Tag Archives: author_name|Lawrence Bonk

Amazon won’t support AirPlay or Chromecast, but will adopt Matter Casting instead

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Amazon is the first big company to add support for the Matter open casting standard, it announced at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. Matter Casting is an open protocol that lets you send videos and related content from an app to a hardware device, just like Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast. The feature just launched for the Prime Video app and will allow casting to various Amazon hardware devices.

For now, you can only cast to the Echo Show 15 smart display, but the company says it’ll soon offer support for Fire TVs, including Panasonic models with Fire TV built in. As for content streaming partners, it’s just Prime Video for now, but the company promises more options later this year, including Plex, Pluto, Sling TV, Starz and many more.

This works just like AirPlay. You open the Prime Video App, tap the cast button and look for an appropriate hardware device. However, Matter cast isn’t tied to a particular smartphone operating system and is available to every app and hardware maker, if they want to implement the feature.

This is part of the open-source Matter smart home protocol, which is backed by Amazon, Apple and Google. However, it’s unlikely Google and Apple will jump onboard this particular feature set, as each company has its own casting standard in place. Google took to CES this week to announce that Chromecast will be built into all new LG TVs, giving no mention of Matter cast.

Amazon would prefer that each of the big tech companies adopt an open casting platform instead of the current glut of competing models. “We believe in open standards,” Chris DeCenzo, a principal engineer at Amazon, told The Verge. “It simplifies things for developers.”

In the meantime, major players have begun adopting other aspects of the Matter smart home standard. Google’s smart home devices integrate with the protocol, and the same goes for Amazon devices like Echo speakers.

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/amazon-wont-support-airplay-or-chromecast-but-will-adopt-matter-casting-instead-161933813.html?src=rss

ASUS debuts its first homegrown NUC at CES 2024 with Core Ultra 9 chips and RTX 4070 graphics

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ASUS just announced a brand-new mini PC at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The ROG NUC mini gaming PC comes after Intel revealed it would stop making first-party NUC systems, instead relying on companies like ASUS.

For the uninitiated, NUC stands for Next Unit of Compute and refers to a line of ultra-portable desktop PCs and barebones computer kits. These are complete systems that you can hold with one hand, and the ROG NUC is no different. This mini PC, originally codenamed Scorpion Canyon, comes with your choice of Intel Core Ultra 7 or 9 processors and NVIDIA RTX 4060 or 4070 GPUs, allowing for four simultaneous 4K display outputs.

The whole system is designed for speed and multitasking, thanks to the proprietary Performance Hybrid Architecture that distributes additional E-cores to handle intensive tasks. ASUS promises a tool-less chassis design that lets users integrate upgrades and complete maintenance tasks in under 10 minutes.

An image of the chassis.
ASUS

As for connectivity, you get a HDMI 2.1 port, a DisplayPort 1.4, a single Thunderbolt 4/USB-C Type-C port and a USB 2.0 port. It also supports WiFi 6E and is compatible with both Windows 11 and Linux. Operation system flexibility is always nice. ASUS also says the system has been built to ensure seamless integration with the ROG Raikiri PRO controller and comes with the ROG Armory Crate app for creating unique RGB lighting schemes.

This is only the beginning. ASUS promises more mini PCs in the near future, saying that this release “heralds a new era in NUC gaming.” There’s no pricing or availability information for the ROG NUC, but that should come soon.

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/asus-debuts-its-first-homegrown-nuc-at-ces-2024-with-core-ultra-9-chips-and-rtx-4070-graphics-000146547.html?src=rss

Alienware teases a 32-inch 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor at CES

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Alienware is following up its 34-inch ultrawide QD-OLED display with a pair of upgraded models that promise to deliver enhanced in-game visuals: 4K QD-OLED and 360Hz QD-OLED monitors. The company unveiled them at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, and is touting each as a “world’s first” in some regard. 

First up, there’s the Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED (AW3225QF), which the company calls the “world’s first 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor.” This display has Dolby Vision HDR, a curved panel and a peak luminance up to 1000 nits. The AW3225QF also boasts a 240Hz native refresh rate, a 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time and NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility.

You can expect inky dark black levels and lots of color coverage. In fact, Alienware promises blacks that are 10 times darker than a standard picture. It also claims you’ll have access to “colors never seen before on a screen," which seems like a lofty promise, but hey, we won’t have long to find out. It'll be available on January 11, with a list price of $1,200.

A monitor front and back.
Alienware

Alienware also announced the AW2725DF 360Hz QD-OLED gaming display. As you can tell from the name, this screen boasts an astounding 360Hz native refresh rate. Alienware touts another record being smashed here, calling this the “world’s first” 360Hz QD-OLED display.

The screen also features a 0.03ms gray-to-gray response time for “near instantaneous pixel response” and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400. The monitor comes with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VESA AdapativeSync tech. The stand is fully adjustable to suit different setups and the minimal hexagonal base allows for added real estate on the desk for accessories.

The 27-inch AW2725DF will also be available on January 11, coming in at $900. Both of these monitors come with a 3-year limited warranty for OLED burn-in, which is certainly handy given the increased risk of this issue with OLED displays.

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/alienware-teases-a-32-inch-4k-qd-oled-gaming-monitor-at-ces-230045701.html?src=rss

Lenovo announces new gaming laptops at CES that feature proprietary cooling tech and performance-enhancing AI chips

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Lenovo just announced a handful of new gaming laptops at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. Each of these computers features the company’s proprietary Legion Coldfront: Hyper cooling technology that keeps temperatures low while making sure the fans don’t get too loud. They're also packed with AI chips for improved speed and performance. These laptops ship with Windows 11 and come with three free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

The Lenovo Legion 9i is the flagship model with the most features and the highest asking price. This is a refresh of the similarly named laptop that was released back in September, but this one packs a 14th-gen Intel CoreTM Gen i9-14900HX CPU and up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM 4090 GPU. It also features the company’s upgraded LA3-P AI chip, which automatically adjusts power to the CPU and GPU based on what you’re doing with the computer.

Additionally, the AI chip enables Lighting Audio Sync, which matches up the laptop’s RGB lights with sound to increase immersion. You get a 16-inch Mini-LED display panel with 3.2K resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio and a snappy 165Hz refresh rate. You can choose up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of Gen4 PCIe internal storage. It also features a nifty-looking forged carbon top cover, which sets the aesthetics apart from similar gaming laptops. The Lenovo Legion 9i releases later this month, with a starting price of $4,400.

The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i boasts the all-new Intel Core 14th Gen i9-14900HX CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU in top-end models, up to 32GB of RAM and up to 2TB of internal SSD storage. There’s a 16-inch IPS display that supports refresh rates up to 240Hz and 500 nits of brightness. This upgraded PureSight panel features 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage. In short, this thing is a beast. The Legion Pro 7i will be available this March with a starting price of $2,700. There’s also the lower-powered Legion Pro 5i, which is available this month for $1,500.

A laptop.
Lenovo

In addition, the company announced standard Lenovo Legion 7i and 5i models. They don’t boast the “Pro” moniker, but should still be sufficient for modern gamers. These laptops are available in a variety of colorways, which is neat, and can be outfitted with up to the latest Intel Core i9 14900HX chips and up to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. Both models include 16-inch displays, up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage. The Legion 7i releases in March with a starting price of $2,100, while the 5i launches in April with a starting price of $1,400. There’s also a smaller and lighter version of the 5i coming in April that starts at $1,500.

Lenovo didn’t just announce gaming laptops. This is CES, after all. The company also unveiled a fair amount of gaming peripherals and accessories. The coolest of the bunch is the Lenovo Legion K510 Pro Mini Keyboard. This compact gaming keyboard is packed with mechanical key switches and 16.8 million color per-key RGB support. It’s expected this June for $70.

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/lenovo-announces-new-gaming-laptops-at-ces-that-feature-proprietary-cooling-tech-and-performance-enhancing-ai-chips-230035119.html?src=rss

Peregrine spacecraft experiences ‘anomaly’ that could threaten moon landing

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The Peregrine spacecraft has experienced an ‘anomaly’ that could endanger its planned moon landing, as reported by the BBC. Astrobotic, the private company behind the project, says this anomaly prevents the spacecraft from pointing its solar panels at the sun. In other words, the vehicle can’t charge its battery. Without power, the planned lunar landing for February might have to be canceled.

Astrobotic engineers are working the problem and will provide updates as they become available. The launch itself went off without a hitch early this morning, as the issue popped up during post-launch checks after communications had been established. The team behind the launch suggest the most likely cause of the anomaly is a problem with propulsion. Unfortunately, the engineers have a limited window of time to troubleshoot and fix the issue, as the spacecraft’s battery is currently “reaching operationally low levels.” There was a short comms breakdown, but it looks like that issue has been resolved.

The company has also stated that the propulsion issue led to a "critical loss of propellant." Astrobotic has planned for a wide variety of fault scenarios and could get everything squared away before too long, but it's looking less likely by the minute. The company says it's still trying to stabilize the propellant loss, but is investigating "alternative mission profiles" and trying to save as much science and data as it can. 

Peregrine is supposed to be the first American lunar lander to visit the moon in over 50 years. The United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket carried the craft out of the atmosphere. If it manages to touch down on the moon, Peregrine will become the first commercial craft to land on any planetary body outside of Earth.

Though not directly affiliated with NASA, the Peregrine launch is part of the space agency’s new Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. To that end, it’s supposed to deliver five payloads to the moon for NASA to help prepare for the upcoming Artemis missions. It’s also carrying a number of payloads for commercial clients at a cost of $1.2 million per kilogram. This cargo includes everything from mini rovers and science instruments to art collections and physical representations of cryptocurrency.

There’s also human remains on board, including the DNA of science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. Peregrine is scheduled to land on the moon’s nearside, which faces Earth, on February 23, though that timeframe could change or disappear altogether. Ahead of the launch, CLPS Program Manager Chris Culbert acknowledged that a lunar landing was not guaranteed, stating that “landing on the moon is extremely difficult.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/peregrine-spacecraft-experiences-anomaly-that-could-threaten-moon-landing-191221991.html?src=rss

Waymo’s driveless cars are hitting Phoenix’s freeways at long last

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Waymo just announced it’s ready to start testing driverless vehicles on highways and freeways. The experiments start in and around Phoenix in the next few weeks and include the autonomous Jaguar I-Pace SUV. The company had already partnered with Uber to offer driverless taxis throughout the city, but the vehicles were restricted to city streets at low speeds. Now, these robo-taxis will be careening down the highway, bringing us one step closer to a world where we won’t have to sully ourselves with the task of driving.

Unlike the Waymo One service, which is available to regular customers, these autonomous highway tests will only be available to company employees and their guests. This will change when the vehicles have been on the road for a while without any serious incidents. Waymo says the data collected during these tests will be used to provide faster routes throughout the area, with a particular emphasis on Phoenix airports.

The company’s cars had already been allowed on highways, but only with a specialist in the front seat to handle any issues. This next step removes the specialist, for a true self-driving experience. Waymo says it has been incrementally ramping up testing on freeways throughout the past year to get ready for this move.

The company touts the speed of highway driving over local streets, saying that a trip to Sky Harbor Airport from the northern parts of Scottsdale will be twice as fast on AZ-101 compared to local routes. This is obvious and the reason why highways exist in the first place. Still, customers have long been unsatisfied with autonomous vehicles’ penchant for side streets and slow speeds.

To that end, Waymo hasn’t announced any speed limits for highway driving or if there are any maximum distance limits. Engadget reached out to Waymo for more information and will update this post when we hear back. The company has been offering driverless rides in Phoenix since 2020. It also has quite a sterling reputation when it comes to safety. Waymo's own safety data, as reported by Ars Technica, indicated its driverless vehicles traveled over seven million miles in California and Arizona, with only three minor injuries.

Driverless rival Cruise hasn’t been so lucky. In October, a Cruise robotaxi was involved in an incident in which a woman was dragged underneath a vehicle. There have also been reports that the self-driving algorithm had trouble recognizing children. This all led to the CEO resigning, multiple layoffs and, eventually, a hiatus of the service.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/waymos-driveless-cars-are-hitting-phoenixs-freeways-at-long-last-180009825.html?src=rss

JBL brings new microphones to CES 2024, including a wireless clip-on model

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JBL is best known for speakers, earbuds and headphones, but the company has recently pivoted to microphones to meet the needs of modern content creators. It all started with the Quantum Stream line of condenser microphones, and the company has brought a trio of updated mics in the series to CES 2024 in Las Vegas.

The Quantum Stream Talk, as the name suggests, is primarily for podcasters and streamers. The condenser boasts a super cardioid pickup pattern so it only captures what’s directly in front of it, which will be your mouth. This drastically reduces background noise, as that’s the bane of any podcaster. The shock-absorbing base assists with noise reduction. The mic costs $50 and releases in March.

An image of the microphone and accessories.
JBL

The Quantum Stream Wireless microphone kicks it up a notch. This wireless condenser is actually wearable, via a clip-on design. The mic is intended for on-the-go recording, as it boasts an omnidirectional pickup pattern that captures audio from every direction. This captures ambient noise, of course, but that could be the point when making field recordings and the like. There’s an included algorithm to reduce unwanted environmental noise and the mic ships with a handy case. The Quantum Stream costs $100 and also launches in March.

Finally, the flagship microphone is called the Quantum Stream Studio. This is a professional-grade condenser that shines as a podcasting microphone, but should also be great for music-making, voice-over work and related tasks. The interior boasts three condenser capsules and captures audio in 192 kHz/24 bits, which is a broadcast quality sampling rate. There are four pickup patterns to choose from, depending on your needs, and an integrated compressor to handle sudden bursts of noise. The Stream Studio is available this March for $150.

All of these microphones integrate with JBL’s updated app, which is typically used to adjust headphone parameters. The upgraded app now offers microphone controls, so you can dial in the perfect sound directly from your phone instead of having to mess with buttons and knobs. These microphones are all available to demo at CES, if you happen to be in Las Vegas.

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/jbl-brings-new-microphones-to-ces-2024-including-a-wireless-clip-on-model-130058745.html?src=rss

Samsung updates its smart monitor that works without a PC for CES 2024

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Samsung always has a major presence at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, and this year is no exception. The company just unveiled an update to its existing line of smart monitors. This is a modest refresh of last year's Smart Monitor M8, which was already feature-packed. This one looks to keep many of the same specs from 2023's release, from resolution to the detachable camera. However, there have been some software updates. 

The Smart Monitor M80D boasts a 32-inch 4K panel and all kinds of high-tech bells and whistles. The big news here is that you can use the display without a PC or a gaming console.

This doesn’t mean it’s a full-fledged computer on its own. The standalone tasks include video calls via the detachable webcam and streaming content from providers like Netflix and Prime Video. The monitor also includes Samsung’s Gaming Hub, so you can stream all kinds of titles via the cloud. Finally, there are standalone apps for controlling smart home devices, word processing and one for accessing fitness metrics.

The previous-generation M8 Smart Monitor already boasted some features that worked without the use of a PC, but this new version kicks things up a notch. You also get HDR10+ visuals, built-in 2-channel speakers and Bluetooth for connecting directly to other gadgets, like wearables. There’s even a tool that lets you quickly send images and text from other Samsung devices, like Galaxy smartphones and Book laptops, to the monitor. It also integrates with Galaxy Buds to offer a “surround sound-like experience” with minimal latency.

This model will be available sometime this year, but Samsung hasn’t released pricing details. As a comparison, the previous-generation launched at $700, but was commonly available with steep discounts.

Samsung also used CES to announce something truly odd, a 3D monitor in the year 2024. 3D technology was extremely popular more than a decade ago, but has since fallen out of favor due to limited use case scenarios. This display offers a potential new use for 3D tech, access to VR content without a headset.

Samsung promises the monitor can run most VR applications without any wearable accessories whatsoever, though the experience will be markedly different. There’s eye and head-tracking integrated into the display, so it can mimic VR movement, but the field of view will be limited by the monitor. A built-in algorithm automatically adjusts the 3D response to provide the most “immersive gaming experience” and it works with all Steam VR titles. Of course, you can also use it to watch traditional 3D content, like 2009’s Avatar or whatever.

There’s no release date yet, though Samsung says it’ll release more information about the monitor as the year progresses. The company also announced a monitor called The Link that’s intended for multi-screen setups. There isn’t much information available for this one, with more to come “later in 2024.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-updates-its-smart-monitor-that-works-without-a-pc-for-ces-2024-030013578.html?src=rss

What Sony announced at its CES 2024 press conference

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The annual Consumer Technology Association (CES) trade show is nearly upon us, having already turned Las Vegas into a high-tech wonderland. Sony’s holding a press conference the day before CES 2024 exhibitions open, on January 8 at 8PM EST. You can stream it live via Sony Square or on the company’s YouTube channel.

What we expect

Sony is being particularly cagey about what it has in store, saying it will “showcase various technologies and initiatives that support creators.” An official company press release also says Sony’s purpose here is to “fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.”

There was a holding image on Sony’s website that seemed to indicate that the presser would focus on technology involving movie production, professional sound and VR. Those three together could certainly, uh, fill the world with emotion. The original teaser image showed the Ghostbusters logo, a man singing into a microphone and a film crew. However, Sony replaced this image with a simple visual showing a bunch of nondescript circles.

While we don’t know what Sony will focus on, we have some ideas of what the company is likely to avoid. Last year, Sony didn’t mention TVs at all, saving that for an event in March. It’s possible we’ll get something PlayStation related, but with the recent launch of the PS5 Slim and the befuddling PlayStation Portal, don’t hold your breath.

We could, however, get some game announcements for the PSVR2. Sony revealed a VR Gran Turismo 7 update at last year’s press conference. It’s also possible that Sony will announce some home theater products to go along with that whole “creativity and technology” thing.

Sony likes to use CES to reveal experimental tech that may or may ever see an actual release. Last year we got the Afeela EV concept vehicle, a partnership with Honda, so who knows what wacky tech will take center stage this year. Sony also revealed a truly innovative kit for PS5 controllers to help players with disabilities during 2023’s event.

What Sony announced

According to our own reporters on the ground, Sony's CES 2024 news conference didn't have much actual news for the first 25 minutes, at which point things took an interesting turn. The company unveiled a new mixed reality headset for 'spatial content creation,' which Sony's partner in the venture, Siemens, later said will power "whatever the industrial metaverse is." Also, for good measure, someone drove Sony's Afeela EV onto the stage. If you missed it all live, we have a sub-six-minute recap live on our site and YouTube page ready for you to watch.

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/how-to-watch-sonys-ces-2024-press-conference-220051103.html?src=rss

Everything Samsung announced at CES 2024, from the Ballie robot to a transparent MicroLED screen

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The holidays are over, but there’s one winter tradition left. CES is back, once again turning Las Vegas into a haven for the tech-obsessed. Samsung is holding its annual CES press conference on January 8 at 2PM PT / 5PM ET, a day before exhibitions officially open. Engadget will have a dozen staffers on the ground at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, and you can follow along from home by watching the livestream on Samsung’s Global Newsroom site or tuning into the YouTube video below.

Samsung is, of course, a big company with its hands in just about every cookie jar, so you may wonder what the press conference will focus on. And you know the answer already. It’s AI. The presser is titled “AI for All: Connectivity in the Age of AI”, which manages to somehow squeeze in the term twice.

What we expect

The event will be led by Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of Samsung’s DX (Device eXperience) Division, Jong-Hee Han. Samsung has remained fairly tight-lipped regarding the specifics, instead relying on the overarching theme of “AI for all.” Maybe we’ll get more information on the company’s forthcoming chatbot Gauss, which can write emails, code and, well, you know the rest. It can, however, also upscale low-resolution images, which is pretty neat.

According to The Korea Times, Gauss is set to launch in forthcoming Galaxy S24 devices, so CES 2024 would be a great time to make that official. The S24 line is expected to release in mid-January, so in just about a week or so.

Of course, Samsung is primarily a hardware manufacturer, so it’d be strange if it spends the entire keynote on AI. Last year’s press conference found the company announcing everything from a smart oven with an interior camera to MicroLED and 8K televisions. In any event, we don’t have long to wait.

What Samsung announced

In case you missed Samsung's CES news conference live, here's the tl;dr version: the company unveiled the world's first transparent MicroLED screen — a real showstopper. Samsung also surprised us by bringing back its Ballie robot, which now has a built-in projector and an overall different look. On the hardware-you-can-buy-soon front, we also got new TVs, projectors, an HDMI 2.1 soundbar, a Music Frame speaker to go with the company's Frame TVs (which we also got hands-on with), a smart monitor that works without the need for a PC, and a new interface for its TVs that lets you use your television as a smart home hub.

So far at the show, we've gotten an up-close look at Ballie. Engadget's Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham concluded that, while it sure is cute, it still doesn't do a whole lot.

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/everything-samsung-announced-at-ces-2024-from-the-ballie-robot-to-a-transparent-microled-screen-220053813.html?src=rss