Monthly Archives: January 2024

Don’t call ‘em skates, because they’re Moonwalkers

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There’s a fact, discovered by Scientific American and popularized by Steve Jobs, that a human on a bike is the most efficient animal on Earth. Shift Robotics, a startup spun out of Carnegie Mellon, is hoping to disrupt that wisdom with its Moonwalkers, shoes with built-in wheels that speed up human walking. The company rocked up at CES 2024 in Las Vegas with the existing Moonwalkers and its new model, the Moonwalkers X, for us to have a play with.

Essentially they’re shoes that, when your foot strikes the ground, spin their wheels to push you a little further forward. Each step only offers a small extra distance but the cumulative effect can make your journey up to three times faster. The battery should give you around 7 miles of range, after which point you’ll have to grab a USB-C cable and wait 1.5 hours to recharge. And, if you’d like to own a pair for yourselves, you’ll need to stump up $1,399 for the privilege.

Now, much as the original model is designed to be used on the sidewalks of the United States, that may not be its ideal environment. That’s why the company has developed Moonwalkers X, which shaves a pound off the weight and reduces the number of wheels. These are instead aimed at warehouse and logistics workers who are walking around smooth concrete floors for hours at a time. It seems an ideal way to speed up transit while reducing fatigue in industrial environments where concerns about fashion are less prevalent. Unfortunately, there’s no price for these just yet, but we will expect to learn more before their release date at the midpoint of this year.

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dont-call-em-skates-because-theyre-moonwalkers-164737288.html?src=rss

Moonwalker X robotic shoes arrive at CES 2024 with improved maneuverability and lightweight modular design

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Back in 2022, a pair of motorized shoes dubbed Moonwalker burst into the scene, promising to be the fastest pair on the planet. Developed by Shift Robotics, they hook onto your regular shoes and give you superhuman abilities to glide, as if you’re you are moonwalking.

The Austin-based maker has again touched base at CES 2024 with an improved version called Moonwalker X, and we got hands-on time with these AI-powered shoes at the event. According to founder and CEO Xunjie Zhang, “In developing X, our focus was clear: enhancing productivity without compromising safety.” We second this vision as the product is proud recipient of the “Best of CES 2024” award.

Designer: Shift Robotics

The intended use for these robotic shoes is for commercial and business applications where speed and productivity is the key. For example, in a warehouse or manufacturing facility where human movement needs to be optimized while saving effort for efficiency. That said, the Moonwalker X’s can be put to good use in daily life too – for instance – hurrying to your office in the morning time or commuting in the crowded city streets. There have been other iterations of such rollerblades on steroids like the Segway – Ninebot Drift W1 and Hoverwheel, but they’ve not smashed the popularity button as expected.

In our experience with the robotic shoes at the event in Las Vegas, they do feel lighter being 3.2 pounds each – almost a pound lighter than the original version. Compared to the previous iteration they are slightly smaller and as an added perk are highly modular too for repairability. The AI control system has been re-engineered for better control in tight spaces and the shock absorption capabilities have also been honed. If you’ve keenly followed the progress of the Moonwalker, you’ll notice the number of wheels on each shoe has now been reduced to six from the 10 wheels on the original version.

Shift Robotics has not yet revealed anything about the pricing and says that it’ll be announced in the first half of 2024 when they’ll be ready to ship.

The post Moonwalker X robotic shoes arrive at CES 2024 with improved maneuverability and lightweight modular design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Amazon is laying off ‘several hundred’ employees at Prime Video and MGM Studios

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Amazon is laying off hundreds of people across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, as reported by Variety. This is for the usual reason. The company found a way to save some money and went for it. You know the drill. Amazon's entertainment chief Mike Hopkins wrote in an email to staff that it has “identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact.”

Hopkins didn’t give an exact number, but did note that “several hundred” employees would be given walking papers and that most American workers will know by the end of the day, with global employees following suit by the end of the week. He also wrote that “it is hard to say goodbye to talented Amazonians.” 

Amazon says it’ll help laid off workers with benefit packages that will include a separation payment and external job placement support. The company promises “continued investments in programming, marketing and product," despite the layoffs.

Amazon has been in something of a layoff frenzy of late, even with over 200 million paying Prime subscribers. Most recently, it absolutely gutted Twitch with layoffs amounting to 35 percent of the service’s workforce. The company laid off nearly 200 people from its gaming division back in November, along with a few hundred people from its Alexa division. In January of last year, Amazon laid off an astounding 18,000 people from its retail and recruiting divisions. The company posted record profits in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-laying-off-several-hundred-employees-at-prime-video-and-mgm-studios-161307199.html?src=rss

BMW Generative AI, Augmented Reality and Teleoperated Parking shown off at CES

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BMW Augmented Reality

BMW has shown off its latest vehicle technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and this includes Generative AI, Augmented Reality and Teleoperated Parking, the car maker also announced the integration of augmented reality glasses into the driving experience. “BMW is synonymous with both the ultimate driving machine and the ultimate digital experience,” […]

The post BMW Generative AI, Augmented Reality and Teleoperated Parking shown off at CES appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

Urtopia’s Fusion e-bike has fully integrated ChatGPT

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Urtopia has tried to separate its e-bike's from the pack with copious use of technology and this year the company has outdone itself. It just showed off its flagship Fusion model for the first time in full at CES 2024 (after teasing it earlier this year) and it's fully integrated with none other than ChatGPT, the buzzy AI assistant. The Fusion follows the company's previous tech-infused Chord and original Urtopia models.

Urtopia calls the Fusion "the world's first dual battery, dual motor ebike by design visionary Hartmut Esslinger," a very specific claim. It's built with carbon fiber to reduce weight and uses a Shimano CUES derailleur on the regular model and Enviolo stepless shifter on the premium CVT version. The dual 540Wh battery allows for 120km of range (75 miles), but the 360Wh battery extender brings that up to 200km (124 miles) — enough to traverse Paris from north to south about 20 times. 

Urtopia's Fusion e-bike has fully integrated ChatGPT
Urtopia

It can hit up to 25 km/h thanks to the 95Nm mid-drive motor and has 100mm of travel with the air suspension fork. All that, combined with the relatively light weight (23 kg) wide tires and stable frame, make it suitable for off-road, trails and city riding.  

That could be any e-bike, but the Fusion's headline feature is the tech. It's connected by 4G and uses GPS tracking to keep you informed of the bike's location even if stolen. It also comes with a movement alarm, fingerprint unlock, route tracking, navigation without a cellphone and Bluetooth music via a built-in speaker — all as with past models. 

What's new is what the company calls "Jarvis" technology enabled by a smart ring (the company didn't say which one) to power the bike on, play music or activate the other tech feature, ChatGPT. You can also converse directly with ChatGPT through the built-in speaker. You may reasonably ask what ChatGPT is doing on an e-bike — the answer is that it can help you "explore new routes, get real-time information, and even engage in entertaining conversations," according to Urtopia. 

We're not sure how useful a chat assistant is when dodging traffic at 25 km/h, but it might at least keep you company on a lonely trail. It's also a pretty solid marketing gimmick that the company is using to separate itself from the many, many other e-bikes on the market. Buyers will have to be pretty well heeled, though, as the Fusion will cost €3,999 (around $4,375) and the Fusion CVT will run a hefty €4,999 ($5,467). There's no word yet on when it'll go on sale or if it will come to the US. 

We're reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/urtopias-fusion-e-bike-has-fully-integrated-chatgpt-144429572.html?src=rss

SPERAS U2T rugged outdoor flashlight with wireless remote control

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SPERAS U2T rugged flashlight

Imagine venturing into the wilderness, where the unpredictability of nature demands gear that won’t let you down. The SPERAS U2T Ultimate Outdoor Flashlight is designed to be that reliable piece of equipment for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals alike. With its advanced LED technology and sturdy build, this compact flashlight is ready to illuminate your path […]

The post SPERAS U2T rugged outdoor flashlight with wireless remote control appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

AI Tools To Make Money With in 2024

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AI Tools To Make Money

This guide is designed to show you a range of AI tools that you can use to make money with in 2024. In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the swift progression of artificial intelligence (AI) transcends the realms of scientific exploration and tech aficionado discussions. It unfolds as a treasure trove brimming with prospects for […]

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MSI Claw A1M handheld gaming PC challenges the status quo with an Intel chip

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If you haven’t noticed lately, there has been quite a good number of handheld computers being launched, almost all of them designed specifically for gaming. The success of the Nintendo Switch as well as the popularity of the Steam Deck has sparked dreams of recreating the magic (as well as the profits) for PC gaming. If you have indeed been paying attention, you might have also noticed that almost all of these ultra-mobile PCs are running on AMD processors and, consequently, AMD graphics. Of course, its biggest rival wasn’t going to take things sitting down, and it was only a matter of time before an Intel-powered handheld PC would come to light, which is exactly what the MSI Claw A1M is putting on the table.

Designer: MSI

The rivalry between Intel and AMD goes back decades, but there was a time when it seemed that Intel was the only one left standing. AMD then made quite a comeback and started to threaten Intel in areas it had traditionally performed poorly in namely, mobile and graphics. As if to emphasize its advantage, AMD has become the partner of choice for mobile PCs like the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally, and the Lenovo Legion GO. It’s this apparent monopoly that MSI and Intel are trying to break up with a design that is oddly not at all that different.

It’s almost too easy to mistake the MSI Claw A1M for the ROG Ally because of their eerily similar appearances, except in the choice of colors with the Claw opting for an all-black coating. There are, of course, very minute details, like bigger and presumably more comfortable grips, but the basic shape of the unibody chassis, button layouts, and the like are nearly identical. Since the ROG Ally only comes in white, some might be tempted to reach for MSI’s version just for the darker version.

Of course, there are major differences inside, like a larger 53Wh battery and support for the faster Thunderbolt 4 technology. That latter is thanks to the biggest difference that the MSI Claw A1M makes, that it’s running on an Intel Core Ultra chip rather than AMD. It’s not a simple case of substituting one chip for another and calling it a day. Each of them has their own sets of pros and cons, with the latest Intel Core Ultra chips boasting stronger AI performance, though Intel has yet to prove that its young integrated Arc graphics can truly match AMD’s Radeon technologies.

At the end of the day, while the Intel-powered MSI Claw A1M sounds bold and daring, it will all boil down to whether it can deliver the same or even better performance than the existing crop. At the moment, however, MSI hasn’t fully revealed availability details, other than a ballpark $699 starting price tag, so it will take some time before we can confidently say that the new kid on the block is more than just a new face.

The post MSI Claw A1M handheld gaming PC challenges the status quo with an Intel chip first appeared on Yanko Design.