The top products at CES cut through the noise of marketing tactics at the Las Vegas tech expo and showcase advancements that have the potential to enhance the quality of life.

A group of experts who specialize in imagining negative future scenarios have deemed certain actions or events as the most destructive for ourselves, society, and the environment. These have been labeled as “Worst in Show.”

On Thursday, the winners of the third annual competition that no technology company wants to be a part of were announced.

According to consumer and privacy advocates evaluating the awards, there are products such as lawn mowers that are vulnerable to hacking and $300 earbuds that will only last for two years. These products not only put our safety at risk, but also promote excessive consumption and disregard for privacy. It should be noted that this contest is not associated with CES or the organization that organizes the expo.

The decisions were determined by the level of uniqueness in the poor quality of a product, the potential impact it could have if widely used, and whether it was noticeably inferior to prior versions of comparable technology. The judges consisted of representatives from various organizations such as Consumer Reports, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and advocates for the right to repair, like iFixit.

Every year at CES, there is a significant emphasis on automotive technology. This year, carmaker BMW received two criticisms, one of which was related to their collaboration with Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa.

According to Amazon, a robust language model (similar to the ones used in chatbots such as ChatGPT) provides the basis for Alexa’s new “car expert” feature. This feature allows for efficient guidance and information on vehicle operations in a natural, conversational style, and even allows for actions to be taken on your behalf.

Having the ability to use Alexa to unlock the front door or switch off the porch light seems convenient.

However, what if the person speaking is a former partner who has a history of violence?

Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, commented on the alarming trend of individuals, often women, who use their cars as a means to escape abusive domestic situations, only to have their vehicles be used as tools for tracking and further abuse. This statement was made by Cohn, a judge for the “Worst in Show” award.

She stated, “Companies like Alexa, BMW, and others who are in competition to transform our cars into surveillance devices must guarantee that individuals can disable this feature.”

According to Jay Hanson, spokesperson for BMW Group, the voice assistant was created and provided with privacy as a top priority. Customers have the option to decide whether or not they would like to utilize it.

In an email on Thursday, it was stated that BMW and Amazon both prioritize maintaining trust and safeguarding privacy for their customers, which includes allowing them to have control over their data.

BMW is presenting augmented-reality glasses created by Xreal which have the ability to superimpose useful data and virtual elements onto your field of vision while driving. One judge described it as a potential cause of distracted driving and possibly opening the door to a future with obstructive advertisements.

According to Hanson, the demonstration of augmented reality at CES highlighted various potential ways it could assist or amuse individuals. However, BMW prioritizes the principle of reducing driver distraction when implementing these features for customers.

Sennheiser, a German company that specializes in audio electronics, debuted the latest model of its Momentum True Wireless earbuds. These headphones are renowned for their durability.

The CEO of iFixit, Kyle Wiens, believes that the new $300 earbuds go against the brand’s values by being too disposable. They have three individual batteries that are likely to stop working after a couple of years and are not easily replaceable.

The author suggests beginning with the sale of batteries and providing repair instructions. Afterwards, focus on simplifying the process of swapping the battery.

Sennheiser did not promptly reply to a comment request.

Nathan Proctor, the director of the national campaign for U.S. PIRG, a group that advocates for consumers, chose the new video advertisements for Instacart’s “AI-powered” shopping cart as his top pick for “Worst in Show”.

Some companies, including General Mills, Del Monte Foods, and Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, will be promoting on shopping carts in a trial run at Good Food Holdings’ West Coast locations.

The cart is equipped with cameras and sensors and features a screen that will display live suggestions, based on the items placed in the cart. For example, if a customer purchases cones, the screen may advertise ice cream.

Proctor stated that the system utilizes past purchasing patterns to promote unhealthy foods that have been previously bought. He also expressed frustration with the overwhelming nature of grocery stores and the exhausting task of navigating through promotions, questioning the reasoning behind making it even more difficult.

Instacart didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The prize for the most inadequate cybersecurity was awarded to Ecovacs, a company in China that makes robot vacuums. While robotic vacuums are not a new invention, Paul Roberts from Secure Repairs claims that their latest model, the X2 Combo, contains features that allow for invasive surveillance within homes. This includes cameras, microphones, LiDAR technology, voice recognition, and computer vision that can identify objects. Unfortunately, there is no assurance that the images or videos transmitted through the device are encrypted and safe from potential hackers.

Shanika Whitehurst from Consumer Reports stated that the title of “Worst in Show” for environmental impact was given to a smart kitchen appliance displayed at CES 2024. The $1,800 “macrowave” created by Revolution Cooking is a combination of a microwave and convection oven, but these trendy devices often have a short lifespan and promote the disposal of more basic appliances that people already possess.

She stated that incorporating electronics into appliances that are already working perfectly has a significant negative effect on the environment, as it necessitates a large amount of resources and energy.

Requests for comment from Revolution Cooking and Ecovacs went unanswered.

Source: wral.com