Believe it or not, ThinkPad business-oriented laptops have been around for 30 years, and Lenovo is celebrating by adding a new mobile companion: the ThinkPhone. Designed for IT pros to pair seamlessly with ThinkPad PCs, the handset launches “in the coming months.”

Accentuating its IT-related security features, the phone has a discrete processor core for isolating sensitive data like PINs, passwords and crypto keys. It supports Lenovo’s ThinkShield security suite, another business-focused carryover from the PC world, and Moto Secure, a hub for security and privacy features. Additionally, IT admins can use tools like Moto OEMConfig or Moto Device Manager to customize lock screen settings, network alerts or pin layout scrambling.

The ThinkPhone’s specs are no slouch, running Android 13 with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system-on-chip. It has a 6.6-inch pOLED display with 2400 x 1080 resolution (394 ppi). The 5G phone also supports WiFi 6E and lasts an estimated 36 hours per charge. It has a 50MP “Ultra Pixel” camera and offers storage tiers in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB (and 8GB or 12GB of RAM). It’s IP68-rated, meaning it can withstand five feet of submersion for 30 minutes.

Lenovo

On the phone’s side is a customizable button that the company suggests programming to launch business apps or trigger PC/mobile syncing features. In a partnership with Microsoft, Lenovo is also working on adding push-to-talk for Microsoft Teams through the side button. The two partners also collaborated to ship the phone with Microsoft 365, Outlook and Teams apps preinstalled.

The phone’s build is military standard (MIL-STD 810H) certified using a “lightweight aramid fiber that’s stronger than steel” and aircraft-grade aluminum. Its front panel is Gorilla Glass Victus.

Lenovo hasn’t announced pricing for the handset, which will be available in the US, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Australia and “select countries across Asia.” Instead, it points IT departments to contact their local customer representatives ahead of its launch in early 2023.

EA gave Madden NFL 23 players an unwanted gift last week: corrupted save files. The publisher said on Saturday that anyone who tried to access the game’s Connected Franchise Mode (CFM) during a server outage has a 60 percent chance of losing their saved data forever.

The initial server issues occurred on Wednesday, December 28th and stretched into the following day. As a result, EA says files were corrupted for anyone who logged into franchise leagues during that period. (Save files should be unaffected for anyone who didn’t.) Unfortunately, EA’s development team estimates it will only recover 40 percent of the corrupted franchises.

Making matters worse, EA tweeted on December 28th that “users should now be able to play CFM without issue” — three days before delivering the bad news about lost saves. After apologizing, it encouraged affected gamers to “start a new franchise as the mode is up and running.” The publisher also directs customers to follow the Madden franchise account on Twitter for further updates.

The Madden series' franchise mode first appeared in Madden NFL 99, with the rebranded CFM arriving in 2013. (The latest version lets you control a player, coach or owner throughout a simulated career.) Considering how many hours it can take to build your league, it’s hard to imagine gamers with borked saves being content with EA’s advice to start a new file.

Walter Cunningham, an astronaut who was the last surviving member of the 1968 Apollo 7 mission, died on Tuesday at 90. The Iowa-born Cunningham served in the US Navy and Marine Corps before joining NASA in 1963 and eventually taking part in the Apollo program’s first crewed (and first televised) flight.

NASA confirmed Cunningham’s death and added that he was "instrumental to our Moon landing's program success.” According to the Houston Chronicle, Cunningham died in a local hospital of complications from a fall.

Apollo 7 was NASA’s first spaceflight after the 1967 Apollo 1 tragedy, where a fire killed three astronauts during a rehearsal test. This led to a longer-than-usual training period, as NASA shelved human-crewed spaceflight for 21 months following Apollo 1. The crew spent many long hours studying the spacecraft's design and construction of the Apollo command and service modules (CSM) to help avoid a repeat tragedy, which could have been perilous for the astronauts and the program. Finally, the crew splashed down on Earth on October 22, 1968, after nearly 11 days in space. Apollo 7 further tested NASA’s equipment and helped pave the way for Apollo 11, where the first humans walked on the moon.

NASA

Cunningham retired from NASA in 1971 and tried his hand at public speaking, radio hosting, offshore engineering, commercial real estate and venture capital investing. Unfortunately, he also became an outspoken climate change denier. Speaking to Forbes in 2013, Cunningham went through a laundry list of fossil-fuel industry talking points, framing modern NASA as an organization controlled by the media while claiming climate-change science was closer to demagoguery than fact. (For the record, climate change is real, and we're running out of time to avoid catastrophe.)

“I definitely believe that we lived in the good old days,” Cunningham said in a 1999 NASA interview. “We lived in the golden age of manned spaceflight. We’ve been in space now for over 40 years. The first 40 years of aviation, we went from just barely flying to jet transport, you know. And now, we haven’t moved that far since we went into space. The days through Apollo will be remembered; there’ll never be another time like that again. Even when we go to Mars, it will be different. And I feel just fortunate that I was a small part of this particular time in spaceflight.”

MSI has announced its 2023 gaming laptop lineup at CES, including new Intel and NVIDIA components. The updated models also have redesigned cooling that MSI says can help kick up performance.

As with most new gaming laptops unveiled this week, MSI’s upgraded models use 13th-gen Intel Core series processors with GeForce RTX 40 series laptop graphics. In addition, the new models include the company's latest thermal setup, now organized into shared, dedicated and VRAM-exclusive pipes.

The Titan GT and Raider GE series are the most spec-intensive models, using the Intel i9-13980HX with MSU Overboost tech that can push processing and graphics to a 250W power draw (or support 5.2GHz frequency across 8 P-cores). The Titan GE also adds what MSI describes as the “world’s first 4K 144Hz Mini LED display.” The 17.3-inch panel can hit an impressive 1,000 nits peak brightness with over 1,000 local dimming zones. The Raider GE’s display is a step down from it but still offers a respectable QHD+ resolution at 240Hz. That model also has a new chassis with an upgraded light bar.

MSI

MSI also has new editions of its Stealth Series gaming notebooks, which have a slimmer profile than the Titan and Raider lines while sacrificing as little power as possible. That lineup includes models with 14-, 15-, 16- and 17-inch displays. In addition to the new Intel and NVIDIA hardware inside, the Stealth 14 Studio and Stealth 16 Studio use a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis that helps keep their weight down. (The 16-inch model weighs 4.39 lbs, while the 14-inch one is 3.75 lbs.) In addition, the 15-inch variant has a 240Hz OLED display with a 0.2ms response time while covering 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

The Prestige series pushes the light and thin boundaries further, with the 13-inch variant standing as MSI’s lightest gaming laptop at 2.18 lbs. Like the Stealth line, the Prestige models also use a magnesium-alloy construction. Despite the light and thin build, the Prestige 13 Eco has a 75W-h battery lasting up to 15 hours.

Engadget will try MSI’s new gaming machines later this week, but you’ll still have over a month to decide if they’re right for you. Although the company hasn’t released a full release schedule, it tells us the Titan and Raider series will launch mid-February, while the Stealth and Cyborg lines will arrive later that month.

JBL has new speakers at CES 2023, including environmentally friendly versions of its Go 3 and Clip 4 portable models. The company is also updating its Pulse speaker line (known for its groovy light and color show) with better audio than its predecessor.

As their names suggest, the JBL Go 3 Eco and JBL Clip 4 Eco are environmentally conscious variants of the Go 3 and Clip 4. Launching on Earth Day (April 22nd), the Eco speakers use 90 percent PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastic for mechanical construction and 100 percent recycled fabric for their speaker grilles. They also ship in environmentally safe packaging, using FSC-certified paper and soy ink.

Apart from their environmental focus, they’re identical to their non-eco namesakes from late 2020. The Go 3 line has a rounded rectangle design, offering five hours of playback. Meanwhile, the Clip 4 has an integrated carabiner for easy hanging and 10 hours of playing time. Both models include IP67 water and dust resistance, which is handy for trips to the beach or pool. The environmentally friendly speakers will cost the same as their non-eco counterparts: $50 for the Go 3 Eco and $80 for the Clip 4 Eco.

JBL

JBL’s Pulse lineup has a built-in LED that acts like a digital lava lamp synced to your music. The new Pulse 5 (initially announced for a 2022 release but delayed to this year) should have richer audio than its predecessor, thanks to a bigger passive radiator for deeper bass and a refined woofer for richer mid-low frequencies. JBL says the 360-degree speaker is IP67-rated and can last 12 hours before plugging in its USB-C cable. The Pulse 5 launches this spring for $250.

JBL only entered the gaming headphone space three years ago, but it’s trying to make up for lost ground with a swath of new gear at CES 2023. The company’s latest headsets all support QuantumSurround, its 7.1 surround sound technology, and several new models offer spatial audio with head tracking.

The Quantum 910P (PlayStation) and 910X (Xbox) are the company’s new high-end wireless headsets, each color-themed for their corresponding consoles. The over-ear headphones have active noise canceling (ANC), 50mm drivers and spatial audio with head tracking. The built-in boom mic has echo and noise suppression; you can mute it by flipping it upwards. In addition to PlayStation, the Quantum 910P works with PC and Nintendo Switch, while the 910X is compatible with Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and PC. The headsets will cost $300 when they arrive in March.

The Quantum 360P and 360X are mid-range wireless variants that support surround sound on PCs. They have smaller 40mm drivers and shorter playback time (although still a healthy 22 hours). Meanwhile, the Quantum 100P and Quantum 100X are wired entry-level headsets with a 3.5mm connection, 40mm drivers and a boom mic. The 100P works with PlayStation 5 3D audio, and the 100X is compatible with Windows-sonic surround sound. Launching in March, the 360 P/X will cost $139, while the wired 100P/X is priced at $40.

JBL

The Quantum TWS Air is JBL’s latest gaming earbuds that work with PC, Mac, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices. (Xbox isn’t listed, suggesting JBL passed on Microsoft licensing for the earbuds.) JBL included a USB-C dongle for devices lacking native Bluetooth playback support. The wireless earphones have 6.8mm, drivers, with an advertised eight hours of playtime (the charging case adds another 16 hours). They have four microphones (two each) and support surround sound when paired with a PC. The Quantum TWS Air launches this summer for $100.

JBL announced new audio gear today at CES 2023, including several new sets of true wireless earbuds. Although the Tour series’ smart charging case with a 1.45-inch touchscreen is JBL’s headline-grabbing release, it also updated its entry-level and mid-range earbuds for different form factors.

The JBL Tune series now ships in three designs: Tune Buds (standard buds, 10mm driver), Tune Beam (stick design with close tips similar to AirPods Pro, 6mm driver) and Tune Flex (open sticks like standard AirPods, 12mm driver). All three pairs offer active noise cancellation (ANC), although it’s hard to imagine the Tune Flex’s open design cutting down much outside sound.

JBL

JBL says the Tune Buds and Tune Beam each offer 12 hours of playback, with another 36 hours available from the charging case. (That drops to 10 hours with 30 more from the case if you have ANC turned on.) Meanwhile, the Tune Flex has an advertised eight hours of playback, with an additional 24 from the case (dropping to six hours and 18 from the case with ANC on). The Tune Buds and Beam have IP54 water and dust resistance, while the Flex is limited to IPX4. The three earphones will be available in black, blue and white when they launch in June, costing $100 each.

The Vibe series is JBL’s entry-level earbuds lineup without ANC. They ship in three similar form factors: Vibe Buds (bud design, 8mm drivers), Vibe Beam (closed stick, 8mm drivers) and Vibe Flex (open stick, 12mm drivers). All three include IP54 resistance and eight hours of playback, plus 24 more from the charging case. The earphones launch in February in black and white color options. The Vibe Buds and Vibe Beam will cost $50 each, while the Vibe Flex will set you back $70.

JBL

Finally, the JBL Endurance Peak 3 is the company’s latest workout earbuds. Like many fitness earphones, they have an ear-hook design to keep them secure during exercise. They include 10mm drivers, IP68 resistance and 10 hours of battery life (plus another 40 from the case). Like the Vibe series, they also lack ANC. The Endurance Peak 3 will be available in black and white, costing $100 when they launch on February 19th.

Five-year-old pool cleaning company Aiper is launching the Seagull Pro, which the company says is the world’s first quad-motor pool-cleaning robot. The flagship vacuum is a CES 2023 Innovation Award Honoree.

The Seagull Pro’s quad-motor system moves the robot around your pool by sucking and quickly exhausting water. Aiper says it can “suck in dirt, sand, leaves, hairs and other particles on the pool’s floor more efficiently than other models.” It can clean in- or above-ground pools (up to 3,200 sq. ft.) for up to three hours per charge and offers three modes: floor cleaning, wall cleaning and auto, which cleans both. Aiper says the device’s WavePath Navigation follows “a unique wave shape” while cleaning to increase its coverage compared to vacuums that wander randomly. The Seagull Pro will cost $900 when it launches in March.

Aiper

Additionally, Aiper has new cheaper models, including the $400 Seagull Plus. It’s made for pools up to 1,300 sq. ft. and helps reduce its cost by trading the quad motor for a dual-motor system. It lasts an estimated 110 minutes while recharging in two and a half hours. Meanwhile, the Aiper Elite Pro skips the Seagull branding while offering high-end features at a slightly lower price than the Seagull Pro (although one big tradeoff is that the Elite Pro only covers 1,300 sq. ft.) It has a lightweight design, wall-cleaning capabilities and a dual-motor system. It can clean for two hours, the same time it takes to recharge. The Elite Pro arrives this Thursday for $800.

Aiper also highlights the Seagull SE, a budget water vacuum released in November. Although it only supports pools up to 850 sq. ft., it has dual drive motors and can run for 90 minutes (recharging in two and a half hours). The Seagull SE costs $300.

Verizon has announced the latest model in its kids’ line of cellular-connected smartwatches. The Gizmo Watch 3 is a $150 children’s wearable that gives them basic smart features while allowing their parents or caregivers to keep tabs on their location.

The newest Verizon watch for tikes continues the company’s goal of “providing a safe smartwatch experience for children that aren’t quite ready for a smartphone.” The new version has a front-facing camera, allowing children to take photos, make video calls and record messages with approved contacts. (Although smartwatch cameras can sound privacy alarms, I see the value for children who don’t already have a smartphone camera.) The new model also lets parents add more safe zones, designated areas that the children can’t leave without the watch notifying their parents. The new model also doubles the number of trusted contacts parents can set up — from 10 to 20.

The Gizmo Watch 3 gets a new processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform. Verizon says the chip helps it add 80 percent more talk time and 20 percent more standby time than its predecessor. It also includes Bluetooth for the first time so that kids can pair the wearable with wireless earbuds or headphones. Additionally, it has new watch faces (including ones that change with the seasons and time of day) and three new games: Tic Tac Toe, Gizmo Says and Puzzle.

The Gizmo Watch 3 will be available through Verizon on Thursday in Blue Clay and Mint colors. Of course, if you don’t want to pay the full $150 upfront, the carrier will let qualified customers pay it off over 36 months. For a limited time, it’s also running a deal where buying one will get you $100 off a second.

ASUS is refreshing its gaming laptops with HDR Mini LED displays, better cooling and updated processors and graphics. However, since the company hasn’t yet announced pricing, it's harder to discern the latest models' value.

The Nebula display is found in more models than ever this year. That company branding denotes screens with high frame rates (120Hz for 4K and QHD screens and 240Hz or higher for 1080p), bright backlights and vivid colors. Meanwhile, the new Nebula HDR variant is like an ultra-premium version highlighting Mini LED panels. For example, the Nebula HDR display in the Strix SCAR 16 is a Mini LED with 1,024 dimming zones (double last year’s model) and a 240Hz refresh rate. Although we don't yet know the pricing, it's a safe bet those models will fetch top dollar.

The new laptops, which launch in Q2, also have updated 13th-gen Intel or AMD Ryzen Zen 4 processors, depending on your configuration. NVIDIA’s new GeForce RTX 40 Series Laptop GPUs power the graphics in maxed-out variants of the new machines.

ASUS added “intelligent cooling” to several new models, including the Zephyrus M16 and Strix models in 16-inch and 18-inch variants. The company accomplished this using a full-width heatsink spanning the device’s rear. ASUS also added a third cooling fan to more models. (It was first seen in the Flow X16 from 2022.) That extra fan improves airflow to the GPU and other internal hardware.

The Strix SCAR line, which ASUS calls the “performance flagships,” have bigger 16- and 18-inch screens than their 15- and 17-inch predecessors (including Nebula HDR in the most expensive tiers). In addition, ASUS says this year’s cooling improvements let these models push higher frame rates. Meanwhile, the Strix G16 and G18 are slightly less high-end (likely cheaper) equivalents to the Strix 16 and 18 with the same CPU and GPU options.

ASUS

ASUS is also updating its light-and-thin Zephyrus line. The ROG Zephyrus M16 has a Nebula HDR display. Like several other models, top-shelf models include a MUX Switch and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus. They bypass the machine’s integrated graphics, using discrete graphics almost instantaneously. The full-width heatsink and tri-fan tech also let it run 25 watts higher than the 2022 version.


Meanwhile, the Zephyrus G16 has the same processor and graphics options with a QHD Nebula display that supports 240Hz. Its smaller sibling, the Zephyrus G14, gets a Nebula HDR panel with 504 dimming zones and 600 nits of peak brightness.

ASUS’ Duo 16 is the latest iteration of its quirky, dual-screen laptop line. Like the 2022 model, the updated version has a 16-inch Mini LED panel as its main screen with a smaller 4K display below for multitasking. It also joins other models in offering the new NVIDIA graphics and MUX Switch in the highest-end models.

ASUS

The company also updated the ROG Flow, its 2-in-1 tablet PCs for gamers. The Flow X13, which has a 360-degree rotating hinge, has a 13-inch Nebula display supporting a 165Hz refresh rate. Additionally, ASUS redesigned its chassis, making it 10mm smaller and increasing its battery capacity (from 62 to 75 Wh) while maintaining the same keyboard layout. The company also made its touchpad bigger and redesigned the 2-in-1 hinge with better ventilation and an easier grip.

The X13’s larger companion, the Flow X16, has an HDR Mini LED touchscreen with a 240Hz refresh rate and 1,100 nits peak brightness. In addition, all ASUS’ 2023 Flow devices use Corning’s Gorilla Glass DXC, which can increase hardness by 40 percent and reduce glare. Meanwhile, the Flow Z13, a detachable that’s like a Microsoft Surface for gamers, is updated with the new Intel and NVIDIA components and a QHD Nebula display with a 165Hz refresh rate.