Tesla finally did the damn thing. The company launched its hotly anticipated robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, June 22nd — and we’re now starting to see some of the first reactions roll in.
Technology
Top tech stealing the show at CES 2025
Get ready for some pretty cool innovations that are lighting up CES 2025, the world’s biggest annual tech event. From AI-powered smart glasses to revolutionary TVs and mind-blowing gadgets, this year’s show is proving that the future isn’t just knocking. It’s bursting through the door. We’ve scoured the show floor to bring you the most exciting tech that’s not just pushing boundaries but completely obliterating them.
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CES app (CES) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
1) Solar beach umbrella
Anker’s solar beach umbrella is way more than just shade. This umbrella is part of Anker’s SOLIX lineup and does something pretty unique. It charges your devices while you’re chilling outdoors. What makes it special? Perovskite solar cells that are seriously impressive. These cells are about 30% more powerful than traditional solar cells in bright sunlight and perform twice as well in low light. The umbrella can pump out 80 watts of power through USB-C and even has an XT-60 connection to power things like Anker’s new EverFrost electric cooler. So you could literally keep your drinks cold and your phone charged at the same time. While they haven’t announced the price yet, you can expect to see this tech to hit stores sometime in spring or summer.
Solar beach umbrella (Anker) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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2) Wireless earbuds with a case that sticks to the back of your phone
Artronic just unveiled Komutr, a super-slim set of wireless earbuds with a genius magnetic charging case that attaches right to compatible phones, chargers and accessories. The charging case is just 0.47 inches thick and is designed to stick to the back of your MagSafe-compatible phone. No more digging through bags or forgetting your earbuds at home. The case even has a clever flip-up lid that works as a kickstand for watching videos. These earbuds pack some serious battery power, up to 10 hours of listening time per charge and a total of 30 hours when you include the charging case. For those without MagSafe phones, Artronic promises “adjustable options,” but let’s be real: The magnetic attachment is where the magic happens. Want to get your hands on these? Mark your calendar for January 15th when preorders open. The Komutr will start shipping in May and will set you back $129. It’s not bad for a pair of earbuds that basically become one with your phone.
The Komutr earbuds (Artronic) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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3) Samsung’s new TV uses AI to serve up recipes
Have you ever binge-watched a cooking show and suddenly craved that exact dish? Well, Samsung’s got your back with Samsung Food, a mind-blowing TV feature that uses AI to recognize dishes on screen and instantly serve up their recipes faster than you can say “bon appétit.” The tech isn’t just about recipes. Samsung Food can track your grocery deliveries, build shopping lists from your fridge contents and even suggest meal plans. Samsung’s calling it the “ultimate AI sous chef,” and honestly, they might be onto something. Sure, the AI won’t actually cook for you (bummer, right?). But for wannabe home chefs who get inspired by every cooking show and movie, this could be a total game-changer. Just don’t blame Samsung if you end up spending more time watching cooking shows than actually cooking. Of course, you’ll need a 2025 Samsung TV to access this culinary magic. Samsung Food will be available on the QN90F, QN80F and QN70F model TVs.
Samsung Food app (Samsung) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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4) Robot vacuum tidies more than just floors
The Roborock Saros Z70 is changing the game by doing what most robot vacuums can’t: intelligently handling stray items. When a sock or pair of underwear drops on the floor, this smart device doesn’t just push them around or get stuck. Instead, it extends a hidden mechanical arm, carefully moving the items to a designated area, keeping your space neat and preventing cleaning interruptions. Robot vacuums have evolved from simple floor cleaners to intelligent assistants that can navigate around obstacles, handle pet hair and now even manage misplaced clothing.
Saros Z70 (Roborock) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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5) LeafyPod, the smart planter that listens
Ever wished your leafy friends could tell you exactly what they need? Well, get ready to have your mind blown because LeafyPod is here to turn that dream into reality. This nifty little gadget has all sorts of high-tech sensors that keep an eye on things like soil moisture, light and humidity. LeafyPod uses its AI smarts to figure out exactly how much water your plant needs and doles it out accordingly. No more drowning your poor succulents. LeafyPod’s water reservoir can keep your green buddies hydrated for up to four weeks. That’s right. You can finally take that monthlong vacation without coming home to a jungle of crispy leaves. It’s like having a tiny plant whisperer right in your living room.
Smart planter (LeafyPod) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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6) The lawnmower that tackles any terrain
The Lymow One is a beast. With its “Savage Traverse System” of tank-like tracks, this robot mower isn’t playing around. It chews through leaves, pine cones and small branches like they’re nothing, using powerful mulching blades and a centrifugal fan to keep things tidy. Pet owners, relax. Its advanced obstacle recognition means Fluffy and Fido stay safe while this lawn-taming machine does its work. It’s basically a robotic landscaper that turns your yard into a perfectly manicured paradise. However, it doesn’t come cheap. It will set you back $3,000.
Robot mower (Lymow) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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7) Mirokaï: The humanoid robot ready to revolutionize service
The Mirokaï robot from Enchanted Tools is turning heads at CES 2025, offering a unique blend of utility and charm. This humanoid robot is designed to excel in various professional settings, from health care to hospitality, with the ability to perform tasks like moving equipment in hospitals, providing customer service and offering guidance. Drawing crowds at the event, the Mirokaï showcases how characterful robots can reshape interactions in workplaces and service environments, promising a future where technology meets human-like engagement.
The Mirokaï robot (Enchanted Tools) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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8) Halliday’s smart glasses
Halliday’s smart glasses are making waves at CES 2025 with their innovative “DigiWindow” technology, featuring a 3.5-inch private display positioned in the upper-right corner of your vision that remains completely invisible to others. Weighing just 35 grams, these lightweight glasses are designed to look like traditional eyewear while packing cutting-edge technology. The unique near-eye display projects directly onto the user’s retina, offering a proactive AI assistant that can summarize meetings, provide real-time translations, handle notifications and offer turn-by-turn navigation. Priced between $399 and $499, the glasses are expected to ship by the end of Q1 2025 and can be controlled through voice commands, a frame interface or a smart ring with a trackpad. Halliday’s smart glasses support prescription lenses and boast an impressive eight-hour battery life.
Smart glasses (Halliday) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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9) Bird Buddy unveils innovative garden monitoring camera
Bird Buddy’s innovative new camera is designed to transform how gardeners interact with their outdoor spaces. The Petal camera offers users a comprehensive view of plant life and insect activity through a sleek, intelligent device. Featuring 4K resolution and advanced AI recognition technology, the camera allows users to live stream garden interactions directly to their smartphones with unprecedented clarity and detail. The device comes with an optional solar panel, ensuring continuous operation without the need for frequent battery changes. Users can expect to track and identify various insect and plant interactions, turning their garden into a dynamic, observable ecosystem. Bird Buddy plans to launch the Petal camera on Kickstarter this spring, continuing their mission of connecting technology with nature in engaging and user-friendly ways.
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Garden monitoring camera (Bird Buddy) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
10) Mirumi: The adorable bag-clinging robot that steals hearts
Mirumi is a charming clip-on robot that transforms an ordinary bag into an interactive experience. This furry companion from Yukai Engineering spontaneously turns its head, mimicking a shy infant’s curiosity. Unlike complex AI robots, Mirumi offers pure, simple charm; it doesn’t speak, move independently or require advanced programming. When your bag moves, Mirumi peeks around; if someone approaches too quickly, it bashfully turns away. Priced at an affordable $70 and launching via crowdfunding in mid-2025, this little robotic mascot is less about technological complexity and more about bringing a smile to your face.
Mirumi the bag-clinging robot (Yukai Engineering) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Kurt’s key takeaways
From Halliday’s discreet smart glasses to Samsung’s AI-powered TVs and Roborock’s intelligent vacuum, this year’s show is proving that innovation knows no limits. These aren’t just products; they’re glimpses into a future where technology becomes a seamless, intelligent extension of our daily lives.
So, which of these innovations has you counting down the days until they hit the market? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Samsung’s summer Unpacked is officially on, starting at 10AM ET on Wednesday, July 9th. The invitation features a jazzy little bop and the words “Ultra Unfolds,” so I think it’s safe to assume we’re getting that foldable Ultra phone the company previously hinted at.
The invitation seems to suggest a thinner device, or at least that’s how I’m reading it. That would line up with some of the rumors, and super-thin foldables has certainly been a trend so far this year. I’ve wedged plenty of chunky foldables into the side pocket of my yoga pants, so I for one would welcome this development.
Per usual, Samsung is offering a little incentive to reserve a device for pre-order ahead of the big reveal: $50 in credit to use at Samsung.com. That’ll cover a chunk of the cost of a case for a foldable phone, which run between $85 and $100 for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 on Samsung’s website right now. If the Ultra comes with an Ultra price tag, it might be worth shelling out a little more to protect it from the wear and tear of daily use. Just a little free advice.
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Lately, I’ve had way too many calls on my shows from people who have lost thousands (sometimes hundreds of thousands) to scams. These are so cleverly evil, it’s like Ocean’s Eleven but starring a dude with three Instagram followers and a ChatGPT subscription.
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You see, we’re way past scam emails from sketchy Nigerian princes. Today’s scams are slick, personalized and powered by scary-good tech like AI voice cloning and deepfakes. And yep, people fall for them every single day.
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Here are today’s scummy front-runners, plus how to protect your cash, pride and sanity:
Scam calls – employing things like AI voice clones – are becoming all too common these days. (Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
1. The AI voice clone
This one’s horrifying because it sounds like someone you trust. Scammers grab a clip of your child’s, spouse’s, boss’ voice from social media, podcasts or even your voicemail.
Then they call your mom, your grandpa, your partner: “Hi, it’s me. I’m in big trouble. I need money. Don’t tell anyone.” It’s not them. It’s AI. And it works because it feels real.
Anthony in Los Angeles was deceived by scammers who used AI to replicate his son’s voice. Believing his son was in distress, Anthony transferred $25,000 to the fraudsters.
If you get a call like this, call or text the person. Try someone they live or work with.
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2. ‘Your bank account’s frozen’
You get a text or call from your “bank,” and the number looks legit. They say your account is locked due to suspicious activity and you need to confirm your info.
Stop right there. That link? Fake. The person on the phone? Also fake.
Charles in Iowa lost over $300,000. Always open your bank’s app or type the web address in yourself. Never tap the link they send.
Phony claims of frozen bank accounts and crypto-crazy online “friends” are other ways scammers have found to cause financial grief. (iStock)
3. Crypto investment ‘friend’
This starts on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. Someone friends you, chats you up, gains your trust, then casually mentions they’re making a fortune in crypto.
They even offer to show you how. Suddenly you’re handing over money or access to a wallet, and poof, it’s gone. A couple in Georgia lost $800,000 after falling victim to a cryptocurrency scam. Just because someone’s friendly doesn’t mean they’re honest.
Don’t fall for a stranger friending you on social media. If you’re lonely, volunteer somewhere.
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4. Gold bar scam
You get a call from someone claiming to be with the FBI or your bank’s fraud team. They say your money’s at risk, and you need to withdraw it, convert it into gold bars and turn it over for “safekeeping.”
A 72-year-old retiree from New Hampshire was scammed into purchasing $3.1 million worth of gold bars and turned it over to the scammer. Yes, it sounds insane, but it’s happening, and people are losing everything. Come on, you know that real law enforcement doesn’t operate this way.
Calls claiming you need to convert money to gold are an out-there, but real, threat. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
5. Vet emergency
A neighbor’s crying. Your dog’s been hit by a car. They rushed your fur baby to the vet and paid the bill. You owe them $1,200. But wait … your pup is fine, snoring on the couch.
You’ve been pet-shamed into Venmoing a scammer.
If any of this sounds familiar, your gut is whispering danger or you’re not sure what might be happening in a situation, reach out to me. I’ll help you figure out what’s real and what’s a scam. Better to ask than get burned. I won’t judge you, I promise.
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But first, we have to get a few important caveats out of the way. Tellingly, the service is not open to the general public, nor is it completely “unsupervised,” as Elon Musk once promised. The vehicles will include Tesla-employed “safety monitors” in the front passenger seat who can react to a dangerous situation by hitting a kill switch. Other autonomous vehicle operators would place safety monitors in the driver or passenger seats, but typically only during the testing phase. Tesla is unique in its use of safety monitors during commercial service.
The rides are limited to a geofenced area of the city that has been thoroughly mapped by the company. And in some cases, Tesla is using chase cars and remote drivers as additional backup. (Some vehicles have been spotted without chase vehicles.)
The service is invite only at launch, according to Tesla’s website. A number of pro-Tesla influencers have received invites, which should raise questions about how unbiased these first critical reactions will be. Tesla hasn’t said when the service will be available to the general public.
The limited trial includes 10-20 Model Y vehicles with “Robotaxi” branding on the side. The fully autonomous Cybercab that was first revealed last year won’t be available until 2026 at the earliest. The service operates in a small, relatively safe area of Austin from 6AM to 12AM, avoiding bad weather, highways, airports, and complex intersections.
Despite those hours, the robotaxi service seems to have gotten off to a slow start. Several invitees had yet to receive the robotaxi app by 1PM ET on Sunday. Sawyer Merritt, who posts pro-Tesla content on X, said he saw 30 Waymo vehicles go by while waiting for Tesla’s robotaxi service to start. Musk posted at 1:12PM that the service would be available later that afternoon, adding that initial customers would pay a “flat fee” of $4.20 for rides — a weed joke with which Musk has a troubled history.
While riders waited, the company published a new robotaxi page to its website detailing a lot of the rules and guidelines of the service. Visitors are invited to sign up for updates about when Tesla’s robotaxi service may come to their area. (Musk has said there could be up to a thousand robotaxis on the road “in a few months.”)
After finally being granted access to the app, Merritt posted an image of the service area map, which appeared to cover a small area bordered by the Colorado River to the north, Highway 183 to the east, Highways 290 and 71 to the south, and Zilker Part to the west.
And then the rides began — and they appeared to be mostly uneventful. Several invitees livestreamed themselves summoning their first cars, interacting with the UI, and then arriving at their destination. Several videos lasted hours, as the invitees would conclude a trip and then hail another car immediately after. One tester, Bearded Tesla Guy, described the app’s interface as “basically Uber.” Many had some difficulty finding the pickup location of their waiting Tesla robotaxi.
“This is like Pokemon hunting,” one person on Herbert Ong’s livestream said, “but its robotaxi hunting.”
Once inside, the Tesla-employed safety monitor would ask the riders to show their robotaxi apps to prove their identities. Otherwise the safety monitors kept silent throughout the ride, despite riders trying to get them to talk. I’m assuming that Tesla will need to come up with some other way to identify their riders if they plan on removing the safety monitors from the passenger seat. Waymo, for example, asks customers to unlock their vehicle through the ridehail app.
The rear screen instructs the riders to fasten their seatbelts, and after pressing an animated “start ride” button, the vehicle gets underway. Riders can also start the ride from a similar button in the app. Since riders are registering for the robotaxi app using their preexisting Tesla profiles, they’re greeted with their preferred music apps on the rear screen with all their playlists and saved tracks.
The front display shows a visualization similar to consumer vehicles using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature — even though Musk had said the robotaxis are running on a special version of FSD that’s not available to the average Tesla owner. There are “pull over,” “stop in lane,” or “support” buttons on the center display. Another tester, Chuck Cook, said the visualization lacked some of the controls that a normal Tesla might have.
Pressing the support button places the rider in a queue as they wait for the remote operator to connect. On Cook’s livestream, it took approximately two minutes before an operator finally connected. “We appreciate you calling in,” the operator said (though the cellular connection was poor). “We’re here for any issues to support your ride.”
Throughout the various trips, the robotaxis encountered a bevy of normal situations, like U-turns, speed bumps, pedestrians, construction, and more. The vehicles maintained speeds of about 40 mph or slower. Common words to describe the ride was “smooth,” “great,” and “normal.” One tester said on X that they got the robotaxi to “mess up” in a way that required the remote operator to help out — though they declined to describe it as a disengagement.
Ashok Elluswamy, the head of the company’s self-driving team, posted a photo of several dozen people in a room with 10 large monitors on the wall showing live camera feeds from several vehicles. “Robotaxi launch party,” Elluswamy wrote.
Where Tesla goes from here is the real challenge. Musk has said he also wants to launch a robotaxi service in California, where the regulatory process is a lot more complex than Texas. And even though he has said he wants to take things slow, he also claims that Tesla will have over a thousand driverless vehicles on the road “within a few months.”
Meanwhile, Waymo is operating more than 1,500 driverless vehicles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin — with plans to expand to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC in the near future. The Alphabet-owned company has said it will grow its fleet to 2,000 vehicles by next year.
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