CES (formerly the Consumer Electronics Show) is the biggest technology convention of the year. This will help you prepare for all the great gadgets that are coming in the next 12 months. But among all the quadcopters, not-so-benevolent robots, and gaudy flexible-screen devices, there are plenty of little touches that make CES an event like no other. To highlight some of the silly, silly, and sometimes wholesome things we encountered at this year’s show, we humbly present CES 2025’s very unofficial Dumb Fun Awards.
The cutest digger – Komatsu PC01E-2
Sam Rutherford of Engadget
Komatsu’s PC01E-2 looks like a child’s playground toy, but it actually works and is really cute. It makes me want to walk over and pick at that little bucket until it turns pink. But it’s not all fun and games, as this little digger is meant to help you dig things up in tight spaces. In fact, it’s small enough to fit in most elevators, so if you ever run into a situation where you need to dig, say on a rooftop, Komatsu has you covered.
Most likely Vaporware – FX Super One
faraday future
We usually try to be optimistic about new technology. But since Faraday Future unveiled its first concept car in 2016, the company has built fewer than 20 cars in total. And for the huge accomplishment of producing fewer than 20 vehicles, the founder and CEO of Faraday Future was up for a raise. Now, the company is trying to make a comeback at CES 2025 with a new lineup of FX EVs, but they haven’t even bothered to paint them. The special camouflage used by automakers is usually meant to hide a vehicle’s design before its unveiling, not to make it look like a half-baked product at its own press events. That said, to say it’s 50% complete is probably too generous. So there’s always a chance for companies to turn things around, but don’t be surprised if you don’t see an FX Super One on the road.
Daniel Cooper for Engadget
If you need someone who will sacrifice sartorial elegance for the sake of the story, he’s the guy. Still, there’s no doubt that he’s the dapper Dan, even with his floppy solar-powered, fucked-up headdress.
Everyone is always worried about when the robot overlords will come and conquer us. Other than perhaps the people we should be most concerned about are humans. That’s because during Unitree’s robot demo, its Homo Sapien operator fumbled with the controller, resulting in the robot basically tackling our very own Carissa Bell. It doesn’t matter if you’re a human or a robot.
Most adorable – Mirumi
Cheyenne McDonald on Engadget
This list was originally intended to highlight interesting things we saw at CES that didn’t receive much praise (or hate) elsewhere, but Mirumi wins the award. But I don’t care. This robot is designed to do one thing. It’s about walking around, holding onto your arm, and looking at things cutely. It’s basically an eye and an undeniable sticky fluff ball. And I will protect and cherish it for the rest of my life.
Engadget’s Charlyn Lowe
Look, taking care of your skin is important. After all, it’s the largest organ in your body! But if traditional moisturizers, creams, and exfoliants aren’t enough for you, I’m not convinced that Shark’s Red Light Mask is the answer. If I’m at home and my boyfriend comes out of the bathroom looking like Doctor Doom, I can’t go to bed. I ran out the door and called Reed Richards for help.
Coldest Booth: AARP
Sam Rutherford of Engadget
AARP describes itself as “the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to make life choices as they age.” So instead of encouraging people to rush from booth to booth during CES to check out all the gadgets with new features, AARP decided to install a full-scale pickleball court on the show floor. I did. Unsurprisingly, attendees young and old took to the internet to casually hit balls around while seemingly having a relaxing time in the middle of the year’s biggest tech convention. Good luck everyone.
Companies with the most FOMO – Jackrabbit
Las Vegas is an insult to Mother Nature. It’s a walkable city in the middle of the desert filled with all kinds of temptations and neon lighting that will melt your brain. So if a company doesn’t want to fly to attend CES, we understand that. But that doesn’t mean you can weasel your way into the spotlight by emailing a sales pitch that says, “Great for CES, but smart enough to skip CES.” Either stop sitting on the fence and suffer with us, or shut up. So Jackrabbit, you said you don’t have to attend CES. Wow, we feel the same way.
Daniel Cooper for Engadget
Do you know what is considered safe? It’s an electric moped that turns into a quadcopter, but only if you adjust the propeller and arm positions yourself. The basic model also has a flight time of only about 25 minutes. The company claims it has a lot of safety features, but it also has a built-in parachute. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t use air taxis or other hybrid aircraft. However, this does not inspire confidence. However, if you have more courage than sense, give it a try and let us know how it goes.
Sam Rutherford of Engadget
Not all computer parts need to achieve higher frame rates. MSI proved that this year by creating a CPU cooler with a built-in turntable. What does that even mean? Now look at the happy little dragon sitting on that throne. look at him But really, you can decorate with anything that makes you happy. The only disappointment is that this water block is just a concept and MSI has no plans to actually release it. What a shame.
Sam Rutherford of Engadget
I couldn’t decide which was more outrageous, so I ended up with a tie in this category. For Dell, the new unified branding is largely fine. After all, no one cares about products like Latitude, Inspiron, and Optiplex. But erasing the XPS name, the only Dell sub-brand that has ever actually had meaning, is going too far.
Meanwhile, Lenovo has made ThinkPads without carbon fiber or TrackPoint nubs in an attempt to woo younger buyers who may not have an affinity for the company’s classic black laptops. That’s just blasphemous. Sure, if you’re under 50, you might not care, but if you’re a nerd who grew up using rotary phones, you’re probably pissed.
The naughtiest booth: convenient
Sam Rutherford of Engadget
CES is the home of all kinds of sex technology, but even among the vibrators and various toys, the handy booth somehow turned me on more than any other. That’s because, in addition to displaying a variety of perverted gadgets, the company also had guests lining up to spin the wheel for a chance to take home their own prizes. And I don’t know what’s exciting about people who are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to pick up their pleasure devices to get their stones removed. You may want to keep it in your pants until you get home.
