Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

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

Posted on by

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

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

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

— Mat Smith

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

The biggest stories you might have missed

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

What to expect at CES 2024

The best power banks for 2024

The return of the physical iPhone keyboard case

Clicks has made cases for the latest iPhone models.

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

Continue reading.

Qualcomm will debut upgraded VR headset chips at CES 2024

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

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

Continue reading.

Yes, this is an Xbox Series S toaster

It goes with your Xbox fridge.

TMA
Walmart

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

Continue reading.

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

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

Posted on by

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

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

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

— Mat Smith

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

The biggest stories you might have missed

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

What to expect at CES 2024

The best power banks for 2024

The return of the physical iPhone keyboard case

Clicks has made cases for the latest iPhone models.

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

Continue reading.

Qualcomm will debut upgraded VR headset chips at CES 2024

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

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

Continue reading.

Yes, this is an Xbox Series S toaster

Goes with your Xbox fridge.

TMA
Walmart

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

Continue reading.

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

Samsung is teaming up with Tesla and Hyundai to offer deeper smart home and EV controls

Posted on by

With CES 2024 almost upon us, we're about to hear more talk about smart homes than the rest of the year combined. Samsung has started the proceedings by announcing that it's partnering with Tesla and Hyundai to expand SmartThings into the areas of home energy and vehicle/home automation. 

The partnership with Tesla will allow owners of the company's EVs, along with products like Powerwall and Solar Inverter, to monitor and control their homes using Samsung's SmartThings Energy app — displaying information related to energy production, storage and usage. 

For instance, Powerwall users will be able to sync the Tesla app's "Storm Watch" function to their home devices, so they can be alerted to extreme weather events like hurricanes or snowfall through connected Samsung TVs and smartphones. It'll also let you activate the AI Energy Mode before and during power outages to conserve remaining Powerwall energy. 

Other companies will be able to do the same, as Tesla recently published its "FleetAPI" app that lets developers interact with Powerwall, Solar and Wall Connector in addition to its EVs. Samsung is among the first to hop on board, though. "We are pleased that Samsung has chosen to be an early developer, given its leading position in consumer smart home technology," said Tesla's Drew Baglino. 

Samsung partners with Tesla and Hyundai to connect cars with homes
Samsung

Samsung has also teamed with Hyundai to expand its SmartThings platform to Hyundai's EVs and other vehicles, allowing "Home-to-Car" and "Car-to-Home" services. That'll let you connect your smart home to a Hyundai car's infotainment system so you can control one with the other. For instance, you'll be able to start your car via the SmartThings app, control the air conditioning, open and close windows and check charging status. And from the car, you'll be able to control home appliances like TVs, AC and EV chargers. 

It'll also allow you to create a routine where your home lights and climate control are activate when the car arrives home, or the ability to set the car to an ideal temperature after your smartphone's alarm goes off. At the same time, you'll be able to monitor energy information about EVs and chargers to set the optimal time for charging a vehicle, based on factors like energy pricing, solar panel data and more. 

The new features sound useful, particularly if you have an EV or Tesla power system installed. It's still under development, but Samsung will be providing an early look at its CES 2024 booth next week. 

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/samsung-partners-with-tesla-and-hyundai-to-offer-deeper-smart-home-and-ev-controls-093945383.html?src=rss

Clicks wants to make physical iPhone keyboard cases a thing again

Posted on by

A UK-based company called Clicks is introducing a new iPhone accessory at CES 2024 in Las Vegas that you might like if you loved BlackBerry phones. It's a case and a full physical keyboard in one that you can attach to the iPhone if you want a more tactile typing experience, which kinda brings back memories of Ryan Seacrest's Typo Keyboard from a decade ago. The company's creator keyboard sits at the bottom of the case and doesn't cover any part of the screen or any part of the device at all other than its back and edges. Instead, it extends the phone's length, giving you full view of whatever is on the display even while you're typing. 

That keyboard connects to the iPhone through its Lighting or USB-C port, depending on what model you have, and allows you to charge your phone as usual. It doesn't have a Bluetooth connection, but that also means it's not powered by a battery you'll need to charge. You can switch on its backlight if you want to use it at night or in the dark, and you can use a bunch of keyboard shortcuts if you want to navigate your device without using the touchscreen. To scroll down web pages, for instance, you can press the space bar. That said, its keys do look terribly small, and you may find yourself having a difficult time typing if you have larger hands and fingers. 

Clicks is founded by content creators Michael Fisher (MrMobile) and Kevin Michaluk (CrackBerry Kevin), who said that the iPhone keyboard was designed by "a dream team of tech industry veterans." Michaluk added: "We labored over every decision from exactly how the buttons should feel to the keyboard layout, ensuring it would be intuitive for iPhone users." You can order the Clicks creator keyboard from the company's website right now for $139, but shipping won't begin until February 1. 

Hands typing on a phone keyboard
Clicks

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/clicks-wants-to-make-physical-iphone-keyboard-cases-a-thing-again-180001724.html?src=rss

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

Posted on by

Razer is previewing two new Blade laptops, which it will officially unveil next week at CES 2024. The company says the new Razer Blade 16 has the world’s first 16-inch 240Hz OLED panel, and the updated Razer Blade 18 has an 18-inch 4K 165Hz one. It hasn’t revealed pricing or full specs yet, but Razer will roll out more details next week in Las Vegas.

The new Razer Blade 16 looks to improve on the display in last year’s model, which was already impressive. Razer says the OLED panel in the 2024 version was co-developed by Samsung Display. In addition to its QHD+ resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, it has a 0.2ms response time, and it’s VESA Certified ClearMR 11000, a standard that grades motion blur by its ratio of clear to blurry pixels. The panel has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and its black levels will likely impress with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Blade 18 moves from the 2023 model’s QHD, 240Hz panel to a 4K, 165Hz one. It has a 3ms response time with Nvidia G-Sync support and covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color space. 

Although Razer is withholding the devices’ full specs until their official CES 2024 reveal on Monday, it added that they’re built with high-grade CNC aluminum unibody construction, and they have a 16:10 aspect ratio, “up to” an 89 percent screen-to-body ratio and ultra-thin bezels. Both Razer Blade laptops are Calman Verified and have a color accuracy certification. They’re also individually calibrated in the factory.

Engadget will be on the ground in Las Vegas starting this weekend, and we’ll have the full details and hands-on impressions for both of the new Razer Blade laptops.

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/razers-2024-blade-16-laptop-will-have-a-240hz-oled-display-172153672.html?src=rss

The 2023 Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet is cheaper than ever in a one-day sale

Posted on by

Amazon’s Fire HD 10 tablet is on sale for just $80 for today only from QVC. This is the latest iteration, originally released in 2023, and ships with 32GB of storage. You also have your pick of various colorways, including green, lavender and black. The regular price on this tablet is $140, so this represents a discount of $60. Incidentally, the sale price of $80 matches what was found on Black Friday, so consider this a bit of a holiday extension.

This isn’t the lowest price ever for the Fire HD 10 tablet, but it's the lowest for the current eleventh-gen device. We’ve seen this tablet go on sale for $75, but that was for the 2021 release.

The Fire HD 10 is a capable tablet, considering the price, and is a great device for viewing streaming content, browsing the web and playing simple mobile games. It has a USB-C port, which is always nice, and a 2GHz octa-core processor. The HD touchscreen boasts a 1920x1200 resolution, there’s 3GB of RAM and a pair of HD cameras on the front and rear. You can also expand the storage via a microSD slot.

Is this an iPad Pro? Nope. Not even close. But it gets the job done. I used a Fire HD 10 as my primary content streaming device for years and it was just fine. The Wi-Fi was snappy, Alexa was helpful and the actual headphone jack made it so I didn’t have to go digging for an adapter just to have some privacy while I watched Netflix in bed. Again, this deal ends today.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-2023-amazon-fire-hd-10-tablet-is-cheaper-than-ever-in-a-one-day-sale-160446037.html?src=rss

Qualcomm’s improved Snapdragon XR2+ chip for VR headsets will debut at CES 2024

Posted on by

Qualcomm will be bringing a new VR/MR chip to CES 2024 in Las Vegas next week. The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 is an update to the standard XR2 Gen 2 that was revealed back in September. The chip is intended for use in virtual reality headsets, mixed-reality headsets and other wearables. 

The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 supports 4.3K per eye resolution, compared to 3K per eye with the previous version, and can integrate with up to 12 cameras at once, up from 10, for passthrough and body tracking. To that end, Qualcomm promises that devices with this chip will be able to enter full-color passthrough in less than 12ms.

All of the various specs of this chip.
Qualcomm

As for standard specs, the XR2+ Gen 2 will be able to handle content up to 90 fps. This chip also represents an improvement in raw power, with an approximate CPU speed increase of 20 percent and a GPU increase of 15 percent compared to last year’s chip. It’s worth noting that all of this is on one chip to preserve space. There’s not a lot of room for this stuff in many VR headsets.

Qualcomm is bringing just the chip to CES and hasn’t announced any devices to go along with it. It has, however, said that it’s working on something with Samsung and Google that will involve the XR2+ Gen 2. The previous XR2 Gen 2 chip powers the recently launched Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset, so this upgrade should allow for even beefier standalone headsets in the near future. 

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/qualcomms-improved-snapdragon-xr2-chip-for-vr-headsets-will-debut-at-ces-2024-140047958.html?src=rss

Dell unveils new XPS 13, 14 and 16 laptops ahead of CES 2024

Posted on by

Dell is bringing the bold design of last year's XPS 13 Plus to the rest of the XPS lineup ahead of CES 2024 in Las Vegas — and now that includes new 14-inch and 16-inch models. The "Plus" name is also gone entirely: the new models are simply called the XPS 13, 14 and 16. They all sport the defining featured of the XPS 13 Plus: A seamless glass wrist rest, which hides an invisible haptic touchpad right in the middle; touch sensitive function buttons above the keyboard; and large key caps for more comfortable typing. And notably, the larger two models fix some of my biggest issues with the XPS 13 Plus.

Once again, minimalism is the defining theme for Dell with these computers: They're all polished aluminum and glass at first glance. They're also dominated by their screens: in true Dell fashion, they feature the company's ultra-thin "Infinity Edge" screen bezels. (These computers are also among the first to get dedicated Windows Copilot keys.)

Dell arguably went a bit overboard with the minimalism angle last year. The XPS 13 Plus, one of our favorite laptops, only had two USB-C ports and didn't have a headphone jack. That's true of the XPS 13 this year as well, but not so for the XPS 14 and 16. They both feature headphone jacks, three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and a microSD card slot. (Dell also includes a USB C to USB Type A and HDMI adapters in the box, which notably don't come with the XPS 13.)

All of these new laptops feature Intel's new Core Ultra chips, which means they also include NPUs to deal with AI work. So even without a dedicated GPU, they have the potential to be more useful for some creative work compared to Dell's last XPS machines (or at the very least, deliver some killer Windows Studio Effect backgrounds during video chats). But if you need additional graphics power, the XPS 14 and 16 can also be configured with NVIDIA's RTX 40-series GPUs.

Each new XPS machine also includes variable refresh rate FHD+ screens, ranging form 30hz to 120Hz. But they can also be equipped with OLED screens: the XPS 13 and 14 have optional 3K OLED screens with a maximum 60Hz and 120Hz refresh rate, respectively, while the XPS 16 has a 4K OLED panel that can hit 90Hz. Those higher refresh rates make a big difference: Last year plenty of productivity laptops were achieving smoother screens thank to higher refresh rates, so it's nice to see that finally reach the XPS machines.

Dell XPS 14 (2024)
The XPS 14. Just look at that headphone jack!
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

I was a bit disappointed by the XPS 13 Plus because its touchpad was a bit finicky and it really needed more ports. But the XPS 14 seems like it could be the step forward Dell was originally aiming for — especially since its 14.5-inch screen looks almost as big as a 15-incher if you squint a bit. It's also relatively light at 3.7 pounds (3.8 pounds with OLED), so it's a potential powerhouse that would be easy to move around. 

The XPS 16 also looks like a genuinely compelling option for Windows users who demand massive screens. Sure, its 16.3-inch screen is smaller than the old XPS 17, but it's also a half-pound lighter. For many power users, that tradeoff may be worth it.

Dell's new XPS lineup will be available soon, with the XPS 13 starting at $1,300, the XPS 14 at $1,700 and the XPS 16 at $1,900.

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/dell-unveils-new-xps-13-14-and-16-laptops-ahead-of-ces-2024-110041195.html?src=rss

Dell unveils its curved 40-inch 5K monitor at CES, claiming ‘five-star eye comfort’

Posted on by

It's almost time for CES, which means that, among many other things, there'll soon be a heap of new monitors vying for your attention. Dell is hoping that its new UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will stand out from the pack. Announced days before CES 2024 is set to kick off, this model is the "first 40-inch 5K monitor certified for five-star eye comfort," Dell claims.

Five-star eye comfort is a new industry standard stemming from TUV Rheinland. The aim is to highlight displays that help reduce signs of eye fatigue. Dell says it did three things to achieve this certification with the latest UltraSharp monitors. First, it doubled the refresh rate to 120Hz for smoother visuals. It incorporated an ambient light sensor, which allows the monitors to automatically adjust screen brightness and color temperature to match the light conditions. Dell cites studies suggesting this can help reduce the frequency of eye fatigue signs by up to 17 percent.

Dell's UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor.
Dell

Last but not least, Dell says it upgraded its ComfortView Plus tech with the help of an advanced LED backlight to reduce blue light exposure from 50 percent to under 35 percent. This, too, can help reduce signs of eye fatigue.

None of that should diminish the monitor's performance. Dell says the UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub has a 99 percent DCI-P3 / Display P3 color space and 1.07 billion colors. It's VESA DisplayHDR 600 certified and features IPS Black Panel tech and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio.

On the connectivity front, there's Thunderbolt 4 support with up to 140W power delivery. An Ethernet connection allows for speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps, while there are HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 ports. Dell notes that pop-out front-facing USB-A and USB-C ports should make it easy to connect and charge your devices.

Dell's UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor side-by-side on a desk.
Dell

If the 40-inch model is perhaps too much real estate for your needs, you might want to consider Dell's 34-inch variant. The UltraSharp 34 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor also features TUV Rheinland five-star eye comfort certification, IPS Black technology and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It's not a 5K monitor, however, as it has a WQHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,440.

Both monitors will be available globally starting on February 27. The UltraSharp 40 Curved Thunderbolt Hub Monitor starts at $2,400 in the US and $3,290 CAD in Canada. The 34-inch model will run you $1,020 in the US and $1,400 CAD north of the border.

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/dell-unveils-its-curved-40-inch-5k-monitor-at-ces-claiming-five-star-eye-comfort-050102378.html?src=rss

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

Posted on by

JLab has a proven track record with its headphones and earbuds for solid audio quality at extremely affordable prices. At CES 2024, the company is debuting its first premium headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC), but it's keeping the price low at just $80. Despite the affordable investment, JLab didn't cut too many features as the JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones pack long battery life, multipoint Bluetooth, customizable EQ, spatial audio, Google Fast Pair and a quick-charge feature. 

JLab says the JBuds Lux have the same size drivers, 40mm, as flagship headphones from the likes of Bose, Sony and others. The company further explains that these components are capable of 20-20kHz frequency response, the most common rage for headphones, and promises "exceptional audio quality" as a result. In terms of ANC, the JBuds Lux can reduce noise by up to 25dB with the option to turn it off or employ Be Aware (transparency) mode, and levels are customizable via the JLab App. You can fully configure the EQ with that software or choose from one of three audio presets. The JBuds Lux also support spatial and Bluetooth LE audio. 

The company touts over 40 hours of use with noise canceling on, with that figure extending to over 70 hours with it disabled. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity adds convenience, as does Google Fast Pair and a 10-minute quick-charge feature that gives you four hours of playback. JLab opted for a folding design for easy storage, with cushiony ear pads and physical playback controls. 

The JBuds Lux ANC headphones are available for preorder now from JLab. White, gray and green color options are scheduled to ship in late February while the purple version will arrive in March.

JLab JBuds ANC 3
JLab

Before the party officially begins in Las Vegas, JLab also revealed a new set of budget earbuds. The third-gen JBuds ANC ($60) can manage seven hours of use with noise cancellation turned on with nearly four full charges in the case. With ANC off, you can expect up to nine hours from the earbuds and another 33 in the case. As JLab has done on previous models, the charging case here is still about the size of a flash drive, and an attached USB-C cord tucks away for storage. 

Onboard touch controls handle both playback and calls, plus JLab says they're customizable inside of its app. Sound profiles can also be tailored to your preferences by either tweaking the EQ or using an audio preset. The company has included a Safe Listening Mode that keeps the maximum volume within the limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Bluetooth multipoint is here as well, with an IP55-rated design that can withstand workouts, a low-latency Movie Mode for streaming and Google Fast Pair. 

The JBuds ANC 3 wireless earbuds are available now, but they only come in black. 

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/jlab-debuts-its-first-premium-anc-headphones-for-only-80-204305515.html?src=rss