Category: Technology

It’s been a while since I’ve tried a pair of personal cinema-style AR glasses given their propensity to be rubbish. The field of view is often too restrictive, they’re often too low-res and they’re often prone to giving me eyestrain headaches. But after I tried on Xreal’s new One Pro glasses at CES 2025, I was suitably impressed as the company’s latest addresses all of those gripes and plenty more.

Xreal turned up in Las Vegas to show off the One Pro, which is a marginal improvement on the Xreal One that debuted, and quickly sold out, a month ago. Both pairs are equipped with the company’s first in-house spatial computing chip, delivering less blur, no flicker and a 120Hz refresh rate. They’re also equipped with Bose-branded sound, not that I was able to test their quality in a crowded casino ballroom. The difference between the two comes down to slightly better optics.

The point of the new X1 chip is to ensure the glasses can do all the spatial brainwork without needing to rely on whatever device you’re hooked up to. That enables you to have ultra-wide displays that could be used to give yourself a mega desktop if you need to get some serious work done. Or, if you want to pin a games console in one place in your virtual environment, you can now do that even if you’re wired up to something low power. Speaking of, I got to try two different demos, the first playing Super Mario Odyssey on a Switch, and then one with an ultra-wide desktop display on a laptop.

On one hand, these glasses remain bound by the same constraint every other pair of these devices have ( and will always have). You’re trying to trick your eyes into thinking two small screens close to your eyes are actually one massive screen that’s a lot further away. Your eyes are, however, smarter than that, and it’s rare that I’ve been able to view the illusion as its creators intended. But, mercifully, the resolution, brightness, low latency and broad field of vision all help to sell the trick here in a way that worked better than I have ever experienced.

In fact, I got quite lost playing Odyssey, not realizing that I’d been playing for five or more minutes as my eyes didn’t put up their usual protest. Hell, the fact I just mindlessly got on with it and it never occurred to me to stop to give my eyes a rest was the first sign these were a cut above. When I got to the desktop and was able to comfortably read the text on the screen (even the tiny titles in browser tabs), it felt revelatory. Look, this is table stakes for a device like this, but the fact I managed to use it comfortably speaks volumes.

I’ll reserve full judgment until I’ve had the chance to put these through their paces properly but, right now, I’m impressed. The Xreal One will be back in stock shortly, while the One Pro should begin shipping in March 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/xreals-new-one-pro-ar-glasses-are-surprisingly-good-143034826.html?src=rss 

In 2023, Shokz strayed from its bone conduction roots with a pair of “air conduction” open-ear wireless earbuds. While the Shokz OpenFit delivered better audio than bone conduction models, that wasn’t saying much. Their sound was still hit-or-miss, and some users had problems with their finicky touch controls. At CES 2025, the company is back with the $180 OpenFit 2, which apparently has solutions for both issues, as well as a new bone-conduction headset for office calls.

The Shokz OpenFit 2 has a woofer and tweeter in each earpiece for more dynamic sound. (The first-gen model only had a single driver for each ear.) The company also improved its bass algorithm, which “enhances dynamic low-frequency vibrations directly to your ear.”

The open-ear buds’ design hasn’t changed dramatically from the original OpenFit: a hook still wraps around each ear with a bud resting just outside. But Shokz engineered the new model’s ear hook with a softer silicone (for greater comfort) and a tighter curve (for improved stability). The company says it “molds to the contours of your ear for a personalized, comfortable fit.” Each earpiece weighs 9.4g (0.33 oz). You can order it in black or beige.

The 2023 model used touch controls, which aren’t always the best input solution for earbuds’ small surfaces. So, the new model has physical multifunction buttons in addition to touch controls, which should help prevent or minimize accidental touches.

The OpenFit 2 is rated for up to 11 hours per charge (up from seven in the first-gen model) or 48 hours when factoring in the bundled charging case. They also have a better water resistance rating (IP55 vs. IP54 in the original) and Bluetooth 5.4.

Shokz also has a new office headset, the OpenMeet, which seems like a redesigned spiritual successor to its OpenComm series. Like other workplace headsets, it looks a bit… goofy, with its long mic stem jutting out toward the mouth area. Similar to the OpenComm, the earpiece sits in front of the ear instead of on, in or around it. But a key difference is that OpenMeet’s band extends over the top of the head, not behind it.

The company says OpenMeet is designed to feel weightless, thanks to a five-point design that distributes its 78 g for minimal pressure. Its audio merges bone and air conduction, and the company says its (hilariously named) “LeakSlayer 3.0” tech helps minimize sound leakage to help keep your calls private.

OpenMeet uses a dual-mic system using Qualcomm’s cVc noise reduction, which Shokz claims reduces background noise by up to 98.6 percent. It has a dedicated mute button, Bluetooth 5.4 and up to 15 hours of battery life.

The Shokz OpenFit 2 is available today for $180 on the company website, Amazon and retail partners (including Best Buy and Target). Meanwhile, the OpenMeet headset is sold through the company’s business website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/the-shokz-openfit-2-promises-better-sound-and-longer-battery-life-130016786.html?src=rss 

If there’s one certainty of 2025, it’s that there will be a plethora of new AI products. One of the first out of the gate comes from Philips Hue, which has announced AI-powered smart lighting for creating just the right mood for every setting. 

Philips Hue is bringing an AI assistant to its Hue app that will create “personalized lighting scenes.” You can instruct the assistant through text or voice commands. For instance, you might say something like, “Create a scene for a dinner party” or write “Give me a scene for a quiet night in.” Philips Hue will also have a feedback feature so you can share if the ambience isn’t what you requested. 

As of now, there’s not an exact release date for the AI assistant, but Philips Hue states it will become available this year. It should be compatible with all of its lights. Other companies have created similar products, such as iConnectHue, which added AI-powered “magic scenes” in early 2023. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/philips-hue-adds-ai-powered-lighting-options-to-its-app-131538165.html?src=rss 

Netgear just announced a new Wi-Fi 7 mesh router system called the Orbi 870, joining the pre-existing 970 and 770. The company says that the latest system “offers the perfect balance of performance, coverage, and security.”

To that end, the Orbi 870 offers tri-band speeds up to 21Gbps and all kinds of modern bells and whistles. These include enhancements like support for the latest 320MHz bandwidth and 4K QAM, which squeezes more data into traditional transmissions. This looks to be a fairly future-proof router system.

Netgear also touts the reliability of this device, thanks to an enhanced backhaul that combines 5GHz and 6GHz into a single band. Of course, there are plenty of wired connectivity options here. There’s a 10 gigabit internet port and four 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports on the router. Additionally, each satellite includes four Ethernet ports.

Like most Netgear mesh systems, adjustments can be made via the Orbi app. This lets users pause the internet, run speed tests, track usage and set up separate networks for guests. This app also allows access to parental controls.

The Netgear Orbi 870 system is available in black or white. A three-pack that includes the router and two satellites costs $1,300, while a two-pack costs $1,000. Additional satellites can be purchased for $550 each. This is expensive, to be sure, but an actual bargain when compared to the slightly higher-end Orbi 970 system.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/netgears-orbi-870-mesh-router-system-is-a-great-way-to-join-the-wi-fi-7-bandwagon-133031270.html?src=rss 

Handheld gaming PCs are here to stay, and as the entire category grows and matures, things are getting bigger. Even bigger. Packing detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand, Acer’s Blaze 11 shares several similarities with Lenovo’s Legion Go handheld.

However, (the clue is in the name) the Blaze 11 has a huge 11-inch 2,560 x 1,600 IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness. The effect of that huge screen is akin to “holding a steering wheel with a tablet-sized screen slammed in the middle,” according to our own Sam Rutherford. It’ll be powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS chip and Radeon 780M graphics, 16GB of RAM and up to 2TB of SSD storage.

It makes the Steam Deck look like a GameBoy Micro.

— Mat Smith

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Alienware’s Area-51 desktop PC is back, baby!

Aww, it’s just as expensive as I remember!

As predicted, CES threw up a lot of PC upgrades and accompanying laptops. Alienware, however, is bringing back an old favorite: its Area-51 desktops. The new Area-51 PC has a full-sized 80L tower with headroom for over 600W of dedicated graphics power and 280W for processing. It supports the latest NVIDIA graphics cards and an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU. In fact, its launch configuration will cost around $4,500. (Other builds will follow, including a (unspecified) cheaper entry-level option.)

The company says a new airflow system moves 25 percent more air, runs 13 percent cooler and is 45 percent quieter than the two previous Alienware Aurora desktops. That cooling effect, the company says, leads to 50 percent more processing power.

Continue reading.

The Last of Us season 2 arrives in April, and a Horizon Zero Dawn film is in the works

And! A Ghost of Tsushima anime is also in development.

Sony’s CES presentation yesterday was heavy on entertainment announcements — especially concerning its PlayStation hits. Columbia Pictures is in the early stages of developing a movie based on the post-apocalyptic PlayStation game Horizon Zero Dawn, while Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog popped out to announce season two of The Last of Us would hit HBO in April. You can also expect an anime based on Ghost of Tsushima Legends, the coop multiplayer game linked to the original. Something to keep wannabe ninjas and samurai entertained till the sequel lands?

Continue reading.

Sony’s first EV is open for reservations at CES 2025

Two versions of the car will be available starting at $89,900.

Through Sony Honda Mobility, you can reserve a vehicle now for $200. The car that was once the Vision-S and Vision-S 02 will actually be a thing you can buy. Now known as Afeela 1, the EV has continued to evolve in the past few years, adding an in-vehicle assistant and updated interior design. More on that later this week!

Continue reading.

I hate winter; here’s a solar beach umbrella

Anker’s parasol doesn’t have a price yet.

The Anker Solix Solar Beach Umbrella also appeared at CES 2025, a flexible, freestanding umbrella that can also charge your phone or power the company’s EverFrost 2 cooler — convenient. Like a normal umbrella, the Solix Solar Beach Umbrella is portable and collapsible, but Anker says it’s using perovskite solar cells in its panels to offer “30 percent better performance” than traditional crystalline silicon cells, which translates to a solar-rated power of up to 80W.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-122055121.html?src=rss 

The Pinwheel Watch doesn’t scream “this is a kids’ device.” The new smartwatch, unveiled at Pepcom during CES 2025, doesn’t have a chunky, brightly colored casing or super-thick bezels. It’s actually pretty sleek, with a build like a slightly larger Apple Watch — plus a little camera bump — and swappable straps of different styles. To tech-aware kids who have begun bugging their parents for a smartwatch just like they have, it would easily pass as an analogue for an adult wearable. But it’s also packed with safety features meant to offer only the amount of connectedness that parents feel comfortable with. And an AI chatbot, because, of course.

Pinwheel already has a smartphone platform that allows for parent-approved communications, but the watch is a standalone 4G LTE cellular device with its own mobile plan (about $15 according to the company) and the ability to make calls, send texts and, down the line, do video chats. Parents can determine the level of intervention they think is appropriate for their kids, and change these settings in the Pinwheel app as they see fit. 

For a younger kid, they might set it so all contacts need to be approved, while a 14-year-old can be granted the freedom to add whatever friends they want without approval. Parents can remotely monitor text and call history, and turn off certain features — like image sending — individually for contacts. It also offers GPS location tracking so parents can keep tabs on their kids’ whereabouts.

Beyond basic communication, there are a bunch of features that are just meant for fun. There are built-in games, like a helicopter game I really enjoyed playing that involves tapping the screen at the right time to collect gems and keep it in the air, and a kid-friendly version of ChatGPT called PinwheelGPT. The company says the chatbot has been tested for all the common workarounds used to trick these things into doing what they shouldn’t, so it won’t produce inappropriate responses when prompted to. And parents can see these chats, including deleted ones. “You can certainly ask it whatever, but it won’t answer,” said Pinwheel co-founder Dane Witbeck. “It quickly backs out and says, ‘hey, that’s something you should talk to a trusted adult about.’” The abysmal hotel-casino Wi-Fi at the crowded event prevented me from actually putting that to the test, though.

The Pinwheel Watch will go on sale later this year for $160 (plus the monthly cellular subscription). It’s rated IP67, so it should be pretty durable against spills, dirt and other kid messes. For parents interested in a safer way to let their children start using smart devices to talk to their friends and family, Pinwheel’s watch could be a pretty decent option, especially for kids in tween territory that may not want an extremely limited, immature-looking wearable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-pinwheel-watch-is-a-kid-safe-apple-watch-ultra-lookalike-to-placate-your-tween-123005235.html?src=rss 

In a sea of smartphone gaming controllers with chunky grips, obtrusive analog sticks and rigid backplates, the MCON by Ohsnap stands out. It’s a gamepad that essentially turns any phone into a supercharged Xperia Play, complete with Hall effect joysticks, silent buttons and handles that can extend out of its base. It also has bumper-style triggers and actual bumpers. When it’s attached to the back of a phone, the MCON creates a slightly chunky but uniform profile that slides into a pocket without fuss. When you’re ready to start playing, the phone pops up from the gamepad with a satisfying flick.

The MCON communicates with your smartphone via Bluetooth, no cables or plugging in required. It uses MagSafe to connect to iPhones, and for Androids, there will be a MagSafe adapter included in the box — this is simply a disc 2 millimeters thick that sticks to the back of your phone or case. That covers essentially every smartphone out there, and it’s possible to stack multiple connecting pucks to create space for awkward camera bumps. Ohsnap’s goal is to support iOS, Android, Xbox, PC and Mac, with PlayStation as a platform pipe dream. 

Ohsnap and MCON creator Josh King showed off the gamepad at CES 2025 with a nearly finalized prototype. The final version will have silicone tops on the analogue sticks, a cover for the spring mechanism and more finesse all around. King said he wasn’t quite satisfied with the D-pad yet, either. But even in its current form, the MCON is a sweet little peripheral. It feels nice — lightweight but sturdy enough to support and fling a full-size smartphone — and it folds into a compact rectangle that’s satisfying to hold. 

Snapping it open involves pressing two buttons on the top of the controller, behind the attached phone, and it requires just the right amount of finger strength and angling. It took a few tries for me to successfully deploy the pop, largely because I have long manicured nails, but I was able to use my actual nail tips to make the magic happen.

When King spotted my Samsung Z Flip 6, he immediately started troubleshooting ways to make the foldable work with the MCON. You’d just have to move the attaching puck over slightly, so it could connect to the lower back quadrant of the phone rather than on the central hinge, he explained. He was confident he could make it work, and said he’d already ensured the Galaxy Z Fold was compatible with the MCON. King’s goal is for the MCON to support absolutely every smartphone.

The MCON Kickstarter went live on January 2 and, four days later, it’s collected more than $740,000 of a $25,000 goal. King’s concept has enjoyed a bit of viral fame over the years, and he eventually took the idea to Ohsnap, an established MagSafe-focused accessory manufacturer. By their powers combined, the MCON is on track to ship in August at a price of $150.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/i-adore-this-clever-mobile-gamepad-with-hall-effect-sticks-and-a-snap-up-design-110007990.html?src=rss 

Even Realities has turned up at CES 2025 in Las Vegas to show off its smart glasses, the G1, which have been out for a few months now. The company also wanted to use its trip to the desert to show off the G1B, which puts the same technology in a different body. And after just ten minutes playing around with them, I’m already a fan of the way they bring digital smarts into the real world. 

The G1 is a pair of smart glasses that either come in a Philip Johnson-esque round body or, if you opt for the new G1B, in a more rectangular frame. Both are equipped with a 160mAh battery the company promises will last for around one and a half days on a single charge. Inside are a pair of waveguide displays with a 25-degree field of view and a resolution of 640 x 200 displaying basic text and graphics in old-school green. The glasses have their own charging case, itself equipped with a 2,000mAh battery that’ll keep them re-juiced at least two and a half times before you need to find a cable.

The company opted not to throw too many features at the G1, focusing instead on where it could make a real impact while respecting the battery. For instance, activate your phone’s navigation and you’ll get turn by turn directions showing up in your field of vision. Similarly, you should be able to use the glasses as a prompter, with the system’s built-in microphone following along as you speak. That microphone can also be used for real time translation in a number of foreign languages, as well as transcribing your dictations. Plus, you’ll get the option to have your smartphone notifications dropping in front of your eyes, sparing you the indignity of looking at your phone or watch.

Most pleasingly, there are plenty of customization options, including the ability to set it so the waveguide displays only activate when you tilt your head up. From there, you can set the reading distance of the on-screen text, and you even have some limited control of the height of the text. The features on show all work as advertised, and the real-time directions will even let you switch from turn by turn guidance to a progress map of your route if you look up. The real-time translation and captioning is useful and elegant, as is the teleprompter that’ll scroll the words as you say them — even in a noisy Las Vegas ballroom. The company’s CSO Nikolaj Schnoor even said some early customers who have hearing loss are now using captioning to aid them in day to day conversations. There are two hardware buttons hidden behind the temple tips, too, letting you set it into dictation mode without having to touch your phone.

As smitten as I am with the features, I’m also impressed at how comfortable they are to wear, with the design putting the bulk of the (surprisingly) light weight on the hinges and temple tips. You could easily wear these for a whole day, and look and act a lot more like real glasses than gadget-y ones.

The company has even said all the right things about repairability, saying the system is modular enough that an optician can replace your lenses should they get damaged or your prescription changes. In addition, you should be able to send the hardware back to the company to replace the batteries when they wear out a few years down the road. Given the high price, that should be expected but it’s pleasing to see it’s been addressed.

The Even Realities G1 and G1B are available to order now, with prices starting at $599, although that figure will climb once you’ve included your options, including prescription lenses. Depending on where you are in the world, you can also order them through your local optician.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/even-realities-g1-smart-glasses-are-useful-and-elegant-100041452.html?src=rss