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The Audi E-Tron successfully merges luxury and electrification
We have quite a lot to be anxious about these days. Global warming, another potential war, increasing health care costs, Kanye, trade wars, gig economies and relatives with differing political views pouncing on us via social media. Then there's the dreaded range anxiety. A concern you still have, even though the last time you took a road trip Arrested Development was still on Fox, you're going to need at least 350 miles of range at all times. That's where the 204-mile range Audi E-Tron comes in.
Wacom’s $400 One display is perfect for amateurs
If there's one problem with Wacom's drawing displays, it's that you can't really buy one if you're just a hobbyist. After all, their price and complexity means that if you own one, you're either a professional designer, or aspire to becoming one soon. That's why Wacom has, perhaps a little belatedly, developed a $400 drawing tablet-cum-secondary display that really is for the rest of us.
Sensel tests out its shape-shifting force sensors on smartphones
Sensel has always prided itself on the flexibility of its force sensing tech. In fact, it's the primary selling point of the Morph, the company's shapeshifting touchpad that can be a drawing tablet, a drum machine or a video editing bay. But, no matter how wide of a net the Morph cast, it's definitely a bit of a niche product. So, the next step for Sensel is to get its tech into other devices made by other companies. This week at CES, it's showing off a proof of concept that puts its Pressure Grid sensor in a phone, beneath a flexible AMOLED display made by Visionox.
Watch Sony's CES 2020 press conference in nine minutes
Sony made a leftfield announcement at CES today -- it's made a car. With help from Bosch, NVIDIA and Qualcomm the company has created its first prototype vehicle under its Vision-S initiative -- pipping the likes of Google and Apple, which have been talking about doing something similar, to the post. It is, predictably, loaded with sensors and other Sony tech.
UK honors 'Tomb Raider', 'Worms' and other classics with retro postage stamps
The UK's video game legacy is being honored with a new set of commemorative stamps from the Royal Mail. The collection, which will set you back £14.25 (nearly $19), features iconic designs from the likes of Wipeout, Lemmings, Micro Machines, Worms and, of course, Tomb Raider.
Mercedes unveils crazy concept car inspired by 'Avatar'
Mercedes has made sure to play up its tech chops during the past few CES events, and this year is no different. But instead of a straight autonomous electric vehicle, it's gone a little wacky with a vehicle that's based on the Avatar movie. Yep, the James Cameron film.
Audi’s ‘empathetic’ AI:Me is about relaxing while commuting
Commuting is the worst part of driving. It's a stress-inducing piece of hell that many of us endure on a daily basis. Audi aims to eliminate that stress with a tiny self-driving car that takes you on a virtual journey while you're sitting in gridlock.
Lenovo's Smart Frame puts your digital photos on a 21.9-inch canvas
Like many of us, you probably have hundreds and thousands of photos on your phone or the cloud, never to be seen again. Sure, you could print and hang them, but if you ever want to change photos, that can be a pain. A smart display can double as a digital photo frame, but you can't exactly mount it on a wall. Lenovo has come up with a potential solution to that with the Lenovo Smart Frame. It's not cheap at $400, and it is insanely large, but it is by far one of the most elegantly designed digital photo frames I've seen.
Core brings Fitbit-style tracking to your meditation sessions
Being a tech journalist is a stressful job. And CES is the most stressful time of year. So naturally, I'm looking for any opportunity I have to take a couple of minutes, breathe, relax and just focus on myself. Which meant the first thing I did when I rolled into Unveiled -- basically the officially kickoff party for CES -- was wander over the booth for Core, a device designed to help you meditate.
Byton's infotainment system will feature Garmin and ViacomCBS
Since its inception, Byton has been touting its in-car experience as driver-centric. So while the company's electric cars aren't on the road yet, it's back at CES to show off the latest iteration of what it'll be like to sit in their vehicle when it launches in China in mid-2020.
GE's wireless smart switch works without a hub
It's been a while since we heard from GE about its smart home arm, but today the company announced several new items designed to make its already straightforward lighting ecosystem even easier to use. Most notable of the bunch; a new smart switch and hubless dimmer model. This is an interesting addition to GE's range -- and an industry first -- because there's no need for any additional tech (such as a hub) to integrate them with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa for voice control.
BMW’s plug-in hybrid 745e delivers tech and luxury at a price
The buyers of electrified cars and SUVs typically purchase those vehicles to save money or to have a lower impact on the environment. The BMW 745e plug-in hybrid is a bit different. With a starting price of $95,550, it's definitely not catering to the frugal. It does reduce your carbon footprint, but not as much as I'd like.
Apple spent 2019 giving us most of what we wanted
There's a quote by Henry Ford that's often wheeled out by Apple kremlinologists who claim to know the company well. It's the infamous line that Ford never asked people what they wanted because all they wanted was "faster horses." The implication is that Apple's designers, locked in their steel and glass monastery, are far better placed to know what we want than we do.
Samsung's next foldable phone could have a glass display
Samsung teased a new foldable phone concept back in October, and leaked images from earlier this month suggest the next Galaxy Fold may well come with the unique clamshell form the company had hinted at. Now, if new rumors are true, it's pushing the envelope even further and will be making the display -- the foldable display -- out of glass.
Lucid Motors doesn’t want to be a ‘Tesla Killer’
Lucid's CEO Peter Rawlinson is tired of hearing the term "Tesla killer." Yes, the Lucid Air will be an electric sedan with a proposed range of 400 miles, but Rawlinson is aiming at the luxury market. "Our main competitors are Mercedes, Audi, and BMW." He wants the automaker to build the electric version of the S Class, the pinnacle of German luxury. Pulling that off would be a coup. Fortunately, Rawlinson knows a thing or two about coups.
Chipotle is redesigning its restaurants to better serve mobile orders
No one wants to wait in line for their Chipotle order, and honestly, most people don't want to talk to anyone either. For those reasons, Chipotle's "digital business" -- orders placed through the app, online or via third-parties like DoorDash -- has grown to $1 billion. Now, Chipotle says it's going to make the digital ordering process even better with new restaurant designs optimized for pickups.
Apple, Amazon and Google unite to help create a universal smart home standard
Smart home devices are a godsend for the busy, the disorganized and the plain ol' lazy, but getting them up and running can still be a complicated pain in the backside. Some products work with others while others only work in specific ecosystems, so even deciding which devices to go for in the first place can be a hassle. But now, three of the biggest names in smart home tech are working together to simplify matters.
Willow's CES booth will double as a safe space for breast-pumping moms
CES is just around the corner and that means two things: the opportunity to get up close and personal with exciting new tech, and horrifyingly long lines for the men's bathroom. It's no secret that tech is still a very male-dominated industry, and to highlight the inequality that continues to abound, breast pump brand Willow is aiming to replicate the famous bathroom queues at its booth, which it is turning into a comfortable pumping space for conference-going moms.
Puma’s first ‘active gaming footwear’ is a sock
Sports and fashion have gone hand in hand for decades, so it's no surprise that esports is slowly but surely making a similar impact. Nike has launched esports jerseys, Adidas has signed Ninja, and now Puma is getting in on the action with the launch of its "active gaming footwear." Or, more specifically, "gaming socks."
The legendary Nintendo PlayStation prototype is up for auction
For years it was the stuff of legend -- a games console that incorporated both a CD drive and SNES cartridge slot made with the official backing of PlayStation and Nintendo? But back in 2015 we saw the magical prototype for ourselves and even had a play with it. Now, after years of touring the world to show off the system to classic gaming fans, the owner of what is believed to be the only remaining Nintendo PlayStation system is putting the console up for sale.
