My nighttime, dim lamp is just out of reach from my bed, forcing me to get up every night just as I've gotten cozy and turn it off. I finally need to pull the trigger and get smart plugs. Thankfully, our favorite smart plug, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25, is currently on sale with a four-pack costing $35, down from $50 — a solid $15 savings. The deal comes courtesy of a 22 percent discount and a $4 coupon you can tack on (just remember to click it). It's only $2 more than the four-pack's all-time low price on Prime Day.
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 is our top choice thanks to its reliability and fuss-free setup. The plug connects to Wi-Fi and works with iOS and Android devices, letting you access assistant support from Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa and Samsung SmartThings. The assistants can do tasks like turning your plug on and off. The EP25 also lets you track your device's power consumption and see your real-time energy usage.
The setup is straightforward for the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25. You can choose a name for each plug and designate which room it lives in (so you don't accidentally turn the kitchen lights off on someone). Then, program it to switch on at certain times and enjoy getting to stay in bed while turning the light off down the hall.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-smart-plug-drops-to-only-35-for-a-four-pack-131535200.html?src=rss
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomfeels like a kindred spirit to the 2019 remake of Link’s Awakening, both in challenge and in vibes. It’s a far cry from the incredibly intricate and complex worlds in Tears of the Kingdom, and while I only played for about 90 minutes (spread over two different parts of the game),I came away from the demo charmed by the gorgeous, tilt-shift art style. Not to mention being quite pleased to finally be playing as Zelda for the first time in the series that bears her damn name. And while plenty of adults will surely enjoy The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it also feels tailor-made as an entry point for younger players.
We already knew about the art style and playing as Zelda — what was most important about this preview was that I got a chance to see just how Zelda’s “echoes” worked in the game itself. As you’d expect, there’s a gentle tutorial that shows you the ropes. My playthrough started not long into the game, with Zelda imprisoned; my first challenge was finding a way to sneak her out of the dungeon. Fortunately, Zelda is equipped with the Tri Rod, a tool that lets her clone objects and beasts alike. Shimmering objects on the screen can be saved as echoes, the first of which was a humble crate. Once you learn an echo, you can summon it with a tap of a button — but echoes use up power so you can only have a few on the screen at once. Along with the Tri Rod is a little spectral creature Tri who helps you along and indicates how much power you have to make echoes at any given time.
Nintendo
I was surprised at how many random things I could turn into echoes and how useful they ended up being. After learning the crate, I also learned how to create an “old bed” — something that doesn’t provide as much height as the crate, but is long enough to span small chasms. Making three of them on top of each other made for a solid little bridge.
But you can’t fight off enemies with a crate — that’s where learning echoes of monsters comes in. The first bad guy I encountered was defeated by clobbering it with a boulder. But after that, I was able to summon the same gelatinous little bad guy with the Tri Rod and sic him on other enemies. Beating more monsters greatly expands your attacking capabilities. I soon took down a Keese, which I could then use to attack other aerial baddies. I further expanded my arsenal by taking down a spear-throwing Moblin and a powerful knight who has a wicked swing attack.
I’m very much looking forward to seeing what other echoes you can learn throughout the adventure and how you can combine them to bizarre and hilarious effect. For example, I was able to learn an echo for a trampoline, and then drop a Moblin on it and have him bounce up to a higher level in a dungeon to go after enemies up there. I’m sure that there are going to be a ton of wacky and creative ways that people combine echoes, especially as Zelda’s capabilities grow and you’re able to have more on the screen at one time. It’s not nearly as complex as the Ultrahand ability from Tears of the Kingdom, but it does allow players to figure out puzzle solutions in a variety of ways — there won’t always be a “right” way but there may be lots of ways to get the job done.
Nintendo
Zelda also has a “bind” ability, which lets her attach herself to objects that then follow her movements. The example of this shown off in a recent trailer is a great intro to the new power: after grabbing a giant boulder, you can just walk “down” the screen; the boulder follows and is then perched over a chasm that you can drop it into, clearing the path forward. You can also bind yourself to moving objects, like floating platforms, and grab a ride along with them.
Sometimes, though, just relying on echoes to do your dirty work for you won’t be enough. Fortunately, Zelda picks up a crucial new ability in the first dungeon I played: the ability to switch into “swordfighter” mode. To do this, I had to beat up a possessed version of Link, who you might remember as the hero in literally every other Zelda game. Once you defeat this pseudo-link, Zelda is outfitted with a cute shield and sword and can attack enemies head-on. The only catch is that she can only stay in this mode for a limited time. If you run out of power, you’ll need to grab crystals from downed enemies to refresh yourself and switch modes again.
This adds a fun way to get some of the classic Zelda experience in this game, but with a time constraint to make sure players don’t abuse it. Further complicating things is that you can’t use echoes when you’re wielding a sword, so you’ll need to pick your sports. The boss at the end of the Suthorn Ruins dungeon I played through was a great example of how you can use your powers in concert — using echoes and the bind ability, I was able to make the cartoonishly menacing Seismic Talus vulnerable, and then I switched to sword mode and walloped it until I took it down.
Nintendo
While most of my demo took place in the aforementioned dungeon, I was able to explore a relatively small slice of Hyrule. Rest assured, this map is quite different from other versions of Hyrule you’ve explored, though there are some classic traits from other games (mountains to the north, a castle smack in the center, a beach to the south). What I saw was colorful and vibrant, and tailor-made to using your echoes to get around more efficiently.
As for difficulty, this feels like one of the most approachable Zelda games I’ve played in a while — but it’ll present some challenges of its own. The first dungeon was short and sweet, but I did die a few times while I tried to figure out which echoes I needed to combat some powerful enemies. Similarly, the environmental puzzles aren’t too tough, but they differ significantly from other games because you need to use echoes to solve them. For me, it wasn’t always obvious what solution the game was pushing me towards. But I think that was primarily because I often forgot about some of the echoes I had at my disposal. Once I remembered the right tools, the solution was pretty evident.
Nintendo
Probably the biggest challenge that I can see is going to be managing all of those echoes. At the end of the demo, I had picked up more than a dozen, and the linear menu system that I used to switch between them could get extremely unwieldy once that list grows. If you’ve played Tears of the Kingdom, it’s similar to the menu you use to choose an item to attach to an arrow before you fire it, another pretty unwieldy system. I believe you can access different echoes through the pause menu, sort of like selecting weapons or items in the Zelda games of old, but I didn’t spend too much time messing around with such things.
From what I’ve seen so far, Echoes of Wisdom is simultaneously a throwback and a new adventure. The top-down presentation and overall vibe remind me of plenty of old Zelda games besides the obvious Link’s Awakening comparison. But the gameplay is completely different in a way that should provide experienced players with a totally different challenge, and the lower difficulty level will make it, along with Link’s Awakening, a great first Zelda game for younger adventurers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-legend-of-zelda-echoes-of-wisdom-plays-like-a-traditional-zelda-game-remixed-130053301.html?src=rss
Acer is expanding its line of Swift laptops with four new models, and they each have AI capabilities built in. They share functions such as Microsoft Copilot+, Acer User Sensing technology, Windows Studio Effects, PurifiedVoice 2.0 and PurifiedView. Other features include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity.
We’ll take a look at the Swift 14 AI (SF14-51/T) first, a 14-inch 3K or 2K OLED laptop powered by either Intel Core Ultra 7 or Ultra 5 processors and Intel Arc Graphics. There’s also a model with a 2K IPS touchscreen. Its NPU’s AI performance is rated at 48 trillion of operations per second (TOPS). You get up to 29 hours of video playback and 23 hours of web browsing thanks to the 65Wh battery, perfect for those working on the go.
The Swift 16 AI is the beefier brother of the Swift 14 AI with a 16-inch 3K OLED screen or a 3K touch screen with edge-to-edge glass. The processor is either an Intel Core Ultra 9 or Ultra 7 CPU, and graphics are also handled by the Arc GPU. The NPU’s AI performance is the same as the Swift 14 AI (SF14-51/T), but it has a 75Wh battery.
Those who like AMD CPUs will love the Swift 14 AI (SF14-61/T), which has the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 GPU (designed to reach 50 TOPS) and AMD Radeon 880M GPU. The 14-inch display is either an OLED 2880x1800 (WQXGA) screen, IPS WQXGA screen or WQXGA touch screen. The first one has DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, helping reach 500 nits, but the others have a maximum brightness of 400 nits. The laptop has a battery life of 75Wh and is rated for 27 hours of video playback and 18.5 hours of web browsing.
Finally, we have the Swift Go 14 AI powered by a Snapdragon X Plus GPU with eight cores up to 3.2 GHz, while the Hexagon NPU can reach 45 TOPS. A Qualcomm Adreno GPU is responsible for the graphics. The 14.5-inch display comes in WQXGA or 1920x1200 (WUXGA) resolutions, with the former having a 350-nit brightness and the latter 300 nits, both with a 120Hz refresh rate. The 75Wh battery allows for similar battery life as the Swift 14 AI (SF14-61/T), but Acer claims the Swift Go 14 AI has 28 hours of video playback and 19.5 hours of browsing time.
Acer
The Swift 14 AI (SF14-51/T) will be available in the US, EMEA and Australia this September, while the Swift 16 AI comes out during October unless you’re in Australia, where it comes out Q1 2025. Both the Swift Go 14 AI and Swift 14 AI (SF14-61/T) will come out in the US and EMEA during September, but Australian customers must wait for a bit, as the release date is slated to be during Q4 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/acer-expands-swift-line-with-four-new-ai-laptops-130037605.html?src=rss
Acer has just announced its latest Predator and Nitro UltraSpeed gaming monitors while also introducing two new smart monitors. We’ll take a look at the latest Nitro UltraSpeed screens first.
Starting off, we have the 24-inch Nitro XV240 F6 monitor rated for 1080p600Hz (FHD) and up to 0.1ms GTG response time. It has VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, AMD FreeSync Premium technology, 400-nit brightness and covers 95 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut. If frames are what you want, then frames are what you’ll get with this one. Unlike all the other IPS monitors announced here, this one has a TN panel.
The Nitro XV270 F5 has a 27-inch IPS panel rated for FHD resolution and maximum refresh rate of 520Hz. Its response time is slightly slower at 0.5ms GTG. Other features include HDR10 certification, 400 nits maximum brightness, and 100,000:1 contrast ratio to separate the whites and blacks.
Acer’s third new Nitro monitor is the Nitro XV270U F5. It’s a 27-inch monitor with a screen resolution of 2560x1440 (WQHD) and a 500Hz refresh rate. The response time and HDR rating are the same as the XV270 F5, but it differs by having a brightness of 250 nits and 99 percent sRGB color gamut support rating. Its dynamic contrast ratio is also 100,000:1.
Moving on to the first of the two smart monitors, we have the Acer CS322QK 31.5-inch monitor. It’s a 4K monitor with 98 percent DCI-Pe coverage, HDR10 support and 350 nit brightness. Acer says it’s great for remote workers and those who stream content frequently. Interestingly, the refresh rate is only 60Hz.
The Nitro GS272U M smart monitor measures 27 inches and has a WQHD screen resolution, but the refresh rate is 180Hz. It’s more suitable for gaming, but the 5ms GTG response time might be slower for power users. The maximum brightness is also 250 nits.
The Predator XB273U F5 has a WQHD resolution paired with a refresh rate of 360Hz. It measures 27 inches. To prevent screen tearing, it’s equipped with NVIDIA’s G-SYNC Pulsar. Other graphical features include HDR support, 90 percent DCI-P3 color gamut and a peak brightness of 550 nits.
For those who prefer gaming in 4K resolution, the Predator XB273K V5 (also 27 inches) is available. Its 160Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync Premium capabilities are sure to impress, but you can also run it at up to 1080p320Hz if you want more frames at the cost of screen resolution. Acer also kitted this monitor with a contrast ratio of 100,000:1, 400-nit maximum brightness, VESA DisplayHDR 400 support, and a 95 percent rating for DCI-P3 color gamut.
The Predator monitors and Acer CS322QK will be available starting Q4 2024, while the Nitro UltraSpeed and Nitro GS272U M have a Q1 2025 release date. The UltraSpeed monitors also have a Q4 2024 release date, but only if you live in China.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/acer-announces-its-latest-predator-and-nitro-monitors-130035964.html?src=rss
IFA is upon us, which means that along with offering us some truly ridiculous new concepts, a whole bunch of manufacturers are giving their gaming laptops iterative upgrades and introducing some fresh variants. Acer is one of the companies doing just that (though in fairness, it has some more exciting announcements elsewhere, such as its first gaming handheld). The company is refreshing the Nitro V 16 system and introducing the Nitro V 14, though which one you opt for will be determined by more than just screen size.
The Nitro V 16 configurations max out with an Intel Core i7-14650HX CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 laptop GPU, 32GB of memory and a 2TB SSD. The previous model bore an AMD processor. On the display side, you can have a 16-inch 180Hz 16:10 WQXGA panel with a resolution of 2,500 x 1,600, if you desire it.
Acer says it has optimized performance with a dual-fan, quad-intake and quad-exhaust thermal system that draws cold air from the the top keyboard and button cover and expels heat through the rear and side vents to prevent throttling. You can activate an MUX (multiplexer) switch to manually toggle the iGPU to boost graphics performance for gaming when needed.
Acer
The 14.5-inch Nitro V 14 model is a new addition to the Acer lineup. It comes with an AMD CPU instead, up to a Ryzen 7 8845HS Processor. If you're willing to go for a high-end configuration, you can trick out the laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, 32GB DDR5 memory and a 2TB SSD. You can have a WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) or WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, 3ms overdrive response time and 100 percent sRGB color gamut support. There's an MUX switch here too, while the pearl white chassis is quite fetching.
Both laptops come with support for NVIDIA's ray-tracing and DLSS 3.5 upscaling tech. As with all new Windows laptops, there's a dedicated button to open Microsoft's Copilot assistant (if anyone's ever pressed that on purpose on their laptop yet, please do let me know). There are some other fairly standard AI-powered features too, such as noise reduction tech that's employed when you use the triple microphone array.
The Nitro V 14 will hit North America in September and it will start at $1,100. The Nitro V 16 will arrive the following month and start at $1,300.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-acer-nitro-v-16-gaming-laptop-now-comes-in-an-intel-flavor-130030058.html?src=rss
Since the dawn of time, gaming laptops have relied on third-party controllers or the trusty mouse/keyboard combo. Acer, however, could be looking to change this paradigm. The company just announced a truly wild gaming laptop with a built-in controller.
Project DualPlay features a full-sized gamepad that inserts below the keybed, where the trackpad rests. You pop the controller out to play games and slide it back in when you want to do more conventional laptop-type stuff. It’s honestly not a bad idea, as it solves the problem of having to pack a third-party controller when traveling with a gaming laptop.
The detachable controller even splits into two joysticks for on-the-go multiplayer, sort of like the Joy-Cons from a Nintendo Switch. Here’s hoping these particular joysticks don’t suffer from drift. We also have some questions as to where the joysticks go when the laptop is closed.
Acer
There are also two speakers that pop out on each side of the machine to deliver “heart-pounding audio.” This is another nifty feature, as gaming laptops aren’t exactly known for offering the most immersive audio. Acer says the speakers pop out automatically when you remove the controller.
There’s not much by way of specs. This is a concept design, so the internals haven’t been ironed out yet. The laptop does, however, feature customizable RGB lighting that’s all over the place. There are lights on the keyboard, along the bezels, on the back and the trackpad, among other locations.
While Acer hasn’t announced its intention to actually manufacture this thing and sell it to consumers, it does look like a neat twist on modern gaming laptops. Acer calls it a “bold step forward in gaming innovation, promising to deliver unique experiences and engagements for gamers of all levels.” We’ll let you know if the company ever decides to make this laptop a reality. If it truly delivers on its promise, it could become one of the best gaming laptops out there. Unfortunately, it's just as likely that Project DualPlay remains a glitzy, if memorable, concept.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/acers-project-dualplay-is-a-truly-wild-gaming-laptop-with-a-built-in-controller-130027845.html?src=rss
GoPro’s latest action cam has officially broken cover, after a few leaks spoiled some of the surprises. With the Hero 13 Black, the company is bolstering its position as the go-to action cam with more versatility and features aimed at high-level users who’ve probably owned a GoPro or two for years. GPS is back, the battery is bigger and there are upgrades to slow-motion capture and more, but the big news might be outside of the camera unit itself.
The biggest upgrade may be the new family of modular lenses it’s calling the HB Series. In addition to ultra-wide, anamorphic (unfortunately not ready for testing) and macro, GoPro is introducing an ND (neutral density) filter four-pack, aimed at amping up motion blur.
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget
If you’re a GoPro fan, you’re probably aware that the company has already dabbled in filters with the Max Lens Mods for the Hero 12, but the company has taken it a lot further here. All the new HB-Series lenses are waterproof and compatible with GoPro’s HyperSmooth video processing. Crucially for non-professionals, the Hero 13 Black will automatically adjust camera settings, including resolution, frame rate and even your Protune settings to match what's attached. This means you may be locked out of certain capture modes, frame rates or resolutions if the lens isn’t compatible. But that’s preferable to recording something special with a lens, only to discover afterward that it looks like a mess or cropped the best parts out.
Depending on how you plan to use your new GoPro, some lenses will offer more utility than others. While I’ve only had the camera for a few days, the Ultra Wide Lens ($100) seems like the most tempting addition. With a new 1:1 aspect ratio, it means you can decide whether your video is vertical or horizontal after capture. The lens expands the field of view to 177 degrees and can still capture 4K at 60fps. During my testing, I liked the flexibility to use footage in both orientations, and not having to fuss so much about framing.
If you’re looking at the Hero 13 Black as an additional camera for interesting cutaway shots and close-ups, the Macro Lens ($130) might tempt you. With a minimal focus distance of 11cm (4.3 inches), that’s four times closer than the GoPro’s original lens. This lens also includes its own rotating ring to hone in on the right focal length. (There’s even a focus peaking option, hidden away in Protune settings).
During GoPro’s presentation, it was the Anamorphic Lens Mod ($130) I was most intrigued by, but I’ll have to wait to test that out. Able to capture video with a 21:9 aspect ratio, it’s pitched as a lens for “professional-level artistic filmmaking.”
The footage is de-squeezed while being captured, making for easier editing. (De-squeezing is the process of correcting any oval-shaped image distortion caused by anamorphic lenses.) I like the notion of an action-cam cropping those mushy stretched edges for punchier footage. Plus, it’ll capture lens flares, too.
When it came to ND filters, I found them challenging to work with in the past, even when they were built into traditional cameras. This is where GoPro’s auto-detection makes a lot of sense. Alongside adjustments to shutter speed to suit the filter and available light, the Hero 13 Black will even indicate arrows if it thinks a stronger (or weaker) ND filter would be better within the four-pack ($70). However, you can’t combine these HD-series accessories, so you can’t use an ND filter with the Macro lens, for example. There’s a new “AutoCinematic” shutter option to optimize motion blur while holding onto image stabilization, while a Motion Blur Protune option lets you tweak exactly how much blur you want.
So what about the camera itself? The Hero 13 Black has a 10-percent bigger battery than its predecessor and can capture around one and a half hours of 4K video at 30fps. There’s also improved thermal performance both when it’s static or moving with airflow. GoPro says the new camera has longer runtimes in both hot and cold environments, claiming that some of the biggest improvements will come if you’re used to capturing in 10-bit video, another nod to pro users.
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget
GoPro has boosted ultra-slow-motion capture to 400 frames per second at 720p resolution. However, this is burst capture, limited to 15 seconds of real-time recording. At its maximum resolution of 5.3K, the Hero 13 Black can capture 120fps for up to five seconds. The Hero 13 Black also supports Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), an industry-standard HDR format that should yield the highest dynamic range yet on GoPro video.
As I teased earlier, GPS is back, too. This means you’ll be able to search for footage based on location, but the camera can capture telemetry data like speed, path and altitude, pulling that data into your video file. You can then bring this stuff to life with overlay graphics added through GoPro’s Quik app.
There are a lot of smaller, useful UI improvements and upgrades. I won’t touch on all of them, but the most notable may be compatibility with AirPods and other wireless headphones over Bluetooth. The Hero 13 black can capture sounds in a Standard Audio Mode, what GoPro calls “balanced, true-to-life sound,” or there’s a Voice Audio Mode to prioritize speech. With WiFi 6 compatibility, you can also transfer your videos and shots up to 40 percent faster to your smartphone. That’s a true quality-of-life upgrade you’ll notice immediately if you’ve ever had to wait around for files to transfer from action cams (or any camera) over WiFi.
If you’re used to extended shooting (or time-lapse capture), the Hero 13 Black’s new Contacto magnetic door and power cable could be very useful, too. With a pogo-pin style latch, the cable can charge or power the camera from external USB-C battery packs or an adapter plugged into the wall. Notably, it will power the camera even if there’s no battery inside.
GoPro has also decided to add a third mount, a magnetic latch system that works with several new mounts (sold separately). If you’re not here for the peripheral upsell, however, there are still fold-down mounting fingers for extra-secure installation and the standard 1/4-20 mounting threads for your existing tripods and mounts. I love the new magnetic mounts, but now I want one for my tripod, one with a clamp, one for everything. (In the company’s defense, its newest camera is compatible with over 60 GoPro mounts and accessories. It has identical proportions to the Hero 12 Black.)
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget
If you were hoping for a 1-inch sensor you’ll have to wait a little longer. Current GoPro users may be slightly disappointed by what seems to be the same camera sensor. Many devotees online hoped for a larger sensor to boost low-light performance and picture quality. A lot of the upgrades and additions here seem aimed at high-level users, but it’s those same people hoping for a substantial hardware upgrade beneath all the UI improvements and peripheral additions.
The Hero 13 Black is priced at $400 for the standalone camera, while a Creator Edition ($600) bundles the camera with a Volta Power Grip, Media Mod and Light Mod. The company has teased more bundles that will combine its new camera with lenses and other accessories.
All are available for preorder today at GoPro.com and will ship on September 10.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/gopro-hero-13-black-release-date-price-hands-on-impressions-130027978.html?src=rss
The handheld gaming PC race continues to heat up. Acer finally announced a portable console, the Nitro Blaze 7. The specs are pretty dang good here, so this could actually give the Steam Deck a run for its money.
Let’s talk about the display. This is, after all, a portable gaming console. As the name suggests, the Nitro Blaze 7 boasts a seven-inch FHD IPS screen with a 144Hz refresh rate. That refresh rate is better than the original Steam Deck and even the newer OLED model. However, Acer’s machine features an LCD touch panel and not an OLED screen. The size of the display is on par with both the Steam Deck and many of the other portable consoles that have entered the scene in recent years.
Acer
The actual specs are pretty impressive here. The Acer Nitro Blaze 7 includes an AMD Ryzen 8040 Series processor, with up to 39 AI TOPS (trillions of operations per second) and 16GB of RAM. It integrates with AMD FreeSync and ships with up to 2TB of storage. Hard drives fill up really fast with these machines, so that 2TB looks mighty nice. Just one AAA game can sap up 100GB or more.
It’s a Windows 11 machine, but runs something called Acer Game Space. This looks to be a skin of some kind for the UI that makes navigating the library more console-like. There’s also a hotkey that immediately brings up the library. Buyers get three free months of PC Game Pass, which is always nice.
It supports Wi-Fi 6E and USB-C. There’s even a microSD slot for additional storage. Otherwise, it has the same buttons and layout one would expect from a modern portable gaming console. Acer says the console will be released in the near future, but hasn’t announced an exact date. The company also hasn’t revealed pricing. Here’s hoping it’s competitive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/acer-finally-has-a-gaming-handheld-the-nitro-blaze-7-130025914.html?src=rss
Samsung has launched its new line of Galaxy Book5 laptops with the Pro 360, a Copilot+ enabled Windows 11 PC with Intel's latest Core 2 CPU and Arc GPU. Unusually, it also supports some Android AI features like Circle to Search with Google that work by connecting the PC to a smartphone.
Intel's latest Core Ultra processor (Series 2) provides the needed Copilot+ performance with four times the NPU (neural processing unit) power of its predecessor. It also uses Intel's Arc GPU to run Samsung's "most premium PC display." That display uses Dynamic AMOLED 2X tech that improves outdoor visibility, while offering 3K resolution and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
The new chips also help the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 deliver up to 25 hours of video playback and the battery can be charged back up quickly (35 percent in 30 minutes). It also features Wi-Fi 7 support, Dolby Atmos and more.
Samsung
It's the AI features that Samsung wants to spotlight, though. Along with Copilot+, the new model uses Microsoft Phone Link to connect to "select mobile devices and bring Galaxy AI's intelligent features to a larger display," Samsung wrote.
Some of those AI features include Circle to Search with Google, a feature that uses AI to provide more info about text, an image or anything else you circle with your finger or touch on a webpage. Others include Chat assist (providing suggested replies to conversations), Live Translate and Transcript Assist, which converts recorded meetings to written notes and summaries.
It's not clear exactly how those features will work, as they're primarily intended for mobile use. However, it looks like you have to link the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 to a supported mobile device like Samsung's Galaxy S24 or Pixel phones which support Circle to Search and other features. In the press release footnotes, Samsung says that the features may be limited to certain smartphone models, markets and Android versions.
The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 will be available in select markets including Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the US starting in September, but no pricing has been released.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/samsungs-galaxy-book5-pro-360-windows-copilot-laptop-supports-android-ai-features-123046679.html?src=rss
By the early 2000s, it seemed everyone had two things: a cell phone and the certainty its radio waves could give them cancer. The first is arguably more true than ever, but a new World Health Organization-backed systematic review found no link between mobile phone use and brain cancer. These findings included no association with use for more than a decade, number of calls or length of time spent talking on the phone.
The review analyzed over 5,000 studies, eventually including 63 published between 1994 and 2022, which, together, included participants from 22 countries. The research, led by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), also found no link to other head and neck cancers. This data comes ahead of the WHO's publication of an Environmental Health Criterion Monograph looking at radio wave exposure's impact on human health.
In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radio waves as "possibly carcinogenic," meaning it couldn't rule out or confirm the link. This list also includes aloe vera, coffee and working as a firefighter — among over 1,000 other entries. "This systematic review of human observational studies is based on a much larger dataset compared to that examined by the IARC, that also includes more recent and more comprehensive studies, so we can be more confident that exposure to radio waves from wireless technology is not a human health hazard," Ken Karipidis, ARPANSA's health impact assessment assistant director and the lead author, said in a statement. Karipidis and his team are if mobile phones have links to other cancers, such as leukemia.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/who-backed-study-finds-no-link-between-mobile-phone-use-and-brain-cancer-123032606.html?src=rss