299.

Worth considering

If you're looking for an all-in-one charging, storage, and docking device, you should take a look at Linedock. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts about Linedock below.

At CES 2019, I was able to sit down with the co-founders of a new type of smart glasses called Focals. These custom-built glasses provide bite-sized bits of notification information to you via a holographic display on your lens. There are two things that make these glasses unique. First, they're customized to each individual person's specifications — you have to get them fitted by an on-site optician. Second, they are actually good looking. They don't look like some weird style of Oakleys with a giant rig attached to them (no offense to Google Glass).

See at North

Focals look like everyday glasses. They're simple, traditional, and almost look like nothing more than a pair of glasses. Hidden inside is, however, a world of information, or at least convenient access to your notifications without distracting you from your current conversation.

After getting your custom-fit Focals, using the support app, you'll connect your phone, iOS or Android, to have notifications sent directly to your ... well ... eye.

There's a very small holographic projection system attached to the right arm of the glasses. There is also a small spot on the right lens where the holographic notification is displayed so you can see it right inside your lens, even though no one else can see the notification, or even tell that you're wearing smart glasses at all. The only oddity is that there is a slight chromatic aberration.

The projection measure just about one-inch circular, maybe even smaller than that. It's close enough to your eye, however, that you can see everything you need to in clear, easy-to-read text.

There are even nice illustrations for such things as weather conditions and calendar notifications.

Focal also supports Alexa thanks to an onboard speaker and microphone array. With Alexa, you can ask for personal things like your next calendar event, or something general, like how tall is the Eiffel Tower. When you ask a question, Alexa responds verbally, via the included speakers. You can, however, mute Alexa if you don't want everyone hearing it. You will also receive a text-based version of the response.

Though the company is considering adding support for Siri in the future, it's not part of the immediate plan.

Navigating the information is done using a very simple ring with a tiny joystick on it. You wear the ring on your index finger and use the joystick with your thumb to navigate left, right, up, and down. You can press the stick to select something.

On Android and iPhone, Focals allows you to respond to text messages using voice-to-text and quick replies. You can even send your favorite emoji. Triaging notifications is fully supported for Android. On iPhone, you can mark a notification as read.

What I found the most pleasant about Focals is that there isn't too much on display. You get bite-sized versions of notifications with clear, bold fonts and simple graphics. I walked around the room with Focals on and asked Alexa a graphics-rich question about the weather and even the three-day forecast was simple, clear, and didn't distract me while I walked. Of course, I'd need to take this into a real-world environment with people walking in front of me and cracks in the sidewalk to be sure. I can tell, however, from the short time I had Focals on my face that it's a pleasant experience which keeps me engaged in the world around me while allowing me to keep track of important notifications.

Apple Watch has been a fantastic wearable device that allows me to stay connected to important information and notifications I receive on my phone, but I still have to look down at a screen to address them. In a conversation with someone, this action is still distracting, and can even seem rude to people that don't have a smartwatch themselves (looking at your watch traditionally has been body language for "I need to be somewhere else").

With Focals, I can stare right into the eyes of my conversation partner and address a notification without them even realizing what I'm doing. I even tested this with iMore's resident VR/AR expert, Russell Holly. I looked directly into his eyes, checked a notification, and continued a conversation with him. He described it as, "It almost looks like you're just looking at a different feature on my face."

The downside to the existence of Focals right now is that the company only has two optician locations, one in Brooklyn in the U.S. and one in Toronto, Canada. To get a pair, you'll need to visit a North Showroom. This significantly limits how many people are able to actually own a pair of Focals. The company is working hard to open more locations, but for now, if you can't make it to either New York or Canada, you're out of luck.

Focals cost $999. If you're able to make it to one of the two North Showrooms, you can make an appointment reservation today. If you don't live nearby, but want to make sure you're the first in line when they come to your town, you can drop a cool $100 on a fully-refundable reservation deposit right now.

See at North

At the Consumers Electrics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Scosche Industries has introduced an all-new charging mount fothe r car and other uses. The MagicGrip Charge Wireless Charging Mount delivers 10W of charging power and supports Apple and Samsung Fast Charge.

Featuring a 360-degree rotation, the MagicGrip Charge allows you to view your device in landscape or portrait mode, or any angle in between. When doing so, it frees your phone from cables and other impediments, allowing you to move the unit with ease.

With the MagicGrip, your smartphone is held into place by motorized arms with a thermal management channel created between the phone and the Qi-charging head. This design allows the heated air to disperse, thereby offering a cooler charging experience, which is good for your phone's battery over time.

For peace of mind, the accessory offers Foreign Object Detection which prevents the charging of non-Qi-enabled devices. The ambient light sensing LED illuminates soft blue during normal operation and flashes red to indicate when a foreign object is in place.

For added flexibility, Scosche is offering the MagicGrip Charge in a choice of four mounting options, thereby making it also suitable for home and office use. Besides the Dash Mount, this includes the Magic Grip Window/Dash's StickGrip base, the Magic Grip Vent mount that allows for unimpeded airflow, and the MagicGrip Double Pivot option, which can be mounted in various places in your vehicle, including tight spaces.

The MagicGrip Charge Wireless Charging Mount arrives in stores this fall.

Look! Up in the Sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a drone? Is it a cell phone case? Or is it the AEE SELFLY a smartphone case with a drone that's built right in, making it the first device of its kind and first of its class?!

Oh. Yeah. I guess that's what it is!

Introducing the AEE SELFLY, a smartphone case/drone hybrid that allows users to snap selfies and aerial photos and videos from literally anywhere!

See at Selfly

How does it work? Well with just the touch of a button, the drone detaches from the case soars into the air, allowing for a variety of different heights and angles that your arm and a selfie stick just can't match.

Using the screen on your smartphone, you can adjust the drone using high-end stabilization technology. The drone is even equipped with 1080P full HD video capability and has a flight time of up to four minutes, so you can capture some pretty stellar mini-drone footage!

Now I know what your thinking: this super, cool super selfie tech that seems like something out of Rainbow Six Siege meets Keeping Up with the Kardashians must cost, like, a bajillion dollars, right?

Wrong! You'll be able to pick up this case for around $130.

What do you think?!

Are you someone who would get a lot of use out of this case-meets-drone? Maybe you'd use it for other things besides selfies? Let us know what your thoughts are on the AEE SELFLY in the comments down below and what other tech you're super excited for at CES!

Introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Emtek EMPowered Smart Lock — Connected by August is a new deadlock that works with August's cloud technology. In doing so, it allows you to perform numerous tasks from your smartphone. These tasks include the ability to lock and unlock your doors, manage lock settings, share virtual keys with visitors, and more remotely.

Available in three different versions with either a touchscreen keypad or with a keyed entry-set, the Emtek EMPowered Smart Lock offers August's flagship features, including Auto-Unlock, Auto-Lock, and DoorSense technology.

The new deadbolt will arrive in February with a keypad version costing $440. In April, a physical key version launches for $370.

Meanwhile, there's the Yale Assure Lever Lock which has been designed to work in interior rooms with non-deadbolt entry doors. Available with either a push button keypad or capacitive touchscreen, these locks offer a key-free Academy Lever with a transitional curved look to match the curve of the keypad.

The Yale Assure Lever Lock represents the first non-deadbolt option in the Assure Lock series. It's also the first non-deadbolt solution announced for the Connected by August initiative from Yale's sister company.

Ideally suited for single-hole doors, the Yale Assure Lever Lock can be fully integrated into a smart home or alarm system with the addition of a Connected by August, Z-Wave Plus, or Zigbee Yale Smart Module. Smart Modules for Control4 and Crestron are expected to launch this year as well.

Available in three different finishes, including satin nickel, polished brass, and oil-rubbed bronze, the Assure Lever Lock launches launch this spring for between $149 and $299, depending on the model and connectivity.

According to Jason Williams, president of Yale's Residential Group:

Yale has also announced that the company's Yale Real Living Locks with Z-Wave, which includes the Assure Lock line, now works with the Ring Alarm home monitoring system. In doing so, users can disarm their security system by unlocking their Yale lock or arm the system by locking it. August also plans on integrating its Smart Lock Pro with the Ring Alarm system, to roll out early this year.

Scosche has introduced a new solution for keeping your devices both charged and organized. The BaseLynx is a charging station built to be used with multiple devices at once, including your iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. It's also a modular system that allows you to remove those sections of the BaseLynx that you don't need.

The full BaseLynx station includes a Qi wireless charging dock for your iPhone that provides up to 10W of power, with safety features that prevent overheating and overcharging. There's also an Apple Watch dock with Apple's proprietary magnetic charging device for the watch built into the surface of the pad. Finally, the BaseLynx system has a vertical tablet organizer charging station, in which you can place up to three devices. That station doesn't charge wirelessly, but it does have two 12W USB-A charging ports and an 18W USB-C port. The powered end cap for the BaseLynx also has additional USB-A and USB-C outlets to charge more devices.

Because the BaseLynx system is modular, you can use it in multiple configurations. If you want to charge all of your devices in one place, you can put that Voltron of a charging station together and plug in the power cord for an all-in-one solution. But if you want, say, a tablet charger in your office, a phone charger in your living room, and a watch charger on your nightstand, BaseLynx lets your break the modules apart to place them where you need them to be. Each module has its own power cord for when you want to use them separately.

Scosche hasn't yet announced pricing or exact availability of the BaseLynx, but you should be able to get your hands on this modular power solution beginning in spring 2019.

A keyboard case for your iPad or iPad Pro is great to have around and makes typing on your tablet way more convenient. ZAGG has been making cases, screen protectors, and other accesses for Apple products for years and today the company showed off a new line of keyboard cases for iPad and iPad Pro models. Here's a quick breakdown of the new products!

This slim and lightweight case makes carrying around your iPad or iPad Pro a breeze, and because it covers both the front and back of the tablet, you can rest easy knowing it's protected.

The real star of the Slim Book Go is the keyboard which is not only detachable but also backlight, making it easier to see in the dim light of your favorite coffee shop. Plus, it can be paired to two devices at once, making it perfect for typing on multiple devices.

The built-in stand allows you to have multiple viewing angles, and an Apple Pencil holder, so you never have to worry about losing it.

The Slim Book Go is available for the 9.7-inch iPad right now for $99.99, but the 11-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro versions will be coming this spring and will reportedly cost $99.99 and $129.99 respectively.

See at ZAGG

Rugged Book Go

The Rugged Book Go has all the same features as the Slim Book Go, including the detachable back-lit keyboard, but its built to provide extra protection.

Due to its TPU exterior, the Rugged Book Pro is drop-tested to 6.6 feet, meaning you should feel safe carrying your iPad Pro around with this case.

The Rugged Book Go is set to go on sale this spring for $149.99 and only for the 11-inch iPad Pro.

See at ZAGG

Messenger Folio

While the Messenger Folio isn't a new product, ZAGG plans to release it for the 11-inch iPad Pro sometime in February with a price tag of $69.99.

Unlike the Slim Book Go, the Messenger Folio does not have a detachable keyboard; however, it's folio-style case allows you to adjust the viewing angles and it has a tab to hold the Apple Pencil.

Starting today, you can pre-order the latest edition of Brydge's keyboard for the 2018 iPad Pro. Brydge, known for its tablet keyboards and accessories, is offering keyboards for both the 11-inch iPad Pro, as well as the third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Built to match the style of the new iPad Pro models, the Brydge keyboard connects to your iPad via Bluetooth 4.1, much as its predecessors have. But this new keyboard also allows for a wired connection, with a USB-C port now built in. You'll be able to connect it to the iPad's own USB-C port if you have a USB-C-to-USB-C cable (like the one that came with your iPad Pro).

The Brydge is designed for both laptop and tablet use. If you don't need to use the keyboard, and just need to view things on your iPad Pro, you can take it out of the Brydge, turn it around, place it back in the clips, and angle to the keyboard's new Movie Mode. Press down on the iPad while in this mode to lay it down flat against the Brydge to use your iPad in Tablet Mode.

For added protection, Brydge will also be including a magnetic leather back cover for your iPad Pro that perfectly compliments the keyboard itself. The cover prevents scratches on the back of the iPad Pro. While the back cover is included with the Brydge, it's not built into the case, so if you don't want to use it, you don't have to, but it's there if you that you need it.

Though pre-orders are open as of today, you'll have to wait a bit to get your hands on the new Brydge for iPad Pro. Shipping for these new keyboards begins in early spring. You can pick up the Brydge 11.0 Pro for $149.99, and the Brydge 12.9 Pro for $169.99.

See at Brydge

Samson has been making quality audio equipment for years, and the company's USB microphones have been some of the best to use for podcasting, streaming and recording music. It's the newest microphone was unveiled CES 2019 and promises to bring broadcast quality sound to your computer or iOS device!

Versatile recording

Samson Satellite features two premium 16mm condenser capsules that capture vocal warmth and clarity with smooth, accurate frequency response. Plus with three selectable pickup patterns — cardioid, omnidirectional and bidirectional — The Satellite will be more versatile and be able to capture a wide range of sound. The Satellite also comes with an internal shock mount which isolates the capsules from the body of the microphone, meaning it will reduce the amount of handling noise.

High-quality sound

When it comes to sound quality the Samson Satellite delivers 24-bit/96kHz recording when connecting the microphone via the included USB or Lightning cables. That means you can get studio quality sound on your iPhone or iPad! Plus, the microphone also sports a headphone jack for zero-latency monitoring, meaning you can always hear exactly how the sound is coming through when you're recording. The one-touch mute switch will quickly silence the microphone without interjecting any clicks or pops into the audio, making it easier to edit in post.

Price & avaialability

Samson has set the price of the Satellite at $99.99 and will start selling it starting in May 2019.

One of my most favorite connected home gadgets is the Nanoleaf Canvas. It's beautiful, creative, and is literally the talk of my parties. I love the futuristic look of light up wall art. So when I heard about Sky, I was immediately intrigued.

Announced at CES 2019, Sky is a mosaic light panel that promises to brighten up your room with, not just beautiful colors, but also display details and metrics from the internet, like how many YouTube subscribers you have or how many people are viewing your Twitch stream.

Sky is still very much in its development stages, and we probably won't see it until 2020 (if we see it at all). It's definitely got promise, especially if LaMetric, the creators of Sky, can deliver on the variety of features its claiming.

The starter pack is designed for eight panels but will be able to support at least 16 panels. The preliminary shapes appear to be triangular, so you'd be able to create a variety of display shapes.

I'm always interested in unique lighting options, especially when they can connect to your smart devices. If Sky ends up with Siri support, It'll be a nice addition to the HomeKit family.

LaMetric is the company behind the home connected smart clock Time. It looks like Sky will be the natural progression with a larger version of Time, but with additional lighting art in mind.

I really hope to see Sky hit the market someday soon. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this one.

You can find out more about Sky at the company's website.

At CES 2019, Nanoleaf announced its latest shape, coming to wall art near you. Nanoleaf Hexagons are the new six-sided, touch-enabled configuration that supports up to 500 panels by using power supplies across groups of 25. There is little information at this time about when they'll be released and for how much, but currently, you can get the Nanoleaf Canvas square starter kit, which comes with nine panels, including the control square, for about $250.

I'm a huge fan of Nanoleaf, and particularly think the Canvas panels are the company's near-perfect lighting art solution. To see the hexagonal update to an already-stellar panel design is exciting, to say the least. I look forward to seeing more about the Hexagons in the coming months.

Nanoleaf has also announced the commercial Mounting Grid for its Canvas panels, which are a more permanent solution to what comes in the box. It's a system of connectors and screws that allow you to mount the panels more securely, but also more permanently (no fun layout changes ever few weeks).

The Mounting Grid for Canvas is expected in mid to late 2019, while the Canvas Hexagons are supposed to hit the market in late 2019.

We'll keep you posted on the official release as we learn more. For now, check out Nanoleaf Canvas Squares at the company's website

Instant cameras have come back in a big way in recent years. People can't help but love the retro appeal of the days were companies like Polaroid and Kodak ruled the photography world and Kodak is releasing three new products aimed to help you relive those days and print your favorite photos from your iPhone or iPad.

The Kodak SMILE line was announced at CES and Kodak has begun showing off the new products at their booth. With two new instant cameras and a new instant printer, there are lots of goodies for retro-loving photographers to get excited about. Here's a quick breakdown of everything we know about the products as of right now.

Kodak SMILE Classic Instant Print Digital Camera

The chunky instant print camera looks like it came straight out of the 80s, but the look and feel have been updated to blend the modern and classic style. The camera is equipped with a pop-up viewfinder, an automatic single strobe flash, and a MicroSD card slot to store your photos digitally. As for the film, the camera uses Kodak's 3.51 x 4.25-inch ZINK Sticky-Backed Photo Paper, and you can instantly print out any of the photos you take with the camera. Plus, the camera also allows you to print photos from your iOS or Android device using Bluetooth and the free companion app.

Kodak SMILE Instant Print Digital Camera

This 10-megapixel Kodak SMILE Camera is a stylish camera is a much sleeker and thin design, that doesn't feature as many nostalgic touches, but has all the features you need in a small instant print camera. By using Kodak's ZINK Zero Ink Printing Technology the camera can instantly print any photo you take and also has a MicroSD card. Plus, it has an LCD viewfinder display, 10-second timer, and automatic flash, helping you take the best shot possible.

Kodak SMILE Instant Digital Printer

For folks who don't need an instant camera, but love the idea of printing all their photos from their smartphones, the Kodak SMILE Instant Digital Printer lets you do just that. With the free Kodak Instant Print companion app, it's compatible with iOS and Android devices compatible and will let you send your favorite photos via Bluetooth to the printer.

No release date yet

Kodak hasn't given a release date or pricing information for any of the SMILE line of products yet, but has said you can expect the product sometime this year.

SCOSCHE just announced the new MagicMount Charge3 at CES 2019 in Las Vegas. This new car mount combines the award-winning design of the MagicMount system with Qi Wireless Charging Technology for a cool (literally) experience in the car.

The new MagicMount Charge3 stands out from the competition thanks to the unique design and distinctive functional advantages.

With the MagicMount Charge3, users are able to get it as a vehicle vent mount, but it's specifically designed to not block the airflow from your car's vents. The MagicMount Charge3 features an articulated swing-arm for unimpeded air flow, and it rotates a full 360 degrees so your phone can be viewed from any angle.

SCOSCHE MagicMount Charge3 is also certified by the Wireless Power Consortium (WCP) and the Qi Wireless Charging Technology is capable of 10W of power. This means that the MagicMount Charge 3 supports Apple and Samsung Fast Charge.

There is an ambient light sensing LED light that illuminates blue for normal charging and red for foreign object detection. The Foreign Object Detection is there as a safety feature, to prevent charging if something other than a Qi-enabled device is placed over the charging head.

In order for devices to work with the MagicMount Charge3, they need to be held in place with magnets. SCOSCHE uses 100 percent device-safe Neodymium magnets, so there is a thermal management gap that is created between the phone and the Qi-charging head. With this gap, heated air is able to be dispersed and replaced with cooler air while your device is charging.

The mount itself is made from high-quality premium materials, including high-impact polycarbonate. It also comes in four different mounting options for the home, office, and car:

• Vent mount for cars is easy to install, remove, and transfer from car-to-car. The design of the MagicMount Charge3 also means unimpeded air flow from your car's HVAC vent.
• Dash mount features SCOSCHE StickGrip to give a strong hold to the dash, table, or other flat surfaces.
• Window/Dash StickGrip lets you apply the MagicMount Charge3 to any flat surface in the home, office, or vehicle.
• Double Pivot mount is designed to be mounted anywhere in your vehicle, including tight spaces. It has a suction-cup base and double-pivot base for multiple adjustments and viewing angles.

SCOSCHE MagicMount Charge3 will be available Spring 2019. The price is unknown at this time.

I love my Satechi travel charger. I take it with me on every trip. It's got plenty of USB-A charging ports, plus a micro USB port. It turns a single wall plug charger into a hub for all your gadgets. What mine doesn't have, however, is a USB-C port. At CES 2019, Satechi announced it's launching two travel chargers with USB-C ports.

You can choose from a 75W Dual Type-C travel charger or a 30W dual-port wall charger, both supporting USB-C charging and are certified CE, ETL, USBIF, and FCC to comply with safety standards.

The 75W Dual Type-C Travel Charger has two USB-C ports (one 60W and one 18W), plus two USB-A 3.0 ports for all your iPad and iPhone charging needs. You can simultaneously charge your laptop, tablet, phone, and more. It retails for $70 and is available now.

See at Amazon

The 30W Dual-Port wall charger has a single USB-C PD port with up to 18W power and a USB-A 3.0 port for 12W power. It's perfect for those traveling light. It retails for $30 and is available now.

See at Amazon

The great thing about Satechi charging hubs is that they're simple, ultra-portable, and work great. It's great to see they've added USB-C support.

Innovation in the burger world is rarely something you can see with your eyes. If there's a clever new blend of materials, you can experience the hard work when you try it for yourself. When someone has found a great new ingredient to blend into a mixture, you don't usually see it on the bun. People are trying new things in the burger world all the time, but rarely can you look at a burger and be surprised just on looks.

Two years ago, Impossible Foods changed that with its first burger. The rollout has been slow and deliberate, targeting specialized retail distributors instead of making it available to the masses all at once through one of the big box retailers. But ask anyone who has experienced an Impossible Burger for themselves and you'll get quite the story in return. In the middle of one of the biggest tech events of the year, the Impossible Burger is being upgraded to version 2.0. We spent a lot of time with several variants of this product during the launch event, and found no shortage of questions answered.

More impressive than impossible

At first glance, the Impossible Burger 2.0 looks like any other product in its category today. We could moan about the lack of a headphone jack, wireless charging still hasn't made an appearance in this model, and it's really only ever going to appear in one color. But in a way, the simplicity is what makes it so brilliant. There's no way to look at an Impossible Burger 2.0 and see anything other than a regular burger, even though under the hood there's a lot more going on. The difference between the specs sheet and the visual for this product is truly staggering.

We're talking about a 240 calorie burger with what Impossible Foods claims is a protein count similar to a beef patty. That experience is powered by Soy and Potato protein, Coconut and Sunflower oils, and a powerful Soy Leghemoglobin (Heme for short). This is clearly not the sheet many off us are familiar with, in fact it's so different it's difficult to read line by line and visualize the experience so many of us are familiar with. But when you see it in front of you, it all comes together and "just works" in a way that surprises and delights.

In fact, if you didn't have that specs sheet handy, and no one told you at all who the manufacturer was, I am positive you would look at this and say it was a standard, run-of-the-mill burger. It feels great in the hand, visually delivers the exact experience you're looking for, and every part of the user experience feels like it was created by industry veterans. This is a Tier One product made by what is basically industry newbies, but punches so far above its weight you wouldn't know it by looking at it.

Lettuce be serious now

Alright, I give in. That whole last section was me being silly on purpose. Here's the thing though, Impossible Burger really is the real deal. This is coming from someone who thoroughly enjoys grinding his own meat blends to make his own burgers at home, Impossible Burger is very much a real burger.

I've tried Beyond Burger, and thought it tasted like cat food. I like a good black bean burger every now and again, but you know it's not a burger when you're eating it. I've had the other "it's like a real burger" alternatives, and found them all lacking if also good in their own way. Impossible Burger is in a class of its own, especially with this new 2.0 blend. You genuinely can't tell the difference between this burger and a $10 burger you'd find in most restaurants. If you increase that to the truly high end burgers the differences become more clear, but your average mid-tier burger is the exact experience you get with an Impossible Burger.

Amazingly, this goes way beyond taste. I watched as these burgers were grilled over an open flame, and watched it bubble and drip and char just like a real burger. A medium rare Impossible burger doesn't just look like and taste like a real burger, it bleeds like a real burger. When you dive into a particular sloppy burger, it even leaves you with greasy fingers like a real burger. Some of this isn't all that different from the previous generation, though. What sets this new version apart is the way this Impossible Meat behaves as a ground beef replacement as well. Included in this demo tonight I tasted Impossible Meat mixed into tacos and empanadas and taste exactly like the real deal.

In the end, that's what makes this such a big deal. Eating Impossible Meat, in burger form or otherwise, isn't any kind of compromise. The folks at Impossible Foods are very excited about the ecological benefits of replacing beef. Cows are environmentally expensive, and being able to offer a genuinely enjoyable alternative is truly world changing. There's a reasonable conversation to be had about how much damage just cows are doing to our environment for the sake of providing beef for the world.

But at the same time, I don't want to think about it. I want to pick up a pack of Impossible Meat at the grocery store and not think about it being somehow different. I want the restaurants around me to straight up offer Impossible Burgers without labeling them. Right now it's important to make that distinction, but after experiencing Impossible Meat 2.0 I think I would rather live in a world where this stuff just exists and most of us don't see it as something unique or weird, but instead is just the way some burgers are made.

And really, after eating my way through my fifth mini Impossible Burger of the night, that future really doesn't seem particularly far off.

OtterBox makes some fabulous, protective iPhone cases. PopSockets makes those round pop-up disks you can stick on the back of your phone to get an extra grip when taking selfies or to use as a kickstand. The two companies have collaborated to release a new case called Otter + Pop that combines the best of both worlds.

The OtterBox Symmetry case is a longtime favorite of mine, as it's both slim and protective. This new Otter + Pop case is an OtterBox Symmetry case with a PopSocket PopGrip built right in. The PopGrip holds a PopTop securely in place. Pull out the PopTop when you want to take a selfie or otherwise use your iPhone with one hand. You can also pull out the PopTop and use it as a kickstand when you want to watch a video. Push it back in when not in use. Since it's flush with the case, it won't add bulk to your case.

Otter + Pop cases come in three different colors: Black, Go To Blue, and Mauveolousious. Each case comes with a PopTop that matches the case, but you can purchase additional PopTops in different colors and designs and swap them out as the mood strikes. The cases are for: iPhone Xs, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and are coming soon.

You can check out Otter + Pop cases:

• $60 at OtterBox
• $60 at PopSockets

You can purchase additional PopTops:

$10+ at PopSockets

Mophie, the popular Apple-certified accessory maker, has just announced the new Juice Pack Access battery cases for the iPhone X, XR, XS, and XS Max at CES 2019. The Juice Pack Access will be available later in the first quarter of 2019.

The Juice Pack Access will be able to add another 25 hours to the iPhone X and XS, while the XR and XS Max get 31 more hours. You'll be able to charge these battery cases with the included USB-C cable, or by using a Qi-certified mat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0943_nik6nc

That's right—the Juice Pack Access comes with wireless charging capabilities. The bottom of the case is also open so you still have full access to your iPhone's Lightning port for normal use of headphones or other accessories. The Juice Pack Access also utilizes pass-through charging, so when charging wirelessly, your phone gets charged first before the battery case.

The Juice Pack Access packs in a 2000mAh battery capacity for the iPhone X, XR, and XS, while the XS Max has 2200mAh capacity. The cases themselves are made from an impact-resistant polycarbonate material that has a soft-touch finish, just like their other battery cases. Raised corners give you extra protection from scratches, drops, and cracks. There will be several color options for each model.

All versions of the Juice Pack Access are slated for release in the first quarter of 2019 and will retail for $119.95. You can sign up on their website to get an email notification of when you can order yours.

Sphero has just announced Specdrums at CES 2019. The Specdrums is a music-focused product for kids, which also incorporates the STEAM learning method.

No matter if the kid is already artistically-inclined or just a beginner, the Specdrums will meet them at their skill level when it comes to moving and tapping to create rhythm and sound. The product encourages kids to improve their critical reasoning, language, and motor skills through the art of music. It's also great for discovering an artistic form of coding using just their imagination.

The Specdrums are available right now on sphero.com and start shipping the week of January 15, and they'll be available at select retailers in Spring 2019. Specdrums retail for $64.99 for one-ring and $99.99 for two rings. The features of the Specdrums include the following:

• Customizable sounds that allow users to explore over 100 instrument types and their unique sounds
• App-enabled silicone rings that are highly durable and also come with motion and light sensors that turn color into sound
• A multi-color playpad to tap the rings on
• Full Bluetooth capability to connect, play, and learn
• Compatible with all apps that integrate Bluetooth MIDI

Specdrums were originally developed with educators in mind, but this product helps children transition from the classroom to the home. Sphero's ultimate goal is to reach even more classrooms across the world in order to help teachers engage students effectively through hands-on music and STEAM tools.

Imagine if your dash cam automatically started recording when you drove, sharing your commute directly to a secure and reliable cloud?

Imagine having a dash cam with a 140-degree wide-angle lens that works alongside accelerometer sensors to detect road accidents immediately when they happen?

Imagine just having a terrifically safe and practical dash cam?

Introducing the Full HD Dash Cam – Powered by Nexar™ from Sosche, a dash cam that'll add an additional layer of safety thanks to it's efficient pairing with the Nexar app. Not only is this dash cam ready to record, but it also allows your car to join the truly first crowdsourced vehicle-to-vehicle safety network.

Using your smartphone, the Nexar app records your drive and automatically saves it to the Nexar cloud. If you ever get into an accident, the camera's sharp and durable camera can record what happened, allowing you to share a detailed report with the authorities or insurance companies. Plus in the event of a recordable moment, a touch "event" allows you to store specific lengths and chunks of footage.

The Full HD Dash Cam – Powered by Nexar™ is both easy to install, and comes with 24/7 technical support in case there are any issues with the cam.

When will this camera be available? Well the Full HD Dash Cam – Powered by Nexar™ won't come out until spring 2019, so you'll have to drive safe on these icy winter road for now.

What do you think?

Are you a fan of a dash cam that automatically shares and saves footage to the cloud? Are there any other particular devices and gadgets at CES 2019 that you've been interested in? Let us know exactly what you think in the comments down below!

In 2019, it's pretty commonplace to get around by booking an Uber or making plans with friends to carpool somewhere. These methods work fine, but hopping back and forth between apps to find the best deal or trying to coordinate schedules with people via group texts can prove to be a hassle. At CES 2019, HERE Mobility announced a new app called SoMo that it thinks is the perfect solution to all this.

SoMo serves two main purposes — helping people compare prices of rides in their area without having to jump back and forth between apps and providing a platform that makes it easier than ever to schedule a carpool meetup.

A big focus with all of this is something HERE calls "Gatherings." Gatherings are events that users can create in the SoMo app and can be used for carpooling to work, a weekend party, etc. If you want to attend a gathering, you can choose to get there by driving yourself, booking a taxi through SoMo's app, or sharing a ride with friends. If you're the one driving everyone around, you can use the SoMo app to send invites to people, let them know when you'll be picking them up, and see who's agreed to ride with you.

HERE designed SoMo to be more social than its competitors, putting a big focus on sharing rides with people you already know and creating a social media-like feed on the Gathering pages.

SoMo has already signed on 1.4 million vehicles for its Mobility Marketplace (rides you can book on-demand) and supports over 350 cities around the world. As of January 7, SoMo's adding operations in Amsterdam, Athens, Almere Stad, Barcelona, Brussels, Haarlem, The Hague, Helsinki, London, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Nice, Piraeus, Thessaloniki with planned expansions in 5 to 10 new cities each month through all of 2019.

Download: SoMo (free)

Featuring built-in Apple HomeKit technology, the Eve Energy Strip allows you to control, automate, and safeguard your appliances, computer gear, and home entertainment components. Designed to protect your devices from power surges, over-voltage, and over-current, the Eve Energy Strip includes three outlets which you can access and control through the Eve or Apple Home app, or by using your voice with Siri.

With the Eve Energy Strip, you can create HomeKit scenes, establish timers and rules, and also create schedules for when the outlets turn on and off. You can also measure the consumption and projected cost of the power delivered by the Eve Energy Strip through the Eve app.

The Eve Light Strip is being called the brightest HomeKit-enabled LED strip to date. Offering over 1,800 lumens, the accessory provides a full spectrum of white and millions of colors. Measuring 6.6 feet, the light strip can be cut into 1-foot pieces or extended up to 32.8 feet for added flexibility.

With the Apple Home and Eve apps, you can create different scenes and also change the light colors with Siri. Flexible and self-adhesive, the Eve Light Strip merely requires a direct connection, not a bridge or gateway that are needed by similar solutions.

Jerome Gackel, CEO, Eve Systems says the too often LED strips look "dim, lackluster, or cheap." However, thanks to industry-leading specs and HomeKit integration, "Eve Light Strip is the perfect choice for any kind of application."

The Eve Energy Strip will be available in March for $119, while the Eve Light Strip arrives in February for $80. Extension packs measuring 6.6 feet will also be available and priced at $50.

Being able to control your smart home tech through HomeKit is amazing, but the list of available options isn't exactly massive. The biggest reason for this is privacy, Apple has an especially strict list of expectations a smart home gadgte needs to meet in order to be allowed into this ecosystem. This focus on delivering a quality, trustworthy experience helps ensure consistency but it doesn't quickly fill the shelves with options.

During CES, Apple has unveiled products from seven companies which are either available to purchase now or will be available soon to add to your HomeKit experience. Here are a few thoughts on each, and how to grab them up for yourself!

Nanoleaf Canvas - Available Now

Versatility and visual appeal make the Nanoleaf Canvas light system truly special. You should check out Lory Gil's review of these lights, if you haven't already.

On top of stellar standalone controls and a clever app of its own, you will now be able to control brightness, scenes, animations, and more right through HomeKit out of the box.

$248 at Home Depot

ConnectSense In-Wall Smart Outlet - Available first half of 2019

This HomeKit-enabled outlet completely replaces your existing outlet, adding a pair of USB ports and giving you access to quite a bit in the way of features. Voice-activated on/off through Siri, data on how much power is being used through that outlet, and the ability to set scheduled and limitations based on time of day and power consumed is more than enough reason to consider making the upgrade to something a little smarter.

ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 - Available Now

Don't want to replace your outlets but still want the smarter features contained within? You can plug this into your wall outlet and gain the ability to control anything you plug into it. It sticks out of the wall a little, so won't be ideal for every room of the house, but makes anything you connect to it a little bit smarter which is nice.

$60 at Amazon

Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell

Unlike most smart doorbells, which focus on cloud processing and storage with extra fees for premium features, the folks at Netatmo have made a smart video doorbell with local processing for activity detection and local removable storage.

You can pull the microSD card out of this camera to store your video permanently on your own machine, and no one but you will have ever had access to it, which is great.

Netatmo Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor

It's not always possible to mount smart home hardware everywhere, especially if you live in an apartment.

Netatmo has been making indoor camera tech friendly for every space already, and the new Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor makes it possible to place multiple sensors throughout your space to ensure you're both well protected but also delivering a clearer picture of the temperature in your space for a connected thermometer to work with.

Kwikset Premis - Available Now

Physical keys can be a pain, especially if your arms are full. As cool as it might be to use your phone to unlock your doors, sometimes it's helpful to just have a pin pad to quickly punch in a code.

The Kwikset Premis lock gives you all of the above, a physical keyhole for your deadbolt sits below a touch-friendly pin pad. And if you're not interested in using either of those things, you can use the app to unlock your phone. Best of all, Premis is HomeKit enabled, so you can say "Hey Siri, lock the front door" and know you're safe at night.

• $178 at Amazon
• $194 at Walmart

Belking WeMo Light Switch - Available Spring/Summer 2019

You don't need Smart Bulbs to have Smart Lights, especially with Belkin's new WeMo Light Switch.

This panel replaces your existing light switch with a clever touch panel for flipping the lights on and off, and even comes in a three-way option for rooms with more than one switch for the same light. But if you don't want to use your fingers, you can use HomeKit and Siri to do the heavy lifting for you!

Eve Light Strip

Boasting a clever triple-diode tech and an equally impressive 1800 lumens of brightness, these two meter LED strips give you the ability to light up your world and also have some fun with pretty colors when the time is right.

And with HomeKit support, those colors can be summoned with little more than your voice.

Eve Power Strip

This three-port strip not only looks nice and offers surge protection, but allows you to label each port on the switch and control them individually.

That way you can control a simple light, power a coffee maker, or fire up an entertainment center with a quick tap or voice command.

Mighton Avia Secure Smart Lock - Available May 2019

We don't hear much about UK-friendly smart locks, and Mighton wants to change that. The Avia Secure Smart Lock is designed for the multi-point locking system used in the UK and have been accredited by 'Secured by Design' - the official UK Police. This system is designed to look like a regular lock on the outside, so you can use it with any door and not worry about it looking out of place. On the inside, however, you will find an intelligent locking mechanism that allows you to not only lock the door remotely but grant access to friends and neighbors via a virtual key system in the Mighton app. And, being HomeKit ready, the lock is fully integrated with the rest of your Apple Home experience.

GE C-Reach Hub - Available Q2 2019

Adding HomeKit support to new and existing C by GE bulbs just got super easy. All you need to do is add the C-Reach Hub, and it will do the talking to HomeKit. Lights controlled through Apple Home will work the same way it would through the normal GE app, and the company promises more HomeKit-friendly products in this brand will be rolling out over the course of the year.

Brilliant Control

Brilliant has a system of smart light switches that also allow you to communicate between rooms and play music. Previously, it only supported Amazon Alexa, but at CES 2019, the company announced it will be updated to support HomeKit, and can even be used with your HomePod.

$300+ at Brilliant

Blue, which is well-known for its awesome microphones and other recording accessories, has just announced an all-new mic at CES 2019. The Ember is the company's newest professional-grade XLR microphone that delivers detailed sound and helps reduce any background noise that may be in your recording environment. It uses a proprietary, hand-tuned custom condenser capsule to ensure the best quality for all of your streaming and recording needs.

Everything inside and out has been custom designed with quality in mind. The streamlined form factor allows it to be placed in tight spaces, and it comes with a mount to allow you to connect it to any standard microphone stand. It's also compatible with Blue's S3 Shock suspension mount and Compass boom arm accessories.

The Ember will be available beginning in February and will carry a retail price of $99.99. Pre-orders are open right now, so be sure to get yours in.

See at Blue

Withings, known for being a leading brand in health tech, announced a new smart device at CES today they claim to be "the world's most advanced in-home cardiovascular monitor." The BPM Core is a three-in-one device that combines blood pressure readings with an electrocardiogram (ECG), and digital stethoscope do give you the most accurate depiction of your heart's health at home.

How it works

The BPM Core pairs with the Health Mate app in order to track all the data is collected each time you put it on your arm. Much like a standard blood pressure test, you place the cuff securely on your upper arm and the BPM Core takes three different measurements in about 90 seconds.

1. Blood Pressure: The cuff will self inflate and accurately track and monitors your systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate measurements. The results will be displayed on via LED right on the band and are color-coded. Green is normal, orange is moderately high, and red is high blood pressure. The display also provides color-coded feedback glowing green for normal, orange for moderate and red for high blood pressure.
2. Electrocardiogram: To record an ECG that can detect AFib, users put the cuff on their upper arm and place their other hand on its stainless steel sensors for 20 seconds. Heart rhythms are tracked and displayed within the Health Mate App and will show if the heart beats too quickly and irregularly.
3. Valvular Health: Users place the sensor on their chest, and it spends 20 seconds listening and evaluating heart performance.

All the results from all the tests will sync to the Health Mate app and be viewable at any time, allowing you to track your heart health over time.

The company is showing off the BPM core at CES this week, and the product will be available sooner than you might think. The Withings BPM Core will be available for purchase sometime in Q2 of 2019 with a price tag of $249.95.

Chronic pain can be more than just a physical thing. It's also emotionally draining. There are home medical devices that can help with chronic pain sufferers and Quell is one of them.

Quell is a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) that is worn on the leg and sends neural pulses to the brain to trigger pain relief. At CES, Neurometrix, the maker of Quell, announced its second-generation version, available later this year.

Quell 2.0 promises to be 50% smaller, 20% more powerful, and have a more user-friendly app. The electrode panel is about the size of a credit card and the elastic band is slim-fitting. Neurometrix promises Quell is 10x more powerful than a typical OTC TENS device.

You can grab the Quell 2.0 hardware right now directly from Quell, as well as Amazon, for $299. The updated feature set will roll out for Quell users later in 2019. You can get more information about Quell 2.0 on the Quell website.

See at Amazon

Ecovacs Robotics has introduced its newest floor cleaning robot at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, California. The Deebot OZMO 960 uses the company's all-new Artificial Intelligence and Visual Interpretation (AIVI) technology, which will also be revealed and demonstrated this week.

Through the combination of Ecovacs AIVI and spatial recognition, the DEEBOT OZMO 960 can survey the landscape and automatically avoid household obstacles such as cables, shoes, socks, and more. Additionally, Ecovacs AIVI has been designed to adapt to different home environments, allowing the robot to create an optimized navigation route while cleaning. In doing so, it saves both time and energy.

David Qian, Chief Executive Officer of Ecovacs Robotics, explains:

"Our 2019 CES showcase features ECOVACS' most comprehensive line-up of home-cleaning robots to the global market, granting us the opportunity to promote the idea of 'Robotic Intelligence is Home!' Now, the smart way of cleaning is just a few finger taps or a voice command away. Through the wide range of home robotics on display at CES, attendees will learn how ECOVACS is keeping floors clean, windows spotless, and the air in homes pure. Innovating since day one, we are continually dedicated to creating intelligent homes."

Besides the Deebot OZMO 960, Ecovacs will use CES to highlight its new air purifying robot, the ATMOBOT. The company's window cleaning robot, the WINBOT X, will also be on display.

The ATMOBOT uses sensors to select a purification spot in each area automatically. Then, it commences purifying, moving to its next spot when the air quality reaches adequate levels. Meanwhile, the WINBOT X has been designed for those who want to enjoy a better view from their windows, without the hassle of cleaning the windows themselves.

All Deebots are compatible with both Google Home and Amazon Echo. In doing so, you can make them clean your home just by tapping on your smartphone or using voice control.

The Deebot OZMO 960 will go on sale later this year.