LAS VEGAS – Consumers got a glimpse of the latest and greatest in technology as companies big and small showcased their newest products and concepts at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas from Thursday to Sunday.

This year’s show focused less on traditionally glitzy tech products, such as robotics and concepts that may never see the light of day, in favour of more practical offerings.

It also put a spotlight on metaverse and health tech, riding on the trends following the Covid-19 pandemic that led to hybrid work arrangements and concerns about health.

Televisions, laptops and cars continued to feature heavily on the show floor.

About 100,000 attendees, including journalists, investors and industry players, descended on the Las Vegas Strip, visiting some 3,000 booths across several convention halls and venues.

The show is a return to form for CES following two years of truncated events due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Exhibitors pulled out all the stops with grand displays, such as LG’s wall of curved screens, which wowed audiences as they entered the Las Vegas Convention Centre.

The Straits Times journalist Osmond Chia looks at 20 tech products showcased that will go on sale in 2023.

Toys

You as an action figure

Hasbro may have finally come up with the action figure of your childhood dreams – your 3D-printed face on a fully licensed Marvel, Power Rangers or Star Wars figurine. The option is available exclusively on the Hasbro Pulse app. Buyers use it to take a selfie, and Hasbro’s software will render it into a 3D model for printing.

The finished product is a collector-grade action figure in authentic packaging. The company delivers only in the United States, with a waiting time of around two months – but that won’t stop die-hard collectors. Available now, for US$60 (S$80).

Quick-and-easy temporary tattoos

The Prinker M temporary tattoo printer is a palm-sized device for those who want some ink without the commitment. Users can pick from 12,000 templates or upload their own designs on an accompanying app and have it printed on their body with skin-safe cosmetic ink in seconds. Available now, for US$229.

Robo-dog for kids

There are plenty of mechanised dogs in toy stores, but you will be hard-pressed to find one with more life-like behaviour than Loona, a robot dog developed by Chinese brand KEYi Technology. The plastic pooch is equipped with touch sensors, an LCD screen for eyes that can convey hundreds of expressions, and a sensor to help it run around independently – or chase objects.

It can also recognise faces and respond to gestures that might prompt it to shuffle in joy on its four wheels, or give users a high-five. And when it is low on energy, it automatically returns to its charging dock to juice up. Available now, for US$400.

Metaverse and video games

New handheld console in town

Razer has released a handheld gaming console that could give the Nintendo Switch and Valve Steam Deck a run for their money. The Razer Edge is essentially an Android tablet with controllers attached, giving players an edge in mobile games. It can also play Xbox cloud games or other titles via Steam Link, so players can play console-quality games on the go. Launches on Jan 26, from US$400.

Head-tracking soundbar

Razer’s new soundbar tracks the user’s movements to ensure its audio beams always hit the sweet spot. The Leviathan V2 Pro does so with head-tracking artificial intelligence (AI) technology and an infrared camera nestled at the top of the speaker to detect the user’s position. The systems allow the soundbar to adapt the audio beams to the listener’s position in real time, ensuring that they are optimised for the best audio experience. Available in February, at US$400.

VR wars hot up

HTC has hit back at Meta, Oculus and other virtual reality (VR) headset makers with its flagship goggles, the Vive XR Elite. Fit for gaming and other metaverse functions, the headset is more portable than the pricier Meta Quest Pro and is backed by a 2K-resolution screen with a 90Hz refresh rate for better immersion. Available in February, at US$1,099.

Feel the metaverse

Those deep into VR gaming can take it one step further to life-likeness with bHaptics’ haptic gloves and suit. The outfit delivers vibrations to your body, wrists and fingertips in response to your actions in the virtual world, such as grabbing an object, high-fiving or punching an in-game avatar. The suit and gloves can be synchronised with Meta Quest, Microsoft HoloLens 2 and several other headsets, and works with at least 190 VR gaming titles, including horror game Phasmophobia. Available now, from US$299.

TVs, laptops and phones

TV without wires

Making the biggest splash in the TV department at CES is the LG Signature Oled M – a massive 97-inch wireless telly – and for good reason. It changes how users think about positioning their TV, as it is not limited by the need to accommodate a heap of cables, other than the one to power the TV. The Oled M will most likely be priced beyond the reach of most buyers, and it is yet to be seen if it lags behind input time, but it shows the potential of TV tech in the coming years. Available later in 2023, price to be confirmed.

Ultra-wide 57-inch monster monitor

Samsung’s gargantuan curved gaming monitor is the closest gamers will get to VR at home without having to don a headset, thanks to its ultra-wide 57-inch screen that engulfs players. The Odyssey Oled Neo G9’s 8K display has a 32:9 aspect ratio and supports a 240Hz refresh rate. Competitors Acer and LG also announced ultra-wide gaming screens pushing past 45 inches, with the Acer Predator X45 and the 45-inch LG UltraGear Oled monitor both breaking the bank at around $2,000. The G9 will be available later in 2023, price to be confirmed.

2 screens, 1 laptop

One of the more notable laptops launched at CES, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i swops out the keyboard that is usually at the bottom half of a laptop for a second Oled panel, opening up myriad ways users can use it.

The laptop can be laid flat, folded in half like a tablet or propped up like a tent or a standard laptop, whatever the job calls for. Arriving in 2023, at US$2,099.99.

Budget phones

In spite of the glitzy tech on display, CES has no shortage of modestly priced devices, which could be just what consumers are looking for in times of economic uncertainty. Chinese manufacturer TCL has released a budget smartphone with specs to match pricier devices such as the Google Pixel 7.

While hardware is only half the battle, TCL’s 40 SE smartphone packs a large battery, a high-refresh-rate screen and a 50-megapixel (MP) camera, at US$169. Samsung has released the US$200 Galaxy A14, which has similar specs to the TCL 40 SE, along with a headphone jack for those who still cling to it. Available in 2023.

Home devices

Chef’s oven

The Samsung Bespoke AI Oven cooks, teaches and even live-streams meal preparation – with the help of a built-in camera – straight to social media. It also recognises up to 106 dishes to recommend recipes and alerts you when your food is about to burn. Available in 2023, price to be confirmed.

Swiss Army knife of a lamp

Lenovo’s Go Desk Station with Webcam is a desk light, a wireless charger, webcam and a port hub with USB and HDMI inputs all in one, ideal for those with limited desk space or simply looking to declutter. Designed for videoconferencing, its webcam can stream at 4K at a smooth 30 frames per second, with an adjustable focus and lighting – via the desk light. Available in March, from US$329.

Brush your teeth in 10 seconds

This Y-shaped toothbrush by French company Y-Brush aligns with all your teeth and brushes them in 10 seconds. The logic is simple: If brushing every tooth takes two minutes, this toothbrush does it all simultaneously and much faster. Available now, from about $120.

Pee tech

Vivoo is one of several health tech companies that showcased smart toilet devices which monitor the user’s health by analysing urine. The device aligns a testing strip with a person’s urine stream, analyses its contents and sends the user data on his body’s water and sodium levels and other readings via an app. Devices such as this could go a long way in supporting decentralised clinical trials, freeing up manpower in healthcare institutions with the help of AI smarts. Likely to be available in 2023, price to be confirmed.

Smartwatch and sleep doctor

Japanese watchmaker Citizen announced its second-generation CZ Smart watch that features an AI-powered self-care adviser which analyses a user’s sleep pattern – such as whether he is an early bird or a night owl. It then recommends ways to beat fatigue and build better sleep habits. A variety of designs and straps are available, and the watch runs on Android Wear OS. The battery needs to be charged roughly once a day. Available in March, from US$350.

Print your eyebrows

Doing your brows can be as easy as taking a selfie, picking a style with the help of augmented reality, and swiping a printer across your eyebrows. The L’Oreal Brow Magic is a fist-sized device that works like a tattoo printer. It has 2,400 tiny nozzles that can print over your brows after scanning your face in an app. If all works well, it should make it faster to get ready in the morning. The Parisian brand is also working on an accessible lipstick applicator to help those with limited mobility. The brow printer will be available in 2023, for about US$150.

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Smart padlocks

Home-grown brand igloocompany has released a slate of military-grade padlocks with digital smarts, including the heavy-duty Padlock 2 ($238), and the slimmed-down Padlock Lite ($105), which unlocks with a fingerprint sensor or via an Apple Watch. The devices can be synchronised with a user’s phone through an app that can keep track of when the lock is accessed. Available around March.

Coffee machine for connoisseurs

Attention coffee lovers, the Morning Machine is a capsule machine for discerning drinkers who obsess over the precise weight, temperature and pressure applied to their morning beverage. With plenty of customisable instructions and preset recipes to choose from on its companion app, and tutorials on how to brew different types of coffee, the machine also welcomes those new to the coffee craze. It also works with Nespresso capsules. Available now, $510.

Earphones for kids

It is impossible to keep young children away from devices today, but children’s technology company myFirst aims to help little ones use tech safely. The brand’s new earphones, myFirst CareBuds, have a lower volume output to prevent youngsters from damaging their hearing. The device also has a sound transparency mode that automatically kicks in when it detects that a user is walking, ensuring that he can hear sounds around him and move about safely. Available now, at $69.90.