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Smart coffee maker brews your next cup right when you get home
Sure, you can get connected coffee makers, but they tend to brew whole pots (or multiple cups). What if you just want a hot cup o' joe when you get home? That's where Smarter's new WiFi Coffee Machine comes into play. The device lets you remotely brew individual cups through an Android or iOS app, complete with scheduling. You can have it wake you up when your coffee's ready, and it'll offer to grind and pour that beverage when you step in the door.
Why Chinese tech giants could surprise you at CES 2015
The spotlight doesn't often fall on the lesser-known Chinese-speaking (both mainland and Taiwanese) companies that set up booth space each January at CES. But if you do pay close attention to their yearly reveals, you'll often find some of the show's more interesting gadgets. Brands like ASUS and Lenovo (among many others) have a knack for either inventing new device categories or pushing the limits of existing formulas. They virtually define the landscape for hybrid PCs, and they're often willing to stretch the boundaries of smartphones, wearables and TVs. In anticipation of the coming CES, we attempt to gauge just what each of these major Chinese-language players will bring to Las Vegas in 2015. But first, let's indulge in a little history lesson.
All of Samsung's new smart TVs run Tizen, stream TV to your phone
This summer Samsung showed off prototype HDTVs powered by its homegrown Tizen OS (pictured above and in the gallery), and things have apparently progressed far enough for the company to go all-in on the software next year. While Tizen hasn't taken over on phones or smartwatches yet, Samsung says every one of its 2015 smart TVs will be based on it. So what can the TVs do? Other than run PlayStation Now for cloud-streamed gaming, they can stream TV to Samsung mobile devices that are nearby. It uses Bluetooth LE to detect devices in range then WiFi Direct for the connection, and can work even when the TV is off. Samsung demonstrated a Google TV once upon a time, but it apparently isn't into helping the folks from Mountain View push Android in the living room. We should get a better sense of how the new platform works, including a revamped Smart Hub UI, next week in Las Vegas -- see you in 2015.
LG will show off curved, 21:9 and 4K monitors at CES
As you've probably read by now, LG's keen on tipping its hand ahead of our arrival in Las Vegas for CES. This year is no different, and with today's news the company focuses on monitors. First up, LG has a 21:9 display with AMD's FreeSync tech in order to keep things smooth during intense gaming sessions. In fact, the company says it's the first to do so on an ultra wide option. The added feature "guarantees the smoothest and most seamless gaming experience, generating fluid motion without any loss of frame rate," for those looking to upgrade any current setup. The 34UM67 (pictured above) also has a Black Stabilizer to illuminate dark scenery and a Dynamic Active Sync mode that keeps input lag to a minimum. Of course, you'll need to be sure your favorite title supports 21:9 resolution, but games like Battlefield 4 and World of Warcraft already do. For folks not looking for a gaming-specific display, there will be a couple more 21:9 options shown off in the desert.
Samsung announces a curved-screen all-in-one and its thinnest laptop yet
We hope you like super skinny laptops, because you're going to be seeing a hell of a lot more of them in 2015. Samsung just took the veil off its new ATIV Book 9 Ultrabook, which comes in at just 0.45 inch thick and 2.09 pounds. That's insanely compact for a 12.2-inch machine and indeed, it's the thinnest and lightest notebook Samsung has released yet. (Given Sammy's history with razor-thin laptops, that's saying a lot.) Like so many other slim machines that have come out lately, the Book 9 uses one of Intel's new Core M processors, which were designed specifically to allow for skinnier designs.
Samsung's new 'ring' speakers pipe sound in every direction
Samsung has tackled just about every kind of speaker you can imagine, but it hasn't had an answer to hot-selling 360-degree speakers like the UE Boom. Well, that changes today: the Korean firm has unveiled the WAM6500 and WAM7500, its first compact one-piece speakers to promise room-filling sound. Both center around a "ring radiator" that pipes audio in every direction while supposedly striking a careful balance between bass and treble. If you ask us, though, they're as much about the "premium" styling as anything else. The portable 6500 (above) looks like the kettle from an avant garde kitchen, while the tabletop-oriented 7500 (below) could easily double as a 31st-century desk lamp. Samsung hasn't divulged pricing, but these fashion-forward designs will likely command a premium.
Yes, LG will have new 4K TVs at CES next week
Ending a long period of speculation, LG revealed that it will have new TVs of the extra-large, super duper high-res variety to show off during CES next week. While that's not really a surprise, one thing we should note is that all of them are flat -- no anti-curved glasses necessary here. Spanning eight different product lines (UC9, UB9800, UF9500, UF9400, UF8500, UF7700, UF6800 and UF6700), LG's Ultra HD TVs have more than just the quantum dot and webOS 2.0 Smart TV updates we've heard about. They're also thinner than ever (of course), with promised upgrades for the color balance and black levels. The embedded 4K video decoder can handle 30fps or 60fps inputs and is "future-proof" for future standards, but we haven't heard specific details about things like expanded color depth.
With webOS and wearables, LG's moving beyond just displays at CES
Samsung and Sony may grab a larger share of the CES fanfare, but don't count LG out. It has quite the annual presence in Las Vegas, too. The Korean company uses the tech industry's January soiree as the backdrop for a wide selection of product reveals -- everything from wearables to smartphones to 4K TVs -- and it has a sizable booth to house it all. It's almost a given that LG will offer up improvements to more of the same at this CES. But before we try to gauge what the company may have in store for 2015, let's first take a look at how far LG's come.
Vizio 'anti-curved glasses' ad takes aim at gimmicky HDTVs
Vizio is cracking jokes about fellow TV manufacturers like LG and Samsung with this new ad for anti-curved glasses. While we weren't bothered by it in our observations, we also haven't seen a ton of benefit from the approach yet. As usual, Vizio is separating itself from the pack by promising tech customers want, at a lower price, something it claimed when the others were pushing expensive 3D glasses or charging a ton for WiFi-equipped smart TVs. The tagline for 2015? "Beautifully flat Ultra HD." Vizio won't be showing off its TVs in Las Vegas this year, but the ad will give us something to consider while we're checking out what all the others have to offer.
LG's Sonos-fighting WiFi speakers add a battery powered option
The race to CES continues, and today we're saying hello to the 2015 generation of LG's Music Flow WiFi speakers. Last seen at the IFA trade show in Europe, the big addition this time around is its first battery-powered model, the H4. While Bluetooth speakers are a dime-a-dozen, LG claims that its approach -- linking the speakers via WiFi -- means users can keep streaming music from their phone, even when a call comes in, for example, or stream directly from any supported services. Sonos gained a direct WiFi link with its upgrade a few months ago, but this Music Flow setup (and related control app for Android or iOS) has been in the works from LG for a while. There are three other WiFi speakers and upgraded WiFi soundbars coming to the show in Las Vegas too, and hopefully when we see them there will be price tags attached.
How Samsung became the king of CES and where it's going next
Long before Transformers director Michael Bay choked onstage at Samsung's lavish CES 2014 press conference, the Korean company was just another electronics outfit begging for attention. But after decades at CES, Samsung is now the undisputed king of the show. Its blowout media events are the largest and most difficult to get into. Samsung Electronics CEO BK Yoon is kicking off the show next month by hosting the prestigious opening keynote. And it's one of the few tech giants left standing at CES, as Microsoft and others abandon it. Samsung's glorious rise mirrors its ascent in the mobile industry, and it's also yet another example of the company's oft-repeated formula for success: Time, money and perseverance lead to victory.
webOS 2.0 will make LG's smart TVs much faster next year
The usual pre-CES flood of information is under way, and LG is announcing details of the webOS 2.0 package its smart TVs will ship with in 2015. Improving on the menus we already dug at last year's show, LG says that the new versions will improve mainly in speed, with power-on boot time reduced by 60 percent, and a 70 percent improvement when switching from the home screen to YouTube. Sluggish, unresponsive apps have been a major pain point for "smart" TVs since their introduction, so it's good to see that addressed. One thing that will remain an issue however, is that the 2.0 upgrades will require a new display, as we haven't heard about an upgrade for existing sets (or other platforms like smartwatches, or even phones). According to LG, the first webOS sets were quite popular, with over five million sold through eight months.
LG says next year's 4K TVs will be better because of quantum dots
LG has announced that next year, it will have a new set of 4K TVs to slot between its existing Ultra HD LCDs and super-colorful OLED models. These are different because they use quantum dot technology, which LG says will make for a wider color palette and better color saturation than regular LCDs. Sony's already using the technology in its high-end TVs, and reports have indicated that Samsung will offer LCDs with quantum dots as well. The tech used here will use nanocrystals in sizes of 2 to 10 nm that show a different color based on their size, laid in a film over the usual IPS LCD. LG has committed heavily to OLED as a display technology of the future, but even with prices dropping rapidly, it's still out of range for most buyers. As a result, improving traditional LCDs -- and trying to convince folks to upgrade to 4K at all -- is where the key battles will be. The new TVs will be available in 55- and 65-inch versions at first, and you can be sure we'll be taking a close look at them in Las Vegas next month.
Engadget Daily: Alienware Alpha, what to expect from Sony at CES, and more
Interested in Alienware's Alpha Steam Machine? We reviewed it. Wondering what Sony has up its sleeve for CES 2015? We have that too. In fact, we rounded up a whole bunch of today's news highlights in the gallery below, including the latest on Nintendo's Amiibo figurines, Seagate's uber-cheap hard drive and a wearable that shoots fireballs. Enjoy.
What to expect from Sony at CES 2015
Didn't we just leave Vegas? Tech journalists the world over are probably asking themselves that question right now, and with good reason -- the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show is set to open its many, many doors in sunny Nevada in just a few short weeks. To celebrate (and prepare for) the world's biggest tech expo, we're taking a closer look at the some of the industry's most prominent players, starting with Sony's storied history at the show and where it's going next.
Engadget decides the Best of CES 2015: Here's how it goes down
Repeating the events of CES 2014, Engadget's once again in charge of the Best of CES awards. A cocktail of trepidation and adrenaline, we love exploring the country's biggest tech convention and hunting down the best on show. AS CES 2015 happens, and we reveal the nominees and eventual winners, we'll be giving you, our passionate readers, the chance to decide our Peoples' Choice winner. But before even get to that, let's talk submissions. Whether you're a company (from tech giant to scrappy start-up) with something amazing to show us, or a reader simply curious about the rules, you'll find all the info you need at our newly-christened awards hub. We've honed and tweaked the categories (and even created some new ones) this time -- let's take a closer look at them.
Trouble sleeping? A snooze-inducing cap might help
If you can't get to sleep at night, then you've probably been told to avoid cheese, say no to caffeine after lunchtime and drink a cup of warm milk before bed. That was good advice, or at least it was, until the advert of the Sleep Shepherd, which is a beanie that promises to gently send you to sleep and wake you up at the right time. Equipped with a variety of sensors, the headgear monitors your brain activity and sends a soothing pulse to your noggin to convince you that it's time to stop thinking about what Dave at the office said to you that morning.
Coming this January: The 2015 Best of CES Awards, brought to you by Engadget
We know. It's only September, but it's never too early to start dreaming of that greatest of all gadget gatherings, the International CES. As always, the Engadget editorial team will descend upon the Las Vegas Convention Center this January to bring you all the action as the Official Blog and Online News Source of the show. And, just like last year, we're also choosing the Best of CES awards! As we comb the floor of the world's largest consumer tech trade show, we'll be looking for truly stand-out products worthy of becoming 2015's Best of CES -- but that doesn't mean we're waiting until we touch down in the desert to begin our search. We're accepting nominations starting November 1st, when we'll dish out all the info you need to know to put your device in the running. [Image Credit: Samaruddin Stewart, AOL]
