Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

TiVo is back...sort of. Xperi, the owner of the TiVo brand as of 2019, announced at CES 2025 that TiVo OS will be available in the US for the first time on Sharp TVs. The storied TV brand was last seen stateside as the TiVo Stream 4K, a $50 streaming dongle. This new software push makes TiVo the main interface of participating affordable TVs, and puts it in direct competition with Roku's operating system."The Sharp Smart TV Powered by TiVo" is a pretty standard TV for 2025, with an "Ultra High Definition and High Dynamic Range 55" QLED screen," according to Xperi, and three HDMI ports for connecting various accessories. It's big differentiator is TiVo OS. The operating system aggregates content from streaming services, linear TV channels, and sports packages, and gives users access to "a vast library of free and paid content," Xperi says. The OS also supports "natural voice navigation" and "advanced search and recommendation capabilities." Nothing too revolutionary when compared to the competition, but TiVo's at least known for making user-friendly ways of navigating TV content.TiVo OS was originally announced in 2022, but TVs using the operating system didn't start shipping until 2023, and only in Europe. Sharp's TV will be the first new TiVo product in the US since the launch of the TiVo dongle. It doesn't exactly feel like a triumphant return, but to a certain kind of home theater aficionado, the TiVo name still means a lot, and Sharp is poised to take advantage of it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/tivo-os-is-coming-to-the-us-on-sharp-tvs-213938244.html?src=rss

During CES 2025, I had a chance to check out a demo of the way Google is integrating Gemini capabilities into its smart home platform via devices like the Nest Audio, Nest Hub and Nest Cameras. The main takeaway is that the conversations you have with the Google Assistant will feel more natural. Personally, I'd appreciate being able to ask questions as they pop in my head, without having to formulate some Assistant-friendly sentence before speaking - what I saw makes me feel like my wish could come true. To kick things off, you'll still say "Hey Google," but for follow-up questions you can skip the prompt and the Assistant will be able to hold on to the thread of your conversation. During the demonstration, held in a simulated (and very posh) kitchen, the Google representative asked things like what to cook with ingredients he had on hand (chicken and spinach). On the Nest Audio, the Assistant rattled off a few recipe ideas (creamy chicken and spinach, chicken and spinach stir fry). On the Nest Hub, the rep was able to play a song he didn't know the name of by asking, "Hey Google, what's the song from Wicked where they're dancing in the library?" The Assistant named the song and played it after a follow up prompt. Possibly the most impressive trick I saw was the case of the missing cookies. The rep asked the Nest Hub the question, "Hey Google, what happened to the cookies on the counter?" Pulling footage from a connected Nest Cam, the Hub displayed a dog walking into a kitchen, swiping a cookie and scampering off. The Assistant meanwhile narrated the context of the video saying, "A dog jumped on the counter and looked at the cookies on December 12th at 1:29PM." Of course, this was a pre-recorded clip, as there was sadly no dog in the demonstration kitchen. The video analysis adds to tech already available with the Nest Cam, like familiar face recognition and builds on features that were launched in beta last year where you could type questions into the Google Home app, asking things like, "Did my FedEx package get delivered?" The update here is that you'll be able to ask these things using your voice and see relevant clips on the Hub. Unfortunately I wasn't able to ask questions of my own as both the speaker and display were keyed to the Google rep's voice. Each question was followed by a one or two second pause as, I assume, the Assistant gathered/synthesized/analyzed the information (or whatever AI does) before answering. Of course, the Assistant can still do all of the basic tasks it always has - set timers and reminders, play music and videos and control smart home routines. The Google reps were sure point out that this isn't a replacement of the Google Assistant, but an enhancement with Gemini. Having used all three of the major smart home assistants fairly extensively, I've found the Google Assistant is best at accessing and delivering general information, but Alexa was better at smart home control and understanding me overall (for the record, Siri is best at frustrating me). With this new Gemini integration, the Google Assistant may be in a good position to overtake Alexa in that department. These Gemini-improved improvements will be coming to Nest Aware subscribers in a public preview later this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/gemini-ai-smarts-are-coming-to-google-home-to-make-the-assistant-a-better-conversationalist-213644481.html?src=rss

AMD is following up its impressive Ryzen Z1 chip, which powered the original ASUS ROG Ally, with the Ryzen Z2 at CES 2025. You can pretty much guess what it delivers: More power, and potentially more battery life, but if you plan to wait for Valve to release a Z2-powered Steam Deck, don't get your hopes up. Following AMD's announcement, a Valve employee said "there is and will be no Z2 Steam Deck."Leading the charge for the Ryzen Z2 family is the Z2 Extreme, featuring eight cores, a 5GHz max clock speed and 16 RDNA 3 graphics cores. The least powerful model is the Z2 Go with four CPU cores and 12 graphics cores. That could be a useful chip for cheaper handhelds, especially those that tout game streaming capabilities over local play.AMDAMD didn't have any performance metrics to share, but it likely won't be long until we see the Ryzen Z2 in action. It'll arrive in the first quarter of 2025 in revamped versions of the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. While Valve has said it's trying to avoid a horsepower rat race, constant leaks around a potential Steam Deck 2 indicate some sort of upgrade is on the way soon.Update 4:00PM ET: Valve has clarified it's not working on a Z2-powered Steam Deck.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-amd-ryzen-z2-will-power-next-gen-gaming-handhelds-including-a-new-steam-deck-194531373.html?src=rss

If we buy Microsoft's recent ad campaign logic that any Game Pass-running device is an Xbox, it's time to congratulate LG smart TV owners: You'll soon own an Xbox. (Yippee!!) Microsoft announced Monday that the Xbox app will arrive on LG's latest smart TVs later this year, letting Game Pass Ultimate subscribers stream to their sets from Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft and LG said the Xbox app will only be available on supported" models of LG's newest smart TVs (without specifying any models). Once the app launches, you'll find it in LG TVs' new Gaming Portal, which will also include casual webOS games. In addition to Game Pass Ultimate's streaming library (including Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and more), LG TVs will also support Microsoft's new feature that lets you stream some of your Xbox games. That only supports around 50 titles right now, but at least some quality ones are in there, like Balatro, Hogwarts Legacy, Cyberpunk 2077 and NBA 2K25. It also only works with digital games you own; no dice for physical copies. Microsoft says more details about the partnership will arrive in the coming months." Game Pass Ultimate costs $20 monthly. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-cloud-streaming-is-coming-to-new-lg-smart-tvs-204457962.html?src=rss

The makers of the camera-equipped bird feeder, Bird Buddy, introduced two new products at CES 2025 under a new brand called Wonder that let you spy on nature and help pollinators thrive. Petal, a solar-powered camera with changeable lenses and Nature Intelligence (aka AI), can be mounted with a clip, a flexible arm or a stem, so it can be set up pretty much wherever you want outdoors. It'll analyze everything it sees to let you know what birds, insects and other critters stopped by. The second product, Wonder Blocks, is a modular system that's kind of like an apartment building for bugs and birds. It's all very cute. Wonder The Petal camera comes in soft, bright colors like orange, blue and yellow, so it would look right at home in a flower pot or wrapped around the thin branch of a tree. It can record and livestream footage to your phone, and send commentary about the sights and sounds of nature, from birds hatching to the flapping of butterfly's wings, a flower blooming and bees pollinating it," according to the company. If you also have the Wonder Blocks, you can use Petal to keep an eye on the little community that forms there. There are several options when it comes to the components you can add to the Wonder Blocks; the full system includes a pedestal at the bottom, a bug hotel, a large base for plants, a seed tray, a bee hotel and a butterfly feeder on top. Both Petal and the Wonder Blocks will launch on Kickstarter this spring. Wonder This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/new-bird-buddy-smart-garden-products-let-you-peek-into-the-secret-lives-of-pollinators-201510777.html?src=rss

HP announced three new 14-inch Elitebooks at CES 2025, all powered by the latest Intel processors. The laptop lineup includes the Elitebook Ultra G1i - it has a 3K OLED screen, a 9MP webcam and a haptic touchpad - and two Elitebook X models, one of which is a 360-degree-folding 2-in-1.As to be expected, HP is billing these laptops as AI PCs. While that's due in part to the unwritten rule that every new gadget must have AI stuffed inside, it's also practically due to Intel's Core Ultra 5 and 7 chips being built precisely for that purpose, with three compute engines for on-device AI tasks. All three Elitebooks are Copilot+ PCs and can zip through AI tasks at 48 TOPS (trillion operations per second).All three Elitebooks ship in configurations with 16GB or 32GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage.HPThe EliteBook Ultra G1i has a higher-end screen, webcam and touchpad than the others. Its display will be available in touch and non-touch configurations, both of which are 14-inch OLED panels with 2,880 x 1,880 resolution. The laptop has a 9MP webcam, and its onboard AI can upscale video calls beyond that. Its audio setup should impress, too, with studio-quality dual microphones" and quad speakers.The non-touch version weighs 2.63 pounds (just under 1.2 kg), and the touch model is slightly heavier at 2.68 pounds (around 1.2 kg). Its touchpad is haptic-based (like Apple's MacBooks have been for years). That should make it evenly clickable" - it doesn't click inward but feels that way - across its entire surface.HP EliteBook X Flip G1iHPHP's EliteBook X G1i and EliteBook X Flip G1i are similar and differentiated mostly by form factor. The Flip earns its name by flipping back with a 360-degree hinge, while the standard one has a traditional clamshell design. Compared to the Ultra, these models have lower-resolution LCD panels: 1,920 x 1,200 in most configurations, with a 2,560 x 1,600 option also available for both. The machines also have a lower-resolution webcam (5MP) than the Ultra.In line with its 2-in-1 nature, the Flip has a touchscreen in all variants, while the standard has touch and non-touch models. It works with (but doesn't include) HP's $99 Rechargeable Active Pen.HP hasn't announced pricing or release date info for any of the new Ultrabooks, but they'll be on display at CES 2025 in Las Vegas this week.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/hp-at-ces-2025-the-latest-elitebooks-are-copilot-pcs-powered-by-intels-new-ai-chips-194559833.html?src=rss

This year at CES 2025, Dell is announcing a huge rebranding for all of its consumer and commercial PCs. However, while this change is generally a move in the right direction, I think getting rid of the iconic XPS name is an unforced error.As a quick recap, Dell's new unified branding will see its laptops, desktops and other devices divided into three main families. Standard Dell machines are aimed at general consumers and designed for school, work and casual gaming. (Alienware gaming PCs are also getting updated names, but they will remain separate from Dell's core computing products.) Then there are Dell Pro devices, which are primarily for businesses and meant to support pro-grade productivity. Finally, there is the Dell Pro Max line, which as its name suggests comprises systems built to deliver maximum performance (i.e. workstations).DellBut it doesn't stop there, because within each family will be three tiers of products. Base models across the Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max lines will be entry-level machines and won't get any special monikers. Meanwhile, systems featuring the Plus tag (e.g. the Dell Pro 14 Plus laptop) will serve as mid-range options. And then sitting on top are systems with a Premium label, which denotes Dell's most powerful and luxurious machines within a given family.Now while this new scheme might seem awkward at first, the rationale behind it makes sense (mostly). Dell believes that when customers buy gadgets they see the name of the company first (in this case Dell), so that's what should be front and center on every product. So far so good. Another benefit of this change is that Dell is also ditching a ton of sub-brands like Latitude, Inspiron, Optiplex and others, which were often opaque and meaningless to most buyers. So in essence, the rebrand is providing a more streamlined naming scheme that should be easier to understand. A similar thought process was behind HP's unifying and rebranding that took place last year, too.Regular folk should shop for standard Dell" models, businesses will buy Dell Pro systems and anyone who needs PCs with even more performance can opt for Dell Pro Max devices. Unfortunately, among all this, the XPS name is also getting killed off and in its place will be systems simply labeled Dell [product name] Premium. (Remember, non-Pro Dells are for normal people and premium" denotes that a model sits at the top of the line.)As part of the Dell's rebrand, the XPS 14 will now be called the Dell Premium 14.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetThis is my big issue because I truly do not understand why Dell would want to get rid of the one sub-brand that people already know and have loved for more than a decade. For years, some version of the XPS has sat at the top of practically every Best Windows laptop list. The XPS name is an icon and unlike a lot of Dell's other monikers like Inspiron or Latitude, it actually meant something. (Fun trivia tidbit: XPS officially stands for extreme performance system.)In a lot of ways, XPS was already the way Dell let people know that one of its consumer devices was a premium system, so to go and replace it with a generic word feels like a step in the wrong direction. I would even argue that in a lot of situations, the XPS name even transcended Dell's own. Previously when people asked me to recommend an ultraportable Windows laptop, I would simply say Get an XPS." No further instruction was necessary. So instead of replacing XPS with Dell Premium, wouldn't it make more sense to just stick with Dell XPS?After talking to numerous Dell employees about the name change, the counter-argument I've heard the counter-argument is that as someone who covers tech and nerds out about gadgets, I'm more familiar with specific products than the average joe. Dell seems to believe that people who only read reviews every four or five years right before they buy a new laptop just aren't familiar with the XPS name - which might be true. But my retort is that the XPS line was always meant for enthusiasts - the type of discerning folk who care about design and are willing to pay more for fancier materials, better performance and shaving a couple millimeters or ounces off a device when possible. And to that crowd, the XPS name was a clear indicator that you were getting something way better than just OK.A selection of Dell's new laptops including the Dell 14 Plus, Dell Pro 14 and Dell Pro Max 16.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetAnother potential problem is that even with Dell's new unified branding, it still feels like something is missing. Take for example the company's new 14-inch consumer laptop - the Dell 14 Plus. We know the Plus indicates that it's a mid-range system and that Dell is clearly the manufacturer that made it. So that means the name of the laptop is the 14?" Or is it 14 Plus?" Either way, that just sounds off. Even Apple, who Dell appears to have cribbed part of its naming scheme from, still has the decency to give each device a proper name. You have MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, Mac Minis, iMacs and so on. And then there's the issue of doing a full rebranding and ending up with a scheme that sounds a lot like what Dell's competitors have already done, especially with the Pro and Pro Max lines drawing clear connections to Apple's range of premium (there's that word again) iPhones.I'm not the only one who feels this way, either. We got a chance to learn about Dell's rebrand during a preview shortly prior to CES. And during the Q&A, at least half of the questions were about why Dell was making this change. In fact, my colleague Devindra also has some more thoughts on this.Devindra's thoughts:Sam, I'm fully onboard with your frustration, but I'd argue you're still being too kind to Dell here! The company's argument that this name change is all about simplicity falls apart once you start looking at sub-tiers for each brand. Dell Pro Max" seems clear enough, but when you try comparing "Pro Max Plus" and Pro Max Premium" systems, all logic is lost. We've launched ourselves out of the orbits of normal consumers and towards over-priced consultants who likely suggested this name change. Doesn't Max already mean best?The situation gets even more hilarious when you look at the company's desktops: Later this year, we can expect to see the Dell Pro Max Slim" and Dell Pro Max Micro" towards. Max Micro! What are we even doing here?! (And yes, you can expect those machines to also have their own plus and premium sub-branding.)No one saying Dell should remove its logo from the lid. But at least for its high-end consumer systems, the XPS name still means a lot.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetIt's true, most consumers won't cry over the loss of Latitude" and Inspiron," and they would likely be better off with clearer model names. I just wish Dell had focused more on maintaining clarity without getting bogged down by engineer-brained sub designations. If you're going to copy Apple's naming scheme (and let's face it, that's what's happening, despite CEO Michael Dell and other execs telling us otherwise), at least try to stick to Apple's short and friendly style.The loss of the XPS brand hurts Dell the most, though. Every PC maker has tried and failed to develop a premium brand that could go toe-to-toe with Apple. Sony's VAIO PCs were all the rage in the 90s and 2000's, before they threw in the towel. IBM ThinkPads became far less desirable once Lenovo snapped them up. HP's Spectre machines are great, but aren't exactly a household name. XPS, meanwhile, means something. Like you said, it was a brand that shone brighter than Dell itself.XPS laptops started the ultra-thin bezel trend, something even Apple hasn't fully adopted. The XPS 13 has been one of our highest-rated laptops for over a decade (save for some recent stumbles with its invisible touchpad and disappearing function row). Now instead of leaning on a brand that it built over the years with blood, sweat and cutting-edge hardware, the company is taking the most generic path possible. Dell Premium will just never hit the same as XPS.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/dell-killing-the-xps-name-is-an-unforced-error-200006195.html?src=rss

AMD is targeting both low-end and high-end AI PCs at CES 2025. The company unveiled a new family of Ryzen AI Max chips meant for "halo" Copilot+ AI PCs, which will sit above existing Ryzen AI 9 systems. In addition, it's also introducing Ryzen AI 7 and 5 chips for mid-tier and lower end AI PCs. Clearly, AMD wants AI PC options for everyone.AMDTo its credit, AMD's Ryzen AI Max chips seem like powerhouses. They feature up to 16 Zen 5 performance cores, 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU compute units and 50 TOPS of AI performance with AMD"s XDNA 2 NPU. The company claims it delivers 2.6 times faster 3D rendering than Intel's Core Ultra 9 288V, as well 1.4 times faster graphics performance in benchmarks like 3DMark's Wildlife Extreme and Solar Bay. It also delivers comparable performance to Apple's 14-core M4 Pro chip, and when it comes to the Vray benchmark, it's significantly faster.AMDRyzen AI Max systems will be available in the first and second quarter of the year, including the HP Zbook Ultra G1a, as well as the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 convertible.As for the Ryzen AI 7 and 5 chips, they'll basically deliver slightly slower performance than existing Ryzen AI 9 PCs. The Ryzen AI 7 chip features 8 cores and a 5GHz max boost speed, while the Ryzen AI 5 340 offers up six cores and a 4.8GHz max speed. And for PCs that don't need a ton of AI power, AMD is also introducing Ryzen 200 chips in the second quarter. They'll offer up to 16 TOPS of AI performance (compared to 50 TOPS on the faster AI chips), and will max out with the eight-core Ryzen 9 270.AMDThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/amd-takes-ai-pcs-to-the-max-with-ryzen-ai-max-chips-194600366.html?src=rss

Dell is introducing three new monitors at CES 2025, but the most interesting one includes a feature you might have already experienced with a pair of AirPods: spatial audio. The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor is the first monitor with "AI-enhanced 3D Spatial Audio," according to Dell.The monitor's 5x5W speakers are able to pull off their audio tricks thanks to "AI-driven head-tracking" that follows your head and adjust audio playback so you're always immersed. It's a system that seems similar to Razer's Leviathan V2 Pro PC soundbar from 2023, which also used head-tracking to simulate a spatial audio experience. Dell's just managed to cram the necessary sensors and speakers into a monitor, with likely tinnier sound as a tradeoff.DellIf you're more worried about the screen, you're in luck. The Dell 32 Plus 4K has a 31.5-inch QD OLED panel with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution, which sounds great for creative work or games. Bells and whistles like Dolby Vision, HDR TB400, and AMD FreeSync Premium mean you'll get the brightest and tear-free image when you actually sit down in front of the screen, too.Alongside it's new spatial audio monitor, Dell is updating two sizes in its UltraSharp line, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor. Dell claims both UltraSharps are the first "enhanced IPS Black monitors" which is supposed to mean they'll offer "three times the contrast of conventional IPS displays and 47% deeper blacks."The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor will be available in China on March 27, before launching worldwide on May 22 for $799.99. Both the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will be available on February 25 for $699.99 and $949.99, respectively.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/dells-new-4k-qd-oled-monitor-comes-with-spatial-audio-194551957.html?src=rss

After pioneering the use of 3D V-cache in CPUs - specifically, by stacking L3 cache modules on top of each other - AMD is adding another super-powered desktop CPU to the mix at CES 2025: the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. While it's not as groundbreaking as last year's 7950X3D, which managed to reach the same clock speeds as its siblings with 2D cache, the 9950X3D still stands out when compared to the competition from Intel. It features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, a max boost speed of 5.7GHz, and most importantly, a whopping 144MB of total cache.AMDAMD's 3D V-cache technology allows its CPUs to juggle more data quickly without reaching out to RAM, since its cache is attached directly to the CPU package. AMD claims the 9950X3D is on average 20 percent faster than Intel's Core i9 285K across 40 different games. It's also 8 percent faster than the 7950X3D, so it's not exactly a compelling upgrade for anyone lucky enough to own that processor. When it comes to content creation, AMD claims the 9950X3D is 10 percent faster than Intel's 285K across a suite of 20 apps, including Photoshop's Pugetbench as well as Geekbench.AMDAMD also announced slightly slower 9900X3D chip with 12 cores, a 5.5GHz max boost speed and 140MB of cache. Consider it the slightly more sensible alternative to the 9950X3D's extravagant cache. Both chips will be available in the first quarter.The company hasn't forgotten about laptops, either. At CES, AMD unveiled its "Fire Range" HX3D chips which will arrive in the first half of 2025. They'll be spearheaded by the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D with 16 cores and 144MB of total cache.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-amd-ryzen-9-9950x3d-is-another-16-core-beast-with-144mb-of-3d-v-cache-194535290.html?src=rss

Acer is a little late when it comes to releasing its first handheld gaming PC. But now at CES 2025, it seems like the company is trying to make up for lost time by going big. Really big. That's because later this year, it's planning to release a gigantic offering in the Nitro Blaze 11.Packing detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand, the Blaze 11 shares a number of similarities with Lenovo's Legion Go. However, when all that is attached to an 11-inch 2,560 x 1,600 IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness, the result is something that feels very different. In some ways, it's almost like holding a steering wheel with a tablet-sized screen slammed in the middle along with your typical assortment of joysticks, face buttons and shoulder triggers on either side.As you'd expect from a device in this category, Acer has included some familiar gamer touches like RGB lighting surrounding analog sticks along with a new Acer Game Space app that's meant to serve as a one-stop game launcher and control panel for settings. In person, the Blaze 11's screen is bright and vivid to the point that I had to confirm that it wasn't OLED. You also get what's becoming a fairly standard set of ports: two USB-C, a 3.5mm audio jack and a microSD card slot. That said, I do appreciate that Acer found room for a USB-A port, which brings the total number of USB connections to three.Meanwhile, on the inside, the Blaze 11's specs look good, though not especially impressive, with an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS chip and Radeon 780M graphics, 16GB of RAM (7500 MT/s) and up to 2TB of SSD storage (though Acer says initial configurations will come with 512GB).That said, if an 11-inch gaming tablet seems a bit too unwieldy, Acer does have a second option in the Nitro Blaze 8. It features nearly identical specs and a very similar design minus the detachable controllers and kickstand, but with a smaller 8-inch IPS screen that has a slightly faster 144Hz refresh rate. Both models felt solid, though the Blaze 8 does win out in overall rigidity thanks to its non-detachable controllers. In case that's not enough, there's actually a third handheld that will be joining Acer's ranks in the Nitro Blaze 7, which was announced back in September but has yet to go on sale (at least in the US).Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetMy one concern with the Blaze 11 is that while it seems totally serviceable, I'm not quite sure its gigantic dimensions alone will be enough to carve out a significant niche among rivals from ASUS, Lenovo, Valve and others, as it lacks much in the way of additional defining characteristics. That said, I did notice that the bottom of the Blaze 11 features pogo pins that suggests some peripherals (most likely a dock) will arrive at a later date. However, when I asked an Acer representative for confirmation, they said they had no official announcements regarding additional peripherals or accessories for the Blaze family at this time.Acer says all three handhelds will go on sale sometime in Q2 2025, with the Nitro Blaze 11 starting at $1,100, the Blaze 8 at $900 and somewhere around $800 for the Blaze 7.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-acer-nitro-blaze-11-is-an-absolutely-massive-handheld-gaming-pc-194505881.html?src=rss

While all eyes are on NVIDIA for its RTX 5000 GPUs at CES 2025, AMD is also taking the opportunity to give us a glimpse at its upcoming RDNA 4 graphics architecture. While specifics are scarce, the company says its new GPUs will be built on a 4nm process with "optimized" compute units, "supercharged" AI computation and better ray tracing per compute unit. The big reveal, though, is that its new FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR4) will be powered by machine learning, just like NVIDIA's DLSS technology. AMD claims FSR 4 will offer "high quality" 4K upscaling, frame generation and low latency support with AMD Anti-Lag 2.AMDNo surprises there, really, but it's nice to see AMD finally move beyond the more simplistic upscaling from previous versions of FSR. The company also briefly revealed the existence of its new Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT GPUS, as well as its new naming scheme which directly mirrors NVIDIA's. Now instead of trying to decode how AMD's video cards compete with NVIDIAs, you'll be able to directly compare the 9070 GPUs to NVIDIA's upcoming RTX 5070 lineup.Less compelling, but somewhat notable, AMD is also adding a few generative AI features into its Adrenalin software. You'll be able to create AI images, summarize documents and ask "AMD-related" questions. Just what everyone has been waiting for!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amd-previews-rdna-4-graphics-with-ai-upscaling-teases-rx-9070-gpus-194500173.html?src=rss

Some of the best tech we see at CES feels pulled straight from sci-fi. Yesterday at CES 2025, I tested out Neural Lab's AirTouch technology, which lets you interact with a display using hand gestures alone, exactly what movies like Minority Report and Iron Man promised. Of course, plenty of companies have delivered on varying forms of gesture control. Microsoft's Kinect is an early example while the Apple Watch's double tap feature and Vision Pro's pinch gestures are just two of many current iterations. But I was impressed with how well AirTouch delivered and, unlike most gesture technology out there, it requires no special equipment - just a standard webcam - and works with a wide range of devices. Neural Lab's software is compatible with tablets, computers and really any device running at least Android 11, Windows 10 and later or Linux. The technology was developed with accessibility in mind after one of the founders had trouble keeping in touch with their parents overseas because navigating video conferencing programs was just too difficult for the older generation. The Neural Labs representative I spoke with added how his parents preferred using an iPad to a computer/mouse/keyboard combo because touch controls are so much more intuitive. With AirTouch, they can use their TV much like they do a tablet. In addition to accessibility, there are plenty of commercial applications too - such as letting surgeons manipulate MRI scans without touching anything or a more commonplace scenario like moving through slides in a presentation. AirTouch tracks 3D hand movements and keys off of eye gazes to recognize intent, allowing it to ignore extraneous gestures. It currently supports nine gestures and customization allows users to program up to 15. I tried out two demonstrations: a 3D screen with an animated image of a tree frog and a monitor displaying a webpage on a browser. On the 3D screen, holding up one finger dropped a pinecone on the frog's head, two fingers dropped an acorn, a thumbs up spun the frog around on its leaf perch and a quiet coyote gesture turned it back. It took me all of 15 seconds to learn and use the four gestures and soon I was raining down acorns on the poor frog like some ill-tempered squirrel. It was nearly as easy (though not quite as fun) to control the screen displaying the web browser. Moving my hand around dragged the cursor across the screen and pinching took the place of clicking. I was able to scroll around on a streaming site, pick something to play, pause it and start it back up again within seconds of learning the hand movements. There were a few instances where my movements didn't do the thing I'd hoped, but after a few tries, I started to get the hang of the controls. AirTouch is available now as a $30-per-month subscription for individuals (and $300 monthly for companies). Neural Labs says it takes just five minutes to install the software on any compatible device. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/neural-labs-airtouch-brings-gesture-control-to-windows-and-android-devices-with-just-a-webcam-180031750.html?src=rss

I tried to go into meeting Mirumi with a heart of steel. There are a lot of cute robots at CES every year, that is a given, and you can't just let yourself get wooed by every puppy-eyed bot that looks your way. But boy did I melt immediately when that silly little thing locked its gaze on me, then bashfully tucked its head away. Mirumi is the latest bizarre-but-endearing robot from Japanese startup Yukai Engineering, the company responsible for the Qoobo cat-tailed pillow and the finger-nibbling kitty plush, Amagami Ham Ham. All it does is stare at you and move its head around a little until you've successfully been tricked into a few moments of happiness. The idea is to emulate that distinctly joyful experience of meeting eyes with a baby in public - a quick, random interaction that can turn your mood around. Mirumi looks like the combination of a fledgling bird and a shrunken-down yeti, and its long arms let it cling to objects like a purse handle so it can come along wherever you go, and stare down strangers. Inside Mirumi is a distance sensor and an inertial measurement unit, which tell it when there are people nearby and when it's on the move or being touched. It has different responses for each of these scenarios. When a person first comes into its line of vision, for example, it will get shy and briefly hide its face, like it did for me. Then, it cautiously peeks out again. Jostle it around and it might shake its head, No." It doesn't make any sounds. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Playing with Mirumi at CES Unveiled, I found myself delighted at absolutely everything it did. It has a nice bit of weight to it when you pick it up, sort of like a tiny kitten. And on that same note, its little movements make it give off a subtle vibration, almost as if it were purring. I hooked its bendable arms around my wrist, which also had a bulky watch on it and a camera dangling by the strap, and Mirumi felt pretty secure on top of all that as I gently waved it around. On a thinner perch, like a bag strap, its arms wrap fully for a better hold. (I probably wouldn't trust it to stay on if I was in a packed subway car or similarly crowded environment, though). Mirumi is rechargeable and should last about eight hours before it needs to be plugged in again. We don't know yet what the final color options will be, but Yukai had white, black and peach Mirumis on display. The company is planning to launch a crowd-funding campaign later this year before releasing the robot, and it hasn't yet been determined if it will be sold internationally. Is it kind of ridiculous? Yes, absolutely. Especially when you consider the price: around $70, according to a Yukai rep. But kind of ridiculous is Yukai's whole thing, and at least for me (and just about every person who stopped by during the demo), Mirumi elicited the exact emotional response it was made for. This is all about making people around you happier," Yukai's Hiroko Sato said during our chat at CES Unveiled. I can't really hate on that. Speaking of ridiculous, Yukai is also showing off a small cat-shaped device called Nekojita FuFu that will blow on food or a hot drink to cool it off for you. Its curved arms hook onto the side of a mug or bowl, or it can be set down on a flat surface to blow on a plate. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget The company says it can bring down the temperature of hot water by 30 degrees Fahrenheit in three to five minutes. We didn't have any scalding liquids on hand to test that out on the show floor, but it's basically just a small fan with different blowing modes packaged in a cute silicone body, and the fan did indeed blow air. As a person who waits an annoyingly long time to take the first sip of coffee or soup because I'm really sensitive to temperatures, I can appreciate an option that doesn't involve me doing all that work. I can't see myself going out and buying this, but it strikes me as the sort of product that makes for a fun gift - the kind that's partially a joke, but also functional. Nekojita FuFu is expected to be released later this year for $25 following a crowd-funding campaign. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/this-fluffball-robot-stole-my-heart-at-ces-2025-173009630.html?src=rss

Microsoft is allowing PC Game Pass members over the age of 18 to earn rewards by playing PC games, a perk previously available only to console gamers with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. This update goes into effect on January 7.Subscribers (on PC or console) will earn points by playing any game from the Game Pass catalog for 15 minutes or more. Do that for five days a week, and they'll start a streak that increases a multiplier. A four-week streak results in four times the points. There are additional bonuses for playing four or eight different titles per month, but again, they'll have to meet that 15 minute threshold.While PC players are no longer left out, the points only rack up on Game Pass catalog games - games requiring a third-party launcher, including anything through Battle.net, don't count.The PC Weekly bonus will also be available to all Game Pass Rewards members above the age of 18. Additionally, the console weekly bonus and daily PC play are rebalanced to 150 points and 10 points, respectively.As touched on by EuroGamer, Microsoft kneecapped the Game Pass experience in recent memory, as rewards were made more challenging to obtain. It seems like the tech giant is trying to get into the good graces of Game Pass subscribers again.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/xboxs-game-pass-now-rewards-users-for-playing-pc-games-171529965.html?src=rss

Before CES 2025 began, LG appointed will.i.am as its "Experiential Architect," working with the rapper and singer on the "development, design and brand marketing" of its xboom audio line. Today, the company revealed the first results of the collaboration with the xboom Bounce, Grab and Stage 301 speakers alongside the xboom Buds. I haven't gotten a chance to try the noise-canceling earbuds yet, but I did hear all three of the speakers in LG's home theater suite in Las Vegas.The xboom Grab is the smallest of the three speakers. It's a cylinder-shaped device, complete with lighting that projects out from the bottom (or side). Controls for power, volume, play/pause and Bluetooth sit up top. The compact design is meant to be taken anywhere, and the speaker will even fit in a cup holder. Straps enable you to affix the xboom Grab to hooks, handles and other objects in either a vertical or horizontal fashion. This speaker is IP67 rated dust and waterproof, plus it passed the Military Standard 810G durability test. You can also expect up to 20 hours of battery life on a charge.I was pleasantly surprised by how much bass the xboom Grab mustered during my demo, with punchy highs and solid mids holding the details. That low-end tone seemed slightly muffled to me, but I only got a quick listen, so a full review would confirm if that's actually the case. The other surprising thing is how loud the xboom Grab can be. At only 50 percent volume, the compact unit produced an almost uncomfortable level of sound for the room.The next speaker in the lineup is the xboom Bounce. Named for the bouncing passive radiators on the top that also light up to the beat. LG promises "precise highs and an expanded soundstage, surrounding listeners with enhanced clarity and depth" on this device thanks to those radiators, dual dome tweeters and a track-type woofer. This one is also IP67 rated and military-grade tested for durability, plus it offers up to 30 hours or battery life.If you seek bassy thump in a portable LG speaker, this will be the option for you. The bass here is much fuller than the xboom Grab, and once again it doesn't drown out the crisp highs and mids. This was my favorite of the three in terms of overall audio performance, although I could do without the pulsing lights.Lastly, there's the xboom Stage 301: a speaker designed for performances and karaoke. Inside, a 6.5-inch woofer and dual 2.5-inch midrange drivers power 120 watts of 2.1-channel sound that LG describes as "rich, full-bodied audio." The Stage 301 has a wedge design that's akin to a stage monitor with a built-in handle for easy transport. You can also sit this speaker on a tripod, in addition to flat and tilted orientations. There's only an IPX4 water resistance rating here, but the battery is replaceable. Each one provides up to 11 hours of use.The xboom Stage 301 will offer an alternative to the party box speakers from the likes of JBL, Sony and others. LG says the unit is "optimized for busking, karaoke night or any sort of indoors or outdoors gathering." This was definitely the loudest of the three, which isn't a surprise given the size and power. There's plenty of bass, all of that wattage easily fills a large room and all of the controls you'd need are right up top - including a dedicated EQ button.All three of the new xboom speakers have a dedicated button to instantly connect to will.i.am's RAiDiO.FYI platform. This service offers customized content at the hands of an AI radio host. That's not all of the AI that's onboard though. AI Sound analyzes content to automatically make adjustments, AI Lighting ensures the visuals match the tunes and AI Calibration helps the speakers "recognize" the environment to properly produce "ample" sound for indoor and outdoor spaces. You can also use Auracast to pair multiple xboom units together in Party Link mode, and you don't have to open an app to do so.I'm hoping to listen to the xboom Buds later this week, but here's a quick rundown of what to expect there. The active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds have graphene drivers inside, which LG says produce "pure, well-balanced sound with rich bass." The company developed a new earbud shape to increase comfort, adding ergonomic ear tips and small fins for stability. The xboom Buds are also quite tiny, which should add to the overall comfiness as well. In terms of battery life, there's 10 hours on a charge with two additional top ups in the case.There's no word on pricing or availability yet for any of the so-called xboom by will.i.am products, but LG has announced they'll arrive later this year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/lg-xboom-speakers-hands-on-built-with-the-help-of-william-and-a-dash-of-ai-170030904.html?src=rss

Apple has moved to settle a five-year-old class action lawsuit over Siri privacy. Reuters reports that the proposed settlement was filed on Tuesday in Oakland, CA. The company agreed to pay $95 million to class members, estimated to be tens of millions of Siri-enabled device owners. US District Judge Jeffrey White needs to approve the settlement before it becomes official.The lawsuit stemmed from a 2019 report that Apple quality control contractors could regularly hear sensitive info accidentally recorded by the voice assistant's Hey Siri" feature. The clips were said to include medical information, criminal activities and even sexual encounters." Apple denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the case.Two plaintiffs claimed their inadvertently recorded mentions of Nike Air Jordans and Olive Garden restaurants led to receiving ads for those products. After talking about it with his doctor, another plaintiff said he got ads for a brand-name surgical treatment.In a statement to Engadget, Apple highlighted its Siri privacy protections and motive for settling the case. Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning," an Apple spokesperson wrote. Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose. Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private."Apple says any data you choose to share with Siri is never used for advertising, and the company has stressed that there isn't any evidence in this lawsuit (or anywhere else) that the company has done so. The assistant does as much learning as possible on-device, and modern devices - those with 2018's A12 Bionic chip or newer - process your audio entirely that way. The company added that Apple Intelligence doesn't train on user data.AppleAfter the original story broke five-plus years ago, Apple highlighted its layers of privacy protections and stressed that the recordings weren't tied to Apple accounts. It also said its quality control teams studied the clips in secure facilities" and were bound by strict confidentiality agreements."After an internal review in 2019, Apple suspended the program and admitted it wasn't fully living up to" its ideals. The company returned to reviewing Siri recordings soon after - but with some big changes. It reportedly fired hundreds of quality control contractors. It changed its policy so that only Apple employees could review private Siri data - connected to a random identifying number, not your Apple account. (And the company says they take measures to delete any inadvertently triggered recordings). It also began requiring users to opt in to sharing Siri recordings or transcripts.You can check if you've opted in from your device. Head to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Improve Siri & Dictation. You can also review and delete any stored transcripts in the same location. (If you don't see that option, you likely weren't opted in.)Reuters notes that the proposed $95 million in cash amounts to about nine hours of profit for the company. (Nice work if you can get it.) The settlement's class period runs from September 17, 2014 - when Apple launched Hey Siri" in iOS 8 - to December 31, 2024. If you owned a Siri-enabled mobile product during that period (and Judge White approves the settlement), you might get up to $20 per device. However, you'll have to join the class, and it isn't yet clear how to do that.Update, January 6, 2025, 11:57AM ET: This story has been updated with a statement from Apple and additional context.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-agrees-to-settle-a-2019-siri-privacy-lawsuit-for-95-million-195820723.html?src=rss

Disney and Fubo have reached an agreement to merge Hulu + Live TV with FuboTV, the companies announced via a press release. This will create a new entity that Disney owns 70 percent of, with Fubo taking up the remaining 30 percent. Once combined, the service will boast over six million subscribers, making it the second-biggest digital pay-TV provider behind YouTube TV.This deal only includes Hulu + Live TV, and not the traditional Hulu subscription, as noted by Bloomberg. The combined business will operate under Fubo, with current management staying on, though both FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV will continue to stream as separate entities. The new business will also negotiate carriage agreements with content providers without help from Disney.

Ecobee introduced a new smart thermostat at CES 2025 and it looks pretty nifty. The Smart Thermostat Essential is packed with most of the features found with the $250 premium model, only with a price tag of $130. There's a full-color touchscreen for making adjustments, though that can also be done via the Ecobee mobile app. The app will send alerts to prevent heating and cooling disruptions" and will even whip up a comprehensive home energy report each month to provide a macro look at energy usage. This is a modern smart thermostat, so customers can also use smart assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit for the aforementioned adjustments. Ecobee Ecobee says the Smart Thermostat Essential is packed with software that will automatically learn how long it takes to heat and cool the home, which will then inform the device of how much energy to use to reach a desired temperature. The end result? A cheaper utility bill. The company claims that this thermostat will actually pay for itself in just six months. The savings can be increased by adding a few of the company's optional SmartSensors, which cost around $55 per pair. These sensors will teach the thermostat which rooms are used the most, so they'll get increased temperature regulation. Ecobee promises that the thermostat is easy to install, but it likely still requires some light wiring. Anyone familiar with smart thermostats should know the drill. The Smart Thermostat Essential will be available at major retailers in March. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ecobees-smart-thermostat-essential-is-packed-with-features-but-still-affordable-160046079.html?src=rss

Audio brand JLab has unveiled its first headphones with adaptive active noise cancellation at CES 2025. The company's Epic Lux Lab Edition Wireless Headphones will cost $199. Pre-orders begin today and shipments are expected to go out starting January 30.The Epic Lux Lab is an over-ear headphone set with 32mm high-fidelity custom dynamic drivers. The set's adaptive ANC can react in real-time to changes in ambient noise levels. Its noise cancelling mode can diminish environmental audio up to 42 dB, while the Be Aware mode allows outside sounds to reach the user. Both modes can be customized with the JLab app.The headphones come with a magnetic wireless charging pad and also have a built-in USB-C port for wired charging. JLab says the Epic Lux Lab can deliver "over 90+ hours of playtime on a single charge," or 60 hours when active noise cancelling is in use.In addition to the Epic Lux Lab, JLab is also introducing an on-ear headset at CES called the Go Lux ANC Wireless. This option provides hybrid active noise cancellation of up to 30 dB as well as a Be Aware mode. The Go Lux ANC Wireless only support wired charging via USB-C, but will last up to 70 hours depending on use cases. These entry-level headphones retail for $50. Like the upscale option, pre-orders are open now and the product is slated to begin shipping on January 30.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/jlab-debuts-its-first-adaptive-active-noise-cancellation-headphones-at-ces-2025-160036341.html?src=rss

Smart glasses tend to be devices that overpromise and underdeliver, especially when being shown off for the first time at an event like CES. There's always a steady stream of companies promising we're on the cusp of having our very own Gary-from-Veep attached to our faces before fading away into obscurity. The weight of promises Halliday has laid upon the table is a sign of braggadocio, but it'll take a while before we know if it's deserved or not. For CES 2025, Halliday has turned up with a pair of eponymous smart glasses seemingly filled to the brim with technology. The right eyecup has a waveguide display that will project the equivalent of a 3.5-inch screen into the wearer's view, while keeping that viewport easy to read in strong lighting. The company also promises that this hardware is invisible to onlookers." The glasses themselves weigh just 35 grams and should get up to eight hours of battery life on a single charge. Halliday There's no outward-facing camera, but Halliday says its product comes with a proactive" AI assistant, anticipating your needs before you ask. The glasses have built-in microphones that are listening to your conversations, analyzing them and answering prompts as they come up. If you were to wear one of these in a meeting, say, you'd be able to ask the system to produce a summary of said meeting immediately afterward. (And yes, we are curious about the privacy implications of such a system.) As well as barking instructions to your glasses, the sides are touch sensitive, but it's more likely your main mode of interaction will be with the bundled trackpad ring. You should be able to discreetly control what the AI is pumping to your eyes without attracting attention. Halliday There's a fairly long list of tasks Halliday says the glasses will be able to grease the wheels for you. As well as listening out for questions in conversation and throwing up answers from the internet, you can use the screen as a hidden teleprompter. It can also translate 40 different languages, offer real-time directions and play music with the accompanying on-screen lyrics. Of course, none of this is anything but sweet words until we've been able to see how this performs in the real world. Halliday says that pre-orders for the glasses will begin at the end of CES, with shipping starting at some point before March 2025. We don't know the price yet, but the company says it'll be between $399 and $499. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/halliday-promises-its-smart-wayfarers-have-a-proactive-ai-assistant-inside-010007688.html?src=rss

This week at CES, Google presented an early look at new software and hardware upgrades coming to Google TV devices. The new features include the integration of Gemini, Google's AI model, to the Google Assistant, as well as a new ambient experience. New smart TVs with Google TV will also gain far-field mics and proximity sensors to support the new software perks. If you've used a Google TV or Google streaming device, you may have already used the "hey Google" prompt to search for shows to watch. With the addition of Gemini, those "conversations" should now feel more natural. Asking follow up questions or even changing topics to ask about something else won't require you to say the prompt again. You should also be able to search for content more intuitively, saying things like, "What are the newest movies from Disney?" Interacting with your connected smart home devices should be easier as well, letting you say, for example, "Who's at the front door?" to view your video doorbell feed. The new Google TV experience will include YouTube videos to supplement answers to your queries. So if you ask, "what are the best pizza places in Chicago?" your TV will give you a list of videos to check out. To facilitate the new AI-fueled Assistant capabilities, Google TV sets will now come standard with far-field microphones so you can talk to the Google Assistant without the remote. Google is also working on a new ambient experience that will rely on proximity sensors to trigger an on-screen hub that shows personalized widgets like weather, news, traffic and so on. And when you're not viewing the hub or actively watching TV, an always-on mode can display art or even AI-generated screensavers, again enabled by Gemini's smarts. We've seen versions of some of these features before. Amazon's Echo Show smart displays rely on proximity sensors to display personal details. Supplementing your queries with YouTube videos and creating AI screensavers with voice prompts are both features we saw with the new Google TV Streamer from last year. And of course, AI integration has been an unofficial mandate for every tech company throughout 2024 and it's everywhere at CES this year. If the new smarts makes finding something good to watch an easier endeavor, it'll be a welcome use of the technology. Google demonstrated the new features at CES this week and has said the technology will be available on new Google TV devices sometime this year, but we don't have a firm date for when the new devices will be available. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/gemini-ai-is-coming-to-google-tv-devices-in-2025-making-them-easier-to-talk-to-160003805.html?src=rss

Samsung's Frame series of TVs are some of the best art TVs available, which are great for those who want a screen that blends more seamlessly into their home decor. Samsung CES 2025 announcements include an expansion of the Frame lineup with new Frame Pro sets, which are more advanced models that include the company's top-of-the-line Neo QLED panels.Besides the panel, the Frame Pro also uses Samsung's Wireless One Connect box, which lets you transmit content from consoles or set-top boxes to the TV without needing to plug things in directly. Instead, you plug into the Wireless One Connect and it'll beam things to the TV, which means you can make a much cleaner, cable-free setup that feels particularly useful with a set like the Frame.It also uses Samsung's NQ4 Gen3 AI processor, an update on the 2nd-generation one that Samsung used on some of its sets last year. As is usually the case, we don't know exactly what this does for the set, but given the amount pixels a modern TV needs to push, an annual update makes sense. The NQ4 also gives a hint that this might be a 4K rather than 8K panel, as Samsung's just-announced Neo QLED 8K QN990F TV uses the NQ8 processor - perhaps the 4 or 8 are a nod to the TV's resolution. Either way, we'll know more soon.For those who haven't seen the Frame before, it's a TV meant to be mounted to the wall, complete with a frame that's more reminiscent of something you might find in an art gallery rather than a media room. When you turn it off, you can choose to have it display a fine art image from a collection Samsung has curated, and the screen itself is matte with anti-glare coating that goes a long way towards making it feel like just another big TV mounted to a wall.As is typically the case, Samsung is holding a CES showcase tonight where we'll get to see the Frame Pro as well as other new Samsung TVs in person - if we get more details on the Frame Pro, we'll update this post.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-frame-pro-tv-features-the-companys-high-end-neo-qled-panel-030042346.html?src=rss

Until now, I could count on one finger the amount of smart rings that offered a one-line ECG in a small package. Bodimetrics' Circul+ debuted in 2021, but where it excelled in heart-monitoring features it fell short in style - or even looking like a real ring you'd want to wear 24/7. But today at CES 2025, Circular is showing off its second-generation ring that promises to keep an eye on your heart health.We had a chance to check out the new ring at CES Unveiled last night and they are indeed shiny and jewelry-like. They also feel remarkably lightweight. While the sensor nodes are noticeable when you first put on the ring, they're less obtrusive after a minute or so of wearing it. Eventually, it hardly feels like you're wearing a ring at all.Circular says the Ring 2 boasts improved sensors as well as the aforementioned ECG, an eight day battery life and a better wireless charging dock. The company added that its companion app and AI has been completely redesigned to offer a more intuitive and refined user experience." Not to mention that the body is now cast in titanium with four color finishes; Gold, Silver, Black and Rose Gold.This latest generation doesn't have the vibrations featured in Circular's first-gen rings, but the company's co-founder told us that the vibrations will return in an upcoming iteration. For now, the second-generation rings should hit store shelves in February or March 2025, but the company says it'll cost you $380 when it does.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/circulars-new-smart-ring-has-a-built-in-ecg-010003422.html?src=rss

New year, new hobby? I don't know about you, but I often find that cost is what's standing in the way of me pursuing new crafts (okay, and time, but that's much harder to fix). So, I'm always excited when a device is on sale that allows people to pursue creativity and fun. In this case, it's not just the device: Right now, you can get the GoPro Hero13 Black accessory bundle for $300, down from $450 - a 33 percent discount. This sale brings it to a record-low price and $50 lower than its Black Friday deal. The GoPro Hero13 accessory bundle comes with the action cam and the Handler, two Enduro batteries, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB SanDisk MicroSD Card and a carrying case. Basically, if your new year's resolution was to dive (literally or figuratively) into using a GoPro, then this sets you up with everything you need. GoPro released the Hero13 in September and it offered a few upgrades. It comes with a 10 percent bigger battery than its predecessor, which allows it to capture an hour and a half of 4K video at 30fps. It should also run longer in extreme temperatures. The action cam offers a max resolution of 5.3K at 120fps and supports Hybrid Log Gamma. Plus, it's Bluetooth compatible with AirPods and other wireless headphones. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/gopros-hero-13-black-bundle-with-accessories-is-150-off-right-now-144540567.html?src=rss

Samsung's CES 2025 theme is "AI for all."SamsungSamsung is the 800-pound gorilla of CES, a global electronics giant that produces mobile devices, TVs and home theater products and kitchen appliances - just to name a few. The company has traditionally used the show to remind the world that it's a major player in all of those spaces, while offering a peek behind the curtain of some more of its cutting-edge tech. (If it's smartphones you're interested in, you'll have to wait for the next Unpacked since Samsung saves those announcements exclusively for its own events.)Last year in 2024, for example, Samsung's CES press conference covered all the usual iterative updates - new TVs, projectors and soundbars - but also offered up some first looks at genuinely futuristic products as well. You may not be able to buy a transparent MicroLED screen at your local Best Buy anytime soon, but you can get your hands on the Music Frame speaker that debuted at the show last year. But it's the Ballie robot, a two-time CES veteran, that we're most hoping will make a return appearance - ideally with a real-world release date this time.What to expect at the Samsung CES 2025 press conferenceOr perhaps Ballie will be more autonomous this time around. That would better fit the "AI for All: Everyday, Everywhere" theme that the company has announced for its presentation in Las Vegas. (If that sounds familiar, that's because it's nearly identical to the CES 2024 theme.)The Korea-based giant has already posted several weeks worth of early CES announcements in its online newsroom, touting AI-enhanced refrigerators and appliances with built-in screens. But there's non-AI stuff, too: Samsung has preannounced a 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor, and the company is teaming up with Google (!) to deliver Eclipsa, a new 3D audio technology that is apparently aiming to be an alternative to Dolby Atmos and DTS.There are two things you shouldn't expect to see in Vegas from Samsung. The first is the presumed Galaxy S25 smartphone line. If it follows its recent scheduling, Samsung will likely slate that unveiling for the second half of January, when it will have the tech news spotlight to itself. (Last year it was a January 17 event, which was announced on January 11.)The second is an on-stage appearance from director Michael Bay. His 2014 mid-presser walk-off is still the stuff of CES legend, and the sort of thing Samsung's media team will no doubt ensure never happens again.Samsung's CES 2025 livestreamYou can watch the Samsung CES press conference as it happens here. The feed will start Monday, January 6 at 5:00PM ET. (We'll add the embed once it becomes available.)This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/samsung-ces-2025-press-conference-watch-it-here-monday-at-5pm-et-005529946.html?src=rss

Swimming is one of my favorite things in the whole world. Cleaning a pool, however, is an absolute drag. For my money, pool-cleaning robots are much handier than even standard robovacs. If you have access to a pool, the forthcoming Wybot S3 could ensure you never have to walk around like a doofus with an oversized net ever again. Announced at CES, the Wybot S3 is an improvement over the S2 in nearly every way. The company says it's the first self-docking, self-emptying automatic charging pool cleaning robot." It includes an automated self-emptying system, which is standard with land-based robovacs but new to water-adjacent models. The unit transfers debris from its body to a 10-liter above ground base station. This bin is big enough to go 30 days without having to be manually emptied. Wybot Another first? The robot charges itself automatically via integrated solar panels. Under optimal sunlight, it'll suck up around 1.5 hours of runtime per day. If the weather is less than ideal, the unit can also be charged by plugging into a traditional power outlet. As for the actual cleaning, the unit includes a whole bunch of sensors that help it create a 3D map of the entire underwater environment." This lets it plan the most efficient cleaning route and minimizes the chances of blind spots. The company says this is particularly important for irregularly shaped pools. It also comes with a camera that susses out the largest amounts of debris, for improved efficiency and accuracy. Wybot The Wybot S3 can be monitored and controlled in real-time via a proprietary app, with a connection that combines Wi-Fi and sonar. The aquatic robovac is available for preorder right now, with shipments going out in the second quarter of the year. However, all of that waterproof tech is gonna cost you. The robot will be priced between $2,500 and $3,000, depending on which options are selected. Pool cleaning robots have been popping up all over the place lately. A company called Aiper brought an impressive model to CES back in 2023 and the Beatbot Aquasense Pro has been receiving rave reviews. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/the-wybot-s3-just-might-be-the-pool-cleaning-robot-of-your-dreams-140100715.html?src=rss

Ring makes doorbells, cameras, floodlights, alarms and intercoms, a list best summed up as stuff to keep your home safe." The obvious omission in the lineup is smoke detectors, which is why the company has rocked up to CES 2025 arm-in-arm with experts Kidde. The pair has put together a range of detectors for the home which are connected by WiFi to the Ring ecosystem.That way, should the whiff of smoke (or, if you buy a combination alarm, smoke and carbon monoxide) wafts through your home, you'll get a ping on the Ring app. You'll also, and this is perhaps the most desirable feature of the package, get a warning seven days before your battery runs out, letting you avoid the dreaded alarm chirps.Given Ring's penchant for subscription platforms, it's no surprise that there's a 24/7 smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring service available. For $5 per month, a remote monitoring service can keep an eye on your home and raise the alarm if the undesirable gases are spotted. There's no word on how much the new alarms will cost, but they'll be available exclusively at the Home Depot at some point in April 2025.At the same time, Ring has announced it is upgrading the video quality for its existing Floodlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Pro. If you already own these models, you'll soon be able to view their outputs not in HD, but 2K thanks to improvements in Ring Vision. This software update will start rolling out on January 8.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ring-and-kidde-launch-connected-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms-140052259.html?src=rss

Brisk It debuted its first AI-enabled smart grill concept at CES last year, and now the company is back with a new, low-cost model for 2025. Dubbed the Zelos 450, this compact unit joins the Origin series machines in the company's lineup. Despite the dramatically lower price of $399, Brisk It still managed to pack in its AI cooking tech to assist in all areas of backyard grilling. The company says its Zelos line of pellet grills were designed to offer its advanced features at a more affordable price. Although the company has only announced the 450-square-inch version at CES 2025, it sounds like a larger option could be on the way. Like Brisk It's other models, the main selling point is the company's Vera generative AI platform. Now in version 2.0, Vera offers image recognition on your phone to construct personalized recipes, replicate completed dishes, make a meal based on photographed ingredients or provide inspiration based on what's in your shopping cart at the store. Every recipe is automated with the grill, which the company says will reduce stress and ensure consistent results. Brisk It says the tech makes BBQ and grilling as easy as asking a question and pressing a button. In fact, the company claims the combination of Vera and the Zelos 450 can even compensate for mistakes like forgetting to baste a prime rib roast. Like most smart pellet grills, the Zelos 450 has Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to control the grill and monitor progress from anywhere via your phone. The grill also can smoke as low at 180 degrees Fahrenheit and sear at 500 degrees, or anything in between like baking and roasting. The Zelos 450 has a simpler design than Brisk It's Origin series, with a more basic onboard controller and display than those first two models. This makes sense given the much lower price tag. The Zelos 450 will be available in Q1 2025 at Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes and directly from the company for $399. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/brisk-its-latest-ai-infused-smart-grill-only-costs-399-140035250.html?src=rss

If you've been toting around a separate mixer to record two audio sources, Shure's latest USB-C microphone will lighten your load. Following the MV7+, the company has introduced the MV7i, which it says is the first microphone with a built-in, two-channel audio interface. To achieve this, Shure swapped the XLR output for a combination XLR and 1/4-inch input. All of the mixing can be done inside the company's MOTIV apps, or with your go-to recording software, thus eliminating the need for a mixer to connect two mics, or a mic and an instrument. Like the MV7+, the MV7i is inspired by the popular SM7B microphone. If you've watched a video podcast recently, you've likely seen the SM7B, or a variant of it, in action. The overall shape of that more robust model is carried over to the MV7 line once again, complete with a durable metal frame. This new version also keeps the customizable LED touch panel that shows levels and acts as a mute button. The combo XLR and 1/4-inch input around back offers 60dB of gain and 48 volts of phantom power, so you can employ dynamic and condenser microphones with the MV7i. If you connect an instrument, the microphone automatically detects the input type and applies the correct DSP for recording. The USB-C output is compatible with Mac, Windows and select mobiles devices. It's MFi certified for use with iPhone and iPad as well. Billy Steele for Engadget With Shure's tech, the MV7i and the MOTIV app automate a lot of the production steps for you. There's an Auto Level mode with SmartGate that calibrates gain based on several factors and reduces the volume of a channel when no one is talking. That latter item should minimize crosstalk during recording, Shure explains. There's also a real-time denoiser for ambient sounds, a digital pop filter and three different types of reverb. Inside the MOTIV Mix desktop app, you can capture multi-track recordings and tweak settings like sound signature and gain. There are also three output options - Mixdown, Multi-track and Stereo - that give you the ability to combine everything into one mono output for quick uploads, keep the two inputs separate (mono) for edits or combine the two inputs into a stereo track. The MV7i also works with MOTIV Audio and MOTIV Video mobile apps, complete with direct recording to supported devices. I've been testing the MV7i over the last few weeks as part of a full review coming later this month. So far, the microphone has offered the same great sound quality at its predecessor. I continue to be amazed at how well the MV7 series mics block out background noise and the options inside the MOTIV desktop app provide some room for customization. I'm also very glad you can alter the level meter LED on the MV7i like you could on the MV7+. I find the active lighting to be a distraction during recording, especially when you're on video for a podcast. The MV7i was made for me. I'm getting ready to launch a podcast in a few weeks and I've been dreading having to buy a mixer for a two-mic setup. With this device, I can plug in the MV7+ to the MV7i via XLR and do all of the levels and settings in an app. And when I need to record remotely, all I need to pack up is two microphones and two cables. The MV7i is available now for $349 with a 3-meter USB-C to USB-C cable in the box. You'll want to make plans to buy a stand though, since the microphone doesn't come with one. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/shure-put-a-two-channel-audio-interface-inside-its-latest-mv7-microphone-140016646.html?src=rss

Intel is revving up its AI chip lineup at CES 2025. Today, the company unveiled the Core Ultra 200H chips for "performance thin and light" notebooks, alongside the Core Ultra 200HX chips for mobile gamers who demand powerful discrete GPUs. There aren't any big surprises with these chips, but if you were eyeing the Core Ultra 200V AI chips, but wanted something with a bit more horsepower, the 200H and 200HX are exactly what you're looking for.IntelThe Core Ultra 200H family tops out with the Core Ultra 9 285H processor, which offers 16 cores (six performance, eight efficient and two low-power) and a top speed of 5.4GHz. It also sports 8 Intel Arc GPU cores, which is enough to play some smaller titles. The Core Ultra 200HX family adds more cores to make them better suited to games and high-intensity workloads. The high-end Core Ultra 9 285HX has 24 cores (eight performance and 16 efficient) and a maximum speed of 5.5GHz. While it offers only 4 Intel GPU cores, it's not meant much to game much on its own. Instead, it'll be paired up with discrete GPUs from NVIDIA or AMD in gaming laptops.IntelIntel didn't have many other details to share on these chips, other than the fact that we can expect to see systems featuring them sometime in the first quarter. That's also when desktops powered by the Core Ultra 200S chips start shipping. But hey, it's CES, and AMD almost certainly has its own chip refresh in tow. Intel had to announce something, otherwise all we'd be talking about is how much trouble the company is in following the ouster of former CEO Pat Gelsinger.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/intel-unveils-arrow-lake-ai-chips-for-gaming-laptops-at-ces-2025-140010111.html?src=rss

Every year at CES, Stern Pinball has a new game to show off. They're one of the oldest and most well-known pinball manufacturers (not to mention one of the few left standing in 2025) so it's always fun for me, a pinball nerd, to check out what they have to show off. This year, it's a new machine meant to celebrate 50 years of Dungeons & Dragons called Dungeons & Dragons: The Tyrant's Eye. And like many pinball games, you can just walk up and play without knowing the intricacies of the game, but there's a lot here to uncover over time.The thing that caught my eye was the fact that you can pick a character and level them up over time, provided you use Stern's Insider Connected app. That app already lets you create a profile and keep track of achievements, games in your area, your top scores and other features (you "log in" by scanning a QR code from the app). But with Dungeons & Dragons, you can actually improve your character over time and save your progress through the game's many modes. When you first start, you choose a character and location, and those choices will affect the goals you need to achieve. Stern specifically say that its new "PinSave" system will let you save character experience points, inventory items and game campaign progress across multiple games.That's a subtly wild move for a pinball game - usually you get three balls and that's it. It's a nod to how complex newer games can get these days, and Stern already experimented with something similar on its Venom game from 2023. The same lead designer built both Venom and Dungeons & Dragons, and a representative from Stern said he looked at the saved progress in Venom as a way to experiment and trial for the bigger system in place for the latest game.I got to take Dungeons & Dragons for a spin (the Stern rep told me I was the first person who wasn't an employee to play the game), and while there's only so much you can glean from a couple plays, it feels much like other modern Stern machines. That's not a bad thing - the playfield is lovely, and the large dragon on the left side presents some interesting challenges. Stern told me that it can try and block shots and also it enables a wild eight-ball multiball mode, with the dragon actively trying to bounce your balls into the drain. I didn't get to try this, but I'm looking forward to seeing it sooner or later. There's also a gelatinous cube that can freeze your ball in place via magnets.Photo by Nathan Ingraham / EngadgetFinally, there's an impressive voice cast on this game, including Michael Dorn (Worf from Star Trek) and Kevin Smith, as well as Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray and Laura Bailey from Critical Role. That's just a handful of those participating in the game; you can check out the full list here.Photo by Nathan Ingraham / EngadgetI've never bothered using Stern's Insider Connected app before, mostly because I'm lazy - but if there's a Dungeons & Dragons machine near me I'll probably give it a shot. While you can easily enjoy the game and play your three balls without making an account, more hardcore players will probably enjoy the process of leveling up over time, and it's a feature that makes perfect sense given D&D's focus on progression over time.As usual, this machine is not cheap - Stern is only making 740 total, with prices ranging from $6,999 for the Pro edition up to $12,999 for the limited edition. Start saving those quarters, D&D / pinball fans. Or, on a more reasonable note, start keeping an eye out at your local arcades. Stern's app will help you find games near you, too, if you want to go the more modern route.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sterns-latest-pinball-machine-is-a-loving-tribute-to-dungeons--dragons-131053243.html?src=rss

At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, which kicks off this week, Roborock, a Chinese manufacturer of robot vacuums and other household cleaning appliances, has unveiled a new robotic vacuum model with a foldable robotic arm. It had already piqued my curiosity, but now I really want one.The OmniGrip arm has five-axis movement and can lift objects under 300 grams, like socks and dog toys. It marks objects it can lift while cleaning the floor and then circles back to pick them up when it's done. It even cleans the areas under the objects on its second pass - that's attention to detail! The Saros 270 will go on sale later this year, but the price is TBA.- Mat SmithGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The biggest CES stories you missedCES 2025: Spit on this stick to see how burned out you areCES 2025: Watch the Samsung press conference here today at 5PM ETCES 2025: Belkin's new Creator Bundle is a DIY kit for fledgling TikTokersWe're live from CES 2025!TVs, cars, headphones, weirdness.The previews are done and CES 2025 is full steam ahead. The Engadget team is in Las Vegas, reporting on all the biggest tech launches. And all the ridiculousness. We're running a dedicated live blog with all the news from Vegas - follow along here.CES 2025: All the keynotes of noteAnd what we already know is coming.In addition to the usual tradeshow floor chaos, there will be keynotes by NVIDIA's founder and CEO Jensen Huang, Delta CEO Ed Bastian and more. We've also seen Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (Twitter), will be interviewed by journalist Catherine Herridge at a keynote on January 7. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will speak about the future goals of the platform" on January 8. Those last two might be the most interesting.Continue reading.Meta sends its creepy AI-generated profiles to hellWhere they belong.MetaMeta has killed most of its AI-generated profiles from Facebook and Instagram, the company confirmed, after the AI characters prompted widespread outrage and ridicule from users on social media. AI managed by Meta launched in September 2023, rolling out alongside the company's celebrity-branded AI chatbots (also discontinued). Meta has updated none of these profiles for several months, and the pages seem to have been largely unnoticed until this week. On Instagram, their profiles also featured AI-generated posts that, as 404 Media noted, looked a lot like the AI slop that's filling the corners of the internet.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-122437246.html?src=rss

Elvie, the company known for its popular wearable breast pump, is showing off a new piece of baby gear at CES. Called Rise, it's an app-controlled baby bouncer that can transform into a bassinet with a baby inside. The $799 device is made for infants in the first few months of their lives. Elvie says the bouncer works for babies up to 20 lbs or 6 months old, while the bassinet is meant for babies up to 5 months or 22 lbs. While in bouncer mode," parents can customize the specific bounce pattern from the accompanying Elvie Rise Sleep & Soothe app. The company says its SootheLoop" technology is meant to be a gentle motion that's more like the movement of a caregiver rather than a repetitive robotic movement. There's also a manual mode for babies to bounce themselves as they grow a bit bigger and stronger. In its press release, Elvie says its own study found that two-thirds of babies between 0 and 3 months often sleep in non-safe" products like bouncers or swings. The Rise is meant to address this as parents can switch from bouncer mode to bassinet mode without - hopefully - waking their child. Elvie The Rise is equipped with a "transition handle" that allows parents to transition the device between modes. While in bouncer mode, this involves pushing on the bottom end, near the feet, and squeezing the handle to pull up the sides to form the walls of the bassinet. The straps from bouncer mode automatically retract to make it a surface suitable for sleeping. The company says its bassinet complies with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)'s sleep safe guidelines, though babies should not be left in the bouncer unattended. The device is also meant to be more portable than the typical bassinet. It collapses for easier transport and has a magnetic charger so it can be used even when it's not plugged in. The Elvie Rise is available now for pre-order. The company expects to begin shipping orders March 14, 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/elvies-newest-product-is-a-smart-baby-bouncer-that-transforms-into-a-bassinet-111550670.html?src=rss

The Espresso 17 Pro is our favorite portable monitor. It delivers great image quality, has a rugged build, boasts built-in speakers and includes a touchscreen function. The only real trouble is that, with a 17-inch screen, it's perhaps not as truly portable as it could be.Enter the Espresso 15 Pro.As you might have guessed, the latest model has a 15-inch display. This is the second Pro-level portable monitor from Espresso Displays. The company already has a 15-inch non-touch version, but as the name implies, this one's geared toward professionals and business travelers who could do with more on-the-go screen real estate.The Espresso 15 Pro, which was unveiled at CES 2025, has a resolution of 4K and 1,500:1 contrast. It's said to display 1.07 billion colors with full coverage of the AdobeRGB color spectrum. The LCD panel is actually brighter than the 17-inch model at 550 nits versus the larger monitor's 450 nits of peak brightness. It also has two USB-C inputs. On the downside, the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz.Espresso DisplaysAlong with MacOS and Windows devices, the Espresso 15 Pro works with iPhones, iPads and DeX-enabled Samsung Galaxy devices. It's possible to use the Espresso Pen for notetaking on the touchscreen as well.Elsewhere, the Espresso 15 Pro will come with the brand's new Stand+. The monitor magnetically attaches to the Stand+, which supports landscape and portrait orientations.Pricing and availability for the Espresso 15 Pro has yet to be revealed, though it's slated to arrive in the coming months. Logic dictates that the price will fall somewhere in between the $299 Display 15 and $799 Espresso 17 Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-espresso-15-pro-is-a-compact-version-of-our-favorite-portable-monitor-105237176.html?src=rss

If you've ever been confused about the vast array of skincare products on the market and exactly which ones are right for you, L'Oreal claims to have the answer. For CES 2025, the company introduced a gadget called the Cell BioPrint that can biochemically analyze your skin and provide advice on how to make it look younger.The company partnered with a startup called NanoEntek, a Korean manufacturer that develops microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology. To use the system, you place a facial strip on your cheek, then transfer it over to a buffer solution. That is then loaded into a Cell BioPrint cartridge, which is in turn inserted into the machine for analysis. While that's being processed, the device also takes images of your face and has you fill out a short questionnaire around skin concerns and aging. All of that takes just five minutes, the company says.In an interview with Engadget, Loreal's Guive Balooch said that the skin strip can be applied near the jawline, and that even if someone has sunscreen on, it won't affect the results.Once the data is crunched using something L'Oreal calls proteomics, Cell BioPrint can provide advice on how to improve your skin's appearance. It can suggest how well you may respond to certain ingredients like retinol, and predict potential cosmetic issues like dark spots or enlarged pores before they become visible.It all sounds good and reasonably science-based, but L'Oreal didn't cite any peer-reviewed studies that may prove the machine's efficacy. Still, it seems like a good time for such a product as skincare awareness has blown up of late thanks in part to Covid, influencers and Sephora. That has generated in a lot of new information (and misinformation), allowing L'Oreal to come in and save the day using science to hypothetically fix your issues.In any case, the BioPrint machine won't be available for consumers just yet, and to be clear, the first iteration of the device isn't meant for at-home use. It's slated to start pilot tests in stores in Asia sometime in 2025, but so far, there's no firm launch date or price. Balooch indicated it would follow a similar rollout pattern to the company's other tech launches in the past, by appearing first at the counters in flagship stores for one of L'Oreal's luxury brands. Over time, it may make its way to more mainstream segments.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/loreals-latest-device-promises-to-help-find-out-how-well-your-skin-responds-to-ingredients-like-retinol-090300942.html?src=rss

Samsung is kicking off 2025 with a lineup of new AI-enhanced televisions. At CES 2025, Samsung unveiled the Neo QLED 8K QN990F and QN900F, plus the Neo QLED 4K QN90F, QN80F and QN70F. The TVs come with glare-free technology and a suite of AI features driven by Samsung Vision AI.The Neo QLED 8K QN990F is Samsung's top-of-the-line model and it features a super-slim, minimalist footprint and an NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor. Its AI abilities include proprietary 8K upscaling, frame-by-frame HDR remastering, adaptive sound, color boosting and AI Mode, which automatically optimizes picture and sound based on the content on screen. These represent updates to existing Samsung AI efforts.In line with the minimalist aesthetic, Samsung is also shipping a Wireless One Connect Box for the QN990F, allowing users to keep their TV space wire-free. This is similar to LG's Zero Connect Box, and it's a clever bit of clutter-clearing equipment. Samsung claims the Wireless One Connect Box works at a distance of up to 10 meters, even with obstacles in its transmission path.Meanwhile, Samsung's QLED 4K line features an NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, 4K AI Upscaling Pro, improved picture quality and a 165Hz refresh rate. The QN80F has a 100-inch option, while the QN90F comes in 115 inches.Samsung's AI ambitions cover all of its 2025 TVs, with Vision AI delivering new personalization and optimization features across the board. Click to Search can identify people, places and products on-screen and then provide relevant information about these things in real time. Identify the actors in a scene, specific pieces of clothing or the displayed location, for instance. In a similar vein, the new Samsung Food ability can identify the grub on your TV and even provide relevant recipes. This feature can also analyze the contents of your connected Samsung fridge and build specific shopping lists, or prompt you to order groceries or takeout from the TV using third-party apps.Samsung AI Home Security turns your TV into a house-monitoring hub. It leverages the built-in microphone and connected cameras on your Samsung TV, and can detect unusual sounds and movements. It then delivers alerts to your phone or directly on the TV. Live Translate delivers real-time subtitle translations, and Generative Wallpaper allows users to create dynamic, personalized art canvases.In OLED land, Samsung is introducing the S95F, S90F and S85F. As the flagship in this line, the S95F includes an NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, improved glare-free technology, a 165Hz variable refresh rate and a brighter display than ever before.There's also The Frame Pro, a TV so special that we have a separate story all about its new features.As usual, Samsung is primed to reveal more details about pricing and availability of its new hardware during CES 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-ces-2025-tv-lineup-includes-8k-ai-enhancements-and-a-wireless-connect-box-030058512.html?src=rss

Samsung has new soundbars and updates to an existing model to show off at CES 2025. First, the HW-QS700F is an all-new speaker that's designed to sit on a shelf or TV stand, but it can also be mounted at 90 degrees flat on a wall under a TV. The QS700F can optimize the sound based on how you've situated it for the best performance. This adjustment happens automatically thanks to a built-in gyro sensor. The QS700F will come with Samsungs redesigned subwoofer, the same one that is packaged with the new Q990F.In a quick demo, the QS700F sounded every bit as crisp and clear as the Q990F. However, I only got a few seconds in a noisy room, so I'll have to wait for a full review to see if this holds true. Still, Samsung's trademark clarity is likely to be a main aspect of the sound profile, and the included sub provides ample bassy thump. That low-end tone was apparent even in the raucous demo area.The company's flagship soundbar returns for 2025 with a significant tweak. The HW-Q990F will remain an all-in-one package with wireless subwoofer and rear satellite speakers included and retains the same angular look. But, the company says it reduced the size of the sub to less than half of the previous version. What's more, Samsung explains that it did so while providing even more powerful audio performance from the unit. As someone who reviewed both the Q990D and Q990C, I can tell you the previous subwoofer was enormous, so this is a great update.The Q990F remains an 11.1.4-channel speaker with "clearer, richer and more effortless sound" and Dolby Atmos support. The included rear surround speakers also pack in up-firing drivers, which enhances the overall effect of the immersive audio. And as I've noted before, having everything in one package is convenient and saves you from having to make extra purchases on top of a pricey soundbar. I was able to hear the Q990F in Samsung's CES demo area, and it's as loud as ever, with the crisp, clear details I've encountered on the two previous models. As I already noted, that smaller sub packs a punch, and it should fill in nicely as a replacement for the larger unit the flagship soundbars were previously packaged with.Samsung Q990FSamsungSamsung will use AI to boost sound quality on its soundbars in 2025. Two features, Active Voice Amplifier Pro and Q-Symphony Pro, use artificial intelligence to enhance dialog over background noise and analyze sound with a Samsung TV's processor respectively. The company says Q-Symphony Pro will also be available on two new B-series soundbars, the HW-B750F and HW-B650F, which will arrive in 2025.Another item Samsung is keen to discuss at CES is its Eclipsa Audio platform it's developing in collaboration with Google. Details are scarce on the new 3D audio standard for now, but Samsung has already said its 2025 TVs and soundbars will support it. According to the press release, Eclipsa Audio enables content creators to adjust sound data and location for spatial audio. It sounds like Samsung and Google are developing their own take on Dolby Atmos. What's more, Samsung says creators will be able to upload videos with Eclipsa Audio to YouTube later this year, but there's no word on support for other platforms yet.Samsung first announced plans to develop 3D spatial audio in 2023 when it collaborated with Google on Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF). IAMF was adopted by the Alliance for Open Media (AOM), which lists Amazon, Apple and Netflix among its members. This also isn't the first time Samsung has shunned Dolby as it has opted for HDR10+ over Dolby Vision for its TVs.There's no word on pricing and availability on any of the new soundbar models just yet. That info is likely to arrive closer to launch. For reference, the Q990D is $2,000, but once again, it includes a subwoofer and rear speakers. Sony's Bar 9 is $1,400 just for the soundbar itself.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/samsung-debuts-the-qs700f-soundbar-and-updates-the-q990-at-ces-2025-030042257.html?src=rss

At CES 2025, Bosch is showing off an AI-enabled bassinet with sensors that can detect just about anything an anxious parent could ever hope to monitor about their baby. It's not clear when the device, called Revol, may actually be available, but it's able to track an impressive amount of data.At first glance, the Revol looks somewhat similar to other smart bassinets like the ever-popular Snoo. It has mesh walls and can soothe a sleeping baby with automated movements. But unlike the Snoo, which rocks in a horizontal motion, the Revol moves vertically with the mattress slowly raising and lowering like a tiny elevator.But most of the power of the crib lies in the built-in baby monitor that provides a live video feed to caregivers. Inside the arm that extends over the crib is an array of sensors that can track both the environment around the bassinet and what's going on inside.Karissa Bell for EngadgetIt uses a millimeter wave radar sensor that Bosch says can accurately measure the heart rate and respiration of the baby. That data is then sent to an app on the caregiver's phone, where they can view real-time stats and health reports. There are also sensors for monitoring the environment of the baby's surroundings, including temperature and humidity sensors, as well a particle meter to measure air quality.Finally - because it's 2025 and every product needs to have an AI component - the Revol also has AI-enabled features. It uses computer vision to detect if an object, like a blanket or stuffed animal, is near the baby's face and can alert parents to the danger (the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against keeping any soft objects in babies' sleep area).All that sounds like a pretty impressive list of features for a bassinet, but expecting parents shouldn't hold their breath for the Revol to become available. A Bosch rep told me that the company plans to bring the bassinet to the Chinese market first and that it's targeting sometime in 2026 for a launch in the US, citing the need to comply with US laws and regulations.There's also no price yet on the device, though Bosch told me they are hoping to price it at around $1200. That may seem steep, but the company plans to offer additional add-ons that can convert the crib into a changing table and desk, so parents and kids can get more use out of it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/boschs-ai-enabled-bassinet-tracks-everything-youd-ever-want-to-know-about-your-babys-sleep-025258549.html?src=rss

It's been ten years since LG introduced its Gram line of ultra thin and light laptops, and despite my early skepticism about its longevity and build quality, the company continues to make new models regularly. It's expanded the portfolio to offer pro variants, clamshells and 2-in-1s, and in keeping with every laptop maker in recent years, LG is now infusing the Gram Pros with more of its own... you guessed it... AI.We already learned about this year's LG Gram Pro lineup when they company unveiled the details last week. From the announcement, we found out that four new models are available. Here at CES 2025, I was able to check out the LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 in person to see what I was able to learn beyond the press release. The short answer is: not much.In the six days or so since LG shared the 2025 Gram lineup with the world, the company has yet to disclose pricing and availability. That's pretty common for many CES launches, so I wouldn't chalk that up as a warning sign.Besides the fact that it has new Intel Arrow Lake processors and displays with variable refresh rates that go up to 144Hz, though that's reserved for the LCD panel option. For models with OLED, you can only go up to 120Hz. There's also improved treatment to deal with glare, which was surprisingly effective at mitigating the overhead fluorescent lights on the show floor. I could still see the floating glowing orbs reflected on the display, but for the most part I was able to view the YouTube video playing on the demo unit just fine.As is becoming tradition for me at CES by now, I tried to bicep curl the Gram Pro 2-in-1 and frankly, the laptop remains unsatisfying for serious gym rats looking for heavy weights. Those wanting a truly portable system that fits into the thinnest of pockets without dragging on your shoulders will appreciate the Gram Pro. But, its 16-inch screen means it's fairly hefty and won't fit into many purses.I also appreciate the sturdy hinges LG has used in the Gram lineup. The Gram Pro 2-in-1's case hasn't been tweaked since last year's model, and I was mildly concerned when the lid started to flex a bit when a rep at the LG booth was flipping it over. But the device remained intact, and frankly all Gram laptops have always exhibited some level of flex because of how thin they are.The other main update to the Gram Pro 2-in-1 is the addition of LG's Gram AI suite of services. These include "Gram chat," which is available in on-device and cloud-based versions. The former uses LG's own EXAONE large language model, while the latter taps OpenAI's GPT-4o. Gram Chat Cloud can also integrate with your calendar and inboxes to help manage your schedules and "send and receive emails more efficiently," according to LG.There are also features like Time Travel, which is LG's take on Microsoft's Recall, helping users find what they're looking for by feeding parameters like date viewed or inline text to the AI system. When I asked an LG rep how the service would avoid the security concerns that Microsoft's Recall was criticized over, they said that people would have to grant permission before continuing to use their laptops.Like I mentioned, LG has yet to share details on price or when these Grams will be available, but with last year's Gram Pro 2-in-1 going for about $1,300 on Amazon right now, I'd imagine this year's models won't be too far off.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lg-gram-pro-2-in-1-2025-hands-on-of-course-a-thin-and-light-laptop-gets-ai-at-ces-2025-023252332.html?src=rss

LGLG is the debut act at CES "press day," the full day of press conferences that precede the show floor's opening on Tuesday. LG execs will take the stage at Mandalay Bay promptly at 8AM PT on Monday - and you can watch it all right here.Last year, LG pre-empted Apple by reinventing what the "AI" initials stand for. In LG parlance, it's "Affectionate Intelligence" - an angle they are leaning into again this year. As for more tangible products, the transparent OLED-T TV the company announced in 2024 did make it across the preorder finish line before New Year's Eve - with a $60,000 price tag. And in addition to its usual big appliance push, LG even touted new EV chargers. But the little home robot that LG introduced last year hasn't been seen since.What to expect at the LG CES 2025 press conferenceBeyond the "AI everywhere" angle (which you'll hear from nearly every vendor this year), expect LG to tie together its full range of product categories, from TVs to appliances and everything in between. And because LG (like Samsung) has tended to tip its hand in the days and weeks before CES, we already have some idea of what to expect. For instance, we already know that the company's 2025 OLED evo TV line will pair 4K resolution with gaming-friendly 165Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the new PF600U packs an HD projector, Bluetooth speaker and LED mood lamp into something that looks like an old-school oscillating floor fan. On the audio front, Engadget's Billy Steele already likes the "punchy highs" he heard during a quick demo of the compact S20A soundbar. And the newest LG Signature microwave includes a built-in 27-inch touchscreen display on its door, so your kitchen will never be without a screen.Of course, we're hoping to see another take on transparent TVs (maybe with a more consumer-friendly price point) and maybe a real-world look at that robot, too.Watch the LG CES 2025 livestreamYou can watch the LG CES press conference as it happens below. The feed will start Monday, January 6 at 11:00AM ET. We'll also be embedding Engadget's liveblog coverage, so you can get up-to-the-minute commentary as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lg-ces-2025-press-conference-and-liveblog-watch-it-here-monday-at-11am-et-013155504.html?src=rss

Current Backyard made its CES debut last year with an electric smart grill and griddle, but for 2025, the company is going in a slightly different direction. Looking to cater to the pizza oven craze, the company revealed the Model P Smart Pizza Oven in Las Vegas. As you might expect, the unit is all-electric, but it's certified for use indoors and outside. The "smart" portion of the recipe here is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity that provides access to tools in the company's app. The company says the Model P can hit a maximum temperature of 850 degrees Fahrenheit, the level at which a Neapolitan-style pie can cook in two minutes. For comparison, that's the same max heat output as the pricier Ooni Volt 12. Current Backyard explains that the internal design of its electric oven uses an algorithm alongside top-mounted graphite and under-stone circular calrod elements to ensure uniform heating. The company says this construction also eliminates the need to rotate pizzas during cooking. A cordierite cooking stone assists with the even doneness, especially for crisping up the crust. What's more, Current Backyard says the Model P will recover quickly between pizzas to keep the cooking process moving along. In fact, the company explains that you can cook three Neapolitan-style pizzas in about 10 minutes. The Model P will alert you when it's okay to launch another pie after you retrieve one from the oven. The Model P has five cook modes for different styles of pizza and other uses: Neapolitan, New York, thin crust, frozen pizza and a broil function with high and low settings. Those presets can be chosen on the oven or with an app. Also inside the company's app, there's a Pizza Build Calculator that offers customized cook time and temperature based on a selected style and ingredients. This tool takes into account the amounts of sauce, cheese and toppings along with the thickness of the dough. You can also select well done if you're like me and prefer your pies extra crispy. Current Backyard didn't include an exact arrival date in the Model P announcement, but it did say that the pizza oven will cost $599 when it's available for purchase sometime in Q2. You'll be able to purchase accessory kits and an outdoor cart for the Model P as well, with that latter add-on priced at $399. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/current-backyard-debuts-the-model-p-smart-pizza-oven-at-ces-2025-010054271.html?src=rss

Concept devices are always tricky. For every one that gets turned into a real product a year later there are a thousand disappointments. Maybe the concept can't be mass-produced affordably enough to make it viable to the business. Maybe the technology isn't reliable enough to really make good on the promises its creators made during the glossy launch. And sometimes, it was never anything more than a bit of Kabuki to juice the stock price or lure in some new investors.With that wariness in one hand, we can now examine Withings' new concept device, Omina, which it says is its vision for the future of health monitoring. It's a floor mat and smart mirror designed to usurp your bathroom scale and take up way more room in your home. The idea is it'll offer a holistic" view of your physical health, demystifying your biological markers as it goes.WithingsClimb aboard and you'll be shown a 3D body model that will visualize the results of whatever metrics it can access. Omina will be able to check your weight, heart health and metabolic health, which will be integrated with any data from your other Withings devices. That includes stats on your activity, sleep health and blood pressure, depending on what you own.Omina comes" with its own AI voice assistant, offering real-time feedback to help you hit your fitness goals. It'll also answer questions, offer motivational quotes and guide you through any roadblocks you may find. Plus, it'll connect with any telemedicine provider that integrates with the system, letting you share your vitals with your physician.WithingsNaturally, as a concept device, you won't be able to buy one now, or potentially ever, but it is described as being in development." Withings has, however, pledged that the AI assistant and telemedicine features will arrive on its Health Mate app at some point this year. In the meantime you should probably think about buying a house with a bathroom big enough to accommodate one of these things.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/withings-omina-is-its-vision-for-the-future-of-bathroom-scales-010024945.html?src=rss

It's not as if any period in human history was particularly gentle, but we do seem to live in very stressful times. Maybe it's not the stress that's changed, but that we're more able than ever to notice, monitor and analyze what's going on in our bodies. Here at CES 2025, startup Eli Health is launching Hormometer, an at-home kit that tests your cortisol and progesterone levels.Hormometer is a wand with a collection tip at one end that you hold in your mouth for 60 seconds. Once it's absorbed your spit, you'll sit it down on a table for 20 minutes while the cartridge's network of built-in microfluidics gets to work. After that, the assay will start displaying lines in a specific color, which can be read and interpreted by your smartphone camera.The app will then be able to, presumably once it's established your individual baseline levels, offer helpful suggestions for how to better manage your health. It's likely those will get more detailed over time, as Eli Health says it's creating the first data set of its kind. Which, if you're unaware, means your hormone levels are likely going into a very large database with all of its users. The company will have to answer many questions about how it's planning to protect the privacy of its users, especially in the US.Cortisol, of course, is better known as the stress hormone, which increases when you're in a tough spot. It's cortisol that's behind your fight-or-flight response, spiking your blood sugar to get you ready for fighting or fleeing, suppressing other critical bodily functions to do so. High cortisol levels will weaken your immune system, waste your muscles and prevent bone growth.Progesterone, meanwhile, is crucial for regulating the reproductive system, particularly for those able to become pregnant. Low levels can risk ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or premature labor. Excessively high levels, meanwhile, can create problems with temperature and mood regulation as well as low fertility. Progesterone is sometimes given to transfeminine individuals as well, where it's believed to play a role in breast development.It's worth noting that saliva-testing gadgets aren't particularly new, and we've reported on them in 2005, 2009 and 2016. What's attractive about this device, and the rest of the current crop of saliva analysis tools, is the easier accessibility. Eli Health isn't stopping at just those two hormones, and says it's already working to develop tests for testosterone and estradiol.The first tests will be available to buy in the US and Canada from January 2025, with various subscription plans available, including one where each test will cost $8 if you commit to a whole year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/this-saliva-testing-wand-knows-how-stressed-you-are-010002378.html?src=rss

We're here! The Engadget CES 2025 team has mostly arrived in Las Vegas, where we'll be covering tech's biggest annual conference. Our war room is open, the team has been seeing products and the coverage will ramp up in just a few short hours. Still, the show doesn't officially kick off for a couple of days, since the convention center is only truly open on January 7. But we'll have plenty of press conferences to cover tomorrow, and companies are already holding somewhat secretive briefings to preview their news.Based on our experience, as well as observation of recent industry trends, it's fairly easy to make educated predictions about what we might see here. Over the years, the focus of the conference has spanned areas like TVs, cars, smart home products and personal health, with a smattering of laptops and accessories thrown in. At CES 2025, we expect to see AI get even more pervasive in all areas of the show floor. But we are also likely to get the usual slew of new processors and subsequent laptops, as well as all manner of wearables, trackers, bathroom appliances and massage chairs. Oh, the massage chairs.What we already know aboutThere's already a lot we know is coming, just by a cursory glance at the lineup published by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). In addition to numerous panels and talks, there will be keynotes by NVIDIA's founder and CEO Jensen Huang, Delta CEO Ed Bastian as well as C-suite executives from companies like Panasonic, SiriusXM, Waymo and Volvo group. We've also seen that Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (Twitter), will be interviewed by journalist Catherine Herridge at a keynote on January 7, while Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will be speaking about the "future goals of the platform" on January 8.Press conferences of note at CES 2025Engadget will be running a liveblog all through the show, starting on Monday January 6th. That's the day many press conferences by companies like NVIDIA, LG, Samsung and AMD will be taking place, and we'll be covering them live. We'll be paying particular attention to NVIDIA, LG, Samsung and Sony, but are keeping tabs on the dozens of other press conferences that will be happening, as well as the talks with Yaccarino and Spiegel. Here's how to watch those noteworthy press conferences if you want to tune in yourself:

Belkin just unveiled a unique bundle at CES 2025 that's being described as a comprehensive toolset designed to meet the needs of budding creators." The appropriately-named Creator Bundle comes with a bunch of useful accessories and offers everything needed for hands-free recording."The bundle ships with wireless mics, a tripod and a magnetic smartphone mount. The pair of tiny wireless clip-on microphones offer a 100m transmission range. They're battery-powered and last up to 5.5 hours per charge (with the included USB-C cable). The mics operate via a handy push-button design, making it easy for folks to mute, record or make adjustments to the sound.The included tripod reaches 1.7m in height (about 5.5 feet) and the magnetic mount can be adjusted to suit different shooting angles. However, the camera won't track people as they move around the room, so creators will have to stay in the center of the frame. The company does note that the bundle has been designed to integrate with its previously announced Auto-Tracking Stand Pro, which does track movement, but that costs an extra $180.Speaking of pricing, Belkin hasn't announced how much this bundle will cost. That'll likely come closer to the launch date in May 2025. It will be interesting to see how it compares to wireless microphone options from DJI, Sennheiser and Rode, none of which include bundled tripods.Update, January 5 2025, 6:18PM ET: This story has been updated to add references to comparable products.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/belkins-new-creator-bundle-at-ces-2025-is-a-diy-kit-for-fledgling-tiktokers-170006163.html?src=rss

LG has unveiled its OLED evo TV lineup for 2025 and is showing them off at CES this year, along with its other home entertainment products. The new models are powered by the company's latest (Alpha) 11 AI processor Gen2, with deep learning algorithms that give the TVs the ability to sharpen the visuals of low-resolution and low-quality images. LG says the new TVs are also the industry's first with 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 165Hz, as certified by NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync Premium. That enables the models to delivery stutter-free gameplay with minimal input lag.The company has upgraded its Brightness Booster Ultimate technology for the new OLED TVs, which means they can achieve brightness three times higher than conventional OLED models. For dark scenes, LG promises "top-notch black levels," as these models have received UL Solutions' "Perfect Black" and "Perfect Color" verification. LG was notably the first in the industry to obtain the Perfect Black verification back in 2022, ensuring viewers that their TVs can achieve true black when the image on screen calls for it.Photo by Billy Steele / EngadgetLG's rapid brightness and color temperature stabilization feature allows viewers to enjoy the best of what their TV can offer as soon as they turn it on. And if they choose to watch a film, the models' Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Compensation feature will kick in to automatically adjust the picture's settings based on the environment's lighting conditions in order to stay true to how the filmmaker wants viewers to experience their movie.When it comes to audio, the TVs come with AI Sound Pro that can deliver 11.1.2 channels of surround sound. Meanwhile, the models' AI Remote can recognize individual voices for tailored recommendations. Viewers can also use AI Search powered by Microsoft Copilot to understand conversational queries and "uncover subtle user intentions."One of LG's new OLED TVs is the latest M5 series, which serves as the successor to its previous M-series models that can wirelessly transmit video and audio. The latest M5 TVs are capable of wireless audio and video transmission at up to 144Hz without loss in picture and quality. While they have a slightly lower refresh rate than the other models in the lineup, the wireless M-series TVs also promise a "tear-free, stutter-free gaming experience." LG has been showing off this technology for a few years now, but they're bringing it to more and more TV in their lineup lately. Back in December, LG announced its new, more affordable QNED TVs would work with the Zero Connect Box, for example. Previously, it was available on the OLED M series but only at sizes of 77 inches and up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lgs-oled-evo-tvs-for-2025-come-with-ai-and-a-165hz-refresh-rate-200037568.html?src=rss

LG is carrying over much of its 2024 soundbar lineup to 2025, but the company has one all-new model that it plans to debut this year. At CES, I got a preview of the compact speaker, the S20A, that will provide a boost to your TV audio without taking up too much space. The 2.0-channel unit offers 50 watts of power and works best with LG's TVs.When paired with one of the company's televisions, you can expect its Wow Interface that allows you to make sound adjustments through the TV UI. There's also AI Sound Pro tech that calibrates the audio based on each scene. LG will offer a three-band EQ on the S20A, so you can tweak treble, mids and bass to fit your preferences.Billy Steele for EngadgetDuring a quick demo of the S20A, I was impressed with the punchy highs and clarity from the smaller unit. LG says it won't come with a subwoofer as the company uses the soundbar's drivers for that low-end tone. Of course, this setup doesn't provide the booming bass that a standalone wireless sub would, but the company doesn't see that as an issue here. We'll look forward to testing that theory later in the year when the S20A is available for review.There's no word on pricing or availability just yet as LG is only teasing this new soundbar here at CES. That info, as well as more detailed specs, should arrive closer to launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/lg-previews-the-compact-s20a-soundbar-at-ces-2025-191337487.html?src=rss

If you've been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your Kindle Scribe, now wouldn't be a bad time - Amazon is running its first sale on the new model, which has only been out for a month. Normally $450, the 2024 Kindle Scribe is 19 percent off, bringing the 64GB model down to $365. With the latest generation, Amazon tweaked the appearance of the tablet and added some AI features, along with some new note-taking options. The second-gen Kindle Scribe has white bezels around the screen and either a green (Metallic Jade) or gray (Tungsten) border, in contrast to the previous model's thick black border. The discount applies to both colors and, for the gray version, all storage options (16GB, 32GB and 64GB). When we tried out the new Kindle Scribe, we liked the new design and found the reading and writing experiences to be smooth. The new Kindle Scribe uses AI to help you clean up and summarize your notes, with the Summarize and Refine tools - and you can apply these to individual pages or the entire Notebook. These features worked out pretty well for us. In her review, Engadget's Deputy Editor of Reviews Cherlynn Low found the Scribe was able to make sense of a disorganized plan" she'd written out by properly putting list items in sequential order, and she saw largely accurate results" when it summarized her notes. Any mistake the system made felt reasonable, since I have horrible handwriting," she wrote. There's also now a better way to write directly on ebooks. With the 2024 Kindle Scribe, Amazon introduced Active Canvas - a little box that will pop up when you put your pen to whatever you're reading. The box can be resized and won't disappear when you leave the page. You'll also soon be able to write in collapsible margins, a feature expected to arrive early this year. One of our biggest gripes about the new Kindle Scribe was the relatively high cost, so if it appeals to you, don't miss your chance to get it at a discount. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-second-gen-kindle-scribe-is-on-sale-for-the-first-time-184403045.html?src=rss

Belkin has a new phone accessory at CES 2025 that somehow brings something fresh to the crowded field of magnetic charging accessories (in other words, MagSafe and non-Apple-certified alternatives). The company's Stage PowerGrip is a wireless power bank, camera-like grip and stand rolled into one. It even has a little screen and comes in several fun colors.Belkin pitches the PowerGrip as an accessory for creators and travelers. While modern smartphones are all most people need for photography, holding a candy-bar-shaped handset in landscape mode for long periods doesn't feel as comfortable or natural as the heartier grip of a dedicated camera. This accessory remedies that with a thick bulge similar to what you'd find on a DSLR or mirrorless camera.BelkinInside that lump is its 10,000mAh battery, which offers 7.5W magnetic wireless charging. An LED on its backside gives you a quick way to check its battery level. And a retractable USB-C cable is tucked inside the accessory, so you don't need to remember to throw a separate one in your bag.Belkin says the PowerGrip will be available in powder blue, sandbox, fresh yellow, pepper and lavender (the company's press images show a sixth black option, too). It's scheduled to ship this May. Unfortunately, Belkin hasn't yet announced pricing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/belkins-new-accessory-is-a-magnetic-power-bank-and-camera-grip-rolled-into-one-170057685.html?src=rss