The benefit of working in the media is that we get to learn about the coolest new products being introduced ahead of their launch. That holds true for CES every year as well, where a series of virtual and in-person events take place as early as December. Once in Vegas, there are media events taking place up to three days prior to the show to get us excited and give us a chance to explore what’s to come in a more intimate setting.
Leading up to CES 2026, there were a few products that already caught my eye, even, in some cases, before I saw them in person. They’re all on my hit list to see at the show.
1. Nebula P1i Portable Projector
This portable projector flips open like it has wings. But these are not just for show, they’re actually to help you best position sound based on where you’re sitting and where it’s placed. It can project an image up to 1,080p resolution with 400 ANSI lumens, so it’s best for indoor use in dark rooms or outside once the sun goes down. The best part is that you can access more than 10,000 apps right from the projector itself, so all you need is a Wi-Fi connection and power source. With auto focus, auto keystone correction, screen fit, and a built-in tiltable stand, you should have no problem placing this portable projector just about anywhere.
2. Jackery Solar Mars Bot
Jackery is known for its sleek and functional portable power stations that are perfect for home backup in the event of a power outage, camping, powering outdoor equipment, and more. The Jackery Solar Mars Bot is an evolution of the traditional boxy battery-looking unit in terms of its design. It’s a solar-powered storage robot that scoots around looking for sunlight to recharge itself, capturing power to bring it to you as needed. With a capacity of 2,000Wh and 1,500W output, it’s powered by a LifePO4 battery while the solar panel output is 300W. The autonomous robot is great for those who live on bigger properties. Set it to run while you’re outside, and it can operate in temperatures as cold as -40°F and as hot as 185°F, even with hail and high winds. In fact, it comes with a 30-year warranty to back up the durability. I can see those with acre and larger properties or summer cottages loving this unit.
3. Victrola Soundstage
Victrola makes turntables, of course. But the new Soundstage is a clever turntable accessory. It’s basically a flat, rectangular speaker designed to be placed underneath a turntable or record player and serve as its external speaker without taking up more room. The low-profile soundbase also has tons of tech designed to make its footprint meaningful when it comes to the audio experience. It’s designed to isolate vibration and deliver low-end performance and wide stereo imaging. A fully integrated system with cabinet architecture, driver placement, and vibration control is tuned to work together and help present resonance. It can connect both wired via 3.5mm AUX, RCA, and USB-C and wirelessly via Bluetooth and Auracast. Of course, you can use it with other gear as well, like computers and TVs, if you so desire. It’s the kind of product that proves innovation is always happening. There’s nothing groundbreaking about the design, but it just makes so much sense. It will be available in Walnut or Black finishes in Summer 2026 for US$350.
4. HP OmniStudio X
I saw this clever 27-inch all-in-one desktop next gen AI PC at a pre-CES event in New York City, and it caught my eye thanks to one specific feature called HP Surface View, which allows you to tilt the mounted camera downwards during a presentation so those looking on can see what you’re working on. It might be a sketch, a graph, perhaps mock-up materials for a designer. Along with the 27-inch QHD Neo:LED, it comes loaded with Intel’s next-gen AI processor and optional NVIDIA graphics. It works with Thunderbolt Share for transferring large files and incorporates Poly Studio audio for an immersive audio experience. Running Windows 11 Home or Pro with Microsoft Copilot, this is a workhorse of a PC that comes in various memory and storage configurations to meet differing creative needs.
5. Looki L1 AI Wearable
The Looki L1 is defining a category of its own, similar to smart glasses in its ability to capture content and provide AI assistance, but with a unique twist. It’s worn around the neck, attached to clothing, handheld, or placed down beside you like a little Tamagotchi that puts you at the centre of the experience. Use it to capture content relating to your day, with modes like everyday, fitness, and event. Its scene-adaptive intelligence can detect what you’re doing and reply accordingly with useful knowledge. Over time, it learns your routines and lifestyle and provides helpful advice to improve. The battery lasts up to 12 hours in Story Mode, and the device has 32GB storage. As creepy as this device sounds, I’m intrigued and can’t wait to check it out in person.
6. Luna Band
Having reviewed the original Luna smart ring and currently reviewing the Luna Ring 2.0, I was intrigued to learn of the new Luna Band. The wearable goes around your wrist and provides real-time, voice-led health guidance, but it doesn’t have a screen. Like the brand’s smart rings, it’s powered by LifeOS, Luna’s adaptive AI engine, and captures and reports data about your circadian rhythm, women’s health, and more. The fully hands-free, voice-led interactions are powered by Siri integrations. With Luna’s dynamic logging, you can log meals, symptoms, emotional context, and request health guidance through voice-input without even opening the Luna app. The research-grade optical sensor array paired with a high-fidelity six-axis IMU can capture detailed physiological information associated with micro-recovery periods, circadian fluctuation, emotional stress signatures, and other subtle patterns, claims Luna. I’ll have to try it to see how insightful it is. For now, it’s an interesting alternative to the traditional smartwatch and an evolutionary next step for the company.
7. Scosche PowerVolt 70 Reel
I love not only that the Scosche PowerVolt 70 Reel can charge up to three devices at once, but also that it has an integrated 1.5-foot retractable cable. I love when chargers come with cables built-in: it’s so logical. But a retractable one? Now, that’s genius! It offers high-output charging with the built-in USB-C cable along with an additional USB-C and USB-A port. This is a great accessory for travel or those high-traffic areas in the home where everyone seems to charge their devices. It will be available in Q3 2026 for US$50.
8. Scosche The GoBat 10K Power Bank
Did I mention I love chargers with built-in cables? This power bank doesn’t just have built-in cables, it also has a foldable AC wall plug. Combine this with the wireless charging rings, additional ports, and support for fast charging, and this seems like the ultimate power bank. It even has an integrated kickstand. Set for availability in Q3 for US$56, one of these will be on my holiday wish list next year.
9. Belkin UltraCharge Pro Laptop Power Bank 27K
Having more power on the go for remote workers is a huge deal. Even with the latest laptops boasting compact designs and all-day battery, you still might find that you’re running low before the day is over, especially as the computer ages. The Belkin UltraCharge Pro laptop power bank boasts a 27,000mAh battery and up to 240W total power, so it can charge everything from a MacBook Pro to the Nintendo Switch 2 the kids can’t live without while on the campsite. But you can also use it to charge other devices as well, like a smartphone, wireless headphones, tablet, and more, with the ability to charge up to three devices at a time. It even comes with a built-in 140W braided USB-C cable that streamlines charging without extra cords, and a smart display shows battery percentage. You also get 100W pass-through charging. It will be available in March 2026 for US$150.
10. Hisense X-Zone Master Modular Washer Dryer System
Just when I thought I had seen everything in washer and dryer innovation. Hisense introduces the X-Zone Master, a clever, scalable modular washer dryer system. Once you have the main unit, which uses heat pump drying, you can expand the system with mini models that use fresh air condensation. The idea is that you can use different drums for different small loads, like delicates, baby clothes, a pet bed cover, and so on. It’s basically like running your own mini laundromat at home. You can get more loads done simultaneously, though condensation drying inevitably takes longer. For those who have multiple small loads, including new parents, pet owners, even roommates who do their own laundry with things like intimates, this concept could have some legs. The more units you have, the more space you’ll need, of course. Plus, I have some questions about energy consumption. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting concept.
11. Xgimi MemoMind AI Glasses
Born from Xgimi’s strategic incubation, MemoMind is a new sub-brand that includes a line of AI glasses designed to look (and function) like traditional glasses, but with useful AI running quietly in the background. They are customizable with eight frame styles and five interchangeable temple designs, along with full prescription-lens support. The lightweight Memo Air Display has a single-eye (monocular) display that delivers essential information while preserving the look, balance, and feel of traditional eyewear. The Memo One, meanwhile, combines integrated speakers with a dual-eye display for both visual and audio AI interaction. It’s designed for those who want a comprehensive AI experience in a fully customizable pair of display glasses. They both run on a multi-LLM hybrid operating system that automatically selects the most suitable AI model for each task, including OpenAI, Azure, and Qwen. Features like translation, summarization, note-taking, reminders, and contextual guidance operate quietly in the background, so interactions are brief, relevant, and unobtrusive. Preorders will open soon, with Memo One expected to be priced at approximately US$599, followed by additional models at later dates.
12. HP EliteBoard G1a Next-Gen AI PC
This might look like your ordinary computer keyboard, but it’s not. There’s actually a full PC built into it that you can take with you, connect to virtually any monitor, and go. Inside is not only a powerful computer but also dual mics and speakers, even HP Wolf Security. You get Windows 11 Home or 11 Pro, an AMD Ryzen AI 7 or AI 5 processor, up to 64GB RAM, and up to 50 TOPS local AI performance, so this isn’t a computer with performance compromises, despite the fact that most people won’t even know it’s there. It’s powered by an external power adapter or optional built-in battery. While we thought putting computers into phones was mind-blowing, full computers in keyboards are on a whole other level.
13. Planck Studio
the Planck Studio SSD is ShiftCam’s most advanced, professional-grade storage solution to date. Equipped with USB4 technology and blazing speeds up to 3,700MB/s, Studio is built for production teams, high-volume shooters, and creators working across multiple devices, from smartphones and laptops to cameras and gaming consoles. The large storage capacities make it ideal for creators handling large project files, multi-day shoots, or archive-level media libraries. It also introduces Find My (Apple/Google) integration to ensure creators can locate their drive instantly on set, on location, or on the move. Set for availability in March 2026 for US$399 for the 4TB version and US$599 for the 8TB, this is something reserved for serious content creators. But I have a feeling it will be a popular item this year.
14. myQ Secure View 3-in-1 Smart Lock
There are video doorbells and security cameras and smart door locks, and the myQ Secure View 3-in-1 smart lock combines them all into one. It’s a smart door lock that has a built-in camera and doorbell so you get all three functions in one handy, door-mounted device. The integrated camera doesn’t just show you footage of who is at the door, it also allows for quick two-second unlocking through facial recognition. You can also unlock it through fingerprint recognition, PIN, mobile app, or for those who prefer the old-school way, key. AI software can identify people, vehicles, animals, packages, and motion with intelligent alerts. It captures 2K HDR video and can connect with other myQ devices, like garage door controllers. It can perform in extreme temperatures from -4°F to 140°F with a rechargeable lithium battery lasting up to six months per charge. I love that you can unlock the door so many different ways, and that it can auto-unlock when it recognizes you with hands full of groceries. It’s also convenient that it combines all three devices in one for a clean look.
15. Lollipopstar Sensory Candy
I really don’t know what to make of Lollipopstar, a sensory candy that you can enjoy like a traditional sucker while also listening to companion tunes from its stem as you indulge. Set for availability in Q1 2026 for US$9 each (yes, it’s not just a concept but will be an actual saleable product), Lollipopstar plays tunes from Akon, Ice Spice, and Armani White. The flavours include blue punch (Blue Paradise featuring Akon), white peach (Peach Pink Frost featuring Ice Spice), and lime sea salt (Studio Session featuring Armani White). The idea to offer “music you can taste.” Is this something we need? Absolutely not. But it’s an example of one of those downright ridiculous innovations at CES that is bound to go viral.
Read about everything happening at the show in our CES 2026 news hub.