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Did you see that?! Tour the blockbuster booths of CES 2019

This year, CES spans 2.75 million square feet of exhibit space in Las Vegas. That’s about 63 acres, 48 football fields, or way more lawn than you would ever want to mow. Fill that space with 4,500 exhibitors, and you really need to do something special to stand out.

Fortunately, companies rise to the occasion every year. Follow the crowds, and you’ll find the blockbuster booths of CES, where people flock to be amazed, intrigued, and inspired. They may not always have the best products of CES, but they sure as hell put on a good show.

CES 2019 Booth Bell
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Bell

When a helicopter company comes to CES, you know it’s bringing something special. Bell delivered with the Nexus, a concept flying taxi that absolutely bowled us over when we stumbled upon it. As the eight-foot rotors swivel forward, it’s like a sci-fi prop come to life. Where can we put a down payment?

CES 2019 Booth LG
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LG

LG never fails to put on a show, and this year was no exception. A cascading wall of OLED televisions wraps up and around visitors like a massive wave, playing a loop of nature footage that showers the entire space with light. Sorry, photos can’t quite do it justice.

CES 2019 Booth Samsung
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Samsung

Spanning 219 inches, Samsung’s Micro LED televisions outshine anything else on the show floor. Literally. When footage of the sun pops up on this monster television, you can see people shielding their eyes.

CES 2019 Booth Furrion
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Furrion

How did they do that? When you see this 78-foot yacht inside a building, it’s impossible not to wonder. As it turns out, it takes a custom-built semitrailer and a police escort to move this sucker on land. We don’t envy the guy driving that rig, but after exploring the tech inside, we certainly envy whoever ends up buying this thing.

CES 2019 Booth Google
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Google

Google tripled the footprint of its exhibition space this year, and you can see why: The number of products with Google Assistant built in has become absolutely dizzying. As if the museum-size collection of smart gadgetry on the ground floor wasn’t enough, the upstairs featured an amusement park-style ride that shows riders the possibilities of Google Assistant. Yes, seriously.

ces-2019-booth-audi
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Audi

Classy cars deserve a classy booth, and Audi knows how to pull it off. Huge curtains of LED lights encircle an elevated platform bedecked with the latest concept vehicles, including one that uses hydraulic struts to fake movement for a VR ride. They probably could have picked a better floor material, though. After enough falls on the slippery white plastic, Audi had someone barking at showgoers to use the railings.

CES 2019 Booth Sony
Digital Trends

Sony

Sony’s predictably dry press conferences somehow continue to get worse every year, but its booth sure is pretty. A giant Sony logo upfront beckons for selfies, and stacked shipping crates around the outside create room for product experiences. Of course, Sony isn’t shy about leveraging its celebrity ties to keep its staged stocked with a rotating cast of directors, photographers, musicians, and other stars.

Photos: Nick Mokey & Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

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Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Editor in Chief, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team covering every gadget under the sun, along with…
EVs top gas cars in German reliability report — but one weak spot won’t quit
future electric cars 2021 volkswagen id4 official 32

Electric vehicles are quietly crushing old stereotypes about being delicate or unreliable, and the data now backs it up in a big way. According to Germany’s ADAC — Europe’s largest roadside assistance provider — EVs are actually more reliable than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. And this isn’t just a small study — it’s based on a staggering 3.6 million breakdowns in 2024 alone.
For cars registered between 2020 and 2022, EVs averaged just 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, while ICE cars saw more than double that, at 10.4 per 1,000. Even with more EVs hitting the road, they only accounted for 1.2% of total breakdowns — a big win for the battery-powered crowd.
Among standout performers, some cars delivered exceptionally low breakdown rates. The Audi A4 clocked in at just 0.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for 2022 models, with Tesla’s Model 3 right behind at 0.5. The Volkswagen ID.4, another popular EV, also impressed with a rate of 1.0 – as did the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross at 1.3. On the flip side, there were some major outliers: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 showed a surprisingly high 22.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for its 2022 models, while the hybrid Toyota RAV4 posted 18.4.
Interestingly, the most common issue for both EVs and ICE vehicles was exactly the same: the humble 12-volt battery. Despite all the futuristic tech in EVs, it’s this old-school component that causes 50% of all EV breakdowns, and 45% for gas-powered cars. Meanwhile, EVs shine in categories like engine management and electrical systems — areas where traditional engines are more complex and failure-prone.
But EVs aren’t completely flawless. They had a slightly higher rate of tire-related issues — 1.3 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles compared to 0.9 for ICE cars. That could be due to their heavier weight and high torque, which can accelerate tire wear. Still, this trend is fading in newer EVs as tire tech and vehicle calibration improve.
Now, zooming out beyond Germany: a 2024 Consumer Reports study in the U.S. painted a different picture. It found that EVs, especially newer models, had more reliability issues than gas cars, citing tech glitches and inconsistent build quality. But it’s worth noting that the American data focused more on owner-reported problems, not just roadside breakdowns.
So, while the long-term story is still developing, especially for older EVs, Germany’s data suggests that when it comes to simply keeping you on the road, EVs are pulling ahead — quietly, efficiently, and with far fewer breakdowns than you might expect.

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You can now lease a Hyundai EV on Amazon—and snag that $7,500 tax credit
amazon autos hyundai evs lease ioniq 6 n line seoul mobility show 2025 mk08

Amazon has changed how we shop for just about everything—from books to furniture to groceries. Now, it’s transforming the way we lease cars. Through Amazon Autos, you can now lease a brand-new Hyundai entirely online—and even better, you’ll qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit if you choose an electric model like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, or Kona EV.
Here’s why that matters: As of January 2025, Hyundai’s EVs no longer qualify for the tax credit if you buy them outright, due to strict federal rules about battery sourcing and final assembly. But when you lease, the vehicle is technically owned by the leasing company (Hyundai Capital), which allows it to be classified as a “commercial vehicle” under U.S. tax law—making it eligible for the credit. That savings is typically passed on to you in the form of lower lease payments.
With Amazon’s new setup, you can browse Hyundai’s EV inventory, secure financing, trade in your current vehicle, and schedule a pickup—all without leaving the Amazon ecosystem.
It’s available in 68 markets across the U.S., and pricing is fully transparent—no hidden fees or haggling. While Hyundai is so far the only automaker fully participating, more are expected to join over time.
Pioneered by the likes of Tesla, purchasing or leasing vehicles online has been a growing trend since the Covid pandemic.
A 2024 study by iVendi found that 74% of car buyers expect to use some form of online process for their next purchase. In fact, 75% said online buying met or exceeded expectations, with convenience and access to information cited as top reasons. The 2024 EY Mobility Consumer Index echoed this trend, reporting that 25% of consumers now plan to buy their next vehicle online—up from 18% in 2021. Even among those who still prefer to finalize the purchase at a dealership, 87% use online tools for research beforehand.
Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study reveals that while 86% of U.S. consumers still want to test-drive a vehicle in person, digital tools are now a critical part of the buying journey.
Bottom line? Amazon is making it easier than ever to lease an EV and claim that tax credit—without the dealership hassle. If you're ready to plug in, it might be time to add to cart.

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Humanoid robots race against humans at unique half-marathon in China
A humanoid robot running in a half marathon.

You may have seen robots dancing like the music icon Mick Jagger, doing parkour, or even painting on a canvas. Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot is eagerly anticipated, while Google and Meta are also planning to enter the field. The competition in the East, however, is on a different level altogether.

China just put humanoid robots to the test in the world’s first race of its kind, where they ran alongside humans in a half-marathon. A total of 21 robots lined up for the event in the Yizhuang half-marathon, following a long spell of supervised learning on roads. 

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