Short-lived bling, dumb smart things, and more: The worst in show from CES 2025
Jan 09, 2025 - theregister.com
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has once again highlighted both innovative and questionable tech products, with the CES Worst in Show awards spotlighting the latter. This year, the awards criticized products for being unrepairable, insecure, privacy-invasive, environmentally unfriendly, unnecessary, and overall the worst of the show. Notable mentions include the $2,200 Ultrahuman Rare smart ring with a non-replaceable battery, Bosch's privacy-concerning AI-powered smart crib, and TP-Link's Archer BE900 router, criticized for security issues linked to China. SoundHound's in-vehicle AI commerce platform was slammed for its environmental impact, while Samsung's and LG's overly complex smart appliances were deemed unnecessary and prone to repair issues.
The awards aim to draw attention to the excesses and impracticalities of modern tech, with products like Samsung's Bespoke AI appliances and LG's AI Home Inside 2.0 refrigerator criticized for adding unnecessary features that increase costs and reduce durability. The event underscores the ongoing debate around tech innovation versus practicality, repairability, and sustainability, with industry experts calling for more thoughtful design and consumer-focused solutions.
Key takeaways:
The CES Worst in Show awards highlight products that fail in repairability, security, privacy, environmental impact, and unnecessary features.
The Ultrahuman Rare smart ring is criticized for being unrepairable and expensive, with a limited battery lifespan.
Bosch's Revol smart crib raises privacy concerns due to its extensive data collection capabilities.
LG's AI Home Inside 2.0 refrigerator is deemed overly complicated and prone to repair issues, making it the worst in show.
