You can’t shake a stick without hitting an AI gadget at CES this year, with artificial smarts now embedded in just about every wearable, screen, and appliance across the show floor, not to mention the armies of AI companions, toys, and robots.
Technology
Retirees lose millions to fake holiday charities as scammers exploit seasonal generosity
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The holidays are supposed to be a season of generosity, family and giving back. For many retirees, October through December is the time to support causes close to their hearts, whether it’s helping veterans, feeding families or donating to disaster relief. But there’s a darker side to this generosity. Scammers know that retirees are among the most generous members of our communities, and they exploit that kindness to line their own pockets.
Millions of dollars are stolen through fake “charities” that pop up just before the holidays. Their calls, letters and emails look legitimate, but the money never reaches those in need. Instead, it funds criminals who are ready to strike again.
Here’s what every retiree (and their loved ones) should know about holiday charity scams and how to protect their money, identity and peace of mind.
HOW RETIREES CAN STOP FAKE DEBT COLLECTOR SCAMS
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Scammers mimic real charities to pressure retirees into quick donations. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why retirees are prime targets for fake charities
Retirees often give more generously than other groups. Scammers know this, and they know how to tailor their pitch.
- Emotional appeals: Fraudsters will mention children, veterans or natural disaster victims to tug at heartstrings.
- Polite persistence: Retirees tend to answer calls and engage longer on the phone, which scammers see as an opportunity.
- Data exposure: Your name, age, phone number and even donation history can already be found online through data brokers. That means scammers don’t need to guess; they target you because they know you’ve donated before.
When you combine generosity with publicly available data, scammers see retirees as the “perfect donors.”
HOW SCAMMERS TARGET YOU EVEN WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA
Fake charity red flags
How do you know if a charity request is real or just a scam dressed up for the holidays? Look for these warning signs:
- Pressure to act fast: If a caller insists you donate “right now” or tries to guilt you into giving before you hang up, it’s likely a scam. Real charities welcome donations anytime.
- No details about how money is used: Authentic charities can explain where funds go. Scammers use vague promises like “helping the needy” without specifics.
- Untraceable payment methods: Requests for gift cards, wire transfers or peer-to-peer app transfers (like Venmo or Zelle) are instant red flags.
- Lookalike names: Fraudsters often invent names that sound similar to well-known charities, like “Veterans Hope Relief” or “Children’s Aid International.”
- Caller ID tricks: Scammers can spoof numbers to make it look like they’re calling from a local area code or even a real charity office.
How to safely check a charity before donating
Here’s how to protect yourself while still supporting the causes that matter to you:
- Research the charity’s name: Before donating, search it on sites like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance at give.org/. If it doesn’t appear there, that’s a red flag.
- Ask for written information: Real organizations will happily mail or email details about their mission, budgets and how donations are used.
- Verify tax-exempt status: Use the IRS Tax-Exempt Organization Search at Irs.gov/charities-and-nonprofits to confirm the charity is legitimate.
- Check how much goes to the cause: Some charities are real but inefficient, spending more on salaries than programs. Make sure your donation actually helps.
REMOVE YOUR DATA TO PROTECT YOUR RETIREMENT FROM SCAMMERS
Protecting your payment details
Even if the charity itself is real, you need to protect how you give:
- Use a credit card rather than a debit card because credit cards offer stronger fraud protection.
- Never give payment info over the phone if you didn’t initiate the call.
- Donate through the charity’s official website instead of clicking links in unsolicited emails.
- Keep records of your donations for tax purposes and to spot anything suspicious later.
The elderly must stay vigilant as holiday charity scams target older donors. (iStock)
Why removing your data online reduces charity scam calls
Here’s something most people don’t realize: many charity scams start with data brokers. These companies collect your personal details, such as age, phone number, donation history and even religious or political leanings, and sell them to anyone who asks. That means fraudsters can buy a ready-made list of “generous retirees who donate to veterans’ causes” and start calling immediately. The more information out there about you, the more personalized and convincing scam calls become. That’s why removing your data from broker sites is one of the most powerful defenses available to you.
The easy way to do it
Manually contacting hundreds of data brokers is a never-ending task. Each one has its own forms, emails and hoops to jump through, and many will re-add you months later. That’s where a data removal service comes in. They automatically reach out to data brokers on your behalf, demand the removal of your personal info and keep following up so it doesn’t creep back online.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.
HOW SCAMMERS EXPLOIT YOUR DATA FOR ‘PRE-APPROVED’ RETIREMENT SCAMS
Protect your personal information by donating only through verified official websites. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Kurt’s key takeaways
The holidays should be about joy, generosity and giving back, not about lining the pockets of fraudsters. By spotting the red flags of fake charities, double-checking where your money goes and removing your personal information from online databases, you can keep your donations safe and make sure they reach the people who truly need them. Remember: protecting your generosity is just as important as sharing it.
Have you ever been contacted by a fake charity during the holidays? What tipped you off? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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But those are just the beginning. We’ve seen AI pop up in much stranger places too, from hair clippers to stick vacs, and at least one case where even the manufacturer itself seemed unsure what made its products “AI.”
Here are the gadgets we’ve seen at CES 2026 so far that really take the “intelligence” out of “artificial intelligence.”
Glyde smart hair clippers
This is a product that would be silly enough without the AI add-on. These smart hair clippers help amateur hairdressers deliver the perfect fade by dynamically altering the closeness of the cut, helped along by an ominous face mask that looks like it belongs in an optician’s office.
But it’s taken to the next level by the real-time AI coach, which gives you feedback as you cut. Glyde told me it’s working on voice controls for the AI too, and that eventually it will be able to recommend specific hairstyles, so long as you’re willing to trust its style advice. Are you?
“Where Pills meet AI.”
That was the message emblazoned across the SleepQ booth, where company reps were handing out boxes of pills — a multivitamin with ashwagandha extract according to the box, supposedly good for sleep, though I wasn’t brave enough to test that claim on my jetlag.
Manufacturer Welt, originally spun out of a Samsung incubator, calls its product “AI-upgraded pharmacotherapy.” It’s really just using biometric data from your smartwatch or sleep tracker to tell you the optimal time to take a sleeping pill each day, with plans to eventually cover anxiety meds, weight-management drugs, pain relief, and more.
There may well be an argument that fine-tuning the time people pop their pills could make them more effective, but I feel safe in saying we don’t need to start throwing around the term “AI-enhanced drugs.”
Startup Deglace claims that its almost unnecessarily sleek-looking Fraction vacuum cleaner uses AI in two different ways: first to “optimize suction,” and then to manage repairs and replacements for the modular design.
It says its Neural Predictive AI monitors vacuum performance “to detect issues before they happen,” giving you health scores for each of the vacuum’s components, which can be conveniently replaced with a quick parts order from within the accompanying app. A cynic might worry this is all in the name of selling users expensive and proprietary replacement parts, but I can at least get behind the promise of modular upgrades — assuming Deglace is able to deliver on that promise.
Most digital picture frames let you display photos of loved ones, old holiday snaps, or your favorite pieces of art. Fraimic lets you display AI slop.
It’s an E Ink picture frame with a microphone and voice controls, so you can describe whatever picture you’d like, which the frame will then generate using OpenAI’s GPT Image 1.5 model. The frame itself starts at $399, which gets you 100 image generations each year, with the option to buy more if you run out.
What makes the AI in Fraimic so dubious is that it might be a pretty great product without it. The E Ink panel looks great, you can use it to show off your own pictures and photos too, and it uses so little power that it can run for years without being plugged in. We’d just love it a lot more without the added slop.
Infinix, a smaller phone manufacturer that’s had success across Asia for its affordable phones, didn’t launch any actual new products at CES this year, but it did bring five concepts that could fit into future phones. Some are clever, like various color-changing rear finishes and a couple of liquid-cooling designs. And then there’s the AI ModuVerse.
Modular phone concepts are nothing new, so the AI hook is what makes ModuVerse unique — in theory. One of the “Modus” makes sense: a meeting attachment that connects magnetically, generating AI transcripts and live translation onto a mini display on the back.
But when I asked what made everything else AI, Infinix didn’t really have any good answers. The gimbal camera has AI stabilization, the vlogging lens uses AI to detect faces, and the microphone has AI voice isolation — all technically AI-based, but not in any way that’s interesting. As for the magnetic, stackable power banks, Infinix’s reps eventually admitted they don’t really have any AI at all. Color me shocked.
There’s a growing trend for AI and robotic cooking hardware — The Verge’s Jen Tuohy reviewed a $1,500 robot chef just last month — but Wan AIChef is something altogether less impressive: an AI-enabled microwave.
It runs on what looks suspiciously like Android, with recipe suggestions, cooking instructions, and a camera inside so you can see the progress of what you’re making. But… it’s just a microwave. So it can’t actually do any cooking for you, other than warm up your food to just the right temperature (well, just right plus or minus 3 degrees Celsius, to be accurate).
It’ll do meal plans and food tracking and calorie counting too, which all sounds great so long as you’re willing to commit to eating all of your meals out of the AI microwave. Please, I beg you, do not eat all of your meals out of the AI microwave.
The tech industry absolutely loves reinventing the vending machine and branding it either robotics or AI, and AI Barmen is no different.
This setup — apparently already in use for private parties and corporate events — is really just an automatic cocktail machine with a few AI smarts slapped on top.
The AI uses the connected webcam to estimate your age — it was off by eight years in my case — and confirm you’re sober enough to get another drink. It can also create custom drinks, with mixed success: When asked for something to “fuck me up,” it came up with the Funky Tequila Fizz, aka tequila, triple sec, and soda. What, no absinthe?
Photo: Dominic Preston / The Verge
Should you buy your kid an AI toy that gives it a complete LLM-powered chatbot to speak to? Probably not. But what if that AI chatbot looked like chibi Elon Musk?
He’s just one of the many avatars offered by the Luka AI Cube, including Hayao Miyazaki, Steve from Minecraft, and Harry Potter. Kids can chat to them about their day, ask for advice, or even share the AI Cube’s camera feed to show the AI avatars where they are and what they’re up to. Luka says it’s a tool for fun, but also learning, with various educational activities and language options.
The elephant in the room is whether you should trust any company’s guardrails enough to give a young kid access to an LLM. Leading with an AI take on Elon Musk — whose own AI, Grok, is busy undressing children as we speak — doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
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The Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES, is the world’s largest consumer technology event, and it’s underway in Las Vegas. It takes over the city every January for four days and draws global attention from tech companies, startups, researchers, investors and journalists, of course.
CES is where many of the products that shape the next few years of consumer tech first appear. Think of it as a preview of what may soon land in our homes, hospitals, gyms and workplaces.
At CES 2026, flashy gadgets and robots are everywhere, but health technology is drawing some of the most attention. Across the show floor, companies are focusing on prevention, recovery, mobility, safety and long-term well-being. These 10 health tech products stole the spotlight in Las Vegas and hint at where wellness innovation could be headed next.
MARCH IS NUTRITION MONTH – HERE ARE 8 NUTRITION PRODUCTS THAT CAN HELP YOU LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFE
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CES 2026 put health tech front and center, with companies showcasing smarter ways to support prevention, mobility and long-term wellness. (CES)
The 10 health tech products turning heads at CES 2026
From AI-driven health insights to tools designed to reduce everyday risk, these are the health tech products people are stopping to look at on the CES 2026 show floor.
1) NuraLogix Longevity Mirror predicts your health in 30 seconds
NuraLogix introduced a smart mirror that turns a short selfie video into a snapshot of your long-term health outlook. The Longevity Mirror analyzes subtle blood flow patterns in your face using AI and scores metabolic health, heart health and physiological age from zero to 100.
Results appear in about 30 seconds along with clear explanations and recommendations. The AI was trained on hundreds of thousands of patient records, which helps translate raw data into understandable insights.
The mirror supports up to six user profiles. It launches in early 2026 for $899 and includes a one-year subscription. After this, the subscription costs $99 per year. Optional concierge support connects users with nutrition and wellness experts.
2) Ascentiz walking exoskeletons keep getting lighter and more practical
Ascentiz showed how mobility tech is shifting toward real-world use at CES 2026. The Ascentiz H1 Pro walking exoskeleton stood out for its lightweight, modular design, which reduces strain while supporting motor-assisted movement across longer distances.
The system uses AI to adapt assistance to the user’s motion and terrain, making it useful on inclines and uneven ground. A belt-based attachment system keeps the device compact and easy to wear, while dust- and water-resistant construction supports outdoor use in different conditions.
For users who need more power, Ascentiz also offers Ultra and knee or hip-attached models that deliver stronger assistance. Together, the lineup shows how exoskeletons are moving beyond clinical rehab and toward everyday mobility support.
3) Bambini Kids brings powered walking to pediatric rehab
Cosmo Robotics earned a CES Innovation Award for Bambini Kids, the first overground pediatric exoskeleton with powered ankle motion. It is designed for children ages 2.5 to 7 with congenital or acquired neurological disorders.
The system offers both active and passive gait training modes. Encouraging guided and natural movement helps children relearn walking skills while reducing complications linked to conditions like cerebral palsy.
NuraLogix’s AI-powered mirror uses a short selfie video to estimate heart health, metabolic health and biological age in about 30 seconds. (NuraLogix)
4) Sunbooster turns desk work into sunlight exposure
If you spend most of your day indoors, one of the wellness products drawing attention at CES 2026, Sunbooster, offers a practical way to replace a missing part of natural sunlight.
The device clips onto a monitor, laptop or tablet and projects near-infrared light while you work, without adding noise or disrupting your routine.
Near-infrared light is a natural component of sunlight linked to energy levels, mood and skin health. Sunbooster uses patented SunLED technology to deliver controlled exposure and tracks daily dosage, encouraging two to four hours of use during screen time.
The technology has been tested in human and laboratory studies conducted at the University of Groningen and Maastricht University, adding scientific backing to its claims. The company is also developing a phone case and a monitor with built-in near-infrared lighting, which could make sunlight replacement even more seamless in indoor environments.
SMART RINGS THAT CAN TRACK YOUR SLEEP, FITNESS, AND COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
5) Allergen Alert brings a pocket-sized lab to the table
Allergen Alert tackles one of the most stressful parts of eating out with food allergies. The handheld device tests a small food sample inside a sealed, single-use pouch and detects food allergens or gluten directly in a meal within minutes.
Built on laboratory-grade technology derived from bioMérieux expertise, the system automates the entire analytical process and delivers results without requiring technical knowledge. The company says the technology has attracted interest from highly demanding environments, including Michelin-starred restaurants, as a way to help reduce cross-contamination risk.
At CES 2026, Allergen Alert positioned the device as a tool designed to restore confidence and inclusion at the table. The mini-lab will be available for pre-orders at the end of 2026, with plans to expand testing to additional common allergens in the future.
6) Samsung Brain Health explores early cognitive changes
Samsung previewed Brain Health, a research-driven feature designed for Galaxy wearables that analyzes walking patterns, voice changes and sleep data to flag potential early signs of cognitive decline.
The system draws on data from devices like the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring to establish a personal baseline, then looks for subtle deviations linked to early dementia research. Samsung emphasizes that Brain Health is not intended to diagnose medical conditions. Instead, it aims to provide early warnings that encourage people and their families to seek professional evaluation sooner.
Samsung plans for future beta availability, but no public release date has been confirmed. At CES 2026, people can check out the feature during an in-person demo.
7) Withings BodyScan 2 turns a scale into a health hub
Withings is rethinking what a bathroom scale can do with BodyScan 2, which earned a CES 2026 Innovation Award. In under 90 seconds, the smart scale measures ECG data, arterial stiffness, metabolic efficiency and hypertension risk.
The connected app helps users see how stress, sedentary habits, menopause or weight changes affect cardiometabolic health. The focus shifts away from weight alone and toward early health signals that can be tracked over time.
An attendee sits for a one-minute UNO BrainBody health screening at the UNOVINS booth during CES 2026, an annual consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Jan. 7, 2026. (REUTERS/Steve Marcus)
8) Garmin Venu 4 focuses on health trends, not single stats
Garmin earned a CES Innovation Honore Award for the Venu 4 smartwatch. A new health status feature highlights when metrics like heart rate variability and respiration drift away from personal baselines.
Lifestyle logging links daily habits to sleep and stress outcomes. With up to 12 days of battery life, the watch supports continuous tracking without nightly charging.
RheoFit A1 delivers a hands-free, AI-guided massage experience designed to speed recovery after workouts or long days at a desk. (RheoFit)
9) Ring Fire Watch turns doorbells into wildfire sensors
Ring introduced Fire Watch, an opt-in feature that uses AI to detect smoke and flames from compatible cameras. During wildfires, users can share snapshots with Watch Duty, a nonprofit that distributes real-time fire alerts to communities and authorities.
It shows how existing home tech can play a role in public safety during environmental emergencies.
10) RheoFit A1 delivers hands-free AI recovery
RheoFit A1 may be the most relaxing health gadget at CES 2026. The AI-powered robotic roller glides beneath your body to deliver a full-body massage in about 10 minutes.
With interchangeable massage attachments and activity-specific programs, it targets soreness from workouts or long hours at a desk. The companion app uses an AI body scan to adapt pressure and focus areas automatically.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
CES 2026 showed how health tech is becoming more practical and more personal. Many of the products on this list focus on catching problems earlier, reducing everyday stress and helping people make better decisions about their health. From tools that flag potential health risks to devices that improve safety at home, the real shift is toward technology that fits naturally into our daily lives.
Which of these CES 2026 health tech products would you actually use first in your daily life, and what problem would it solve for you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Disney Plus will be getting a vertical video feed later this year, Disney announced as part of its Global Tech & Data Showcase for advertisers at CES.
Based on an interview with Erin Teague, Disney’s EVP of product management for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, Deadline reports that vertical video in the app could include “original short-form programming, repurposed social clips, refashioned scenes from longer-form episodic or feature titles or a combination.”
“Think all the short-form Disney content you’d want in one unified app,” Teague said onstage at Wednesday’s showcase. “Over time, we’ll evolve the experience as we explore applications for a variety of formats, categories, and content types for a dynamic feed of just what you’re interested in — from Sports, News, and Entertainment — refreshed in real time based on your last visit.”
Update, January 7th: Added quote from Disney’s Erin Teague.
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