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LG's 49-inch, ultrawide monitor is a multitasker's dream
That rollable OLED TV from LG may have stolen the show at CES 2019, but the company's got a slew of other interesting products up its sleeve. The LG 49WL95C is a 49-inch, ultrawide monitor (32:9 aspect ratio) with a Dual QHD display (5,120 x 1,440 resolution) and two built-in 10W stereo speakers with "Rich Bass." The super wide and high-res screen also features support for HDR 10, USB Type-C and an adjustable stand that lets you swivel it, tilt it and tweak its height.
This is what Twitter chat bubbles and status updates look like
Yesterday, Twitter revealed that it will launch a beta program to test new conversation features out in the open, and now the company's showing off what some of those changes may look like. At a CES 2019 press event, Twitter's VP of Product Keith Coleman shared a couple of screenshots of chat bubbles for threads/replies and status updates for when people are at a show like this one. The status updates Coleman teased on stage appear to be slightly different than those that popped up last year.
PAX Labs CEO on how technology will demystify cannabis
PAX makes some of the most popular cannabis vaporizers around. By fusing technology, with innovative software, the company hopes to take the mystery out of getting high. But, there are problems. Many people don't know where to start, it's still illegal in many states, and even the organizers of CES aren't quite sure how to handle companies like PAX. In our stage interview with CEO Bharat Vasan, we take a quick tour through cannabis' digital revolution.
Verizon and Disney think 5G can 'transform' entertainment
Verizon has announced at CES 2019 that it's teaming up with Walt Disney Studios to bring emerging technologies, namely 5G, to media and entertainment. The partnership is designed to deliver the network's 5G connectivity to every facet of the studio's work, from production to personal consumer experiences. According to Variety, the deal between the two companies will give Disney's StudioLab the ability to tap into Verizon's next-gen wireless broadband, which offers data transferring speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second.
Samsung's 'Bots' and exoskeleton hint at the future of care
At Samsung's press conference, the day before CES officially opened, there was the usual parade of smart home gadgets and appliances. Then right at the end, almost as an aside, the company revealed potentially the most exciting products of the show: Three robots and a line of exoskeletons. Details were sparse, all we knew was that the there was a robot for the home, one for air purifying and another for retail situations. Can you guess which of the Bot Air, Bot Care and Bot Retail (as they are called) does which?
National Inventors Hall of Fame honors creators of Unix, power drills and more
The National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) joined Engadget on stage today at CES to announce its 2019 class of inductees. While the official induction ceremony won't actually happen until May 2nd at the National Building Museum in DC, we can tell you that 19 separate innovators representing 12 different inventions will be honored. The group ranges from relatively obscure creators of a programming language used by engineers and scientists, to house hold names like S. Duncan Black and Alonzo G. Decker -- or Black & Decker -- the inventors of the first portable handheld drill. The festivities will be hosted by Danica McKellar, best known as Winnie Cooper from the Wonder Years, but also an accomplished academic and mathematician.
Twitter will test new conversation features out in the open
Twitter is launching a new program to let users reshape how conversations on its site look and feel, the company announced today in an interview with Engadget at CES 2019. The idea is for users to try out new organization and context features with their followers, such as the status updates and "ice breaker" tweets we saw being tested last year, which are designed to encourage people to talk to each other. Twitter is set to start testing the program in the coming weeks, and while anyone will be able to apply to join, only a few thousand users are actually going to get in.
Lenovo's 2-in-1 Android tablet turns into an Echo Show clone
At last year's Alexa event, Amazon teased that Lenovo would be making a tablet with Echo Show capabilities. Now at CES, we finally know more details about it. It's called the Lenovo Smart Tab, and it works as a 2-in-1 device -- a full Android tablet on its own, but it transforms into an Alexa Smart Display when placed inside a smart speaker dock.
FightCamp is a home boxing gym for the fitness tracking generation
The first rule of FightCamp? According to the enthusiastic trainers on hand here at CES: always talk about FightCamp. And, for good reason, because it looks like a pretty intense, personalized and ever-evolving way to burn off that holiday 15 (or more).
Twitter and Fox Sports are making a live show for the Women's World Cup
Following their partnership during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Twitter and Fox Sports are now teaming up on video content for another major FIFA sporting event. For the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, which is being played in France this summer, Twitter and Fox Sports are bringing back their live soccer (er, football) show from last year, though it'll now be called FIFA Women's World Cup Now. The premise is the same as the original program: It'll be live-streamed on Twitter, feature match previews, recaps, highlights, guest appearances and, naturally, the best tweets from users across the site.
The North Face teases its most breathable waterproof gear yet
As great as waterproof apparel is to keep you protected from bad weather, most jackets, pants and other gear tend to be too bulky or uncomfortable. That's a problem The North Face is well aware of, and it has come up with a new material that it believes will fix this: Futurelight, which the company is calling "the most advanced breathable waterproof outerwear technology." According to The North Face, Futurelight is its most comfortable waterproof gear yet, thanks to a design that lets air move through fabric more easily and provide "more venting than ever before.'
Whirlpool's smart oven identifies your food and cooks it perfectly
Whirlpool has already made a slew of announcements here at CES, but it's not quite done yet. Today, the appliance giant is unveiling its first-ever smart countertop oven, courtesy of W Labs, its innovation incubator. Something of a June competitor, the Whirlpool Smart Countertop Oven is able to identify foods and then choose the appropriate temperatures and algorithms to cook them to perfection. There's a camera inside so you can monitor what's going on with a companion app, a smart food thermometer, and of course cooking status notifications as well. It even has a scan-to-cook tech that will be incorporated into select frozen foods. Last but not least, it also has voice activation courtesy of Google Assistant or Amazon's Alexa, so you can just command it to set the timer or change the temperature. Along with this new oven, Whirlpool is also officially announcing Yummly Pro, a more premium level of its existing Yummly cooking platform. The pro version essentially provides step-by-step video instructions from celebrity chefs, such as Carla Hall, Richard Blais and Jet Tila. It's not clear yet, however, how much more the Pro-level access will cost. The aforementioned countertop oven will have access to the Yummly app as well. Right now, it's available with an MSRP of $799, which is about $200 more than the June. We're not quite sure it measures up to its price, but if you want to try it out yourself, it will be available for preorder in limited quantities soon. Update: Whirlpool tells us the oven is limited-edition, and W Labs only created 2,000 of them. You can preorder one here.
Petcube cameras add Alexa voice controls for the laziest pet owners
Petcube is known for making high-tech gadgets for pets, be it a box that automatically dispenses treats or a laser cam to entertainment your kitty or pup while you're away from home. This year, the company is releasing upgraded versions of them, and they're called the Bites 2 and the Play 2 respective. The key feature? Both are now powered by Alexa. That means that instead of just pressing a button to lob a snack at your precious doggy, you can say something like "Alexa, tell Petcube to feed my pet." Petcube tells us that the devices will also support all the other 50,000 or so Alexa skills, like playing music, controlling your smart lights and listening to the weather. I'm not sure why anyone would want to use their pet-treat camera to tell them the weather forecast, but hey, it's there if you want it. Both devices have other upgrades too, like an extended wide angle lens with a 180-degree room view. They also have a 4-microphone array, and 5GHz WiFi support. The Bites 2 treat cam has an updated flinging mechanism that lets you better control portions (so instead of lobbing out 12 at a time, you can now just throw a single treat) and apparently a greater arc trajectory as well. A spokesperson demonstrated this for me at CES, and it launched the treat so high that it almost hit me in the chest. The Play 2, on the other hand, has a far smoother interactive laser motion -- swiping your finger along the controls will result in a faster laser response time with less lag. Other features include 1080p HD video, 4x digital zoom, night vision, and the ability to get real-time smart alerts like if your dog is barking its head off at something. Both the Bites 2 and the Play 2 will be available in "matte silver" and "carbon black" later this spring. The Bites 2 will retail for $249 while the Play 2 is $199.
Netgear jumps into 5G with AT&T-compatible mobile hotspot
Netgear is focused on the future of connectivity at CES 2019 with new products it believes can keep you online at home and on the go. The California-based networking company is showing off two new additions to its Orbi mesh router family designed to bring internet to the dead zones of your home and the Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot to provide high-speed connections while you're away.
A Roland keyboard has Alexa built-in for voice control while you play
Alexa is handy for helping with a lot of activities, and soon the virtual assistant will help you control keyboard settings with your voice. Roland's latest keyboard, a new version of its GO:PIANO, features Alexa built-in and the company says this feature offers hands-free control while you're playing. Basically, you won't have to take your hands off the keys to tweak the sound or access specific settings -- thanks to the combination of the GO:PIANO and a new Roland Alexa Skill.
Meat-free 'Impossible Burger 2.0' tastes even closer to the real deal
The Impossible Burger has been making headlines for a couple of years now as a plant-based substitute to burgers that promises to look, taste and even "bleed" like the real deal. Today at CES, Impossible Foods is ready to unveil what is essentially Impossible Burger 2.0. According to the company, the new burger has no gluten and tastes closer to real meat than ever before.
Kodak's Smile camera and printer are its latest take on instant cameras
While most companies are at CES 2019 trying to sell people on the future of technology, Kodak showed up for the show with a whole lot of nostalgia. The camera company that was once synonymous with memorable moments is hoping people will put down their smartphones and capture the perfect picture with its Smile-branded line of instant cameras and printers.
Live from LG's CES 2019 press event!
The CES 2019 madness is kicking off with LG's press conference today. As we found out earlier this week, the company will be showing off its new OLED and LCD TVs, including two 8K sets. Rumor has it LG could be ready to unveil a foldable phone, though don't be disappointed if that doesn't actually happen here in Las Vegas. It may be waiting to introduce it later in the year, when it wouldn't have to compete for attention with the thousands of other gadgets being announced. Either way, we'll find out together and bring you the news as it happens at 11AM ET / 8AM PT. Keep your eyes on this page.
Kohler's Alexa-enabled Sensate kitchen faucet quenches thirst on command
In 2019, more than ever, we're expecting to see Alexa in everything. The Sensate faucet from Kohler is the latest example of where Amazon's voice assistant can find another home. To be fair, while a voice-activated microwave seems less than useful, a faucet (and the water that comes with it) seems at least a somewhat sensible application of hands-free technology.
This smart mirror uses AR to let you 'try on' different hair styles
We've seen a slew of smart mirrors get introduced over the past few years, including one from Panasonic that's designed to analyze your skin. But for CareOS, a company based out of Europe, it wants to make an entire connected platform for the home and beauty salons out of its Artemis smart mirror. The mirror uses augmented reality to do things like "try on" a variety of different hair colors on your, which would come in handy before you decide to get a makeover. It can also integrate with brands to let you buy facial creme, as well as show you video tutorials on how to apply the makeup you're buying.
