The Best Tech Of CES 2017

Vegas, baby! CES is a magical time where new tech is debuted among a melting pot of product managers, old dudes filming everything with a GoPro, and handsome young tech experts (hi). It goes without saying that I had an awesome time at CES 2017, and I didn't even visit my favorite adult entertainment spots. It had it all, sweet gadgets, killer tech demos, and Toni Kukoč in bedazzled jeans (really). As a tech industry insider, I’m happy to present you with my Best Tech of CES Awards, covering the best products I saw at the show this year.

All the products have a Theintern (pronounced Th-eye-n-tern) Innovation Score, because if it can impress a suave millennial like myself, it is geared for success.

CLIK - Wireless Earbuds With Voice Translation

Theintern Innovation Score: 4.8 wow's out of 5

(mymanu.com)

Leading off my awards like Ichiro are headphones that can translate languages in real time. These bad boys are an awesome concept that solve a real problem in a relatively discrete form factor. They translate 37 languages in real time, for world travelers, these are a total game changer. The next time your Russian guide has ripped too many shots of vodka, you can still find a bathroom, thanks to CLIK.

They also can be used over long distances to break down language barriers during online meetings. Know exactly what everyone is saying, and swing that deal with the Czech mafia, because we all know they need your product. The design is simple and elegant (take notes, AirPods), but they do look a bit larger in your ear than normal headphones. Think somewhere between a Bluetooth headset and headphones.

Doubling as higher-end wireless headphones is a bonus. They have great sound due to the APTX audio codec and miniature transducers (I have no idea what that means) that give full, well rounded sound.

Touch controls offer an intuitive way to interact with your device and with notifications built it, they offer a great solution as standalone earbuds. Included is a charging case, so you can always keep your CLIK and other devices charged. It is about the size of a glasses case, which makes storing and traveling with them simple.

As soon as my birthday money arrives from my grandma I'll be pre-ordering these. Language will no longer hinder me from wooing French girls on my next trip across the pond. 

The Basslet - A Wearable Subwoofer For Your Body

Theintern Innovation Score: 4.6 cool bean's out of 5

(lofelt.com)

Drop the bass...on yourself. The Basslet wearable takes personal music listening to the next level. Built with an advanced haptic engine, the Basslet will literally tap along to the bass line of your favorite jams, but that isn't the magic. After listening to a few songs, it trains your brain into thinking you are actually standing near a subwoofer at the club (like I’m known to do any night of the week). Your brain turns the signal into what I can only describe as “full body feels”. Your body starts to feel the bass, instead of just hearing it.

Normal high quality headphones can bring exceptional bass, so the need to “feel” like you are by a subwoofer can probably be reserved for when you are 5 vodka red bull’s deep, and looking for someone to take home at the Fetty Wap concert. With that being said, I do like the direction this is taking as an evolution of how we experience sound. Innovative idea, fun to play with.

I didn’t get the chance to experience it while gaming, which would be an even better way to become quickly immersed in the technology. In the future, I wouldn't be surprised if this technology is integrated into VR rigs to bring another element of realism to game-play.

BEETL - Autonomous Robot Cleans Up After Your Furry Friend

Theintern Innovation Score: 4.2 gotta have it's out of 5

(beetlrobot.com)

Imagine never having to pick up after your pup again (at least in your yard). The BEETL attempts to make the worst part of owning your dog a thing of the past, now if Ozzy Pawsborne (my dog) would just stop chewing on my pocket square collection…

The design of the BEETL is ballin’; part mini-tractor, part futuristic robot. With features that allow it to collect dog poo in a biodegradable disposable insert, it makes the job as clean and touch-less as possible. By learning your yard, and Fido’s favorite place to do his work for #2, it becomes more efficient over time. It will stop when it detects motion, so you don’t need to worry about being run into during your Spikeball domination.

It looks like the BEETL is still a few years from becoming a commercially available item, so in the meantime, my shoes will have to continue deal with Ozzy's land mines.

MovPak - Electric Vehicle & Backpack In One

Theintern Innovation Score: 4.6 damn Daniel's out of 5

(movpak.com)

A motorized skateboard that folds into an integrated backback? I might go back to college just to cruise by babes on this thing. Motorized so you aren’t sweating out your bro-tank by the time you get to class, the MovPak can go up to 20mph, which is 90% as fast as Usain Bolt, so tie your man-bun tight. Because it is controlled via remote, you don’t need Tony Hawk type skateboarding skills to ride it, and kick-flips aren't recommended.

The coolest part is that it can easily fold into the backpack, which has plenty of extra space for book/beer storage. Don’t worry about your bike being stolen by the nefarious characters roaming campus, bring your transportation with you to class or work.

With a range up to 10 miles per 2 hour charge cycle, it’ll take you there and back again like Bilbo Baggins. With an integrated USB charger, it also keeps your devices powered, so you can keep track of your latest tweet about Kylie Kardashian’s plastic surgery. You are hilarious!

The design is incredibly well thought-out, and there are even more refined features. My only worry is the lack of a huge market. It seems perfect for college students, but at $799 it might be out of reach to gain mass marketability. One thing is for sure, it is the coolest, and most well thought-out personal transport device we saw at CES. Death to the hover-board and it’s spontaneous combustion.

Lulzbot - Affordable 3D Printing (And Awesome T-Shirts)

Theintern Innovation Score: 4.3 rock hand's out of 5

(lulzbot.com)

Try to walk by a booth featuring a Rocktopus and not stop. Lulzbot, and their badass 8 legged mascot make desktop 3D printers that finally bring an affordable 3D printing option to the masses. With two sizes, a compact and easy to use 3D printer can be brought into a home or office space. Need some inspiration? Check out some everyday items that can easily be 3D printed.

I don’t know much about 3D printing, but I do know that this thing looks sweet. If you aren’t in the market for a 3D printer, at least look at the Lulzbot t-shirt featuring the Rocktopus that costs basically the same as a Chipotle burrito with guac, except this won’t go straight to your hips (it also doesn't taste as good).

Feeling colorful? Lulzbot offers different colors and materials to make your wildest 3D printing dreams come true. 39 options ranging from bamboo fiber to colored ABS are available.

Can't wait to start 3D printing? Get it on Amazon right now. ROCKTOPUS ON!

Aftershokz - Bone Conduction Wireless Headphones

Theintern Innovation Score: 3.9 dude sweet's out of 5

(aftershokz.com)

You don’t have to give up situational awareness while jamming to Montell Jordan on your headphones. Aftershokz are perfect for those times when you want to listen to music, but still need to hear sounds around you. Instead of just rocking one headphone and having the other one dangle like a swag idiot, bone conduction let's vibrations travel through your skull into your inner ear, freeing up your outer ear to do it's own thing.

Becuase the vibrations are traveling through your bone, the bass rattles a bit on your head, which makes you feel the music a little more. This could be a turnoff for some, but it totally turned me on..err I mean I liked it alot. There was supposedly a noise cancelling feature for a more isolated headphone experience. It didn’t work for us, and the booth attendant was too cool to show us how to work it (I imagine she was intimidated by my good looks). But, if that could provide some sound isolation, it would make these better for everyday wear, instead of when you are on a run or at the office.

It looks like a version of these have been selling on Amazon for a while now with a 4.3 star rating. Check em’ out.

BONUS - Most Random Celebrity Endorser: Toni Kukoc

Theintern Innovation Score: 4.9 for realz? out of 5

Some booths have Bryce Harper, some have Redfoo from LMFAO, but ZTE? They go bigger, or at least they would lead you to believe.

After a strange exhibition of guys trying to dunk on spring stilts, and acrobats wobbling their way through some positions that seemed more appropriate for the bedroom, the main attraction made his debut. As the announcer hollered through the mic "AND NOW, INTRODUCING AN NBA LIVING LEGEND!..." our heads spun as we tried to figure out who it could be. Kobe? Scottie Pippen? Nope. Toni freaking Kukoc.

As he sauntered out onto the court, a smattering of applause was only broken by the announcer saying Toni would be coaching audience members how to shoot free throws. After about 35 seconds of this disaster, we had enough, and decided our time would be better spent with a drink in our hand blowing rent on slots, so we left.

Toni Kukoc wins the coveted Random Celebrity Endorsement of the Year Award. Congrats to Toni and his long legs.

Did I miss something sweet? Tweet @Theintern_josh and let me know.