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LG will show off its paper-thin, rollable OLED panel at CES
In 2014, LG announced that it built an 18-inch OLED panel that rolls up just like a newspaper. Now, it's ready to show off its ultra-thin beauty to the public CES. It's just one of many concepts that LG hopes will show off what it can do with OLED these days. Back when it was first announced, LG said the rollable OLED panel was only 3 mm thick and featured a 1,200 by 810 pixel resolution. It's unclear if anything has changed over the years, but we'll report back once we check it out. More so than curved screens, thin rollable displays could make truly futuristic devices possible -- imagine a digital news reader that actually felt like a newspaper.
Fords with Sync 3 are getting Android Auto and CarPlay
Owners of Ford vehicles with Sync 3 will soon be able to enjoy Android Auto or Apple's Car Play in their cars. The automaker announced that its connected car system will start playing nicer with your mobile-platform of choice.
Whirlpool integrates Amazon's Dash into its smart appliances
Whirlpool has come out swinging at this year's CES with a slew of connected kitchen appliances and an app that will be integrated with Amazon's Dash Replenishment Service. It's actually one of many appliance brands to have the integration this year, and it's doing so with its brand new Smart Kitchen Suite. Simply hook up your Amazon account to the Whirlpool app, and you can reorder a new batch of, say, detergent whenever your supply is low.
Samsung's 2016 Smart TV remote controls all your devices
It's not too hard to simplify your home theater if you get a Harmony remote or the right HDMI-CEC gear, but Samsung wants the experience to be even simpler than that. Its 2016 Smart TVs are launching with a Smart Control remote that can recognize and control all kinds of devices, including game consoles, dedicated media hubs and your service provider's set-top box. Theoretically, you only need the one Tizen-powered remote to steer your whole media setup -- a big deal if you're tired of shuffling multiple remotes to start a movie.
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 line adds OLED and a Surface rival
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon must still be a hit with the pro laptop crowd, as the PC maker is unveiling no less than three ThinkPad X1 models at CES... and it's shaking up the formula in the process. The headliner is the ThinkPad X1 Tablet (above), which takes a clear stab at the slate-plus-keyboard concept made popular by Microsoft's Surface line. The detachable keyboard and optional stylus are the main hooks, but Lenovo is also introducing unique modules that change the role of the 12-inch machine. A $149 productivity module gives you 5 hours of extra battery, extra ports and wired docking, while a similarly-priced 3D imaging module captures objects. You can even get a $279 projector module, in case you need to make an on-the-spot presentation.
'Mad Max: Fury Road' is an Ultra HD Blu-ray launch title
Ultra HD Blu-ray is finally coming in 2016, and while we'll hear more about its 4K movies this week at CES, Warner Bros. is kicking things off by announcing some of the first movies on the way. Right out of the gate, it's offering Mad Max: Fury Road, San Andreas, The Lego Movie and Pan. They're promised for the "initial launch" early this year, although there's no exact date mentioned. More movies will arrive later this year and Warner says it plans to release over 35 in 2016, although only Man of Steel and Pacific Rim have been named.
Samsung soundbar gives you Dolby Atmos out of the box
As immersive as Dolby Atmos' vertical audio is, it's not viable for everyone. You might not have the space for all those speakers, especially if you have to buy some of them after the fact. Samsung thinks it has an answer, though. It's launching the HW-K950, the first soundbar to include a pair of Atmos-capable wireless speakers in the box -- and Samsung's first Atmos soundbar of any kind, for that matter. The 5.1.4-channel combo should give you immersive audio without either consuming precious home theater real estate or making you hunt down some add-ons. Samsung isn't divulging pricing or ship dates, but it's reasonable to presume that the K950 will sit at the higher end of the price spectrum.
Alcatel OneTouch unveils its first Windows 10 tablet
Alcatel OneTouch is primarily focusing on Android phones these days, but it's not averse to showing Microsoft some affection. The company is coming to CES with the Pixi 3 tablet, its first slate running Windows 10 Mobile (or any mobile version of Windows, for that matter). There's not much to say about the 8-inch device's specs just yet, but Alcatel is promising GPS, TV remote control and voice call support in an "entry level" design. In short, you won't pay much to get a fairly complete Windows experience -- the only unknowns for the Pixi 3 are its exact price and when it ships.Update 1/5: The tablet will sell for the equivalent of $199 in Europe and Latin America. There's no mention of a US release, but Alcatel OneTouch is open to the possibility if there's enough demand.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A Volkswagen van, and more!
Sea levels are rising as arctic ice melts, so what will cities do to combat rising tides? According to architect Vincent Callebaut, they'll set sail. This week Callebaut unveiled plans for a futuristic floating village that can be 3D-printed from plastic waste. Meanwhile, the team behind the world's largest 3D printer announced plans to create a life-size replica of Syria's Palmyra arch, which was destroyed by Islamic State militants. In other architecture news, Thomas Heatherwick wants to build a tree-covered mountain in the middle of Shanghai, and a team of Harvard students built an amazing tiny home that you can rent for $99 a night.
LG's 2016 TVs include its first production 8K set
Forget all the hype about 4K at CES last year -- this year's trend is 8K. LG has revealed some of the first details about its 2016 TV lineup, and the highlight is its first production-grade 8K model, the UH9800. The Korean tech giant isn't saying much about what this 98-inch monster will offer or when it ships, but it's safe to say that this won't be an impulse purchase when Sharp's 8K screen costs about $130,000.
What ever happened to last year's Best of CES winners?
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas -- and the same can be said of some products unveiled at the world's biggest tech show. What we see and report on at CES doesn't always lead to something we can buy, and that's doubly true of all the crowdfunded products that have stolen the show in recent years. So, how about our Best Of CES award winners? Glorious, glamorous concepts of the future aside, how many are still happening? Did any of our highlights from last year actually make it into stores? The conclusion is, well, mixed. And it's not just crowdfunded startups that failed to deliver.
What do the biggest tech companies have in store for CES?
Don't get us wrong: When Team Engadget arrives at CES in Vegas next week, we plan to be thorough, combing through aisles upon aisles of crapgadgets so that you don't have to. But before we start trawling the Las Vegas Convention Center, there are a few booths we plan to hit up as soon as the show floor opens. Think: the Samsungs and Sonys of the world (and LG and Intel too). Here's what we expect them to show off.
Qualcomm teases its chip for drones with autonomous navigation
We've known about Qualcomm's drone ambitions for a few months now, but it looks like the company is ready to demo the goods. Ahead of CES next week, the chipmaker teased features of its Snapdragon Flight drone platform. If you'll recall, Qualcomm is aiming to do for drones what its done for phones. And that starts with putting camera and communications tech on the same board. Perhaps most notably, Snapdragon Flight offers and autonomous navigation mode. This means when you're done filming, you can push a button and the UAV will return to the launch pad, avoiding any objects that block its path.
HTC and Valve's Vive VR system passes through the FCC
Getting certified by the Federal Communications Commission for safe use is a rite of passage for every legal gizmo, and the joint virtual reality project from HTC and Valve, the Vive, recently passed by the regulatory agency. It's a requirement for any product to be sold and typically happens in the run up to consumer release, which backs up HTC's promise of an April launch window for the Vive headset and its Lightroom controller-and-motion-tracking tech. Road to VR writes that certification was expected to face a few challenges given the nature of its laser tracking and possible safety issues. But hey, I wouldn't be writing this if those perceived hurdles hadn't been cleared.
What to expect from CES in 2016
In just a few days the Engadget team will be getting on a plane (well several different planes) and heading to Vegas. That's right, it's time for CES again -- the biggest consumer technology show of the year. Each January some of the largest (and some of the smallest) names in tech bring their newest and shiniest wares to the desert. Wondering what to expect this year? For starters, definitely more wearables, more connected home goods and, yes, all the TVs. Need more detail? Check out the gallery below for a breakdown of what we expect to see on the ground.
LG has a smarthome hub that looks a lot like an Amazon Echo
LG is like the kid who can't keep what he got you for Christmas a secret. Except here, it isn't gifts wrapped under the tree, it's what the electronics giant will be showing off at CES. A home automation hub, dubbed "SmartThinQ Hub," will join its smattering of monitors and laptops in Las Vegas next week. And honestly, you'd be forgiven if you mistook it for Amazon's cylindrical Echo after a quick glance. LG says that the Internet of Things gizmo "serves as a gateway to smart sensors and connected appliances" but it'll also stream music and via its 3.5-inch LCD, display calendar reminders. No TV required!
Samsung to show off its secret lab's projects at CES 2016
Samsung is finally showcasing projects out of its secret laboratory called Creative Lab for the first time at CES next week. One of the three projects it's launching is Welt: a smart belt that helps you maintain your waistline by counting steps and monitoring the time you spend sitting down, as well as your eating habits. Next is rink, which is a hand-motion controller for games and experiences on virtual reality headsets. Instead of designing it to look like a typical pair of gloves, its creator decided to make them as straps worn around your hands, as you can see in the image above.
Samsung is putting SmartThings hubs in its 2016 HDTVs
All the smart TVs in Samsung's 2016 lineup can connect to its SmartThings platform, the company has revealed. Even better, it equipped all the flagship TVs, which it calls SUHDs, within next year's product list with the IoT hub technology it snapped up in 2014. In other words, those SUHDs can connect to Samsung devices and all the SmartThings-compatible lights, thermostats, cameras, motion (and other types of) sensors you have in your home. The TVs will most likely be able to control them all through a single user interface.
BMW to show how gestures will control the cars of the future
BMW, like a number of other automakers, is keen on showing off its latest tech at CES. This year will be no different as the company plans to demo its AirTouch concept in Las Vegas next week. AirTouch is but one feature of BMW's Vision Car that aims "to demonstrate what the interior and the user interface of the future might look like." More specifically, AirTouch allows passengers to control the car's features with gestures rather than having to interact with a touchscreen. There's still a display that shows navigation, entertainment and communication info, but sensors track hand gestures in the space between the dash and the rear-view mirror rather than requiring taps on the screen.
LG to launch high-end appliance lineup at CES
You wouldn't usually associate LG with luxury appliances, but that could change with the introduction of its new lineup. The Korean company is preparing to launch premium home appliances at CES 2016, and the products will be released under a distinct brand called "LG Signature." It's keeping details hush-hush as of now, but it did reveal that the first appliances out of the lineup are a television, a refrigerator, an air purifier and some washing machines.
