Plenty of true wireless earbuds allow to control music or query your phone with a voice command, but Wisear is taking the hands-free experience a step further. The company is working on what it calls "the first neural sensing wireless earbuds," a true wireless set that allows you to control tunes with actions like clenching your jaw. After showing of the tech that drives its first model at CES last year, the company is back with an actual set of earbuds to demo controls based on the movement of facial muscles.
Wisear says electrodes inside monitor brain, eye and facial activity using AI to translate those into controls. The company is showing off two items here at CES — play/pause and skipping tracks — both of which are done by clenching your jaw (once or twice respectively). Wisear says that by the end of the year, the first controls using eye activity, which it demoed with two wired prototype earbuds here in Vegas, will be ready. It also plans to debut its first controls based on brain activity next year. The company says once that full suite of actions is ready, it will debut its first consumer product — also currently slated for 2024.
Eventually the plan is to offer this suite of tech to other earbud companies and use the hands-free methods for things like AR. And despite the bulky housing on the prototype, the finished set will apparently look more like what we're used to seeing in true wireless earbuds. Wisear says the goal is to bring what makes earbuds convenient to its model and that battery life should also be comparable to the industry average nowadays. That means that even with the extra tech onboard you should be able to get somewhere in the five hour range on a charge.
L’Oréal has returned to CES to unveil two makeup devices. HAPTA is a handheld, motorized applicator that the company created for people with limited hand and arm mobility. L’Oréal's Lancôme brand will pilot the system this year with a lipstick applicator. Support for more makeup applications is in the works.
HAPTA is based on tech from Alphabet-owned Verily that levels utensils and keeps them stable to help people with limited hand and arm mobility eat independently. The system has smart motion controls and customizable attachments to enable precise application with the help of 360 degrees of rotation and 180 degrees of flexion, L’Oréal says.
L’Oréal
The attachments are connected magnetically, with users being able to click them into place. The company added that HAPTA allows for "increased ease of use for difficult-to-open packaging." Users will get an hour of use out of a single charge, which should be good for 10 or more applications, according to L’Oréal. It'll take three hours to fully recharge the battery.
“For years, Lancôme has sought to provide every woman with beauty solutions adapted to their needs. Beauty tech has enabled us to fulfill this mission in an even more powerful way, revolutionizing the way we develop beauty products and services and enabling greater personalization,” Françoise Lehmann, global brand president of Lancôme, said in a statement. “With HAPTA we are going one step further by making beauty more accessible to use, because everyone should have equal access to it."
L’Oréal
L’Oréal had another makeup applicator to show off as well. It says that L’Oréal Brow Magic can help folks to achieve a personalized eyebrow look based on their facial features and natural brow.
To create the handheld device, L’Oréal worked with a company called Prinker, which offers printed, temporary tattoos. L’Oréal Brow Magic has 2,400 small nozzles and a printing resolution of up to 1,200 drops per inch. It can seemingly apply a precise brow shape in seconds. Standard remover will take the makeup off.
L’Oréal says the system is based on its Modiface AR technology. Users will need to scan their face using an app and choose their desired shape, thickness and effect — the app will offer microblading, micro-shading and filler recommendations. After the user applies a primer, they'll need to sweep the device across their eyebrow in a single motion, then add a topcoat. L’Oréal Brow Magic should be available later this year.
Most smart home products promise to save you time by allowing you to create schedules to automate tasks like turning on your lights, but taking advantage of that functionality requires first creating those schedules. Nanoleaf's newest product line promises to do that work for you. Announced at CES 2023, the Sense+ Control family consists of three products: the Sense+ Smart Light Switch, Sense+ Wireless Light Switch and Nala Learning Bridge. All three are Matter and Thread enabled. They also feature built-in motion and ambient light sensors. The Nala Learning Bridge (pictured above) acts as a Thread Border Router so that you can use it as the hub of your smart home network. You can also use the Nala Learning Bridge as a night light to add a bit of ambiance to a room.
Nanoleaf
Nala is also the name of Nanoleaf's new Automations Learning Assistant and what makes the Sense+ Control line interesting. The company claims Nala can learn your routines and eventually know when to turn your lights on or off and adjust their brightness and color to your liking. "Over time, users will be able to have a truly intelligent and hands-free experience with the smart lighting in their home," says Nanoleaf. The Sense+ Control line will arrive in the second half of the year. Nanoleaf also plans to update its existing Thread Border Routers to support Nala.
Alongside the Sense+ Control line, the company announced several other new products. First, there's the Nanoleaf 4D, a system for synchronizing your Nanoleaf lights with your TV. Set to arrive before the second half of the year, the 4D Starter Kit will ship with Nanoleaf's new Screen Mirror Camera and a Matter-compatible Lightstrip that features 50 addressable LED zones and four mirroring modes. With the help of the company's Sync+ technology, you can synchronize the Lightstrip and all your Nanoleaf lights with the action on your TV. If you want more consistent lighting, the Sync+ platform also supports the usual assortment of pre-made scenes, including Nanoleaf favorites like "Aurora Borealis" and "Vibrant Sunrise."
Nanoleaf
When installing the Nanoleaf 4D, you can mount the camera on top of your TV or just below it. You'll find adhesive and snap-on brackets inside the box for attaching the Lightstrip. At launch, Nanoleaf will offer the 4D TV Starter Kit in two sizes: one for 55- to 65-inch TVs and another for 70- to 80-inch sets. No word yet on pricing.
Nanoleaf is also adding a ceiling light to its line of modular wall panels. The aptly named Skylight consists of a set of square RGBW LED panels you can freely arrange to create different patterns on your ceiling. Skylight comes with all the features you expect from a Nanoleaf product, including the company's screen mirroring technology, music visualizer and support for group scenes. You can use the Nanoleaf app to adjust the brightness, color and color temperature of Skylight's built-in LEDs. Like the Nala Learning Bridge, Skylight also doubles as a Thread Border router. Nanoleaf says it will launch its latest modular lighting system in the second half of the year. Expect pricing details to arrive around then too.
Nanoleaf
Last but not least, Nanoleaf is updating its Essentials line to add BR30 and GU10 models. The company is also refreshing existing Essentials models, including its original A19 lightbulb, to make them Matter compatible. Owners of existing Nanoleaf products won't be left out either. The company says it will roll out a software update for its Shapes, Elements, Canvas and Lines lighting products later this year to make them Matter-compatible.
Roland may be a mainstay in the electronic music world, but it also dabbles in the occasional creator product, too. This year at CES the company has unveiled an audio interface aimed squarely at streamers and it’s called the Bridge Cast ($299).
Like rival products such as the GoXLR or Rode’s Rodcaster Pro II, the Bridge Cast offers a way to pipe different audio feeds (chat, music, game audio, browser sounds and so on) to different destinations - usually your local mix and the one your audience hears.
As you’d expect, there’s an input for an XLR mic and options for dual/submixes along with a selection of vocal effects. There are four channels with rotary controls for mic, aux, chat and game. Each channel also gets a mute button for quickly removing unwanted audio without diving into settings. An intersting touch is the ability to customize the faceplate so if your channel, stream or team has a logo you could add some branding into your Twitch or YouTube feed.
Deeper control will apparently be available via the companion software to fine tune the mic sound or even the EQ of your game audio.
The streaming space has become a massive opportunity for legacy audio companies, and it’s good to see Roland furthering its commitment to this space. How it stacks up to its rivals though, remains to be seen, but if your new year’s resolution was to finally get that stream off the ground then it looks like you have one more option to consider.
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.
A new hands-on video was posted today of the alleged Google Pixel 7a. The 49-second clip shows a device that reflects previous leaks and rumors about Google’s next mid-ranged Pixel.
The device in question, posted on Slashleaks (first spotted by 9to5Google), looks similar to the Pixel 6a and Google’s 2022 flagships. The device name in Android 13 settings says “Pixel 7a,” and the handset runs internal pre-release (“design validation test”) software. The phone’s language is also set to Vietnamese, where Google manufactures its A-series phones.
The phone in question has a “Smooth Display” that can adjust its refresh rate from 60Hz to 90Hz — which would be a first in the A-series line. (The Pixel 6a’s 60Hz display is one of its most griped-about features.) Previous leaks suggested that the upcoming model uses a Samsung display and an upgraded primary camera sensor from Sony. Although today’s video leak doesn’t address it, previous rumors suggest the 7a will be the first A-series Pixel with wireless charging.
Slashleaks
If history is any indication, Google will announce the new phone at Google I/O 2023 in May. Other rumors include 10.1mm depth, a SIM tray on its left side (suggesting Google won’t follow Apple in going all-in on eSim this year) and no headphone jack.
LG has new Gram laptops at CES 2023. The latest entrants in the company’s ultra-portable line include the “thinnest Gram model yet” and a glass laptop with a “hidden” LED-lit trackpad.
With a depth of 10.99 mm, LG says the new Gram Ultraslim is the company’s thinnest notebook. The device weighs a mere 998 g (about nine percent lighter than the model it’s replacing) and has a 15.6-inch OLED display with 1080p resolution. Of course, it gets a processor bump with 13th-gen Intel Raptor Lake chips.
The Gram Style is a new variant for this year with a glass design. Shipping in 16- and 14-inch variants, the Style has anti-glare OLED screens: 3,200 x 2,000 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate in the 16-inch model and a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED with 90Hz for the 14-inch variant. LG says the Style has a “hidden touchpad” with LED backlighting that illuminates when you touch it. Along with 13th-gen Intel Raptor Lake chips, the new machines include Gen4 NVMeTM solid-state drive in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB tiers.
LG
LG has new variants of the standard Gram laptop line in 17-, 16-, 15- and 14-inch variants. These models have IPS displays, updated Raptor Lake Intel chips and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop graphics. LG is also updating its Gram 2-in-1 line with 360-degree rotating hinges. These updated models ships with 14- or 16-inch touchscreen IPS displays at 2,560 x 1,600 (16-inch) or 1,920 x 1,200 (14-inch) resolution. Additionally, they include pre-installed note-taking and drawing apps designed for the bundled LG Stylus Pen.
All new Gram laptops this year include Dolby Atmos audio for the first time, and LG touts the “ultra-compact” power adapter shipping with all new Gram models. In addition, their displays all have anti-glare coatings and support the LG Glance privacy tool. Unfortunately, we've run into build-quality issues with past Grams, so hopefully, the new models will fare better.
LG hasn’t yet announced pricing for the new laptops. They will launch globally starting in February. The company says it will announce US pricing and availability later.
If the RTX 4080’s $1,199 price point has stopped you from jumping on NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture, you can now access the power of one of the most powerful GPUs on the market through the company’s cloud gaming service. Alongside the RTX 4070 Ti (neé RTX 4080), NVIDIA is introducing a new GeForce Now tier. Set to replace the platform’s existing RTX 3080 plan, the new Ultimate tier grants access to servers with RTX 4080 GPUs.
You can expect a few upgrades thanks to the switch. To start, you can play games at up to 240 frames per second, with full support for hardware-based ray tracing and NVIDIA’s recently announced DLSS 3 frame generation technology. Provided you own a G Sync monitor and you’re playing a game that supports the company’s Reflex Low Latency Mode, you can also take advantage of GeForce Now’s new frame pacing technology. According to NVIDIA, the tech significantly reduces input lag over the cloud. We’ve reached out to NVIDIA to find out if those with G-Sync Compatible monitors can take advantage of the feature. NVIDIA is also adding support for ultrawide resolutions, and those with 4K displays can now play games at up to 120 frames per second.
If you’re already an RTX 3080 member, NVIDIA will automatically upgrade your account to the new tier at no additional cost. The company says RTX 4080 servers will start coming online later this month in North America and Europe, with availability in other regions to follow over the next few months. Pricing will remain at $20 per month or $100 for six months, as was the case with the past RTX 3080 plan. NVIDIA will also continue to offer $10 per month Priority memberships.
Normally, Dell’s Alienware division gets most of the attention when it comes to gaming notebooks. But with their revamped designs, the new G15 and G16 prove you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get an awesome-looking system.
Unlike Alienware laptops that appear as if they were beamed down from outer space, Dell’s latest G-series gaming notebooks seem to draw inspiration from gadgets in 80s sci-fi movies. You get simple lines with hard edges and bold two-tone paint jobs with neon/pastel accents. It’s the kind of style that makes me want to put on some synthwave and fire up F-Zero. And while the colors may change on final retail units, I appreciate that Dell is even taking the time to paint small details like the radiator fins inside each laptop’s vents.
Another nice touch is the way Dell arranged ports on the G-series. Connectors for stuff like power and HDMI 2.1 that you probably won’t need to adjust very often are in back, which helps keep clutter to a minimum. And then on the sides you have access to a 3.5mm audio jack, Ethernet and two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, so you can easily plug in peripherals like a headset, mouse or thumb drive. I just wish Dell has swapped the position of the side-mounted Ethernet jack and the lone USB-C port in back for even better usability.
As for specs, both systems are well equipped considering their prices. The G15 will start at $849 for a 13th-gen Intel Core i5-13450HX CPU, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 120Hz FHD non-touch display. You also have a selection of RTX 40-series GPUs from Nvidia with additional options like a slightly faster 165Hz screen and up to 2TB of NVMe storage.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
The larger G16 will start at $1,499 with the same Intel Core i5-13450HX chip, a higher-res 165Hz 2560 x 1600 screen, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and 256GB of storage. And like its smaller sibling, you can upgrade components like the GPU, memory (up to 32GB) or the display (to a faster 240Hz panel). Both systems can even be configured with larger 86 WHr batteries in case the standard 56 WHr doesn’t cut it.
The two small cons I noticed are that weighing 5.84 and 6.01 pounds respectively, the G15 and G16 are a bit on the heavy side. I’m also slightly disappointed to see Dell go with 720p webcams on both models. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, all new laptops should have at least 1080p cameras, regardless of price.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Unfortunately, the models Dell demoed were non-functional pre-production units, so I didn’t have a chance to check out how smooth games ran or the single-zone RGB backlit keyboard. But for relatively affordable systems, I think Dell has created a really nice balance of style and performance.
Both the G15 and G16 are expected to go on sale sometime in Q1 2023, though there’s no word on pricing yet. Additionally, for people looking for non-Intel based configs, the company says there will be versions of both systems with AMD chips available slightly later in Q2.
