This year’s CES offered a surprising twist. Typically a showcase for cutting-edge and costly televisions and automobiles, CES 2026 took a different direction. Instead of these high-ticket items, the spotlight turned to innovative spins on traditional gadgets, highlighting impressive hardware developments that are still waiting for software advancements to match.

In a special live recording of The Vergecast at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, David and Nilay dive into the most compelling stories from the event. A heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who joined us for an evening of conversation, drinks, and bowling—it was a pleasure to connect with you all! During the episode, we explore the quirky robots struggling to stay upright, the trend of companies diversifying their product lines, the resurgence of unconventional PC concepts, and the ever-important topic of battery longevity, among other things.

CES consistently places individual products in the limelight, and this year was no exception, featuring intriguing items like the Lego Smart Brick and the Clicks Communicator, along with countless robotic vacuum cleaners displayed throughout the convention center. While some innovations are destined for success, others may not make the cut—a theme we playfully explore in this episode. By looking beyond the gadgets themselves, one can discern what the tech industry prioritizes and anticipate how these priorities might influence our lives in the upcoming year. Although it’s still early days, 2026 is already poised to be a transformative year, and we have a few predictions.

For those eager to delve deeper into our discussions and explore our comprehensive CES coverage, we’ve provided some handy links to get you started: