Tag Archives: ces 2021

Razer’s Zephyr face mask aka Project Hazel with RGB lighting is finally available for sale at $100!

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While the company has dropped some high-end features, the RGB lit filters remain.

In CES 2021 – the first-ever virtual avatar of the biggest tech event to kickstart 2021 and Razer has come up with an answer to a question on everyone’s mind – how will tech handle our covid infested world? 2021 promises to be the year of solutions, with vaccines rolling out with speed, while realistically, we know that face masks aren’t going anywhere. Razer, the world’s leading lifestyle accessories brand for gamers takes a dip in the face mask world with the Project Hazel, now released as Zephyr.





The face mask concept showcased a glossy, waterproof, and scratch-resistant shell, transparent by design to allow for lip-reading, and made from recycled plastic. The main attraction is the two circular ‘Active Ventilation’ discs that sit on the sides of your mouth and hold the reusable N95 filters that give a 95% filtration efficiency.

Every Instagram-worthy gaming setup is in visual sync with each other, why should your mask not be a part of the new normal? Jokes aside, if this is a feature that helps people keep their masks ‘on’ wherever they are, I am all for it. The rings can glow with the color of your choice and the LEDs automatically detect and light up in a low light setting to illuminate your face so you can always be seen talking. How helpful is this feature, that is something we will know only once we actually try it but it does sound good in theory!

As Razer says, “The Razer Zephyr is not a medical device, respirator, surgical mask, or personal protective equipment (PPE) and is not meant to be used in medical or clinical settings. It is not tested specifically against the COVID-19 virus but offers the same functionality and adequate protection due to its 99% BFE rating.” Razer has dropped the before-promised UV charging case and voice amplification module to save costs.

Speaking of specs, the mask is now available on Razer’s site with three pairs of filters tested to last about three days each for a full day’s use. As an add-on, a pack with 10 sets of replacement filters will run $30. You can also buy it in a starter pack with the mask and 33 sets of filters — roughly 3 months’ worth — for $150! The mask weighs 209 grams (7 ounces) and it runs for about 8 hours with dual-speed fans set to low.

The mask is currently made for the masses, with no size variations or even allowances for a beard. Razer was one of the few companies worldwide that converted their manufacturing plants for the creation of surgical masks and wanted to pledge and donate up to a million surgical masks. The mask currently ships with an antifog spray, with Razer recommending that you don’t wipe your mask surface. Given all this, the mask seems more aesthetic rather than a medical wearable, but we’ll wait for further reviews to make a final call!

Designer: Razer

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This compact water recycling system reduces carbon footprint, lowers bills & mitigates the global water crisis

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Hydraloop not only designed an award-winning water recycling product but also made an eye-opening documentary that shows you how easy it is for everyone to recycle water – stream the Brave Blue World on Netflix for an unfiltered story on water and climate change! This water recycling system looks like a slim closet and can be used in any building or home, anytime. Hydraloop was presented at both CES 2020 and CES 2021 where it received notable attention for being one of the most innovative designs in the sustainability, eco-design, and smart energy categories.

Only 0.014% of the total amount of water on earth is fresh and available. It is one of the most misused natural resources and with the increasing global population, we have to use it in the most efficient way possible and make sure we don’t dry out our planet. Four billion people are already facing severe water scarcity and by 2035 40% of the world’s population could experience serious water stress. By 2050 the water demand is projected to grow by 55%, including a 400% rise in manufacturing water demand – to be able to meet the needs of almost 10 billion people in the next two decades, we need to take important steps right now that can save up to 95% of your shower and bath water alone and enables you to reuse up to 85% of the total in-house water. So even on an individual level, you can add your drop to the ocean and make a positive impact.

Hydraloop’s goal is to create compact recycling systems that can be used at offices, hotels, apartment buildings, homes, and anywhere else with running water – they want to make it easy for everyone to recycle water without having to go through complicated machinery or expensive infrastructure upgrades. It collects water from washing machines, bathtubs, showers, and air conditioning systems. This water is then cleaned and disinfected using their technology to make it reusable keeping in mind that treated gray water should not be directly used to drink to cook. It can be re-used for toilet flushing, washing machines, garden irrigation, and topping up swimming pools which can save up to 45% on tap water and 45% on sewage emission with recycled water. The system is easy to install, completely automatic, self-cleaning, and doesn’t use any filters or chemicals.

Hydraloop’s systems are powered by electricity and uses an extensive six-step process – sedimentation, flotation, dissolved air flotation, enforced skimming aerobic bioreactor, and a UV light disinfection. The latest Hydraloop (H600) can recycle about 260 gallons of water per day for homes and small businesses. “The easiest way to recycle water is to clean it right where you use it – decentralized. By recycling at the source we can make an impact on the global water crisis,” says the team which is why they designed the appliance to be used in any space. If you have a larger company or setting, the Cascade offers commercial-grade, water-recycling capabilities for your needs. Hydraloop future proofs buildings by increasing their value, lowering the running expenses for water as well as energy, and reduces carbon footprint by 6%. It makes any home or business less dependant on the grid while making it easier to live sustainably. Hydraloop is also contributing towards four of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – clean water and sanitization, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, as well as climate action.

Designer: Hydraloop Systems BV

Unveiled at CES 2021, the world’s first robot dog with decentralized AI does everything but walk on water!

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Robot dogs have come a long way since Sega Toys’ Poo-Chi hit the scene. I still remember the day I got my Poo-Chi, whose digital bark soon turned into what sounded like a chain-smoking robot’s panic signal. Since its debut in 2000, Poo-Chi, along with many other robotic dog products have seen some major modifications and upgrades. Today, the world’s first decentralized AI robotic dog has been unveiled at CES 2021 by KODA Inc. Designed to offer both emotional companionship and practical, physical support, KODA, Inc.’s DAI robotic dog “is the perfect combination of function and performance,” as CEO of KODA, Inc., Emma Russell puts it.

Unlike the Poo-Chi, who couldn’t even hold its note singing “Ode to Joy,” KODA, Inc.’s robotic dog comes with four 3-D cameras, a single 13-megapixel front-facing camera, an ergonomic structure that incorporates realistic dog-like features such as a purely aesthetic tail, 14 high-torque motors with two on the neck offering full-range mobility for activities like climbing the stairs or trudging through snow, along with an 11 Teraflop processing unit. Since KODA, Inc. is dedicated to providing technology-based solutions to help people with everyday problems, either chronic or otherwise, the secure blockchain network of KODA robot-dogs is closely monitored and cross-checked for consistent and effective AI improvements. For instance, a KODA, Inc. robot-dog in Detroit might be the first to slip on a patch of ice, but thanks to a “futureproof,” supercomputing network, robot-dogs who find their home in a warmer climate will know not to slip on a patch of ice even if the dog’s home ground temperature might never call for one.

The development of decentralized artificial intelligence is integral to the success of robot-operated emotional and physical support products. Decentralized AI essentially equips the built-in software with the ability to solve the reasoning, planning, learning, and decision-making problems that centralized artificial intelligence does not compute. By endowing the robotic dog with Decentralized AI technological capabilities, KODA, Inc. provides a robotic, smart companion that can offer care and guidance for several different purposes including but not limited to, simple companionship, walking guidance for blind users, protective services as a tech-savvy guard dog, or KODA, Inc.’s robotic dog can operate as an animalistic personal assistant capable of solving ordinarily complex issues.

Designer: KODA, Inc.

Samsung Galaxy S21 should have taken inspiration from this refreshing rollable Samsung Stick concept!

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Now while this isn’t an official Samsung concept, I can’t help but really wish it was one! CES 2021 has been ruled by a myriad combination of rolling, flexible as well as transparent screens. And while that is for sure the future of technology, there is something exciting about the cubic folded form factor of this concept. Combining technologies that aren’t outside the realm of possibility, the Samsung Galaxy Stick makes perhaps the best use of a flexible display. It rolls it up into a smart, dynamic scroll, making the Samsung Galaxy Stick perhaps the most interesting smartphone concept of this season.

The scroll-esque screen is a hat-tip to Samsung’s advancements in flexible OLED displays, and when not in use, it rolls right up into the phone’s slim, hollow, wand-like body. When you need the display, it promptly comes rolling out, turning the wand into a usable smartphone, with a nifty flexible touchscreen that maintains rigidity when unfolded. The Galaxy Stick even packs a secondary slimmer display on its body, to be used for more functional elements like calls, messages, battery indicators, etc. The secondary touchscreen is permanent, showcasing notifications when the flexible screen is rolled in, and even houses an in-screen fingerprint sensor for unlocking your smartphone.

The only caveat of this piece of sheer innovative design is the fact that the Galaxy Stick packs only one primary camera on its back… a drawback that shouldn’t really be a problem, considering the Galaxy Stick sets out to solve more pressing problems, like creating a flexible-display smartphone that doesn’t crease, and that isn’t a massive brick. The rolling display format could make a pretty unique proof-of-concept. Obviously, this makes the phone incredibly vulnerable, given that the screen needs to be mounted on a delicate mechanism that helps it roll and unroll (not to mention the fact that three out of four sides of the Galaxy Stick, when opened, are an exposed OLED display with no protection). The second-most pressing problem is obviously that a smaller, more compact phone invariably means a smaller battery too, which in the case of the Galaxy Stick, isn’t enough. While phones are getting more and more powerful, batteries aren’t getting better, they’re just getting bigger… Until someone invents a more efficient and compact battery, the Galaxy Stick may remain just a concept, but don’t lose hope! Today’s concept is tomorrow’s proof-of-concept!

Designer: Pranab P Kumar

The Razer Blade 15 vs. Alienware’s M15 and the ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 15 SE

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This week’s CES may have been a little more sedate than usual, but gaming laptops still made a strong showing at the virtual show, with companies like Razer, Alienware and ASUS showing off their latest portable beasts. If you’re looking to add one of...

The TCL 20 5G vs. the Motorola One 5G Ace and the Pixel 4a 5G

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We don’t normally see a lot of phones at CES, but this year companies have seen fit to push up their announcements, particularly TCL and Motorola. Both have debuted new mid-range 5G phones at the show, the better to compete with Google’s existing Pix...

OtterBox gets into gaming with a new line of rugged Xbox accessories

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For the past two decades OtterBox has made its name as a provider of rugged phone cases — we’ve even recommended a few as great outdoorsy gifts. This year the company targets a less physically active but still sporty demographic with its new line of...