This week, the flashiest, most advanced show and tell of the year is going down in Las Vegas. It's the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), of course. More than 3,800 companies descend on Sin City in the hopes that their gadget will prove to be the next Amazon Alexa or a worthy iPhone competitor.
There will be many products that are buzzed-about but that, for one production problem or another, never make it to market. Others are so unnecessarily ridiculous that they're not even worth a second glance.
But while you won't see any iPhone 8 news here (Apple stays away from the CES fray), there are some truly innovative gadgets that make us excited for the year ahead. Ahead, 10 insanely cool new products everyone is talking about. We'll be updating this throughout the week, so be sure to check back for more. And if you're looking for the best tech you can actually buy right now, start here.
Griffin's Smart Mirror
We've seen other smart mirrors before, but most are small and not entirely practical for everyday use. This one from Griffin is. The mirror connects to your home Wi-Fi and, with one tap, reveals data including the time and weather so you can keep your morning routine on-track.
At around £800, the mirror, which will be released in late 2017, isn't cheap, but it is a super cool product to invest in if you have the dough.
Photo: Courtesy of Griffin.
Smart & Blue's Colourful Shower Set
While you're on a bathroom makeover kick, upgrade your shower with the Hydrao Loop and Drop smart shower set. The easy-to-install devices (a shower head and light) help you save water and cut back on energy costs with a clever colour-coding system. The water will turn different colours when you reach different water thresholds. You can use the connected app to track how much you're saving with every shower.
Expect to see them later this year, with the Drop retailing for £80 and the Loop for £140.
Photo: Courtesy of Business Wire.
Monster's Blinged-Out Wireless Headphones
It was inevitable that we'd see new wireless headphones at CES, but we couldn't have anticipated this jewel-studded pair, worthy of Beyoncé. Monster's Elements Airlinks are the ultimate statement headphones. We don't know yet how these compare to other wireless models, but if we're judging on form alone, they're stunners. Plus, they come in a jewellery-box-like charging case.
The earbuds will be available in April for £245.
Photo: Courtesy of Monster.
Polaroid's Modernised Instant Camera
Fujifilm's Instax Mini made instant cameras cool again in 2016, but it's Polaroid that's stealing the show in 2017. This year, the brand is celebrating its 80th anniversary with an iconic product release: The Polaroid Pop.
The device merges the immediacy of an instant camera with the high-tech qualities of a digital camera. Start off by taking a photo, using the LCD touchscreen to select your settings, and frame the photo. Then, use the Polaroid print app to add filters, stickers, and more. Press print and the camera will spit out your 3 x 4-inch photo in record time.
Look for the Polaroid Pop (and price details) towards the end of 2017.
Photo: Courtesy of Polaroid.
Griffin's Connected Toaster
We've seen smart coffee makers, blenders, and refrigerators, but the humble toaster has long been an ignored kitchen essential. Yes, there have been smart toasters that print images on your slices, but who really needs their carbs monogrammed? Not me.
At last, Griffin is giving the trusty device the upgrade it deserves. Their Bluetooth-enabled model lets you specify temperature and how dark you like your slices (or bagel halves). Soon, you'll be able to wake up to the smell of fresh coffee and toasted bread before you even leave your bed. Am I dreaming? Is this heaven?
The toaster will be available for £80 in the second quarter of this year.
Photo: Courtesy of Griffin.
Razer's Project Valerie
Why yes, this is a laptop with three — count 'em — 4K screens. Razer says that Project Valerie is "the world's first automated triple display laptop."
Hinges allow the two additional screens to easily fold out of the compact, 17-inch laptop. Of course, the downside here is the weight. According to Wired, the entire computer weighs in at over 11 pounds, which is significant if you're trucking your computer to work and back.
Still, can you imagine having one of these at home to stream Game of Thrones? Westeros would feel that much more immersive.
There's no word yet on when the laptop will be released or how much it will cost, but you can get updates here.
Photo: Courtesy of Razer.
Willow's Cord-Free Breast Pump
New mums, rejoice! The breast pump to beat all other breast pumps has arrived, and it comes free of tubes, cords, and every other annoying and antiquated accessory you once needed to pump. The Willow pump sits in your bra, meaning you can pump literally anywhere while doing anything. The pump connects to an accompanying app, letting you track milk volume and set alerts.
While this miracle device hasn't been released yet, you can sign up here to be notified when more info is available.
Photo: Courtesy of Willow.
Kérastase's Hair Coach Powered by Withings
If Dyson's Supersonic blowdryer, released at the end of 2016, wasn't enough to convince you that the new era of smart haircare has arrived, this hairbrush will. Created by Kérastase in collaboration with tech company Withings, this winner of CES' Innovation Award is truly a brush ahead. The device has micro sensors that work with a paired app to determine your hair quality, analyse your brush strokes, and suggest treatment tips. Shiny, healthy locks, come to mama.
The brush will retail for around £165 and will arrive this autumn.
Photo: Courtesy of Withings.
Sleep Number's Snore-Controlling Bed
We've seen smart bed technology before, but none fulfills quite as many wishes as the Sleep Number 360 smart bed. Throughout the night, the bed reads your movements and adjusts things like temperature and firmness to help you sleep better. It can also pre-warm the bed before you get in and sense if your S.O. is snoring, and raise that side of the bed slightly.
It will be available sometime this year.
Photo: Courtesy of Sleep Number 360.
Ubtech Robotics' Take On Alexa
Meet Lynx. Lynx is a robot integrated with Amazon's Alexa, but it brings the virtual assistant to life. Lynx can recognise faces, schedule appointments, and take photos, as well as carry out other Alexa-enabled tasks.
I'm on the fence about Lynx. Most of me thinks he's very cool, but the other part is slightly concerned he might attack me in my sleep. You can decide where you stand this spring, when Lynx becomes available for purchase.
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