CES 2019: The Best Tech and Gadgets for Parents
The latest and greatest in parenting tech for the massive consumer electronics show.
The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) features more than 4,400 companies showing off their gadgets. It’s a huge event filled with robots, massive televisions, virtual reality rigs, and lots of cutting edge tech straight out of science fiction. There’s a lot to gawk at. This year was particularly big for parenting-focused tech. There was an 88 percent increase in applicants for the show’s baby tech award from last year, proving that parenting tech is a growing — and lucrative sector. From baby monitors to fertility trackers, these are the gadgets we think parents should know about.
Nanit Breathing Wear
Nanit, makers of a connected, overhead baby monitor, released two new garments, a Breathing Band and Swaddle. Both are adorned with special patterns of squares that allow the monitors to track a baby’s breathing rate and, most importantly, alert you when no breathing motion is detected. They’ll be available in single- and three-packs priced from $25, with a monitor, band, and swaddle bundle on sale for $379. They won’t hit the market until March, but you can sign up for the waitlist now on the company’s website.
Nurture by Imalac
A single day was all this breast massage system needed to hit its Kickstarter goal. It’s designed to mimic the hand expression technique commonly used to facilitate breastfeeding. The kit comes with a bra with special pockets for massaging cups that can be inserted before pumping. Moms can use the included controller or the Nurture by Imalac app to control the pressure, speed, and hold time of the massage. The company claims that its product can help women pump more milk more quickly and alleviate breast pain associated with pumping. It will be available in June for $299, but you can reserve one now with a free additional bra and a surprise item on Kickstarter for just $224.
Owlet Cam
Previously known for its smart sock, a wearable baby monitor that sends heart rate, oxygen levels, skin temperature, and sleep quality/position data to your phone, Owlet is back with a video baby monitor. It streams 1080p video, shot through a wide angle lens, and adds room temperature sensing and background audio to the Owlet app. The Cam ships on January 22 and will be available on its own for $149 and as part of a bundle with the Smart Sock for $399.
Coolpad Dyno
The blue and pink bands and whimsical UI on this smartwatch are designed to appeal to kids, but it’s been built with parents in mind. The watch’s integrated 4G-LTE connection works throughout the U.S. and Canada and enables parents to send and receive text and voice messages and create a list of other approved contacts who can do the same through the Dyno Companion app. There’s also a dedicated SOS button that’ll connect kids to an approved contact as well as GPS capabilities that lets parents see where their kids are and alert them when they leave customizable “safety zones.” The Dyno will be available for $149 on January 28.
Pinna
Pinna is a digital library of ad-free content designed for kids 12 and under. It’s a mixture of licensed material and original content. Examples include “The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel,” a serial mystery story performed by kids for kids 8 and older and “Molly and the Sugar Monster,” a paean to healthy food aimed at a younger crowd. Unlimited access to Pinna’s content library through iOS devices will run you $8 a month or $80 a year.
Miku
Similar to the Nanit, this baby monitor is a contactless way to stream video to your kids and measure their vitals (breathing rate, temperature, sleep quality). It also logs sound and movement throughout the night and there’s also a clever feature that lets you choose music or white noise for specified lengths of time. All this is packed into a svelte, bare white unit that sits above your baby’s crib. It’s available now for the sizable sum of $399.
Baby-Scan
The first sonogram at the OBGYN’s office is a big moment in any pregnancy. With the Baby-Scan, you can perform ultrasounds at home. The remote control-sized device feeds live 3D scans to the companion app using WiFi and places them on a timeline so you can scroll through your baby’s in utero development. It’s not the most necessary item in the world, but being able to safely take your own ultrasounds whenever you want is undeniably cool. Unfortunately, the Baby-Scan has yet to hit the market and the only details of its availability are “after CES 2019.”
Tempdrop
There were a good deal of fertility tracking devices released CES 2019. Among them was Tempdrop, an armband meant for women to wear at night that makes it less inconvenient way of knowing one’s stats. After two to three months, Tempdrop will have enough data to generate clear charts of a woman’s cycle to help trying parents make sure they’re maximizing your chances of getting pregnant. The Tempdrop will ship this month at a price of $149. This is bold: For an extra $40, buyers get a 12-month full refund guarantee if they don’t get pregnant in a year.
Ava Fertility Tracker 2.0
A new and improved version of Ava’s fertility tracking bracelet, the Ava tracker 2.0 is updated with a sleeker strap, better sensor performance, and a vibrating alarm. The company claims that, because it uses resting pulse rate, skin temperature, breathing rate, and other parameters instead of the traditional basal temperature method, it can let your wife know when she’s going to ovulate instead of when she just ovulated. The basic Ava is available now for $299, as is the plus version with online content and a one-year pregnancy guarantee, and a premium version that adds a consultation with a fertility coach for $699.
