Exploring the Purpose of Tumbling Robots: Live from CES 2026
This year’s CES was quite the spectacle. Typically, this event is all about showcasing cutting-edge, high-priced TVs and flashy cars, but 2026 took a different turn. Instead, Las Vegas buzzed with fresh concepts surrounding familiar gadgets, revealing a treasure trove of impressive hardware that’s just waiting for software to catch up.
In this episode of The Vergecast, recorded live at the Brooklyn Bowl in Vegas, David and Nilay dive into some of the standout moments from the show. A big shoutout to everyone who joined us for drinks and bowling afterward — we had an awesome time with you all! We discuss the robots that seem to struggle with balance, the trend of companies branching out into new territories, the resurgence of quirky PC ideas, battery life concerns, and much more.
CES always shines a spotlight on individual products, and this year is no exception, featuring intriguing innovations like the Lego Smart Brick, the Clicks Communicator, and a plethora of robot vacuums filling the convention center. Some of these products will hit the market and impress, while others may not live up to the hype. (We even have a fun game in this episode about predicting their success.) However, if you look beyond the gadgets, you can start to grasp what the tech industry is prioritizing and how our lives might evolve in the coming year. It’s still early days, but 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year, and we already have some insights.
For those interested in diving deeper into our discussions and exploring more of our CES coverage, here are some links to kick things off:
* The Verge Awards at CES 2026
* CES 2026: The best tech announced so far
* The coolest laptops we saw at CES 2026
* Most dubious uses of AI at CES 2026
* The five best TVs of CES 2026
* The gap between premium and budget TV brands is quickly closing
* CES promises the robot butler, but delivers better Roombas instead
* What surprised us the most at CES 2026
* CES 2026 live: all the news, announcements, and innovations from the show floor and beyond
