Category: Technology

Razer has shown off its first slate of products for 2023 at CES. Along with new gaming laptops, the company revealed the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro beamforming PC soundbar. The company says it has an infra-red camera that can detect where the user is. Razer claims the soundbar can adjust the 3D audio beams in real-time based on your position to make sure optimal audio is reaching your ears.

There are two modes for the 3D audio: THX Spatial Audio Virtual Headset and THX Spatial Audio Virtual Speakers. Razer promises to deliver “crisp, clear treble and deep, punchy bass” with the help of multiple drivers and an included subwoofer. There’s Razer Chroma RGB support too. You’ll be able to pick up a Leviathan V2 Pro for $400 later this month.

Next up is the Kiyo Pro Ultra. Razer claims it has the biggest sensor ever used in a webcam. It has a Sony 1/1.2″ STARVIS 2 sensor with a 2.9 μm pixel size. According to Razer, that helps the USB 3.0 plug-and-play webcam to offer DSLR-level detail. It should perform well in low light too. There’s an F/1.7 aperture lens that Razer says can capture nearly four times more light than other webcams.

In addition, the company claims the Kiyo Pro Ultra offers face tracking, auto-focus and background blur features without the need for additional hardware or software. However, you’ll be able to adjust the settings to your liking in Razer Synapse. The webcam, which arrives almost two years after the Kiyo Pro, is available starting today for $300.

By the end of March, Meta Quest 2 users in the US will be able to get their hands on Razer-made peripherals. The company designed the Adjustable Head Strap System and Razer Facial Interface to make it more comfortable to use the headset. Razer says the latter has medical-grade hypoallergenic materials to help reduce skin irritation. It’s said to offer ventilation while blocking out external light.

Razer also revealed Project Carol, a head cushion with near-field 7.1 surround sound and HyperSense haptic feedback. Razer says the cushion can fit on any gaming chair and convert game audio into haptic feedback in real-time. It’s a concept design for now, but if and when Project Carol comes to market, it could offer a deeper level of immersion when you’re playing games.

Elsewhere, Razer confirmed the release date for its cloud gaming device, the Razer Edge. We had the chance to try out the new, high-performance Blade 16 and Blade 18 gaming laptops too. Take a gander at our hands-on coverage for more details.

Iran blocked Instagram and WhatsApp access last year to subdue protests following 22-year-old Mahsa Amini’s death at local authorities’ hands. When authoritarian governments crack down on online communications — which often includes blocking VPNs — it helps to have a backup plan. So WhatsApp is adding proxy support to help those living under oppressive regimes keep using the service.

The company explained today in a blog post, “Choosing a proxy enables you to connect to WhatsApp through servers set up by volunteers and organizations around the world dedicated to helping people communicate freely.” To use a proxy, make sure WhatsApp is updated to the latest version, and follow these instructions. (Note that the setting is found in slightly different places on Android and iOS.)

As part of the setup, you’ll need to enter a proxy server address, which you’ll need to track down through friends or by scouring social media once news of the feature spreads. WhatsApp also points anyone interested in hosting a proxy server toward these steps.

WhatsApp says all proxied messages will still be protected with end-to-end encryption. That allegedly means neither WhatsApp, its parent company Meta, nor proxy-server owners can read your content.

“Our wish for 2023 is that these internet shutdowns never occur,” the company said. “Disruptions like we’ve seen in Iran for months on end deny people’s human rights and cut people off from receiving urgent help. Though in case these shutdowns continue, we hope this solution helps people wherever there is a need for secure and reliable communication.”

We’re back in Vegas for CES, and while the show doesn’t officially open until tomorrow, many exhibitors have already unveiled their new products at various press conferences and media events. Today, we’re starting to see some of the early car news that frequently dominates CES, as well as more from TV makers, gaming laptop brands, smart home companies and more. If you haven’t fully caught up yet, here’s a recap of the biggest news from Day 1 of CES 2023.

From last night

But first, even though we already recapped most of yesterday’s launches in another video, there was still more stuff unveiled last night that was announced after we had shot that. For example, Withings showed off the U-Scan, a $500 toilet computer that will… scan your pee.

It’s a 90mm block that you place inside your toilet bowl like a deodorizer, and uses a litmus-test-like microfluidic system to detect what substances are in your urine. You’ll have to choose which specific tests you want to be running in your module, though Withings is making a consumer-centric version that will analyze your nutrition and hydration levels, while also predicting your ovulation and period cycles. It’s still waiting on US regulatory approval before bringing this stateside, and will launch first in Europe.

In less… icky news, we also saw the Fufuly pulsating cushion by Yukai Engineering. A vibrating cushion might sound straight out of an anime, but the idea is really that hugging something that can mimic lifelike pulsing could have calming effects. Something else that could relieve anxiety? Watching a video of birds being cute! Bird Buddy also launched a new smart feeder that comes with a camera so you can spy on your feathery friends while they nest up. The latest model is designed for hummingbirds and uses AI to understand what breeds are within view and, together with a motion sensor, determines when they’re ready for a snack.

Speaking of snacks, there was plenty of food-related tech news last night, including GE Profile’s $1,000 stand mixer that has a digital scale and voice controls built in. We also saw OneThird’s freshness scanners that use near infrared lasers and proprietary algorithms to tell if produce is fresh. It can even calculate an avocado’s shelf life in real time, and help reduce food waste!

We also saw Loreal’s robotic lipstick applicator for those with limited hand or arm mobility, Valencell’s blood pressure monitor that clips onto your finger and Wisear’s neural earbuds that let you control playback by clenching your jaw. There were smart lights, smart speakers, smart pressure cookers, smart VR gloves and more. Make sure to go to Engadget.com to get all the details!

Now, onto the news that came out today. We had a small trickle of car news ahead of the outpouring is likely to come tomorrow. Volkswagen unveiled its upcoming ID.7 EV sedan, teasing us with a general body shape and the name, but not much else. BMW, meanwhile, shared more about its futuristic i Vision concept vehicle program by revealing the i Vision Dee, or “Digital Emotional Experience.” It’s a pared-down concept featuring a heads up display running the full width of the front windshield. Many of the Dee’s features are also expected to make their way into production models, specifically BMW’s new NEUE KLASSE (new class) EV platform, starting in 2025. The Dee will also feature BMW’s Mixed Reality slider to control how much digital content appears on the display.

TVs

Samsung also waited till the evening to reveal its premium 2023 TVs, focusing on MiniLED and 8K technologies for this year’s series. It also brought more sizes to its portfolio and introduced new soundbars that offer Dolby Atmos support on both the entry level and the highest end. Meanwhile, rival LG showed off a 97-inch M3 TV that can wirelessly receive 4K 120Hz video so you can deal with fewer wires in your living room, as well as… more soundbars. Leave it to LG and Samsung to basically do the same things as each other.

Relatively smaller TV competitor Hisense today unveiled its UX Mini LED TV, an 85-inch set that can hit 2,500 nits at peak brightness and features more than 5,000 local dimming zones. Meanwhile, startup Displace showed us a new wireless 55-inch OLED TV that attaches to any surface via vacuum suction, eliminating the need for a wall mount or stand altogether. Plus, thanks to its four onboard batteries, you can do without a power cord, too. This is essentially a complete, standalone portable TV.

Laptops

We also saw more laptops from ASUS, MSI and HP. ASUS made a laptop with glasses-free 3D, a large Zenbook Pro 16X with plenty of room for thermal dissipation, as well as a Zenbook 14X with a ceramic build. Both the latter Zenbooks also come with OLED screens. Meanwhile, HP launched a new series of Dragonfly Pro laptops that are supposed to make the shopping process easier for consumers by eliminating most configuration options. The Dragonfly Pro Chromebook has an RGB keyboard and Android-like Material You theming features, while the Windows version exclusively uses an AMD chip and has a column of hotkeys on the right of the keyboard that offer shortcuts to camera settings, a control center and 24/7 tech support. The last of these buttons is programmable, so you can map it to launch your favorite app, file or website.

Finally, we’re seeing the first of some audio news, starting from JBL. The company unveiled its 2023 soundbar lineup, all five models of which will support Dolby Atmos. It also launched new true wireless earbuds with a “smart” case that has a 1.45-inch touchscreen on it that offers controls for volume, playback, ANC and EQ presets. Almost coincidentally, HP also showed off the Poly Voyager earbuds that also have a touchscreen on the carrying case and offers similar controls to the JBL. But the Voyager also has a Broadcast mode that lets you use the included 3.5mm to USB-C cable to connect the case to an older device with a headphone jack (like when you’re on an airplane), so you can watch movies during a flight without needing to carry a second set of headphones around.

There’s plenty more news coming out of CES not just today but the rest of the week. I didn’t even get to tell you about Samsung’s new budget-friendly Galaxy A14 smartphone, or Citizen’s new smartwatch. For all the details on anything you might have missed today, check out our comprehensive coverage on Engadget.com or our YouTube channel. And stay tuned for all of the news from CES 2023.

Last year, Apple introduced Emergency SOS, which allows the iPhone 14 to connect to satellites to send emergency calls and texts. Now, Qualcomm has unveiled its own satellite messaging features for Android phones. It’s called Snapdragon Satellite, and it will allow devices equipped with the company’s X70 modems to connect to satellites in order to send messages when no cellular signal is available.

The feature, which is expected to be available on phones beginning in the second half of 2023, is the result of a partnership with longtime satellite phone maker Iridium. Thanks to the partnership, Android phones equipped with the X70 modem and Qualcomm’s SOC will be able to connect to Iridium’s satellite network for off-grid texting in both emergency and non-emergency situations.

As with much of Qualcomm’s tech, exactly how these features will look and feel will largely be determined by the individual phone makers. Device makers will have considerable flexibility in terms of how they implement satellite messaging, particularly for person-to-person texts. But while we don’t know exactly how it will look when it launches, Qualcomm offered an early look at the technology at CES, which provided a pretty good idea of what to expect in terms of functionality.

As with Apple’s Emergency SOS, you’ll need to be outside with a clear view of the sky in order to use satellite messaging. When enabled, an on-screen message will offer guidance for where to point your device in order to connect to a satellite.

The demo we saw wasn’t exactly an off-grid location. The desert campground about 30 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip may have looked the part, but it had full 5G service during our visit. However, Qualcomm reps demonstrated the process for connecting to satellites and it only took a few seconds to move the phone into position. And they claimed connecting in a true off-grid environment should be nearly as seamless.

Once connected to a satellite, the demo devices were able to send text messages to a preset whitelist of contacts. Qualcomm says that feature will remain in place to ensure spam texts won’t clog up the satellite networks. However, the company noted that OEMs could make the messaging feel more like a traditional messaging app than the demo interface we previewed. 

There are a few other limitations compared with standard messaging apps. Satellite messages are limited to 140 bytes or about 160 characters, making them more like an old-school SMS than what you’d expect with modern apps. And you can’t send photos or videos via satellite.

It’s also worth noting that unlike Apple’s Emergency SOS, Qualcomm intends Snapdragon Satellite to be used for non-emergency messaging as well. That could make the Android version a little more useful as you could use satellite messaging to stay in touch with family and friends in areas where you’d normally be out of reach. However, there will likely be additional charges associated with non-emergency texts so you’ll probably still want to moderate your usage of the feature. (Qualcomm declined to speculate on how much these messages might cost, but it seems safe to assume these messages will be costlier than a typical SMS.)

Also, unlike Apple’s satellite communication features, which also allows people to make emergency voice calls, Snapdragon Satellite only allows for emergency texts, not calls. For truly urgent situations, the company has partnered with Garmin, which makes a satellite-based emergency communication device of its own called inReach. That means emergency texts will be routed to the same team that handles SOS calls from inReach devices.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a lot of specifics about when we’ll see phones with Snapdragon Satellite hit shelves, or how many devices could have these capabilities. For now, Samsung says it expects to see satellite-ready phones from “multiple” OEMs starting in the second half of 2023. At the same time, that doesn’t mean the features are guaranteed for all Android phones with an X70 modem and Qualcomm SOC. According to Qualcomm, that’s because X70-equipped phones launching before the second half of the year don’t have all the necessary hardware to support Snapdragon Satellite connectivity.

But, now that we know the hardware requirements, in the coming months we should begin to get a better idea of which devices will have the satellite messaging capabilities.

Razer has revealed the release date for its handheld cloud gaming system, the Razer Edge. The device, which runs on the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform, will be available on January 26th. The WiFi version costs $400. As for the 5G model, that will be exclusively available from Verizon for $600, but you can snag it for $360 if you add a new line from the provider. Buy a new 5G smartphone at the same time, and you can get the Razer Edge 5G for $180.

The Razer Edge is essentially an Android 12 tablet stuffed inside the Razer Kishi V2 Pro controller. The device has a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2,400 x 1,080. The Razer Edge has 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage (it can run Android games and apps locally), a 5,000mAh battery, HyperSense haptic feedback, a pair of digital mics, a 3.5mm headphone jack and two-way speakers with Verizon Adaptive Sound.

On the connectivity front, there’s support for Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, as well as Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband if you want to stream games on the go. Launchers for Epic Games, Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now will be preinstalled. Stadia will be dead by the time the Razer Edge arrives, unfortunately.

Meanwhile, Razer has revealed new gaming laptops. You can check out our hands on coverage for more details on the high-end Blade 16 and Blade 18.

You can now save $400 on one of the best premium gaming laptop out there. The configuration of Razer’s Blade 15 we recommend in our latest gaming laptop guide combines bleeding-edge performance and speedy graphics, all wrapped up in a sleek and sturdy aluminum chassis. Usually $3,000, both Amazon and Razer are offering our recommended unit for $2,600, or 13 percent off the list price. That’s the lowest price this configuration has seen yet, and while it’s still not a cheap laptop, we think you get what you pay for, in a laptop that can game with the best of them. 

The quad-HD display is highly responsive with a 240Hz refresh rate, and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics card is fast enough to keep up. It runs on a 12th-gen Intel i7-12800H processor, a powerful chip that’s focused on performance, and offers 16GB of dual-channel slotted (upgradable) memory. Storage is handled with 1TB of SSD, with an open M.2 slot should you want to add more. Windows 11 Home is loaded onto the unit and it has one of the best glass touchpads we’ve tried on a Windows laptop. The larger keys make the Blade 15 easier to use for both gaming and general productivity. Overall, this model of the Blade 15 not only excels at gaming, it makes for a worthy desktop replacement too. 

Other configurations of the Intel 12th-gen Blade 15s are also on sale right now. Razer announced the option to pair up a Blade with the first 240Hz OLED laptop screen earlier last year. If you want that display (with the same RTX 3070 Ti graphics plus a slightly faster Intel i9 processor) it’s on sale at both Amazon and Razer for $400 off, bringing the price down to $2,900. 

The fully loaded unit we tried out in our hands-on review is also $400 off at Razer’s site, bringing the $3,700 monster down to $3,300. It’s got a 12th-gen Intel i7-12800H processor, a faster RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, and the quad-HD 240Hz display. 

While none of these are budget options, if you’re looking for a big, luxury laptop that’s capable of holding its own while playing any of the latest gaming titles, now might be a good time to grab a Blade 15 — while you can keep $400 in your pocket. 

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In July, GM announced that it was partnering with EVGo to establish a “coast-to-coast” charging network for its electric vehicles. On Thursday, Mercedes Benz announced that it will be building a network of its own — at least, in partnership with Chargepoint — that will be accessible no matter what make or model of EV you drive. 

Mercedes and Chargepoint plan to establish 400 new charging hubs throughout the US and Canada — that’s 2,500 new DC fast chargers in all — “in key cities and urban population centers, along major highway corridors and close to convenient retail and service destinations,” according to Thursday’s announcement. The automaker and MN8 Energy will finance the scheme while Chargepoint will supply the hardware and infrastructure. Chargepoint in 2020 partnered with NATSO for a billion-dollar project to install its chargers along rural highways. Those effort continue. 

The hubs and DC fast chargers will all be accessible by EV drivers of all stripes, regardless of their vehicle type — the inverse of Tesla’s proprietary network. But since Mercedes is pulling the purse strings, its customers can look forward to a few extra perks when they pull into a hub. That includes being able to reserve a space ahead of time and automatic vehicle-station handshake authentication. 

Each charger can deliver up to 500V of power, allowing 400V-architecture vehicles like the Rivian R1T to take full advantage of the increased power transmission while 800V vehicles like the Audi A6 e-tron, the Porsche Taycan, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and Kia’s EV6 will see improved charge times though not the upper limit of what their electrical systems can handle. The company notes that these chargers are, “designed to easily scale to meet future demand as EV adoption and vehicle capability grows.”

Years after unofficially exiting the consumer VR space in favor of enterprise products, HTC has returned with its first standalone headset for consumers. The Vive XR Elite is a $1,100 flagship for VR and passthrough mixed reality (MR). Although that pushes it far past the price range of the $400 Meta Quest 2, HTC’s product compares more favorably on paper with the pricey Meta Quest Pro.

The Vive XR Elite has a 4K display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 110-degree field of view (FOV). It includes four wide-FOV cameras, enabling inside-out spatial tracking without external sensors. The product ships with two wireless controllers and supports hand tracking. Additionally, a full-color RGB camera allows passthrough MR that lets you blend virtual experiences with your real-world surroundings.

The headset weighs 625g (about 13 percent lighter than the Quest Pro), including its hot-swappable battery on the back. HTC says this placement helps balance the headset’s weight. The battery provides an estimated two hours of use and supports 30-watt fast charging via USB-C. Additionally, the headset has a built-in retractable charging cable on its right side, making it easy to plug into a power bank or airline seat (if you want to be the VR weirdo on your next flight).

HTC says the XR Elite has large speakers supporting directional audio. In addition, the headset’s lenses have a dial that adjusts for prescription, allowing visually challenged folks to take off their glasses before playing. Strangely, HTC says you can remove the battery, fit the headset with temple pads and wear it as regular glasses. (That sounds like an odd fashion choice.) The company also says an add-on Face and Eye Tracker accessory will arrive later this year.

Although HTC has a solid track record with VR hardware, content and marketing are its biggest challenges. In the nine years since Meta (Facebook at the time) bought Oculus, it has bought VR studios, made exclusive deals with others and sunk countless advertising dollars into its brand. Although there’s plenty to criticize about Meta’s business practices, the company has stockpiled an unmatched library of virtual games and experiences. HTC has tried to compete with its Viveport subscription service, but its headset still launches at a significant content disadvantage.

Some of those content gaps can be filled with PC support. The XR Elite connects wirelessly or with a USB-C cable to play PCVR games from Steam and Viveport. You can also stream content from a compatible Android phone to the headset to watch videos on a virtual big screen. (Here’s the complete list of supported phones.) The company says you can also connect a Bluetooth controller to play gamepad-friendly smartphone games.

HTC says 100 games and experiences will arrive within the headset’s launch window. Listed launch titles include Demeo, Hubris, Yuki, Maestro, Les Mills Body Combat, FigminXR, Unplugged and Finger Gun. The company adds that Everslaught: Invasion and the full MR game Eggscape will arrive later in the year.

Engadget’s Sam Rutherford is trying the headset later today and will share his impressions soon. Meanwhile, you can pre-order the Vive XR Elite from the company website starting today. HTC estimates that early purchases will begin shipping in late February.

Google is working on ways to make it easier for folks to switch audio playback to another device when they listen to music or podcasts via Android. The company says it’s collaborating with Spotify to let you swiftly move what you’re listening to from one Spotify Connect-supported device to another, all from the Android media player.

Android 13 features a redesigned media player with a notification section that enables YouTube and YouTube Music users to quickly change which compatible Bluetooth or Chromecast built-in devices they’re playing audio or video on. Spotify integration could make things a bit more straightforward for folks who move audio playback from one speaker or TV to another when they go to a different room, for instance, or if you want to change from single-speaker playback to blasting music throughout your home.

In addition, Google says it’s working on a related audio handoff feature. When you move from one place to another, you’ll see media notifications asking if you’d like to shift the audio to a nearby device. So, when you leave home, your Android phone might ask if you want to transfer your music or podcast from a speaker to your headphones, and then to Android Auto once you’re in your car. Google is working with Spotify and YouTube Music teams to add integration for those services. Spotify started testing a similar feature in its own app in 2019.

Google could soon give Polestar owners an edge when they’re navigating around town. The search giant is debuting “HD” driving maps that will come first to the Polestar 3 SUV. The upgrade will provide current, extra-detailed road info ranging from lanes to road signs. The content will not only help with existing driver aids like Pilot Assist, but should prove vital for eventual self-driving features using the 3’s optional, LiDAR-based Pilot Pack.

The Polestar 3 is expected to arrive in late 2023 and sell for $85,300 in the US. You should also see the upgraded maps in the Volvo EX90. We’ve asked Google if and when you’ll see HD maps reach other cars, particularly from brands that aren’t using Google built-in (aka Android Automotive). We’ll let you know if the company can share more. On top of Polestar, companies like GM, Honda, Renault and Volvo (Polestar’s sibling brand) have committed to using the Android OS in at least some of their vehicles.

The enhancement doesn’t come as a shock. Even partial autonomy requires very precise location data to ensure smooth navigation — you don’t want your car choosing the wrong lane or missing a turn. Google also has an extensive understanding of driving maps thanks to Waymo’s robotaxi efforts, not to mention a strong financial incentive to improve its mapping tech. The more detailed maps could encourage other automakers to adopt Google’s apps and services.

You won’t need to wait for a new EV to use some new Google-powered features. An update rolling out to the Polestar 2 sedan adds Google Assistant-based remote actions. You can precondition the climate control system, unlock doors, check the battery level (including estimated range) and otherwise handle basic tasks without reaching for your phone or walking to the car. The feature is only available in the US at present, but it will eventually reach other countries.