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Tobii proves that eye tracking is VR's next killer feature
There are plenty of ways virtual reality headsets could get better. They could offer higher-resolution screens (like the new Vive Pro), a wider field of view and improved built-in tracking sensors. But another feature might be even more essential: eye tracking. It's not a new concept -- we've been following FOVE's eye-tracking headset, as well as 7Invensun's Vive accessory, for a few years now. But it seems more important than ever as consumer VR winds up. Tobii, a company that's been exploring the potential of eye tracking for a while, is hoping to integrate its technology into the next generation of VR headsets. And based on some demos I saw, it's clearly not a question of if VR headsets will get eye tracking. It's when.
Mexico's CES 2018 presence is the start of something big
For many technology entrepreneurs and startups, CES is where dreams are born. It's the place where their concepts and products are showcased to the masses for the first time ever, all with the hope of making a dent in one of the most thriving industries at the moment. Over the past 12 years, that's been the case for Manuel Gutiérrez-Novelo, a 47-year-old Mexican entrepreneur and inventor who has been attending the show since the 2000s. Gutierrez has launched a number of products throughout the years at CES, including what he calls the world's "first" virtual reality viewer connected to a computer, in 2006.
CES showed us smart displays will be the new normal
Before the start of CES 2018, the only real smart speakers with a display were the Amazon Echo Show and the Echo Spot. But now that Google has partnered with several manufacturers to make a whole line of Echo Show rivals, a bona fide new device category has been born: the smart display. And based on the devices revealed this week, I believe the smart display will slowly start to outnumber smart speakers and will likely be the norm going forward.
Engadget Today | CES 2018: It's a wrap!
That's it, the show's over! It's been a wild ride, as usual. After landing here a week ago, we're glad to be packing up and heading back to our own homes, but we'll always have a soft spot in our hearts for the LVCC. We can't wait to see all the new gadgets from the show in the review lab, but for now, it's adios, see you next year. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.
Dolby knows what you're feeling at the movies
If you thought it was creepy that technology lets networks know what you're watching, you'd better sit down. It turns out that Poppy Crum, chief scientist at Dolby Labs, has been researching how our bodies and emotions react to what we see and hear. Don't panic, though. All that information is being used to understand how to make us feel more when we watch a Hollywood epic, as Crum explained to Engadget on stage at CES. Watch the highlights in the video above. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.
Cubinote prints colorful sticky notes from your smartphone
Even with all the reminder and to-do apps out there, plenty of people are still fond of physical sticky notes. And if you don't want to pick one over the other, there's a startup trying to bring the best of both worlds together. Cubinote is a Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled printer that pairs with an iOS or Android app to make sticky notes on the fly. The company says the product could come in handy if you, say, want to leave it at your home office and send reminders or other random notes to it from your workplace. Or if your parents don't live in the same city as you and you want to send them messages every now and then.
Engadget Today | The darkness after the storm
Technology and innovation are amazing. It's why we do what we do here at Engadget every day. But it's all for naught if the electricity goes. There was no reminder of this more timely or apt than a huge power failure at CES on Wednesday. Exhibitors got angry, attendees got confused and companies got spicy on Twitter (oh, brands!). That didn't stop us checking out the best of the rest so far though. Enjoy.
Sphero spin-off Misty Robotics unveils its first robot for developers
Misty Robotics, the company that spun out from Sphero's advanced robotics division last year, is taking a big step toward its mission to bring a mechanical helper to homes. Today at CES, the company unveiled the Misty 1 developer robot, a cute, handmade machine that'll be sold to a lucky group of customers. The company only plans to sell a few dozen units of the Misty 1 -- at most, up to 50, according to CEO Tim Enwall. Developers will also have to apply to buy the robot for $1,500.
DeepFrame brings augmented reality to a huge screen
It's easy to feel a bit disillusioned with all the hype around augmented reality. We've seen basic examples of AR take off, with apps like Pokemon Go, but that's not exactly immersive. AR glasses, meanwhile, are still finding their legs. But Realfiction believes there's another approach: its large 64-inch screen called DeepFrame. It basically takes the AR experience we've seen from things like Meta's glasses and transforms it into something that a whole crowd of people can see. While it's not something you'd ever get at home, it could change the way we interact with stores and museums.
There’s a new sex robot in town: Say hello to Solana
It's been just short of a year since I locked eyes with Harmony, RealDoll's first sex robot, at her home in Southern California. It was an arresting experience that has remained cemented in memory. In that moment, I suddenly understood the uncanny valley, a theory posited by roboticist Masahiro Mori, nearly half a century prior. It attempts to explain the feeling of revulsion and eeriness that human onlookers experience when they encounter an artificial life-form that appears nearly, but not quite human.
A first look at Panasonic's GH5s mirrorless camera
When Panasonic announced the GH5s earlier this week, it was clear that the company created it with one simple goal in mind: to be the best 4K prosumer video camera on the market. The GH5s is being billed as the ultimate low-light shooter and a direct competitor to the king of the category, Sony's A7S II. One of the most notable features of the new camera is its 10.2-megapixel dual-ISO, multi-aspect sensor, which is half the resolution of Panasonic's 20.2-megapixel GH5. But while the GH5s may shoot at a lower res than its flagship sibling, Panasonic says that actually helps the chip handle low-light sensitivity much better.
Vote for the Best of CES 2018 People's Choice Award
We've announced our Best of CES finalists so now it's time for you to cast your vote for your favorite gadget at CES 2018! Just head over here (or below) to pick your three favorite items from our pool of finalists. You have until 6 PM ET tomorrow, January 11th, to get your votes in. Pick your 3 favorite gadgets from CES 2018
Presenting the Best of CES 2018 finalists!
Our editors have been on the ground for the better part of this week scouring every nook and cranny in Las Vegas to bring you the latest and greatest from CES 2018. And now we're ready to announce our finalists for the official Best of CES awards. Below you'll find our selections for all 16 categories, which range from best wearables to the most innovative tech we've seen at the show. We'll announce our category winners tomorrow, which is also when we'll reveal our Best of the Best award recipient, the most coveted prize of all. That special award is selected from our pool of category winners. If you want your voice heard too, no worries! There's an additional category for the People's Choice, where you can vote for your favorite entry from our compilation of finalists. Just head on over to our poll right here to vote and the one with the most votes will win our special People's Choice award. All award winners will be announced at a special ceremony tomorrow at our CES stage, so be sure to come back right here on Engadget around 5PM PST Thursday afternoon to watch it all unfold.
BMW used virtual reality to bring its latest crossover SUV to CES
When you're in Las Vegas for CES and want to show off a brand-new car before its debut at the North American Auto Show, what do you do? Well, if you're BMW, you do it virtually. The German automaker "brought" its new X2 crossover SUV to the desert with virtual reality, in a first-of-its-kind (for BMW, at least) demo experience that lets potential customers get behind the wheel and poke around the vehicle's nooks and crannies. BMW sees this as a natural bridge between looking at pictures online and reading brochures, and for the automaker, the medium seems like a logical next step to updating the shopping experience for the future.
Into the darkness at CES 2018
Shortly after 11 AM, the power went out in the central hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), bringing CES to a near standstill. The cavernous hall, measuring more than 632,000 square feet -- bigger than some aircraft hangars -- fell into silence, save for the backbeat of a few battery-powered speakers. A Tesla, parked with its doors open and headlights on, provided one of the few sources of light in an otherwise pitch-black hall.
Fitbit, Fossil and Samsung on the challenges for wearables in 2018
The first official day of CES 2018 is all wrapped up, and things were quite busy at the Engadget CES stage. Along with people like GoPro CEO Nick Woodman joining us at the show, we had other companies from the tech industry there as well. In one of our chats, we talked to executives from Fitbit, Fossil and Samsung about where they see wearables going in 2018, and what will be the biggest challenges ahead for the category. A main point of emphasis was that moving battery life from days to months is key to the success of wearables in the long term, which may seem obvious but will continue to be a main topic of discussion until there's a major breakthrough.
GoPro's Nick Woodman confirms he's 'open' to selling
It's barely the second week of 2018, and GoPro's already been through the media mill. Reports first surfaced that the company was about to begin another round of layoffs, and that it would shutter its drone business for good. Those proved to be true. Then, just two days ago, a second story claimed that GoPro was actively looking to sell off its business.
People don't want to talk to LG's big friendly robots
Last year was when talking to a smart speaker started to become the norm, but surprisingly, LG has struggled to replicate the same success with its CLOi series commercial robots. Ahead of LG's CES show, I talked to its Head of Research for Life Robots, Jaewon Chang, who updated on the company's robot trial service in South Korea's Incheon International Airport. Since deployment in July, each of the five Guide Robots has interacted with around 2,500 people. However, only a quarter of travelers used voice interaction, with the majority preferring the touchscreen mounted vertically on the robot's chest. Likewise, just as few people let the robots guide them to their destination. Chang needs to find a way to boost those figures -- and make us learn to trust these big friendly robots.
CabinR's travel bags keep thieves away with an annoying alarm
Not everyone is good at keeping track of their personal belongings, like a backpack or a messenger bag. So CabinR, a startup based out of Hong Kong, wants to help you feel safer on a journey. The company has created two bags, a backpack and a messenger model, that feature an alarm system powered by RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags to (hopefully) keep any potential thieves away from your stuff. It works quite simply: On the bag, there's an alarm device that you activate by pressing a button, and the only way to deactivate is by tapping an RFID plastic card on it.
Sony's $30,000 4K short-throw projector hides powerful sound
We've been eying Sony's short-throw projectors for the past few years, but they've always been too obscenely expensive to really take seriously. Well, that's not changing this year. In fact, the new LSPX-A1 is actually more expensive than last year's $25,000 model at $30,000. But, with that extra cost comes a major new feature: six speakers that simulate 360-degree atmospheric sound.
