CES 2024 Day 2: The best gear for Apple users from the show floor
CES is still underway, and we've been to a lot of events and spent time scouring the show floor. Here's a roundup of some of our favorite gear for Apple users that we've seen in presentations and behind closed-doors.
CES is always packed with a lot of stuff, and not all of it has appeal to Apple users. Fortunately, we go every year to tell you what we've seen, what's trending, and what we think is vapor.
All of today's selections are some of our top picks from the show floor -- but like always, there's been a lot of weird stuff too. We'll be talking about those soon enough.
Abode Edge
Smart home security company Abode is out with its latest camera -- the Abode Edge. This camera is the first to utilize Wi-Fi HaLow technology giving it extraordinary range.
Abode Edge camera
The Abode Edge camera is a small fist-sized camera with a white plastic body and a large antenna protruding from the size. Thanks to Wi-Fi HaLow, it is able to connect up to a mile and a half away.
It's powered by AI technology as well, identifying people and animals as the come into view.
The Abode edge is expected to ship later in the first quarter of 2024, and should retail for $199.99. A subscription is necessary, for $3.99 per month for one camera, and as many Abode cams connected as you want for $6.99 per month.
Aqara
Adding to its lineup, Aqara is showing off three new noteworthy devices at the annual tech show. The company is showing off the U300 lock, M3 hub, and a new Thread border router plug.
The U300 looks great and is an indoor/outdoor lever lock. It's great for a garage, shed, or in-home office that you may need to secure.
Aqara U300 lock
This lock has several methods of entry, including Apple Home, fingerprint, or keypad. Behind the fingerprint reader is also a physical key hole when necessary.
Aqara's new M3 smart hub can connect to many devices other than those made by Aqara itself. It has built in Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Thread. It will also be the first IR blaster supported by Apple Home.
Aqara Thread border router plug and M3 hub
Finally, there is a new Thread border router hub. It will help expand your network in a similar fashion to Apple's HomePod.
Pricing and availability timelines of the Aqara gear aren't yet clear.
Ecovacs
In late 2023, Ecovacs released its X2 Omni robotic vacuum cleaner that assumed an unusual square shape, unique from the typical disc-shaped models.
At CES, they're out with a slightly modified version. The new X2 Combo includes the same X2 Omni robot, but also attached a secondary vacuum.
To the right of the base station you'll find a handheld vacuum that is both charged and emptied by the same docking station.
Ecovacs X2 Combo
It includes three different attachment tools and there is an optional stick and roller attachment users can purchase.
Lastly, Ecovacs has committed to bringing Matter support to the X2 Combo, allowing it to display in the Apple Home app.
The Ecovacs X2 Combo will be available to purchase this spring in the US. Pricing is not yet available.
Roborock
Like Ecovacs, Robock has a new flagship model at the tech show that will soon support Matter. The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra will be launching early this year.
Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra robotic vacuum cleaner
The S8 MaxV Ultra has a whopping 10,000Pa of suction and a new robotic arm that extends out to clean closer to the wall. A secondary small spinning mop has also been added to scrub against your walls.
Compared to the S8 Pro, the S8 Pro MaxV Ultra has increased the clearance on the mop. It now raises 20mm when it detects carpet, up from 5mm.
The S8 MaxV Ultra will retail for $1799.99 and the S8 Max Ultra will run $1599.99. Both should be available in April.
Lockly
The new Visage lock from Lockly is the first one from the company to support Apple Home natively. It also supports Apple Home Key.
Lockly Visage smart lock
Aside from Home Key, it has a rotating set of numbers for the on-screen keypad and a set of stereoscopic cameras for facial recognition. The cameras have multiple anti-spoofing measures to ensure that things like photos and masks won't work.
It uses Wi-Fi built in and should yield roughly a year on battery life.
The Lockly Matter Link hub will be priced at $79.99 when it ships later in 2024. The Lockly Visage will retail for $349.99 and ship in several finishes in the summer of 2024.
ESR
Accessory maker ESR is going all-in on Qi2 at CES 2024, showing off a whole range of chargers using the new standard.
ESR's lineup of Qi2 chargers
Launching first will be the company's car charger that attaches to your vehicles vent and uses an adjustable stabilizing arm to prevent bouncing.
Other devices to follow include a 3-in-1 HaloLock desk charger, a 3-in-1 HaloLock travel charger, and a single HaloLock cable.
The Car Charger will launch in mid-January with the other products following in later months. Shop on ESR's Amazon page to learn more.
OWC
The new OWC Thunderblade X8is the brand's newest professional SSD that boasts eight NVMe 2242 modules. This builds on the previous design that had four modules on the inside.
OWC Thunderblade X8 SSD
Other specs include dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, relocated lights that are now downward-facing, and a maximum capacity of 32TB of storage.
The ThunderBlade X8 may be configured as RAID 1, 4, 5, and 1+0 too which includes various degrees of data redundancy. It boasts read speeds of 2565 MB/s and write speeds of 2464 MB/s.
The ThunderBlade X8 is available in 8TB, 16TB, and 32TB capacities, catering to various professional needs. It's now available for pre-order starting at $1,749.99 on macsales.com.
AppleInsider is at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show this week until January 12, with our reporters seeing the latest HomeKit devices, Apple accessories, 8K monitors, massive televisions, and more in-person throughout the event. You can keep up with the event's coverage on the AppleInsider app, our YouTube channel, on Facebook, and our X @AppleInsider account for the latest news as it breaks. Also, check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos and videos throughout the event.
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Comments
Just wondering what exactly makes robot vacuums "gear for Apple users"?