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Five standouts from CES 2025

From modular flying cars to wearable AI memory capsules and robotic arm-equipped vacuum cleaners, the showcase at CES 2025 grippingly draws the future of how we live, work, and experience the world around us.

As one of the most treasured and revered events devoted to breakthrough technologies and global innovators, this year’s edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) did not disappoint. Taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada in early January, CES 2025 gave the world an early look at the ideas and inventions that will most likely define the year ahead and garnered 141,000 attendees. Amidst an atmosphere of intoxicating newness, jittery excitement, and some mind-bending surprises, here are five standouts that made their captivating debut on the dazzling stage of the highly anticipated convention. 

Land Aircraft Carrier by XPeng AeroHT

CES 2025 highlight: XPeng AeroHT's Land Aircraft Carrier is powered by the world’s first onboard auto-separation and reconnection mechanism. The one-button operation enables seamless separation and reconnection of ground and air modules within 5 minutes. - © XPeng AeroHT
CES 2025 highlight: XPeng AeroHT’s Land Aircraft Carrier is powered by the world’s first onboard auto-separation and reconnection mechanism. The one-button operation enables seamless separation and reconnection of ground and air modules within 5 minutes. – © XPeng AeroHT

Conceptualized and developed as a modular flying car, Chinese automaker XPeng AeroHT’s Land Aircraft Carrier is an electric van with a small folding eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle that hides in its trunk and detaches, unfolds, and takes off at the mere push of a button. While the mother unit is a five-seater land cruiser that can be driven normally on any road, the air module is a two-seater powered by a silicon carbide high-voltage platform and consists of a carbon fiber cockpit.

Post-flight, you can land vertically without a runway and the air module will reconnect with the 6×6 all-wheel-drive vehicle in the trunk. The mother unit works as a mobile charging station for the eVTOL. With its dual-duct six-rotor design, the air module comprises foldable propellers and arms, and combined with the land vehicle, it offers an overall range of over 621 miles. As 3,000 intent orders for the vehicle have already been made, the Land Aircraft Carrier is likely to go into production this year while shipping is expected to start in 2026. 

NotePin by Plaud

Plaud's innovative NotePin is highly versatile. You can wear the AI notetaker as a necklace, a wristband, a clip, or a pin. - © Plaud
Plaud’s innovative NotePin is highly versatile. You can wear the AI notetaker as a necklace, a wristband, a clip, or a pin. – © Plaud

As a wearable, sleek, and powerful recording device, Plaud’s NotePin is capable of recording conversations, interviews, and even phone calls and can afterward transcribe them and summarize them with the help of AI. With its minimalist yet imaginative design, the NotePin can be worn on the wrist, around the neck, or pinned to one’s lapel and comes in three elegant shades, Cosmic Gray, Lunar Silver, and Sunset Purple. Its impressive portability is attributed to its weight which is the same as an AA battery’s. 

Supporting 112+ languages, the NotePin uses advanced programming, backed up by AI, to create transcripts, summaries, and even mind maps. You can choose between different templates, or even create custom ones. Press a button and it records your words–Plaud’s invention takes up the role of a personal assistant you can count on and trust as it is always ready to capture everything.

ThinkPad X9 Series by Lenovo

Everyone at CES 2025 was talking about Lenovo's groundbreaking ThinkPad X9 Series. The notable PCs boast next-gen AI performance, Lenovo Aura Edition software solutions, and productivity-boosting features. - © Lenovo
Everyone at CES 2025 was talking about Lenovo’s groundbreaking ThinkPad X9 Series. The notable PCs boast next-gen AI performance, Lenovo Aura Edition software solutions, and productivity-boosting features. – © Lenovo

Lenovo unveiled the ThinkPad X9 14 and X9 15 Aura Editions, its latest premium rollable business laptops suitable for a wide range of innovative thinkers–from prosumers and small and medium businesses to large corporations. The Chinese-American multinational technological titan’s latest product range of Copilot+ PCs is powered by Intel®Core™ Ultra processors. The cutting-edge, AI-enhanced devices for creative professionals combine powerful and efficient Intel and Windows 11 platforms and personalized AI-enabled experiences. In a contemporary and sophisticated design, the ThinkPad X9 series offers the ideal toolkit for hybrid users that combines high performance, proven reliability, and seamless, professional-grade productivity. 

The X9 14 and X9 15 models enchant with their recycled aluminum covers, visually striking ultra-slim profile, and stylish metal grooved bottom covers. They are highly durable and reflect Lenovo’s focus on enhancing user experience. The new “engine hub” design incorporates Thunderbolt ports on both sides facilitating versatile connection to docks, monitors, and other USB-C®accessories. ThinkPad X9 series’ Intel Core Ultra processors, high-capacity battery and robust connectivity (including Thunderbolt™ 4 ports, HDMI 2.1, and Intel Wi-Fi 7) allow for seamless transitions from creative tasks to business operations. 

3-in-1 Lifestyle Projectors by LG

LG reinforces its reputation as a top provider of lifestyle projectors with the introduction of two brand-new models at CES 2025. Raising the bar for the lifestyle projector category, the brand’s “new-concept” models are designed to deliver maximum space efficiency. - © LG
LG reinforces its reputation as a top provider of lifestyle projectors with the introduction of two brand-new models at CES 2025. Raising the bar of its lifestyle projector category, the brand’s “new-concept” models are designed to deliver maximum space efficiency. – © LG

As the latest additions to LG Electronics (LG)’s range of lifestyle projectors, the PF600U and the CineBeam S (model PU615U) are highly versatile and multifunctional projectors designed to blend in with modern homes and optimize spatial efficiency. The PF600U functions as a projector, Bluetooth speaker, and LED mood lamp. Its design is informed by elegant floor lamps and combines a circular base with an upright pole supporting a 110-degree tilting head with automatic screen adjustment for projecting images onto walls. The innovative device supports 1080p Full HD resolution as well as 300 ANSI lumens of brightness and can project a screen size from 30 to 120 inches onto a nearby wall. The PF600U’s disc-shaped head is made up of stereo speakers and an LED lamp with nine colors and five brightness levels. 

With its smooth metallic finish, LG’s CineBeam S is the company’s smallest 4K UST projector with compact dimensions of just 110 x 160 x 160 millimeters. The device delivers 4K Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution and 500 ANSI lumens of brightness and is capable of projecting images ranging from 40 to 100 inches onto surfaces just a few inches away. The CineBeam S projector can be located on a shelf or unit placed very close to the projection surface. In this way, the optimization of space is made possible without compromising image quality at all.

Saros Z70 by Roborock

CES 2025 featured some of the most intriguing innovations. The Saros Z70’s innovative arm allows it to move obstacles out of the way and clean areas that were previously blocked. - © Roborock
CES 2025 featured some of the most intriguing innovations. The Saros Z70’s innovative arm allows it to move obstacles out of the way and clean areas that were previously blocked. – © Roborock

Roborock’s Saros Z70 robot vacuum cleaner is the world’s first mass-produced model to feature a robotic arm. Entitled OmniGrip, the Saros Z70’s robotic five-axis foldable arm can move both horizontally and vertically and can reposition objects weighing up to 300g. By moving objects (like a sock, a light shoe, or a small towel), the vacuum cleaner cleans much more thoroughly. Users can choose which objects the OmniGrip should target via an app as well as where the objects can be safely placed. When not in use, the robot arm neatly folds away inside the device’s body.

The Saros Z70’s ultra-slim body measures 7.98 cm. and includes features such as double rotating mops, StarSight navigation technology, and the AdaptiLift Chassis. The robot vacuum cleaner comes with the latest Multifunctional Dock 4.0 which facilitates rapid 2.5-hour charging. Other upgrades include 80°C hot water mop washing and automatic mop removal. The pricing of the innovative product is yet to be revealed and the model is expected to launch later this year.

Once again, CES 2025 has proven that innovation isn’t just about new gadgetry—it’s about transformative, powerful experiences that can change our mindset and outlook on life. As the above goosebumps-giving selection demonstrates, the future is all about feeling more empowered than ever before.

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