The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is often referred to as “the most powerful tech event in the world,” bringing together tech companies from around the globe to unveil their latest innovations. The massive event is held across various locations, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, The Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and The Sphere, and is a staple event for both companies vying for recognition and media outlets that cover them. One day into “Unveiled,” the media-only prelude to the trade show, I landed on what might be my mantra for my CES 2026 experience.
“Cool, if true,” Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt had said about a new product booth, summarizing how I felt about the conference as a whole. Since arriving in Las Vegas on Saturday as a skeptical first-time attendee, I have seen cancer-detecting scanners, smart irrigation systems, and more assistive robots than I can count. I have also rolled my eyes at tech-enabled shoe insoles, smart-companion teddy bears, and AI-powered dog leashes. But I have also seen more grounded tech that lives just at the edge of where science fiction and practicality meet: walk-assisting exoskeletons, smart helmets with fall detection and one-touch SOS commands, and assistive mobility tech that can convert any standard wheelchair into an electric one. In short, CES is both chock-full of BS and a glimpse into the future of clever, helpful, and groundbreaking tech.
Tech Editor Jake Peterson, Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki, Associate Tech Editor Michelle Ehrhardt, and I will be on the ground at CES throughout the week, covering the biggest, coolest, and weirdest tech we can find. We’ll also join CNET, PCMag, and others in awarding the Best of CES 2026 awards for a second year in a row. Follow us here and on social media to see what it’s like to be at the world’s biggest technology trade show, and share with us your thoughts, questions, and what you’d like to see. There’s a lot more cool tech to come. If true, of course.
–Jordan Calhoun, Editor in Chief
What do you think so far?
