GADGET LAB → DISPATCH
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SAMSUNG GALAXY
CHROMEBOOK
BEST LAPTOP
The sleek, 2.3-pound aluminum
body of the Galaxy Chromebook
signals it’s a high-end machine—
as does the $1,000 price tag. But
it has features you wish your work
laptop had: USB-C ports, SD card
reader, built-in stylus, and up to 1 TB
of storage. The gorgeous 4K touch-
screen folds all the way around the
back too, so it can be held like a tab-
let for reading or streaming video.
Sure, it only runs Chrome OS, but
that’s all most people need.2 ↘
SEGWAY NINEBOT T60
BEST IN TRANSPORTATIONThis e-scooter, intended for use
in scooter-share programs, has
Segway’s usual self-balancing tech
that corrects for bumps and sta-
bilizes the ride. Even cooler: Users
can summon it with an app. If a T60
is nearby, it’ll drive itself to you,
steering around obstacles on the
way. Ride-share companies can
also summon scooters to charging
stations. We don’t know how well
the automated features will work
(Watch where you’re going, buddy!),
but they could make scooter shar-
ing even more frictionless.3 ↘
VIZIO OLED
BEST TVOLED televisions have a reputation:
killer picture, lethal price. That could
change in 2020, thanks in large part
to the value-minded TV maker Vizio.
The company’s 4K OLED looks as
astonishing as higher-end TVs we’ve
seen from LG and Sony, with perfect
black levels and insane contrast.
Pricing hasn’t been announced, but
we expect this to be the first great55-inch OLED that flirts with $1,000.
We look forward to watching Baby
Yoda on one soon.4 ↘
IMPOSSIBLE PORK
BEST IN FOODPork is the most consumed meat
on the planet. Impossible Foods’
new plant-based faux pig meat
brings the company one step closer
to its goal of eliminating animal
farming by 2035. Impossible also
served up sausage at CES, and con-
sumers in some parts of the US
can already try it in a Burger King
breakfast sandwich. No word yet on
when I-Pork will get a wide release,
but we’re looking forward to cut-
ting more animals from our diets—
as soon as Impossible improves the
crumbly texture.5 ↘
KLIPSCH BAR 54
BEST IN HOME AUDIO
Soundbars with Dolby’s immersive
Atmos technology have been get-
ting better (and cheaper) every
year, but none of them has quite
matched the cinema-perfect sound
you get from traditional six- or
seven-speaker surround-sound
systems. Klipsch’s latest sound-
bar comes closer than ever, with
just four speakers—the bar itself,
two Atmos-enabled surrounds,
and a massive 12-inch wireless
subwoofer—and 1,000 watts of
↘ earth-shuddering boom. $1,500OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE DAYS IN EARLY
JANUARY, THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY
BRINGS ITS DOG AND PONY SHOW TO LAS VEGAS.
IT’S A TIDAL CRUSH OF GADGETS—–TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
WHIRRING CONTRAPTIONS COMPETING FOR THE ATTENTION
OF THE MEDIA, DEALMAKERS, AND TECHNOPHILES. FOR A
PRODUCT TO STAND OUT AMONG THE THICKET OF LITHIUM-
ION-FUELED GEWGAWS, IT NEEDS SOMETHING SPECIAL:
A SMART DESIGN, SOME NEW MATERIAL, AN UNBEATABLE
VALUE. THIS YEAR A HANDFUL OF PRODUCTS GOT OVER
THAT HIGH BAR.
Best of
CES 2020
The most promising products we saw at the
annual consumer tech bonanza.