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CES 2026

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Stevie Bonifield
It’s a double Vergecast week for CES 2026.

In the first of two episodes this week, Nilay and David unpack the flurry of “is this a thing?” AI gadgets that flooded CES, including LG’s CLOiD robot that struggled to put a single towel in a laundry machine.

The Vergecast will be back tomorrow for a live episode from the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas!

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Allison Johnson
Well well well, if it isn’t another AI wearable.

This one’s a concept from Motorola called Maxwell. It includes a microphone and camera for multimodal input, and an integrated magnet means it can be worn as a pendant around your neck or as a pin on your shirt. The idea is that it’ll take meeting notes and hands-free photos, answer questions in natural language — all the usual stuff. Having picked it up, I can at least confirm that it’s much lighter than that other, ill-fated AI pin.

1/3Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge
Lego’s Smart Bricks aren’t just an experiment — and they aren’t just for kids

Julia Goldin and Tom Donaldson explain what the sensor-packed Smart Play initiative means for Lego.

Sean Hollister
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Dominic Preston
The FIFA flip.

Soccer’s governing body isn’t at its most popular right now, from price gouging complaints to allegedly breaking its own rules giving a “peace prize” to Donald Trump. But hey, it’s a World Cup year, so you can’t blame it for trying its luck with this branded version of last year’s regular Motorola Razr.

Image of two FIFA-branded Razr phones resting on each other
FIFA World Cup 2026 Motorola Razr with its box
A female fan holds a FIFA-branded Razr phone as she gestures to the camera, and two male phones behind her hold flags
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That geometric design is intended to capture “the energy, inclusivity, and momentum” of the World Cup.
Image: Motorola
I tested Nvidia’s Tesla Full Self-Driving competitor — Tesla should be worried

The chipmaker is making a big bet on self-driving cars. And it’s making quick progress too.

Andrew J. Hawkins
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Allison Johnson
Even the robots are tired.

CES day 1 (or day 5, or day 200, depending on the calendar you observe) is coming to a close and we are all clearly feeling it. Case in point: I watched this robot walk out of the Central Hall and into the plaza where it threw a few punches and knocked itself out. Honestly? Big same. But we’ll be back at it again bright and early tomorrow. No word on the robot, though.

Here are the best Apple Watch deals available right nowHere are the best Apple Watch deals available right now
Tech
Tech
Sheena Vasani and Brandon Widder
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Hayden Field
Elon Musk’s xAI raised $20 billion in funding.

The Series E round surpassed the $15 billion target, per a blog post, and xAI said that Grok 5 is in training and the company is “focused on launching innovative new consumer and enterprise products.” The news comes amid a widespread controversy in many countries over Grok’s ability to undress photos of women and children at a user’s request.

Here are the best Kindle deals right nowHere are the best Kindle deals right now
Tech
Tech
Barbara Krasnoff and Sheena Vasani
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Andrew Liszewski
Genki will help you get a better grip on your Switch 2.

The accessory maker launched a new Kickstarter today for Genki Grips: a modular grip system for Nintendo’s latest console. A $99 pledge gets you get a kit with solid and split shells (that lets the Joy-Cons detach) plus multiple sets of grips with various designs you can regularly swap to improve your hold on the handheld based on the game you’re playing.

<em>The Genki Grips improve the ergonomics of your Switch 2 in handheld mode.</em>
<em>Multiple grip designs are available, including a boomerang style for when using the Joy-Cons as standalone controllers. </em>
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The Genki Grips improve the ergonomics of your Switch 2 in handheld mode.
Image: Genki
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Jay Peters
Indie studio Heart Machine shut down its Patreon.

Last year, Heart Machine told me it was experimenting with Patreon because “money is tough to come by.” But in a late December post, Heart Machine said it’s pausing the Patreon because “our current projects are too nascent for us to provide updates or ongoing material that would make this Patreon feel meaningful or worthwhile.” (I have the post in email; the Patreon is now inaccessible.)

Trying Patreon out “gave us a lot of insight, and reconnecting more directly with the community was genuinely valuable and so meaningful to us.”

This RV will charge your electric truck after towingThis RV will charge your electric truck after towing
Transportation
Transportation
Andrew J. Hawkins
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Mia Sato
Is your product on Amazon without you realizing?

Small businesses told Modern Retail they were shocked to find their products for sale on Amazon without their consent as part of a “Buy For Me” feature the retail giant announced in 2025. Some sellers actively choose not to associate with Amazon; others found errors in listings on the platform, or that Amazon was selling out-of-stock items.

It’s part of a larger push by retailers into AI-powered agentic shopping — that’s now causing headaches for humans.

The best laptop deals you can get right nowThe best laptop deals you can get right now
Tech
Tech
Cameron Faulkner and Sheena Vasani
Power bank feature creep is out of control 

Something has gone horribly wrong when your portable battery has a screensaver.

Thomas Ricker
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Thomas Ricker
Espresso Displays goes Lite.

The Australian company is back with a colorful new range of 15-inch portable monitors powered by a single USB-C cable. The $249 entry-level Lite models feature a 1080p display packed into a 1.55-pound (700g) plastic and glass slab. It comes bundled with a versatile magnetic folding stand and pulls just 5W at 400 nits of peak brightness.

I loved Espresso Displays’ Pro monitor that I recently reviewed, but its products are much more expensive than generic brands offering similar specs.

1/7Image: Espresso Displays
Asus made a GoPro-inspired ProArt PX13 laptopAsus made a GoPro-inspired ProArt PX13 laptop
News
News
Antonio G. Di Benedetto
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Stevie Bonifield
Asus’ MacBook competitor is getting a refresh with the new Snapdragon X2 Elite chip.

The 2026 Vivobook S14, S15, and S16, announced today at CES, pair a familiar design with new processors, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite, along with updated Intel Core Ultra Series 2 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series options.

According to Asus, the Snapdragon-powered S16 boasts 25 hours of battery life.

The 2026 Asus Vivobook S16 on display on a white table
Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
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