X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

All the cool new gadgets at CES 2015 (pictures)

The most interesting gadgets, gizmos, doodads and shiny stuff that debuted at this year's show.

Lori Grunin
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Lori Grunin
bluetooth-sig-awards-2015-2785.jpg
1 of 33 Josh Miller/CNET

Gadgetry is never in short supply at CES. From smart to shiny to ugly but innovative, these are the new gizmos that caught our attention at CES 2015.

digital-experience-ces-2015-035.jpg
2 of 33 Sarah Tew/CNET

Soundwall

If you believe that art should be seen and heard, Soundwall's new connected canvases should be right up your alley. Example: the company currently offers a limited-edition Bruce Springsteen print that features an exclusive audio interview with the photographer and a Springsteen playlist he curated himself. They're priced like art, too, upward of $3,500 (roughly £2,300 or AU$4,300).

digital-experience-ces-2015-032.jpg
3 of 33 Sarah Tew/CNET

Devialet Phantom

A creator of arguably some of the most beautiful sound gear in the world, Devialet brings its high-end technology into a single, omnidirectional wireless speaker, that yes, looks like the Death Star. And really, how can you resist a gadget with something called "Heart Bass Implosion"?

digital-experience-ces-2015-031.jpg
4 of 33 Sarah Tew/CNET

Kube

Cold beer and tunes, all in a single package. The Kube cooler looks like the perfect tailgating accessory. (And for our overseas readers unfamiliar with this American custom, I give you this.)

zano-2.jpg
5 of 33 Joshua Goldman/CNET

Lantronix Zano

Fresh from its ridiculously successful Kickstarter campaign, the Zano palm-sized quadcopter is controlled with your smartphone and can "avoid obstacles, hold its position and know exactly where it is in conjunction with your smart device." Until somebody swats it like a bug and it goes down.

misfitswarovski6.jpg
6 of 33 Scott Stein/CNET

Misfit Swarovski Shine

Swarovski's blinged-out fitness trackers now make the shiny work for them. The new line of products incorporate big crystals from Misfit that store solar energy to power the devices.

img1204.jpg
7 of 33 Scott Stein/CNET

Razer OSVR

Razer pairs its virtual-reality goggles with a $200 open-source developer's kit to let you hack together applications compatible with Oculus DK2-level dev kits and software, as well as any experimental VR software in Linux and Android, too. Not the prettiest of gadgetry, but the future usually starts out like an awkward teenager before we start seeing swans.

ring-ces-unveiled-007.jpg
8 of 33 Sarah Tew/CNET

Ring

While it's not the One Ring created by the Dark Lord Sauron, this somewhat unwieldy gadget will let you use gestures to control some phone functions.

ces-unveiled-2054.jpg
9 of 33 Kent German/CNET

Netatmo Welcome

If you're prone to losing track of people in your house, this little device uses face recognition to detect and alert you to people in view.

ces-unveiled-2068.jpg
10 of 33 Kent German/CNET

Hearnotes

These earbuds forgo Bluetooth connections in favor of a dongle and the company's Kleer technology. They deliver completely wire-free listening that it claims has superior quality to Bluetooth solutions.

pacifi.jpg
11 of 33 Anthony Domanico/CNET

Pacif-i

It looks just like a normal pacifier, but the Pacif-i smart pacifier measures your baby's temperature so you can better manage your child's health.

ces15petcubestill.jpg
12 of 33 Xiomara Blanco/CNET

Petcube

Ameliorate separation anxiety -- yours or your pet's -- with the Petcube, a monitoring camera that streams video to your phone and lets you communicate with your lonely or misbehaving animals. It came out of a wildly popular Kickstarter and finally began shipping in December.

polaroid-zip-3.jpg
13 of 33 Josh Goldman/CNET

Polaroid Zip

Following on the popularity of Fujifilm's Instax printer, Polaroid's Zip mobile printer takes advantage of its Zink (zero-ink) technology to generate 2x3-inch prints straight from your phone or tablet.

valedo-hero.jpg
14 of 33 Nic Healey/CNET

Hocoma Valedo

Lower back pain is the bane of aging. The Hocoma Valedo comes to the rescue with a pair of wearables to monitor your lower-back health and run you through exercises to help improve it.

fuel3d-scanner-1.jpg
15 of 33 Dong Ngo/CNET

Fuel3D Scanify

A handheld point-and-shoot 3D scanner, the Scanify can scan an object in less than a second. It'll cost you, though: $1,490 (roughly £950 or AUD $1,820).

motorola-scout-5000.jpg
16 of 33 Nic Healey/CNET

Motorola Scout 5000

It's almost like a Petcube on four legs: the Scout 5000 is a GPS collar that streams video back to your phone or tablet, as well letting you befuddle your pet with disembodied voice commands.

digitsole.jpg
17 of 33 Dan Graziano/CNET

Glagla Digitsole

It isn't the only rechargeable heated insole, but it's probably the most connected. The Digitsole recharges via USB and does double-duty as an activity tracker via Bluetooth.

sony-smartglass-attach-screencap-169.jpg
18 of 33 Screencapture by Lori Grunin/CNET

Sony Smartglass Attach

Still at the concept stage but making its debut here at the show, Smartglass Attach turns your existing glasses into, well, Google-Glass-like smartglasses.

Watch our Sony Smartglass Attach video

ampl-smartbackpack-006.jpg
19 of 33 Sarah Tew/CNET

Ampl SmartBackpack

Ampl ups the ante for battery backpacks by supporting swappable backup batteries. That's in addition to its built-in 5,000 mAh battery, which can charge anything from a smartphone to a laptop.

screen-shot-2015-01-07-at-5-01-02-pm.png
20 of 33 Sharon Profis/CNET

Quell

For people with chronic pain -- especially if there's a tendency to become addicted to painkillers -- this calf-mounted TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) unit may be a godsend. The company claims Quell can reduce pain from diverse maladies such as sciatica, fibromyalgia, rhematoid arthritis and more in as little as 15 minutes.

ponoplayer-002.jpg
21 of 33 Sarah Tew/CNET

Pono PonoPlayer

This Kickstarted high-resolution audio player starting shipping to backers last year but will go into public distribution in February. The brainchild of musician Neil Young, the $400 (AU$495, £265) better-than-CD quality player is actually one of the more affordable of the handful that have come out recently.

hypr-3-5.jpg
22 of 33 Nate Ralph/CNET

Hypr-3

The Hypr-3 is a small, inexpensive mobile payment accessory that turns any Bluetooth-enabled mobile device into a digital wallet that's secured with 3-factor authentication. Plus, it's got an open application programming interface (API), so anyone can create custom apps or integrate into their current ones.

w3d.jpg
23 of 33 Dan Graziano/CNET

Snail W3D

It's sized more like a phablet than a phone -- Dan G. calls it "massive" -- but the Snail 3D combines the physical gaming controls of a mobile gaming device (think PlayStation Vita) with a smartphone.

avegant-glyph-screencap-169-ss.jpg
24 of 33 Screen capture by Lori Grunin/CNET

Avegant Glyph

Looking a lot less clunky than the prototype we checked out this time last year, this headphone-like device, which flips down to beam video directly into your eyes, is slated to ship this year. Watch Scott flip the latest iteration up and down. I can haz future now?

hubsan-nano-q4.jpg
25 of 33 Josh Goldman/CNET

Hubsan Nano Q4

The company says it's the world's smallest quadcopter, the Nano Q4 has the footprint of a business card. You can't mount a camera on it, though. Check out the rest of the drones from the show.

parrot-ces-product-photos-2.jpg
26 of 33 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Parrot H2O

You no longer need to worry about your plants when you go away: Parrot's got you covered. The company updated its Flower Power sensor with a water-bottle attachment. Just screw in a standard bottle and grab your plane ticket; the device automatically waters your plant.

intel-pc-stick-ss.jpg
27 of 33 Nate Ralph/CNET

Intel Compute Stick

An Atom-based PC running Windows 8, Intel's Compute Stick is slightly bigger than a Chromecast and plugs into an HDMI port. It connects to the Web via Wi-Fi. Intriguing.

zuma-printer-0996.jpg
28 of 33 James Martin/CNET

Zuta

Place the Zuta on a piece of paper, send a print command to it from your phone, and then watch it as it works its way across the page, leaving print in its wake. While I'm not sure it will ultimately succeed, it deserves props for cleverness.

bluetooth-sig-awards-2015-2792.jpg
29 of 33 Josh Miller/CNET

Force Impact Technologies FitGuard

Given all the controversy over head injuries in sports, the FitGuard is both welcome and inevitable. A mouthguard that measures the number and intensity of impacts, multiple FitGuards can be tracked by an app. See more of the FitGuard at CES 2015.

The FitGuard will be available later this year for $99, which converts to roughly £65 or AU$125.

onewheelholdingstill.jpg
30 of 33 Marc Ganley/CNET

OneWheel

There were a bunch of skateboardy, scootery transportation gadgets at the show, but my favorite is the OneWheel, an odd-looking motorized and connected rolling balance board. It looks like the most fun to use and seems like it gives you a relatively passive workout -- the best kind! -- at the same time. The prototype first appeared on Kickstarter a year ago and soon it will be ready to ship.

Watch Luke Westaway roll around a parking lot on the OneWheel.

prynt-printer-1007.jpg
31 of 33 James Martin/CNET

Prynt

On one hand, I find these smartphone-printer gadgets kind of clumsy. On the other, I never would have expected the bulky Fujifilm Instax cameras to be so popular. This lo-fi printer will be entering a Kickstarter soon, so we'll see what the crowds think of it.

sensoria-smart-sock-hero.jpg
32 of 33 Nic Healey/CNET

Sensoria smart sock

Stop pronating! Shorten your stride! These socks not only keep your tootsies warm, but they'll provide feedback on your running style. Successfully crowdfunded, they're slated to ship toward the end of this year.

muse-headband-screencap-169-ss.jpg
33 of 33 Screen Capture by Lori Grunin/CNET

Muse Brain Headband

Meditation is a millenniums-old practice, but it gets a high-tech update with the Muse. This headband monitors your brain waves, and in conjunction with an app, trains you to Zen out.

Watch Sharon Profis get mellow with the Muse.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos