Dolby Vision 2 is coming this year, here’s what you need to know

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Dolby may have announced Dolby Vision 2 a few months ago, but the company gave the new platform its first big reveal at CES 2026. I got the chance to see the improvements in person for the first time, thanks to a variety of demos and Q&A sessions. Dolby Vision 2 will be available this year, but initially, it will be limited. As such, I’ve compiled the info on where the image engine will be available first, and what’s likely to come next in terms of where and how you can use it. But first, let’s quickly summarize what Dolby Vision 2 will even do for your TV. 

Dolby Vision 2 is Dolby’s next-generation image engine that the company announced in September. The new standard will do several things to improve picture quality on your TV, including content recognition that optimizes your TV based on what and where you’re watching. This first element will improve scenes that many viewers complain are too dark, compensate for ambient lighting and apply motion adjustments for live sports and gaming. 

Dolby Vision 2 will also deliver new tone mapping for improved color reproduction. I witnessed this first hand in various demos at CES, and this is the biggest difference between the current Dolby Vision and DV2 for me. 

There’s also a new Authentic Motion feature that will provide the optimal amount of smoothing so that content appears more “authentically cinematic,” according to Dolby. This means getting rid of unwanted judder, but stopping short of the so-called soap opera effect. 

Essentially, Dolby is taking advantage of all of the capabilities of today’s TVs, harnessing the improvements to display quality and processing power that companies have developed in the decade since Dolby Vision first arrived.

Lifestyle photo of the TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED Series
Lifestyle photo of the TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED Series
TCL

The biggest Dolby Vision 2 news at CES was the first three TV makers that have pledged support for the new standard. Hisense is bringing it to its 2026 RGB MiniLED TVs — including UX, UR9 and UR8. The company also plans to add it to more MiniLED TVs with an OTA update. TCL's 2026 X QD-Mini LED TV Series and C Series will support Dolby Vision 2 via a future update. It will be available on TP Vision’s Philips’ 2026 OLED TVs, including the 2026 Philips OLED811, and OLED911 series as well as the flagship OLED951.

There are sure to be other companies that announce Dolby Vision 2 support in 2026. Sony doesn’t announce its new TVs at CES anymore, so that’s just one of the bigger names that’s yet to reveal its hand. Any upcoming TVs that seek to leverage the full suite of tools that Dolby Vision 2 offers will need to have an ambient light sensor as that’s one of the key facets of Dolby’s upgrade.

What content will be available in Dolby Vision 2?

Peacock is bringing Dolby Vision and Atmos support to more live sports offerings.
Peacock is bringing Dolby Vision and Atmos support to more live sports offerings.
Peacock

The other big piece of Dolby Vision 2 news at CES 2026 was the first streaming service that will support the platform. Peacock grabbed that honor, and so far it’s the only streamer to pledge support. However, several services support the current version of Dolby Vision, including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Paramount+. Like the additional TV support that’s sure to be announced throughout the year, I expect more streaming services will jump on board soon as well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/dolby-vision-2-is-coming-this-year-heres-what-you-need-to-know-140000034.html?src=rss

CES 2026 Day 3: The most interesting tech that’s still on the show floor

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Even as CES 2026 wraps up soon, there’s no shortage of standout hardware hiding in plain sight. From genuinely quieter yard tools to ultra-light EVs and companion robots that want to remember your family, Day 3 was all about tech that felt a little more considered — and in some cases, refreshingly practical.

If you can’t get enough of CES, be sure to check out our picks for best of CES 2026, which highlights the most impressive new tech we’ve seen in Las Vegas. We’ve also rounded up the CES gadgets you can buy right now if you’re itching to place an order, along with a look at the weirdest tech at CES 2026, because it wouldn’t be CES without a few delightfully unhinged ideas.

Tone Outdoors T1
Tone Outdoors T1
Billy Steele for Engadget

The Tone Outdoors T1 leaf blower is one of the rare CES gadgets that makes an immediate, obvious impression — mostly because it’s shockingly quiet. Whisper Aero’s aerospace-derived motor redesign delivers 880 CFM of airflow at around 52 decibels, which we could confirm even amid the noise of the show floor. It also runs up to 50 minutes in Eco mode, supports a forthcoming battery backpack and even includes an LED for nighttime cleanup. Pre-orders are open now for $599, with shipping expected in September.

Finally! A reasonably sized fridge screen.
Finally! A reasonably sized fridge screen.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The GE Profile Smart Fridge is the first smart fridge we’ve seen that feels like it was designed around real problems instead of just slapping a massive screen on the door. GE’s AI assistant can answer practical questions like where your water filter is, scan groceries via a built-in barcode reader and keep tabs on produce with a crisper drawer camera. The eight-inch display feels refreshingly restrained, while integrations with Instacart and recipe suggestions add utility. It launches in March for $4,899, and for once, we’re genuinely curious what it would be like to live with it.

Longbow Motors Speedster
Longbow Motors Speedster
Billy Steele for Engadget

Longbow Motors brought one of the most emotionally compelling EVs we’ve seen to CES, and it’s unapologetically minimalist. The Speedster uses in-wheel motors from Donut Labs to hit a jaw-dropping curb weight of just 2,200 pounds, lighter than a Miata. Its stripped-back interior, mystery shift lever and exposed motors feel like a direct rejection of touchscreen-heavy modern cars. It’s wildly expensive at just under $100,000, but also one of the few EVs here that got us excited to drive.

A robot with eyes on top of a screen showing a smile.
A robot with eyes on top of a screen showing a smile.
Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget

OlloBot might win the award for most charmingly strange robot on the show floor. Designed as a family “cyber pet,” it responds to voice and touch, develops a personality over time and stores all its memories locally in a removable heart-shaped module. The robot can help find lost items, make calls and eventually control Matter smart home devices. A Kickstarter is planned for summer, with pricing starting around $1,000.

Image demonstrating the setup for Bluetti's Charger 2
Here's how the Bluetti Charger 2 would work with dual charging sources.
Bluetti

Bluetti’s Charger 2 fixes a very specific but real problem for off-grid users: charging from your engine and solar panels at the same time. The dual-input system supports up to 600W from solar and 800W from an alternator, dramatically speeding up battery top-ups. It also works with multiple Bluetti power stations and can even jump-start your vehicle in a pinch. Early pricing is $349 through February 7, after which it jumps to $499.

The CES show floor will soon be closing down, but Engadget still has a lot of stories in our pipeline. As the crowds thin out, we’re continuing to surface the tech that actually stands out — whether it’s solving everyday annoyances or simply doing something bold and different. Stay tuned to our CES 2026 hub for more hands-ons, deep dives and final takeaways even after CES 2026 comes to a close at the end of this week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ces-2026-day-3-the-most-interesting-tech-thats-still-on-the-show-floor-134724231.html?src=rss

Can We Teach AI to Learn from Mistakes Without Forgetting

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Can We Teach AI to Learn from Mistakes Without Forgetting

What if artificial intelligence could evolve as seamlessly as humans, learning from every interaction without forgetting what it already knows? Prompt Engineering takes a closer look at how the concept of continual learning, often referred to as the “holy grail” of AI, could bridge the gap between human adaptability and machine intelligence. Unlike today’s static […]

The post Can We Teach AI to Learn from Mistakes Without Forgetting appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Home Assistant 2026.1 Adds Protocol Panels, Fresh Triggers & Faster Camera Streaming

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Home Assistant 2026.1 Adds Protocol Panels, Fresh Triggers & Faster Camera Streaming

What if managing your smart home felt less like a chore and more like second nature? In this walkthrough, Home Assistant shows how their latest release, 2026.1, redefines automation and usability with smarter workflows, real-time device monitoring, and enhanced dashboards. Whether you’re a seasoned smart home enthusiast or just starting out, this update delivers a […]

The post Home Assistant 2026.1 Adds Protocol Panels, Fresh Triggers & Faster Camera Streaming appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Base Model M4 MacBook Air: Waste of Money or Best Deal?

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Base Model M4 MacBook Air: Waste of Money or Best Deal?

The M4 MacBook Air, equipped with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, continues to offer a compelling combination of performance, portability, and battery efficiency. As of December 2025, it remains a strong option for users seeking a lightweight and capable laptop. However, the limited storage capacity of the base model may present challenges for […]

The post Base Model M4 MacBook Air: Waste of Money or Best Deal? appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Kia’s budget EV2 arrives with up to 240 miles of range

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Kia has unveiled its new entry level electric vehicle, the EV2. The boxy model strongly resembles the company's Soul (Kia did make an electric Soul at one point) and has very similar dimensions, though it's slightly shorter in height and length. It's not exactly a range monster and will charge a bit slower than the competition. The EV2 launched at the Brussels Motor Show and the company said it has no plans for US availability at this point. 

The EV2 uses Kia/Hyundai's E-GMP platform and slots into the bottom of its EV lineup as an "entry point to electric mobility," according to the automaker. Though nearly the same size, it certainly looks nicer than the dowdy Soul and has more room inside. Competition-wise, it's going up against Volvo's EX30 and may cost about the same, though Kia has yet to divulge pricing. 

Kia's budget EV2 arrives with up to 240 miles of range
Kia

The EV2 will be offered with two battery options: a 42kWh battery with 197 miles of WLTP range (likely around 170 miles by EPA standards) and 61kWh with 278 miles of WLPT range (around 240 EPA miles). That's not a lot, especially compared to the 261 mile EPA max range of the EX30 — so Kia's pricing for the EV2 will be key. As for charging speeds, Kia says the EV2 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes — a bit slower than the 69 kWh EX30. Like other Kia vehicles, the EV2 supports vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-load (V2L/V2G) charging. 

Kia calls the vehicle's interior a "Picnic Box" as a way to describe the small but useful space. Kia says its "comparable to larger vehicles" in terms of space, with generous rear legroom and rear cargo capacity up to 403 liters. It will come in four- and five-seat versions. 

Kia's budget EV2 arrives with up to 240 miles of range
Kia

As for tech inside, it offers a generous screen setup, with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a 5-inch climate display. Ambient lighting in the cabin syncs up with specific vehicle functions. At the same time, it offers a fully array of manual controls climate, volume control and more. It comes with multiple USB-C ports (three up front) that support up to 100W charging.

The company has yet to reveal performance figures other than range. Production is set to start in Q1, so deliveries should commence in Europe and other regions later in the year. It doesn't look like the EV2 will arrive stateside any time soon, though, as the company said it "has not announced plans for the US market." 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/kias-budget-ev2-arrives-with-up-to-240-miles-of-range-130038144.html?src=rss

Lego is trying to make tech invisible with Smart Play

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Probably my favorite thing about the Lego Smart Play system unveiled this week at CES is that it was designed for kids, first and foremost. In the past 10 years or so, Lego has increasingly courted an older audience with more expensive and elaborate sets. But when it was time to bring more advanced technology to Lego, the idea right from the beginning was more social and interactive play. 

If you haven’t heard about Smart Play yet, its a way for Lego to make its sets more interactive. A Smart Brick filled with sensors makes it so sets can respond to each other, know when they’re moving, play sounds and know when the corresponding Smart Minifigures are near them. Tiny Smart Tags, meanwhile, help the Smart Brick know the context of how it’s being used — whether it’s in a helicopter, car or duck for example.

Tom Donaldson, senior VP and Head of Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, told Engadget that the company worked on Smart Play for about eight years before introducing it this week, and that social play was the starting point. “We started really looking at consumer needs, and this idea that kids really like social play,” said Donaldson “Kids really like the sort of things that change when they come back to them, and the kids really like agency. They want to be able to change things.” 

Lego's Tom Donaldson demoing Smart Play at CES.
Lego's Tom Donaldson demoing Smart Play at CES.
LEGO

But a big part of the creation process was making the Smart Brick as flexible and powerful as possible and then seeing what scenarios could take advantage of it. “We wanted to build a really powerful platform,”  he said. “What we shouldn't do is say, ‘this is what we think we're gonna need.’ We needed to say, ‘let's create something that has a lot of capabilities that we can then figure out how to use.’”

One of the conflicts with the tech-packed Smart Play system, though, might be the cost. Obviously, Lego has been successful at most ventures it has undertaken in recent years, but the pricing of Smart Play sets could make adoption a bit challenging. The biggest Smart Play set, Star Wars Throne Room Duel & A-Wing, for example, has almost 1,000 pieces and costs $160. That’s quite a bit more than comparably sized sets. The dual factors of the Star Wars license and Smart Play tech certainly impacted the cost. 

Lego Smart Play Star Wars set
Lego Smart Play Star Wars set
LEGO

The set includes two Smart Bricks, five Smart Tags and three Smart Minifigures, the most “smart” gear included in any of the initial three Star Wars Smart Play sets. Will parents shell out for the more advanced capabilities that Smart Play offers, or will they stick with standard sets?

For now, Lego is betting the extremely broad appeal of Star Wars will help these new Smart Play sets find an audience. About three years ago, Lego got its team focused on the Star Wars franchise involved, as well as Lucasfilm, to figure out how to roll Smart Play out to the world. “Very early on, we all decided that starting with the original trilogy would be great,” said Derek Stothard, Disney’s Director of Global Licensing “These are such well-known scenes and characters, and they cross generations, so parents can introduce them to  their kids. All that works really well together.” 

Unsurprisingly, Lego is being coy about where things go beyond the initial three Star Wars sets, but it’s clear that after eight years of development, they’ll want to bring it to as many product lines as possible. “We're announcing a platform that you can see has tremendous growth [potential], Donaldson said. “We made the analogy with the minifigure as something that you’ll see across the entire [Lego] system, maybe not in every single SKU but it’ll reappear in many different places. But ultimately we're a company that really focuses on giving kids what they want, what they love, and we'll have to see how it lives in a market.”

That last point about how it lives in the market is a good one, particularly given the pricing. We probably won’t know for sure until Lego moves beyond the safe confines of Star Wars and really shows us what Smart Play can do across more varied scenarios. And going to non-licensed sets might be where Smart Play really takes off — it’s easy to imagine a cheaper Smart Play add-on kit that can bring sets to life at a lower cost. But the idea of transforming anything kids create into something more interactive has a ton of potential if Lego can broaden its appeal beyond Star Wars fans. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/lego-is-trying-to-make-tech-invisible-with-smart-play-130000979.html?src=rss

Spotify is no longer running ads for ICE

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There are no recruitment ads for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) running on Spotify at the moment, the streaming service has told Variety. A spokesperson has confirmed the news after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis, but they also clarified that the ads stopped running in late 2025. “The advertisements mentioned were part of a US government recruitment campaign that ran across all major media and platforms,” they explained.

Spotify caught flak back in October for playing ICE ads, asking people to “join the mission to protect America,” in between songs for users on the ad-supported plan. The advertisements even promised $50,000 signing bonuses for new recruits. Campaigns were launched to urge users to cancel their subscriptions and to boycott the service, and even music labels called on the company to stop serving ICE advertisements. Spotify said back then that the ads don’t violate its policies and that users can simply mark them with a thumbs up or down to let the platform know their preferences.

The company reportedly received $74,000 from Homeland Security for the ICE ads, but that’s a tiny amount compared to what other companies received. According to a report by Rolling Stone, Google and YouTube were paid $3 million for Spanish-language ads that called for self-deportation, while Meta received $2.8 million.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-is-no-longer-running-ads-for-ice-130000672.html?src=rss

Gmail Just Got a Massive Al Upgrade : Sum up Threads, Suggest Replies & Clean Your Inbox Faster

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Gmail Just Got a Massive Al Upgrade : Sum up Threads, Suggest Replies & Clean Your Inbox Faster

Imagine opening your inbox to find dozens of unread emails, threads stretching endlessly, important messages buried, and your to-do list growing by the second. It’s a scenario many of us know all too well, but what if your email could take on some of the burden? Kevin Stratvert outlines how Gmail’s latest AI-powered features are […]

The post Gmail Just Got a Massive Al Upgrade : Sum up Threads, Suggest Replies & Clean Your Inbox Faster appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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FLIR iXX: An App-Based Thermal Camera for the Deskless Office

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Traditional thermal inspections are messy. Technicians capture images, transfer them from SD cards to laptops, manually enter notes into spreadsheets, and spend hours back at the office generating reports. Around 60% of maintenance teams report a shortage of skilled thermographers, which makes the problem worse. Reporting alone can eat up half a technician’s time, turning straightforward inspections into documentation marathons.

FLIR’s iXX-Series is a response to that reality. It’s a handheld thermal imaging camera that behaves more like an app-enabled platform than a single-purpose tool. Built on FLIR’s ACE operating system, the iXX combines high-performance thermography with smartphone-style connectivity and an open app ecosystem. It’s designed for what FLIR calls the “deskless office,” where technicians need their camera to be rugged and smart.

Designer: FLIR

From Camera to App-Driven Platform

The iXX-Series comes in four models, i34, i35, i64, and i65, with thermal resolutions up to 480 × 640. Sensitivity sits under 40 mK at 30 °C, and accuracy hits ±2 °C or ±2%. Those specs matter as the foundation for structured, cloud-connected workflows that didn’t exist on older cameras.

According to the FLIR team, the focus is on “the importance of the deskless office, making sure data can flow in a seamless and customized way according to our customer needs.” That shift from hardware-first to workflow-first changes what the device is for. It’s about getting usable data into the right systems immediately.

The iXX integrates directly with FLIR Assetlink and Ignite, cloud systems that link thermal images to specific assets. Capture an anomaly on a motor, and it tags to that motor in your system, complete with trend data and inspection history. Reporting time, which traditionally consumes up to 50% of a technician’s day, can drop to nearly zero.

One electrical testing company using the iXX with the Condoit app cut their reporting from eight to 12 hours down to under five minutes for large jobs. That’s the kind of time savings that changes how teams actually work.

Designed for the Deskless Office

The hardware is built to survive. IP54 rating, 2 m drop test, 0.8 kg body, and a 5-inch touchscreen that works with gloves. Operating range runs from -15 °C to 50 °C. The battery lasts around four hours with quick charging. It’s industrial-grade housing with a consumer-grade interface layered on top.

The FLIR team explains that “with ergonomics and usability in focus as always for FLIR, it is a balance to address multiple different customer needs and applications with different levels of expertise.” You can hand this to a senior thermographer or a junior tech, and both will find it usable, just configured differently.

You also get an 8 MP visible camera, MSX image enhancement, a work light, and a laser pointer. These let a technician capture context and document conditions without juggling three devices. The touchscreen and app model make the iXX feel closer to a field computer than a traditional instrument.

Open Apps and Tailored Workflows

Where the iXX really diverges is the app ecosystem. It supports FLIR apps, third-party apps, and private apps built by customers. According to FLIR, “having the open approach is critical… now making sure it is easy for anybody to develop something tailored for their use case is a success factor.”

No two plants or facilities run inspections the same way, so the camera should adapt to the team. Apps can guide inexperienced technicians step by step, auto-link images to asset hierarchies, generate work orders with one tap, or enforce security policies. There’s definitely flexibility built into the platform.

A technician walking through a data center can scan electrical distribution gear, flag temperature anomalies, and sync everything to the cloud before leaving the room. By the time they’re back in the truck, the office team already has the data and dashboards updated automatically.

Always-Connected Inspections

Connectivity is built in via Wi-Fi across the line, and certain models, the i35 and i65, include LTE. The FLIR team notes that “a safer and more stable connection is key for having all the data at hand out in the field for taking correct and quick decisions, which can be time critical where cellular connectivity is crucial.”

Many outdoor or industrial sites don’t have Wi-Fi, making LTE the only option. With LTE, technicians can send images, messages, and video calls directly from the device. A junior tech scanning a substation can loop in a senior engineer via video without leaving the site. Office teams see data appear in dashboards in real time.

Inspections stop being isolated tasks and start looking more like live, collaborative workflows. That’s a pretty significant shift for teams used to working solo in the field.

Growing with the Platform and Closing the Skills Gap

Longevity is baked into the design. FLIR emphasizes that it’s “very important in our design decisions, from material choices to how to assemble and disassemble for service purposes… with the capability of growing with the platform and constantly increasing functionality through software updates and also with the app ecosystem where new functionality and features will be added by FLIR and others.”

The camera you buy today isn’t frozen. It’s a platform that keeps evolving through firmware updates and new apps. That also helps close the skills gap through app-guided workflows, onboarding tools, and configurable interfaces.

“With the ability to tailor for any customer needs, the data collections are made easier… and the fact that you as a user can choose what apps to download or even develop yourself makes it suitable for anyone, no matter the level of experience,” FLIR explains. A senior thermographer can load advanced apps while a junior tech follows a guided workflow.

The iXX-Series represents a shift in how handheld inspection tools are designed. It’s a connected, app-driven platform built for the deskless office, where technicians need their tools to be rugged, smart, and collaborative. If this is the future of inspection devices, hardware and software are finally being designed together from the start.

The post FLIR iXX: An App-Based Thermal Camera for the Deskless Office first appeared on Yanko Design.