Kalakshar US

If you’ve ever been confused about the vast array of skincare products on the market and exactly which ones are right for you, L’Oréal claims to have the answer. For CES 2025, the company introduced a gadget called the Cell BioPrint that can biochemically analyze your skin and provide advice on how to make it look younger. 

The company partnered with a startup called NanoEntek, a Korean manufacturer that develops microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technology. To use the system, you place a facial strip on your cheek, then transfer it over to a buffer solution. That is then loaded into a Cell BioPrint cartridge, which is in turn inserted into the machine for analysis. While that’s being processed, the device also takes images of your face and has you fill out a short questionnaire around skin concerns and aging. All of that takes just five minutes, the company says. 

In an interview with Engadget, Loreal’s Guive Balooch said that the skin strip can be applied near the jawline, and that even if someone has sunscreen on, it won’t affect the results. 

Once the data is crunched using something L’Oréal calls proteomics, Cell BioPrint can provide advice on how to improve your skin’s appearance. It can suggest how well you may respond to certain ingredients like retinol, and predict potential cosmetic issues like dark spots or enlarged pores before they become visible. 

It all sounds good and reasonably science-based, but L’Oréal didn’t cite any peer-reviewed studies that may prove the machine’s efficacy. Still, it seems like a good time for such a product as skincare awareness has blown up of late thanks in part to Covid, influencers and Sephora. That has generated in a lot of new information (and misinformation), allowing L’Oréal to come in and save the day using science to hypothetically fix your issues. 

In any case, the BioPrint machine won’t be available for consumers just yet, and to be clear, the first iteration of the device isn’t meant for at-home use. It’s slated to start pilot tests in stores in Asia sometime in 2025, but so far, there’s no firm launch date or price. Balooch indicated it would follow a similar rollout pattern to the company’s other tech launches in the past, by appearing first at the counters in flagship stores for one of L’Oréal’s luxury brands. Over time, it may make its way to more mainstream segments.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/loreals-latest-device-promises-to-help-find-out-how-well-your-skin-responds-to-ingredients-like-retinol-090300942.html?src=rss 

Samsung’s Frame series of TVs are one of the best solutions available for making a giant display blend more seamlessly into your home. At CES 2025, the company is expanding its lineup with the Frame Pro, a more advanced version of the TV that includes Samsung’s top-of-the-line Neo QLED panel. The catch is that we don’t yet know if Samsung is using a 4K or 8K panel here, a choice that’ll significantly affect how much the Frame Pro costs when it eventually launches (Samsung hasn’t provided a price or release date yet, in true CES fashion). 

Besides the panel, the Frame Pro also uses Samsung’s Wireless One Connect box, which lets you transmit content from consoles or set-top boxes to the TV without needing to plug things in directly. Instead, you plug into the Wireless One Connect and it’ll beam things to the TV, which means you can make a much cleaner, cable-free setup that feels particularly useful with a set like the Frame.

It also uses Samsung’s NQ4 Gen3 AI processor, an update on the 2nd-generation one that Samsung used on some of its sets last year. As is usually the case, we don’t know exactly what this does for the set, but given the amount pixels a modern TV needs to push, an annual update makes sense. The NQ4 also gives a hint that this might be a 4K rather than 8K panel, as Samsung’s just-announced Neo QLED 8K QN990F TV uses the NQ8 processor — perhaps the 4 or 8 are a nod to the TV’s resolution. Either way, we’ll know more soon.

For those who haven’t seen the Frame before, it’s a TV meant to be mounted to the wall, complete with a frame that’s more reminiscent of something you might find in an art gallery rather than a media room. When you turn it off, you can choose to have it display a fine art image from a collection Samsung has curated, and the screen itself is matte with anti-glare coating that goes a long way towards making it feel like just another big TV mounted to a wall.

As is typically the case, Samsung is holding a CES showcase tonight where we’ll get to see the Frame Pro as well as other new Samsung TVs in person — if we get more details on the Frame Pro, we’ll update this post. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-frame-pro-tv-features-the-companys-high-end-neo-qled-panel-030042346.html?src=rss 

Samsung is kicking off 2025 with a lineup of new AI-enhanced televisions. At CES 2025, Samsung unveiled the Neo QLED 8K QN990F and QN900F, plus the Neo QLED 4K QN90F, QN80F and QN70F. The TVs come with glare-free technology and a suite of AI features driven by Samsung Vision AI.

The Neo QLED 8K QN990F is Samsung’s top-of-the-line model and it features a super-slim, minimalist footprint and an NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor. Its AI abilities include proprietary 8K upscaling, frame-by-frame HDR remastering, adaptive sound, color boosting and AI Mode, which automatically optimizes picture and sound based on the content on screen. These represent updates to existing Samsung AI efforts.

In line with the minimalist aesthetic, Samsung is also shipping a Wireless One Connect Box for the QN990F, allowing users to keep their TV space wire-free. This is similar to LG’s Zero Connect Box, and it’s a clever bit of clutter-clearing equipment. Samsung claims the Wireless One Connect Box works at a distance of up to 10 meters, even with obstacles in its transmission path.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s QLED 4K line features an NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, 4K AI Upscaling Pro, improved picture quality and a 165Hz refresh rate. The QN80F has a 100-inch option, while the QN90F comes in 115 inches.

Samsung’s AI ambitions cover all of its 2025 TVs, with Vision AI delivering new personalization and optimization features across the board. Click to Search can identify people, places and products on-screen and then provide relevant information about these things in real time. Identify the actors in a scene, specific pieces of clothing or the displayed location, for instance. In a similar vein, the new Samsung Food ability can identify the grub on your TV and even provide relevant recipes. This feature can also analyze the contents of your connected Samsung fridge and build specific shopping lists, or prompt you to order groceries or takeout from the TV using third-party apps.

Samsung AI Home Security turns your TV into a house-monitoring hub. It leverages the built-in microphone and connected cameras on your Samsung TV, and can detect unusual sounds and movements. It then delivers alerts to your phone or directly on the TV. Live Translate delivers real-time subtitle translations, and Generative Wallpaper allows users to create dynamic, personalized art canvases.

In OLED land, Samsung is introducing the S95F, S90F and S85F. As the flagship in this line, the S95F includes an NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, improved glare-free technology, a 165Hz variable refresh rate and a brighter display than ever before.

There’s also The Frame Pro, a TV so special that we have a separate story all about its new features.

As usual, Samsung is primed to reveal more details about pricing and availability of its new hardware during CES 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-ces-2025-tv-lineup-includes-8k-ai-enhancements-and-a-wireless-connect-box-030058512.html?src=rss 

It’s been ten years since LG introduced its Gram line of ultra thin and light laptops, and despite my early skepticism about its longevity and build quality, the company continues to make new models regularly. It’s expanded the portfolio to offer pro variants, clamshells and 2-in-1s, and in keeping with every laptop maker in recent years, LG is now infusing the Gram Pros with more of its own… you guessed it… AI.

We already learned about this year’s LG Gram Pro lineup when they company unveiled the details last week. From the announcement, we found out that four new models are available. Here at CES 2025, I was able to check out the LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 in person to see what I was able to learn beyond the press release. The short answer is: not much. 

In the six days or so since LG shared the 2025 Gram lineup with the world, the company has yet to disclose pricing and availability. That’s pretty common for many CES launches, so I wouldn’t chalk that up as a warning sign. 

Besides the fact that it has new Intel Arrow Lake processors and displays with variable refresh rates that go up to 144Hz, though that’s reserved for the LCD panel option. For models with OLED, you can only go up to 120Hz. There’s also improved treatment to deal with glare, which was surprisingly effective at mitigating the overhead fluorescent lights on the show floor. I could still see the floating glowing orbs reflected on the display, but for the most part I was able to view the YouTube video playing on the demo unit just fine. 

As is becoming tradition for me at CES by now, I tried to bicep curl the Gram Pro 2-in-1 and frankly, the laptop remains unsatisfying for serious gym rats looking for heavy weights. Those wanting a truly portable system that fits into the thinnest of pockets without dragging on your shoulders will appreciate the Gram Pro. But, its 16-inch screen means it’s fairly hefty and won’t fit into many purses. 

I also appreciate the sturdy hinges LG has used in the Gram lineup. The Gram Pro 2-in-1’s case hasn’t been tweaked since last year’s model, and I was mildly concerned when the lid started to flex a bit when a rep at the LG booth was flipping it over. But the device remained intact, and frankly all Gram laptops have always exhibited some level of flex because of how thin they are. 

The other main update to the Gram Pro 2-in-1 is the addition of LG’s Gram AI suite of services. These include “Gram chat,” which is available in on-device and cloud-based versions. The former uses LG’s own EXAONE large language model, while the latter taps OpenAI’s GPT-4o. Gram Chat Cloud can also integrate with your calendar and inboxes to help manage your schedules and “send and receive emails more efficiently,” according to LG.

There are also features like Time Travel, which is LG’s take on Microsoft’s Recall, helping users find what they’re looking for by feeding parameters like date viewed or inline text to the AI system. When I asked an LG rep how the service would avoid the security concerns that Microsoft’s Recall was criticized over, they said that people would have to grant permission before continuing to use their laptops. 

Like I mentioned, LG has yet to share details on price or when these Grams will be available, but with last year’s Gram Pro 2-in-1 going for about $1,300 on Amazon right now, I’d imagine this year’s models won’t be too far off.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lg-gram-pro-2-in-1-2025-hands-on-of-course-a-thin-and-light-laptop-gets-ai-at-ces-2025-023252332.html?src=rss 

It’s not as if any period in human history was particularly gentle, but we do seem to live in very stressful times. Maybe it’s not the stress that’s changed, but that we’re more able than ever to notice, monitor and analyze what’s going on in our bodies. Here at CES 2025, startup Eli Health is launching Hormometer, an at-home kit that tests your cortisol and progesterone levels.

Hormometer is a wand with a collection tip at one end that you hold in your mouth for 60 seconds. Once it’s absorbed your spit, you’ll sit it down on a table for 20 minutes while the cartridge’s network of built-in microfluidics gets to work. After that, the assay will start displaying lines in a specific color, which can be read and interpreted by your smartphone camera.

The app will then be able to, presumably once it’s established your individual baseline levels, offer helpful suggestions for how to better manage your health. It’s likely those will get more detailed over time, as Eli Health says it’s creating the first data set of its kind. Which, if you’re unaware, means your hormone levels are likely going into a very large database with all of its users. The company will have to answer many questions about how it’s planning to protect the privacy of its users, especially in the US.

Cortisol, of course, is better known as the stress hormone, which increases when you’re in a tough spot. It’s cortisol that’s behind your fight-or-flight response, spiking your blood sugar to get you ready for fighting or fleeing, suppressing other critical bodily functions to do so. High cortisol levels will weaken your immune system, waste your muscles and prevent bone growth.

Progesterone, meanwhile, is crucial for regulating the reproductive system, particularly for those able to become pregnant. Low levels can risk ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or premature labor. Excessively high levels, meanwhile, can create problems with temperature and mood regulation as well as low fertility. Progesterone is sometimes given to transfeminine individuals as well, where it’s believed to play a role in breast development.

It’s worth noting that saliva-testing gadgets aren’t particularly new, and we’ve reported on them in 2005, 2009 and 2016. What’s attractive about this device, and the rest of the current crop of saliva analysis tools, is the easier accessibility. Eli Health isn’t stopping at just those two hormones, and says it’s already working to develop tests for testosterone and estradiol.

The first tests will be available to buy in the US and Canada from January 2025, with various subscription plans available, including one where each test will cost $8 if you commit to a whole year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/this-saliva-testing-wand-knows-how-stressed-you-are-010002378.html?src=rss 

Until today, I could count on one finger the amount of smart rings that offered a one-line ECG in such a small package. Bodimetrics’ Circul+ debuted in 2021, but what it had in heart-monitoring features it lacked in style, or even looking like a real ring. Today at CES 2025, however, Circular is launching its second-generation ring that promises to keep an eye on your heart health.

Circular says the Ring 2 boasts improved sensors as well as the aforementioned ECG, an eight day battery life and a better wireless charging dock. The company added that its companion app and AI has been completely redesigned to offer a “more intuitive and refined user experience.” Not to mention that the body is now cast in titanium with four color finishes; Gold, Silver, Black and Rose Gold.

It won’t be hitting store shelves until February or March 2025, but the company says it’ll cost you $380 when it does.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/circulars-new-smart-ring-has-a-built-in-ecg-010003422.html?src=rss