Category: Technology

HP has unveiled the Omen Transcend 32 OLED gaming monitor with high-end specs and new features that should make it a pretty darn good productivity monitor, too. It’s part of the company’s newly launched Omen lineup at CES 2024, which includes the world’s lightest gaming laptop. 

The Omen Transcend 32 looks like an impressive gaming monitor, even before looking at the other new tricks. It uses LG’s latest QD-OLED tech and features a 31.5-inch screen with 4K resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate, with a 0.3-millisecond response time. It’s the company’s first Omen display that’s Dolby Vision certified, offering 99 percent DCI-P3 coverage and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification with peak brightness up to 1,000 nits. 

On the gaming side, it also supports AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro and is likely G-Sync compatible as well. You can enhance the mood with aRGB back lighting and it uses Omen’s “Tempest” technology to cool the OLED panel during prolonged gaming sessions. Audio-wise, it uses HP’s HyperX tech, which connects to Omen’s Gaming Hub to allow for customized EQ and other settings. 

If you’re one to alternate gaming with productivity or content creation, it has some truly interesting additional features. It comes with KVM switchable inputs that let you run two devices (including keyboard and mouse) from the same display without having to change cables or use a switching box. On top of that, a picture-in-picture mode shows what’s happing on both devices at one. 

That KVM functionality also allows for control of more than one computer at the same time and even the ability drag and drop files across devices, according to HP. All of that could allow you to play a game, all while doing spreadsheets or attending a Zoom meeting — a nice feature for users but perhaps not their bosses. 

Another big feature is USB-C with DisplayPort alt mode and 140 watts of power delivery, enough for even powerful gaming laptops. Other features include Dual HDMI 2.1 ports, the latest DisplayPort 2.1, two USB-C 3.2 ports (each with 15 watts of power delivery) and a pair of USB-A 3.2 ports. Finally, it has a three-year warranty to guard against potential burn-in, much like Alienware’s latest QD-OLED monitors. 

The Omen Transcend looks like a desirable monitor, but like many devices launched at CES 2024, it won’t be available for awhile. It’s set to arrive sometime mid-next year, with pricing to be announced at a later date.

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/hps-new-4k-240hz-oled-gaming-monitor-lets-you-drag-and-drop-files-across-devices-140507464.html?src=rss 

Sometimes the never-ending quest to shave an extra gram or millimeter off a new laptop can become a bore. However, when a company can do it without cutting too many corners, that deserves some attention. And that’s what HP has done with the new Omen Transcend 14, which is making its debut at CES 2024 as the lightest 14-inch gaming laptop in the world.

Weighing just 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg), the Omen Transcend 14 is much closer in size and lightness to an ultraportable than an average gaming laptop. To put that into context, that’s just 0.1 pounds heavier than a 14-inch MacBook Pro and 0.15 pounds lighter than rival super-portable gaming laptops like the ASUS ROG Zepyrys G14. And while it’s not quite as powerful as the larger Omen Transcend 16, it certainly won’t be hurting for performance thanks to support for 14th-gen Intel Core Ultra 7 or Ultra 9 processor, up to 32GB of DDR5 RAM, 2TB of storage and an RTX 4070 GPU.

Critically, despite its petite dimensions, you still get two USB-A and two USB-C ports (one of which supports Thunderbolt 4) plus a full-size HDMI 2.1 jack around back. And for those who want peak wireless speeds, you’ll also have the option to upgrade to Wi-Fi 7 card with Bluetooth 5.4.

The Transcend 14 does feature a Meteor Lake chip with a dedicated NPU, but don’t expect any game-changing breakthroughs in terms of AI capabilities. At HP’s demo station, I saw the Omen run Cyberpunk 2077 smoothly at a 2K resolution while simultaneously livestreaming using OBS at 1080p. In this situation, the laptop was offloading camera effects to the NPU, which provides a small performance bump as that task would normally be handled by the GPU. AI is destined to be a big buzzword at CES 2024, but this is probably the most realistic example of what you should expect on next-gen notebooks.

The Transcend 14’s display looks great, packing a 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800) OLED panel with a variable 120Hz refresh rate. It supports HDR with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a wide color gamut that colors 100 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum. Meanwhile sound is handled by a pair of DTS:X Ultra speakers, though an interesting change for 2024 is that following HP’s acquisition in 2021, the Transcend 14’s audio tuning will now be handled by its in-house sub-brand HyperX. This comes with the added bonus of the Transcend 14 having a built-in wireless receiver for the company’s Cloud III headphones. So, if you already have a pair or decide to purchase some later, you won’t have to waste one of your precious USB ports on a dongle.

The Transcend 14 shares a lot of design traits with its 16-inch sibling (which is getting a spec refresh and new OLED panel option for 2024) including minimalist lines with a matte finish in classic black alongside a new white color option. The two main differences are that on the smaller model, the trackpad is centered on its deck while the keyboard features a more translucent lattice that allows HP’s RGB backlighting to pop even more. I think this makes the Transcend look especially good in white, where it looks slightly out of place on the black model, but to each their own.

I really appreciate that HP paid attention to little details that matter for travel-ready gaming laptop, like opting for USB-C power delivery. This means you can use the Omen’s adapter to juice up other gadgets like a phone or a tablet instead of needing a separate charging brick for each device.

In a vacuum, the goal of being the lightest isn’t all that important. But when a company like HP can make a laptop that’s easy to carry around that also has solid specs and a slick design, that’s when superlatives come into play. And with a starting price of $1,600, HP isn’t demanding a huge premium for a machine this sleek. That said, with some other extremely sleek gaming PCs due out at CES 2024, it’s unclear how long the Transcend 14 will hold this title.

The Omen Transcend 14 is expected to go on sale sometime in Q1 2024.

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/hp-unveiled-the-lightest-14-inch-gaming-laptop-in-the-world-at-ces-2024-130024558.html?src=rss 

When it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers, battery life has always been a sticking point and JBL’s latest updates are focused on improving just that. As part of its announcement today at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, the company presented two updated PartyBox models and three new personal portable iterations. Aside from the battery upgrades, they all support Bluetooth 5.3 with LE audio and Auracast for wirelessly connecting countless other Auracast-enabled JBL speakers. Additionally, recycled fabric and plastic play a role in their construction.

The new large-format JBL PartyBox Club 120 ($400) and PartyBox Stage 320 ($600) now include easily swappable batteries so you can party well beyond the boundaries of a single charge. The next-gen personal portables include the midsize JBL Xtreme 4 ($380) and the smaller Clip 5 ($80) and Go 4 ($50), all of which have longer runtimes on a single charge. The Xtreme 4 is also now a more reliable long-term investment with a replaceable battery for serviceability.

JBL PartyBox 120 (left), JBL PartyBox Wireless Mic bundle (center) and JBL PartyBox 320.

It’s been at least a couple of years since we’ve seen a new version of these specific PartyBox models. (The PartyBox 110 was released in 2021 and the 310 came out in 2020.) Many of the general specs remain the same as the previous iterations for both models. They are still IPX4 rated, which means some drink spills or light rain should be OK. You can still do basic wireless stereo pairing with two speakers for left and right output and control themed lighting displays using the JBL PartyBox app.

Although the battery life remains the same as before with up to around 12 hours for the PartyBox 110 and 18 hours for the PartyBox 320, you can now buy additional battery packs and swap them in when needed. This takes some of the worry out of hosting long parties without an outlet nearby. We’re still waiting for more info about pricing and availability for the battery packs.

Both of these large-format speakers have Bluetooth 5.3 with LE audio and Auracast – a new Bluetooth feature that allows many devices to join the same audio stream. According to JBL, you can connect unlimited Auracast-enabled JBL speakers together for bigger sound. We’re still waiting for further details, but it would seem likely that you’d connect via the JBL PartyBox app.

The specs list two mic inputs and one guitar input for both of these devices. Previously only the 310 had capability for all three, although it was one mic input and one for dual mic/instrument. If there are indeed now three inputs, it would make sense especially considering the new accessory bundle that’s also being announced.

For those who are into karaoke or just broadcasting their voice to a crowd, there’s also a new PartyBox Wireless Mic ($150) two-mic bundle available now. It’s noted as being compatible with all PartyBox speakers. The mics boast a rechargeable 20-hour runtime with an additional 12-hour dongle attachment and 10-minute fast charging for an additional two hours of use. They’re also built to minimize handling noise and have a built-in pop filter to get dodge of unwanted breathing sounds.

JBL Xtreme 4

One of JBL’s larger, yet still personal portable Bluetooth lines is the Xtreme series. It’s big enough to warrant a shoulder strap, easy enough to carry around, yet delivers respectable sound. This year the Xtreme 4 offers much the same as the previous generation. It’s a resilient IP67-rated speaker, so you can take it pretty much anywhere, rain or shine. And you can charge other devices with its onboard power bank via USB.

The new features include an extended battery life of up to 24 hours, plus an additional six if you use the Playtime Boost Mode. It’s a nice jump from the previous 15 hours on a charge. This time around, you can also replace the battery, although it’s not really ‘swappable’. If your battery starts to fail over time, you don’t have to worry about buying a new speaker, you can just replace the battery portion itself.

As with all of today’s new announcements, the Xtreme 4 runs Bluetooth 5.3 with LE audio and supports Auracast. That means you should be able to join up with any other JBL speakers that also have Auracast.

JBL Go 4 (left) and JBL Clip 5.

There’s no word on updated Flip or Charge releases yet, so JBL’s last new offerings today are the extremely portable Clip 5 and Go 4. Both retain the IP67 rating from before, which is useful considering that they’re small enough to clip on things or put in your pocket. Both run Bluetooth 5.3 with LE audio and can also connect with any other JBL Auracast-enabled speakers.

The Clip 5 is said to have increased driver power to help optimize the overall audio and provide consistent bass, at least for its size. It offers up to 12 hours of battery life, plus an extra three hours in Playtime Boost mode.

The tiny JBL Go 4 is the most portable of the bunch, with an updated exterior design and strap. Its audio output remains the same as before, but its battery life is now up to 7 hours, plus an additional two when listening in Playtime Boost mode.

The JBL Xtreme 4, Clip 5 and Go 4 should be available on the company’s website in June 2024 and both the PartyBox Club 120 and Stage 320 will be available on the site in April 2024.

We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jbl-debuts-replaceable-batteries-for-its-new-portable-bluetooth-speakers-at-ces-2024-130031746.html?src=rss 

Last year in Las Vegas, JBL showed off a set of true wireless earbuds that featured a touchscreen-equipped “smart case,” but it was only available on that model. For CES 2024, the company is expanding the availability for the fancy charging accessory across three new earbud designs, while giving it a slight design update in the process. The Live Buds 3, Live Beam 3 and Live Flex 3 all feature customizable adaptive noise cancellation, LDAC support for high-res listening, six mics for calls, wireless charging and multipoint Bluetooth connectivity. 

The difference between the three is primarily design and fit. The Live Buds 3 are the more “traditional” style of earbuds while the Live Beam 3 and Live Flex 3 are both AirPods-like stick buds. What’s more, the Beam 3 completely seal off your ears while the Flex 3 are a more open-style option. The Flex 3 are also IP54 rated while the other two are IP55 and they pack in larger 12mm drivers where the Buds 3 and Beam 3 have 10mm components. Aside from design, the trio differs on battery life too. The Live Buds 3 give you 10 hours of use with active noise cancellation (ANC) off with three full charges in the case. The Live Beam 3 last up to 12 hours with ANC off, plus they offer another three charges via the case. Lastly, the Live Flex 3 provides 10 hours of use with four full charges in the case. 

All three models in the Live 3 earbuds series will be available for $199.95 starting this summer. The company is planning to add LE audio for Bluetooth 5.3 to all three via an over-the-air update after launch.

If you prefer earbuds that sit just outside of your ears, JBL’s new Soundgear Sense will beam in music and podcasts without completely blocking the outside world. 16.2mm drivers power the audio for the over-the-ear hook design and JBL includes a detachable neckband if you need it. Plus, those ear hooks are adjustable to help you fine-tune the fit. The Soundgear Sense are IP54 rated against water and dust, with four microphones for calls and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity for added convenience. The Soundgear Sense will be available for $149.95 when they start shipping in March.

And if wired USB-C earbuds are more your thing, JBL has a new option there too. The Tune 310C has a three-button, in-line remote for playback and call controls alongside high-resolution listening powered by a built-in DAC (digital-to-analog converter). There’s also an onboard mic for calls and EQ presets for customizing the sound profile. The Tune 310C will be available in March for $24.95. 

We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jbl-brings-its-touchscreen-smart-case-to-three-new-wireless-earbud-models-130052055.html?src=rss 

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

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

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

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

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

We’re reporting live from CES 2024 in Las Vegas from January 6-12. Keep up with all the latest news from the show here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/jbl-brings-new-microphones-to-ces-2024-including-a-wireless-clip-on-model-130058745.html?src=rss 

Belkin has launched a new wireless charging dock that can perform a neat trick: it can swivel and tilt to track you while you move around a room. The Auto-Tracking Stand Pro does that by being the first device to exploit Apple’s DockKit framework that allows it to connect directly to an iPhone without the need for a third-party app, according to the company. 

The Stand Pro uses motorization to swivel 360 degrees around its base, while tilting up to 90 degrees on the MagSafe arm. Once you attach an iPhone 12 or newer, it pairs to the base via NFC and works with any camera app including FaceTime, Instagram and Microsoft Teams. Then, when you’re on a conference call or doing social media, it’ll automatically move the phone around to keep you in frame — much like DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3. 

Oh, and it’s also a charger, supporting up to 15 watts wireless fast charging when plugged into the wall (it can also run on battery power for about five hours use). It’s easy to disable tracking via a button so that it doesn’t follow you around like a lunatic when you just want to charge, and an LED shows whether tracking is currently active. 

The $175 Stand Pro isn’t the first motorized tracker out there, as my colleague Richard Lai pointed out, and it certainly isn’t the cheapest. However, Belkin claims it’s the first to integrate Apple’s DockKit developer SDK, so we may see similar products in the future. The product is now on Belkin’s store, but there’s no word yet on availability. 

Belkin also launched a number of other chargers at CES 2024. One that’s bound to be popular is the $150 BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Stand (now in stock) upgraded with the latest Qi2 charging standard. As with the previous version, it lets you charge your iPhone, Watch Series 7 or later and wireless earbuds at the same time. The company also announced the new Qi2-powered BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank starting at $40 for the 2,500 mAh version. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/belkins-stand-pro-iphone-dock-uses-apples-dockkit-to-track-you-around-a-room-095605017.html?src=rss