Good morning, CES attendees!
The marathon is almost over. Gather your luggage, check in for your flights, and snag your swag from the remaining exhibitors. It’s the last day of the show, and time to make your final rounds.
It’s expected to be 56ºF (13ºC), so you should be fine adding a warm sweater, if anything. Consider a foot massage, or maybe an inconspicuous nap.
This year has been distinguished by the steady march of privacy and security tech, from pet-powered door openers to home surveillance drones. It’s also reflected how automation (and monitoring) has infiltrated almost every part of our lives, including our children, our parents, and our vehicles. Here’s what caught our eye in particular:
Highlights from the floor
Stealth weed tech. While legal in Nevada, CES rules prohibit companies from mentioning cannabis, prompting one startup to pull out. Still, we found at least two smart-locking devices suited for stash storage—Halo+, which secures and tracks a Mason jar, and a brushed-metal Smart Keep box for what a rep called “items of discretion.”
Subscription-fatigue is looming, prompting some companies to emphasize that their products have no recurring fees. At Cube Tracker, a rep touted the subscription-free aspect of its Tile-like bluetooth tags (though the company’s new GPS tags do have a monthly fee). While the Bowflex exercise bike can pair with Peloton, Zwift, and other apps, a rep highlighted the bike’s one-time price. Just like the old days.
Most superfluous subscription service? Take your pick: new plants for your wall garden, custom probiotics ($99/month), refills for your cocktail-maker, your beer-maker, or your matcha-maker.
For a great core workout, try flying. John has sore abs after soaring over virtual hills in the Icaros Pro, which you control entirely by adjusting your body.
Things that address actual issues
There’s lots at CES one might want. And plenty of things that solve problems we didn’t know we needed to solve. Here’s some genuinely practical tech we liked:
Accessibility-tech stood out this year. It’s an area historically overlooked and primed for innovative solutions. None impressed us more than Voiceitt, an app that aims to help those with motor impairment communicate easier. Users train an AI to recognize the particulars of their speech and interpret for others. Though it’s still in beta and phrase-specific, it’s easy to see how this app could change the lives of millions who have difficulty communicating.
Gamified rehab helps stroke survivors through Neofect’s Smart Balance. Patients with leg and posture issues can choose from a variety of gameplay, including an airplane simulation and stepping to the tune of music.
Score one for the mouth-breathers. Capnos Zero—a flavored, plastic mouthpiece—is meant to help vaping addicts quit the habit. It’s a zero smoke, zero nicotine solution, said CEO Brendan Wang, a sophomore at Michigan State University.
Accessorize your melon. Many startups are working on lighting attachments and turn signals for bicycle helmets, but Matt’s ordering the Cosmo Ride. That’s because the indicator light fits on almost any helmet.
Things we just want
Practicality be damned…
An interchangeable lens system. Shiftcam’s case allows you to slot nice-quality lens combinations in and out of a track on your phone to shoot different focal lengths and styles.
Bathroom bliss. Amid the smart toilets and bionic bidets was this beautiful bathtub by Toto. John was ready to get his swimsuit.
Just beat it with the Beat Box from Rhythmo, a DIY musical project. After constructing the cardboard kit, you can use the device for basic music production.
Emily has a confession: She has rigged her fancy coffeemaker to a smart plug so that she can tell Alexa to make coffee from the shower every morning. This is the gadget for her: The Barisieur, whose sole function is to wake you up with a cup of coffee. Silly? Yes. Wonderful? Also yes.
Quartz membership
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CES by the digits
2.9 million: Square feet of exhibit space
4,500: Companies exhibiting
400 miles: Range of the Rivian R1T electric pickup on one charge
4: Locations provided by CES for women to breast pump
177,476: Total steps taken by Quartz reporters
84.92: Hours said reporters spent on their phones
176: Average number of times each of us picked up our phone (daily)
14: Sneezes dodged
8: Mocktails consumed
: Dollars wagered
News from around the world
Iran demanded evidence after being accused of shooting down the Ukrainian plane. Iran’s aviation chief denied the claim by the US and Canada that an Iranian missile downed the aircraft last week, possibly by accident.
India’s top court told the government to review the internet shutdown in Kashmir. Narendra Modi’s government started an internet blackout in August, before it reduced its autonomy. The supreme court said access to the internet is a fundamental right related to freedom of expression.
Taiwan prepared to elect a new president. Incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen faces off against Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu, who is seen as pro-China. Polling shows Tsai winning another term, despite battling homophobic fake news. Meanwhile, people from Hong Kong have travelled to Taiwan to see its democracy in action, Quartz’s Isabella Steger reports.
Matters of debate
Want to give good feedback? Do the opposite of Friedrich Bhaer in Little Women.
Quibi thinks it can change the way you watch TV. The short-form mobile streaming service is backed by more than $1 billion from Disney, NBC, and Warner.
Americans don’t care about inequality. They don’t blame their problems on income distribution.
Surprising discoveries
Americans streamed more than 1 trillion songs in 2019. It’s a record for services like Spotify, with Taylor Swift, Post Malone, and Billie Eilish the most popular.
Grass is growing around Mount Everest. It could increase the risk of flooding in the Himalayas, one of the fastest-heating regions in the world.
Taco Bell is now a six-figure job. Persistently low unemployment in the US is causing the chain to offer managers $100,000 salaries.
Our best wishes for a prosperous last day in Las Vegas. Please send any news, tips, items from our wish list, and insoles to John, Emily, and Matt at hi@qz.com. Get the most out of Quartz by downloading our app on iOS or Android, and becoming a member.
Your CES team, signing off.