AT THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW

The annual Consumer Electronics Show is happening this week in Las Vegas. Here are some of the cool new products on display, also known as “Name something expensive you’ll use exactly once”:
– The ColdSnap, a countertop machine that makes a fresh bowl of ice cream in 2 minutes from a pre-made pod of ingredients. The ColdSnap is still a year away from being available for the home market, but restaurants are going to be able to buy them sooner. (* Because who wants ice cream right out of the container instantly when you can wait two minutes?)
– The Bespoke Jet Bot smart robot vacuum that sweeps up dust and dog hair, and also scouts for carpet stains and scrubs them out so you don’t have to. (* Let’s see what it does with a puddle of cat vomit.)
– At last, an AI toothbrush. The Oclean X Ultra Wi-Fi Digital Toothbrush features an algorithm-controlled motor, five brush modes, an interactive touchscreen that shows you areas you missed and an AI voice guide to help you improve your brushing technique. It also features Wi-Fi connectivity so it will store your brushing history. (* Great. Now the Chinese will know our brushing history.)
– Seer Grill’s Perfecta meat cooker, that cooks meat vertically. It’s like a toaster for steaks. And because it has AI, the cooker will learn and get better at cooking, according to Seer Grill.
– The product everyone is talking about is the world’s first wireless transparent OLED TV – a clear panel of what appears to be glass, but when you turn it on it’s a 77-inch big screen TV. Instead of a big black rectangle in your family room, you can now have a clear piece of glass in a modern steel frame, until you want to watch it. The manufacturer, LG, won’t say how much it costs, only that it’s “very expensive.” (* Shouldn’t this be called the Millionaires’ Electronics Show?)