The Morning After: Dell updates its XPS laptops ahead of CES 2024

Last year’s Dell XPS 13 Plus looked slightly different to the XPS laptops preceding it. But the company seemed to like it, because it’s now retooled the rest of the XPS lineup to match. Yes, CES 2024 hasn’t even had its press days yet, let alone started in earnest, but Dell is busy.

The new XPS 13, 14 and 16 laptops all sport the XPS 13 Plus’ glass wrist rest, which hides an invisible haptic touchpad. They also pack touch-sensitive function buttons above the keyboard and larger keycaps for your typing ease. These laptop keyboards are also among the first to get that spicey new Copilot key. Swoon.

This new XPS lineup will be available soon, with the XPS 13 starting at $1,300, the XPS 14 at $1,700 and the XPS 16 at $1,900. Read our first impressions here.

— Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

The new Razer Blade 16 laptop will have world’s first 16-inch 240Hz OLED display

What to expect at CES 2024

The best power banks for 2024

The return of the physical iPhone keyboard case

Clicks has made cases for the latest iPhone models.

A company called Clicks is introducing a new iPhone keyboard accessory if you’re still (still!) pining for the typing experience of a BlackBerry. The keyboard sits at the bottom of the case and doesn’t cover any part of the screen or device at all other than its back and edges. Instead, it extends the phone’s length, so it could make your iPhone 15 Pro Max even more of a pocket-breaker. But maybe that’s the price of having a physical keyboard.

Continue reading.

Qualcomm will debut upgraded VR headset chips at CES 2024

The company continues to beef up its silicon for VR, MR and the rest.

Qualcomm is teasing a new VR/MR chip for CES. The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 is an update to the vanilla XR2 Gen 2, revealed last year. The chip is for virtual reality headsets, mixed reality headsets and even other wearables. It’ll support 4.3K per eye resolution, compared to 3K per eye with the previous version, and can integrate with up to 12 cameras at once, up from 10, for improved body tracking.

Continue reading.

Yes, this is an Xbox Series S toaster

It goes with your Xbox fridge.

TMA
Walmart

For $40, you can now buy an Xbox Series S toaster. Thanks, Walmart. It’ll even toast the Xbox sphere logo onto your bread. It also has six browning levels, an LED countdown and crumb tray — but no ray tracing.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-dell-updates-its-xps-laptops-121516778.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Dell updates its XPS laptops ahead of CES 2024

Last year’s Dell XPS 13 Plus looked slightly different to the XPS laptops preceding it. But the company seemed to like it, because it’s now retooled the rest of the XPS lineup to match. Yes, CES 2024 hasn’t even had its press days yet, let alone started in earnest, but Dell is busy.

The new XPS 13, 14 and 16 laptops all sport the XPS 13 Plus’ glass wrist rest, which hides an invisible haptic touchpad. They also pack touch-sensitive function buttons above the keyboard and larger keycaps for your typing ease. These laptop keyboards are also among the first to get that spicey new Copilot key. Swoon.

This new XPS lineup will be available soon, with the XPS 13 starting at $1,300, the XPS 14 at $1,700 and the XPS 16 at $1,900. Read our first impressions here.

— Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

The new Razer Blade 16 laptop will have world’s first 16-inch 240Hz OLED display

What to expect at CES 2024

The best power banks for 2024

The return of the physical iPhone keyboard case

Clicks has made cases for the latest iPhone models.

A company called Clicks is introducing a new iPhone keyboard accessory if you’re still (still!) pining for the typing experience of a BlackBerry. The keyboard sits at the bottom of the case and doesn’t cover any part of the screen or device at all other than its back and edges. Instead, it extends the phone’s length, so it could make your iPhone 15 Pro Max even more of a pocket-breaker. But maybe that’s the price of having a physical keyboard.

Continue reading.

Qualcomm will debut upgraded VR headset chips at CES 2024

The company continues to beef up its silicon for VR, MR and the rest.

Qualcomm is teasing a new VR/MR chip for CES. The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 is an update to the vanilla XR2 Gen 2, revealed last year. The chip is for virtual reality headsets, mixed reality headsets and even other wearables. It’ll support 4.3K per eye resolution, compared to 3K per eye with the previous version, and can integrate with up to 12 cameras at once, up from 10, for improved body tracking.

Continue reading.

Yes, this is an Xbox Series S toaster

Goes with your Xbox fridge.

TMA
Walmart

For $40, you can now buy an Xbox Series S toaster. Thanks, Walmart. It’ll even toast the Xbox sphere logo onto your bread. It also has six browning levels, an LED countdown and crumb tray — but no ray tracing.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-dell-updates-its-xps-laptops-121516778.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Someone finally ‘beat’ NES Tetris

Tetris always endures. The blocks keep coming and the game itself gets reinterpreted, twisted and remade for new generations. Now, a 13-year-old boy has become the first person to ‘beat’ the NES version of Tetris, 34 years after it was first released.

Yes, ‘beat’ goes in quotes because there’s no way to complete the game. Instead, he played such a flawless game that he forced a kill screen, from an overflow error. While he’s the first person to do this, but not the first time it’s been achieved: An AI program called StackRabbit forced a kill screen with the NES Tetris back in 2021.

But hey, we got there eventually.

– Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

Roku's 'high-end' Pro Series TVs feature Mini LED screens

The best fitness trackers for 2024

JLab's first premium ANC headphones will cost just $80

Microsoft Copilot keyboard keys are coming

Coming soon to a Windows 11 PC near you.

TMA
Microsoft

Microsoft calls this "the first significant change to the Windows PC keyboard in nearly three decades" in a blog post ahead of CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The Copilot key immediately summons Microsoft's AI companion to do your bidding, and while yes it is just a key, it signifies how serious the company is taking its AI moves. The last time it tweaked the keyboard in a major way might have been the Windows key, following the introduction of the Start menu.

Continue reading.

LG’s 2024 OLED TVs can hit 144Hz refresh rates

The big CES TV spec fight begins.

LG revealed its new lineup of OLED TVs, just days before CES 2024 starts. Its Signature OLED M4 and OLED G4 TVs will have an updated AI processor that offers four times the performance of last year’s models. The refresh rates have also been improved. Last year’s models capped out at 120Hz, but both the M4 and G4 will now hit refresh rates of up to 144Hz. Marginal? Yes. But better? Yes. Expect the prices to appear closer to going on sale.

Continue reading.

Finally, you can smoke indoors

BBQ meats, we mean.

TMA
GE

After an Indiegogo campaign amassed over $800,000 in funding, GE Appliances is bringing its indoor smoker to consumers nationwide – before CES even started. While the design has been updated since it first appeared, it’s still the same thing: a countertop device for all your BBQ smoking needs. I’m British and don’t understand good BBQ, so please read on for Billy Steele’s explanation – he knows what he’s talking about.

Continue reading.

Jack Black will reportedly play Steve in the long-delayed Minecraft movie

He’ll co-star with Jason Momoa.

Is there a video game character Black won’t play?

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-someone-finally-beat-nes-tetris-121503520.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Samsung schedules its Galaxy S24 event for January 17

Samsung threw a dart at the year’s calendar and chose January 17. Yes, its next Unpacked event is coming earlier this year and will be held at the SAP Center in San Jose. The event, usually held in February, is typically when Samsung reveals its latest array of flagship smartphones. At this point we’ll see the Galaxy S24 – unless the company shakes up the numbering – and I remember the S8!*

This is all broadly unofficial, though. Samsung typically isn’t explicit about what it’ll reveal (unless it’s bantering about foldables “unfolding”). If you’re feeling risky, the company has already started a “pre-reserve” program where you can register your email address to pre-order… something Galaxy flavored.

– Mat Smith

*Yes, I know Samsung changed its naming nomenclature to S20 back in 2020, but let me have my fun.

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

Square Enix plans 'aggressive' use of AI to create new forms of content

Apple's AirPods Pro with USB-C are back down to $190 right now

A jarring Tekken 8 colorblind filter is concerning accessibility experts

The best VPN service for 2024

LG made a jukebox with a transparent OLED and vacuum tubes

Because it could.

TMA
LG

LG has teased another reveal for CES: its DukeBox by LG Labs. The audio device combines vacuum tube audio with a transparent OLED panel to control it. Vacuum tubes have been around since 1906, while transparent OLEDs appeared around 2015. Why not put them together? Functionality-wise, it’s a smart speaker with glamor. LG appears to be pitching it at older rich men who stack their books so you can’t see the spines. What a power move.

Continue reading.

Pornhub blocks Montana and North Carolina as their age verification laws take effect

The website says the states' ID requirement would put users' privacy at risk.

Montana and North Carolina have been leading the list of US states with the highest number of searches for "VPN" over the past few days. Why’s that? New age verification laws were enacted on January 1, and adult websites now either require a copy of visitors' government IDs or have blocked access in the regions altogether.

Pornhub has decided to block users in both states from accessing its website, instead of asking for verification. The other websites owned by its parent company Aylo (formerly MindGeek), including Brazzers, Redtube and YouPorn, are also no longer accessible.

Continue reading.

Tesla says it delivered a record 1.8 million EVs in 2023

China's BYD was close behind with sales of 1.6 million fully electric cars.

Tesla has unveiled its EV delivery and production figures for 2023, and the company had another banner year. It produced 1.846 million EVs last year and delivered 1.809 million, besting 2022 deliveries by 38 percent. That said, Tesla originally projected it would sell 2 million vehicles in 2023, but revised that figure downward in its October 2023 earnings call. Its EV sales also benefited from several price drops over the last year, with the Model 3 and Model Y most recently dropping to $38,990 and $45,990, respectively.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-samsung-schedules-its-galaxy-s24-event-for-january-17-121624331.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Tech to help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are usually set with the best intentions – I may have already failed at one of mine already — but the right tools (and resolutions, if I’m honest) can make achieving those goals easier.

Naturally, with all the wearables and smartwatches around, there’s a fitness theme to half of our guide, but smartwatches can help nudge you into better habits and even remind you to meditate, which is something I’ve set up on my Apple Watch this week.

We’ve also got to-do list app recommendations, cable organizing advice (that is a weak-ass New Year resolution) and help on how to cultivate a new reading habit in 2024.

What are your resolutions for the coming year? And what will you do (or buy) to achieve them?

– Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

The Morning After: The biggest tech stories of 2023

The biggest winners in tech in 2023

How to find and cancel your unused subscriptions

Some Vizio TV owners can claim a share of a $3 million settlement

CES 2024: What we expect to see in Las Vegas this year

Wireless TV, plug-and-play solar and next-gen headphones.

The Engadget team is prepping itself for another tour (in military terms) of Las Vegas. CES is back again. Alongside the glory of huge TVs in every size, new autonomous car tech and weird robots that will never make it outside of tech trade shows, we’ve compiled a few predictions for all the tech companies and startups planning to attend. We’ve got next-gen headphones, new display technology and more.

The show officially runs from January 9 to 12, though we'll be on the ground well before that. The first CES-related events will kick off on January 7, so get ready!

Continue reading.

LG is bringing a 4K projector with a weird handle to CES 2024

The CineBeam Qube weighs just 3 pounds.

TMA
LG

LG’s latest 4K projector looks a little like, well, I’ll say it: an objet d’arte from TJ Maxx. I say that from a place of love: I’d love a projector that looks like this. I mean, it has a handle that looks like a crank! The style does betray the high-tech insides. The CineBeam Qube can blast 4K images that measure up to 120 inches, with an RGB laser light source, a 450,000:1 contrast ratio and 154 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

Continue reading.

Meta's Quest 2 headset is about to get even cheaper

The price has dropped permanently to $249 following the launch of the Quest 3.

Meta is permanently cutting the price of its Quest 2 VR headset to $250 following the launch of the Quest 3, according to Meta’s official Quest blog. The Quest 2 has been on sale at that price since Black Friday anyway, but a new official retail price might spell even better deals for the previous-gen model in the next few months.

Continue reading.

Take a look at this dreamy timelapse of Mars

From NASA’s Curiosity rover.

TMA
NASA

NASA’s robotic Mars explorers were given some time off, as a natural phenomenon would likely interfere with communications. Leading up to the pause, the Curiosity rover was put in park — but its Hazard-Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams) kept snapping away. By the end of the period, Curiosity recorded the passage of a Martian day over 12 hours from its stationary position, as the sun moved from dawn to dusk. 

Take a look.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-tech-to-help-you-stick-to-your-new-years-resolutions-121518467.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The biggest tech stories of 2023

What do you do when the tech world mostly grinds to a halt at the end of December? You reheat your hot takes, force a narrative thread on a company's ups and downs and edit it all up for consumption. 

Yes, it's a little quiet at the end of the year (barring Apple Watch bans), but that won't stop TMA from finding something for me to talk to himself about. We’re looking at a few of the major stories from the last 12 months and .. some other things where I just has to say my piece. And if not on a short YouTube video that's clipped, cropped and pushed into socials, then where? On X? Pschh.

This week:

🤖💬🤖 How OpenAI's ChatGPT has changed the world in just a year

📲🔋 Apple's switch to USB-C on the iPhone 15 brings more cable confusion

🎮🎮🎮 Microsoft officially owns Activision Blizzard

And read this:

I couldn't cover all the big things in tech in one tiny video. I'd recommend taking a look at all of the big tech wins in 2023 (and all the big losses), and it's definitely worth reading through our picks of the best games of the year. 

Like email more than video? Subscribe right here for daily reports, direct to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-biggest-tech-stories-of-2023-140022006.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The biggest tech stories of 2023

What do you do when the tech world mostly grinds to a halt at the end of December? You reheat your hot takes, force a narrative thread on a company's ups and downs and edit it all up for consumption. 

Yes, it's a little quiet at the end of the year (barring Apple Watch bans), but that won't stop TMA from finding something for me to talk to himself about. We’re looking at a few of the major stories from the last 12 months and .. some other things where I just has to say my piece. And if not on a short YouTube video that's clipped, cropped and pushed into socials, then where? On X? Pschh.

This week:

🤖💬🤖 How OpenAI's ChatGPT has changed the world in just a year

📲🔋 Apple's switch to USB-C on the iPhone 15 brings more cable confusion

🎮🎮🎮 Microsoft officially owns Activision Blizzard

And read this:

I couldn't cover all the big things in tech in one tiny video. I'd recommend taking a look at all of the big tech wins in 2023 (and all the big losses), and it's definitely worth reading through our picks of the best games of the year. 

Like email more than video? Subscribe right here for daily reports, direct to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-biggest-tech-stories-of-2023-140022006.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Google will settle $5 billion lawsuit over tracking Incognito Chrome users

Google Chrome has long featured the ability to launch the browser in Incognito mode, offering a seemingly blank slate for your internet browsing, away from your usual cookies, forms and web history. But that seemingly didn’t mean Google wasn’t keeping an eye on where you were browsing.

The company faced a lawsuit in 2020 that accused it of tracking Chrome users' activities even when they were using Incognito mode. Google has now agreed to settle the complaint that originally sought $5 billion in damages, after failing to get the suit dismissed.

The plaintiffs said Google used tools like its Analytics product, apps and browser plug-ins to monitor users. By tracking someone on Incognito, the company was falsely making people believe that they could control the information that they were willing to share with it.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs revealed internal emails that allegedly showed conversations between Google execs proving that the company monitored Incognito browser usage to sell ads and track web traffic. Which does sound like a thing Google would do. According to Reuters and The Washington Post, neither side has made the details of the settlement public.

– Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

The biggest stories you might have missed

This is the future of generative AI, according to generative AI

Apple reportedly faces pressure in India after sending out warnings of state-sponsored hacking

Russia will assist NASA with ISS space flights through 2025

The best PS5 accessories for 2024

Xiaomi says its EV can outperform Porsche and has more tech than Tesla

It tapped former BMW and Mercedes designers.

TMA
Xiaomi

Xiaomi, best known for its smartphones, smart home peripherals, and many other things, has made an EV. Unveiled at a Beijing event yesterday, the Xiaomi SU7 — pronounced "soo-chee" in Chinese — is a sedan that will come in two flavors: the dual-motor all-wheel-drive SU7 Max, and the single-motor rear-wheel-drive SU7.

Xiaomi claims the SU7 Max has a range of up to 800km and a 0-100km/h acceleration of just 2.78s, both of which apparently beat Tesla's Model S and Porsche's Taycan Turbo. There’s also a lot of tech splashed around, with a dedicated in-car entertainment system, ports for your (Xiaomi, of course) tablets and headlamps designed to look like the chinese character for rice – also the ‘mi’ in Xiaomi. We’ve chewed over all the details below.

Continue reading.

Apple is selling its contested Watch models again

Both the Series 9 or Ultra 2 are available again from the company’s website.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are back on sale, after a federal appeals court in Washington D.C. granted a temporary pause on an import and sales ban. However, Apple’s wearables aren’t out of the woods just yet: the ban could be reinstated on January 10, when the International Trade Commission (ITC) decides on whether to grant Apple a longer pause.

The ban could also return on January 13, when the same agency makes a decision regarding Apple’s redesign of both smartwatches. The original ban lasted a little more than a day.

Continue reading.

Look at LG’s two-legged robot

It’ll feature AI-powered skills and face recognition.

TMA
LG

Yes, CES is in a couple of weeks. Why do you ask?

Continue reading.

​​

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-google-will-settle-5-billion-lawsuit-over-tracking-incognito-chrome-users-121651324.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Google will settle $5 billion lawsuit over tracking Incognito Chrome users

Google Chrome has long featured the ability to launch the browser in Incognito mode, offering a seemingly blank slate for your internet browsing, away from your usual cookies, forms and web history. But that seemingly didn’t mean Google wasn’t keeping an eye on where you were browsing.

The company faced a lawsuit in 2020 that accused it of tracking Chrome users' activities even when they were using Incognito mode. Google has now agreed to settle the complaint that originally sought $5 billion in damages, after failing to get the suit dismissed.

The plaintiffs said Google used tools like its Analytics product, apps and browser plug-ins to monitor users. By tracking someone on Incognito, the company was falsely making people believe that they could control the information that they were willing to share with it.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs revealed internal emails that allegedly showed conversations between Google execs proving that the company monitored Incognito browser usage to sell ads and track web traffic. Which does sound like a thing Google would do. According to Reuters and The Washington Post, neither side has made the details of the settlement public.

– Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

The biggest stories you might have missed

This is the future of generative AI, according to generative AI

Apple reportedly faces pressure in India after sending out warnings of state-sponsored hacking

Russia will assist NASA with ISS space flights through 2025

The best PS5 accessories for 2024

Xiaomi says its EV can outperform Porsche and has more tech than Tesla

It tapped former BMW and Mercedes designers.

TMA
Xiaomi

Xiaomi, best known for its smartphones, smart home peripherals, and many other things, has made an EV. Unveiled at a Beijing event yesterday, the Xiaomi SU7 — pronounced "soo-chee" in Chinese — is a sedan that will come in two flavors: the dual-motor all-wheel-drive SU7 Max, and the single-motor rear-wheel-drive SU7.

Xiaomi claims the SU7 Max has a range of up to 800km and a 0-100km/h acceleration of just 2.78s, both of which apparently beat Tesla's Model S and Porsche's Taycan Turbo. There’s also a lot of tech splashed around, with a dedicated in-car entertainment system, ports for your (Xiaomi, of course) tablets and headlamps designed to look like the chinese character for rice – also the ‘mi’ in Xiaomi. We’ve chewed over all the details below.

Continue reading.

Apple is selling its contested Watch models again

Both the Series 9 or Ultra 2 are available again from the company’s website.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are back on sale, after a federal appeals court in Washington D.C. granted a temporary pause on an import and sales ban. However, Apple’s wearables aren’t out of the woods just yet: the ban could be reinstated on January 10, when the International Trade Commission (ITC) decides on whether to grant Apple a longer pause.

The ban could also return on January 13, when the same agency makes a decision regarding Apple’s redesign of both smartwatches. The original ban lasted a little more than a day.

Continue reading.

Look at LG’s two-legged robot

It’ll feature AI-powered skills and face recognition.

TMA
LG

Yes, CES is in a couple of weeks. Why do you ask?

Continue reading.

​​

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-google-will-settle-5-billion-lawsuit-over-tracking-incognito-chrome-users-121651324.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The best games of 2023

It was an amazing year for games. While there were no new consoles, we did get new VR headsets and a wave of new handheld PCs offered even more options for playing games on the go (or at least on the couch). That’s reflected in many of our picks for best games of the year, with several PC-only choices.

The year kicked off with a fantastic remake of space horror Dead Space and the breakout success, Pizza Tower. But there were so many more. Obvious selections? Yes: the latest Zelda epic is there, as is Baldur’s Gate 3. If you’ve got some time between Christmas and New Year, there may be no better way to spend it than with one of these games. I’ve got Cocoon waiting for me.

— Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

The biggest stories you might have missed

The Right to Repair movement won its biggest victories in 2023

Deathloop is free on PC for Amazon Prime members

The first EV with a lithium-free sodium battery hits the road in January

The Apple Watch import ban is paused — for now

What happens next depends on the ITC's response.

Urgh, tech news whiplash. A federal appeals court in Washington D.C. has allowed Apple to continue importing the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models. This was just a day after Apple filed its appeal against the International Trade Commission’s decision to ban imports of both models of the Apple Watch due to a patent dispute. But you probably read all about that – multiple times.

Continue reading.

The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement

The AI companies used the newspaper's articles for training.

The backlash against AI companies and their tools continues to grow. The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft for using its news articles to train its artificial intelligence chatbots without an agreement that compensates it for its intellectual property. It alleges that more than 66 million records, ranging from breaking news articles to op-eds, published across the NYT websites and other affiliated brands were used to train the AI models. The Times also says these AI products can generate output that “mimics its expressive style.” This mirrors complaints from comedians and authors like Sarah Silverman and Julian Sancton.

Continue reading.

Swedish Researchers develop ‘electronic soil’ that speeds up plant growth

‘eSoil’ is here.

TMA
Thor Balkhed/Linköping University

Researchers from Linköping University in Sweden have developed a "bioelectronic soil." It can apparently speed up the growth of plants in hydroponic spaces, or farms that grow plants in environments made up of mostly water. After integrating the engineered ‘eSoil’ into the framework where seedlings grow, researchers discovered that sending electrical signals through the soil made barley plants grow 50 percent more on average.

This is done through a conductive polymer within the soil and applying a voltage as small as 0.5V on the eSoil to stimulate the roots electrically.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-best-games-of-2023-121548149.html?src=rss