Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast

CES 2026 Actually Has Some Bangers?

January 9, 2026

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  • Ellis upgraded his aging iPhone 12 mini to a new iPhone 17, highlighting the significant battery life and performance improvements experienced after jumping several generations. 
  • The ASUS Zenfone and ROG Phone lines are effectively discontinued for 2026, possibly due to the enthusiast gaming phone failing to convert mainstream users after softening its aggressive features. 
  • The announcement of the 'Pickle' AR glasses generated significant controversy due to highly ambitious claims (12-hour battery, wide FOV) and misleading marketing videos, underscoring the current trend of pre-announcing unproven technology to secure funding. 
  • Lego's introduction of smart bricks featuring Bluetooth, NFC, and various sensors, capable of reacting contextually within sets, was highlighted as the coolest announcement at CES. 
  • The Clix Communicator, a dedicated communication device with a physical keyboard and notification LED, represents a compelling, niche product that avoids direct competition with mainstream smartphones. 
  • The proliferation of 'AI' branding at CES is noted, contrasting with genuinely useful, non-AI tech like the Lego smart bricks and the practical utility of the vibrating ultrasonic chef's knife. 
  • The Clicks Communicator is a full Android phone requiring a separate phone number, intended as a companion or secondary device focused on communication apps like Slack and Telegram, rather than mirroring a primary phone. 
  • The Clicks Communicator features physical keyboard improvements, a headphone jack, Micro SD expansion, a fingerprint sensor on the spacebar, and a notification LED on the side button for visibility whether face up or down. 
  • The hosts initiated a 'Call Your Shot' prediction competition for the rest of the year, covering topics like product shipping delays (e.g., Tesla Cybertruck), future tech releases (e.g., iPhone Fold, Pixel 11 redesign), and potential product sunsets from Google (e.g., Google Assistant). 
  • The hosts engaged in a 'Price Is Right' style game, correctly identifying the price of a Lego Death Star set as $5.49, while another participant guessed $7.99 for a Hogwarts Castle set. 
  • The discussion briefly touched upon a potential new Lego Lord of the Rings set, the Battle of Minas Tirith, whose leaked price was questioned relative to the Death Star set. 
  • The bonus question revealed that the world's largest tire producer by volume is Lego, due to the sheer number of tires included in their sets, leading to a humorous tangent about the definition of a 'tire' and the 'doors vs. wheels' debate. 
  • The episode concluded with thanks to the audience for reaching 500K subscribers and a final mention of Seattle Ultrasonics in relation to boneless chicken wing production. 

Segments

Podcast Return and CES Preview
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(00:00:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts of Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast return for their first episode of 2026, planning to cover CES announcements, including AR glasses and holograms, alongside 2026 predictions.
  • Summary: The hosts, Marques, Andrew, and David, welcome listeners back after a holiday break to discuss a backlog of news, heavily featuring CES coverage. They specifically mention upcoming segments on the Pickle AR glasses and Clicks communicators. The episode is scheduled to conclude with their predictions for the year 2026.
Ellis’s iPhone Upgrade
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(00:01:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Ellis finally upgraded his failing iPhone 12 mini (64GB, purple) to a new Silver iPhone 17, noting the massive jump in performance and battery life.
  • Summary: Ellis detailed the demise of his iPhone 12 mini, which suffered from severe memory swapping issues causing the digitizer to crash frequently. He is now experiencing vastly superior battery life on the new device, claiming he rarely needs to charge it, even after heavy use.
Action Button and Camera Control Use
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(00:02:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Hosts have varied adoption rates for the iPhone’s Action Button and Camera Control features, with some finding Camera Control indispensable for exposure adjustments while others rely on the Action Button for productivity apps like to-do lists.
  • Summary: One host uses Camera Control constantly to adjust exposure in the native camera app, while another only used it initially to launch the camera before stopping. The Action Button’s utility is also debated; one host uses it to open their to-do list, while another found its initial use for Gemini voice mode obsolete.
Marques’ Hasselblad Camera Wait
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(00:10:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Marques received his Hasselblad X2D Mark II camera, ordered six months prior in August, after calling B&H Photo, suggesting that direct customer inquiry may expedite fulfillment for highly back-ordered items.
  • Summary: The order for the Hasselblad X2D Mark II and lens was delayed multiple times via automated emails spanning from September to January. Upon calling B&H, the representative claimed the item arrived that day and would ship immediately, leading Marques to suspect that calling prioritizes orders over automated queue processing.
Pixel At a Glance Toggle News
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(00:14:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Android QPR3 Beta 1 now allows Pixel users to finally toggle off the ‘At a Glance’ widget on the home screen, resolving a long-standing user complaint.
  • Summary: This news was noted as a significant win for Pixel users who had frequently complained about the inability to disable the feature. The hosts referenced past discussions where they anticipated this change would arrive soon.
ASUS Phone Line Cancellation
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(00:15:16)
  • Key Takeaway: ASUS has confirmed that the ROG Phone and Zenfone lines will not see new models in 2026, likely because the attempt to convert the ROG Phone into a mainstream device alienated its core gaming audience.
  • Summary: The discontinuation is described as indefinite for 2026, with the Zenfone effectively canceled after its last iteration did not match previous enthusiast models. The failure is attributed to the product trying to appeal to everyone, resulting in it appealing to no one, as enthusiasts rejected the softened features while mainstream users opted for other phones.
Pickle AR Glasses Deep Dive
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(00:17:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘Pickle’ AR glasses launch was characterized by extreme overpromising regarding specs (lightness, battery life) and misleading marketing videos, with the CEO later clarifying that much of the compute relies on a tethered smartphone.
  • Summary: Pickle claimed world-firsts like 12-hour battery life and extreme lightness, but critics pointed out these claims were impossible given current technology benchmarks set by competitors like Meta. The CEO responded by explaining a dual-chip architecture for standby vs. active use, but the biggest contradiction was the initial marketing suggesting a standalone device when it heavily relies on a connected phone for processing.
Critique of Startup Marketing Tactics
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(00:36:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Startups often use highly polished, Apple-like keynote trailers to sell a future vision of a product, which sets unrealistic expectations that lead to backlash when the initial, necessary 1.0 product inevitably underperforms.
  • Summary: The hosts argue that companies need to sell the vision to secure funding and early adopters, leading to misleading marketing that contrasts sharply with the reality of early-stage hardware. They contrast this with Meta’s more honest presentation of the Orion prototype, which set realistic expectations despite its flaws.
Trivia Question on ASUS Mobile Devices
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(00:48:04)
  • Key Takeaway: In 2013, ASUS offered two confusingly named mobile devices: the Asus Phone Pad (Fonepad) and the Asus Pad Phone (PadFone), where the latter was the fablet that docked into a tablet.
  • Summary: The trivia question centered on distinguishing between the Phone Pad and the Pad Phone, both released around 2013. The Pad Phone was the device that functioned as a smaller phone which could be inserted into a larger tablet shell, contrasting with the Phone Pad which was a tablet with phone capabilities.
Lego Smart Brick Announcement
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(00:53:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Lego announced smart bricks with integrated sensors, Bluetooth, and NFC that enable interactive sound and light effects based on proximity to other tagged pieces.
  • Summary: Lego revealed smart bricks that function as small computers, featuring microphones, light, and inertia sensors, communicating via a Bluetooth mesh network. Specific examples include a police car set reacting differently when a ‘robber’ or ‘cop’ minifigure approaches the smart brick. These first sets, launching in March, are noted for having no explicit AI integration, relying instead on programmed reactions.
Ugreen AI NAS Introduction
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(01:00:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Ugreen unveiled an AI NAS device that incorporates semantic search capabilities, effectively creating a personal, searchable Google Photos library for local storage.
  • Summary: The Ugreen AI NAS offers semantic search, automatic album creation, and file organization, addressing the ‘dumb’ file structure limitations of traditional NAS systems. This feature allows users to find files by describing content, similar to Google Photos, but maintains original quality uploads locally. The base unit starts at a high price point of $1,000 before drives are added.
41-inch Inkposter E-Paper Display
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(01:04:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The Inkposter 41-inch e-paper display features high-quality color reproduction and premium materials like an aluminum frame and Alcantara mat, despite its high $6,000 price.
  • Summary: This large-format color e-ink display is noted for its high resolution and density, surpassing previous color e-paper frames. The technology’s public introduction suggests prices for similar large e-ink displays may drop significantly within two to three years. The high cost and size position it as a luxury or commercial display item for now.
Corsair Stream Deck Keyboard
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(01:07:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Corsair integrated 12 customizable LCD buttons and two rotary dials into a keyboard, effectively merging the Elgato Stream Deck functionality directly into a peripheral.
  • Summary: The Corsair Galleon 100 SD keyboard includes a 5-inch LCD screen and customizable controls, similar to Razer’s early screen-key concepts but now focused on streaming utility. Priced at $350, it targets users who want to consolidate their streaming controls without needing a separate Stream Deck unit. The inclusion of rotary dials adds another layer of dedicated control functionality.
Razer Project Ava Hologram AI
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(01:08:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Razer’s Project Ava is a desk companion featuring a volumetric display powered by Grok, designed to act as an AI assistant and ‘backseat gamer’ for users.
  • Summary: The device is a cylindrical pod with RGB lighting and a volumetric display avatar, utilizing XAI’s Grok engine for interaction, including ’epic vulgar roasts.’ Hosts suspect the ‘3D hologram’ is likely a transparent LED panel rather than true light-field projection due to the complexity and cost associated with true holography. Razer is taking $20 reservations for a projected 2026 release, a pattern the hosts note is common for their ambitious CES concepts.
Samsung Timeless Frame TV
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(01:17:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Samsung unveiled a massive 130-inch Timeless Frame TV mounted on an easel-like structure, representing the extreme, high-cost, non-practical end of CES innovation.
  • Summary: This MicroLED TV is housed in a large, pivoting frame structure, making the entire apparatus potentially over 13 feet tall. The product exemplifies the large, expensive, design-focused TVs often shown at CES that require enormous living spaces. The segment also noted the trend of nearly every major TV manufacturer releasing their own version of a ‘frame TV’ this year.
Ultrasonic Vibrating Chef’s Knife
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(01:23:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The Seattle Ultrasonics C200 Chef’s Knife vibrates at 30,000 times per second to claim enhanced sharpness, featuring a removable battery pack and a $400 price tag.
  • Summary: This 8-inch chef’s knife uses ultrasonic vibration to reportedly glide through tough items like baguettes without serration, though it is not dishwasher safe (IP65 rated). The device includes a removable 1100 mAh battery charged via USB-C or an optional wireless charging magnetic mount. Despite initial skepticism, the demonstration of its cutting ability on bread generated significant interest among the hosts.
Lenovo Rollable Laptop Concepts
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(01:30:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Lenovo showcased the Scroll Book Pro, a laptop with a horizontal rollable display that expands outward to create an ultra-wide screen ideal for gaming or side-by-side productivity.
  • Summary: Following last year’s vertical rollable concept, this year’s horizontal version offers a unique form factor for immersive gaming or viewing wide content. Lenovo also presented a concept where the display rolls around the exterior of the laptop lid. These concepts demonstrate Lenovo’s continued exploration of flexible and dynamic display technology in portable computing.
Clix Power Keyboard and Communicator
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(01:35:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Clix released the Power Keyboard, a MagSafe/Qi2 compatible battery bank that slides out to reveal a physical keyboard usable across multiple devices, and the Communicator, a dedicated Android communication device.
  • Summary: The Power Keyboard solves the issue of needing a dedicated case keyboard by making it a modular, portable accessory that also charges the phone and can swap between paired devices like Apple TV or Vision Pro. The Communicator is a niche, square-screen Android device running Niagara Launcher, designed as an anti-social media companion phone with a physical keyboard and a notification LED, appealing to specific tech enthusiasts.
Clicks Communicator Functionality
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(01:43:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The Clicks Communicator requires a second phone number via its own SIM/eSIM and does not support number mirroring or forwarding from a primary device.
  • Summary: The device functions as a full Android phone capable of downloading apps like TikTok or YouTube. Its intended use is as a companion device for managing federated messaging apps or for users maintaining two separate phone numbers. Users answer messages on this device, and those actions sync across other signed-in platforms.
Clicks Keyboard and Features
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(01:47:25)
  • Key Takeaway: The Clicks Communicator’s wider, square screen allows for larger, potentially more comfortable physical keys compared to previous models, and it includes a headphone jack and Micro SD slot.
  • Summary: The physical keyboard keys are larger due to the non-21:9 aspect ratio, which might improve typing experience. The device supports voice-to-text with a press-and-hold function that sends the dictated text immediately upon release. Additional features include touch-sensitive scrolling on the keyboard acting as a trackpad and a fingerprint sensor located on the spacebar.
Clicks Pricing and Color Options
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(01:50:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The Clicks Communicator has a launch price of $499, with an early bird reservation price of $399, and includes two interchangeable back covers.
  • Summary: The reservation deposit is $200 to lock in the early bird pricing. The device body comes in white, green, and black, with replaceable back covers available in various colors like sea foam blue, burnt orange, and leather. The notification LED placement on the side button ensures visibility regardless of whether the phone is face up or face down.
2026 Tech Predictions Competition
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(02:00:11)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts initiated a ‘Call Your Shot’ competition where predictions for the rest of the year will be revisited later to tally correct answers based on a ‘closest without going over’ metric.
  • Summary: The first prediction question asked which announced product will not ship this year, with ‘Cyber Cab’ being an early suggestion. The group debated the definition of ‘shipping’ in the context of Tesla’s autonomous vehicles. They also predicted that the Honda/Sony EV car would not ship this year.
AI and Google Product Predictions
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(02:06:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts predicted Google would officially sunset Google Assistant and potentially kill YouTube Hype and Project Starline within the year.
  • Summary: The discussion highlighted frustration with current AI overviews in Google Search, noting inconsistent results even for the same query. One host shared a negative experience with Notion AI providing non-existent menu options, leading to a 0% helpfulness rating in their first attempt. The potential value of Notebook LM for Google’s training data was also noted.
Apple and Phone Color Predictions
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(02:09:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts predicted the Pixel 11 will receive a redesign, likely involving an updated camera visor, and that Apple will release a black Pro iPhone model.
  • Summary: There was consensus that the next iPhone Fold would likely be offered only in black or white initially. The group also speculated that Apple might bring back universally liked past colors like teal or purple for the standard iPhone line. Rose gold was suggested as a potential new color for the second-generation iPhone Air.
Final Trivia and Score Update
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(02:30:35)
  • Key Takeaway: The most expensive Lego set currently available for purchase is the Death Star, priced at $5,499, which secured one host a point in the trivia segment.
  • Summary: The trivia question concerned the most expensive Lego set available on the website, which was confirmed to be the Death Star. The final scoring update showed Marquez and David tied with 11 points each, while Andrew led with 14 points before the final trivia round. The correct answer to the ‘phone pad’ vs ‘pad phone’ technicality question was ‘phone pad’.
Lego Price Is Right Game
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(02:30:58)
  • Key Takeaway: The Lego Death Star set price was confirmed to be $5.49 in the ‘Price Is Right’ segment.
  • Summary: The hosts played a game guessing the price of Lego items, aiming to be closest without going over. One participant initially guessed $5.99 but confirmed the actual price of the Death Star set was $5.49. Another participant correctly guessed the price of the Imperial Star Destroyer set at $9.99.
Lord of the Rings Lego Set
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(02:32:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The Battle of Minas Tirith Lego set is anticipated, though its price is based on unconfirmed leaks.
  • Summary: The conversation referenced a Lord of the Rings Lego set, identified as the Battle of Minas Tirith. The hosts questioned how this set’s price could compare to the large Star Wars sets. The price information cited for this set originated from a leak, meaning the final cost is not yet official.
Bonus Question: Tire Producer
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(02:33:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Lego is the world’s largest tire producer by volume due to the tires included in their sets.
  • Summary: The bonus question revealed that the world’s largest tire producer by volume is Lego. This is because of the massive quantity of tires and wheels included across their product lines. The validity of Lego tires was debated based on whether they require air pressure to qualify as true tires.
Podcast Wrap-up and Thanks
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(02:35:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts thanked listeners for helping the podcast surpass 500,000 subscribers and set a goal for one million.
  • Summary: The hosts concluded the episode by noting the Seattle Ultrasonics machine is used to vibrate bones out of meat for boneless chicken wings. They thanked the audience for their support in reaching over 500,000 subscribers. The goal for the next milestone is set at one million subscribers.