CES 2021's coolest gadgets: Rollable phones, giant TVs, $16,000 bathtub and more

Foldable phones might have some competition as the hottest thing in mobile right now. LG kicked off CES 2021 on Monday by teasing a rollable smartphone -- really. The company is expected to release the device later this year. 

For more, check out our coverage of LG's debut of its upcoming rollable device and CNET editor Roger Cheng's take on the new expandable phone.

TCL is teasing its own rollable phone tech at CES 2021, too. On Monday, the Chinese company released a new video of its 6.7-inch phone that can expand into a 7.8-inch tablet at "a simple tap of the finger." The company also announced a 17-inch printed OLED scrolling display that can be unfurled and that features a 100% color gamut.

GHSP introduced a new Grenlite ultraviolet light treatment system at CES that kills pathogens in your car. The tech is already used in emergency rooms and commercial vehicles, but the company is working on integrating it into personal vehicles, too.

Samsung's TV for design-conscious shoppers, The Frame, is back. And at just 24.9mm, it's thinner than ever -- about the depth of a typical picture frame. There are new sizes too, from 32 inches all the way up to 75 inches. The 32- and 43-inch TVs can also be oriented in portrait mode. 

This isn't just any wireless charger, according to Panasonic. This model has moving coils designed to fit your phone better and charge it faster. 

Shower Power is a new Bluetooth shower speaker from Ampere that's powered entirely by water -- no charging needed. The new device should cost about $100 and will be available in black, white and chrome. 

The ColdSnap countertop ice cream maker works like a Keurig machine. It makes single-serve pod-dispensed ice cream, as well as frozen margaritas and mango passionfruit smoothies. Yum!

Arcade1Up's Infinity Game Table gives classic board games the touchscreen treatment. No more game pieces or instructions to lose.

Remember Rosie from The Jetsons? Samsung is releasing three new robots to help clean up your house, be your personal assistant and also act as a security camera.

Never fight over a charging port again. OWC's Thunderbolt 4 dock has three open ports that can be used for Thunderbolt or USB-C devices. It's also compatible with other USB peripherals, a network cable, audio devices and SD cards. 

The health features in the newer smartwatches are a big draw for many, myself included. Omron VitalSight is building on those with its new blood pressure cuff. The device even saves you a step by uploading results to your doctor automatically. 

Have you ever thought, "Wow, I wish my fridge was cuter"? I hadn't either, until Samsung unveiled its line of Bespoke refrigerators at CES 2021. Each fridge is customizable with four doors as well as your choice of finish and color -- yes, even pink and sky blue. 

Otterbox used to just be about protecting your phone, but the company is making the leap to gaming accessories this year. The Otterbox Mobile Gaming Clip, Gaming Carry Case, Easy Grip Controller Shell, Easy Grip Gaming Case and Gaming Glass Privacy Guard all go on preorder Jan. 25.

The more high-tech the world gets, the more imperative it is that drivers stay focused on the road. Gentex is adding a video screen under your rearview mirror's glass meant to help you keep tabs on passengers, aid in the event of a crash and ultimately keep you from needing a bulky dashcam. 

Asus is on a roll this year. In addition to the company's Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 gaming laptop, it's touting a new, lightweight ROG Flow X13 and its external GPU, the ROG XG Mobile.

Smart glasses have been in the public eye since Google introduced its Google Glass eight years ago, but coming closer to being a reality for more consumers. The new Vuzix MicroLED smart glasses have a projector the size of a pencil eraser built right into the eyeglasses' frame. 

The coronavirus pandemic has made germophobes of all of us. To help as the world reopens, robots are stepping up -- particularly Ubtech's Adibot. The bot is made specifically to disinfect rooms for small businesses and schools with UVC light.

Hearing aids are getting a makeover with Oticon More's new gadget. The company's hearing aids use a deep neural network to pick up more sounds so they process sound more like the human brain naturally does. 

The new Linksys AXE8400 triband mesh router is expected to launch this summer. The company says it uses Wi-Fi 6, the latest generation of Wi-Fi, for fast, efficient performance.

Holy flying cars, Batman! GM has plans to join the air taxi business with a sleek, Cadillac-branded four-rotor personal aircraft powered by a 90-kWh EV motor with speeds up to 56 mph.

The new Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 gaming laptop boasts some seriously high-speed configurations. The 17-inch model, for example, will feature a 1,920x1,080-pixel IPS-level panel with a 360Hz refresh rate, 3-millisecond response time and 100% sRGB color gamut coverage.

The IPX4 water-resistant Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds are the company's first to feature active noise cancellation.

Yes, gaming lifestyle company Razer is an odd fit for coronavirus-driven face mask protection. But its Project Hazel mask has active ventilation and autosterilization, with a separate case that can charge the mask wirelessly and has a UV sterilizer.

ViewSonic unveiled several new monitors for work-from-home setups, gaming and home entertainment. Its most premium offering is its first 8K ColorPro monitor, the VP3286-8K, designed for photographers who need a high-quality workstation.  

For those who want to give their cameras a bird's-eye view, Sony's new four-rotor Airpeak drone has a Sony A7S III camera, a full-frame, interchangeable-lens model that can shoot 4K video.

LG's newest InstaView refrigerator has a door that opens via voice command and a water dispenser that uses UV light to sanitize your drink. 

TCL's 6-Series TVs will get an 8K version in sizes up to 85 inches. Each size will have Mini-LED backlights and the Roku operating system, and they should carry more affordable price tags than their Samsung competition.

The back of Samsung's new TV remote has a solar cell that lets the battery recharge using interior light.

Does your tranquility need to be refurbished? Try Kohler's $16,000 bathtub, which combines light, fog and aromatherapy to create a spa-like experience at home.

Alarm.com's new doorbell uses video analytics to ring itself whenever it sees someone standing on your mat.

Panasonic promises its new hairdryer -- the Nanoe EH-NA67-W -- will give you healthier hair this year. Panasonic says the Nanoe won't dry out your hair, and can reduce hair damage from everyday brushing.

MyQ's new Pet Portal uses a special custom collar system so your pet can trigger the door. Don't worry -- you're not setting your pets loose on the world -- the Pet Portal has live video streaming and two-way audio. Which frankly you would expect for $2,999.

The Lockly has two new smart locks this year -- Duo and Guard. Through the app, the Lockly Duo can secure the latch and deadbolt effortlessly. The model also has the PIN Genie touchscreen of previous Lockly models, as well as an offline mode and 3D biometric fingerprint sensor, so you don't need to use the app or the internet to get inside. The Lockly Guard uses the same tech as the Duo, but is designed for sliding and swinging doors.

Project Brooklyn -- Razer's epic new gaming chair -- has a pull-down, 180-degree transparent OLED screen, two pullout trays with adjustable heights, and haptic vibration modules in the seat. You may never want to game on the couch again.

The Den SmartStrike levels up your smart lock. The SmartStrike uses Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, Wi-Fi or Z-Wave to your iOS or Android mobile devices for remote access to your door via the app.

Toto Wellness Toilet is meant to help people live healthier lives with diet recommendations by analyzing their... um... personal waste. For now, this is just a concept, but the company hopes it'll be available in the next several years.

The Lux Lab D102 promises to customize and streamline your shower routine by tracking your head movement so you can adjust the water pressure and temperature with a simple gesture. The D102 is designed for people with disabilities to make bathing easier and eliminate the need to reach for the faucet.

Asus's new RT-AX68U is a Wi-Fi 6 router that lets you create a VPN connection back to your home network when you're using public Wi-Fi.

The high-end TV specialist goes all-in with new 100-inch LCD and 83-inch OLED sizes and scads of picture quality upgrades.

This L'Oreal gadget with a very long name can mix lipstick shades together into nearly any custom color, eliminating the need to buy a new lipstick when you want to try a new shade.

Canadian startup Brink Bionics unveiled its Impulse Neuro-Controller this year. The glove, worn on your mouse-hand, promises to incrementally up your click-response time by anticipating brain and muscle signals. 

CES featured lots of air purifiers this year, but Brondell's new Pro Sanitizing Air Purifier stands out from the crowd because of how much it can do. It includes HEPA filtration, a disinfecting UV lamp, a nanocrystalline filter and a plasma generator, plus a prefilter, covering most airborne irritants and contagions you'd find in your house. The company says that it has been certified to capture and eliminate more than 99.9% of airborne COVID-19 virus within 15 minutes.

The Pro Air Purifier will soon be available for $650.

John Deere brought a homegrown VR experience to CES 2021, enabling you to try out its new tractor line in the virtual world. Imagine trying to get one of those into the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Read more: The farm goes VR: John Deere's pitch for CES 2021 puts you in the tractor's seat

It may be among the least likely niches for new tech to appear, but the Hive Controller makes extracting honey from beehives much quicker and easier.

Kohler's Innate Intelligent Toilet is one of two bathroom bowls unveiled at CES this year. While it doesn't connect to a smart home network, it comes at a lower cost with a heated seat, auto opening and closing, a remote, as well as a personal bidet function.

Read more: Kohler's CES 2021 bathroom designs include touchless toilets and a $16,000 tub

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i is another updated dual-display work laptop. It features an E Ink touchscreen display embedded in the lid, so you can check on your work without actually opening the laptop.

The 12-inch E Ink display lets you quickly check your calendar and notifications, run productivity apps and take notes with the included active pen. It weighs less than 3 pounds, runs Intel's 11th-gen Core processors, and features Thunderbolt 4 ports and Wi-Fi 6. It also works with Lenovo's ThinkBook Charging Mat, so you can keep it charged on your desk without plugging it in. 

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i is expected to be available sometime in the first quarter of 2021, starting at $1,549.

Kohler unveiled two new touchless toilets that use sensors in the flush lever to flush with a wave of your hand -- perfect for the COVID era. A bulit-in LED light can be customized through the Kohler app as well.

The two new touchless toilets will go on sale in March, and will cost $600 and $800.

Meet Moflin. He's a simple creature: a Tribble-sized robotic ball of fluff whose singular purpose is to be stroked while purring on your lap. 

Samsung's Smart Trainer, a feature of the Samsung Health app, allows you to connect a webcam and app on your TV screen to track your workouts and offer guided personal training at home.

The new HP Dragonfly Max is a stylish and powerful laptop with four wide-range microphones and a 5-megapixel webcam and an IR camera for better audio and video quality than average laptops offer -- perfect if you find yourself on an endless stream of video conferences while working from home.

The Dragonfly Max is expected to be available later this month, but pricing was not yet announced.

One of the most difficult parts of the coronavirus pandemic has been not being able to see loved ones -- especially elderly relatives, who are at higher risk for the virus or are living in care facilities. To help ease the worries of families and caretakers, the Nobi lamp can help keep a watchful eye. The Nobi lamp's sensors can tell if you're in bed or sitting on the couch. Most importantly, the lamp can tell if there's been a fall and can call for help if needed.

Tatch's new wireless wearable attaches to your stomach and chest -- like a sticker -- and monitors your breathing and snoring, and how restful your sleep is. The sensors can track positions and how those impact your overall sleep. It can't detect sleep apnea yet, but the company says it's working on that for the future. 

Alzheimer's dementia is a heartbreaking disease without a cure. A new helmet from iSyncWave is expanding on research and study efforts to make electroencephalogram, or EEG, technology more accessible. The portable brain-mapping helmet can detect early signs of Alzheimer's and provide LED therapy for dementia, as well as for Parkinson's disease, PTSD, ADHD, depression and other neurological issues. 

For more, check out the most important health tech of CES 2021.

The BioButton, by BioIntelliSense, is an FDA-cleared wearable vital signs monitor that scans for COVID-19 symptoms. You can wear it for up to 90 days -- 30 days for continual monitoring of vital signs. The device is about the size of a silver dollar and can continuously monitor temperature, respiratory rate and resting heart rate. 

The AirPop Active Plus is a smart mask that comes with a sensor that tracks your breathing and local air quality data to identify when you need to replace your filter. The masks will be available this month for $150.

With a touch, HealthyU's tiny electrocardiogram can send your temperature, blood oxygen levels and more directly to your medical provider.

Pocketalk S, a digital voice translator device, got a pandemic-focused upgrade for CES 2021. Now Pocketalk S features automatic language detection, slow playback mode and the ability to practice pronunciation. The company also showed off the Pocketalk Plus. 

The Asus ZenBook Duo is a second-gen dual-screen laptop redesigned to be smaller, lighter and run faster and cooler.

You can get the new laptop in two versions, a Pro Duo 15 OLED and a Duo 14. The Pro Duo 15 OLED will feature up to a 10th-gen Intel Core i9 processor, with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 discrete graphics and up to 32GB of memory. The Duo 14 includes 11th-gen Core i5 or i7 processors, as well as optional Nvidia MX450 graphics and up to 32GB of memory.

Philips Hue showed off a new battery-powered wall switch module at CES. The device installs behind your light switches so you can still turn on your smart light, even if the powering switch is shut off. 

Meet The Brew travel mug. It's a french-press style device from GoSun with a Flow water purification system built in. And did we mention it runs on solar power? 

The mug's main use seems to be for brewing coffee and tea while off the grid without having to build a fire. Color me impressed.

Robosen's K1 Interstellar Scout robot can do handstands, dance (quite gracefully with its 17 servo motors in the joints), flip, and... um... fart. The bot is meant to teach kids programming, so don't panic too much, parents.

LG's new 4K CineBeam HU810P laser projector could make your home theater the envy of the neighborhood. It uses two red and blue lasers to put out a whopping 2,700 lumens for some really great color output. Added bonus? You don't need to replace the lamps. LG's new project boasts that it's good for 20,000 hours. If you use it 4 hours a day, that's about 14 years of use. 

The look-down era of vehicle dashboards is coming to a close if Envisics and Panasonic have anything to say about it. They're working on a new windshield that uses augmented reality and places notifications right in front of you.

BrightDrop is GM's new venture into more efficient package delivery. The idea is to make electric pallets for warehouses as well as electric delivery trucks for FedEx. There's also potential for battery-powered commercial vans. 

The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 mechanical keyboard is packed with LEDs, which gamers apparently go nuts for, but it's 60% of the size of normal keyboards, making it very convenient for moving around. 

The keyboard will be available in the US direct from HyperX on Feb. 22 for $10.  

This ultra-smart oven would fit right into your kitchen -- especially if you've got the LG Instaview fridge. The LG InstaView Range has  Air Sous Vide, Air Fry mode and an InstaView panel. 

Knock twice to light up the oven's interior to see how your food is doing. The range also sports LED-illuminated knobs and can be controlled via LG's ThinQ app so you're not hovering in the kitchen waiting for a preheat (or second-guessing if you heard the oven beep).

JBL has a range of headphones launching at CES this year, but it's the Live Pro Plus 2 that caught our eye here. They're the company's answer to Apple's AirPods Pro, with a small, in-ear design, a charging case that takes battery life up to 21 hours, and active noise canceling.

They're available on March 14 for $180.

The M-200 ANC headphones are V-Moda's answer to Apple's AirPods Max, with a big, closed-ear design, wireless connectivity and active noise reduction. 

They sport an angular look similar to much of the V-Moda range and can be had with customized color schemes. They're available within weeks for $500.

The Origin Hex home security system promises to monitor your home for movement with only two devices, meaning much less setup time on your part. 

Once set up it'll alert your phone if it detects any movements when you're not at home. 

The set is due on sale this spring for $180.

Western Digital has expanded its line of portable solid-state drives to a massive 4TB, making them the ideal companion to traveling photographers and video producers. The range includes the WD_Black, which is aimed at gamers, and the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable, which offers hyperfast read and write speeds and a forged aluminum chassis that acts as a heat sink.

All models will be available from February, with prices starting at around $700.