Tag: CES 2022

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Samsung announces Odyssey Neo G8 4K monitor ahead of CES 2022

Days away from CES 2022, Samsung has announced the Odyssey Neo G8 4K curved monitor. The new display is a smaller, 32-inch version of the 49-inch Odyssey Neo G9 but retains that 1000R curvature.

Details of Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G8 have broken in the lead up to CES 2022 opening its doors on January 5. While maintaining a similar design philosophy as the G9, the Odyssey Neo G8 is said to provide 2,000 nits of peak brightness and quality display by utilizing a Quantum Mini-LED panel.

Additionally, the gaming monitor provides a boost in resolution from the G9. Samsung claims this is the first 4K monitor to provide 240Hz and a 1ms response time. The G9 provides the same refresh rate and response time. However, it runs on a WQHD panel, limiting the resolution. AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro and NVidia’s G-Sync offer similar support but this proves to be a significant innovative step from Samsung itself.

Having access to 240Hz should provide an exceptional gaming experience for players. A higher framerate provides smoother gameplay and reduces the chances of screen tearing, stuttering, or other visual setbacks. Of course, this requires the use of a PC powerful enough to run a 4K resolution at a high framerate.

Samsung has yet to provide specifics on pricing or even when we can expect the monitor to ship. The Odyssey Neo G9 is available in Canada for $1,999. This gives us a rough idea of how much the 32-inch display will cost.

Image credit: Samsung

Source: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

HDMI 2.1a is a confusing new spec arriving at CES 2022

There’s a new HDMI standard on the way that will both bring welcome new features and exacerbate existing problems with the increasingly confusing connection standard.

Set to debut at CES 2022 is HDMI 2.1a, a revision to the current HDMI 2.1 that’s already rather confusing. HDMI 2.1a adds support for Source-Based Tone Mapping (SBTM), a new HDR feature that can offload some of the HDR tone mapping to the content source (i.e. your computer or set-top box) that can work alongside the tone mapping happening on your TV or monitor.

It’s important to note that SBTM doesn’t replace HDR10 or Dolby Vision — instead, it’s meant to help existing HDR set-ups work better. According to The Verge, it does so by letting the content source optimize content it passes to the display and can remove the need to have users calibrate their screens for HDR by making the source device configure content for a specific display.

Another plus: the HDMI Forum (an organization that defines the HDMI standard) says that companies can add HDMI 2.1a support to set-top boxes, consoles and TVs through firmware updates “depending upon their design.” However, as The Verge points out, most people will likely never see these firmware updates and will instead need to wait and buy a new version of the hardware with HDMI 2.1a support when it becomes available.

Like HDMI 2.1, the new features in 2.1a aren’t mandatory

As for the downsides, HDMI 2.1a’s features will act like all the other HDMI 2.1 features. That means they’re optional.

The problem, according to TFTCentral, is that the HDMI Licensing Administrator (the organization that handles licensing of the HDMI standard) treats HDMI standards as a set that contains all other HDMI standards. In other words, once HDMI 2.1a comes out, all new ports will, in theory, be labelled as HDMI 2.1a because HDMI 2.1 effectively doesn’t exist anymore.

However, because the new HDMI 2.1a features aren’t required, manufacturers can effectively ship devices with ports labelled as HDMI 2.1a but without the full functionality of HDMI 2.1a. Granted, TFTCentral notes that most manufacturers don’t abide by those rules and properly label HDMI ports based on the included features, but the rules don’t force companies to do this.

All this means that once HDMI 2.1a arrives, it’ll be in a very similar position to HDMI 2.1. In other words, 2.1a will offer new, beneficial features that companies don’t have to adopt. Customers, meanwhile, will be left needing to research and figure out if the new device they want actually supports HDMI 2.1a features or just happens to have the HDMI 2.1a label.

Source: The Verge, TFTCentral

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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft withdraws itself from attending CES 2022

CES 2022 is due to be held between January 5th through to January 8th and the show’s biggest partners continue to drop out. As COVID-19 Omicron variant numbers continue to rise, Microsoft is the latest to withdraw itself from having a presence on the show floor.

In a statement the company shared with The Verge, Microsoft will no longer be attending the upcoming event in person. “After reviewing the latest data on the rapidly evolving COVID environment, Microsoft has decided not to participate in-person at CES 2022,” a company spokesperson said.

Rather than have a presence on the CES 2022 show floor, Microsoft will be migrating its efforts to hosting itself digitally for the Microsoft Partner Innovation Experience and the Automotive Press Kit.

Microsoft is the latest exhibitor to drop out as the landscape of an in-person show continues to become worrisome. Large companies such as Google, Amazon, Twitter, and Meta have all withdrawn their presence. Each of them has taken notice of the rise in Omicron cases and decided against sending staff members to the show.

Other companies that have chosen to withdraw include Intel, Lenovo, Hisense,

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Earlier this week, CES organizers confirmed that the Las Vegas, Nevada show will indeed be held early on in the new year. In a statement posted on Twitter, the organizers stated that “focus remains on convening the tech industry and giving those who cannot attend in person the ability to experience the magic of CES digitally.”

CES 2022 will see many COVID-19 health measures in place. All attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination. Additionally, masks are to be worn while inside the event space. Rapid tests will also be provided to attendees.

Source: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

Big tech companies, sponsors pull out of CES 2022 amid Omicron

Source: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/las-vegas-nv-usa-1112020-giant-1786457969

Several major companies and sponsors scrapped plans to attend the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada in January.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which puts on the show, hasn’t changed plans regarding CES 2022 and is forging ahead with an in-person show after 2021’s online event. But as the omicron variant surges in the U.S. and other countries, several companies are reconsidering plans, limiting in-person attendance or cancelling altogether.

Bloomberg detailed several of the companies that have changed plans. Twitter cancelled its in-person presence at CES due to COVID. Meta (formerly Facebook) pulled out as well and is instead considering how to participate virtually. Amazon and its smart home subsidiary Ring pulled out of CES while U.S.-based carrier and CES sponsor T-Mobile said it would “significantly limit” its in-person presence. Moreover, the company’s CEO will no longer give a keynote speech at CES.

Other companies include Pinterest (cancelled), Nvidia (planned a virtual presentation), AMD (attending with limited presence) and Samsung (could move to a smaller delegation on-site with a focus on online).

However, some other major companies are forging ahead with plans. According to Bloomberg, both Sony, Qualcomm and Google still plan to attend, with the former planning to include a digital version of its plans too. Smaller companies like HTC and OnePlus will also still attend.

Apple, unsurprisingly, won’t attend CES 2022. The company typically doesn’t go to CES, although it did show up that one time to talk about privacy.

Finally, several technology publications, including The Verge, Engadget, TechCrunch and CNET, said they wouldn’t send reporters to CES. MobileSyrup is also not planning to attend CES 2022 in person.

While it looks like the show will go on, it looks like CES will be a smaller affair in 2022.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Bloomberg