Transparent TVs and endless AI: Which? highlights from CES 2024

It's hard to escape AI and it was being put in just about every device you can think of at CES, from cars to cat flaps. There were some usual suspects, too (most notably TVs), and even they had some innovative tricks on show.

CES is the show where big and small companies rub shoulders - or booths in this case. Giants such as LG, Samsung and Sony dominate the convention centre, while smaller companies and start-ups set up stands in the peripheries and smaller halls in casinos along the Vegas strip.

With close to 1,500 companies showing off their vision of the future, CES 2025 would be starting by the time you'd seen every one, so we've picked some highlights for you.

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Transparent TVs

For all the talk of AI, CES is still first and foremost a TV show and it's safe to say LG stole the limelight with the Signature T OLED TV and its transparent screen.

We've seen the technology before, but never on a TV that was actually being released. The 77-inch telly is massive, but it's far more discreet than your average TV thanks to the transparent screen: a see-through piece of glass that turns into a TV when a black panel rolls up from the base. 

The TV doesn't have to be completely transparent when you're not watching either (which might be useful if you're the sort of person who walks into patio doors). It can display works of art or appear to have floating objects on the screen that are still slightly transparent. You can also have a banner of information at the bottom of the panel displaying things like the weather, sort of like an always on display feature on smartphones.

It's wireless, too, other than the power lead that is. All the ports are in a separate connection box, so the video and audio signals are sent to the TV wirelessly.

Safe to say, it's a seriously impressive TV that will cost a fortune. LG hasn't said how much, but if older Signature TVs are anything to go by, expect this to be well over £10,000.

See our pick of the best TVs for 2024

Samsung following suit

LG might be first to market, but it's not alone in championing see-through TVs. Samsung had some microLED models on the show floor with transparent displays, but it doesn't appear they'll be released in 2024.

It's too early to say when and if this technology will be seen in TVs people actually buy. Most high-end TV tech does eventually trickle down to cheaper sets and we're sure most people would prefer seeing some fish seemingly swimming around in mid air where a black rectangle should be or looking straight through it at their garden, but it's hard to imagine it happening with transparent screens anytime soon.

Check out these TV deals to find good quality sets for less

Concept cars

Cars and tech have been intertwined for years and some of the biggest manufacturers save some of their wackiest concepts for CES. 

This year the likes of Honda, Hyundai, Kia and VW were showing off new cars and technology. In terms of AI, you'll soon be able to talk to ChatGPT in VWs - it will be able to answer questions and read articles found online in much the same way it can on your phone. 

Hyundai's innovation was more physical. The Mobion car can turn its wheels 90 degrees so it can drive sideways, which will make it easier to park in tight spaces. 

When you think of concept cars, Blade Runner-esque designs spring to mind, and Honda certainly delivered that with the O Series (pictured). It's hard to look at this thing without thinking 'futuristic' and that goes for inside the electric car, too, where passengers face each other. 

We haven't tested any cars that can park like a crab (yet), but you can read our expert car reviews to see which is best for you

Neural headphones

CES is a future-gazing show and it doesn't get much more sci-fi than controlling devices with your mind. We're not talking telekinesis here (sorry Matilda fans), though. Instead, neural headphones interpret signals from your brain into device commands for smart tech and computers.

Other models were more geared around relaxation and by triggering certain brain responses to help you sleep and relax.

The interesting thing about all this technology is that it's designed to live in existing headphones, so they may be features we see being baked into Apple, Bose or Sennheiser headphones in the future.

Auracast Bluetooth

Most headphones are wireless these days and require pairing with the device you're getting audio from. Auracast (a new Bluetooth capability) is looking to do away with that... sort of. 

It will allow your headphones to connect automatically with other devices without the need to manually pair them. Before you worry about hearing everyone's audio on the bus at once, it's more likely this will be used in places like airports and stadiums to connect you with public address systems, so you don't miss any important announcements. 

We hope that's how it's used anyway. Being able to choose what devices pair with your phone guarantees privacy for calls and the like, but we'd be surprised if Auracast was baked into personal devices without any extra security. 

Check our pick of the best headphones for amazing sound and ultimate comfort

AI, AI everywhere

Now that pretty much everything with a plug is smart and therefore connected to the internet, the tech world needs something new. And AI is the perfect candidate. It's open source, accessible and it really can be useful.

Here's our pick of the most interesting (and unusual).

Robots

Samsung showed off Ballie. Sadly it's not as cute as BB-8 from Star Wars, but it does have a projector on it and it comes when called like a faithful robotic pet.

Tech company Oro also had a robot on display, but this one's designed to keep your dog company while you're out. It has a screen and audio, so you can interact with your dog remotely and likely get jealous at home when your pooch prefers the robot to you.

Rabbits

It looks like a little square phone and it sort of does the same thing, but it's designed to be more of a PA in your pocket.

The Rabbit R1 uses AI to get you what you want, so rather than heading off to Spotify, searching for an artist and pressing play, you'd simply say something like 'I want to listen to Metallica' and the AI in the R1 will do the work finding the artist or song in your streaming app and start playing. The same could apply to ordering a taxi or buying a pizza. It's a clever device and it's easy to see the benefit of letting AI take the reins.

Cat flaps

We don't know about you, but this was the first that came to our mind when we thought about AI tech.

The Flappie cat flap uses AI and a camera to detect if your furry serial killer is bringing in a recently caught snack. If so, it'll lock the cat flap.

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