Tag: CES 2023

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Qi2 wireless charging standard brings MagSafe to Android smartphones

In an uncharacteristic move, Apple is working with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) on a next-generation charging standard called “Qi2” that’s based on MagSafe.

At CES 2023, the WPC confirmed the news, stating that the new standard aims to improve the efficiency and interoperability of the technology through a MagSafe-based “Magnetic Power Profile” that aligns the Qi2-compatible accessory with a compatible wireless charger.

If this sounds a lot like Apple’s current magnetic MagSafe technology, you aren’t wrong.

Apple’s current version of MagSafe is proprietary and requires accessory makers to pay a fee to use the standard. This is why so many iPhone accessories and smartphone cases are compatible with MagSafe but are not officially MagSafe-certified.

“Consumers and retailers have been telling us they’re confused concerning what devices are Qi Certified and those that claim to work with Qi but are not Qi Certified. This confusion can lead to a poor user experience and even safety issues,” said Paul Struhsaker, executive director of the Wireless Power Consortium, in a press release.

Beyond opening up MagSafe tech to other manufacturers, including Android device makers, it’s unclear what advantages Qi2 will offer over Qi and MagSafe. Hopefully, the plans include stronger magnets because many MagSafe accessories don’t attach to the back of the iPhone firmly, along with faster charging speeds. For example, MagSafe and Qi only support up to 15W wireless charging.

It’s also important to note that Apple isn’t forging this partnership solely to share its technology with Android manufacturers and level the playing field. With the EU’s smartphone USB-C mandate looming, the tech giant is likely looking to avoid similar controversy with its wireless charging standard.

The WPC says its upcoming Qi2 standard will replace its current Qi technology. Devices featuring Qi2 are expected to release by the end of the year.

Source: BusinessWire

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Nvidia is bringing its GeForce Now game streaming service to cars

As part of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Nvidia has announced that it’s bringing its GeForce Now game streaming service to cars.

Specifically, the tech giant is partnering with Hyundai, Polestar and BYD, who are all part of the company’s ‘Nvidia Drive’ autonomous vehicle platform. However, Nvidia didn’t provide details on which cars will be supported or when this might even launch, simply saying the GeForce Now client will run in cars either via Android-based infotainment systems or built-in web browsers.

The popular service features a catalogue of more than 1,000 controller-supported games, including Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Rocket League and Fortnite. GeForce Now will also only be accessible to drivers and front-seat passengers when parked or charging, with those in the backseat able to play at any time.

Automakers have been looking at gaming as a way to bolster their entertainment offerings for a while now. 2019 saw the launch of Tesla Arcade, which lets Tesla owners play games like Cuphead and Sonic the Hedgehog, while Sony and Honda are even looking into bringing PS5-quality games to their joint venture’s electric vehicles.

Source: Nvidia

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Alienware reveals ridiculous 500Hz gaming monitor

After buying LG’s 4K 120Hz 27GP950 UltraGear monitor a few months ago specifically to play Halo infinite, I’m entirely sold on higher refresh rate displays when it comes to gaming. They’re fluid, smooth and offer a clear competitive advantage over 60Hz monitors.

But 500Hz might be pushing things more than a little too far.

Dell-owned Alienware has a history of unveiling weird and wacky products at CES, and this year is no different with the 24.5-inch AW2524H. The gaming monitor is poised to be the world’s first 500Hz monitor you can actually buy.

Will this monitor make you the esports megastar of your dreams? Probably not. The response time difference between a 360Hz and 500Hz panel is just 0.78 milliseconds, and this response time would only be available in games that support 500fps (and there aren’t many).

It’s also worth noting that hitting 500Hz requires the panel to be overclocked since its standard refresh rate is 480Hz. At 500Hz, you’re locked to just 1080p (not that any PC would be capable of pushing 4k/500Hz anyways). Further, you’ll need to use DisplayPort connectivity to hit a refresh rate over 240Hz since HDMI 2.1 caps out at that refresh rate.

Other notable specs include an IPS panel, two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, four 5Gbps USB-A ports and, of course, RGB backlighting. Oh, and there’s a headphone stand on the left side of the monitor.

To be fair, Asus revealed a prototype 500Hz gaming monitor several months ago but hasn’t revealed any additional information about the device yet. On the other hand, Alienware’s AW2524H will release in North America on March 21st.

Image credit: Alienware

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Samsung’s new QD-OLED TVs can hit 2,000 nits of peak brightness

Samsung’s 2023 TVs are extremely bright.

Every year at CES, TV and monitor manufacturers reveal their upcoming models, and there’s usually some sort of theme regarding new features.

For example, a few years ago, it was 3D technology, then it was the thinnest possible design, and in the last bit, we’ve seen several modular prototype televisions. But at CES 2023, the emphasis seems to be on brightness levels when it comes to arch-rivals Samsung and LG.

This is where Samsung’s 2023 QD-OLED TV lineup comes in. The South Korean tech giant says its TVs are capable of hitting 2,000 nits of brightness thanks to a new “HyperEfficient EL’ panel from Samsung’s Display. In comparison, LG’s 2023 lineup of TVs reportedly only hit 1,800 nits, which is likely why the company doesn’t specifically mention nits in its press release. Samsung also says that its new TVs feature more accurate colours and are more energy efficient.

Sizes this year include 49-inches, 55-inches, 65-inches and 77-inches. Beyond the new display technology, nothing else is known about these TVs yet, but expect them to feature Tizen OS, HDR10+, HDMI 2.1, and, unfortunately, likely Bixby integration.

Canadian pricing and availability haven’t been revealed yet, but this story will be updated as more information becomes available. For a look at LG’s 2023 TVs, follow this link.

Image credit: Samsung

Source: Samsung Display

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Samsung’s Flex Hybrid OLED prototype is a 12.4-inch tablet that fits in your pocket

At CES 2023, Samsung showed off its new foldable prototype, the Flex Hybrid OLED, a tablet that can fold from one side and slide out on the other.

The phone starts off with a 4.2-inch display that can fold out to a 10.5-inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio.  Then you can further increase the display size to 12.4-inches with a 16:10 aspect ratio.

The handset is capable of doing this by sliding out an extra two inches of screens from below the right-hand side of the device. This is pretty cool, as it allows you to fit a 12.4-inch OLED tablet in your pocket.

Samsung will reportedly show off two other display devices at CES 2023.  These devices are the Flex Slideable Solo, which expands from a 14.-inch OLED panel to a 17.3-inch screen by sliding the handset open. The other device is the Flex Slideable Duet, which slides from both sides of the screens to create the same size display.

Image Credit: Samsung 

Source: Samsung, Via: Engadget

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Samsung’s new oven uses AI to recommend cooking temperatures

It’s rare that a smart appliance actually feels smart, and that will likely still be the case for Samsung’s upcoming Bespoke AI Oven.

For example, my LG ThinQ dishwasher is smart but I can’t turn it on remotely. All its internet connectivity is good for is downloading custom washing cycles and recommending me to buy some specific rinse agent through incessant notifications.

That hasn’t stopped appliance makers from including Wi-Fi in appliances, however. This is where Samsung’s pre-CES reveal of the Bespoke AI Oven comes in. According to Samsung, the AI Oven is capable of automatically recognizing what you’ve asked it to cook and set the appropriate temperature, time and mode. It even includes “burn detection” in the EU, according to the company’s press release.

This AI recognition is powered by an internal camera that recognizes “80 different dishes and ingredients.” There’s also a 7-inch touchscreen (because every stove needs a massive touchscreen) that allows users to adjust settings and features manually. It’s worth noting that features seem to be region-specific given the European version of the Bespoke AI Oven can recognize 106 dishes, 26 more than its U.S. counterpart.

As you may have guessed, the AI oven’s camera can also be used to livestream the inside of your oven to social media as well as check on your cooking without opening the door. As expected, Samsung says that this feature is “great for content creators and avid chefs who want to share their dishes.”

Finally, an oven for Twitch streamers — just what the world needed.

Samsung says it plans to launch the Bespoke AI Oven in the U.S. and the EU in Q3 2023. It’s unclear how much the oven will cost or it if will release in Canada. In other CES 2022 Samsung news, the company also recently revealed a 57-inch curved monitor.

Image credit: Samsung

Source: Samsung

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Samsung unveils 57-inch curved monitor at CES 2023

Samsung has revealed a new lineup of monitors for CES 2023, including one that’s remarkably wide.

That would be the 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9, a curved, dual UHD mini-LED model with a resolution of 7,860 x 2,160 pixels, 32:9 aspect ratio, HDR and a 240Hz refresh rate. Additionally, Samsung says this is the first gaming monitor with DisplayPort 2.1 connectivity.

Samsung is also set to release the ViewFinity S9, a 27-inch, colour-accurate 5K monitor with a 5,120 x 2,880 display. The S9 will support HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, DisplayPort and more. All in all, it’s poised to be a competitor to Apple’s Studio Display and LG’s more expensive OLED monitors.

Other monitors Samsung is showing off at CES 2023 include the Odyssey Neo G7, a 43-inch, 144Hz Quantum Dot, DisplayHDR 600 model, and the Odyssey G95SC, which it says is the first OLED gaming monitor with a 32:9 aspect ratio. It’s also got a 5,120 x 1,440 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate and a Dual Quad-HD display.

As is normally the case with CES announcements, pricing for these monitors has yet to be revealed and will instead come later in the year.

CES 2023 officially runs from January 5th to 8th in Las Vegas. For more on the tech-focused event, stay tuned to MobileSyrup.

Image credit: Samsung

Source: Samsung

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Lenovo unveils several laptops ahead of CES 2023

Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the new year, Lenovo has rolled out a ton of product announcements. The announcements include no less than six (six!) laptops, a desktop, a tablet, and a few monitors. And we’re likely to get more announcements from Lenovo related to CES come January.

Since we’ve got so many products to go over, let’s just dive in.

Laptops

First up, we’ve got the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5/5i, IdeaPad Slim 5/5i, and IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 and 5i (pictured in the header image) come in 14- and 16-inch sizes in either ‘Artic Grey’ or ‘Frost Blue.’ Unfortunately, only the 16-inch Pro 5i will be available in North America. It offers “up to the latest Intel Processor” and “up to an Nvidia GeForce Next-Gen Laptop,” although Lenovo didn’t specify which CPUs and GPUs would actually be available.

Other IdeaPad Pro 5i features include a 25 percent larger touchpad, expandable SSD storage, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and a QHD+ resolution. The IdeaPad Pro 5i that will be available in North America will start at $1,499.99 USD (roughly $2,049.08 CAD) and will be available starting in May 2023.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i

There’s also the IdeaPad Slim 5 and 5i Gen 8 in 14- and 16-inch variants (only the 16-inch models will be available in North America). The IdeaPad Slim’s OLED display offers up to a 2.5k resolution with 400 nits of brightness. Moreover, the Slim 5i sports up to the latest Intel Core processor, while the Slim 5 offers upto the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. They come in three colours — ‘Violet,’ ‘Cloud Grey,’ and ‘Abyss Blue.’

The IdeaPad Slim 5i will start at $749.99 USD (about $1,024.53 CAD) and the Slim 5 will start at $649.99 USD (approximately $887.93 CAD). Both will be available in May 2023.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 3i

Finally, the IdeaPad Flex 3i Chromebook offers a 360-degree hinge for 2-in-1 use. Lenovo says the Flex 3i’s battery lasts up to 12 hours on a charge and it runs on the latest N-series Intel CPU. The Flex 3i will start at $349.99 USD (about $478.11) when it becomes available in May 2023.

Alongside the consumer laptops, Lenovo showed several ThinkPad laptops aimed more at businesses. There’s the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11, ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8, and ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 3. The X1 laptops are built on Intel’s Evo platform and offer the latest generation of up to Intel Core i7 CPUs and up to 64GB of RAM. All three will be available in April 2023 starting at:

  • ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 – $1,729 USD (about $2,361.92 CAD)
  • ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 – $1,859 USD (roughly $2,539.51 CAD)
  • ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 3 – $1,649 USD (approximately $2,252.63 CAD)

Desktop and tablets

Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini 5i

The desktop unveiled by Lenovo is the IdeaCentre Mini 5i, a tiny, Mac mini-style PC. It sports a built-in power supply unit and a chassis that Lenovo says can be easily opened, allowing users to access the dual-vortex cooling fan and memory chip. It’s got the latest Intel Core CPU, two DDR4 memory chips, up to 1TB of SSD storage, Wi-Fi 6 support, and more.

The IdeaCentre Mini will start at $649.99 USD (roughly $887.93 CAD) and will be available starting Q2 2023.

Lenovo Tab M9

Lenovo also showed off its Tab M9 tablet running Android 12. Sporting a MediaTek Helio G80 Octa-Core CPU, 128GB of storage and a 9-inch ID display, the Tab M9 looks like a decent option for watching Netflix and playing games. It will cost $139.99 USD (about $191.23 CAD) and is expected to be available starting in Q2 2023.

Monitors

Lenovo’s P49w-30 is a one wide boy

Lenovo listed several monitors, but the only one really worth writing about was the wild ThinkVision P49w-30. It’s a 49-inch ultrawide display with up to 13 ports, two of which support Thunderbolt 4 with up to 100W of power delivery and that can be used to daisy chain other Thunderbolt 4 monitors (if you even have room for one after placing this behemoth on your desk).

Lenovo expects the P49w-30 to be available starting in June 2023 for $1,699.99 USD (about $2,322.29 CAD)