Skip to main content

Booth babes, banned sex toys, and other mishaps at CES 2019

With an event as big as the Consumer Electronics Show, there are bound to be mishaps. In fact, with more than 180,000 attendees from around the world descending on Las Vegas for the annual event, it’s surprising there aren’t more each year.

More CES 2019 coverage

Of course, nothing can top last year’s #blackoutgate, where rain caused a power outage in the Las Vegas Convention Center, skidding the show to a complete halt. Samsung, LG, and other hallmark booths were eerily black for about two hours until the Consumer Technology Association, which runs the show, was able to get electricity restored.

While there hasn’t been anything as big as a blackout this year, we at Digital Trends have seen a few flubs and missteps at CES 2019. Here are some highlights.

1. Booth bros

Here come the booth bros! #CES2019 #Pepcom pic.twitter.com/05U3zVfRaA

— Chris Fox (@thisisFoxx) January 8, 2019

At CES 2018, it was hard to miss the scantily clad cheerleaders at Pepcom greeting attendees, handing out schwag, and generally serving as eye candy for attendees. Organizers took some heat for the decision to include them last year, and this year they tried to compensate — poorly we must say — with “booth bros.”

This year, it was the dudely looking men in football uniforms who did the greeting and handing out of the schwag. While intentions might have been good, we found ourselves rolling our eyes again. Maybe it’s time to just drop the idea of having people dress up in costumes that reinforce gender stereotypes?

2. Booth babes

https://twitter.com/mollywood/status/1082788370202292224

In the past, “booth babes,” or attractive women sometimes wearing next to nothing, have been extremely common at booths at CES, where the majority of attendees are men. We will say this: We saw considerably fewer “booth babes” overall on the CES floor this year. But … they’re still around, albeit in a toned-down kind of way. This year, Nikon propped a scantily clad model on a pedestal so that people could test out the cameras by taking photos with her, and the cars area of the show had many. The CTA took steps this year to be more inclusive of women, which we appreciate. Let’s hope more exhibitors follow suit next year.

3. Approving, then booting, then reinstating a company that works with the cannabis industry

This guy @Joeyricard was the first to bring Cannabis to CES! Check out @diamond_cbd — vending machines for CBD. It’s in the middle of Smart Cities Expo #cannabistech #CES2019 pic.twitter.com/K237lsRDy4

— jfparina (@jfparina) January 9, 2019

This is such a weird story: Apparently, CloudPay, a retail automation and payments company that works with the cannabis industry, had been approved by the CTA for entry into the show and was setting up their booth on Sunday when a floor manager walked by and saw the word “weed” at their display. Shortly after, security came and told them to leave.

“Security came in and told us we had to take down our booth, and it had to be by the end of day. All of our stuff was going into the back, and could not be on the CES floor,” CloudPay CEO Joey Ricard wrote in a post on Medium.

Now, the CTA has never been a fan of cannabis tech, so it’s not really surprising. What is surprising, though, is that CloudPay sought, got, and paid for the right to be on the show floor. Despite this, the company was forced to tear down their booth. After hours of discussion with representatives of the CTA, it was allowed to return to the floor.

4. Giving, then taking away an innovation award for a women’s sex toy

so VR porn and female sex dolls are fine, but CES – which is held in las vegas – deems a groundbreaking vibrator for people with a clitoris "profane". how mysterious https://t.co/X33kJwmyrB via @dezeen

— india block (@indiablock) January 9, 2019

This one takes the cake. Apparently, the Ose Robotic Massager, a sex toy for women, was named an honoree in the robotics and drones category for the CES Innovation Awards. An independent panel votes on entries and when a device scores enough votes, it’s automatically an honoree.

The celebration for the women-owned company was short-lived, however, as after being notified they were given the award, the CTA revoked it on grounds that it apparently violated obscenity rules. At a show that’s historically showcased sex tech geared toward men, it’s more than a bit ironic.

CTA spokesperson Sarah Brown told The Verge that the award was revoked because “the product does not fit into any of our existing product categories and should not have been accepted for the Innovation Awards Program.”

We reached out to the CTA to try and understand how sex tech geared toward men is acceptable, but sex toys geared toward women are not. We’ll let you know if we hear back.

5. Fake news! Some media duped by a fake story about a robot/Tesla collision

According to Promobot, a number of robots were making their way to the booth around 7 p.m. when one of them stepped out of line and into the parking lot roadway. As it did, it was struck by a Tesla Model S operating in autonomous mode. The crash… https://t.co/wyaERyU9cw

— AGeekOnDemand.com (@AGeekOnDemand) January 11, 2019

On Tuesday, many media outlets, including Digital Trends, got an email about how an autonomous Tesla ran over a robot on the Las Vegas Strip, doing thousands of dollars worth of damage to the robot.

While red flags were raised here at Digital Trends (this story is way too good to be true, the editors agreed), other news outlets, including the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom, ran with the story. No one has come forward confirming it was a stunt, but a lack of a police confirmation kept us from reporting it.

Kim Wetzel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before joining Digital Trends as Home Editor, Kim was an adjunct journalism professor at Linfield College and high school…
These Anona smart home deals have us ready to install some new gear
Anona Home Security Black Friday deals hero

I always say one of the best places to start building your smart home is either with the garage -- via a smart garage door opener -- or a smart video doorbell. But another great addition is a smart lock. Why? Well, because it vastly improves the use of your front door and deadbolt. For example, you can issue temporary guest keys or passcodes to let people come and go, and then revoke them when necessary. No more leaving physical keys under a mat or pot. In another scenario, you might grant temporary access to a parcel delivery person so they can put your valuable package inside your home rather than leaving it on your doorstep. Pairing a smart lock with a video doorbell or security camera is even better because then you can see and communicate with who's at your door.

If all of this sounds enticing to you, you'll want to listen up. Smart home purveyor Anona has some excellent deals right now on its Holo WiFi smart lock and Aurora 4K security camera -- the perfect bundle for doing exactly as I've described. The Anona Aurora security cam won the Muse Gold Design award in the security category, meanwhile, the Holo smart lock takes just three minutes to install -- it's super easy. Okay, that sounds great, but what are the deals? Let's get to that, shall we?

Read more
Apple’s smart home display already sounds like a convenience victory
Nest Hub Max

Over the past few weeks, rumors of Apple developing a smart display for home control have picked up pace. The company is said to be developing two versions, and one of them might even feature a robotic arm and revive an iconic Mac’s design. 

Now, Bloomberg has shared some juicy details about how the entry-level option will look and work. The device will offer a 6-inch screen with a square-ish format flanked by sensors, including a FaceTime camera in landscape orientation. 

Read more
Serta Black Friday: Save up to $500 on Perfect Sleeper mattresses
Serta Perfect Sleeper huge mattress sale hero image

Staying in line with Serta's excellent mattress deals, the discounts are sticking around for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. What does that mean for you, exactly? Now's a great time to shop for a new mattress or upgrade your existing one. Everyone deserves a good night's sleep and with Serta's Perfect Sleeper mattress collection that's totally possible. They come in a variety of sizes, from Twin to California King, and in various designs so you can find your ideal setup. Imagine a firm, supportive mattress. Or, one that's excellent at regulating your temperature if you're a hot sleeper? Both of these scenarios are possible with the Perfect Sleeper collection and so much more. For Serta Black Friday you can expect to save up to $500 off select mattresses. Why not go take a peek?

 
What to shop in the Serta Black Friday sale on Perfect Sleeper mattresses?
Let's go over what versions of the Perfect Sleeper mattress are available: First, there's the Serta Perfect Sleeper X Hybrid, then the Serta Perfect Sleeper X Quilted Hybrid, Serta Perfect Sleeper Innerspring, Serta Perfect Sleeper Hybrid, and finally the Serta Perfect Sleeper Sleep Excellence. I know, things can get a bit confusing but each one offers a different experience and most are on sale.

Read more