At CES, L’Oréal is showing off its first hair color device that can be used at home. The handheld Colorsonic can mix and apply product evenly, according to the company. If it works as promised, Colorsonic should help users get consistent hair color results without having to go to the salon.
L’Oréal developed and refined the device over the course of five years with the help of its customers. Colorsonic's mixer mechanism uses a mess-free process to blend exact volumes of developer and formula from colorant cartridges to create the hair color. The machine applies the product through a nozzle of bristles that oscillates in a zigzag pattern for even distribution.
L’Oréal
At-home dying and coloring kits have been around for decades. Still, the consistent results that L’Oréal is promising with Colorsonic could make the device worth checking out.
L'Oréal has become something of a mainstay at CES over the last several years. In 2019, it announced a sensor developed with wearable pioneer Professor John Rogers that measures skin hydration levels. The following year, it unveiled a smart dispenser that blends skincare product, taking into account factors like wrinkles, pore visibility, temperature and pollen levels. In 2021, L'Oréal's YSL brand revealed an at-home lipstick maker based on the Perso Smart Skincare system.
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It wouldn't be CES without new Chromebooks, and Acer has a new trio to announce — though two of them aren't expected to arrive until June of 2022. The most intriguing of them is a new version of the Chromebook Spin 513 (pictured above), one of Acer's mid-range options. While the company already sells a few different configurations of the Spin 513, this new model has a somewhat unusual processor on board. It's using MediaTek's eight-core Kompanio 1380 processor, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. In the past, I've been reluctant to recommend Chromebooks without Intel processors, but I won't write this one off without testing it first.
Assuming the processor holds up, there are some other things to like about the Chromebook Spin 513. This year's model has a 13.5-inch touchscreen with a 2,256 x 1,504 resolution; that's a 3:2 aspect ratio like the Chromebook Spin 713 I reviewed last year. The Spin 713 is an expensive Chromebook at $699, but the Spin 513 is priced at $599. That's not cheap, but I'm glad to see Acer put this 3:2 display on a less expensive option. As the name suggests, the Flip 513 has a 360-degree hinge so the laptop can be flipped around into tablet mode as well as "tent" mode for watching video. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until June for this laptop to go on sale.
The other two new Acer Chromebooks are budget options, both priced at $299. The 2022 Chromebook 315 is a 15.6-inch laptop, and its large 1080p panel (touchscreen optional) is the main selling point here. Other specs are pretty standard for this price range: Intel Celeron or Pentium Silver processors, up to 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of storage and about 10 hours of battery life. The Chromebook 314, on the other hand, is essentially the same as the 315, it just has a smaller, 14-inch 1080p screen. The Chromebook 315 will be on sale this month in the US, but the 314 won't be available until June.
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Kohler has revealed when you'll be able to snag the Stillness Bath it unveiled at CES 2021, as well as a number of other smart home products. The bath, which takes inspiration from Japanese forest bathing, aims to replicate a spa experience with the help of light, fog and aromas. All aspects of the experience can be controlled through Kohler's Konnect app. The Soak Freestanding Bath model will cost around $8,000 and you'll be able to order it by the end of March.
Kohler
Another model offers voice control and another, called the Infinity Experience, fills from the bottom and water overflows into the wood base. Those will be available in Q3 this year. Pricing will be announced later.
Also at CES 2021, the company revealed the Touchless Residential Bathroom Faucet. The device will turn or off with a wave of your hand, though you'll still need to use a physical handle to set your preferred temperature. The faucet will automatically switch off after two minutes and when you set it to Vacation Mode, users can be assured it won't turn on accidentally while they're away. The device will ship later this year and cost $199.
Kohler
Elsewhere, Kohler has announced pricing and availability for its PerfectFill smart bathing tech. The system allows you to fill your bath to a specified depth and temperature through a voice command, control panel or the Konnect app. You can have up to 10 presets, and you'll be able to drain the bath using a voice command too. The system — which pairs with a Kohler digital valve, shout and compatible bath — will be available to buy in May, and it starts at $2,700.
Later this month, Kohler will start shipping home water monitors that it developed with the help of Phyn. The H2Wise systems can monitor water use on every home fixture. Along with alerting homeowners immediately when they detect a leak, the systems will offer detailed insights about home water use. They also use pressure sensing to look for crystals forming in pipes, so they can alert users before pipes freeze and burst.
Kohler
The DIY version (H2Wise) can be installed under a single sink, while the pro model, H2Wise+, is attached to the home's main valve and can shut off water throughout the residence if it detects a leak. As well as the Kohler app, you can connect the units to voice assistants. The DIY model costs approximately $400, and Kohler says the pro version (which can also be used outdoors) will be an estimated $666.70.
Among the other products Kohler will release this year is the Power Reserve Energy Storage System, which can pair with solar panel systems to store energy they produce. The battery can act as a backup for outages or to power the home using stored solar energy and reduce dependence on utility power. You can also prioritize the use of stored energy during peak usage times to lower the cost of your utility bills.
There could be a benefit for homes that don't have solar panels, as the system can store energy from the power grid at times of lower electricity usage. Kohler Power Reserve will start at around $13,325 for a system with a 10 kWh battery capacity, though you can have up to 20 kWh.
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Apple's AirTags can be a good way to keep track of that new backpack or wallet you were gifted during the holidays, and now you can grab one of the trackers for less. Amazon has a single AirTag for $24, which is $5 less than usual and a new record-low. The only time we've seen AirTags for less than this was during a Woot sale on a four-pack. This, however, is the best price we've seen if you want just one of the trackers — and while it's a relatively small discount, it's a good deal on an accessory that rarely goes on sale.
AirTags are designed to work with iPhones, which means you'll get a pretty seamless experience from the moment you take the coin-sized tracker out of the box. The Find My app will immediately recognize the AirTag and you can label it with the name of whatever it's attached to. Since there's no keyhole on the AirTag, you will need some sort of case or holder if you want to secure the tracker to your keys, but you can find affordable AirTag accessories easily across the web. Given how small AirTags are, they'll easily slip into a pocket of your bag or a fold in your wallet without trouble.
Once set up, you can return to the Find My app to locate your missing things and you can force the AirTag to emit a chime so you can more easily find your stuff if you're still relatively close to it. Plus, if you have an iPhone that supports ultra-wideband, the AirTag's Precision Finding feature can lead you directly to your stuff with directions on your handset's screen. You may have to wait a bit to get the AirTag as Amazon's estimated delivery time is at the end of January, but now's a good opportunity to add an AirTag to your Apple setup and save a bit of money while doing so.
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Back in August, Jabra debuted its ultra affordable Elite 3 earbuds. That model offers all of the core features you'd expect from a set of true wireless earbuds with good sound quality, solid battery life and a comfy fit. And all of that only costs you $80. There were some omissions — most notably the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC) — but the company is officially debuting a new option at CES that checks even more boxes while keeping the price low: the Elite 4 Active.
While these earbuds made an early appearance in the UK last week, Jabra has now officially announced the new set for the US. The Elite 4 Active features a similar design to the range of new earbuds the company began announcing last year. This means the buds should be comfy due to their smaller size and recently redesigned shape. As the name implies, the Elite 4 Active is built to withstand sweaty workouts with an IP57 waterproof rating.
In terms of audio, the Elite 4 Active houses 6mm drivers and you can tweak the EQ via Jabra's app. This new model also features ANC, which the more affordable Elite 3 does not. The only caveat is that it's not adjustable like the noise cancellation on the flagship Elite 7 Pro earbuds. Jabra's transparency mode, HearThrough, is available on the Elite 4 Active to allow you to hear your surroundings when needed. Four mesh covered microphones assist with calls and Jabra says their design will reduce wind noise.
Like the Elite 3, you can expect up to seven hours of battery life with an additional three charges in the case. Jabra has also included features like the ability to use either earbud solo, Google Fast Pair, Alexa built-in and Spotify Tap playback. The best part? They're available starting today for $120 from Amazon and Jabra.
Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!
Most of Google's Nest devices went on sale for the holiday shopping season and, while those deep discounts have come and gone, we're already seeing new sales pop up across the web. Both Best Buy and Adorama have the second-generation Google Nest Hub for $60, which is $40 off its normal price and only $10 more than it was on Black Friday. The Nest Hub Max is also on sale for $190, while the Nest Audio and Nest Mini are down to $75 and $25, respectively.
Our favorites of the bunch for most people are the Nest Hub and the Nest Audio. The former is Google's most recent smart display and it earned a score of 89 from us. It has a minimalist design, a lovely 7-inch display, clearer and louder audio than its predecessor and faster performance as well. It's just the right size to fit into any room without taking up too much space, and you can even place it on your nightstand and it will track your sleep. The feature was a bit finicky when we tested it, but as long as it's place precisely, you should get data on your sleep duration, quality, schedule and even snoring information.
The Nest Audio is Google's $100 smart speaker that competes with Amazon's Echo and Apple's HomePod mini. It holds its own against both of those devices and it earned a score of 87 from us for its solid audio quality, charming design, good Google Assistant performance and stereo mode when two of the speakers are paired. It's the smart speaker to get if you care at all about audio quality and already rely on the Google Assistant a lot. The Nest Mini may seem like an attractive option at $25, but you get what you pay for. Like its Amazon counterpart, the Echo Dot, the Nest Mini is an affordable way to get the Google Assistant into a small place but you'll sacrifice quite a bit on sound quality.
The Nest Hub Max is for those who want to go all in on both sound and Google smart devices. It has the best audio quality of them all plus a 10-inch display, gesture controls and the ability to double as a Nest Cam. It would make a good home-base smart display, one that sits in your living room or kitchen so everyone in your family has access to it when necessary.
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If you're looking for a more engaging way to work out in the new year, Nintendo's Ring Fit Adventure could do the trick. The game forces you to do things like squat, jog in place and more to move your character through a fantasy world, making it a more interesting way to work out at home, especially during the winter months. Amazon has the pack for $55, or $25 off its usual price, and it's currently in stock as of writing this, so you can get your hands on it fairly quickly. The price only appears on the product page if you're a Prime subscriber, but it's available for all and it will show up once you have the game in your cart.
Designed to work with the Nintendo Switch, Ring Fit Adventure tracks motion using the console's Joy-Cons. One straps to the provided ring while the other attaches to a leg strap so it can keep track of both upper- and lower-body movements. Like regular games that don't have a sneaky exercise component, you'll design your character when you first boot up the title and they'll immediately be plopped into a new world that's ready to be explored. Only here, you'll do so by running in place and completing exercises like leg lifts and crunches to defeat enemies.
The Ring Fit Adventure won't replicate a treadmill run or even a strength-training workout video you can follow along, but that's ultimately the point of an exercise-based game like this. It's designed to provide a unique workout that doesn't feel like a regular fitness routine. We also appreciate that the game targets all part of the body with the moves it asks you to do, and you can customize it a bit by choosing the exercises you want to run through. There's also a handy "quiet mode" that removes actions like jumping up and down and instead focuses on lower-impact moves.
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Welcome to the new year. How are those resolutions coming along? (Don't worry, we can help.)
Contrary to my expectations, CES 2022 is still happening. However, the organizers have announced that the tech show will be cut short by a day, as COVID-19 cases continue to surge. It’s also kind of started early, with some big announcements from Samsung already, including putting NFTs into its TVs, and an upgraded eco TV remote that sips on your WiFi waves for energy.
Expect a week of hardware announcements, even if chances to play with and assess these new devices are a little limited without attendance in person.
But will it appeal to anyone beyond PC gaming fanatics?
Alienware’s newest concept can be boiled down to a gaming server that runs on your home network. You could conceivably run two games at once on your television, as Engadget saw during a recent demo in NYC. Since all of the rendering and network processing is happening in your home, Nyx would also be a lower latency experience than traditional cloud gaming.
To help soothe their weary mitts, Japanese company Bauhutte has created a hand massager for gamers. The device works on either hand and has a 15-layer airbag for each finger and a shiatsu plate for the palm. There are two main options: a Shiatsu mode for the entire hand, and one that focuses on stretching fingers.
You might have an easier time finding your case, too.
Now that the third-generation AirPods offer some of the same features as the AirPods Pro, how will Apple’s higher-end wireless earbuds stand out? Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple is launching its second-generation Pro earbuds in the fall with support for Apple Lossless (ALAC) audio. Kuo expects the updated headphones will offer a "new form factor design" and that the new buds will supposedly include a charging case that can make sounds, much like AirTags, to help find it behind your couch cushions.
Samsung has revamped the solar-charging remote it debuted at last year’s CES. Along with using light to top up the battery, Samsung says the latest Eco Remote can convert routers' radio waves into energy to stay fully charged. There's still a solar panel on the rear of the remote, which is also made with recycled materials.
Due to repeatedly spreading COVID-19 misinformation.
Twitter has banned Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's personal account after a fifth "strike" for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. A fifth strike means it’s a permanent ban.
In the past year, she claimed in July that COVID-19 wasn't dangerous unless you were over 65 or obese, and in August said vaccines were "failing" against the new coronavirus' Delta variant. Both statements were untrue. The posts respectively led to 12-hour and one-week suspensions. Her official account is still active as of this writing because it hasn't run afoul of Twitter's rules. Beyond that, she may have to wait around for TRUTH Social to finally launch.
China’s not-so subtle war against video games has reportedly caused a number of domestic publishers to close their doors. The SCMP says that the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) has not issued a new license to a game developer since July 2021. And that, as a consequence, a number of local firms have been forced to exit the business, while some of the larger players are looking to move operations overseas. It’s not clear if the NPPA’s inaction is the direct cause of these closures, especially given the broader debt crisis in China, but there’s a belief that something is up.
The NPPA has reportedly been tight-lipped about why it’s suddenly decided to stop issuing licenses, but you can likely guess why. China spent much of 2021 amplifying its already fierce criticism of video games, with a key state-owned news outlet describing them as “spiritual opium” in the summer. At the end of August 2021, limits on how long minors could play some titles was slashed to just three hours a week. And given China’s repeatedattacks on the biggest players in its tech sector, it seems like we shouldn’t get our hopes up for the NPPA to turn the faucet back on any time soon.
The prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, is pledging that the European nation’s domestic flights would be “green” by 2030. As part of her New Year’s Address, she said that (translated) “by 2025, Danes must have the opportunity to fly green on a domestic route.” She added that “by 2030 at the latest, we must be able to fly completely green when we fly domestically in Denmark.” It was part of a broader commitment by the leader to toughen measures against polluters and to jump-start the country’s green transition.
There are, however, reasons to be concerned that such an ambitious deadline can be reached, given the lack of ready alternatives. Electric planes may never succeed, and hydrogen flying, while much more promising, is nowhere near ready to be rolled out to a major airline’s fleet. Not to mention, of course, that only hydrogen produced as a result of electrolysis, powered by excess renewable energy, can be called truly “green.” EnergiWatch has said that Denmark’s standing policy of waiting for magic bullet technologies to come to fruition is not going to help it reach its international commitments on climate emissions.
That said, Denmark has made more steps than some countries to help make the transition toward zero-carbon technologies. The country has already issued a hard deadline to end oil and gas exploration and is a big player in the wind power industry. At the start of 2021, it committed to build an artificial island which could collect and store power from Denmark’s wind farms, enough to supply 10GW. At the same time, the country hopes that any excess wind power can be used to drive an electrolyzer, helping it develop a nice sideline as a producer of guilt-free Hydrogen.
