CES offbeat gadgets: See a high-tech rubber duck, FaceTime for pets and more

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PetChatz is equipped with a camera and screen that turns on when pet owners call, allowing them to see their pet on video. A special ringtone summons the pet, which also can summon its owner through a button. The product will be on display at 2016 CES, which begins Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2016.

For months gearing up to CES, marketing companies sent hundreds of emails pitching products that will be on display at the show for cutting-edge technology. Emails include subject lines like "CES sneak peak - kill aliens, improve your vision with RightEye” (a product tracking vision performance) or "CES Premiere: Burn your favorite avatar into this piece of toast” (the tease for a gaming console with a real-wood veneer). The CES show, spread out in several properties near The Strip, features thousands of exhibitors all clamoring for the attention of nearly 170,000 attendees from more than 100 countries.

With CES officially starting on Wednesday, the Sun sorted through 400 emails to find several products that caught our eye. They range from a coffee machine that imprints foam images atop lattes to a product allowing pets to FaceTime with owners.

Edwin, the world’s most expensive rubber duck, $99

Billed as "the world’s first smart duck designed to make learning fun,” Edwin is interactive and made of a "soft, tactile silicone material.” The fully-submersible rubber duck syncs with an iPhone app to tell stories, play learning games and lead sing-a-long songs.

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Produced by Indiana-based pilab, Edwin is billed as "the world's first smart duck designed to make learning fun" and will be on display at the 2016 CES beginning Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2016. The submersible device syncs with an iPhone app to tell stories, play learning games and sing-a-long songs.

FaceTime for dogs, $350

PetChatz allows anxious dog and cat owners to call their animals while they are out. In order to make the system work, owners must install a PetChaz wall unit at their home. The unit is equipped with a camera and screen that turns on when owners call. A special ringtone summons the pet. A pet can also summon its owner through a button.

A solar-powered stove, $579

Flanked by two horizontal reflectors, the portable GoSun Stove claims to convert more than 80 percent of sunlight into heat, quickly reaching a temperature of 550 degrees. In turn, it allows users to “steam-fry” their food without using an fuel except for the sunlight. The company says its stove even works through clouds.

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Ohio-based GoSun says its portable solar stove converts more than 80 percent of sunlight into heat, reaching a temperature of 550 degrees. The product will be on display at 2016 CES, which gets underway Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2016.

Making art out of coffee, $1,000

It’s hard these days to scroll through an Instagram feed without seeing a picture of food. The manufacturer of the "Ripple Maker” wants to capitalize on that trend. According to a promotional video posted by the company, the machine allows baristas to print art, words or logos into the foam of a latte. An app debuting at CES will allow users to submit any image for use.

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The Ripple Maker, manufactured by Steam CC, allows baristas to print art, words or logos into the foam of a latte. The product will be on display at 2016 CES, which will be held Jan. 5-7 in Las Vegas.

An espresso machine for wine, $540

Think Keurig for alcohol. D-Vine offers wine at the perfect temperature and aeration. For wine connoisseurs who care about things like aromas, users can pour a prepared bottle of wine into the machine, which within a minute, spits out the wine at just the right temperature for the chosen vintage. It was created by three French entrepreneurs.

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D-Vine processes bottles of prepared wine and dispenses the drink at the ideal temperature and aeration. The product will be on display at 2016 CES, which gets underway Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2016.

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