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By abandoning fact-checkers and loosening its Hateful Conduct policy, Meta has made clear the future it wants for its platforms.

• Delta Air Lines' 2025 CES keynote was an immersive spectacle
• The airline announced partnerships with YouTube, Airbus, and Uber
• A new generative AI assistant called 'Concierge' could make air travel easier

There have been plenty of keynotes this week at the CES 2025, but by far the most impressive and simply the coolest was the one I attended last night, on January 7 at the Sphere. Delta Air Lines put on a keynote that had plenty of razzle and dazzle, but it also made excellent use of the space – I mean, there is nothing like a tech demo, even a pre-recorded one, on a massive screen.

Further, though, it feels as if Delta Air Lines is laying a fresh foundation and between a new generative AI assistant ‘Concierge’ to confirmed vertical takeoff electric aircraft arriving in the next few years with plenty of partnerships, there was certainly a lot of ground to cover.

CEO Ed Bastian led the keynote quite well, speaking to the airline's history, core values, and foundation for future innovation, and that was all accompanied by bold sound, plenty of wind courtesy of a long row of blowers, and the big screen.

So, let’s go through the three most impressive things that Delta Air Lines announced and teased at its 2025 Consumer Electronics Show keynote.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar 1. ‘Concierge’ could make travel a whole lot easier and way more personable

Just like every other company at CES, Delta is joining the AI bandwagon, too. This one has the potential to be helpful though, and it will be a level playing field regardless of where you're sitting on the aircraft – Delta One and standard economy are the same here.

Delta’s ‘Concierge’ is a personalized assistant, so it’ll know your itinerary, where you live, and past flights. From there, it can suggest things like scheduling a Uber to get you through the airport on time and help guide you through the terminal, potentially having dropped you off closer to the best security lane for expedited processing if you have TSA Precheck or Clear. But conversely, if you’re checking a bag it can adjust your routing for that.

Given that it can interface with other apps, the LLM is multi-modal, and potential partnerships down the line could expand this. In a teaser video, via the seatback screen, a customer could confirm a dinner reservation and preview a new suggested route that could get them from the airport to their hotel faster.

It’s really all about making more data accessible in one place and increasing the overall Delta experience – which is something that the employees are very passionate about, just ask me or my colleague Lance as we were seated next to the cheerful group – and ultimately making travel a bit more convenient on the whole.

Now, similar to Apple Intelligence, Concierge will be a tiered rollout, so we can expect the first features to arrive at some point in 2025.

2. YouTube will arrive in flight alongside 4K screens and better Wi-Fi

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

The Delta Air Lines seatback experience is dubbed ‘Delta Sync’ and it will be getting a number of new features. But the one that got a shoutout – and a debut on the Sphere stage – was a partnership with YouTube.

If you’re enrolled in Skymiles – Delta’s free membership program – you’ll unlock ad-free YouTube content ranging from videos to music and podcasts on the Delta Sync screen at your seat.

Judging from teaser photos, it appears that YouTube videos might appear in line with the existing content library, while there will be a widget for YouTube Music. Further, Skymiles members will be eligible for a free trial of YouTube Premium – this way, you can experience ad-free content on the ground or at 30,000 feet.

Not featured on stage but written in a subsequent press release is a promised improvement to Wi-Fi. Delta’s already been offering free Wi-Fi for Skymiles members, but thanks to an already announced swap to provider Hughes for some aircraft, you can expect more stable connections in the future. This comes shortly after United Airlines announced it’s accelerating its planned rollout of Starlink on its entire fleet.

Maybe even more important, though, is the arrival of 4K HDR QLED displays to some seatbacks. If you’re like me and enjoy a window seat, this could let you get crisp, rich views even when the sun is shining in. There will also be an exclusive new show focused on wellness while traveling hosted by Tom Brady dubbed “Well Traveled.”

3. A look at the future of aviation @techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

Probably my favorite moment was how Delta used the Sphere's screen – for instance, as you can see in the TikTok we witnessed and felt the air of an Airbus A350 taxining towards us on a runway and then parking with its nose almost touching the folks to the far left side of the Sphere. There was a rumble in the seats, loud roaring jet engines, and wind – yes, wind blowing at us.

And while that’s a look at our current aircraft of today, potentially even the one that some CES attendees arrived in, we did get a peak ahead. Delta Air Lines is partnering with Airbus on innovation labs to help imagine future aircraft including ones that could eventually run on 100% sustainable fuel.

Right now, some planes can fly with a 50% blend of this, but even more interestingly the two companies are working on aircraft with folding wings. So, much like a bird in the sky, a future Delta airplane could change the shape or orientation of its wings for better aerodynamics.

Even more cutting edge, and likely arriving sooner, is the Joby electric aircraft that is capable of taking off or landing vertically. This means it could take to the air or come back down more like a helicopter rather than needing a long runway of asphalt or concrete.

CEO Ed Bastian said on stage that these would be arriving in the next few years, first in Los Angeles and New York City – we even saw how Concierge could call a Joby to ensure you get to the airport on time. It was awesome to see the 160,000 square foot wrap-around screen of the Sphere transform into that futuristic aircraft cockpit, but also the shots of it flying across some beautiful backdrops.

(Image credit: Future)

We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

As a whole, Delta Air Lines used the opportunity of its 2025 Consumer Electronics Show keynote to impress visually – as well as audibly with a set from Lenny Kravitz after a grand finale of digital fireworks, which, trust me, were as cool as the real thing – but also aim to elevate the customer experience by using new technology to hopefully create meaningful experiences, some of which will be arriving in the next few months of 2025.

I’m really keen to try out the generative AI ‘Concierge’ experience as it will likely get better with time, but I’ll do anything to speed it up and make air travel a bit easier.

@techradar

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• The Windows 11 gaming user interface is set to become more console-like, taking inspiration from Xbox and simplifying controls
• New design looks to become a more substantial rival to SteamOS and optimize usability
• There will be a focus on enhancing controllers and handheld-specific features for seamless gaming

It looks like Microsoft has finally acknowledged that handheld gaming PCs could be better, primarily when it comes to running Windows 11 on them, and it wants to improve this experience.

Right now, Windows 11 simply isn’t great on these devices; it feels clunky and complicated, probably because Windows 11 is largely designed for desktops and larger devices in general, not compact handhelds without keyboards. This is all the more apparent when compared to the smooth interfaces of Xbox consoles or Valve’s SteamOS, which were specifically designed for their respective devices.

Now, Microsoft wants to bring the Xbox experience to Windows PCs, combining the two systems and elevating the handheld gaming Windows experience. This was hinted at during a roundtable discussion at the recent AMD and Lenovo “The Future of Gaming Handhelds” event by Microsoft VP of “Next Generation” (presumably the Next Generation of Windows handheld gaming PCs) Jason Ronald, which was held during the CES 2025 event in Las Vegas.

Microsoft’s goal appears to be to take the user-friendly, console-like features of Xbox like quick access to games and simple navigation, and integrate them into Windows for handhelds. This would make it easier to use Windows gaming handheld devices more intuitively, allowing you to pick up your device and play without fiddling with complicated settings or dealing with desktop-style menus.

Microsoft’s VP of “Next Generation,” Jason Ronald, hinted that they’re actively working on this and that we’ll see some big improvements this year. It’s not about building a brand-new Xbox operating system for PCs but rather improving Windows 11 itself to feel more like an Xbox when you’re gaming. The big idea? To make handheld Windows gaming as easy and enjoyable as playing on an Xbox, while still allowing you to tap into the flexibility of Windows if you need it.

When speaking to The Verge, Ronald elaborated on this by explaining that this will go beyond the current state of things where there are compact modes for Xbox apps in Windows 11, becoming a simplified experience similar to what you’d use on a games console. This includes tackling aspects like making Windows 11 work better with gaming controllers and designing Windows 11 to make better use of handheld gaming hardware.

(Image credit: Steam Deck) Could a game-changing update take on SteamOS?

This news is very welcome, as I know many people are very vocal about the fact that Windows 11 is the weakest part many gaming handheld PCs, including the Lenovo Legion Go, Asus ROG Ally X, and MSI Claw 8. The PC gaming handhelds that run Windows 11 will often use a proxy user interface to manage and run your games, but this can make for a slower and less-than-ideal experience overall. Furthermore, Windows 11 has SteamOS (a Linux-based operating system) to contend with, as we are beginning to see devices come in a version running SteamOS as well as Windows 11, like the Lenovo Legion S.

SteamOS is an operating system specifically designed to run games, has an easy-to-use dedicated user interface, and none of the baggage and bloat of Windows 11.

The roundtable conversation didn’t clarify if this will mean a special version of Windows for gaming handhelds or if Windows 11 will have additions made to it that make gaming on handheld PCs better. Ronald says his team is working on ‘fundamental interaction models’ that work regardless of what operating system is used by a device, and ensure that users get a solid gaming experience regardless.

It sounds like Ronald and his team perhaps have more in store, however, than just layering software on top of Windows 11 for gaming handhelds. We’ll have to see how this new system looks, performs, and feels, but it sounds pretty promising, especially as handheld gaming PC devices appear to be a booming market.

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• A new rumor suggests Oppo could release an upcoming mini flagship through OnePlus in global markets
• The so-called OnePlus 13 Mini would feature a 6.31-inch display; that's larger than a standard iPhone 16
• Neither Oppo nor OnePlus have confirmed the phone's existence

Oppo has firmly re-established itself in global markets following the launch of the Find X8 and X8 Pro, but it seems the company’s new flagship lineup – and potentially that of its company stablemate OnePlus – isn’t complete just yet.

According to a Weibo post from notable leaker Digital Chat Station (via Smartprix), the Oppo Find X8 and X8 Pro are due to be joined by the rumored X8 Ultra and X8 Mini, meaning our list of the best Oppo phones could soon feature some new entries.

The tip also suggests that the X8 Mini may be rebadged and released as the OnePlus 13 Mini or OnePlus 13T in global markets. Since OnePlus operates under the same parent company as Oppo, it frequently releases phones with borrowed designs or specs from existing Oppo models.

Digital Chat Station also provided a speculative list of specs for the supposedly upcoming OnePlus phone, listing various features such as a 6.31-inch display with a 1.5k resolution, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and a triple camera system comprising a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP telephoto camera with 3x zoom (you'll find two of those cameras on the full-size Oppo Find X8).

Having the power of the OnePlus 13 (pictured) in a smaller form factor is sure to excite fans of mid-sized phones (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A 6.31-inch display would position the OnePlus 13 Mini outside of what’s typically considered a small phone, and this name is likely relative to the 6.59-inch display found on Oppo's latest flagship.

The OnePlus 13 launched on January 7 at a price of $899 / £899, which, as our OnePlus 13 review notes, is solid value for money. A cheaper mini version would have a decent shot at being the cheapest Snapdragon 8 Elite-equipped phone on the market, depending on OnePlus’ pricing strategy.

Does 'small' mean anything anymore?

Since the standardization of large phones – previously known as phablets – mini phones have failed to catch on in the West. Apple famously discontinued its small-form handsets after just two years when the iPhone 13 mini was replaced by the iPhone 14 Plus in September 2022.

In other markets, regional phone makers like Vivo continue to produce mini phones, though the goalposts seem to move quite easily when it comes to what counts as a small phone in 2025.

At 6.31 inches, the Find X8 Mini and OnePlus 13 Mini are set to launch with larger displays than both the standard iPhone 16 and baseline Samsung Galaxy S24. That’s not exactly small by most people’s standards, and leaves me wondering if the time of small Android phones might just be over.

The iPhone 13 mini was released in September 2021 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Displays aren’t getting larger at the breakneck pace of the 2010s anymore, but it is still a noticeable trend. As it stands, the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 is about as small as you can get in a mainstream, flagship, fully-featured smartphone, though if Apple continues to let the specs of its Pro and Pro Max iPhones filter down to the standard models, we could see this increase to 6.3 inches, in line with the iPhone 16 Pro, over the next few generations.

I’ve written previously about my nostalgia for truly small phones, but at this point, it’s encouraging to see a phone maker taking even a small step back from making things even larger.

With the latest premium flagships from Apple, Google, and Samsung all approaching 7 inches in display size, it’s no bad thing to hear word of a new phone that may keep things a little more sensible – even if the OnePlus 13 Mini spells the end for small Android phones as we once knew them.

So who knows – in ten years' time, maybe I’ll be writing about my nostalgia for the OnePlus 13 Mini and its tiny display. Until then, holding the line is fine, and the Mini title feels fairly earned by any phone that does so.

Neither Oppo nor OnePlus has shared any official information about the X8 Mini or OnePlus 13 Mini. For the latest updates as we hear them, be sure to check out our coverage of Oppo phones and OnePlus phones.

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TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

We've already seen a wealth of gadgets and news coming out of CES 2025, but the pace isn't slowing down for the third day of the big tech expo – and we're still committed to bringing you the best and coolest picks from the show (and there are an awful lot of product launches to sift through).

You can look back on our CES 2025 day 1 and CES 2025 day 2 round-ups for all the major gadgets and gizmos unveiled so far, and on day 3 we're continuing the theme. Below you'll find crazy digital E ink posters, laptops with rolling screens, AI systems for your automobile, and much more besides.

The usual CES caveats apply: a lot of these products are still at the concept or early development stage, so you might not be able to get your hands on them straight away. However, they all point towards an exciting 2025 for anyone interested in technology. So sit back and let us guide you through the 11 finest things we've seen on this third day of CES 2025...

1. Lenovo Thinkbook Plus Gen 6 Rollable

• Best feature: The rollable display... of course

It's a display that extends... (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Forget foldable phones – what about rollable laptop displays? That's the era we're officially in now, thanks to the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable from Lenovo. From a single button press, the screen can expand from the regular 14 inches up to an impressive 16.7 inches when you need some extra vertical space to work with.

This is a very decent laptop aside from the main party trick, too: you get an Intel Core Ultra 200V processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of SSD storage, so you're going to be able to get some serious computing done on it. The laptop will apparently be on sale this year, though we're still waiting on a price...

• Read the full story: Lenovo unveils world's first rollable display laptop, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, at CES 2025

2. PocketBook InkPoster

• Best feature: That glorious E Ink screen

(Image credit: PocketBook)

The PocketBook InkPoster is exactly the sort of gadget CES is about: a sleek, innovative, desirable bit of tech that's on the expensive side but is going to impress everyone who sees it. It's a premium digital art display, enabling you to continually change around the artwork being shown on your walls.

As the panel uses E Ink technology, the energy demands are far lower than they would be with a standard screen – and it makes the art look more traditional and authentic as well. Three different sizes will be available across the course of the year, though you may have to do some saving up to be able to afford one – prices start at an eye-watering $599 (around £485 / AU$970), going up into four figures.

• Read the full story: This awesome E Ink poster frame looks like the future of wall art, if you can stomach the price tag

3. Kanto UKI bookshelf speakers

• Best feature: It's a toss-up between the looks and the price tag

(Image credit: Kanto Audio)

If you’re looking for some impossibly cute bookshelf speakers that won’t break the bank, then the new Kanto UKIs could be for you.

We haven’t managed to listen to them yet at CES 2025, but if the UKI speakers sound half as good as the company’s excellent Ren powered speakers then we’ll be very big fans indeed.

While you can’t buy them just yet (the only ones at CES are prototypes), they’ll launch in the second half of 2025 for only $199 / £199 (around AU$319.99). On paper, that’s a serious bargain – and you get a choice from dashing black, white, cobalt and sage colors too.

• Read the full story: Take a look-y at the kooky Kanto UKI: Kanto's new small speaker brings distinctive looks to your desktop or bookshelf

4. KaraPod

• Best feature: No need to add water

Never be faced with an empty water tank again (Image credit: Karawater)

We've seen a lot of coffee machines at TechRadar, but the KaraPod has still managed to catch our eye: its unique selling point is the way it works as a dehumidifier as well as a coffee maker, using the condensed water it gathers for your beverages. A neat eco-friendly idea? Or just a little bit on the weird side?

According to the team behind the KaraPod, this is all perfectly safe – though your coffee might taste rather different. There's certainly some appeal in a coffee machine that never needs its water tank refilling, and the device won't cost you over the odds either – it's going to be available direct from Karawater soon.

• Read the full story: This coffee machine brews espresso using water condensed from the air in your home

5. Razer Blade 16

• Best feature: Top tier Nvidia graphics power

The Blade 16 is part of Razer's new 2025 range (Image credit: Razer)

The Nvidia RTX 5090 is now official (see yesterday's CES news), which means laptops with the GPU fitted inside can be unveiled – such as the Razer Blade 16, for example. This is an absolute beast of a gaming laptop, featuring the aforementioned graphics as well as the high-end AMD AI 9 HX 370 CPU.

This being a Razer laptop, we're expecting impeccable build quality, and the Blade 16 also comes with a high-resolution 240Hz OLED display as well as a new vapor chamber cooling system. We're still waiting to find out how much it costs, but it should be out and available to buy before the end of March.

• Read the full story: Razer Blade 16 announced at CES 2025 with an Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU – but Intel has been dumped

6. Nanoleaf 4D V2

• Best feature: Easy to attach to any TV

A responsive, bendy light strip for your TV (Image credit: Nanoleaf)

Nanoleaf is again taking on the Philips Ambilight system with a smart light that changes color and flows with whatever's being displayed on your TV. Say hello to the Nanoleaf 4D V2, which combines a tiny camera (for looking at your TV screen) with a bendy light strip that fits around the back of your large display.

From what we've seen of the product at CES 2025, it should be easier to fit than most other systems of its type, as there are no fiddly adhesive brackets to deal with – the strip simply attaches directly to the rear of your TV. It's coming later this year, and we're hoping it's a similar price to the original Nanoleaf 4D.

• Read the full story: Nanoleaf's Ambilight alternative is now even easier to install – no more corner brackets

7. Asus ROG Strix Scar

• Best feature: Tool-free upgrades for more storage

Asus has some impressive new laptops to show off (Image credit: Future)

Asus has treated us to a host of new laptops at CES 2025, and the ROG Strix Scar models are particular highlights: the 16-inch and 18-inch laptops bring with them next-gen Intel and Nvidia parts (up to an RTX 5090 for the graphics), while also boasting up to 64GB of RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage space on board.

Add in 2.5K mini-LED screens (with 3ms response times and 240Hz refresh rates), plus tooless upgrades for the SSD if you ever need it, and it's a truly impressive package – and no doubt an expensive one, when the prices are made official. These laptops will cope with absolutely anything and then some.

• Read the full story: New Nvidia and AMD GPUs bring next-gen oomph to Asus' CES 2025 gaming laptop line-up

8. Swann Xtreem4K

• Best feature: AI defending your home

The Swann Xtreem4K comes with AI on board (Image credit: Swann)

We're all for AI when it adds features that are genuinely useful, and that's the case with the new Swann Xtreem4K, one of several new home security tech products introduced by Swann at CES 2025. The security camera has an AI assistant on board, that can ward off intruders or welcome guests on your behalf.

The idea is that the device is smart enough to recognize whether detected people are friends and foes, and respond accordingly, even if you're not around. The impressive-looking camera works wirelessly, offers three months between battery charges, and gives you a full color 4K video feed day and night.

• Read the full story: These new video doorbell and security camera use AI to welcome visitors and deter intruders

9. BMW Panoramic iDrive

• Best feature: A super-smart, full-screen aesthetic

Look at all that display... (Image credit: BMW)

BMW has used the opportunity of CES 2025 to introduce its next-gen iDrive system for 2025 – and there's a lot of screen here. The new full-width head-up display stretches from pillar to pillar in front of the driver, displaying just about every piece of information you could want to know while out on the road.

Its full title is the BMW Panoramic iDrive, and it's going to be appearing first in the Neue Klasse X electric SUV (and all BMW cars going forward). BMW has also upgraded the operating system underpinning its in-car offering, and there are going to be plenty of customization options to play around with when you get behind the wheel. On the downside, fans of physical buttons may be less impressed.

• Read the full story: Goodbye, buttons – BMW's new Panoramic iDrive system gives all of its cars a massive head-up display with AI assistant

10. Panasonic Z95B OLED TV

• Best feature: The brightest OLED TV yet

We've seen the future – the Panasonic Z95B OLED TV (Image credit: Future)

TVs are always a big part of the story at any CES, and this year's event is no different. One of this year's highlights is the new Z95B OLED from Panasonic, which features a next-gen display stack and cooling system to offer a noticeable improvement over the Panasonic Z95A OLED (which was already fantastic).

One of the benefits of having the TechRadar team on the show floor in Las Vegas is that we can get in-person previews of the hottest tech launching in 2025 – and based on our early experiences of the Z95B, this is going to set a new standard for OLED TV tech, whenever Panasonic decides to make it available for sale.

• Read the full story: I tried Panasonic’s new Z95B OLED TV, and it takes OLED picture quality to an even higher level

11. Honda Series 0 SUV and Saloon

• Best feature: Lighter, more elegant designs

Honda has more prototypes to show off (Image credit: Honda)

Honda is making itself known at CES 2025 too, showing off a bold line-up of new electric vehicles that include the Series 0 SUV and Saloon. These motors bring with them some dramatic curves, as well as tweaked designs for the headlights and new paint jobs compared with what we've seen from previous prototypes.

These cars are based around Honda's new "Thin, Light, and Wise" philosophy, which it promises will result in EVs that are lighter and more elegant than the ones we have now. Unfortunately, it'll be while before we can drive these automobiles for ourselves, because they're slated for a full launch in 2026.

• Read the full story: Honda's new Series 0 prototypes suggest it's back on exciting and pioneering EV form

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The ubiquity of artificial intelligence across the CES 2025 landscape is just as impressive and commanding as the already iconic Sphere. It's a clarion call of intention from innumerable tech companies all promising to make AI the center of your known digital universe.

Unlike other CES trends – think VR and 3D TV – that are more marketing than utility, there is some inescapable logic here. AI's inherent power, versatility, and unprecedented exponential growth make it almost unlike any technology we've encountered before.

Dell CEO Ed Bastian announces his airline's big Delta Concierge AI plans (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

What companies like Delta, BMW, LG, Hisense, Samsung, and others have recognized is that the data their systems have been collecting and moving among their once disparate digital systems can be pulled together by AI into an almost organic whole that proactively operates at your behest.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

Delta, for instance, turns 100 this year, which means it's had a century-long intimate relationship with our travel needs, which naturally tie to us as people. We travel for work, fun, family connection – the best and worst and most mundane moments of our lives – where we go and what we do doesn't just start and end on the flight. It begins the minute we start thinking about a trip, planning it, packing for it, getting there, arriving at a destination, and then turning around to come back home. Companies like Delta that provide services of connection also have a vast treasure trove of data about what we do and that's the life's blood of powerful AI.

And so, a Delta concierge that eventually ties that all together and proactively guides and assists you through the journey makes sense.

Image 1 of 3

BMW's Panoramic iDrive is an encompassing in-car AI vision (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Similarly, Samsung's been trying for years to interest consumers in its SmartThings smart home platform but this year the effort was transformed into Home AI and SmartThings everywhere. The backbone of connection is data, cross-product, and cross-category communication, and AI helps stitch it all together so that the results make sense for everyday consumers. Even Bixby, a somewhat forgotten digital assistant, appears to be getting an intelligence upgrade that finally makes it a useful part of the whole.

If there's one thing that's consistent across most of the AI-related announcements I've seen thus far it's their boldness. BMW isn't just polishing its existing iDrive system like an aging "Beamer", adding one new screen, or an app-based assistant. Instead, it's reimagining the interior of almost all its new cars. The dash is not just a bunch of disparate readouts, it's a system, a window into the heart of your driving experience and needs that extend far beyond the car interior.

Hisense wants to AI your life. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Again, AI is emboldening companies to try and connect more broadly to your life experience. Naturally, as one company tries to engage you in the home while another is marching to your doorstep, there may be odd collisions, and we may soon question just how much AI we need in our lives.

But the reality is if all this AI works, it'll be transparent. We'll notice that apps and screens are becoming hyper-customized, recalling our preferences, schedules, and connections in a way that seems useful, transformative, and not forced.

It's not inaccurate to say Nvidia (and CEO Jensen Huang) are behind all of this. (Image credit: Nvidia)

Certainly, CES keynoter Nvida believes this. The company is almost singlehandedly driving the backbone of the AI revolution with ever more powerful silicon that can run ever larger models. The energy costs are a big question, but I'm almost certain that will be solved in tandem with AI's growth, or perhaps it will be solved by Artificial General Intelligence which may be right around the corner.

There is, of course, an element of oversell with companies like Hisense promising to "AI your life." I mean, they're not necessarily wrong, but there might be a better way to phrase it. Samsung likes to say "AI for All," which is true but maybe too much like a rallying cry. LG offered "Affectionate Intelligence," which sounds nice but also creepy. AI has no real emotion – and I'd rather it didn't try to fake affection.

AI is many things, affectionate is not one of them. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I also saw some companies confusing proactivity with invasiveness. LG's in-car AI solution seemed to be watching everything you do and would then offer suggestions related to your most minute emotional or physical prompts. No one wants to feel like they're being watched. The good news is that customer distaste will quickly stamp out that kind of AI "innovation" and less weird and more helpful AI will take its place.

@lanceulanoff

♬ original sound - LanceUlanoff

Yes, CES is overstuffed with AI but I also think that even the smallest companies that are embracing it here are doing so for long-term gains and not short-term goals or notoriety. I saw one sexual health company that is encouraging customers to opt into a beta program where they can share intimate but anonymized data so the AI model can learn and ultimately improve the product for all users.

CES has always been about technology's potential to change our lives. AI ubiquity at the massive event doesn't change that, it just does it at scale.

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• New Narwal Flow vacuums forward, and then in reverse, for cleaner carpets
• A descending brushroll cover also improves pickup on deep carpet
• A roller mop promises cleaner hard floors with less smearing

Narwal has unleashed a whole fleet of new robot vacuums at CES 2025, but the one that has particularly caught my eye is the Narwal Flow, which has an innovative way of making sure it gets your carpets properly clean, as well as a rather clever mopping system designed to remove the dirt from your hard floors, rather than just smearing it about.

(Image credit: Future)

We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

We rate Narwal amongst the best robot vacuum makers around. While its innovations are slightly less flashy than what other brands are showing at CES (Dreame's new bot can climb stairs, Roborock's has a mechanical arm that'll pick up your socks, and SwitchBot's will deliver you your lunch) they might be more genuinely useful.

Let's start with the vacuuming. Typically, robot vacuums can struggle to pull dust from thicker carpets, but the Flow has a new different features to help ensure a deeper clean. First up, it'll do a kind of moonwalk on your floor: it first vacuums forward, and then reverses, tackling ingrained dirt and hair from both directions. The backwards motion also helps to lift the carpet fibers and release anything stuck deeper in there. Narwal says this approach results in double the dust pickup compared to regular forwards-only driving bots.

The brushroll also has a cover that descends close to the floor when the robovac detects it's on a carpeted area. This effectively creates a kind of vacuum – in the non-appliance sense – in the area, increasing pressure and improving pickup.

Unfortunately, there are no images to illustrate the vacuuming features included in the press materials, so you're going to need to use your imagination here. When we tested Narwal's previous flagship, the Narwal Freo Z Ultra, we weren't blown away by the carpet cleaning powers, but the various fiber-agitating features, combined with an incredible max suction power of 20,000Pa sound very promising indeed.

Going with the flow

The Narwal Flow also boasts an innovative mopping system. Rather than your standard rotating mop pads or D-shaped mop, the Flow has a constantly rotating mop fabric-covered roller (like a tank track). This is fed with clean water from a small onboard clean water tank, but the remaining dirty water is also siphoned off into a dirty water tank, to keep the roller as fresh as possible.

Other premium hybrid robovacs might have a mop-cleaning function built into the dock unit, but this one is constantly cleaning its mop as it goes. The result should be cleaner hard floors, with less smearing of spillages.

(Image credit: Narwal)

The roller's profile is wide and relatively flat rather than being a perfect circle, to maximize contact with the ground. It also runs in the opposite direction to the robot's movement, to help agitate dried-on dirt, and it can even kick out to the side to get closer to the edges of rooms.

It's not a brand new idea – it has also appeared on the likes of the Eureka J20 robot vacuum, where it impressed our tester – but it's still very rare, and looks like a more effective mopping solution than existing alternatives.

Elsewhere, you're getting main and side brushes that are optimized to prevent hair tangle and a side brush that extends out when encountering a corner and can also reverse its direction (Narwal has learned a new trick, and it's applying it to everything). Navigation is powered by dual RGB cameras (here's more on how robot vacuums find their way around), and this bot is apparently able to identify over 200 common obstacles.

We don't have pricing details yet – although they are promised soon – and the Narwal Flow is due to launch sometime in mid-2025.

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• Aurzen reveals ZIP, a tri-folding, pocket-sized projector
• The ZIP projector has HD resolution with a tiny DLP microchip
• Up to 90 minutes of playtime off a single charge

Aurzen has announced the world's first tri-foldable, portable projector called the ZIP at CES 2025, where it also launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, as reported by PR Newswire.

At the time of writing, it has already exceeded its Kickstarter goal, with a suggested release date set for March 2025. The Aurzen ZIP has an MSRP of $399, but backers on Kickstarter can pledge $249 to receive it at this price. You can check out the Kickstarter campaign here.

While we don't usually cover products on Kickstarter here on TechRadar, the Aurzen ZIP is on display at CES, available for demonstration at booth 21411 at the Las Vegas Convention Center between January 7-10.

The ZIP’s tri-foldable design means when closed it measures 3.1 x 3.1 x 1-inch (84 x 78 x 26mm) and weighs 9.8oz (280g) for true portability. It can display landscape pictures as well as borderless, vertical mobile content from apps such as TikTok thanks to a built-in gyroscope.

The ZIP is a DLP projector with a native 720p resolution (with 4K supposedly supported) capable of 100 ANSI lumens of brightness and has dual, stereo 1W speakers for audio. Its 5000 mAh battery is USB-C rechargeable and Aurzen says it will deliver 90 minutes of playtime off a single charge.

It offers Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity and screen mirroring capabilities. There is an optional Wi-Fi dongle, called CastPlay, that can serve as a connection between the ZIP and compatible devices. It is also compatible with Android, Windows, iOS and macOS devices.

The perfect travel projector?

The ZIP won't beat the Samsung Freestyle, but it offers a better travel solution (Image credit: Samsung)

While the ZIP is unlikely to best other portable projectors like the Samsung Freestyle, our top pick for best portable model in our best projectors list, it does offer an extremely compact solution which will be ideal for travel.

As a writer at TechRadar, I’m often travelling to events to cover the latest tech and having the option to mirror my phone to this bite-sized projector rather than stare at my phone screen to wind down sounds like an exciting prospect.

While tri-folding may not be new to the world of phones, with the likes of the Huawei Mate XT and rumors of Samsung’s own tri-folding phone on the horizon, it’s an extremely novel concept in the world of projectors, which is still getting used to the idea of portable projectors in general.

Again, I know the ZIP isn’t going to have the most dazzling pictures, with a limited 100 lumens of brightness, but anytime I can give my eyes a break from my phone screen, I’m happy.

We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

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This week’s Nvidia RTX 5000 reveal at CES 2025 in Las Vegas was a pretty mixed bag for me. On the one hand, the generational price drop on the new RTX 5070 was an extremely welcome sight, as was the backward compatibility for DLSS 4 across all RTX cards. On the other hand, the RTX 5090 costs 2,000 bucks, and Nvidia’s new Multi Frame Generation tech – while impressive – will be exclusive to next-gen GPUs.

Still, there was one footnote to Nvidia’s slate of CES reveals that really piqued my interest: a renewed commitment to its SFF-Ready scheme. This program has actually been floating around for a while - it was a small part of the Nvidia press presentation I attended at Computex last year - but I hadn’t really paid it much heed up till this point.

Why? Well, as much as I love compact PCs, Nvidia’s SFF (Small Form Factor) program felt a bit half-assed at the time. The scheme determined key specifications for other industry bodies – primarily third-party GPU makers and case manufacturers – to follow, creating a sort of certification that assures users that their chosen graphics card will fit inside whatever compact case they buy.

Not all RTX GPUs are created equal – sometimes, smaller is better. (Image credit: Nvidia)

It was a good idea in theory, but there wasn’t much an experienced PC-builder couldn’t reasonably extrapolate – most of the current-gen cards supported were twin-fan RTX 4070 and 4070 Ti models, with a small handful of third-party 4080 cards. The only supported first-party FE (Founders Edition) cards from Nvidia were the 4070 and 4070 Super – if you ever saw an RTX 4090 FE in person, you’d understand perfectly that there was zero chance that ultra-chunky GPU would fit inside an SFF case.

But with the RTX 5000 series, that’s all about to change.

Small is the new big

Yes, the RTX 5090 FE is much smaller than its predecessor – despite being an absolute monster of a GPU in performance (and price) terms, the Founders Edition of Team Green’s new flagship graphics card returns to a two-slot configuration and measures 137 x 304 x 40mm - just about small enough to fit within Nvidia’s SFF-Ready size limits.

The list of viable third-party cards is also longer and more inclusive than it was for the RTX 4000 generation (you can view the list on Nvidia’s website), with almost every third-party manufacturer offering at least one RTX 5080 variant that can fit inside a compact PC case. It appears that the only 5090 that qualifies is the FE version, but that’s still a significant improvement considering that even the RTX 4080 FE was too large.

Seriously, this thing is flippin' gigantic. (Image credit: Future)

As console performance improves with the likes of the PS5 Pro and the inexorable march of PC gaming handhelds continues, there’s a rising demand for ‘living room PCs’ – the sort of compact system that can fit comfortably in your TV stand and be used for gaming with a traditional gamepad. The renewed inclusivity of the SFF-Ready scheme is a step in the right direction here.

While I might still balk a little at the price tag (sorry Nvidia, $2,000 is practically into professional-grade hardware territory), there’s no denying that the RTX 5090 would make for an absolute beast of a living room gaming machine. Hell, even the RTX 5070 should outperform any currently available console with the help of DLSS 4. OK, article over, I need to get on the phone with Nvidia right now.

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