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MobileViews 593: CES 2026 wrap-up with guest panelist Frank McPherson
For this podcast, Jon Westfall and I are joined by guest panelist Frank McPherson to discuss the highlights and "worst of" picks from CES 2026. I shared my recent experience with the new Alexa.com browser interface, which showed impressive "vertical integration" when the AI automatically offered to recreate sunset triggers for my new Amazon Smart Switch. This was a necessary upgrade because Belkin is bricking my old WeMo device at the end of the month, a frustrating trend of "cloud-killing" hardware we've also seen from companies like Google and Nest. We also explored LEGO's "Smart Play" announcement, specifically the Smart Bricks featuring motion sensors and sound synthesizers coming to Star Wars kits in March. While Frank expressed concern that these pre-set sounds might stifle a child's imagination, Jon argued that such immersion helps LEGO stay relevant against competitors like Funwhole.
In the second half of our conversation, we looked at the evolution of e-ink, including the TCL "NextPaper" tablet, which uses 120Hz LCD technology to mimic a paper-like display. Frank explained that he prefers writing by hand on these devices for memory retention, while we debated whether the $2,000 Samsung Trifold is too bulky to be practical. I speculated that the thinness of the iPhone Air could be the precursor to a future Apple foldable. We were also quite interested in mobile accessories from Clicks, specifically the Power Keyboard with an integrated battery that Jon pre-ordered and the Communicator, a purpose-built Android device that restores the physical keyboard and SD card slot. To wrap up, we touched on the return of the Pebble Round 2 with its two-week battery life and Claude AI integration, the stair-climbing Roborock Saros vacuum, and the Rocket Smart Glasses which feature built-in diopter adjustments.
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By MobileViews - Todd Ogasawara
4.8
44 ratings
For this podcast, Jon Westfall and I are joined by guest panelist Frank McPherson to discuss the highlights and "worst of" picks from CES 2026. I shared my recent experience with the new Alexa.com browser interface, which showed impressive "vertical integration" when the AI automatically offered to recreate sunset triggers for my new Amazon Smart Switch. This was a necessary upgrade because Belkin is bricking my old WeMo device at the end of the month, a frustrating trend of "cloud-killing" hardware we've also seen from companies like Google and Nest. We also explored LEGO's "Smart Play" announcement, specifically the Smart Bricks featuring motion sensors and sound synthesizers coming to Star Wars kits in March. While Frank expressed concern that these pre-set sounds might stifle a child's imagination, Jon argued that such immersion helps LEGO stay relevant against competitors like Funwhole.
In the second half of our conversation, we looked at the evolution of e-ink, including the TCL "NextPaper" tablet, which uses 120Hz LCD technology to mimic a paper-like display. Frank explained that he prefers writing by hand on these devices for memory retention, while we debated whether the $2,000 Samsung Trifold is too bulky to be practical. I speculated that the thinness of the iPhone Air could be the precursor to a future Apple foldable. We were also quite interested in mobile accessories from Clicks, specifically the Power Keyboard with an integrated battery that Jon pre-ordered and the Communicator, a purpose-built Android device that restores the physical keyboard and SD card slot. To wrap up, we touched on the return of the Pebble Round 2 with its two-week battery life and Claude AI integration, the stair-climbing Roborock Saros vacuum, and the Rocket Smart Glasses which feature built-in diopter adjustments.