By: Jonyque Espeut, Contributing Editor

The coolest and greatest emerging technologies of CES 2021

The coolest gadgets of CES 2021 include smart home appliances, upgrades for your health, and of course - masks. CES 2021 took place online this year instead of Las Vegas, but it remains the place for seeing the most exciting new tech of 2021.

Better1 has roamed the virtual halls, joined meetings and took a deep dive to see the coolest new tech of 2021. The most impressive new gadgets include upgrades to TVs, home appliances, and new technologies among others. We also see new technology that can improve our lives this year as we continue to work from home, take more control of our health and continue to adapt to spending more time at home. Here is our list of the coolest emerging tech from CES 2021.

1. 2021 Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop

The Razer Blade 15 may not feature any design revamps over last year's model. However, its 4K display option does need the right internals to back it up - this year’s models make that a reality, thanks to Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 joining its specs roster. That’s right; the new Razer Blade 15 Advanced Edition will come powered with the best mainstream GPU for 4K gaming right now, alongside a 10th-gen Intel chip, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD.

For all you gamers out there, this will be a laptop to watch in 2021.

2. ColdSnap Ice Cream

The ColdSnap, which looks and functions like a Keurig for soft serve ice cream, has emerged as one of this year’s most exciting home appliances from CES. At a time when much of the event, like much of our lives, is focused on ways to adapt to the pandemic, the ColdSnap offers the promise of something sweeter -- without having to place an order.

The system takes shelf-stable, recyclable ice cream pods of varying flavors and freezes them in about 90 seconds before dispensing it into your choice of cup or cone. ColdSnap is also working on pods for smoothies, frozen coffees, protein shakes, non-dairy ice cream and frozen cocktails, such as mud slides and daiquiris. 

3. Samsung's JetBot AI 90+

Samsung’s JetBot AI patrols your home using object recognition technology to decide the best path to clean your home. It also uses LiDAR sensors (the lasers used in autonomous vehicles to determine depth and distance) to get up close to objects like toys while avoiding more fragile items like vases or decor. Say goodbye to the days of troubleshooting your stuck vacuum robot. 

4. Moflin, the AI pet for kids

Moflin’s unique algorithm to learn and grow, using built-in sensors to evaluate its surroundings. These sensors include accelerometers with gyroscopes, touch sensors, and microphones -- it's capable of distinguishing between different people depending on how they interact with it, and can express its 'feelings' accordingly, through movements and unbearably cute sounds that were inspired by real animal noises.

Each Moflin will develop an individual personality over time, depending on the environment and "how their owners treat them", with possible emotions including anxious, calm, happy, excited, and more – just like a real pet. Moflin’s new offering is a great alternative for parents who would like to give their child a pet (without any of the responsibilities).

5. Razer Project Hazel 

A natural progression from Razer’s fight against the Coronavirus, the reusable Project Hazel smart mask innovates with N95 medical-grade respirator (capable of filtering out Covid-19 particles) protection using detachable and rechargeable active ventilators and Smart Pods that regulate airflow for optimal breathability. 

The silicon-lined smart mask ensures comfort with an air-tight seal from the adjustable ear loops that work with active air cooling and regulation that brings in oxygen while venting out CO2 . The mask is loaded with a microphone -- useful for gaming and hands free cell phone usage.  Two customizable Razer Chroma RGB lighting zones that offer 16.8 million colors and a suite of dynamic lighting effects also provide the mask with unique style.

6. TCL 6-Series QLED 8K TVs

All 2021 TCL 6-series Roku TV models -- under the R648 model number, will be 8K. This is massive news for budget-minded early adopters, as the 6-series has been a compelling line that offers a relatively low price for strong performance. This will hopefully be the case for the new 8k line, though TCL has not yet announced pricing for the 2021 models. 

7. Samsung's The Frame 

Samsung's even slimmer The Frame TV returns to CES 2021, this time - in the disguise of wall art. The 2021 version of Samsung's unique TV-as-art measures just 24.9mm thick to hug your wall even more closely. Seen here in a 75-inch size, the new 2021 version of The Frame is thinner than before when compared to last year’s. 

8. Kohelr’s Stillness Bath 

The Kohler Stillness bath is based on the practice of Japanese forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku. Water fills from the bottom of the bath and overflows into a Hinoki wood moat. The tub is surrounded by lighting, but that's not all -- You can also choose to envelop the surface of your bath with a fog and add essential oils for aromatherapy. 

9. Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige

Do you brush too hard? The new Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige toothbrush uses sensors to detect the pressure and motions you use and then adjust intensity.

The toothbrush connects to an app that can track your brushing habits, giving you feedback on better brushing. The Sonicare 9900 Prestige features a premium design and comes with a vegan leather case that is charged by USB-C.

10. Rise Personal Garden

The Rise Personal Garden is a miniature, smart hydroponic garden that you can keep on your countertop and use to grow fresh food at home - without the need for outdoor space. This smaller version of the Rise gardens can grow four large plants, eight medium-sized plants or a dozen small plants.

The system can accommodate a wide range of vegetables and even supports microgreens. You can use voice control with Alexa to activate lights and pumps as well as get care and harvest advice -- an item to note for apartment dwellers. 

11. Oval 

OVAL Smart Home is a powerful and easy-to-use 5-in-1 smart sensor system that monitors motion, light, temperature, humidity, and water around your home or office. OVAL’s sensing features are completely customizable, and users can alert up to 12 people at once through push, text, emails, or phone calls.

What makes OVAL unique is its ability to provide user feedback for both short or long-term trends or abnormalities in your home, allowing for a truly accurate report of your ecosystem. 

12. Chipolo One Ocean

Lightweight, water-resistant, and durable, the coin-shaped device now made with recycled ocean nets, the Chipolo One Ocean.

The Chipolo ONE Ocean is designed to attach to often misplaced items such as keys and wallets. With a bluetooth range of 60 meters -- double that of the Tile, it’s a no brainer.  And unlike the original Chipolo One, the Chipolo One Ocean is made entirely of discarded fishing nets, trawls and ropes are intercepted from nearshore locations, infusing sustainability and functionality into one product. The Chiplo One Ocean is a fantastic and ecologically friendly alternative to similar keyfinders on the market. 

13. OWL HOME

Owl Wired is an all-in-one smoke, carbon monoxide, motion, noise, temperature & humidity detector with a built-in alarm. It uses a photoelectric smoke sensor -- which can detect fires quickly. In addition, an electrochemical CO sensor, microwave radar motion sensor, temperature and humidity sensor. Owl is equipped with a sealed lithium-ion battery that can power the device during power outages for up to a few months.

Owl also has a microphone and supports Google Home and Alexa devices, making it compatible with smart home devices already on the market.