What I Learned at the Biggest Show of the Year

It’s one of the most important weeks of the year. At least in the tech industry.

For many tech companies, the first full week of January can either make them…or break them.

That’s why I hit the ground in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to kick off 2026.

It’s a show I have circled on my calendar every year. And this year, over 4,100 exhibitors and 148,000 attendees flocked to the Vegas strip to for the show. 

CES isn’t just about seeing the hottest new devices. Like this 163-inch Micro LED TV from TCL.

It’s about learning more from companies shaping the future of tech. From consumer electronics, to the auto industry, to healthcare and so much more.

In fact, the show has so much to offer, it takes over all 4.6 million square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Plus all 2.5 million square feet of the Venetian Expo. Not to mention space at nearly every major hotel on the strip.

Over the years, I realized the best way to learn about an industry as an investor is to go meet the experts behind it. Talking with company executives and seeing or even trying out new products is a great way to learn about new trends.

Some of my biggest successes all had heavy influence from things I learned asking questions to experts. Then carefully listening to their answers. It’s far more valuable than just looking over financial statements from the comfort of my office.

In fact, Premium members of Strategic Trader have had some big wins from things I learned at CES. For example, years ago I met with a tiny company, Blink Charging. It makes electric vehicle charging stations.

At the time, the company was ramping up its operation. And chatting with the CEO and other executives at the company gave me insight I wouldn’t get anywhere else.

We recommended the Blink Charging warrants and Premium members cashed out with a 2,805% gain by the time we sold.

And more recently, artificial intelligence (AI) made a big splash at the show. Learning more about the trends in AI led to a number of recommendations in the space. That helped us have multiple triple-digit winners in various AI names.

This year’s show brought with it some new experiences and insights into where technology is heading. And trends across a number of different industries.

Like heavy-equipment manufacturers John Deere and Caterpillar.

At the John Deere booth, the company had one of its combines on display.

It also had a combine simulator, which I had a chance to try out.

Lets’ just say I won’t be hopping into the cab of an actual combine anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Caterpillar was showing off its new AI tool to help its customers learn how to better utilize their equipment.

The system can make suggestions on which equipment can help users potentially increase profit based on a number of factors.

That builds on the remote operating technology it was showing off at last year’s show. Something I got to try out for myself.

This year, I also got to see the future of gaming. Virtuix, an Austin, TX tech company, was there showing off its Omni One full-body virtual reality gaming system.

It allows you to essentially move freely in the gaming environment, Including running, jumping and a whole host of other movement. Users strap into the base and move around using a near-frictionless shoe attachment.

Then you strap on a VR headset and go.

If you’ve ever read the novel Ready Player One, or seen the movie, the system is similar to the one described in the book and movie. In fact, the Virtuix rep I spoke to told me the company supplied its system for use in the movie production. 

(If you happen to be an extreme gamer, you can buy the Omni One system today. The company sells them right now for about $3,500.)

If that’s not your thing, there were plenty of other fun things on display at the show. For all of you tennis enthusiasts, Acemate was showing off its tennis robot.

The $2,500 machine moves around the court, serving the tennis ball with varying speed. (You can see how it works in this video I took at the show.)

And for my own personal fun, I hopped into a Boeing 737 simulator.

As a private pilot – albeit flying Piper Warrior II single-engine planes – it was fun to get into this simulator for a far different experience.

Afterward, I talked to a good friend who happens to be a pilot for Delta.

He asked me how it went. When I told him I didn’t stick the landing, he said “That’s OK. You don’t stick the landing in a 737. You wrestle her to the ground and hope for the best.”

Needless to say, I won’t be changing careers to become a pilot…or actively looking to book flights on a 737 in the near future.

In any case, seeing and experiencing all that the show had to offer was great. There was far more there than I could possibly write about.

But it wasn’t all fun and games. It was also a learning experience to see what trends may be worth speculating on in the coming months.

In particular, there were a couple of trends that caught my eye. And I’ll tell you more about them in the next edition of The Strategic Edge.  Stay tuned!

Regards,

Editor, Strategic Trader