Hardware

Google's new commerce framework cranks up the heat on 'agentic shopping'

To further push the limits of consumerism , Google has launched a new open standard for agentic commerce that's called Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). In brief, it's a framework that combines the power of AI agents and online shopping platforms to help customers buy more things. Thanks to the introduction of UCP, Google is offering three new online shopping features. To start, Google's AI mode will have a new checkout feature that allows customers to buy eligible products from certain US retailers within Google Search. Currently, this feature works with Google Pay, but it will soon add PayPal compatibility and incorporate more capabilities, like related product discovery and using loyalty points. On the merchant side, the UCP also established the Business Agent feature, which Google said will be a virtual sales associate that can answer product questions in a brands voice. The Business Agent will launch tomorrow with early adopters including Lowes, Michaels, Poshmark, Reebok and more. Also for retailers, the UCP is responsible for the new Direct Offers feature, which lets companies advertising with Google to present exclusive offers for shoppers who are ready to buy, directly in AI Mode. The Direct Offers feature will work in tandem with the ads in AI Mode that Google is testing. With UCP, Google Search, retailers and payment processors are joining forces to make online shopping even easier, whether it's figuring out what product to buy, completing the purchase or offering post-purchase support. According to Google, UCP is compatible with existing industry protocols, like Agent2Agent, Agent Payment Protocols and Model Context Protocol. UCP was even co-developed with industry giants like Shopify, Etsy and Walmart, and was endorsed by even more companies in the commerce ecosystem, including Macy's, Stripe, Visa and more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/googles-new-commerce-framework-cranks-up-the-heat-on-agentic-shopping-212433122.html?src=rss

California's governor plans to set aside $200 million for state EV tax credits

The loss of the federal EV tax credits may have been a huge blow to prospective buyers, but California wants to fill that gap for its residents. Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed budget for 2026-2027, which was released on Friday, includes a light-duty zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) incentive program that details a one-time infusion of $200 million. According to the budget summary , this incentive program is a critical part of the Administration's strategy to keep ZEVs affordable and accessible for all. The proposed budget still has to make it through the state's legislature later this year, but if passed, the new incentive would help continue the momentum of EV adoption across California. In the third quarter of 2025, the state saw almost 30 percent of auto sales being EVs, according to the California Energy Commission. There are no details in the budget summary outlining how exactly the $200 million would break down on a per-vehicle basis, but USA Today reported that the rebate would be an on the hood instant discount for EVs. Previously, buyers would get up to $7,500 back in federal tax rebates on new EV purchases and up to $4,000 on used EVs. For California's proposed incentives, the chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, Lauren Sanchez, told USA Today that the state is still trying to figure out if it will offer tax credits for those who buy used EVs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/californias-governor-plans-to-set-aside-200-million-for-state-ev-tax-credits-194446449.html?src=rss

Wing's drone deliveries are coming to 150 more Walmarts

Don't be surprised if you see even more drones delivering groceries across the US since the Alphabet-owned Wing announced another service expansion with Walmart over the next year. The partnership said that drone delivery services will be available at 150 more Walmart locations in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Miami and more metros that have yet to be announced. According to Wing, its top 25 percent of customers have ordered its delivery drones up to three times a week. To meet growing demand, Wing and Walmart said it will serve up to 40 million US customers and build up a network of 270 delivery locations by 2027. The partnership launched its service in August 2023 with the inaugural deliveries offered to the Dallas-Fort Worth customer base. In June 2025, Wing and Walmart increased drone delivery coverage to 100 more stores across Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa. Last month, the two companies launched their delivery service in Atlanta and are planning to kick off deliveries in Houston on January 15. Before Walmart, Wing broke into the US market by working with Walgreens to deliver health and wellness products in April 2022. Since then, the Alphabet subsidiary has partnered with DoorDash and Apian, a London-based healthcare logistics company. Besides its commercial partnerships, Wing has been working on a larger delivery drone that will be able to fly at up to 65 mph and carry up to five pounds, or double its current capacity. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/wings-drone-deliveries-are-coming-to-150-more-walmarts-180708189.html?src=rss

Instagram says accounts 'are secure' after wave of suspicious password reset requests

If you received a bunch of password reset requests from Instagram recently, you're not alone. Malwarebytes , an antivirus software company, initially reported that there was a data breach revealing the sensitive information of 17.5 million Instagram users. Malwarebytes added that the leak included Instagram usernames, physical addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and more. However, Instagram said there was no breach and that user accounts were secure. We fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people. There was no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure. You can ignore those emails sorry for any confusion. Instagram (@instagram) January 11, 2026 In Malwarebytes post, the company added that the data is available for sale on the dark web and can be abused by cybercriminals. Malwarebytes noted in an email to its customers that it discovered the breach during its routine dark web scan and that it's tied to a potential incident related to an Instagram API exposure from 2024. The reported breach has resulted in users receiving several emails from Instagram about password reset requests. According to Malwarebytes, the leaked information could lead to more serious attacks, like phishing attempts or account takeovers. In response, Instagram posted on X that users can ignore the recent emails requesting password resets. We fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people, Instagram's post on X read. There was no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure. While Instagram said this isn't a data breach, its parent company has been in hot water for data breaches in the past. If you haven't already, it's always a good idea to turn on two-factor authentication and change your password. Even better, you can review what devices are logged into your Instagram account in Meta's Accounts Center. Update, January 11, 2026, 11:10AM ET: This story and its headline have been updated with Instagram's statement that was posted on X. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/instagram-says-accounts-are-secure-after-wave-of-suspicious-password-reset-requests-192105188.html?src=rss

Elon Musk says X's new algorithm will be made open source next week

X may soon provide more insight into how its algorithm works. On Saturday, Elon Musk posted on the platform to say that the company will make the new X algorithm, including all code used to determine what organic and advertising posts are recommended to users, open source in 7 days. X's recommendation algorithm has been the subject of investigations by France and the European Commission , the latter of which recently extended through 2026 a retention order that it sent to the company at the beginning of last year. And scrutiny into the platform, along with demands for accountability, have only increased after its chatbot, Grok, was caught generating CSAM at users' requests and continues to be used to digitally undress women nonconsensually. Elon Musk's X post about open-sourcing the algorithm. Screenshot/X Musk has been making promises of open-sourcing the algorithm since his takeover of Twitter, and in 2023 published the code for the site's For You feed on GitHub. But the code wasn't all that revealing, leaving out key details, according to analyses at the time . And it hasn't been kept up to date. Of the making the new algorithm open source, Musk said in his post, This will be repeated every 4 weeks, with comprehensive developer notes, to help you understand what changed. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/elon-musk-says-xs-new-algorithm-will-be-made-open-source-next-week-225721656.html?src=rss

GameStop reportedly shuts down more than 400 US stores

Your neighborhood GameStop might be on the chopping block, along with more than 400 other retail locations across the US. As first reported by Polygon , the retailer is pursuing a severe cost-saving measure by closing up several hundred physical locations. According to a blog that keeps track of GameStop closures, there are 410 locations that are confirmed to be closing or are already closed, along with another 11 that are reportedly also on their way, as of January 10. As Polygon indicated, these closings aren't much of a surprise considering GameStop's SEC filing for December 2025 indicated that it would anticipate closing a significant number of additional stores in fiscal 2025, which ends on January 31, 2026. The same filing detailed that the company's board would pay out the GameStop CEO, Ryan Cohen, up to $35 billion in stock options, given that he increases the retailer's market cap to $100 billion. While the blog covers only closures in the US, the SEC filing also noted that GameStop is planning to reduce its presence in several other European countries and Canada. Even though GameStop saw a historic spike in market value in 2021, it has struggled with the brand's direction, as seen with failed attempts at offering a crypto locker and an NFT marketplace . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gamestop-reportedly-shuts-down-more-than-400-us-stores-210632743.html?src=rss

Dont count on Baldurs Gate 3 coming to Switch 2, as least for now

Nintendo Switch 2 owners can forget about seeing Baldurs Gate 3 in the Nintendo Store, at least as of now. In a Reddit AMA , Larian Studio's CEO, Swen Vicke , said that the team would have loved to bring the title to Switch 2, but it wasn't our decision to make. As cryptic as that may sound, Vicke's response hints that either Wizards of the Coast, which owns the Dungeons and Dragons IP that Baldur's Gate 3 is set in, or Nintendo is behind the lack of a port. When it comes to Wizards of the Coast, rumors have circulated that the game studio and Wizards of the Coast may have a strained relationship. On the other hand, Larian Studios' technical director, Bert van Semmertier , revealed in a response to another AMA question that the studio just released Divinity: Original Sin 2 on the Switch 2, adding that we love the platform and we will certainly consider Switch 2 for the next Divinity game. There's still a chance that Wizards of the Coast decides to hire another studio to pursue a port in the future, but there's been no indication yet. As for why Larian Studios won't be behind a potential Switch 2 port, the developer said in a statement last year that it would no longer develop any major content updates or expansions for Baldur's Gate 3 , nor work on a sequel. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/dont-count-on-baldurs-gate-3-coming-to-switch-2-as-least-for-now-180538969.html?src=rss

SpaceX can deploy 7,500 more Starlink Gen2 satellites with FCC approval

The Federal Communications Commission has approved SpaceXs request to deploy an additional 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites , allowing the company to launch 15,000 in all. It has also allowed SpaceX to upgrade its Gen2 satellites with advanced form factors and cutting-edge technology, to operate across more frequencies and to add more orbital shells to optimize coverage and performance. This approval will give the companys fleet a boost and will allow it to offer internet and mobile services to more parts of the globe. The satellites will also enable SpaceX to offer direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States and supplemental coverage within the US. In the United States, SpaceX has a partnership with T-Mobile , which gives its subscribers access to satellite-to-phone services. It enables subscribers to send texts and access compatible apps even in remote locations. The companies are also planning to roll out voice calls over satellite in the future. As Ars Technica notes, the FCCs announcement comes after SpaceX revealed that it was moving 4,400 satellites from an altitude of 341 miles down to 298 miles to reduce the risk of collision. SpaceX originally asked for permission to deploy 29,988 second-generation Starlinks in 2020, but the FCC only granted it permission for 7,500 in 2022. Back then the commission said that it was giving SpaceX a limited approval to help maintain a safe space environment due to concerns about orbital debris. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-can-deploy-7500-more-starlink-gen2-satellites-with-fcc-approval-180000843.html?src=rss

The CES companies hoping your brain is the next big thing in computing

At every CES Ive ever been to, theres been one or two gadgets promising to boost your mental health. In recent years, the number of companies making forays into this space has grown, and will likely continue to do so in the future. Could it be, much like the number of people wearing heart-monitoring wearables today, everyone will be strapping an EEG to their skulls a decade or so down the line? Its more likely than you think, so its worth asking what these devices are good for, what benefit they could bring, and where does the science end and the hype begin. An Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a clinical tool to monitor the electrical activity of our brains. Put very simply, our minds are constantly moving ions around, and when they reach the scalp, its possible to measure those ions. By placing electrodes on the scalp, you can record the changes in voltages pushed out by our brains more or less in real time. These voltages are commonly grouped into categories, which are often described as brain waves . Each one represents a different state of mind: Gamma (hard thinking), Beta (anxious or active), Alpha (relaxed), Theta (creative, or dreaming) and Delta (asleep). Professor Karl Friston at University College London is one of the worlds most influential neuroscientists and an expert in brain imaging. He explained that these technologies can be used to diagnose issues both in the structure and function of the brain. And while there are many technologies which can look at how our brains work, were a long way away from understanding the brain like we understand the heart. Broadly speaking, EEGs are a fairly simple tool for looking at how our minds work, but they have one benefit over more complex methods such as fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), since they work in real time. Consumer-use EEGs are nothing new in 2011 I tested the Zeo Mobile , a small device which you stuck to your forehead and wore overnight. It monitored how well you slept and sounded an alarm when you were at the top of a sleep cycle, so you woke up pretty easily. It worked well but with one downside: Its hard to sleep with a hard plastic puck stuck to your forehead. EEGs are more recently used as part of brain computer interfaces, or for neurofeedback tools to help you calibrate the quality of your meditation. InteraXon, for instance, makes the Muse headbands which will monitor your brain waves, telling you when you shift states. Last year, EEG startup Neurable partnered with Master & Dynamic to launch the MW75S Neuro , a pair of high-end headphones designed to track your focus levels. When your attention starts to wane, the system will alert you, advising you to take a rest with the hope of alleviating burnout. Neurable Daniel Cooper for Engadget At CES this year, Neurable announced a partnership with HPs gaming arm HyperX to produce EEG headsets with specific benefits for gamers. As gamers are looking for any way to improve their performance, the company has developed algorithms and training programs to help. You might already know that being in a place of high stress isnt great for your concentration and focus. Consequently, Neurable research scientist Dr. Alicia Howell-Munson walked me through a system that encourages you to reach a state of calm focus with demonstrable improvements in reaction time and accuracy. Its a system that was initially designed in partnership with Singapores Air Force to help ensure pilots remain in a state of calm focus. I sat through this demo myself, initially testing my skills in Aimlabs (a tool people use to test their reflexes) where my accuracy and reaction times were measured. Then, while wearing Neurables headset, I had to practice focusing my attention on a galaxy of dots, the greater my focus, the slower and closer together the dots got. That wasnt an easy process, and it took me nearly five minutes to reach the point where I could push all of the dots to coalesce into a single point on the screen. But, when I had, I retook the shooting gallery, and saw dramatic spikes in my performance. My accuracy increased from 91.3 to 99.1 percent, while my reaction time fell from 623ms to 532ms. Neurable HyperX headset Daniel Cooper for Engadget Neurable believes that its systems, which are designed to integrate with any manufacturers gear, has the potential to dramatically increase a persons brain health and productivity. For instance, by taking a break when a persons focus started to wane, they were able to bounce back and function for far longer than if theyd simply pushed harder. Similarly, the company can advise on your cognitive speed and brain age and guide you toward making healthy choices. The company says that this isnt just about wellness, either, as being able to identify loss of focus is vital, for instance, to help reduce auto accidents when truck drivers feel fatigued. Co-founder Adam Molnar explained that the benefits of this technology compound over time, so the more practice a user has in finding that mental state of calm focus, the easier it will be to maintain it for longer. CEO Ramses Alcaide added the companys aim is to enable people to visualize the often invisible symptoms of cognitive stress to ensure theyre looking after themselves. He added that one thing that separates Neurable from other companies is that its looking at far finer-grain detail from its EEG data. MyWaves Daniel Cooper for Engadget There are plenty of companies at CES that are using EEGs for more specific goals, such as MyWaves . It uses an EEG as part of its broader offering to use sound patterns to make it easier to go to sleep. It sells you a pricey forehead-worn EEG which you wear for a few nights over the course of a year. From there, the system produces a half hour audio file that will mirror the pattern of your delta brainwaves. It claims that, if you listen to the track before you go to bed, the experience of hearing your delta waves will help you fall asleep faster and experience more REM sleep. And there are plenty of companies which are building EEGs for you to wear to keep an eye on your mental health. Brain-Life, for instance, showed off an early prototype of Focus+, a headband EEG with a companion app that can offer feedback on your cognitive load. It can also tell you how long you can sustain your attention and how well your mind relaxes and recovers. The company didnt have details on when the hardware would be available or how much it cost, as its still early days. BrainEULink. Daniel Cooper for Engadget There is broad potential to use an EEG as a brain computer interface, such as the one worked on by Braineulink. That company has combined an EEG with an AR headset to enable people to interact with the world just with their brains. For instance, in a demonstration in the show floor at CES, I was able to turn a light on and off by focusing on it, although its hard to know how useful that would be in, for instance, creating an assistive device for folks with limited mobility. Like Brain-Life, its early days, and so theres no product that we can point to, but its clear were going to see more startups looking to enter this world. Brain-Life Daniel Cooper for Engadget As EEGs become more commonplace, its likely theyll be packaged in smaller devices which fit more seamlessly into our lives. One such example is NAOX, a French startup which has built a wearable, clinical-grade EEG into a pair of earbuds for the sort of longitudinal testing required to diagnose conditions like epilepsy. But the company is also planning on incorporating the technology into a pair of true wireless earbuds.These headphones wont be arriving until the end of 2026, but Naox says the tech is small enough that it can be integrated with other companies earbuds. Consequently, its certainly plausible we could see plenty of earbuds that will keep an eye on our brain health as a side hustle. Naox Daniel Cooper for Engadget NAOX was co-founded by Dr. Michel Le Van Quyen who, at a talk in London in December 2025 , talked about the rationale for creating an in-ear ECG. Essentially, he was looking to build a brain equivalent to the Apple Watchs continuous heart rate monitoring (and ECG). I was curious about the science behind an ear-mounted EEG given they commonly use the scalp. Professor Friston said that an ear-mounted EEG is potentially more useful as you can get slightly closer to the sources of activity. And that it makes a lot of sense for a consumer-grade EEG to be added to wireless earbuds given their utility in practices like meditation. Naox's prototype TWS earbuds sensors. Daniel Cooper for Engadget One downside of the proliferation of wearable EEGs is that it could lead users to jump to the wrong conclusions about their mental health. For instance, if someone is to be diagnosed with a condition such as epilepsy, they need to undergo a 24-hour perambulatory EEG. As Professor Friston explained, the recording of that 24 hour EEG would be carefully scrutinized by experts who are able to run a differential diagnosis ... to specify what further investigations are required. He, like a lot of clinicians, is concerned about ill-informed consumers using these devices to make medical interventions without consulting a professional. Friston added that people shouldnt expect wearable EEGs to be magic bullets for their brain health or cognition. He said the best way for a consumer to approach them is by treating them with the same level of reverence as a household thermometer. Are thermometers useful in managing the wellness of my children?, Yes, he explained, can your thermometer tell you what particular virus you have? Absolutely not. In the context of well-being and to augment or validate practices such as mindfulness and meditation, they can be fun and useful quantitative devices. But, fundamentally, that is all he feels they can be, especially right now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-ces-companies-hoping-your-brain-is-the-next-big-thing-in-computing-175048601.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: Best of CES 2026 and a chat with Pebble's founder

Thats a wrap for CES 2026! In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about their favorite aspects of the show, as well as Engadgets best of CES awards lineup. Also, Cherlynn chats with Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky about his Pebble smartwatch revival, as well as an intriguing new AI ring thats built entirely around notetaking. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics TVs at CES 2026: all eyes on Micro RGB and LGs super thin OLED 1:48 L'Oral debuts LED/Infrared face masks seem cool but needs some development 5:46 Engadgets official Best of CES 2026: Legos Smart Brick, Lenovos rollable laptop screen, a super quiet leafblower and more 9:55 Health Tech at CES 2026: Eyebots 30-second vision exam, Wheelmove makes manual wheelchairs motorized 11:41 Interview with Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky 20:43 Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn Low Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence OBrien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-best-of-ces-2026-and-a-chat-with-pebbles-founder-160000762.html?src=rss

The robots we saw at CES 2026: The lovable, the creepy and the utterly confusing

CES always has its share of attention-grabbing robots. But this year in particular seemed to be a landmark year for robotics. The advancement in AI technology has not only given robots better brains, its enabled new levels of autonomy and given rise to an ambitious, if sometimes questionable, vision for our robot-filled future. From sassy humanoids to AI-powered pets and chore-handling assistants, we sought out as many cute, strange and capable robots as we could find in Las Vegas. These are the ones that made the biggest impression. Agibot Humanoids Agibot's X2 humanoid robot. Karissa Bell for Engadget Of all the humanoids we saw at CES, Agibot's made the biggest impression . The company was showing off two models: the larger A2 and the smaller X2 (pictured above). The latter impressed us with its dance moves the company told us it can learn surprisingly complex choreography but the A2 turned out to be surprisingly capable at chatting up CES goers. Later in the show, we came across the A2 at IntBot's booth, where the company had custom versions of both Agibot humanoids running their booth. I spent several minutes talking with Nylo and was genuinely impressed by its conversational skills, even if its roasts could use a little work. Karissa Bell, Senior Reporter Dreame's robo vac arms and legs Dreame was back this year with some wild robot vacuums. The company showed of the Cyber 10 Ultra , a robot vacuum with a multipurpose extendable arm. The arm, which we got a glimpse of at last year's show, can pick up stuff, but it also has its own cleaning attachments, allowing the robot to clean hard-to-reach corners and other spots that wouldn't otherwise be accessible. Dreame also brought its latest wild concept, the Cyber X , which has legs that propel it up and down full-size staircases. The legs are somewhat unsettling they look alarmingly similar to mini chainsaws but watching it glide up and down stairs was impressive all the same. KB OlloBot The long neck version of OlloBot. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget OlloBot is one of those semi-ridiculous CES robots that's just impossible not to smile at. It has the goofiest face, with top-sitting frog eyes slapped onto a tablet where its mouth is displayed. Then, on top of that, it has a patch of soft fur on its neck and nowhere else on its body, which is penguin shaped and complete with flappy little arms. There are two versions of OlloBot , one that's short with a fixed neck and another where the neck can stretch out to make it much taller. And of course, it can be dressed up in silly outfits. It's a family-focused robot that responds to voice commands and touch, and is meant to capture memories as they happen, snapping pics and videos for its diary of notable moments. It can be used to make calls and control smart home devices. Everything is stored locally in its removable heart module, and there's a companion app for additional interactions. Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend Editor Rovie A robot with a dust pan like appendage dumps toys into a bin. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Sure, we've seen multiple robots (particularly robovacuums) that can pick objects up off the floor and put them away to make homes tidier, but this one is cute and has a little face . Instead of using an arm to grab one thing at a time, Clutterbot's Rovie has a dustpan-style tray with two sweepers that fold out from its front. It drives around and, using computer vision, identifies toys that have been left on the floor and scoops them up. Then, it dumps them in a designated bin where they're consolidated and out of the way. It's still in the R&D phase, a team member said when I visited the booth, but this is one I'm hoping to see become a real, purchasable product soon. For parents of small children who are constantly leaving their toys around, it would be pretty convenient to have a tiny robot picking up after them. Also for me, who doesn't have children but a very sweet and hardworking cat who loves to steal socks and then deliver them as if they're her kills, leaving socks scattered all over the house. Clutterbot team, if you're reading this, please add socks to the list of items Rovie can sweep up. CM Saros Rover Not to be outdone, Roborock also brought a stairclimbing robot vacuum to CES, Saros Rover. And, unlike Dreame's prototype, the Roborock can also clean the stairs while it climbs. No word on when it will be available or how much it might cost (probably a lot!) but the company says it is a real product in development. -KB CLOiD CLOiD folded laundry at LG's CES booth. Karissa Bell for Engadget LG's CLOiD was definitely the most ambitious robot we saw at CES 2026. The company showed its home helper concept (slowly) folding and sorting laundry , fetching drinks from the fridge, putting food in the oven and retrieving a set of lost keys. But while the 15-minute demo gave us a tantalizing look at the appliance maker's vision for a zero labor home, it's unlikely to be anything more than a slick demo anytime soon. The company has made no commitment to actually make a version of CLOiD people can actually buy. KB Allex WIRobotics' Allex robot makes a heart sign with its hands. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget WIRobotics brought its new humanoid, Allex, to CES, and the robot was really hamming it up when we stopped by the booth, striking poses and engaging with visitors. It's a waist-up robot with articulated parts, from its arms to its fingers, and is meant to be a general purpose tool that could be used in manufacturing, the service industry or even households. Each hand can hold objects of up to about 6.6 lbs, and the robotic hand has 15 degrees of freedom. The company's website shows the robot's fingers are dexterous enough to do the Gen-Z heart sign, but when it looked at Karissa and me it threw a millennial heart up. Did Allex lowkey call us unc? CM Poketomo Poketomo in one of the many outfits Sharp brought to CES. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Sharp's Poketomo is an improbably adorable tiny meerkat . Well, technically it's an AI companion shaped like a fuzzy, portable meerkat. It might look like a toy, but the company says it's actually to be a companion for adults. Its small enough you can carry it around with you throughout the day (Sharp even makes a tiny Poketomo-sized clear backpack). Like a lot of AI companion devices we saw at CES, its equipped with a small camera and microphone that enables it to constantly interact with you. The camera also enables its memory so the pet can recognize and deliver personalized updates to its person. Poketomo launched recently in Japan, but sadly Sharp says it has no current plans to sell it in other markets. KB Bibo Moony bibo (I-Type). Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget It seemed like everyone was trying to cash in on Labubu hype at CES 2026. There were Pop Mart-style bag charms all over the place and countless products that looked suspiciously like the now ubiquitous toy monster. We even got one pitch for a a labubu-like robot that talks to you that, in fact, did not look like a Labubu in any way, shape or form. But there was one truly Labubu-like tiny robot that managed to stand out from the rest and kind of stole my heart, even though I'm not particularly into Labubus. (Please don't make me say Labubu ever again.) Bibo is a cute-as-hell AI toy that's meant to be a companion you bring with you everywhere. It has a little camera on its head that it uses to see the world around it, and can recognize its owner's face and tone of voice, so it can respond to interactions in an emotionally appropriate way. It'll keep a daily diary of its activities, and while the toy comes in two starting personality types Sunny bibo (E-Type), the bubbly extrovert, and Moony bibo (I-Type), the gentle, sensitive one they'll develop more unique personalities over time. Their fur is soft and warm, so it feels like you're petting a kitten. Why is it even cuter like this? Cheyenne MacDonald At the booth, the team had several of them on display wearing various outfits, in little dioramas showing them in classroom and camping scenes, and even deconstructed with the fur removed, which somehow made it look even cuter. Bibo isn't available to purchase yet, and when it is, it'll launch first in China before potentially expanding depending on its success at home. CM Sharpa Sharpa's humanoid robot is seen playing ping-pong. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Sharpa's booth had a lot going on and was definitely one of the bigger crowd-pullers. There was a humanoid robot playing ping-pong, another taking selfies with people and another dealing blackjack, along with a disembodied robotic hand that could mirror visitors' finger movements. The autonomous demos showed off what that highly dexterous hand can do, and it was pretty impressive especially seeing it draw individual cards from the deck. CM Zeroth Zeroth's W1 robot. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Chinese robotics startup Zeroth brought two adorable home robots to CES: a pint-sized humanoid companion bot and a rolling robot that looks like Wall-E, with tank-style tracked treads so it can ride around outside. We didn't see these guys doing too much, but they sure were cute. The one that resembles Wall-E, called W1, kind of melted my heart just looking at it. (Don't get attached, you can't afford it.) The tiny humanoid, M1, costs $2,400 while W1 costs $5,000. Both are expected to ship this spring, with a tentative date of April 15. CM Sweekar Sweekars in their little outfits. Karissa Bell for Engadget Takway's Sweekar pocket pet was something I looked at and immediately thought, sigh, I'm going to buy that. It's a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet with AI smarts so it can form a personality based on your interactions with it and the activities you do together. The idea is that it grows with you. Like a Tamagotchi, it will require more frequent care in the younger stages of its life cycle. But after it reaches the adult level, it autonomously cares for itself, and it never dies. It can eventually keep itself entertained, and go off on its own virtual adventures and bring you back tales of its travels. Sweekar is super cute as is, and it can be dressed up in little outfits for more personalization. The device comes in light yellow, pink, and blue, and we saw it sporting a snowboarder outfit and a full cowboy getup. CM Realbotix One of Realbotix' robots. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Realbotix is a company we've seen a lot at CES over the years, and it was at the show again for 2026 with several of its highly customizable, realistic humanoid robots. As always, it was among the most unnerving exhibits we saw. New for this year, Realbotix was demonstrating its Robotic Vision System, which allows its robots to see and react to their surroundings more naturally, tracking faces to look directly at whoever is talking and better reading emotion from facial expressions. Damn, it can sense my fear now CM Onero H1 Onero H1 had an endearingly blank stare. Karissa Bell for Engadget Switchbot surprised us with its own chore-handling robot, Onero H1, which also won Engadget editors' pick for best robot of CES 2026 . We were immediately taken by its weirdly long body and endearingly blank stare as it slowly wheeled around picking up laundry and depositing the items in a washing machine. Like a lot of robot demos we saw at CES, we only saw Onero performing a small part of what Switchbot says it's actually capable of. But Onero also seemed much more realistic in terms of the type of robot helpers that people might actually see outside of CES, and the company told us it does plan to sell Onero (albeit in limited quantities) by the end of the year. KB Cocomo Ludens AI Cocomo robot. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Another robot pet that won us over immediately was Cocomo . Created by Japanese startup Ludens AI, Cocomo is an autonomous robot friend that yes, uses AI to respond to voice and touch and is meant to bond with its owners over time. The egg-shaped creature can scoot around on a wheeled base, or you can carry it around with you. But what we loved about Cocomo is that it's not trying to be yet another AI assistant, give out life advice or perform tasks. Its goal is to provide companionship and well, be your friend. And while it can respond to voice input it doesn't exactly have a voice of its own: it communicates via cute humming sounds, which is a lot less creepy than some of the talking robots we saw. KB Yonbo Yonbo at CES. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Yonbo is a kids' AI companion robot that totally charmed us. It kind of looks like a dog, and when we visited its booth at Unveiled, there were four of them playfully bopping their heads to a pop song and cycling through different cute facial expressions and emoji eyes (including bowls of ramen). It's designed to be an intelligent playmate that can tag along for activities, talk with a child and read them stories, and even help them work through emotions, like getting frustrated during a game. Yonbo's movement is controlled by a wristband, so it doesn't require a phone to play with. It can also be used as an extra pair of eyes for parents around the house. In Parental Monitor mode, which the team says is the only time its camera will be able to stream and store video, parents are able to see what Yonbo sees. The robot costs $800 and is available now. CM MFO MFO in a glass case at CES. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget If we're being completely honest, the pitch for will.i.am 's MFO (yes, MOFO, like motherfucker) had us a bit, um, perplexed for a hot second. We read it and all the accompanying materials over and over trying to figure out what, exactly, this thing does. Some of the claims that added to this confusion: the agent 'octopuses' across your digital ecosystem through its eight USB-C connections; it converts moments into objects; it turns life notes into a life operating system. We get it now, (we think): It's agentic AI hardware, kind of like a Rabbit R1 or AI Pin but in the form of a teddy bear. Sadly, we didn't get to see MFO up close or watch it do anything, but we are nonetheless intrigued, if still a bit confused, by this strange teddy bear. CM and KB This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-robots-we-saw-at-ces-2026-the-lovable-the-creepy-and-the-utterly-confusing-153537930.html?src=rss

NASA makes final preparations for its first crewed moon mission in over 50 years

Back in 2024, NASA announced that the Artemis 2 mission was going to be pushed back to April 2026. Now, the agency says it could launch as early as February, with the first flight opportunity being on February 6. NASA is currently making the final preparations for the mission and will soon roll out the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to their launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft systems four-mile journey from the assembly building to Launch Pad 39B will take up to 12 hours. NASA is targeting a date no earlier than January 17, with the exact day depending on the weather and on the possible need for additional time to address technical issues. Artemis 2 is the first crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo programs final flight in 1972. The 10-day mission will have four astronauts on board wholl be testing if Orions critical life support systems can sustain human passengers on future longer duration missions. They will first orbit the Earth twice before making their way 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon. If the SLS and Orion system is rolled out as planned, NASA intends to conduct a wet dress rehearsal at the end of January. The agency will load cryogenic propellants into the rocket and will do a full launch countdown during the rehearsal to prepare for the real event. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-makes-final-preparations-for-its-first-crewed-moon-mission-in-over-50-years-150000825.html?src=rss

How to change location with a VPN

Chances are that you're here because you've heard a virtual private network (VPN) can change your virtual location, and want to know what that means. If you know already, head over to my best VPN list to learn which services I recommend for changing your location. But if you're clueless, read on. Whenever any device connects to the internet whether it's a laptop, a phone or a smart Lego brick it's assigned a unique IP address that other devices can use to identify it. Think of the name you give the barista at a coffee shop, except instead of a hot beverage, youre being served websites and digital audio and video. That's the upside. The downside is that a device's IP address can be used to find its location in the real world. That means service providers can show you local weather reports as well as targeted local ads. More ominously, however, it means service providers can restrict what you see online based on where you are physically. That impacts everything from the fun (what Netflix has available to stream) to the serious (what information gets censored on the government's behalf). A VPN gets around that downside by running all your online activity through a middleman server before sending it to its destination. Instead of your real IP address, everyone sees the address of the VPN server, along with its geolocation. That means you can subvert any local restrictions getting in your way: Youre actually in Houston, but so far as the website youre viewing is concerned, you seem to be coming from Amsterdam. Here's how to do it. How to change your virtual location with a VPN With so many excellent commercial VPNs on the market, changing your virtual location is a lot easier than it sounds. You don't need to be a hacker just find a good VPN app and connect to a server in your desired location. On almost any VPN, this is a simple matter of opening the app or desktop client and choosing the server location from a list. On Proton VPN, for example, you can switch locations by clicking the name of any country in the list on the left. Sam Chapman for Engadget However, as with any technology, there are some potential pitfalls. For reference, I've laid out the steps below for both desktop and mobile devices. How to change location on Windows or Mac Use these steps to change the virtual location of any desktop or laptop device running macOS or Windows. There may be slight variations, but in general, this process works for any top VPN. Select a VPN provider. You can rely on Engadget's best VPN list or, if you're unable to pay for a new subscription right now, our list of the best free VPNs . My personal choice is Proton VPN , but there are other good options. Look for a service with fast speeds, modern encryption and a long, non-controversial record in the industry. Create an account with the VPN and save your username and password. Unless it's a forever-free service, this is when you'll be asked to pay for a subscription. If you're sure about your provider, you can save a lot by going with a long-term deal. See our list of the best VPN deals for ideas. Download the VPN app. It's best to go through the VPN's website, even if you're on Mac in rare cases, the App Store versions can be outdated or short on features. Look for a download center on the site, and make sure you enter it while logged in. Install the VPN app. Most VPNs have an installation flow built in, so all you have to do is follow the steps. If the VPN asks you to change your settings or grant it permissions, do it; this installs the tools it needs to do its job. Open the VPN app and find your way around the user interface. At a minimum, make sure you know how to connect, disconnect and open the location selection menu. Connect to a server in the location where you want your internet connection to appear to originate. If you're trying to get around local restrictions, you can just pick any nearby country without that censorship for example, if you're in China, then Japan, South Korea or Singapore will work. If you're after content from a specific country, choose a server in that country. Get online through a browser or connected app as you normally would. To make sure your location has actually changed, use a site like WhatIsMyIPAddress to check where you're coming from. When you want to use your real location again, disconnect from the VPN or choose a server in the county you're in. It's not necessary, but I also recommend activating your VPN's kill switch if there is one. VPN servers aren't perfect, and they do drop connections from time to time. If this happens, an active kill switch also cuts off your internet connection so your real location isn't visible for a millisecond. How to change location on iPhone or Android The process for using a VPN to change your virtual location on mobile is pretty similar to how it's done on desktop. Again, while individual installation flows have their own quirks, the following steps are broadly applicable to any iOS or Android VPN. Pick a VPN provider you like. The best VPNs also tend to be the best for mobile, including Proton VPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark . On mobile, you can use app store reviews and comments to research. Make sure you're getting the real version of your chosen VPN and not a similarly named one trying to piggyback. Download the VPN from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. At this point, if you haven't paid yet, you may be able to take advantage of a free trial by opening the app and proceeding through the setup flow. This is a good time to test if the VPN is changing your location in ways that can't be seen through. Follow the VPN's instructions to create an account, including paying for a subscription if necessary. Take some time to learn to use the VPN app. Mobile interfaces have to pack more features into a smaller space, usually relying on tabs. Try and find the tabs for picking server locations and toggling VPN settings. Connect to a server in your desired location. Make sure the VPN is actually active before you proceed (most of them make it pretty clear, but it's still easy to forget). Get online through a browser or another internet-capable app. When you're finished, disconnect from the VPN to return to using your real location. One more note: on both mobile and desktop, I recommend using either a paid VPN or a free VPN supported by a paid subscription. Entirely free VPNs come with risks , and some popular apps secretly share problematic connections . Why change your virtual location? Changing your virtual location isn't hard, but it's still an extra step between you and the internet. However, the benefits of location masking far outweigh the small amount of extra work. Hiding your IP address and your location along with it is one of the most impactful steps you can take to stay safe online . Concealing your IP address has massive benefits on its own, even if you use one close to your real location (which gets you shorter loading times). Lots of web services track you without your consent, frequently for advertising purposes. Some of this is done through third-party cookies, but a lot of it starts with building profiles about your IP address. Illicit actors can also take advantage of your IP address and its geolocation. A hacker can track you down to within your ZIP code though an IP address can't pinpoint your location to the square foot, it makes it much easier to narrow down where you live. Even with just your IP address, hackers can launch DDoS attacks against you, use the IP to make fake social media accounts in your name or even call in SWAT teams to your location . By changing my location to the UK using ExpressVPN, I can see shows on Netflix that aren't listed in the US. Sam Chapman for Engadget Although masking your virtual location can be vital to staying safe online, there are other practical and even fun reasons to do it. For one thing, when traveling abroad, you might want to use a site only available in your home country. Simply connect to a server located near home and you can use your bank account and local streaming libraries as normal. If you're home, there are lots of benefits to being virtually in another region. You can see a foreign country's streaming libraries and shop for deals that may only be available in its currency. You can also get around any nationwide online censorship and potentially download banned apps. Just be sure to be aware of your local laws to know if doing so is merely frowned upon, or if its truly against the law. Can a VPN change your GPS location? There's one more critical point to remember when changing location with a VPN. The VPN server only changes your IP address and the physical location associated with it. It does not change the GPS location your device might be broadcasting. GPS data can leak out in a few ways. Tablets and phones have location services turned on by default, and as anyone who's heard a true crime podcast knows, they can also give away your location by contacting cell towers. Web browsers often have similar features. Websites can also use HTML5 geolocation to access your GPS provided you give permission, but that's easy to do without thinking. Some VPNs, including Surfshark and Windscribe, do have features designed to fool GPS, but they're not standard. When you're changing your location with a VPN, make sure to turn off location services and avoid granting any permissions that might reveal where you really are. You can also run a separate GPS spoofing app alongside your VPN. How to troubleshoot a VPN that's not changing your location If you've found that browsers are still seeing your old IP address while you have a VPN active, or that websites show you the same content when you're supposed to be virtually abroad, there's a chance your VPN isn't actually changing your location. To test if your real position is leaking, start by checking your IP address (with a search engine or WhatIsMyIPAddress). If it matches your home location, something has gone wrong. Note that it's not necessarily a problem if it doesn't match your home location or the stated location of your VPN server. VPNs use virtual server locations to reach a lot of locations where brick-and-mortar servers aren't practical Windscribe, for example, does not have a physical data center in Antarctica. If you find that your VPN is leaking your real IP address, try these troubleshooting steps in order. I've arranged them roughly from least to most time-intensive. Disconnect from your VPN and reconnect to the same location. This should hook you up with a different server in that same place. Test your IP again there's a good chance the problem was isolated to the first server you tried. Try a new location (skip this step if you need a server in a particular country). Try a different VPN protocol. If you're using WireGuard, switch to OpenVPN or IKEv2. Make sure location services are turned off. Clear your browser cache and cookies to get rid of any saved information. Test for DNS leaks. Your VPN might accidentally be sending your IP address to a public server to resolve DNS requests. IPleak.org is a good tool for catching this. Try a different VPN. Use a free service like Proton or Windscribe and test for leaks. If the problem reoccurs, it might be coming from inside your network. Contact the helpdesk for your original VPN and inform them about the problem. Get screenshots of the VPN connected to the leaky location next to IP address data confirming the leak. I've already mentioned several VPNs that do a good job of changing your location, but in case you're here for product advice, here are all my recommendations in one place. My favorite VPN is Proton VPN, which is so far the only service to receive full marks on my location-change test. I used 15 of its servers in five different countries to access Netflix. Each time, I saw the destination country's full content library like I was really there. Surfshark is a close runner-up in this category. It passed 14 out of 15 tests, only slipping up once in Japan and a quick disconnect and reconnect was enough to fix that. I got equally great results from ExpressVPN , only having to retry one server in the UK. NordVPN performed perfectly in every location except Nigeria, and that still didn't leak my real IP address. The problem only seemed to exist on Netflix. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-to-change-location-with-a-vpn-140000339.html?src=rss

It's time for Apple to reinstate ICEBlock

In October, Apple caved to pressure from the Trump administration and removed ICEBlock and similar apps which crowdsourced the location of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement activity from its App Store . Apple's stated rationale? The apps could e used to harm law enforcement officers. But armed-to-the-teeth ICE officers dont need protection from civilians. Apple had that exactly backward. That became impossible to ignore on Wednesday, when ICE agent Jonathon Ross killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in cold blood. By now, you don't need me to recount her brutal last moments. But the footage (graphic and disturbing as it is) is out there, and we can see the Trump administration's propaganda about the event for what it is. ICE was a dangerous force long before this week. This was the agencys ninth shooting since September . 32 people died in ICE custody in 2025. Around a third of those arrested by ICE agents often masked and refusing to identify themselves dont even have criminal records. What changed this week was, arguably, that the victim wasnt a brown-skinned person. ICE claimed the life of a white American citizen, one who, according to her wife, was a kind, loving mom and a Christian. Unfortunately, the US has a dark history of shrugging off violence as long as its directed towards a marginalized group. That wasnt possible for mainstream newsreaders here. LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 8, 2026 Dozens, holding photos of Renee Nicole Good, protest her death a day after an ICE agent killed Good in Minneapolis, in front of the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles on January 8, 2026. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Genaro Molina via Getty Images On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance smeared Good baselessly, insisting the mother was part of a left-wing network. He also claimed ICE holds absolute immunity when it comes to doing things like killing Americans in broad daylight. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the deadly incident as the esult of a larger, sinister left-wing movement that has spread across our country. And the FBI has blocked Minnesota's criminal investigation bureau from accessing evidence to complete a thorough examination of the homicide. In short: an agency with the full backing of the federal government killed an innocent citizen, and while there are tools to inform the public about the likely locations that agency may be acting in, Apple has chosen to keep them from us. Apple has a history of presenting itself as a safer, socially progressive alternative within Big Tech. Its keynotes are replete with heartfelt testimony of iPhone and Apple Watch features saving lives. It releases Pride-themed accessories to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the company has (so far) resisted government pressure to eliminate its DEI programs. Hell, its modern era was kicked off by the Heres to the crazy ones TV ad , which intercut images of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lennon and Gandhi explicitly cloaking its corporate image in civil disobedience and social justice. A photo of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Apple's homepage (2015) Apple / The Internet Archive But the company also wields that progressive image for selfish reasons, wrapping business priorities in the guise of conscientiousness. For example, when government regulations push for openness or interoperability, Apple warns of the security and privacy risks for its users . When Apple tightly controls where you can buy apps, its about keeping porn away from the kids . And Apple has decided the theoretical safety of ICE officers is more valuable than the very real threat they pose to the communities they harass. ICEBlock's availability on the App Store may not have changed the outcome of Wednesday's events. But it could resume its job as a community informer. It could make it easier to notify the public of where these masked thugs are congregating, perhaps even helping others avoid Good's fate. Engadget has reached out to Apple for comment on reinstating ICEBlock; well update if we receive a response. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/its-time-for-apple-to-reinstate-iceblock-220802356.html?src=rss

Monarch Money's budgeting app is 50 percent off for new users

A new year is the perfect time to get your spending in order, and if you're not trying to build your own spreadsheet, budgeting apps are one of the best ways to do it. To save yourself some money in the process, you can pick up a year-long subscription to Monarch Money , one of Engadget's favorite budgeting apps , for just $50 if you use code NEWYEAR2026 at checkout and you're a new subscriber. That's a 50 percent discount on the service's normal $100 price. Monarch Money makes for a capable and detailed budgeting companion. You can use the service via apps for iOS, Android, iPadOS or the web, and Monarch also offers a Chrome extension that can sync your Amazon and Target transactions and automatically categorize them. Like other budgeting apps, Monarch Money lets you connect multiple financial accounts and track your money based on where you spend it over time. Monarch offers two different approaches to tracking budgeting (flexible and category budgeting) depending on what fits your life best, and the ability to add a budget widget on your phone so you can know how you're tracking that month. How budgeting apps turn your raw transactions into visuals you can understand at a glance is one of the big things that differentiates one app from another, and Monarch Money offers multiple graphs and charts to look at for things like spending, investments or categories of your choice based on how you've labelled your expenses. The app can also monitor the spending of you and your partner all in one place, to make it easier to plan together. The main drawbacks Engadget found in testing Monarch Money were the app's learning curve, and the differences in features (and bugginess) between Monarch's web and mobile versions. Still, for 50 percent off, the Monarch Money is well worth experimenting with if you're trying to save money in 2026, especially if you want to do it collaboratively with a partner. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/monarch-moneys-budgeting-app-is-50-percent-off-for-new-users-204507740.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The best of CES 2026

Were wrapping up coverage of the biggest tech show in the world. CES 2026 is almost over, and while we have more stories and wrap-ups to come, here are the most interesting products weve spotted, written about and critiqued/praised. That includes our picks for the best of CES. We gave out 15 awards as well as our best of show, and you might be surprised by some of our picks I know I was. Read on for some of the best things to come out of Las Vegas this week, but first up, our Best of the Best winner, which was Lego Smart Play. As Engadgets editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris put it, Lego could almost be seen as the antithesis of the typical CES product. Regardless of trends, Lego has always persisted. And in 2026, its getting much smarter. Lego The system consists of a Smart Brick, Tags and Minifigure s. Theyre packed with modern technology, so they can respond to how you play with them or the sets you build. The Smart Brick has a 4.1mm ASIC chip, which Lego says is smaller than a standard Lego stud. It senses things like motion, orientation and magnetic fields, but also has a tiny built-in speaker, which produces audio tied to live play actions, not just canned clips. Its hard to explain it in only a few words (weve got a deep-dive hands-on right here ), but what immediately drew me in was the lack of smartphone pairing and screens. The ability of each part to detect and interact with others can lead to some ridiculous setups, whether its ducks and police officers or a helicopter or an X-Wing. Naturally, its a little pricier than basic Lego, but not out of the realm of being a special gift or birthday present. One of the first sets, with a smart Darth Vader Minifigure, one Smart Brick and one Smart Tag, is $70. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled newsletter next week. Have a great weekend! Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning 19 CES gadgets you can buy right now The weirdest tech weve seen at CES CES 2026 proved the PC industry is hosed this year Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold hands-on: Flexing is believing Anker unveils a new lineup of chargers, docks and accessories at CES 2026 All the laptops that caught our eye at CES All the winners at CES 2026 Wait, IKEA? Engadget With no further ado, here are our winners . Best robot: Switchbot Onero H1 Best accessibility tech: WheelMove Best TV: LGs Wallpaper TV Best AI hardware: Subtle Voicebuds Best smart home: IKEA Matter-compatible smart home Engadget Best home theater: Samsung HW-QS90H Best audio: Shokz OpenFit Pro Best outdoor tech: Tone Outdoors T1 Best toy: Lego Smart Play Best PC or laptop: Dell XPS 14 + 16 Best health tech: Eyebot eye test booth Best gaming tech: ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo Best mobile tech: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Most promising concept: Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Best emerging technology: IXI autofocus lenses Everything NVIDIA announced at CES 2026 NVIDIA has started production of its Vera Rubin supercomputer. Engadget On Monday, which feels like an age ago, Jensen Huang shared the latest from NVIDIA. While the presentation was more a refresher than a barrage of new announcements, it was a pretty low-key presentation, with lots of AI chat. One announcement was Alpamayo, a family of open-source reasoning models designed to guide autonomous vehicles through difficult driving situations. The centerpiece is Alpamayo 1, a 10-billion-parameter chain-of-thought system NVIDIA says can drive more like a human. When it comes to tech we all might use , we had to wait for a separate event, when NVIDIA announced DLSS 4.5 and G-Sync Pulsar. For both features, youll need a 50-series GPU. You got one , right? Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-193045065.html?src=rss

WhatsApp might soon be subject to stricter scrutiny under the EU's Digital Services Act

Meta's messaging app WhatsApp could soon be subject to deeper scrutiny (and punishment) under the European Commission's Digital Services Act, Reuters reports . Because the app's broadcasting feature WhatsApp Channels grew to around 51.7 million average monthly active users in the European Union in the first six months of 2025, the feature has crossed the 45-million-person barrier that lets DSA rules apply. A platform is designated as a very large online platform or VLOP once it has 45 million monthly users or more, according to the European Commission. Once an app or service passes that amount, it's subject to the DSA and all its rules about how digital platforms should operate, particularly around removing illegal or harmful content. Companies can be fined up to six percent of their global annual revenue for not complying with the DSA. WhatsApp traditionally functions as a private messaging app, but its Channels feature, which lets users make one-sided posts to anyone who follows their channel, does look a lot more like Meta's other social media platforms. So here we would indeed designate potentially WhatsApp for WhatsApp Channels and I can confirm that the Commission is actively looking into it and I wouldn't exclude a future designation, a Commission spokesperson said in a daily news briefing Reuters viewed. Engadget has asked Meta to comment on WhatsApps possible new designation. Well update this article if we hear back. The possibility that WhatsApp could become a regulatory target in the EU was first reported in November 2025, but Meta has been dealing with DSA-related fines since well before then. Meta was charged with violating the EU law in October 2025 because of how it asks users to report illegal content on Facebook and Instagram. Earlier that month, a Dutch court also ordered the company to change how it presents the timelines on its platforms because people in the Netherlands were not sufficiently able to make free and autonomous choices about the use of profiled recommendation systems in the company's apps. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-might-soon-be-subject-to-stricter-scrutiny-under-the-eus-digital-services-act-191000354.html?src=rss

ExpressVPN two-year plans are up to 78 percent off right now

ExpressVPN is back on sale again, and its two-year plans are up to 78 percent off right now. You can get the Advanced tier for $101 for 28 months. This is marked down from the $392 that this time frame normally costs. On a per-month basis, it works out to roughly $3.59 for the promo period. Weve consistently liked ExpressVPN because its fast, easy to use and widely available across a large global server network. In fact, it's our current pick for best premium VPN . One of the biggest drawbacks has always been its high cost, and this deal temporarily solves that issue. In our review we were able to get fast download and upload speeds, losing only 7 percent in the former and 2 percent in the latter worldwide. We found that it could unblock Netflix anywhere, and its mobile and desktop apps were simple to operate. We gave ExpressVPN an overall score of 85 out of 100. The virtual private network service now has three tiers. Basic is cheaper with fewer features, while Pro costs more and adds extra perks like support for 14 simultaneous devices and a password manager. Advanced sits in the middle and includes the password manager but only supports 12 devices. The Basic plan is $78 right now for 28 months, down from $363, and the Pro plan is $168, down from $560. That's 78 percent and 70 percent off, respectively. All plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users, so you can try it without committing long term if youre on the fence. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/expressvpn-two-year-plans-are-up-to-78-percent-off-right-now-180602025.html?src=rss

CES: So very big, so little sustainability tech

Every third booth at CES showed off some new AI product or other. If you wanted to find a robotic lawn mower, throw a rock. Humanoid robots , smart locks and super thin TVs were everywhere. But if you went looking for sustainability products, youre going to have to hunt a bit. Last year, the Sustainability section at the Las Vegas Convention Center had 20 booths. This year, there were 38, but thats in part due to the combination of the energy and sustainability categories. So exhibitors like South Koreas largest electric utility company, a nuclear power company from the same country and lots of battery manufacturers. There was also an AI data platform booth in the section that had nothing to do with sustainability as far as I can tell. Guess the organizers just ran out of room for all the AI. Within the sustainability section, and at other CES venues, I found a few encouraging displays of sustainable products organizations and devices that were trying to address the multitude of problems the world is facing when it comes to energy production, climate and pollution. But none of it quite achieved Engadgets best of CES status this year. Some of what we saw was utility-scale, some wasnt quite ready for consumer consumption and other stuff was too niche or had too many caveats to make the list. I wont go so far as to say sustainability is dead at CES, because that sends me into dark downward spirals, but its getting sparse out there, friends. Here are the companies I saw that had promise and innovative ideas. And gosh darn it, at least these guys are trying. Shine Turbine 2.0 Spinning the Shine 2.0 wind turbine Amy Skorheim for Engadget This little guy could be a precursor to some serious personal wind power generation. Thats where the company is heading. For now, the Shine 2.0 can use as little as a light breeze to start generating power to charge your smartphones, laptops or even a power station. The whole unit weighs three pounds and sets up in around two minutes. The second generation model can output up to 75 watts and the company is working on a third version that goes up to 100 watts for even more substantial energy production. Learn more at Shine . Flint battery tech Flint batteries break down by 70 percent in four weeks in a compost pile. Amy Skorheim for Engadget When I approached Flints booth, the rep told me the company made cellulose batteries. And I thought, like paper-wrapped batteries? Nope. The chemicals inside the batteries are made from cellulose. They have a solvent-free, lithium-free, PFAS-free chemistry and break down by 70 percent in four weeks in a composting environment. They use the same basic architecture as a lithium-ion cell, with an anode, cathode and separator with ion transfers between the two. As of now, Flint is focused on partnering with manufacturers, and consumer products are on the horizon. Learn more at Flint . Clear Drop soft plastics compactor The Clear Drop soft plastics compactor next to a pile of the bricks it produces. Amy Skorheim for Engadget The Clear Drop is a soft plastics compactor that creates eight by twelve by four-inch bricks out of hundreds of grocery bags, bubble wrap, ziplocks and plastic packaging. One brick is equivalent to a 30-pound trash bag-worth of bags. Once the brick is created, it can be shipped to one of Clear Drops partner facilities in a pre-paid USPS shipping envelope. They currently work with a few US-based recycling facilities and hope to one day create an infrastructure to include municipal recycling. Learn more at Clear Drop . Alpha Power by CPTI Alpha power by CPTI Amy Skorheim for Engadget From what Ive learned at the show, perovskite is the hottest thing in solar right now. Its a mineral compound thats been used to create more efficient solar panels. Some so sensitive to light that just indoor illumination is enough to create usable energy. Alpha Power by CPTI creates lightweight, flexible perovskite solar panels that can conform to multiple surfaces. Again, this is a company thats partnering with manufacturers, so look for panels built into your laptop to charge it under the glare of your too-harsh office lights. Learn more at CPTI . Green Vigor 3D models of buildings using Green Vigor technology. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Down in the lower levels of the Venetian Expo at CES I found Green Vigor in the Hong Kong pavilion. This small company has two solutions to create energy for buildings by harnessing the potential energy from existing systems. HydroVigor generates power from water systems. So every time someone washes their hands or flushes a toilet in a building, the roof-top system generates a bit of power. CoolVigor uses the same principles to harness energy from HVAC systems. HydroVigor is currently in use in many buildings in Singapore and Hong Kong and theyre working to expand to more buildings globally. Learn more at GreenVigor . Jackery Solar Gazebo Jackery's Solar Gazebo. Amy Skorheim for Engadget This outdoor hangout spot can produce up to 10kWh of power on a given day. Its a modular design that lets you choose louvered walls, sunshades, lights and fans when you order it and the solar panels are so strong that a full-sized human Jackery rep was able to stand on a sample panel in front of me and nothing cracked (though the company officially rates it at 20 pounds of snow per square foot). You can use the power directly, tie it into your home system, feed it into the grid or hook it up to one of Jackerys many power stations to save the power for later. The gazebo costs $12,000 and will ship in mid-2026. Learn more at Jackery . Bluetti RV Solar System Bluetti's DIY RV Solar power system Amy Skorheim for Engadget Bluetti, like Jackery, is known for its vast lineup of portable and fixed power stations and batteries. This year, it brought a new power station made with bio-based plastic as well as a DIY system for adding solar power to your existing RV. Learn more at Bluetti . Airloom wind power generation Airloom's roller coaster-like wind power generator for data centers. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Engadgets Anna Washenko does a great job of explaining the tech behind Airloom . In short its a roller coaster for wind thats comprised of 40 percent less mass than a standard wind turbine and uses 42 percent fewer parts and 96 percent fewer unique parts. That makes it faster to deploy and cheaper to instal. I can also be sited in more places. Again, this is a utility-scale solution, geared towards data centers and their insatiable need for energy to power Very Important AI Things . Learn more at Airloom . Gaotu Innovation Energy Group Gaotu had a range of solar products in various formats. Amy Skorheim for Engadget If you are looking for a solar-powered anything, hit up Gaotu. At the companys booth, I saw hats, a fishing chair, a backpack, a sunbrella and a car roof-top enclosure that unfurls to charge up your Tesla. The Shenzhen-based company has been in business for 18 years and plans to just keep sticking solar panels on anything it can. Learn more at Gaotu . Segway Muxi cargo e-bike Segway's latest cargo e-bike Amy Skorheim for Engadget The single largest booth in the CES sustainability section was Segway. This year, the company showed off two new e-bikes, which our own Dan Cooper covered . This one here is the Muxi, a cargo bike with an easily swappable battery, an optional passenger seat with foot pegs and an optional middle basket. Plus a beverage cup holder. Learn more at Segway . If we dont all fall into the ocean before then, perhaps CES 2027 will have a stronger showing of sustainability tech. In the meantime, Ill take a modicum of comfort in these few brave organizations still dedicated to keeping us afloat. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/ces-so-very-big-so-little-sustainability-tech-180000648.html?src=rss

CES 2026 proved the PC industry is hosed this year

Dell's XPS 14 now costs over $2,000. An AMD executive predicts that PC builders will likely make piecemeal upgrades this year, instead of building entirely new systems. And new AI supercomputers from NVIDIA and AMD are gobbling up the RAM market. At CES 2026, it was hard not to notice the dire year ahead for the computing industry, one that will likely lead to higher prices and more limited availability for consumer goods across the board. Really, though, the show just confirmed what was apparent since RAM prices skyrocketed over the last few months , driven by demand from AI datacenters. As Samsung's marketing leader, Wonjin Lee, told Bloomberg at CES: There's going to be issues around semiconductor supplies, and it's going to affect everyone. Prices are going up even as we speak. Dell's new XPS 14 and XPS 16 are among the earliest systems hit by these demands. Last year's models started at $1,699 and $1,899, respectively, and we were initially told the new models would actually come in cheaper at $1,650 and $1,850. But Dell later announced a shocking price jump: The XPS 14 now starts at $2,050, while the XPS 16 is $2,200. While it didn't take much to configure the earlier models upwards of $2,000, it's genuinely wild to me that the entry-level models are already starting there. And meanwhile, Apple still hasn't budged its $1,599 MacBook Pro 14-inch pricing. At least Dell still comes in cheaper than the $2,499 MacBook Pro 16-inch. On the desktop front, AMD's David McAfee, Corporate Vice President and GM of Client Channel Business, noted that the longevity of the company's AM4 and AM5 platforms might be a boon for gamers, since they can upgrade their CPUs without buying new RAM kits and motherboards. That allows for a pathway to better performance without paying out the nose for over-priced RAM. I think that will be potentially a trend that we see in 2026 with more component upgrades, as opposed to full system swap outs and, and altogether rebuilds, he said in a group interview with Engadget and other outlets. Some of the most popular CPUs that are still running in gamers platforms are parts like the 2600 back to the Pinnacle Ridge days, or 3000 series... Stepping even from there into a little bit more modern 5,000 series processors in an AM4 socket and motherboard, there's a pretty big boost there. McAfee added that around 30 to 40 percent of AMD's business still revolves around the AM4 platform, even without the specter of a wild memory market. There's no product that has memory in it that's immune to some of these forces around DRAM pricing and, and what it's doing to the market, he said, when asked about potential GPU price increases. I think the, the truth is the volatility that we've seen over the past two months or so has really been unprecedented. Looking ahead, he said he expects prices to settle within the first three to six months of the year, but he didn't discuss his reasoning further. As an aside, he also noted that AMD's X3D chips, which feature 3D V-cache, actually don't see much of a hit from slower RAM. Their high amounts of onboard L2 and L3 cache make up for less ideal memory transfer speeds, McAfee said. That McAfee commented at all about the state of RAM is noteworthy. Every PC maker Ive asked, including Dell and Acer, refused to comment on the volatile state of the memory industry ahead of CES. Perhaps they were hoping things would calm down before they had to price their new systems. Ultimately, theyre beholden to an increasingly limited supply of RAM. And where is all that memory going? At CES, NVIDIA announced its new Vera Rubin AI supercomputer , which supports up to 54TB of RAM across 36 Vera CPUs and 20.7TB of memory across 72 GPUs. AMD, as well, announced its new Helios AI rack , which supports up to 31TB of memory across 72 AMD Instinct MI455X GPUs. Given the endless appetite for computing to power AI model building and inferencing, theres likely going to be a significant demand for these beastly systems. Put simply: Our global supply of memory is being sacrificed to appease the AI industry. Thats good news for the likes of OpenAI, Microsoft and NVIDIA, but bad news for anyone who cares about PCs and the consumer products we use every day. Get ready for a year of price hikes. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/ces-2026-proved-the-pc-industry-is-hosed-this-year-174500314.html?src=rss

The Clicks co-founder explains who its tiny Communicator phone is for

Clicks is an apologetically gadgety company, making gear that feels charmingly out-of-place in a world where almost every smartphone out there is an all-screen slab. That was obviously two years ago when the company first revealed its keyboard case that brought tactile typing to the iPhone and eventually other Android devices. Rather than that being a one-off curiosity, the company had two new announcements at CES 2026: a magnetic keyboard accessory that also doubles as a battery bank and small, squat mobile phone with a keyboard. And while there isnt a working prototype of the Clicks Communicator available for the press to see, I got to check out the new Power Keyboard talk with Clicks co-founder and former BlackBerry marketing director Jeff Gadway about where he thinks his products fit into the smartphone world. At first glance, the $79 Power Keyboard feels like a big improvement over the original Clicks Keyboard case. It magnetically attaches to any phone with Qi2 and connects over Bluetooth. The keyboard itself is similar to the original Clicks keyboard, but theres a dedicated number row which is a nice improvement. But the thing that really caught my eye was its old-school slider form factor. When closed, the Power Keyboard sits on the back of your phone like a thick wireless battery pack but it satisfyingly slides up to reveal the keyboard like the Palm Pre or BlackBerry Torch smartphones of old. The magnetic, sliding Clicks Power Keyboard. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget The Power Keyboards last trick is that it can charge your phone up when attached. The battery itself isnt huge, so youre not going to fully recharge a modern smartphone. But its still a nice addition for if you need some power in a pinch. You can also set it up so it doesnt charge your phone and instead uses all the battery to power the keyboard; in that situation, the keyboard will last weeks without a charge. Or you can designate a percentage that can only be used by the keyboard for example, if the battery packs charge drops below 20 percent, itll stop charging your phone and instead save that power for the keyboard. The Clicks Power Keyboard, without a phone attached. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget As someone who has never owned a smartphone with a keyboard, I cant say how good the Clicks keyboard actually is there would be a definite learning curve before I got comfortable with it. It certainly feels tiny to me, but if you just type on and trust autocorrect you should get the hang of it before too long. Whether the benefits of using a physical keyboard matter are up to you to decide. Its nice seeing a bigger screen unobstructed by the virtual keyboard, but I feel far too set in my touchscreen ways to consider switching it up. But some people just loved their keyboards, and for them this gadget might hit the spot. The Clicks Communicator is the more unexpected of the two new devices the comapny is working on, but without a working demo model I cant render any judgement about how it will actually work. When it was announced, Clicks specifically said they were targeting people who used multiple devices, a demographic that I wasnt fully convinced was large enough to justify the Communicators existence. But Gadway assured me the company had done plenty of research before moving into the hardware production phase. You've got people who are mandated to carry a second device for corporate deploy. Then you've got people who are small business owners and want to have a separate phone for their small business, he said. In markets like Europe, there's a requirement for employers to give people the option to have a separate device and create more separation. You've got travelers who want a second SIM, and then you've got this growing cohort of digital detox, digital minimalism, digital well-being people. None of those segments might be huge on its own, but add it all up and the Clicks team felt like they had a decent opportunity. The Clicks Communicator has an LED Light on its side button that you can customize for different notifications. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget The other half of the thought process was making the Communicator different from an iPhone or Pixel instead of having two essentially identical devices, Clicks wanted to make the Communicator with a distinct focus. Our thought process was that complementary devices in tech are on the rise, Gadway said. You wear an Oura Ring and you wear a smart watch; you carry an e-reader for reading and a tablet for content consumption. So why shouldn't your second phone be better at certain things than your first phone instead of just being a straight duplicate? Thats where the squarish, 4-inch touchscreen, keyboard and custom implementation of the Niagara Android launcher , which is a list-based UI rather than a grid of apps. The custom Clicks implementation of it focuses on your messaging apps and quickly triaging through new items (hence the Communicator name). The keyboard itself is touch sensitive and can be swiped across to navigate and take actions on what you see. But the Communicator is just an Android phone at heart which means you can install any apps that you find essential though its form factor changes what it is best used for. You can download whatever apps you want, but we've optimized it to be better at specific things, Gadway said. So, you know, do you want to watch letterboxed TikTok videos on this? Probably not. You could, but it's not the thing you're going to reach for to do that. But we're not going to give you a product that restricts what you can do. The good thing about being a smaller hardware maker is that Clicks doesnt need to sell millions of these theyre just interested in offering an alternative for people who might enjoy it, just as theyve done with their keyboard accessories. Of course, the Communicator is a bigger investment; its up for pre-order now for $399 (thats Pixel 9a territory, for comparison). Once it launches in the second half of the year, well find out if it can find its audience. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-clicks-co-founder-explains-who-its-tiny-communicator-phone-is-for-170000501.html?src=rss

Meta announces a slew of nuclear energy agreements

Meta has announced three new agreements to purchase nuclear power for its AI infrastructure as well as the Prometheus supercluster , a 1-gigawatt data center being built in Ohio. The social media giant is partnering with power companies Vistra, TerraPower and Oklo to deliver an expected 6.6 gigawatts of generation to its projects by 2035. The company's agreement with TerraPower will fund the development of two new reactors capable of delivering up to 690 megawatts of power as early as 2032. The deal also gives Meta rights to energy from six other reactors that could deliver an additional 2.1 gigawatts by 2035. All this power would come from TerraPower's Natrium reactors , which use sodium instead of water as a coolant. A partnership with Oklo will bring 1.2 gigawatts of nuclear power online as early as 2030. Meta says the agreement opens the door to the construction of multiple Oklo reactors, which it claims will create thousands of construction and long-term operations jobs in Ohio. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is one of Oklo's largest investors, and owns just over 4 percent of the company. Metas agreement with Vistra focuses on keeping existing nuclear plants running longer and boosting their output. Through new 20-year deals, Meta will buy more than 2.1 gigawatts of electricity from some of Vistras existing plants in Ohio, while also backing added capacity at those sites, plus another in Pennsylvania. Vistra expects the added capacity, totaling 433 megawatts, to come online in the early 2030s. Big tech is increasingly turning to nuclear to power its AI ambitions. Meta signed a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy for nuclear power last year. Meanwhile Microsoft is famously reopening Three Mile Island and will be the plants sole customer as part of a 20-year deal. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-announces-a-slew-of-nuclear-energy-agreements-165337159.html?src=rss

This Apple 25W MagSafe charger is on sale for only $30

If you want a wireless charger for your iPhone and prefer to stick with Apple, Amazon has a sale that may pique your interest. The retailer is selling the one meter Apple Magsafe charger for $30 , saving you $10 off the regular price, while also selling the two meter model for $40 ($10 off). If you have an iPhone 16, iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, this cable can charge your device at 25W as long as it's connected to a 30W power adapter on the other end. While you'll need a more recent iPhone to get the fastest MagSafe charging speeds, the charger can wirelessly top up the battery of any iPhone from the last eight years (iPhone 8 and later). With older iPhones, the charging speed tops out at 15W. The cable works with AirPods wireless charging cases too it's certified for Qi2.2 and Qi charging. The MagSafe charger is one of our favorite iPhone accessories , and would pair quite nicely with your new iPhone if you're picking up one of the latest models. If you're on the fence about that, be sure to check out our reviews of the iPhone 17 , iPhone Pro/Pro Max and iPhone Air . Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-apple-25w-magsafe-charger-is-on-sale-for-only-30-141707593.html?src=rss

Sharpa's ping-pong playing, blackjack dealing humanoid is working overtime at CES 2026

There were no idle hands at Sharpa's CES booth. The company's humanoid may have been the busiest bot at show, autonomously playing ping-pong, dealing blackjack games and taking selfies with passersby. On display wasn't just the robot and its smarts, but also SharpaWave, a highly dexterous 1:1 scale human hand. The hand has 22 active degrees of freedom, according to the company, allowing for precise and intricate finger movements. It mirrored my gestures as I wiggled my hand in front of its camera, getting everything mostly right, which was honestly pretty cool. Each fingertip contains a minicamera and over 1,000 tactile pixels so it can pick up objects with the appropriate amount of delicateness for the task at hand, like plucking a playing card from a deck and placing it gently on the table. Sharpa's robot was a pretty good ping-pong player, too. We've seen ping-pong robots plenty of times before, but these typically come in the form of a disembodied robotic arm, not one that's humanoid from the waist up. The company's products are meant to be general-purpose, with the ability to handle a wide range of jobs, and its humanoid wore a lot of hats at CES to drive the point home. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/sharpas-ping-pong-playing-blackjack-dealing-humanoid-is-working-overtime-at-ces-2026-150000488.html?src=rss

The new Anker 45W Nano charger with smart display from CES is $10 off already

Anker rolled out a bunch of new chargers and other gear at CES 2026 , including a cute one that's already on sale. The new Nano charger with smart display, which is an upgrade to the existing Nano charger in Anker's lineup, is on sale for $30 right now while you can pre-order it. That's $10 off the regular MSRP, and shipments will start going out on January 20. The 45W charger includes a smart display that shows real-time data like power flow, temperature and charging status. It also features fun animations to keep things cheerful. Anker says it can recognize what's being charged and automatically adjust certain metrics to ensure a longer battery lifespan. To that end, it works with just about everything. The company advertises that this charger is a good fit for the iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and Samsung devices, among others. The new Nano Charger is on the smaller side, with dual folding prongs that rotate to fit most outlets. The deal does require a coupon code, but it's auto-applied at checkout. If that doesn't work, it's WS24D5XT3DV9 . We haven't gotten a chance to try this one yet, but it looks promising. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-new-anker-45w-nano-charger-with-smart-display-from-ces-is-10-off-already-160707620.html?src=rss

AirTag deal: Get four of the Bluetooth trackers for only $65

Apple keeps most of its product pricing on a tight leash, but we do see the company's AirTags go on sale pretty frequently. Another cost cut has come around for this item just in time for the holidays. Amazon is currently selling a four-pack of AirTags for $65. At a third off the regular cost, that price is pretty close to the record low discount of $63 we've seen for these Bluetooth trackers. AirTags can be useful for people who travel frequently, helping you to keep track of essentials like your passport as well as a way to keep tabs on luggage while you're on the go. If you do purchase some AirTags, we have some recommendations for useful accessories to go along with them, such as different styles of cases to best attach the trackers to different types of items. These are worth looking over and adding to your shopping cart in order to make the most of the product. AirTags have an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance and their replaceable batteries should last for about a year. They can also support Precision Finding, which gives more exact directions to a lost item, when paired with most models after the iPhone 11. Up to five people can share an AirTag's location, which is helpful for families or large travel groups. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/airtag-deal-get-four-of-the-bluetooth-trackers-for-only-65-202333516.html?src=rss

Dolby Vision 2 is coming this year, heres what you need to know

Dolby may have announced Dolby Vision 2 a few months ago, but the company gave the new platform its first big reveal at CES 2026. I got the chance to see the improvements in person for the first time, thanks to a variety of demos and Q&A sessions. Dolby Vision 2 will be available this year, but initially, it will be limited. As such, Ive compiled the info on where the image engine will be available first, and whats likely to come next in terms of where and how you can use it. But first, lets quickly summarize what Dolby Vision 2 will even do for your TV. What is Dolby Vision 2? Dolby Vision 2 is Dolbys next-generation image engine that the company announced in September. The new standard will do several things to improve picture quality on your TV, including content recognition that optimizes your TV based on what and where youre watching. This first element will improve scenes that many viewers complain are too dark, compensate for ambient lighting and apply motion adjustments for live sports and gaming. Dolby Vision 2 will also deliver new tone mapping for improved color reproduction. I witnessed this first hand in various demos at CES, and this is the biggest difference between the current Dolby Vision and DV2 for me. Theres also a new Authentic Motion feature that will provide the optimal amount of smoothing so that content appears more authentically cinematic, according to Dolby. This means getting rid of unwanted judder, but stopping short of the so-called soap opera effect. Essentially, Dolby is taking advantage of all of the capabilities of todays TVs, harnessing the improvements to display quality and processing power that companies have developed in the decade since Dolby Vision first arrived. What TVs will support Dolby Vision 2? Lifestyle photo of the TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED Series TCL The biggest Dolby Vision 2 news at CES was the first three TV makers that have pledged support for the new standard. Hisense is bringing it to its 2026 RGB MiniLED TVs including UX, UR9 and UR8. The company also plans to add it to more MiniLED TVs with an OTA update. TCL's 2026 X QD-Mini LED TV Series and C Series will support Dolby Vision 2 via a future update. It will be available on TP Visions Philips 2026 OLED TVs, including the 2026 Philips OLED811, and OLED911 series as well as the flagship OLED951. There are sure to be other companies that announce Dolby Vision 2 support in 2026. Sony doesnt announce its new TVs at CES anymore, so thats just one of the bigger names thats yet to reveal its hand.Any upcoming TVs that seek to leverage the full suite of tools that Dolby Vision 2 offers will need to have an ambient light sensor as thats one of the key facets of Dolbys upgrade. What content will be available in Dolby Vision 2? Peacock is bringing Dolby Vision and Atmos support to more live sports offerings. Peacock The other big piece of Dolby Vision 2 news at CES 2026 was the first streaming service that will support the platform. Peacock grabbed that honor , and so far its the only streamer to pledge support. However, several services support the current version of Dolby Vision, including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Paramount+. Like the additional TV support thats sure to be announced throughout the year, I expect more streaming services will jump on board soon as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/dolby-vision-2-is-coming-this-year-heres-what-you-need-to-know-140000034.html?src=rss

NASA is ending Crew-11 astronauts' mission a month early

NASA has decided to bring the Crew-11 astronauts home a month earlier than originally planned due to a medical concern with one of them. This is the first time in its history that the space agency is cutting a mission short due to a medical issue, but it didnt identify the crew member or divulge the exact situation and its severity. The astronauts will be heading back to Earth in the coming days. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency will be releasing more details about their flight back home within 48 hours. The agency previously postponed an International Space Station (ISS) spacewalk scheduled for January 8, citing a medical concern with a crew member that appeared the day before. NASAs chief health and medical officer, James JD Polk, said the affected astronaut is absolutely stable and that this isnt a case of an emergency evacuation. The ISS has a robust suite of medical hardware onboard, he said, but not enough for a complete workup to determine a diagnosis. Without a proper diagnosis, NASA doesnt know if the astronauts health could be negatively affected by the environment aboard the ISS. That is why the agency is erring on the side of caution. Crew-11 left for the space station on August 1 and was supposed to come back to Earth on or around February 20. After they leave the station, only three people will remain: Two cosmonauts and one astronauts wholl be in charge of all the experiments currently being conducted on the orbiting lab. The teams replacement, Crew-12, was supposed to head to the ISS mid-February, but NASA is considering sending the astronauts to the station earlier than that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-is-ending-crew-11-astronauts-mission-a-month-early-140000750.html?src=rss

Amazon's Kindle is $20 off right now

If you're one of the many who made a New Year's resolution to read more, an ereader can help by putting your whole library (and more) at your fingertips wherever you are. While not as expensive as an iPad or another flagship tablet, these e-paper devices can be more expensive than you think, but right now you can save on one of our favorites. Amazon's base Kindle is on sale for $90 that's $20 less than usual and only $10 more than its record-low price. This made our list of the best ereaders , and for good reason. It's an iconic device that gets the job done. It doesn't have much by way of modern bells and whistles, but it ships with 16GB of storage and comes in two snazzy colorways. The build is compact and durable. It's also light, which makes it easy to pack and easy to hold up with one hand. It allows access to the vast Kindle library and this deal comes with three months of Kindle Unlimited. That's sort of like Netflix, but for books. The selection isn't comprehensive, but I've always found something to read when in a pinch. This is an entry-level device. There's no color screen and no option to use a stylus. The battery, however, does last around six weeks with regular use. This is a metric I can personally confirm. It seems like I barely charge mine and it's always ready to go. The only major downside here is that this is one of those Amazon devices that forces ads on you. There is a version without lockscreen ads, but it costs more. I never really found them to be all that intrusive, given that they are tethered to the lockscreen and mostly advertise books. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-kindle-is-20-off-right-now-183302861.html?src=rss

CES 2026 Day 3: The most interesting tech that's still on the show floor

Even as CES 2026 wraps up soon, theres no shortage of standout hardware hiding in plain sight. From genuinely quieter yard tools to ultra-light EVs and companion robots that want to remember your family, Day 3 was all about tech that felt a little more considered and in some cases, refreshingly practical. If you cant get enough of CES, be sure to check out our picks for best of CES 2026 , which highlights the most impressive new tech weve seen in Las Vegas. Weve also rounded up the CES gadgets you can buy right now if youre itching to place an order, along with a look at the weirdest tech at CES 2026 , because it wouldnt be CES without a few delightfully unhinged ideas. Tone Outdoors T1 leaf blower Tone Outdoors T1 Billy Steele for Engadget The Tone Outdoors T1 leaf blower is one of the rare CES gadgets that makes an immediate, obvious impression mostly because its shockingly quiet. Whisper Aeros aerospace-derived motor redesign delivers 880 CFM of airflow at around 52 decibels, which we could confirm even amid the noise of the show floor. It also runs up to 50 minutes in Eco mode, supports a forthcoming battery backpack and even includes an LED for nighttime cleanup. Pre-orders are open now for $599 , with shipping expected in September. GE Profile Smart Fridge Finally! A reasonably sized fridge screen. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The GE Profile Smart Fridge is the first smart fridge weve seen that feels like it was designed around real problems instead of just slapping a massive screen on the door. GEs AI assistant can answer practical questions like where your water filter is, scan groceries via a built-in barcode reader and keep tabs on produce with a crisper drawer camera. The eight-inch display feels refreshingly restrained, while integrations with Instacart and recipe suggestions add utility. It launches in March for $4,899, and for once, were genuinely curious what it would be like to live with it. Longbow Motors Speedster EV Longbow Motors Speedster Billy Steele for Engadget Longbow Motors brought one of the most emotionally compelling EVs weve seen to CES, and its unapologetically minimalist. The Speedster uses in-wheel motors from Donut Labs to hit a jaw-dropping curb weight of just 2,200 pounds, lighter than a Miata. Its stripped-back interior, mystery shift lever and exposed motors feel like a direct rejection of touchscreen-heavy modern cars. Its wildly expensive at just under $100,000, but also one of the few EVs here that got us excited to drive. OlloBot companion robot A robot with eyes on top of a screen showing a smile. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget OlloBot might win the award for most charmingly strange robot on the show floor. Designed as a family cyber pet, it responds to voice and touch, develops a personality over time and stores all its memories locally in a removable heart-shaped module. The robot can help find lost items, make calls and eventually control Matter smart home devices. A Kickstarter is planned for summer, with pricing starting around $1,000. Bluetti Charger 2 Here's how the Bluetti Charger 2 would work with dual charging sources. Bluetti Bluettis Charger 2 fixes a very specific but real problem for off-grid users: charging from your engine and solar panels at the same time. The dual-input system supports up to 600W from solar and 800W from an alternator, dramatically speeding up battery top-ups. It also works with multiple Bluetti power stations and can even jump-start your vehicle in a pinch. Early pricing is $349 through February 7, after which it jumps to $499. CES is ending, but weve got more stories to tell The CES show floor will soon be closing down, but Engadget still has a lot of stories in our pipeline. As the crowds thin out, were continuing to surface the tech that actually stands out whether its solving everyday annoyances or simply doing something bold and different. Stay tuned to our CES 2026 hub for more hands-ons, deep dives and final takeaways even after CES 2026 comes to a close at the end of this week. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ces-2026-day-3-the-most-interesting-tech-thats-still-on-the-show-floor-134724231.html?src=rss

Kia's budget EV2 arrives with up to 240 miles of range

Kia has unveiled its new entry level electric vehicle, the EV2. The boxy model strongly resembles the company's Soul (Kia did make an electric Soul at one point) and has very similar dimensions, though it's slightly shorter in height and length. It's not exactly a range monster and will charge a bit slower than the competition. The EV2 launched at the Brussels Motor Show and the company said it has no plans for US availability at this point. The EV2 uses Kia/Hyundai's E-GMP platform and slots into the bottom of its EV lineup as an entry point to electric mobility, according to the automaker. Though nearly the same size, it certainly looks nicer than the dowdy Soul and has more room inside. Competition-wise, it's going up against Volvo's EX30 and may cost about the same, though Kia has yet to divulge pricing. Kia The EV2 will be offered with two battery options: a 42kWh battery with 197 miles of WLTP range (likely around 170 miles by EPA standards) and 61kWh with 278 miles of WLPT range (around 240 EPA miles). That's not a lot, especially compared to the 261 mile EPA max range of the EX30 so Kia's pricing for the EV2 will be key. As for charging speeds, Kia says the EV2 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes a bit slower than the 69 kWh EX30. Like other Kia vehicles, the EV2 supports vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-load (V2L/V2G) charging. Kia calls the vehicle's interior a Picnic Box as a way to describe the small but useful space. Kia says its comparable to larger vehicles in terms of space, with generous rear legroom and rear cargo capacity up to 403 liters. It will come in four- and five-seat versions. Kia As for tech inside, it offers a generous screen setup, with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a 5-inch climate display. Ambient lighting in the cabin syncs up with specific vehicle functions. At the same time, it offers a fully array of manual controls climate, volume control and more. It comes with multiple USB-C ports (three up front) that support up to 100W charging. The company has yet to reveal performance figures other than range. Production is set to start in Q1, so deliveries should commence in Europe and other regions later in the year. It doesn't look like the EV2 will arrive stateside any time soon, though, as the company said it has not announced plans for the US market. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/kias-budget-ev2-arrives-with-up-to-240-miles-of-range-130038144.html?src=rss

Spotify is no longer running ads for ICE

There are no recruitment ads for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) running on Spotify at the moment, the streaming service has told Variety . A spokesperson has confirmed the news after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis, but they also clarified that the ads stopped running in late 2025. The advertisements mentioned were part of a US government recruitment campaign that ran across all major media and platforms, they explained. Spotify caught flak back in October for playing ICE ads, asking people to join the mission to protect America, in between songs for users on the ad-supported plan. The advertisements even promised $50,000 signing bonuses for new recruits. Campaigns were launched to urge users to cancel their subscriptions and to boycott the service, and even music labels called on the company to stop serving ICE advertisements. Spotify said back then that the ads dont violate its policies and that users can simply mark them with a thumbs up or down to let the platform know their preferences. The company reportedly received $74,000 from Homeland Security for the ICE ads, but thats a tiny amount compared to what other companies received. According to a report by Rolling Stone , Google and YouTube were paid $3 million for Spanish-language ads that called for self-deportation, while Meta received $2.8 million. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-is-no-longer-running-ads-for-ice-130000672.html?src=rss

Lego is trying to make tech invisible with Smart Play

Probably my favorite thing about the Lego Smart Play system unveiled this week at CES is that it was designed for kids, first and foremost. In the past 10 years or so, Lego has increasingly courted an older audience with more expensive and elaborate sets. But when it was time to bring more advanced technology to Lego, the idea right from the beginning was more social and interactive play. If you havent heard about Smart Play yet, its a way for Lego to make its sets more interactive. A Smart Brick filled with sensors makes it so sets can respond to each other, know when theyre moving, play sounds and know when the corresponding Smart Minifigures are near them. Tiny Smart Tags, meanwhile, help the Smart Brick know the context of how its being used whether its in a helicopter, car or duck for example. Tom Donaldson, senior VP and Head of Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, told Engadget that the company worked on Smart Play for about eight years before introducing it this week, and that social play was the starting point. We started really looking at consumer needs, and this idea that kids really like social play, said Donaldson Kids really like the sort of things that change when they come back to them, and the kids really like agency. They want to be able to change things. Lego's Tom Donaldson demoing Smart Play at CES. LEGO But a big part of the creation process was making the Smart Brick as flexible and powerful as possible and then seeing what scenarios could take advantage of it. We wanted to build a really powerful platform, he said. What we shouldn't do is say, this is what we think we're gonna need. We needed to say, let's create something that has a lot of capabilities that we can then figure out how to use. One of the conflicts with the tech-packed Smart Play system, though, might be the cost. Obviously, Lego has been successful at most ventures it has undertaken in recent years, but the pricing of Smart Play sets could make adoption a bit challenging. The biggest Smart Play set, Star Wars Throne Room Duel & A-Wing, for example, has almost 1,000 pieces and costs $160. Thats quite a bit more than comparably sized sets. The dual factors of the Star Wars license and Smart Play tech certainly impacted the cost. Lego Smart Play Star Wars set LEGO The set includes two Smart Bricks, five Smart Tags and three Smart Minifigures, the most smart gear included in any of the initial three Star Wars Smart Play sets. Will parents shell out for the more advanced capabilities that Smart Play offers, or will they stick with standard sets? For now, Lego is betting the extremely broad appeal of Star Wars will help these new Smart Play sets find an audience. About three years ago, Lego got its team focused on the Star Wars franchise involved, as well as Lucasfilm, to figure out how to roll Smart Play out to the world. Very early on, we all decided that starting with the original trilogy would be great, said Derek Stothard, Disneys Director of Global Licensing These are such well-known scenes and characters, and they cross generations, so parents can introduce them to their kids. All that works really well together. Unsurprisingly, Lego is being coy about where things go beyond the initial three Star Wars sets, but its clear that after eight years of development, theyll want to bring it to as many product lines as possible. We're announcing a platform that you can see has tremendous growth [potential], Donaldson said. We made the analogy with the minifigure as something that youll see across the entire [Lego] system, maybe not in every single SKU but itll reappear in many different places. But ultimately we're a company that really focuses on giving kids what they want, what they love, and we'll have to see how it lives in a market. That last point about how it lives in the market is a good one, particularly given the pricing. We probably wont know for sure until Lego moves beyond the safe confines of Star Wars and really shows us what Smart Play can do across more varied scenarios. And going to non-licensed sets might be where Smart Play really takes off its easy to imagine a cheaper Smart Play add-on kit that can bring sets to life at a lower cost. But the idea of transforming anything kids create into something more interactive has a ton of potential if Lego can broaden its appeal beyond Star Wars fans. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/lego-is-trying-to-make-tech-invisible-with-smart-play-130000979.html?src=rss

Xbox is bringing Avowed to PS5

Another first-party Xbox game is making the leap to PlayStation 5. This time around, Obsidians Avowed one of our favorite games of last year is crossing the great divide. The fantasy action RPG will hit Sonys console on February 17 , one day shy of the games first anniversary. As it happens, an anniversary update is set to go live on all platforms at the same time. This includes a new game+ mode (allowing those who have beaten the RPG to replay it with all their gear and upgrades from their previous run), a photo mode, a new weapon type and more. Avowed is set in the same universe as Obsidians Pillars of Eternity games. It tasks you with investigating a fungal plague that has infested the world. The writing is stellar throughout, though the sidequests that reveal your companions backstories are particularly poignant, Engadget senior reporter Jessica Conditt wrote. Avowed is gorgeous, its combat systems are fully customizable, its characters are intriguing and its encumbrance limit is generous. Theres a real sense of magic about the entire game and no, thats not just the mind-altering mushrooms talking. Microsoft has brought a string of first-party Xbox games to PS5 over the last couple of years, freeing them from console exclusivity. Forza Horizon 5, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II and Sea of Thieves are among the games that have crossed over to PlayStation. Later this year, youll even be able to play a Halo game on PS5 , something that was utterly unthinkable not too long ago. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/xbox-is-bringing-avowed-to-ps5-120000035.html?src=rss

The 7 best cordless vacuums for 2026

Old-school, upright vacuums left a lot to be desired, and cordless models are here to right many of those wrongs. These types of vacuums tend to be thinner, lighter and easy to maneuver around a home, and you dont really have to sacrifice suction power anymore to get those benefits. Dyson isnt your only option anymore either like the robot vacuum space, there are dozens of cordless vacuums to choose from today. Variety is great, but it can also lead to decision fatigue and confusion. We at Engadget can help make that decision a bit easier. After testing a bunch of the best cordless stick vacuums available today, weve come up with our top picks, plus loads of buying advice to help you figure out which is the best cordless vacuum for you. Table of contents Best cordless vacuums for 2026 Other cordless stick vacuums we tested Factors to consider before buying a cordless vacuum How we test cordless vacuums Cordless stick vacuums FAQs Best cordless vacuums for 2026 Other cordless stick vacuums we tested Dyson Gen 5 Detect The Dyson Gen 5 Detect has a single-button start and stronger suction power than our top pick, but its otherwise quite similar. However, since the Gen 5 Detect is more expensive at $950 (although it does receive discounts at Dyson online), the V15 Detect still provides greater value for your money. The Gen 5 Detect is arguably best for those who want the latest Dyson, or care about getting a more future-proof machine, since it came out just last year. Levoit Aero The biggest selling point of the Levoit Aero is the attached bin into which the vacuum will empty its dustbin when you press a button once it's docked after a cleaning. I hesitate to call it a self-emptying base because the self part isn't really there instead, there's a dedicated button on the machine that you press to empty the dustbin. It's convenient, for sure, but otherwise the vacuum itself is just ok. It did a decent job cleaning up hard and carpeted floors, but it did struggle a bit with large clumps of pet hair. The handling is a little awkward as well. LG CordZero Q3 The $329 CordZero Q3 is a perfectly capable vacuum with a single-button start, two manual power modes, adjustable suction technology that detects carpets and hard flooring and a cleaner head outfitted with LEDs to help you better spot all the dirt on your floors. But it's ultimately just fine in comparison to our top picks; it's not the most unique cordless vacuum or the most powerful, even though it will be enough to get the job done for many people. My biggest gripes with it are that you must charge it using the included base (which really works best when mounted on a wall otherwise it's just awkward) and it doesn't have the smoothest handling. Shark Detect Pro The Shark Detect Pro provides a lot of value for the money, but it was ultimately beat by the Tineco Pure One Station 5 for our runner-up slot thanks to the Tinecos stronger suction power. The kicker for the Detect Pro is that it includes a self-emptying base in its $450 price, which is super handy. Itll automatically dump the contents of the vacuum into the larger bin in the base after every cleaning, and you only need to empty the bases container every month or so. The Detect Pro did a good job cleaning up messes across different types of flooring, and itll auto-adjust suction power depending on the amount of debris and whether youre cleaning hard or carpeted floors. However, its not as smooth to use as any of our top picks and its main cleaner head is a bit tall, making it difficult to use to clean under low furniture. Factors to consider before buying a cordless vacuum Design and bin capacity Most of the cordless models youll find today have stick designs, with a handle at the top attached to a debris bin, which has a space to connect different attachments at one end. These designs are more versatile than old-school, upright vacuums of yesteryear because, while you may use the long stick attachment most of the time to clean your floors, many cordless vacuums come with other attachments as well. Some allow you to clean hard to reach spaces like the interior of your car, while others make it easier to vacuum furniture and clean up inside crevices. Some modern cordless vacuums also include practical features like an on/off button placed near your thumb for quick access, or an integrated LED light to help you see dust and debris under furniture or in darker corners. Bin volume is worth keeping in mind when youre choosing a cordless vacuum. The larger the bin, the more debris it can hold, but it might also mean a heavier machine. All of the cordless vacuums we tested had a bin size between 0.1 and 0.8 gallons and all were able to handle cleaning an entire one-pet home (roughly 2,000 square feet) in a single run without needing to be emptied. Anything smaller and you may have to deal with more frequent emptying during each cleaning session. If you prefer a bagless design, all of the cordless vacuums in this guide fall into that category, making them easier and cheaper to maintain than bagged models. Some cordless models also have removable, replaceable battery packs, which is super handy. That means you can buy a replacement battery and install it easily, without needing to seek out professional assistance. Also, these extra batteries cost around $150-$200 a pop expensive, yes, but nowhere near as costly as buying a whole new cordless vacuum. Suction and power modes Cordless vacuum suction power is typically measured in air wattage (AW), but youll see some that list the power of the motor in wattage (W) instead. Typically the higher the air or motor wattage the stronger the suction power, offering improved cleaning performance. And often strength is proportional to price more expensive cordless vacuums tend to have stronger suction power. A general rule of thumb is that those with precocious pets or mess-making children would benefit from a cordless stick vacuum cleaner with stronger-than-average suction power. Most cordless stick vacuums will have two different power modes: a normal or default power mode that balances suction power with battery life, as well as a max or stronger mode that kicks suction strength up a notch. Some vacuums, like Dyson vacuums, also have an eco mode, or one that prioritizes run time over strength. Separate from power modes you can select yourself, some cordless vacuums will automatically adjust motor strength depending on the detected floor type or the amount of mess in its wake. This not only improves ease of use but ensures the vacuum is working as efficiently as possible. If allergens are a concern in your home, look for models equipped with HEPA filters, which are designed to trap fine dust, pollen and other particles that can irritate sensitive noses and lungs. Floor type The best vacuum cleaners in the cordless category will be able to clean any standard floor type hardwood, tile, carpet and everything in between. As mentioned previously, some can even detect floor type and adjust suction power accordingly. That said, it's still worth thinking about the types of flooring you have in your home. If you primarily have carpet, you may want to consider a cordless vacuum with the most powerful suction you can afford, since there are more nooks and crannies for debris to get suck in with carpet. Battery life Obviously, battery life is important since youll probably want to clean more than one room in a shot. All of the cordless vacuums we tested had a battery life of at least 40 minutes in standard cleaning mode. I tested each by cleaning all three floors of my home (upstairs, downstairs and basement) on a single charge with the machine running in its standard (auto) mode and none of them ran out of juice before I could finish the third floor. That said, extra battery life can come in handy if youre switching between power modes since max or high-power programs use more energy. Base style Most cordless stick vacuums come with some sort of base or mount where the machine lives when youre not using it. Wall mounts are the most common, but some have free-standing bases where you dock and charge the vacuum. Consider the space in your home where you want the cordless vacuum to live, since it will have to have an outlet or another power source nearby. Some high-end cordless vacuums come with auto-empty bases that act much like those included with expensive robot vacuums. After cleaning and returning the vacuum to the base, it will automatically empty the dustbin into a larger dustbin that you can then detach from the base when you need to empty it. This is great for anyone concerned about allergens, as youll only need to empty the larger dustbin every month or two, reducing your contact with dust and debris. Smart features Yes, some cordless vacuums have smart features like Wi-Fi and app connectivity. But before we get into those, lets talk about the extra perks scattered among these devices. Some models, like the latest from Dyson, include particle sensors that show you how many different sized pieces of debris its sucking up in real time. Dysons, for example, is a piezo acoustic sensor that detects particle size and frequency and displays that information on the vacs LCD screen. Tinecos iLoop sensor is similar, controlling its vacuums automatic suction power adjustment and changing a circle on the display from red to blue as you fully clean an area. Higher-end cordless vacuums may also have companion apps that show things like battery level, filter status and cleaning logs. Its an added level of convenience, but by no means necessary. Unlike the best robot vacuums , or even the best budget robot vacuums , which rely on their apps to set cleaning schedules, manually control the machines and more, cordless vacuums that you operate yourself really dont need Wi-Fi or an app connectivity. Price Cordless stick vacuums range in price from $150 all the way up to over $1,000. The best ones for most people lie in the middle, in the $400 to $700 range. Youll notice most of our picks land in the higher end of that range, but for good reason: More expensive machines tend to have more sucking power, which means less time wasted going over the same spots over and over. But does that mean everyone needs the most premium cordless vacuum? Definitely not. Weve come up with top picks at various price points that should work well for people with different budgets, lifestyles, home sizes and more. How we test cordless vacuums Engadget doesnt have a dedicated lab in which we can test cordless vacuums, but I used each model in my home for weeks. I ran them over hardwood and tile flooring, as well as low-pile carpet. And my first runthrough consisted of cleaning all three floors of my home on a single battery charge. I performed the same cleaning job as many times as possible, but also intermittently cleaned a single floor as needed, or sucked up isolated messes like crumbs, cat litter spills and tufts of pet fur. Over the course of many cleanings with each model, I made note of how loud the machine was, how easy it was to maneuver around my home, how easily it sucked up pieces of large debris (or if it pushed it around my floor instead) and if they got warm or hot. Cordless stick vacuums FAQs How long does the battery last on a cordless vacuum? Most cordless vacuums will run for at least 30-40 minutes on a single charge, but you can find cordless vacuums with battery lives of up to 60 or 70 minutes. Manufacturers will outline an estimated battery life for each model, and theyre usually based on using the vacuums standard power mode for the entire runtime; if you switch between modes or prefer to use a higher-powered program for improved suction, youll drain the battery faster. Can cordless vacuums be as powerful as corded ones? Cordless vacuums do sacrifice a bit in overall power when compared to corded models, but that doesnt mean they cant handle everyday messes just as well. If suction power is your biggest concern, we recommend springing for a high-powered, high-end cordless vacuum since, typically, the more expensive a cordless vacuum is, the stronger the suction. Also, cordless vacuums have the edge over corded models when it comes to weight and convenience: cordless vacuums are much lighter than their corded counterparts, and youll never have to worry about placement or picking a fight with a cord while cleaning your living room. Are cordless vacuums effective on pet hair? Yes, cordless vacuums can handle pet hair well, but we recommend getting a model with strong suction power to get the best results. Its also wise to get one with a larger bin, since pet hair can quickly fill up smaller bins, which may force you to stop cleaning to empty the vacuum before finishing. What are the best methods for maintaining a cordless vacuum cleaner? Maintaining a cordless vacuum is super easy and helps to keep it running like new. First, make sure to empty the dustbin regularly dont let it overfill, as this can impact suction. Many models have washable filters, so rinse them out every few weeks (check your manual for specifics) and let them dry completely before putting them back. Next, take a look at the brush roll hair and debris can get tangled up in there over time. Most vacuums make it simple to remove the brush roll, so you can snip away any tangles with scissors. If your vacuum has a replaceable battery, try not to let it fully drain too often, as this can reduce its lifespan. A quick wipe-down of the vacuums exterior and attachments will also keep everything looking fresh. Lastly, keep an eye on the sensors and charging contacts, as dust can build up there too. A gentle wipe with a dry cloth every now and then will do the trick. Can cordless vacuums also be used to clean curtains and upholstery? Cordless vacuums are surprisingly versatile, and many come with attachments specifically designed for surfaces like curtains, upholstery and even mattresses. A handheld vacuum mode, which is common in cordless models, makes it easy to tackle these areas. Look for a soft brush or an upholstery tool in the attachments for the vacuum youre considering itll help remove dust and pet hair without damaging fabrics. For curtains, its a good idea to use a lower suction setting if your vacuum has adjustable modes. This prevents the fabric from getting pulled into the nozzle. Check out more from our spring cleaning guide. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-cordless-vacuum-130007125.html?src=rss

Lumus brought a massively wider FOV to smartglasses at CES 2026

Lumus got a major boost in brand recognition when one of its waveguides was selected for use in the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses . But that already feels like old tech now because at CES 2026, the company brought some of its latest components to the show and based on what I saw, they seem poised to seriously elevate the optical quality of the next wave of high-end smartglasses. When the Meta Ray-Ban Displays glasses came out, they wowed users as they were (and still are) one of a handful of smartglassess to feature a full-color in-lens display with at least a 20-degree field of view. But going by the specs on Lumus newest waveguides, were set for a major upgrade in terms of future capabilities. If you look closely, you can see where light from the waveguide propagates into the one of the smartglasses' lenses. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The first model I tried featured Lumus optimized Z-30 waveguides, which not only offer a much wider 30-degree FOV, they are also 30 percent lighter and 40 percent thinner than previous generations. On top of that, Lumus says they are also more power efficient with the waveguides capable of hitting more than 8,000 nits per watt. This is a big deal because smartglasses are currently quite limited by the size of batteries they can use, especially if you want to make them small and light enough to wear all day. When I tried them on, I was dazzled by both the brightness and sharpness I saw from the Z-30s despite them being limited to 720 x 720 resolution. Not only did the increase in FOV feel much larger than 10 degrees, colors were very rich, including white, which is often one of the most difficult shades to properly reproduce. I had to take a photo of one of Lumus' non-functioning smartglasses with the company's 70-degree FOV waveguide, because two out of three of the working ones had already broke and the last one that I used was being held together by tape. Sam Rutherford for Engadget However, even after seeing how good that first model was, I was totally not prepared for Lumus 70-degree FOV waveguides. I was able to view some videos and a handful of test images and I was completely blown away with how much area they covered. It was basically the entire center portion of the lens, with only small unused areas around the corners. And while I did notice some pincushion distortion along the sides of the waveguides display, a Lumus representative told me that it will be possible to correct for that in final retail units. But make no mistake, these waveguides undoubtedly produced some of the sharpest, brightest and best-looking optics Ive seen from any smartglasses, from either retail models or prototypes or. It almost made me question how much wider FOV these types of gadgets really need, though to be clear, I dont think weve hit the point of diminishing returns yet. This is one of Lumus' thinnest waveguides measuring in at just 0.8mm. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Other advantages of Lumus geometric reflective waveguides include better overall efficiency than their refractive counterparts along with the ability to optically bond the displays to smartglasses lenses. That means unlike a lot of rivals, Lumus waveguides can be paired with transitions lenses instead of needing to resort to clip-on sunglass attachments when you go outside. Lumus also claims its designs also simplifies the manufacturing process, resulting in thinner waveguides (as small as 0.8mm) and generally higher yields. Unfortunately, taking high-quality photos of content from smartglasses displays is incredibly challenging, especially when youre using extremely delicate prototypes, so youll just have to take my word for now. But with Lumus in the process of ramping up production of its new waveguides with help from partners including Quanta and SCHOTT, it feels like there will be a ton of smartglasses makers clamoring for these components as momentum continues to build around the industrys pick for the next big thing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/lumus-brought-a-massively-wider-fov-to-smartglasses-at-ces-2026-233245949.html?src=rss

Handwriting is my new favorite way to text with the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses

When Meta first announced its display-enabled smart glasses last year, it teased a handwriting feature that allows users to send messages by tracing letters with their hands. Now, the company is starting to roll it out , with people enrolled in its early access program getting it first, I got a chance to try the feature at CES and it made me want to start wearing my Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses more often. When I reviewed the glasses last year, I wrote about how one of my favorite tings about the neural band is that it reduced my reliance on voice commands. I've always felt a bit self conscious at speaking to my glasses in public. Up to now, replying to messages on the display glasses has still generally required voice dictation or generic preset replies. But handwriting means that you can finally send custom messages and replies somewhat discreetly. Sitting at a table wearing the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses and neural band, I was able to quickly write a message just by drawing the letters on the table in front of me. It wasn't perfect it misread a capital I as an H but it was surprsingly intuitive. I was able to quickly trace out a short sentence and even correct a typo (a swipe from left to right will let you add a space, while a swipe from right to left deletes the last character). Alongside handwriting, Meta also announced a new teleprompter feature. Copy and paste a bunch of text it supports up to 16,000 characters (roughly a half-hour's worth of speech) and you can beam your text into the glasses' display. If you've ever used a teleprompter, Meta's version works a bit differently in that the text doesn't automatically scroll while you speak. Instead, the text is displayed on individual cards you manually swipe through. The company told me it originally tested a scrolling version, but that in early tests, people said they preferred to be in control of when the words appeared in front of them. Teleprompter is starting to roll out now, though Meta says it could take some time before everyone is able to access. The updates are the among the first major additions Meta has made to its display glasses since launching them late last year and a sign that, like its other smart glasses, the company plans to keep them fresh with new features. Elsewhere at CES, the company announced some interesting new plans for the device's neural band and that it was delaying a planned international rollout of the device. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/handwriting-is-my-new-favorite-way-to-text-with-the-meta-ray-ban-display-glasses-213744708.html?src=rss

IXIs autofocusing lenses are almost ready to replace multifocal glasses

While wave upon wave of smartglasses and face-based wearables crash on the shores of CES, traditional glasses really havent changed much over the hundreds of years weve been using them. The last innovation, arguably, was progressive multifocals that blended near and farsighted lenses and that was back in the 1950s. It makes sense that autofocusing glasses maker IXI thinks its time to modernize glasses. After recently announcing a 22-gram (0.7-ounce) prototype frame, the startup is here in Las Vegas to show off working prototypes of its lenses, a key component of its autofocus glasses, which could be a game-changer. IXIs glasses are designed for age-related farsightedness, a condition that affects many, if not most people over 45. They combine cameraless eye tracking with liquid crystal lenses that automatically activate when the glasses detect the users focus shifting. This means that, instead of having two separate prescriptions, as in multifocal or bifocal lenses, IXIs lenses automatically switch between each prescription. Crucially like most modern smartglasses the frames themselves are lightweight and look like just another pair of normal glasses. Mat Smith for Engadget With a row of prototype frames and lenses laid out in front of him, CEO and co-founder Niko Eiden explained the technology, which can be separated into two parts. First, the IXI glasses track the movement of your eyes using a system of LEDs and photodiodes, dotted around the edges of where the lenses sit. The LEDs bounce invisible infrared light off the eyes and then measure the reflection, detecting the subtle movements of your eye and how both eyes converge when focusing on something close. Using infrared with just a handful of analog channels takes far less power than the millions of pixels and 60-times-per-second processing required by camera-based systems. IXIs system not only tracks eye movements, but also blinking and gaze direction, while consuming only 4 milliwatts of power. Mat Smith for Engadget Most of the technology, including memory, sensors, driving electronics and eye tracker, is in the front frame of the glasses and part of the arms closest to the hinge. The IXI prototype apparently uses batteries similar in size to those found in AirPods, which gives some sense of the size and weight of the tech being used. The charging port is integrated into the glasses left arm hinge. Naturally, this does mean they cant be worn while charging. IXI says that a single charge should cover a whole days usage. The prototype frames I saw this week appeared to be roughly the same weight as my traditional chunky specs. And while these are early iterations, IXIs first frames wouldnt look out of place in a lineup of spectacle options. The team has also refined the nose pieces and glasses arms to accommodate different face shapes. Apparently, when testing expanded from Finland to the UK, British faces were ...different. A little harsh when talking to me, a Brit. Eiden pulled out some prototype lenses, made up of layers of liquid crystal and a transparent ITO (indium tin oxide) conductive layer. This combination is still incredibly thin, and it was amazing to watch the layers switch almost instantly into a prescription lens. It seemed almost magical. As theyre so thin, they can be easily integrated into lenses with existing prescriptions. It can also provide cylindrical correction for astigmatism too. Autofocus lenses could eliminate the need for multiple pairs of glasses, such as bifocals and progressives. Even if the glasses were to run out of power, theyd still function as a pair of traditional specs with your standard prescription, just lacking the near-sighted boost. IXIs sensor sensitivity can also offer insight into other health conditions, detect dry eyes, estimate attentiveness and, by tracking where youre looking, even posture and neck movement. According to Eiden, blink rate changes with focus, daydreaming and anxiety, and all that generates data that can be shown in the companion app. Mat Smith for Engadget Hypothetically, the product could even potentially adapt prescriptions dynamically, going beyond the simple vision correction of Gen 1. For example, it could offer stronger corrections as your eyes get fatigued through the day. IXI appears to be putting the pieces in place to make these glasses a reality. It still needs to obtain the necessary medical certifications in order to sell its glasses and get all the production pieces in place. Its already partnered with Swiss lens-maker Optiswiss for manufacturing. Eiden says the final product will be positioned as a high-end luxury glasses option, selling through existing opticians. The company hopes to finally launch its first pair sometime next year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ixis-autofocusing-lenses-multifocal-glasses-ces-2026-212608427.html?src=rss

YouTube will let you exclude Shorts from search results

YouTube introduced some new filters to its advanced search tools today. Possibly the most exciting change is that Shorts are now listed as a content type, so the three-minute-or-less videos can be excluded as results in your searches. This is a welcome update for any of us who have been on the hunt for a long-form explainer only to wade through dozens of ten-second clips before finding anything close to our goal. Especially with the addition of even more AI slop last year thanks to the Google Veo 3 engine, an option to exclude Shorts may look even more appealing. The other updates include a pair of renamed features within advanced search. The Sort By menu will now be called Prioritize. Likewise, the View Count option has been renamed to Popularity; this will allow YouTube's algorithms to account for other metrics such as watch time to gauge how much other users are engaging with a particular video. A pair of former filter options have also been removed; there will no longer be choices to search for Upload Date - Last Hour and Sort by Rating. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-will-let-you-exclude-shorts-from-search-results-204500097.html?src=rss

Hands-on with Fender Audio's headphones and speakers at CES 2026

Fender Audio may have announced its new headphones and speakers right before CES, but Las Vegas afforded us the first opportunity to see the brands new lineup in person. Fender Audio is a Fender-owned brand from Riffsound thats designing and making new devices after licensing the name. Its been a while since the guitar and amplifier company made any general-use speakers of its own, and this new arrangement is similar to what Zound was doing with Marshall for a spell . Logistics out of the way, lets get down to what the Mix and Ellie are like in the flesh. First, the Mix headphones offer a modular construction that allows you to replace nearly every piece as needed. The ear cups detach from the headband and the ear pads are replaceable. You can also swap out the battery, thanks to an easy-to-access slot behind one ear pad. And on the other side, a USB-C dongle for wireless lossless audio is stowed for safe keeping (wired lossless audio over USB-C is also available). Fender Audio Mix headphones Billy Steele for Engadget Fender Audio kept the controls simple on the Mix, opting for a single joystick for volume and playback changes. The joystick also serves as the power and pairing control as the only other button cycles through active noise cancellation (ANC) modes. In terms of sound, the Mix will satisfy listeners who crave deep bass, and vocals cut through clearly. In my brief demo, I wouldve liked more mid-range, but Ill wait until I get a review unit for a full assessment there. I should mention the other standout feature is battery life: the Mix will offer up to 52 hours of use with ANC enabled (up to 100 hours with it off). Then there are the Elie speakers. Both offer a similar set of features, which includes two wireless inputs for microphones (the company is working on its own model) and a combination XLR and 1/4-inch input for instruments. The Elie 06 is the smaller unit, housing a tweeter, full-range driver and subwoofer with 60 watts of output. The larger Elie 12 doubles all of that, serving as a more robust but still very portable option. Fender Audio Ellie speakers Billy Steele for Engadget Both Elie units can be used in a single configuration or as a stereo pair. You can also connect up to 100 of the speakers via a Multi mode. Fender Audio has done a nice job here of checking all of the usual Bluetooth speaker boxes while offering something unique in terms all of those inputs. Its like the company combined regular portable speakers with larger party boxes, offering something for customers who dont want a massive device or any of the flashing lights. Of course, none of these specs matter if the company didnt ace the sound quality. While Ill wait until I can spend several hours with some review units before I make any final judgement on these, I can tell you that both Elie speakers made a great first impression. Theres ample bass in the tuning for both, but obviously the larger Elie 12 offers more thump. Both units also provide excellent vocal clarity and nice details in the highs, as I made sure to select test tracks with lots of subtle sounds like Bela Flecks banjo tunes. The back of Fender Audio Ellie 06 speaker Billy Steele for Engadget Fender Audio says the arrival of the entire new lineup is imminent. Both the headphones and the Elie 6 will cost $299 and the Elie 12 is $399. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/hands-on-with-fender-audios-headphones-and-speakers-at-ces-2026-203104561.html?src=rss

The biggest new TV announcements at CES 2026 from Samsung, LG and TCL

TVs are a staple of CES, and so far, manufacturers have not disappointed with their announcements at CES 2026 . Companies including Samsung, LG and others came to the event ready to show off updates to existing display tech and some genuinely new technologies. OLED and Mini LED remain central to most lineups, while Micro RGB has emerged as one of the most talked-about developments at the show so far, especially at the higher end of the TV market. Below are the TV announcements that stood out most from the pre-show events and early press conferences, with more expected as CES continues. Also, be sure to check out our best of CES 2026 list. Samsung Micro RGB TVs Samsung's flagship Micro RGB TV Engadget Samsungs Micro RGB push at CES 2026 isnt just about big screens its also about how the technology tries to redefine color accuracy and brightness in LCD-based TVs. Unlike traditional Mini LED backlights that rely on white LEDs and filters, Samsungs Micro RGB TVs use microscopic red, green and blue LEDs in the backlight plane, which help deliver a wider color gamut and more precise local luminance control than conventional backlit LCDs. The standout of the lineup so far is the jaw-dropping 130-inch Micro RGB concept , shown suspended on a massive gallery-style stand at Samsungs First Look event . Its powered by Samsungs Micro RGB AI Engine Pro, a processing suite that includes Micro RGB Color Booster Pro and Micro RGB HDR Pro to refine contrast and push color depth and detail frame by frame, with HDR10+ Advanced support built in. Compared with previous Micro RGB models, Samsung says this expanded family will start at more practical sizes 55- and 65-inch and go up to sizes as large as 75, 85 and 100 inches, all with next-gen AI-driven picture and sound features baked in. Samsungs Micro RGB sets also carry the companys Glare Free anti-reflection finish and tie into its broader Vision AI platform, which supports things like conversational search and contextual content discovery. While the 130-inch concept may remain more of a statement piece than a consumer product, the move underscores how Samsung continues to push next-gen TV tech forward. Samsung OLED TVs Samsungs new 2026 OLED slate including the S95H, S90H and S85H models continues the brands use of quantum dot-enhanced OLED panels, bringing brighter highlights and richer colors than older WOLED approaches. These TVs also benefit from Samsungs continued refinement of processing and anti-glare screen treatments, which make them more adaptable in bright living rooms than traditional OLEDs. The flagship S95H retains its position as the most premium, using a quantum dot layer to help improve brightness and color purity. Below that, the S90H brings glare-reducing optical layers and robust picture processing to a slightly more affordable price point, while the S85H is designed to offer core OLED benefits, like deep blacks and wide viewing angles, in a more accessible package that now includes a new 48-inch size for smaller spaces or gaming setups. Across the OLED family, Samsungs Vision AI-powered tools such as AI Motion Enhancer Pro and AI Sound Controller (which dynamically adjusts audio based on content) are also part of the story, making these sets not just about panel tech but about richer, more adaptable viewing experiences. LG OLED evo W6 Wallpaper TV LG's 2026 Wallpaper wireless OLED TV Devindra Hardawar for Engadget LGs OLED evo W6 Wallpaper TV makes a striking return at CES 2026, and this years version manages to blend design flair with high-end performance. The panel itself is an astonishing 9mm thick, designed to sit almost flush against a wall, and pairs with a Zero Connect Box that hosts all inputs and delivers wireless video feeds up to 10 meters away. Under the ultra-thin exterior, the W6 uses LGs Hyper Radiant Color technology coupled with Brightness Booster Ultra to push improved brightness and color saturation compared with previous Wallpaper models. It also received Interteks Reflection Free with Premium certification, indicating some of the lowest reflectance levels yet on an OLED TV. Gaming shooters and fast action fans might appreciate support for up to 165Hz refresh rates and both G-SYNC and FreeSync Premium compatibility, making this one of the most technically ambitious Wallpaper designs LG has shown. LG Micro RGB evo TVs LG is also entering the premium RGB-backlit arena at CES with its Micro RGB evo lineup , bringing a similar focus on wider color gamut and intense brightness. Early coverage indicates the Micro RGB evo models will arrive in 75-, 86- and 100-inch sizes, and are built around LGs 11 AI Processor Gen3, which handles advanced upscaling, local dimming and dynamic HDR optimization. LGs Micro RGB evo TVs have been certified for full coverage of BT.2020, DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces, suggesting an exceptionally wide palette and precise color fidelity. Under the hood, the Micro Dimming Ultra system is said to deliver 1,000+ local dimming zones, which narrows the gap between LCD-based displays and self-emissive technologies like OLED in terms of contrast management. This early positioning of RGB LED tech by LG also highlights a growing industry shift, with multiple brands teasing similar systems designed to improve brightness and color performance on large screen sizes especially where OLEDs peak luminance traditionally struggles. LG OLED TVs (C6 and C6H) OLED remains a core focus for LG, and CES 2026 brought updates to its popular C-series. The LG C6 OLED continues the companys tradition of balancing performance and price, while the C6H OLED steps things up with a new Primary RGB Tandem panel designed to deliver higher brightness and improved color volume. These models are clearly aimed at buyers who want OLEDs deep blacks and wide viewing angles without jumping to LGs most expensive designs, making them likely to be among the most popular TVs LG releases this year. TCL X11L SQD-Mini LED TV TCL used CES 2026 to make a strong case for Mini LEDs continued relevance with the X11L SQD-Mini LED TV, its new flagship model aimed squarely at large-screen home theater setups. Rather than chasing Micro RGB, TCL is refining its own approach with SQD, or Super Quantum Dot, technology, which combines an enhanced quantum dot layer with a dense Mini LED backlight to improve color purity and brightness. The headline number here is brightness. TCL claims the X11L can hit up to 10,000 nits peak brightness, putting it among the brightest TVs shown at CES this year. Thats paired with an extremely dense local dimming system, with up to 20,000 dimming zones, which is designed to improve contrast and keep blooming in check despite the extreme luminance. TCL also says the panel covers 100 percent of the BT.2020 color space, a bold claim that, if it holds up in real-world testing, would put it in rare company. The X11L is a 4K TV available in 75-inch, 85-inch and 98-inch sizes, with the largest models clearly intended to rival premium OLED and Micro RGB sets in dedicated home theaters. It supports a 144Hz refresh rate, making it appealing for gaming as well as fast-moving sports, and includes support for advanced HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, with further enhancements expected via software updates. With CES press day underway and the show floor opening on January 6, more TV announcements are expected from major manufacturers. As additional models are revealed or details are confirmed, well continue updating this roundup with the latest information. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/the-biggest-new-tv-announcements-at-ces-2026-from-samsung-lg-and-tcl-190929614.html?src=rss

Emerson Smart brings offline voice control to lamps and fans

Perhaps you like the idea of controlling your home appliances with your voice, but arent super keen on a data center processing recordings of you. Fair enough. The trade-off for most smart home conveniences is relinquishing at least some of your privacy. Today at CES, I saw a line of voice-controlled home appliances from Emerson Smart that adjust power and setting via voice commands. But commands are recognized on the devices themselves, not carried through Wi-Fi and processed elsewhere. The huge array of smart plugs, fans, heaters and even air fryers require no app for setup and dont need access to Wi-Fi. Instead, I said, hey Emerson, lights on or hey fan, turn on low and the devices in the demo space acted accordingly. A few of the devices combine the mic with a speaker and can respond when a command is received. A bit of built-in programing on the air fryers allow them to understand commands for 100 cooking presets, so saying things like, reheat this pizza or cook these frozen french fries will set the correct mode, time and temp. Of course you can also just say, cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and itll comply. Most of the commands for the other items are pretty simple but allow you to do things like set a timer, turn on oscillation and set intensity speeds. Selection of available commands for Emerson Smart devices. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Some of the devices allow for a small amount of programmability. Pressing and holding the button on the smart plug, for example, changes the wake word to plug two, doing it again swaps it to plug three, and so on. That way, if you have more than one plug in a room, you can operate them individually. The small demo space in which I talked to the devices (that did its best to shut out the thrumming noise of the CES show floor) had at least six models active and listening for my words. When I said Hey Emerson, both an air fryer and one of the heaters responded. That was one of the limitations that I could see with the devices: If you outfit your entire home in Emerson Smart gear, it might take some time to name and position everything so it works in a coherent way. The lack of an app means that programmability is limited, too. Thats the trade-off the privacy-conscious or app-averse user will have to make if they want to turn their lamp on and fan up when they walk into a room just by talking. As the only offline, non-DIY voice-controlled lineup of appliances out there, youre stuck with whatever design Emerson Smart thinks look good. Thankfully, the overall design is clean and modern, if a little basic. The upcoming models of air purifiers and fans were decidedly more attractive. A new Emerson Smart air purifier and fan combo. Amy Skorheim for Engadget A handful of devices are available for sale now, but new Emerson Smart products will go into production later this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/emerson-smart-brings-offline-voice-control-to-lamps-and-fans-201500078.html?src=rss

Engadget's best of CES 2026: All the new tech that caught our eye in Las Vegas

This year, over 4,000 exhibitors descended on Las Vegas, Nevada to showcase their wares at CES, and the Engadget team was out in full force . The week started with press conferences from the biggest companies at the show, which were often a flurry of AI buzzwords, vague promises and very little in the way of hard news. More than one company even decided to forgo announcing things during their conferences to make way for more AI chatter, only to publish press releases later quietly admitting that, yes, actually, they did make some consumer technology. It's appropriate, I guess, that as we're beginning to feel the knock-on cost effects of the AI industry's insatiable appetite for compute resources higher utility bills and device prices companies would rather use their flashy conferences to reinforce AI's supposedly must-have attributes rather than actually inform the public about their new products. We're by no means AI luddites at Engadget, but it's fair to say that our team is more excited by tangible products that enrich our lives than iterative improvements to large language models. So, away from all of the bombast of NVIDIA's marathon keynote and Lenovo's somehow simultaneously gaudy and dull Sphere show, it's been a pleasure to evaluate the crowd of weird new gadgets , appliances, toys and robots vying for our attention. Over the course of several days of exhaustive discussion and impassioned pitching, our CES team has whittled down the hundreds of products we saw to pick our favorites. Starting with an initial shortlist of around 50 candidates across a diverse range of product categories, we eventually landed on 15 winners and our singular best in show. If you've been with us all week, stay tuned for a lot more to come despite publishing almost 200 articles from the show already, there's still plenty we have to tell you about. For now, though, here are our winners, each introduced by the editor most familiar with it. Aaron Souppouris, Editor-in-chief Best robot: Switchbot Onero H1 Onero H1 robot Onero We saw a lot of robots showing off intriguing and useful capabilities at CES 2026. While a lot of robots impressed us, there were fewer companies willing to commit to actually making them available. But Switchbot's Onero H1, which we watched pick up clothes and load a washing machine, is a helper robot the company intends to sell this year. The demo we saw was limited, but Switchbot claims it can help with an array of household chores (even if it might do them more slowly than a human). It's also kind of cute. The company hasn't said how much Onero will cost, though it promises the droid will be less than $10,000. A nearly five-figure price tag is still out of reach for most, but it at least gives us hope we'll see it somewhere outside of the CES showfloor. Karissa Bell, Senior reporter Best accessibility tech: WheelMove WheelMove power assist for manual wheelchairs Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget WheelMove offers a simple upgrade for manual wheelchairs that could make it much easier for the rider to navigate rough surfaces like grass and uneven dirt paths. The add-on is affixed to the front bars of the wheelchair and can lift the small caster wheels off the ground, in addition to providing power assistance with five speed options. It's portable, has a decent range of about 15 miles with the option to swap out its battery on the go and could give wheelchair users greater access to areas that would otherwise be difficult to move about in. It can also keep the wheelchair from speeding up when a person is traveling on a downward slope. This feels very much like a product that will actually see the light of day, and could be genuinely helpful. It builds upon an existing category of wheelchair accessories to address a real issue in a way that doesn't overcomplicate things, and would work with the wheelchairs people already use. Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend editor Best TV: LG Wallpaper TV (OLED Evo W6) LG OLED Evo W6 Wallpaper TV LG Ive seen plenty of TVs at CES this year, but few stopped me in my tracks like LGs OLED Evo W6 . Its the resurrection of the companys Wallpaper TV, but this time its even thinner (about the depth of a pencil), and its no longer tied to a soundbar. It also uses LGs wireless control box to reduce cabling the only cord you need to hide is the one for power. And best of all, the OLED Evo W6 features LGs latest OLED technology, which promises to be about 20 percent brighter than previous generations. Video demos looked absolutely stunning, with all of the wonderful contrast and black levels weve come to love from OLED. But its also a work of art when its turned off, one that practically disappears when viewed from an angle. Devindra Hardawar, Senior reporter Best AI hardware: Subtle Voicebuds Subtle Voicebuds Subtle Subtles Voicebuds are earbuds with a twist: They feature an AI model thats trained to transcribe your voice accurately in very noisy environments, or when it's below a whisper in quiet spaces. Weve seen these things in action on the bustling CES show floor, where they managed to transcribe several sentences amid the chaos. The only downsides is that the Voicebuds require internet access to use the best transcription models, and you need to subscribe to the Subtle app to use it. Without the app, it relies on a smaller local model for transcription. While we still need to put the Voicebuds through their paces, theyre intriguing because we havent seen many genuinely useful AI hardware products. Plus, its been a while since weve seen a tiny startup deliver hardware trying to take on the likes of Apple. Devindra Hardawar, Senior reporter Best smart home: IKEA Matter-compatible smart home IKEA KAJPLATS smart bulb range IKEA The best smart home devices I saw at CES had nothing to do with AI or robots. It seems every other company, from Bosch to LG to Samsung , had one or both of the buzzy technologies baked into their new smart home offerings. But IKEA came to its first CES with a simple lineup of basic, Matter-enabled smart plugs, sensors, lamps and remotes at screamingly good prices. Function paired with accessible pricing is sort of what IKEA is known for, so the lineup didnt exactly surprise me as much as make me appreciate that someone is finally simplifying and democratizing smart home stuff. There are 21 Matter-compatible devices in all. They include a $6 smart bulb, an $8 smart plug, a $6 smart remote and a slew of home sensors. A slightly pricier ($15) globe bulb looks very lovely. Finally, theres a smart bulb youd actually want to look at one that doesnt cost $50. Another standout is the BILREA remote control. Not only is it an intuitive controller for IKEAs smart devices and new smart lamps, it also has a magnetic mount so you dont lose the thing. Matter devices require a hub to function. Here, you can either go for IKEAs own DIRIGERA or use a Matter hub you already own. The new lineup should land at IKEAs website and stores sometime in January. Amy Skorheim, Senior reporter Best home theater: Samsung HW-QS90H Samsung HW-QS90H soundbar Billy Steele for Engadget Many companies claim their soundbars have enough bass that you dont need a separate subwoofer. Those promises rarely pan out, even when the company devises new technology to solve the problem. With the HW-QS90H , Samsung is pledging to do the same with its Quad Bass woofer system. Those woofers move in two directions, producing a lot more low-end tone than most soundbars are capable of on their own. Whats more, Samsung included its Convertible Fit Design tech that debuted last year, so you can lay this speaker flat or mount it on a wall and the built-in sensors will automatically adjust the driver output accordingly. So, if youve longed for deep bass on a soundbar without a large or ugly sub in the corner, you may finally get your wish later this year. Billy Steele, Deputy editor Best audio: Shokz OpenFit Pro Shokz OpenFit Pro Shokz When it comes to open fit earbuds, companies that claim to offer active noise cancellation (ANC) usually dont deliver; Its difficult to effectively block external sound when your ears arent completely sealed off. Shokz is one of the few that has cracked the code with its OpenFit Pro . The over-the-ear hook design allows the earbuds to sit outside of your ear for a clear line to your surroundings. When you need a bit more quiet, the companys noise reduction tech does well to silence moderate sounds in a cafe, office and more. Its seriously impressive how much noise reduction youll get here, and the fact that nothing is stuck in your ear canals makes them very comfortable to wear. Plus, Shokz improved overall sound quality with new drivers, and tacked on Dolby Atmos for good measure. Billy Steele, Deputy editor Best outdoor tech: Tone Outdoors T1 Tone Outdoors T1 Whisper Aero Outdoor tool companies have increasingly shown up at CES, especially the ones that offer a range of battery-powered gear. Tone Outdoors isnt your usual power tool outfit though; its a spin-off of the aerospace engineering company Whisper Aero. Through its development of quieter electric airplane engines, Whisper Aero realized its technology had other uses. Enter the T1 leaf blower. The T1 is significantly quieter than most handheld gas models, clocking in at just 52 decibels of peak noise on average. Its also more powerful than most of them with 880 CFM of airflow volume. The T1 can run longer too, and an upcoming backpack will extend run time for several hours. But the most important advancement here is not annoying your neighbors or yourself when its time to do some yard work. Billy Steele, Deputy editor Best toy: Lego Smart Play Lego Smart Play Lego Lego is constantly evolving, but rarely does it make as big a move as it did with Smart Play . The system is designed to take standard Lego sets and make them more interactive thanks to a tech-packed Smart Brick. Those bricks have a tiny chip the size of a Lego stud that enables things like motion, color and proximity sensing. They also have a tiny speaker that further helps bring Lego builds to life. The Smart Brick is mostly a blank slate, but pairing it with Lego's Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures is what enables these new play scenarios. Unsurprisingly, Lego introduced the Smart Play system alongside Star Wars sets that make these new immersive elements more obvious. An X-Wing piloted by Luke Skywalker can get into a dogfight with Darth Vader's TIE fighter, and you'll hear the engines roar to life, the characters exclaim as they come under fire and the spaceship explodes if it gets hit too many times. And Smart Play requires no setup, meaning that the technology packed into the Smart Brick fades away and lets kids (and kids at heart) get down to the business of playing. You don't need to know how it works it just does. Nathan Ingraham, Deputy editor Best PC or laptop: Dell XPS 14 + 16 The Dell XPS 14 and 16. Dell In a way, this award is for Dells latest flagship laptops but also the company itself. Last year, Dell showed up with a new naming scheme for all of its hardware that included replacing the iconic XPS line with the word Premium. And despite our objections , the company followed through with the rebrand. But now at CES 2026, not only has Dell admitted its mistake , its righting wrongs with two new members of the XPS family that are exactly what we wanted all along. On the XPS 14 and XPS 16, were getting brand new chassis featuring the latest chips from Intel, gorgeous tandem OLED displays and precision engineering that embodies everything we loved about XPS laptops from previous years. Dell also streamlined its designs with the larger XPS 16 dropping an entire pound compared to the previous generation. The company even addressed a number of our previous critiques by switching from capacitive touch controls back to a classic row of function keys and reverting to segmented touchpads instead of seamless glass ones that made it hard to keep track of your cursor. But perhaps the best part is that Dell isnt stopping here, because the company also teased a new version of its legendary XPS 13 slated for later this year, the thinnest and lightest member of the family yet. There are also placeholders for two more XPS models slated to arrive in the not too distant future. Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter Best health tech: Eyebot vision test booth Eyebot vision test Eyebot Wouldnt it be nice if getting an updated eyeglasses prescription wasnt as lengthy a process as it is right now? Eyebots new kiosk is designed to automate the process of visiting a doctors office to three minutes rocking up to a machine. It uses a combination of analog and digital wizardry to identify what you need to see properly in no time at all. Even better is that the prescriptions have to be signed off by a licensed eye doctor, so you can still rely on a degree of professional rigor. We like Eyebot because it proved itself in our tests: its brief examination matched my professionally completed prescription from last year. But its ability to make effective eye care accessible and affordable in a way that it isnt at present is even more compelling than the tech itself. Daniel Cooper, Senior reporter Best gaming tech: ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo ASUS The ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo is big, weird and potentially awkward to set up. But honestly, what kind of gamer doesnt want more screens? Even if you cant use its second display in the middle of a firefight, more real estate means extra room for Discord, build guides or anything else you might need. Furthermore, ASUS included not one but two brilliant OLED panels with up to 1,100 nits of brightness and color accuracy so good you wont have a problem editing photos or videos. You also get a ton of ports, and with support for up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU, the ROG Zephyrus Duo has more than enough performance to handle anything you can throw at it. Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter Best mobile tech: Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Sam Rutherford for Engadget Samsung might have announced the latest iteration of its foldable smartphones in Korea, but CES was the first chance for many of us to see the Galaxy Z TriFold in person. Its a 10-inch Android tablet hidden within a 6.5-inch smartphone form factor. The jump from the almost-square screen ratio of Samsungs past foldables to approximately 4:3 is a major improvement. This is a device that I could happily watch entire movies on. Theres more horizontal space to read, more room to type and more bright, vivid AMOLED everything. Unfurling the sides is incredibly satisfying and, perhaps because its thicker, it has a reassuring heft, too. The rest of the spec sheet reflects another fashionable Galaxy phone with a 200-megapixel main camera and the biggest battery yet in a Samsung foldable. Itll likely be expensive though. Samsung hasnt confirmed pricing in the US, but based on its launch cost in Korea, it could be around $2,500. Mat Smith, UK bureau chief Most promising concept: Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Lenovo Concept devices are hard to judge because even the ones with a ton of potential might be too difficult to make or too niche to bring to market. But with the Legion Pro Rollable concept , Lenovo created something with a simple yet powerful premise: A gaming laptop with a screen that gets wider at the touch of a button. To make the Legion Pro Rollable, Lenovo took a regular Legion Pro 7i and then swapped its standard 16-inch display for a flexible one that can expand all the way up to 23.8 inches with a bonus stop in between. This means you have the option to choose from 16:10, 21:9 or even 24:9 depending on the situation, which feels like an incredible way to enhance racing games, flight sims and anything else that can take advantage of extra wide aspect ratios. Granted, when its screen is fully deployed, it does look a bit ungainly. But of all the concepts we saw this year at CES, the Legion Pro Rollable is the one we hope survives to become a proper retail product someday. Sam Rutherford, Senior reporter Best emerging technology: IXI autofocus lenses IXI Autofocus lenses IXI IXIs autofocusing glasses were a late addition to our discussions, but we were impressed by what could be a significant advancement in spectacle technology something thats been largely static since the 1950s. IXIs glasses feature an elegant, unique, cameraless eye-tracking system that uses ultra-low-power LEDs and photodiodes to precisely monitor the user's eye movement and focus convergence. This data drives a liquid crystal lens layer, enabling a focus switch between near and far distances in approximately 0.2 seconds.Focus your gaze elsewhere, and your glasses return to their normal prescription.Think of them as a high-tech take on the often thick and clunky multifocal lenses were currently stuck with. IXI is now finalizing the production process, developing manufacturing and gaining the necessary medical certification to sell its glasses, but it has already struck deals with lens manufacturers in Europe. The company has a busy year ahead as it turns its technology into a consumer product. Mat Smith, UK bureau chief Best in show: Lego Smart Play Lego Smart Play Lego There's perhaps no place better than CES to highlight how quickly industry trends die. Over the years the show has been a driver of cornerstone technologies like the VCR, DVD, flatscreen TVs, PDAs and more. Some trends stick, some don't. Lego could almost be seen as the antithesis of the typical CES product: The company's core concept of creative play has remained in place throughout its long history, boosted by a gradual and ongoing evolution of block types and brand tie-ins. Announced at its first-ever CES press conference, Smart Play represents a thoughtful integration of technology to the classic toy. A tiny chip the size of a single Lego stud allows the company's Smart Bricks to sense what's around them, opening up new ways to play. The system will debut with a trio of Star Wars sets, but were sure Lego has plans for a wide range of licensed and unlicensed options. Our team instantly fell in love with Smart Play, and Deputy editor Nathan Ingraham had the opportunity to both build some sets and talk with some of the people behind the technology. Amid parental anxieties about screentime, it's refreshing that Smart Play doesn't require an app or a screen to get started. Kids can just get building. Aaron Souppouris, Editor-in-chief This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadgets-best-of-ces-2026-all-the-new-tech-that-caught-our-eye-in-las-vegas-200057123.html?src=rss

The US withdraws from dozens of international bodies, including climate-focused organizations

In a new executive order , President Donald Trump has declared that the United States will withdraw from 66 international organizations and bodies, including several focused on tackling climate change. Trump made his disregard for climate change clear when he withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement for a second time in early 2025, but these new withdrawals further confirm the second Trump administration is against global collaboration in general. Among the organizations targeted, the US will no longer participate in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and organizations focused on trade, conservation, reproductive rights and immigration, like International Trade Centre, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the UN Population Fund and the Global Forum on Migration and Development. In the case of the United Nations-affiliated organizations, the US ending its participation also means withdrawing funding. According to the White House, the organizations the US is leaving promote radical climate policies, global governance and ideological programs that conflict with US sovereignty and economic strength. Withdrawing is supposed to save taxpayers money, though the White House's fact sheet on the executive order neglects to say how much will be saved or how that saved money will be spent now that it's not supporting the United Nations. By withdrawing from the IPCC, UNFCCC, and the other vital international partnerships, the Trump administration is undoing decades of hard-won diplomacy, attempting to undermine climate science and sowing distrust around the world, Former Vice President Al Gore said in a statement responding to the executive order. While losing financial backing likely doesn't help anyone, the actual impact of the US'sdec withdrawals is a bit of an unknown, The Washington Post reports . For example, the US remains involved with the International Energy Agency, which works on global clean energy solutions. Also, many of the organizations the White House decided to exit were deliberative bodies, or ones that the US was only marginally involved in, according to a UN official The Post spoke to. Directly pushing back against global organizations and regulation has been a consistent theme of the second Trump administration, particularly in regards to tech regulation. The US withdrew from trade talks with Canada in June 2025 over the country's digital services tax, and just last month the US banned former EU commissioner Thierry Breton from entering the US for his role in the creation of the Digital Services Act . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-withdraws-from-dozens-of-international-bodies-including-climate-focused-organizations-195259578.html?src=rss

Missing NBC on Fubo? Here's how to watch Sunday Night Football, figure skating, and more this week

Amber Glenn is competing in the 2026 United States Figure Skating Championships this week.(Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Jamie Squire via Getty Images It's been almost two months since Fubo has stopped carrying NBCUniversal-owned channels, and there's still no sign of them coming back to the streaming service. Customers have had to find alternate methods of watching Sunday Night Football , all the latest episodes of the Real Housewives franchise, and so much more because of Fubo and NBCUniversal's contract dispute, so channels like NBC, USA Network, Telemundo, and Bravo have been unavailable on Fubo since Nov. 21. A message released by Fubo to their customers explains, Fubo believes customers should have the option to choose among multiple distributors to access the content they love. Unfortunately, NBCU has offered terms regarding pricing and packaging that are egregiously above those offered to other distributors. A statement from an NBCU spokesperson adds, Fubo has chosen to drop NBCUniversal programming despite being offered the same terms agreed to by hundreds of other distributors. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Fubo theyve dropped numerous networks in recent years at the expense of their customers, who continue to lose content. (Fubo, for instance, cut Warner-owned channels back in 2024.) You can read more about exactly why Fubo is countering NBC's proposed deal here . While the companies are continuing discussions to come to an agreement, there is still no resolution. Fubo issued $15 credits to subscribers' bills as a gesture of goodwill, and has also lowered the subscription prices of plans that included NBCU-owned channels (you can see if your plan is included here ). If you're a Fubo customer and are wondering how to watch this week's biggest games and shows, here's everything you need to know about the Fubo-NBC blackout, which channels are missing and your options for where to watch them. How to watch Sunday Night Football without Fubo This week's Sunday Night Football playoff game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots airs at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC, but you'll also be able to stream it on Peacock , DirecTV , and Hulu + Live TV . What else is on NBC this week? In addition to this week's Sunday Night Football game, there are loads of sports on NBC, USA, Universo and more that you won't want to miss, including extensive Premiere League coverage, NBA games, and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, plus new show premieres this week like St. Denis Medical and Chicago Med. On Bravo, there are new episodes of Vanderpump Rules , The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City , and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , too. Which channels are no longer available on Fubo? The following is a list of channels owned or operated by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo: Local Channels: NBC Local Affiliates Telemundo Local/National Regional Sports Channels: NBC Sports 4K NBC Sports Bay Area NBC Sports Bay Area Plus NBC Sports Boston NBC Sports California NBC Sports California Plus NBC Sports California Plus 3 NBC Sports Philadelphia NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus National Channels: American Crimes Bravo Bravo Vault Caso Cerrado CNBC CNBC World Cozi Dateline 24/7 E! Entertainment Television E! Keeping Up Golf Channel GolfPass LX Home Million Dollar Listing Vault MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) NBC NOW NBC Sports NOW NBC Universo True CRMZ New England Cable News Noticias Telemundo Ahora Oxygen True Crime Oxygen True Crime Archives Real Housewives Vault SNL Vault Syfy Telemundo Accion Telemundo al Dia The Golf Channel Today All Day Universal Movies USA Network Why are these NBC-owned channels currently unavailable? Per Fubo , NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved. When will the missing channels return? Negotiations between the companies are ongoing and after more than six weeks, there is still no projected return date. Is Fubo offering a rebate while these channels are missing? Fubo has announced that as of Jan. 1, 2026, pricing for select subscription tiers has been reduced. To know whether or not you're eligible for this rebate, you should have received an email from Fubo with a new price structure for your plan. Customers who received an email about a price reduction are on plans that previously included NBC programming, but if your current plan did not previously include NBC programming, your subscription is not affected at this time and the price remains the same. What alternatives do viewers have in the meantime? Looking to switch from Fubo? You've got plenty of options, including Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Here are some of your choices: Watch NBC on Peacock Get a deal on Peacock with Walmart+ Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first month Try Hulu + Live TV for free Other services to watch NBC If I switch to a different service, can I cancel or pause Fubo in the meantime? Fubo does not allow customers to pause their subscriptions, so if you're looking to make a change, you can cancel your plan outright. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/missing-nbc-on-fubo-heres-how-to-watch-sunday-night-football-figure-skating-and-more-this-week-014052346.html?src=rss

Three months of Audible is only $3 right now

Have a hankering for some audiobooks? Audible is holding one heck of a sale right now, giving users three months of access for $3 . That's a dollar per month. This is something of a winter tradition for the Amazon-owned platform and the promotion ends on January 21. An Audible subscription grants one audiobook per month to keep. This can be selected from a massive catalog of new releases and bestsellers. The collection here has just about everything. However, it's easy to plow through a single book in a month. Users also get streaming access to thousands of curated titles. Think of it like Netflix for audiobooks. The catalog is limited, but it gets the job done in a pinch. Subscribers do get access to all Audible original content and they will receive discounts on purchasing audiobooks outright. In other words, it's a neat little service and well worth a buck. The regular price is $15, so make sure to cancel at the end of that three months if you aren't enjoying the platform. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/three-months-of-audible-is-only-3-right-now-193859847.html?src=rss

TikTok will broadcast some unknown portion of the 2026 World Cup live

TikTok and FIFA are teaming up for World Cup matches. On Thursday, FIFA said its media partners will be able to broadcast parts of matches on the social platform. The preferred platform partnership will run through the end of 2026. How long the live clips will be is anyones guess because parts of matches is as specific as the announcement got. We emailed TikTok for clarification and will update this story if we learn more. FIFA said the collaboration is designed to bring fans closer to the action. Getting more to the point, TikTok's global head of content said live sports on the platform are shown to transform fandom into measurable business results for our sports partners, with fans being 42 percent more likely to tune in to live matches after watching sports content on TikTok. TikToks World Cup content will include filters, stickers and other gamification features. FIFA will also give a select group of global TikTok creators access to press conferences and training sessions to create content. As football grows and evolves uniting an increasing number of people so should the way it is shared and promoted, FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom wrote in the announcement. The World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19. It will take place in 16 cities across Canada, the US and Mexico. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-will-broadcast-some-unknown-portion-of-the-2026-world-cup-live-192035507.html?src=rss

Microsoft is now integrating shopping directly into Copilot

Have you ever wanted to save approximately three seconds and two mouse clicks when shopping online? Microsoft has something special just for you. The company just introduced something called Copilot Checkout at the NRF 2026 retail conference. This is exactly what it sounds like. It's a shopping assistant embedded within Copilot. The feature is rolling out now in the US and integrates with PayPal , Shopify, Stripe and Etsy. It lets people complete purchases directly inside of Copilot without having to withstand the grueling experience of being redirected to a retailer's website. Participating partners include Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Ashley Furniture. The retailers remain the actual merchant of record, so they'll still get customer data and all of that jazz. Microsoft controls the interface. We don't know what kind of safeguards are in place to prevent the AI from hallucinating its way into buying you a giant bounce house when you wanted to order some Bounce dryer sheets. Engadget has reached out to Microsoft to inquire about these safeguards and how exactly the money is handled. This is a pretty big moment for AI shopping. OpenAI introduced a shopping assistant several months ago that seems to work in a similar way . However, the company said that a related shopping assistant might make mistakes about product details like price and availability and it encouraged people to visit the merchant site for the most accurate details. Exclusive: OpenAIs push to turn ChatGPT into a personal shopping assistant is running into a familiar problem: messy product data. Read more from @AnnGehan https://t.co/atPdY1ruEa The Information (@theinformation) January 8, 2026 Microsoft is advertising Copilot Checkout as a way to avoid the merchant site entirely, so maybe all kinks have been worked out. A recent report from The Information suggests OpenAI has had trouble integrating merchant partners for its own initiative, so maybe not. It's also worth noting that automatic shopping isn't exactly a new concept. It's just the AI wrapper that's new. Remember those weird buttons from Amazon that would complete a purchase with a simple press? That was over ten years ago. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-is-now-integrating-shopping-directly-into-copilot-181022989.html?src=rss

I can't get over this goofy, long-necked 'cyber pet' robot at CES

Cute, alien-inspired companion robots are a fixture at CES , but have I ever seen one with a furry telescoping neck that's also warm to the touch? No, I can't say I have before this year. OlloBot which had possibly the cutest booth at CES 2026 is a home robot and cyber pet that looks something like if you put ET's head on a penguin's body, plus a splash of fur and color. Its face is essentially a large tablet that displays its expressions, pictures and videos, and allows it to communicate with people in the home. OlloBot speaks its own language, but will put text on the screen when it has a message that's meant to actually be understood. There's also a companion app where family members can message with the robot, see its diary updates and play games. Like other family-oriented robots, OlloBot is designed to capture special moments and grow with the people using it. Based on the interactions, it will over time develop a personality based on the Meyers-Briggs personality types. The robot responds to voice and touch, and can do tasks like make calls and help find lost objects. It will be able to control Matter-compatible smart home devices, too.All data is stored locally in a heart-shaped removable module underneath one of its flapping arms. Not only is that intended to be a privacy move, but if the robot ever breaks, the family's cyber pet (along with its memories) can be restored by putting the old heart into a new body. OlloBot's heart Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget According to a member of the OlloBot team, a Kickstarter campaign to fund the robot's production is planned for this summer. There will be two versions of OlloBot to choose from: a small one with a fixed, short neck that will cost around $1,000 and a more advanced model that can extend its neck by two feet or so (just eyeballing it) to see from different vantage points, which will run you about $2,000. At the booth, the team also showed off several outfits for OlloBot, including a plush giraffe suit and a sort of cottagecore apple and gingham outfit. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/i-cant-get-over-this-goofy-long-necked-cyber-pet-robot-at-ces-175900062.html?src=rss

You can get a four-pack of Samsung SmartTag 2 trackers for just $45

Samsung SmartTag 2 trackers are back on sale if you're willing to pick up a bundle. Woot has a four-pack down to just $45 , which undercuts the previous all-time low weve seen on Amazon ($55) by $10. That's a discount of 55 percent from the retail price of $100. It's a compelling opportunity to stock up if you're already in Samsung's ecosystem. We named the SmartTag 2 the best Bluetooth tracker for Samsung devices. The companion SmartThings Find app is easy to use, showing locations on a Google Maps-based interface. Much like Apple's Find My network, the location of a SmartTag is pinpointed using nearby Samsung phones. While nothing can beat the sheer size of Apple's tracking infrastructure given the number of iPhones in the US, it still worked well in our tests. The SmartTag 2's design is more practical than some competitors since the oblong fob has a built-in hole that lets you easily attach your keys without buying an extra accessory. Its IP67 rated for water and dust resistance, and uses a replaceable battery that Samsung says offers about 16 months of juice. The volume on the tag is pretty loud and users can select from multiple ringtones. Additionally, a double-squeeze of the SmartTag 2 will ping your handset, something you can't do with an AirTag. The tracking is not quite as precise as Apple's AirTag, but it's a solid option for Samsung users looking to keep track of their things and can be scooped up at a bargain price. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/you-can-get-a-four-pack-of-samsung-smarttag-2-trackers-for-just-45-173936230.html?src=rss

The GE Profile Smart Fridge stops you from buying too much kale

If youve ever bought a bag of spinach only to come home and realize you already had a bag of spinach, you may appreciate this fridge. I had a chance to check out the GE Profile Smart Fridge with Kitchen Assistant at CES and was surprised to find I kinda wanted one. To be perfectly honest, most attempts Ive seen at the show to stick some AI in it are at best amusing but usually completely unnecessary. Here, though, the AI has a purpose. After seeing how the autofill water dispenser worked, I asked the GE Appliance reps how easy it was to change the fridges water filter. Jason May, a GE Appliances product management executive, walked up to the fridges (appropriately sized) touchscreen and said Hey HQ, wheres my water filter? (HQ is short for SmartHQ, GE Profiles assistant). Then, relying on information it had gathered from this models user manual, the AI assistant explained exactly where to find it (in the left hand door below the ice maker). It took another rep about two seconds to pop out the filter and, justlikethat, the task was on its way to done. As for the spinach conundrum, thats handled by a crisper drawer camera, called Fridge Focus. Each time you open the drawers, a built-in camera (that you can physically shutter or turn off in the app) takes a video snapshot of whats left when youre done. So if youre at the store and wondering how much kale you already have, you can take a peek and see. Checking out what's in the crisper drawer using the Fridge Focus feature. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Wendy Treinen, GE Appliances senior director of product communications, told me the camera can see whats in the crisper drawer, but cant see who accessed it. So if youre hoping your fridge will rat out whoever at the last of the grapes, youre out of luck. It can however, help that grape-eater easily add more fruit to the family shopping list. Thats the most unique feature the fridge offers: a patented, built-in barcode scanner. It lives in the water dispenser and when you walk up, a little green light activates and scans the barcode of whatever you hold up to it. So if youre drinking the last of the almond milk, you scan the container and itll automatically add it to your list. That list can be accessed through the SmartHQ app which you can either check off at the grocery store or, if you really want to get deluxe about it, use the Instacart integration and have it delivered to your door. I scanned a few products a box of vitamin C mix and a package of cinnamon raisin bagels both of which quickly popped up on the screen and joined the running list. Adding grocery items to Instacart with one button. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The scanner can recognize four million products, including household items like paper towels and trash bags, but you can add things a other ways too. The easiest is probably just asking your fridge to do so, saying Hey HQ, add paper towels to my shopping list. The app allows manual additions and you can add items using the recipe function as well. For the launch of the fridge, GE Profile has partnered with Taste of Home and will send 50 recipes each month to the fridge for users to try. Once you see the ingredients list, you can add anything youre missing to your shopping. Those 50 recipes will cycle out at the end of the month to make way for a new 50, so if you cook something and like it, youll need to to add it to your personal recipe vault. The AI assistant can also create recipes for you. The GE rep snapped a picture of an array of produce and asked SmartHQ what he could make with it. A list of recipe suggestions popped up and they all looked quite tasty (to be fair, I hadnt eaten yet and it was already 2PM). The recipe created from a picture of produce. Sam Rutherford for Engadget I mentioned the water dispensers hands-free auto-fill feature earlier. Thats been available on GE Profile fridges for a while and lets you select your glass capacity and walk away while it fills. You can also ask for, say, a half cup of water for a recipe. A new precise fill feature will dispense larger amounts in sequence. Say you need ten cups of water for soup. Since you cant fit a huge vat in the water dispenser tray, you can instead use a smaller jug and the auto-filler will fill it the correct amount of times. Another of my favorite bits is the screen. Fridges with giant, interactive screens make my eyes roll. Yes, its novel and eye-catching and perhaps amusing, but what possible problem is it trying to solve? The screen here is eight inches, which is enough to display scanned items, show recipes, and display the weather atop a pretty image when youre not actively using the interface. Finally! A reasonably sized fridge screen. Sam Rutherford for Engadget The GE Appliances reps were eager to point out that this is just the beginning of what they want to do with the fridge. My college Sam Rutherford asked whether the fridge would be able to alert you before your lettuce went bad, and we were told something that addresses that problem is on the horizon. It would likely work by recognizing when you purchased a perishable, and how long that perishable typically lasts. The company is also working with a chef on a feature that can reimagine your leftovers to create something new. During the demo, May told me that the whole idea around the fridges design was to do something other than just put a big screen on it with a bunch of apps that dont have ay relevance to anything. Instead the engineers started with problems people actually have knowing what to buy at the store, knowing whats already in the fridge, answering the eternal, unrelenting Whats for dinner? question and designed the fridge around that. Id have to live with it a while to know whether those problems were solved, but so far, I can say this is the most intrigued Ive felt about a smart fridge yet. The GE Profile Smart Fridge with Kitchen Assistant will be available in March from geappliances.com for $4,899. A good amount of organization. Sam Rutherford for Engadget This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/the-ge-profile-smart-fridge-stops-you-from-buying-too-much-kale-172433059.html?src=rss

NASA delays spacewalk due to a 'medical concern' with a crew member

NASA has postponed an International Space Station (ISS) spacewalk that was scheduled for Thursday. The agency is monitoring a medical concern with a crew member that arose Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex, the agency wrote. On Thursday, NASA added that ending Crew-11's mission early was on the table. The unnamed crew member is stable, according to NASA. Space News notes that Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was heard on an open comms channel on Wednesday requesting a private medical conference with a flight surgeon. However, those requests are routine on the ISS, so we cant assume the events were related. The matter involved a single crew member who is stable, NASA wrote. Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11's mission. NASA astronaut Zena Cardman in her pressurized spacesuit, checking its comms and power systems ahead of the (now postponed) spacewalk NASA Crew-11 was scheduled to remain on board the ISS until at least the second half of February. Its replacement, Crew-12, isn't slated to blast off until February 15 at the earliest. NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman had planned to exit the airlock on Thursday for the six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk. The short trips mission was to install a kit and cables in preparation for a new roll-out solar array that will arrive on a future mission. The agency said it will provide further updates within 24 hours. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-delays-spacewalk-due-to-a-medical-concern-with-a-crew-member-171900024.html?src=rss

It took guts for Dell to admit its mistake, here's how XPS will make its big comeback in 2026

When Dell made the decision to kill off its XPS laptop name last year, it felt like a big mistake. We said so , in fact, multiple times . But at CES 2026 , the company is righting its past wrongs by resurrecting the iconic laptop brand and this time, this decision feels like the right move both for Dell as a whole and its flagship consumer devices. Even more than the words the letters XPS are meant to represent (Extreme Performance Systems), over the last decade, Dells signature laptop brand stood for excellent design, quality engineering and top notch performance. And it was precisely those laptops that landed the company at the top of nearly every best Windows laptop guide every year for the last decade. So to replace XPS with a generic tag like premium felt like a big step backwards. Now if you were living under a rock (at least when it comes to Windows laptops), you can sort of squint your eyes and see the reasoning behind Dells misguided rebranding. Premium means good, typically something much better than average. By putting that word in front of its top-tier systems, theres no way anyone could be confused about what kind of device they were buying, right? Take for example the Dell Premium 14 , which was the new moniker for what was previously called the XPS 14. A laptop like that has to be decent. I mean, its right there in the product name. The issue is that XPS already meant good. Actually, way better than that, if we were just going by the sheer number of accolades previous-gen models got, like Dells 2020-era machines which we called practically perfect (which it was). Going away from that wasnt just reductive, it was throwing the best part of Dells consumer business in the trash for no real reason. The first two new XPS machines will be the XPS 14 and XPS 16. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Additionally, Dells new naming strategy was intended to simplify its product portfolio, and it failed to deliver on that original goal. COO Jeff Clarke was refreshingly honest about this when announcing the return of XPS at a CES media preview in early December. Not only did Dell lose its signature XPS brand last year, it actually made things more confusing for consumers when it simultaneously created a full range of Dell Pro and Pro Max systems. Unlike Apples MacBook Pros and iPhone Pro Maxes, those devices were actually meant for enterprise customers instead of regular Joes. Another photo of the new XPS 14 and 16, which have a bunch of welcome changes and then some. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Amidst its rebrand, the company also eliminated a lot of its budget and entry-level models. That left a lot of people turning to more expensive mid-range Plus systems or waiting for a proper redesign of its top tier Premium laptops, which werent expected to arrive until 2026 anyway. So where is Dell going from here? Well as Clarke put it quite succinctly, Were getting back to our roots. Starting in 2026, the company is planning to create its broadest PC portfolio ever including, a full line of XPS laptops. This includes an all-new version of the XPS 13, which is going to be the thinnest and lightest model to date, along with complete overhauls for the XPS 14 and XPS 16. But Dell isnt stopping there because on a slide it showed at its press event, there were two additional placeholders for future XPS systems coming at some later date. Dell wouldn't let me take photos of the XPS 13 prototype model, but here's a teaser it provided for CES. Dell Even when it comes to specific features and components on individual models, Dell is finally acknowledging some of the criticism it has received over the past few years by returning to segmented touchpads instead of seamless all-glass slates and ditching capacitive function keys for good ol buttons. Dell isnt just bringing the XPS line back, its kind of on a revenge tour (even if the original wound was self-inflicted). On top of that, the consumer device team will be reporting directly to Clarke while the company retools itself internally. Dell is also updating its naming scheme to finally deliver on the promise of making things clear and simple. XPS will once again be the companys flagship consumer brand with the XPS logo (not Dells) front and center on the lid of every laptop, while everything else will fall under the general Dell umbrella. Alienware will continue to do its own thing for gaming and the Dell Pro family will remain aimed strictly at enterprise businesses, professional services (like first responders) and education. No more confusion. And underlying all of that is a very straightforward motto from Clarke that great products win. After ditching the XPS brand, Dell is now bring it back for 2026 in its rightful spot at the top of the company's consumer portfolio. Dell In the end, even though Dells big plan from last year ended up being a mess, I appreciate when a company is self aware enough to know it messed up and has come up with a plan to fix things. Regardless of whether it's a corporation or a single person, admitting mistakes is always hard. Oftentimes, what you learn in the process is the real prize and from what Ive seen Dell and its iconic XPS line is poised for a major comeback. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/it-took-guts-for-dell-to-admit-its-mistake-heres-how-xps-will-make-its-big-comeback-in-2026-233248065.html?src=rss

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy deftly balances teen drama with intergalactic intrigue

Star Trek is in a weird place right now. Less than three years ago we were living in a golden age with five shows on the air, all with different styles and intended audiences. But the universe rapidly contracted, with Picard ending while four other shows were cut short. Strange New Worlds still has another two seasons left, sure, but even that final season got truncated. As it stands, theres only one project with a firm future right now, and thats a brand-new show, Starfleet Academy , premiering January 15 on Paramount+. How this show is received could very well determine the future of Star Trek. Thats a lot to put on it, but theres something very appropriate given the subject matter. Starfleet Academy takes place in the 32nd century, 900 years after the adventures of James T. Kirk and company, and it takes place at the titular academy, meaning its principal cast is a collection of teens representing the next generation of Starfleet officers. That focus on a younger cadre has led to fans online derisively calling the series CW Trek without seeing a single episode. As Starfleet Academy is technically a Discovery spinoff, it picks up some of that series traits. The sleek, shiny sets are back, as well as a few plot threads originally set up in Discovery . The most notable is the collapse of the United Federation of Planets and the rebuilding of both the Federation and Starfleet. In fact, the series picks up on that as early as its second episode, with the Academy hosting a delegation from a once stalwart Federation planet thats now gone isolationist. Scenes from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy John Medland/Paramount+ While many complaints about the series have focused on how what fans wanted was an academy show set during the 24th century (the time of The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , et al.), this particular episode plot works precisely because of the distant future in which it is set. In a fully-functioning galactic democracy like the United Federation of Planets, theres no logical reason for the average 18-year-old college freshman to be involved in interplanetary diplomacy. But in the 32nd century, the Federation is a lot scrappier and the individuals involved might be asked to wear many hats. Its a lot like an early-stage tech startup. The setting also lets the show be a little more creative with its cast: where TNG featured the first Klingon in Starfleet (Worf), 900 years of progress have created a Starfleet where no one bats an eye when a Klingon cadet like Jay-Den Kraag (played by Karim Dian) shows up to study science. Theres also a holographic cadet, Sam, who is the first of her kind to attend the academy (and shes super excited to do so). A few new species are present as well: Darem Reymi (George Hawkins) is a Khionian and Genesis Lythe (Bella Shepard) is a Dar-Sha, both aliens making their debut in the Star Trek universe. The cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy John Medland/Paramount+ However, the show does still lean on some Trek stalwarts, and its these characters that have gotten the most chatter from fans. Mary Weisman as Sylvia Tilly was originally slated for the cast, and there was even a backdoor pilot-esque episode of Discovery to tie her in to the new show, but shes no longer a regular and is nowhere to be seen in the first two episodes. Instead, we have Jett Reno (played by the wonderful Tig Notaro) as supporting cast, and Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr) appearing in a few episodes. And old school fans have been abuzz by the inclusion of The Doctor, who first appeared on Voyager (and later Prodigy ). As a hologram, hes practically immortal so his presence doesnt need any convoluted explanation, and after 800 years hes still the same gregarious blowhard (and its delightful). Theyre joined by new characters like Lara Thok, a part Klingon, part JemHadar security officer and a Lanthanite chancellor, Nahla Ake, played by Academy Award Winner Holly Hunter. And Hunter isnt even the only Oscar winner on the cast, with a major villain, Nus Braka, being portrayed by Paul Giamatti. Its a stellar cast, and the shows sets certainly rise up to meet the challenge. Like in the shows of old, a good portion of Starfleet Academy is clearly shot on location, though not in the familiar water reclamation plant that was used back during the TNG and DS9 era. This time its all being shot in Ontario, with the outdoor scenes in particular being filmed in Waterloo. Regardless of where its shot, it looks enough like sunny California to work. Scenes from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy John Medland/Paramount+ The indoor scenes, shot at Torontos Pinewood Studios, have a pleasant convention center quality to them, with lots of wide hallways and large windows in contrast to Discovery s cramped ship corridors. The hallways are full of students and teachers going to and fro, including some from species that would normally be off-limits to a show with a limited budget. But here robots and strange aliens roam freely in the background. The CGI cant have been cheap. And thats ultimately my biggest question about Starfleet Academy . Exactly how much is this costing Paramount? So much of it is being shot on real sets instead of green screens, established actors like Hunter and Giamatti couldnt have been cheap, and plentiful CG points to a robust special effects budget. Though Paramount doesnt release official numbers, estimates have put an average episode of Strange New Worlds at $10 million, so it figures that Starfleet Academy is probably more than that, with some online estimates as high as $20 million per episode. With 10 episodes scheduled, thats on par with a major motion picture budget but without the promise of blockbuster box office returns. No wonder Paramount has been doing so much cost-cutting, which includes axing every other Star Trek show. That said, Starfleet Academy is carrying a lot on its shoulders. Just as the success or failure of its class of Starfleet cadets will determine the future of Starfleet and the Federation, the success of the show may even affect whether this era of Star Trek continues. As a Star Trek fan, this can be nerve-wracking; no one wants the franchise to go dormant again. But Starfleet Academy has so far shown itself to be up to the challenge. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/star-trek-starfleet-academy-deftly-balances-teen-drama-with-intergalactic-intrigue-170253808.html?src=rss

All the tech and gadgets announced at CES 2026

It's the first week of a new year and there's no time for the tech world to slowly ease back into things following the holidays. That's because CES 2026 is in full swing, with all manner of companies descending on Las Vegas to reveal their latest innovations and what they're planning to bring your way in the near future. Many of the Engadget crew are on the ground to check out as much of the new tech as possible. Of course, we're keeping tabs on all of the major CES press conferences too. Samsung held its First Look presentation, which focuses on home products, while LG has shown off a wide array of TVs and Lego unveiled its new Smart Brick technology. Weve heard from the major chipmakers, gone hands-on with Samsungs trifold phone, checked out some funky laptops and seen some cute robots. Theres some hot gaming gear at the show too, not to mention some weird tech . You dont necessarily have to wait to get your hands on all of these gadgets either. Some are available to buy right now. You can catch up on all of the big CES 2026 announcements (and some of the more offbeat gizmos weve seen) right here. We'll be keeping this story updated throughout the week.We also have CES live updates , with all the latest news from the event. Lego Lego introduced the Smart Brick at CES 2026. Lego In its first CES appearance , Lego announced the Smart Brick , a standard-sized brick with a 4.1mm ASIC chip inside thats designed to respond in different ways depending on what set youre building and how youre building it. Using what Lego calls the Play Engine and integrated copper coils, each brick can sense things like motion, orientation and magnetic fields, plus its own distance, direction and orientation in relation to other Smart Bricks. Each brick also has a teeny tiny speaker built in that will play audio tied to live play actions rather than only pre-recorded clips. Accompanying Smart Bricks are Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures, which have their own capabilities one of which is letting Smart Bricks know what context they are being used in. All of these pieces tie together via a local wireless layer dubbed BrickNet that, in part, lets Smart Bricks know where they are placed in relation to other smart components. The first Smart Play partner is, unsurprisingly, Star Wars, which will launch three all-in-one sets using Smart Bricks, Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures. The 473-piece Darth Vader TIE Fighter set will cost $70; the 584-piece Lukes Red Five X-Wing set comes in at $100 and the 962-piece Throne Room Duel & A-wing set will set you back $160. The speakers in these sets can emit lightsaber swooshes, fighter sounds and The Imperial March . Engadget deputy editor Nathan Ingraham got to check out Legos Smart Play system in person and Ive never been more envious of him. One of the Star Wars sets allows you to have an interactive lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Not only does the Vader minifigure have his signature heavy breathing sound, the speaker emits the Sith Lords nooooo yell if he loses the duel. All of this seems extremely cool. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Lego and fans can do with the Smart Play tech. LG LG's CLOiD robot. LG Along with some TVs (which well get to momentarily), LG brought plenty of other products to CES. For one thing, the company shone the spotlight on its CLOiD robot. Like the far creepier-looking 1X Neo , the CLOiD is designed to help with household tasks such as starting laundry cycles, folding clothes, unloading the dishwasher and serving food. This appears to be more of a concept than something you'll be able to buy anytime soon. During an in-person CES demo, Engadget senior reporter Karissa Bell saw CLOiD competently pull off some household tasks, albeit very slowly . The company also debuted the LG Sound Suite , a modular home audio system it developed in conjunction with Dolby to take on the likes of Sonos. Just ahead of CES, LG pulled back the curtain on a new batch of xboom speakers as well as some monitors and ultralight Gram laptops that are made with a material it's calling Aerominum . The chipmakers NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang presents at CES 2026, wearing a black snakeskin-like jacket. NVIDIA It's CES, so of course we're going to see a bunch of laptops and desktops, along with announcements about the tech that powers the new models. That means NVIDIA , Intel , AMD and Qualcomm are all in town to talk up their latest chips and other innovations. Given its lofty position in the industry (and the economy) NVIDIAs CES press conference is always one to keep an eye on. This years edition was laregly a recap of the companys recent moves, but it did have some news to share . NVIDIA announced Alpamayo, which is a group of open-source reasoning models designed to help autonomous vehicles handle difficult driving scenarios. The company also revealed that a super computer built on the Vera Rubin GPU architecture NVIDIA unveiled in 2024 is in production. As Intel wraps up, Johnson is eager to assure the viewers that Intel has ways to make AI profitable. He may have a better case than OpenAI does right now. Sam Chapman for Engadget Things havent exactly been going great for Intel for a while, but the company is surely hoping that its Core Ultra Series 3 chips can help it right the ship. These are the first chips to be built using Intels 18A (18 angstroms, which is just under 2nm) process. The company says they offer improved performance 60 percent more than the previous-gen Lunar Lake processors and battery life improvements for laptops. The Ultra Series 3 includes a new Arc B390 integrated GPU, with 50 percent more graphics cores, double the cache and 120 GPU TOPS of performance. Put all that together and these chips should deliver up to 77 percent faster gaming performance than Lunar Lake models, Intel said. To that end, the company teased a Ultra Series 3-powered gaming handheld for later this year. Engadget senior editor Devindra Hardawar played some Battlefield 6 on a Core Ultra Series 3-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 (an ultraportable) and came away impressed . The game ran at up to 190 fps in 1080p with the graphics settings on high, even without a dedicated GPU. Thats a promising sign for the embedded Arcgraphics on Intels chips, as well as the companys upscaling and frame generation tech. A screenshot from AMD's CES 2026 press conference showing a hellish vision of the future of gaming. AMD Of course, AMD wasnt going to be left out of the CES party. The company announced several CPUs for laptops and desktops , while chillingly declaring that AI is everywhere and changing the face of gaming. Ick. There was a lot of AI chat during the two-hour(!) keynote, along with a a jet-powered flying robot. Illustration showing the Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus on a stylized red circuit board showing the abbreviation "X2." Qualcomm And then theres Qualcomm . The company revealed the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip at the show. Its more of a mid-range chip that isnt quite as powerful as the higher end Snapdragon X2 Elite it doesnt have as many CPU cores, for one thing. Still, Qualcomm claims the X2 Plus offers as much as 35 percent faster single-core performance over the previous gen. The company also says the Adreno GPU offers a performance boost of up to 29 percent compared with the last generation. Laptops Samsung Galaxy Book 6 series hands-on Mat Smith for Engadget What would CES be without some new hardware that makes use of those new chips? As ever, laptop and desktop makers were at the show to offer up their latest models for your consideration. (Be sure to check out our dedicated roundup of all the laptops that grabbed our attention at this years show.) Samsungs Galaxy Book 6 Ultra, Galaxy Book 6 Pro and Galaxy Book 6 boast Intels Core Ultra Series 3 chips and revamped designs that are said to improve heat management. You can read our story on the Galaxy Book 6 series for the specs of these laptops, though we dont have pricing or a release window as yet. Dell realized it messed up by killing off the XPS name as part of a broader rebranding effort and were glad to see that the company is making a U-turn on that front. A full lineup of XPS laptops is coming this year , including an all-new XPS 13 (a long-time Engadget fave on the Windows ultraportable front). Dell also has 14- and 16-inch XPS models in the hopper, along with others its keeping under wraps for now. On top of having two displays, the Zephyrus Duo's screens also feature excellent brightness at up to 1,100 nits. We love an odd laptop and ASUS didnt disappoint by bringing the ROG Zephyrus Duo to CES. This is a dual-screen gaming laptop with two 16-inch OLED panels, one of Intels new CPUs and up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU. The keyboard is detachable and can work wirelessly. A kickstand can help you set up the Zephyrus Duo in all kinds of orientations. You can even position the dual screens in an upside-down V tent mode. We dont know the price of the Zephyrus Duo as yet, but it surely wont be inexpensive. Marketing photo of a Kojima-inspired ROG Flow Z13 tablet ASUS Thats not all ASUS brought to the dance. The company made a special edition of the ROG Flow Z13 some thats styled after the works of the famed game designer Hideo Kojima. The ROG Flow Z13-KJP has visual flair thats draws from the likes of Death Stranding and Metal Gear. Kojimas Ludens mascot is here too. Theres no pricing or release date for this variant or its matching accessories just yet. Micro RGB TVs Samsung's 130-inch Micro RGB TV. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Micro RGB is a term you can expect to hear about quite a bit in the coming months and years, especially when you're shopping for your next TV. Micro RGB is a new tech that's similar to Mini LED, though it uses red, green and blue LEDs instead of white backlights. Contrast ratios aren't quite as high as those on Micro LED and OLED displays, since the pixels can't be turned on and off individually. However, Micro RGB units are said to be brighter and more color accurate than TVs that use other display tech, in part because the LEDs in these screens offer smaller, more customizable dimming zones. Read reporter Steve Dents explainer for a deeper dive into how Micro RGB differs from other types of display tech. We're seeing more of these TVs pop up at CES 2026, including a mammoth 130-inch concept model that Samsung brought to Las Vegas . The company unveiled its first Micro RGB TV in August, thats a 115-inch, $29,999 model. This year, you can expect it to start offering Micro RGB TVs in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes. There are also 85-, 100- and 115-inch models on the way. LG revealed its first Micro RGB set at CES as well. The largest variant is 100 inches, but there are 86- and 75-inch models too. Elsewhere, LG showed off its latest Wallpaper TV , which is a 100-inch OLED display. We also got a look at LG's new Gallery TV The Gallery is the company's take on Samsung's Frame TV format. Other new TVs and OS updates Ember Artline TV. Amazon Weve got another competitor to The Frame, as Amazon has entered that scene with the Ember Artline TV . The 4K OLED model has Amazon Photos integration and you can choose from 2,000 pieces of free art to show on the screen. The Ember Artline can switch on or off automatically when someone enters or leaves the room. It runs on the Fire TV platform and (of course) theres Alexa+ integration, along with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Wi-Fi 6. The Ember Artline is expected to start shipping this spring. It starts at $899 for the 55-inch model. The rounder redesigned Fire TV UI. Amazon Speaking of Fire TV, Amazon has revamped the platforms user interface with rounded corners for show, movie and app tiles; a little more space for said tiles; and typography and color gradient changes. The company has reworked the platforms codebase as well, and it says the Fire TV OS will deliver speed boosts of up to 20 to 30 percent. Amazon will start rolling out the updated UI next month. On the Google side of TV land, you can expect more Gemini-powered features . The company is bringing the ability to search Google Photos for certain moments and people to Google TV, along with the options to remix photos into different styles and create slideshows on the fly. The Veo and Nano Banana AI video and photo generation models are coming to Google TV as well. You can also expect the ability to adjust TV settings using your voice. These Gemini features are coming to Google TV-powered TCL models first, then other devices in the following months. In the meantime, you can check out senior reporter Amy Skorheims hands-on impressions of the Gemini updates . Also in TV-related news, Peacock and Dolby have expanded their partnership. Currently, Peacocks Sunday Night Football streams have Dolby Atmos support. Youll soon be able to watch more live sports on Peacock with Dolby Vision and Atmos, as support for NBA and MLB events are on the way. Dolby Vision is coming to Sunday Night Football on Peacock too. Belkin, meanwhile, has a new wireless HDMI dongle that doesn't require a Wi-Fi connection. That should make it easy to beam videos from a device with a USB-C port to a TV, monitor or projector handy if youre planning an outdoor movie night in a space with spotty internet access. Monitors and projectors Let's keep the focus on display tech for a bit with a look at some of the monitors and projectors we've seen at CES this year. Dell revealed a 52-inch ultrawide curved 6K monitor (the first of those on the planet, according to the company). The UltraSharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor has a nifty feature in that it's possible to hook up four PCs simultaneously and give each a dedicated section of the display that could make co-op games pretty fun if you're dedicated enough to try that set up. It's possible to control all four connected PCs with a single mouse and keyboard too. This monitor is available now for $2,900 with a stand and $2,800 without. Dell also showed off a new 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor with Dolby Vision and True Black 500 HDR support. The Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED Monitor can be all yours for $2,600 as of February 24. Samsung and LG revealed some new gaming monitors ahead of CES. Samsungs 32-inch Odyssey 3D is a model that offers glasses-free 3D on a 6K display, while LG has a new bunch of 5K monitors. During CES , though, the latter also pulled back the curtain on the 27-inch UltraGear GX7, a $1,000 QHD OLED display with a 540Hz refresh rate. Samsung brought the latest version of its FreeStyle+ projector to the show. Engadgets UK bureau chief Mat Smith checked out the new model in person and reckoned that Samsung has given the projector a serious upgrade over previous iteration. The FreeStyle+ is now much brighter, while the updated keystone correction feature seems very useful. Elsewhere, Ankers Soundcore announced the Nebula P1i , a 1080p portable projector with speakers that you can fold out and tilt. At $369, that seems like a pretty decent option if youre looking for an entry-level projector you can take anywhere. The P1i should arrive in time for camping trips too, since Soundcore says itll be available in the early part of this year. The brand also said its higher-end Nebula X1 Pro, a version of its 4K Nebula X1 that includes a 160W surround sound system, will be available this month for $4,999. XGIMI was also at CES to show off its latest high-end projector, the Titan Noir Max. Theres no word on pricing yet, but this appears to be an upgraded version of the $3,999 Titan model. Samsung Samsung's Music Studio 5 speakers at CES 2026. Billy Steele for Engadget Samsung being Samsung, the company had a lot more up its sleeve at CES than just TVs. In the leadup to the event, it announced its two new soundbars (we're had some hands-on time with one of those ) and the stylish Music Studio speakers (we've got some IRL impressions of those ). It also announced plans to bring Google Photos to TVs . At the First Look showcase on Sunday, Samsung talked up AI experiences everywhere. For everyone (sigh). Here, we saw more TVs, such as the thin S95H OLED, which has a zero-gap mount that allows you to position the unit flush against a wall. First Look has long been focused on home products. Naturally, Samsung execs discussed some features for the company's fridges, such as recipe selection updates, AI cooling tech and Google Gemini-powered AI Vision that's said to be able to recognize more items and help you figure out what you need to buy without having to manually take inventory. FoodNote, meanwhile, is a weekly summary that breaks down what has gone in and out of your fridge. Moreover, Samsung highlighted the Samsung Bespoke AI Laundry Combo and its new AI wash cycle. With the new Air Dresser which has an Auto Wrinkle Care feature Samsung aims to do away with irons (thank you, Samsung). As for the Bespoke AI smart vacuum and mop, that can apparently keep an eye on your pets when you're not home. L'Oreal A pair of transparent eye masks with wires and bulbs inside them. L'Oral L'Oreal often brings some interesting beauty tech to CES and the company did so again this year with a trio of gadgets . The LED Eye Mask uses red light and near-infrared light to address the likes of puffiness, discoloration and fine lines. The LED Face Mask seems to be a more pliable version of masks that we've seen from the likes of Dr. Dennis Gross, Omnilux, Therabody and Shark in recent years. However, it's only in prototype form for now and it isn't expected to hit the market until next year. The Light Straight + Multi-styler uses infrared light to help dry and style hair in similar fashion to L'Oreal's AirLight Pro. It's said to have sensors that employ built-in proprietary algorithms and machine learning so they can adapt to your gestures and maximize individual experience. L'Oreal claims that while traditional straighteners can operate at 400F or higher (temperatures that can damage hair), its latest innovation effectively straightens hair while never exceeding 320F. You can expect the Light Straight to arrive in 2027 as well. Mobile Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold Engadget At CES 2026, we had our first chance to go hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold, which the company officially announced last month . Senior writer Sam Rutherford had qualms about the price (not confirmed yet for North America, but it costs around $2,500 in Korea) and bulkiness. However, after Sam opened it up, my concerns were quickly pushed aside because suddenly youre greeted with 10 inches of vivid AMOLED goodness. That extra real estate could come in very useful for many folks. Combined with a keyboard and perhaps a mouse, it could well be the laptop/tablet replacement many have been waiting for. Be sure to read Sams hands-on for his full initial impressions . Almost exactly three decades after releasing its first proper clamshell flip phone , Motorola revealed its very first side-folding phone. The Razr Fold has a 6.6-inch external screen and a 8.1-inch main display, with stylus support on both. The camera array includes a 50MP main sensor from Sony, a 50MP ultra-wide/macro lens and a 50MP telephoto. Theres a 32MP external selfie camera and a 20MP internal sensor too. Well get the full specs, pricing and availability info in the coming months. Back at CES 2024, we got to try out a physical keyboard phone accessory from Clicks. Fast forward two years, and the brand is making its own Blackberry-esque phones, as well as a new physical phone keyboard accessory. The Android 16-based Clicks Communicator has a tactile keyboard with a fingerprint sensor in the spacebar, a 4-inch OLED display, a 3.5mm headphone jack (hooray!) and expandable microSD storage up to 2TB. You can reserve one now for $399 the price will increase to $499 on February 27. As for the new accessory, Clicks is calling that the Power Keyboard. It connects to an iOS or Android phone via MagSafe or Qi2, and it can operate as a power bank in a pinch thanks to the 2,150 mAh battery. The Power Keyboard has Bluetooth functionality as well, so you can use it with devices like tablets, smart TVs and virtual reality headsets. Pre-orders are open now and the Power Keyboard is expected to ship in the spring. Early adopters can lock in a pre-order for $79 before the retail price jumps to $110. The Punkt MC03 phone. Punkt Those who prefer their mobile phones to have fewer bells and whistles might be interested in the latest model from Punkt. The MC03 is a nifty-looking touchscreen model that runs on the privacy- and security-centric AphyOS, which is based on the Android Open Source Project. It has a UI that borrows a page out of the Light Phone's playbook, though you can still install any Android app. The MC03 will hit European markets this month for 699 / CHF699 / 610. There's a mandatory subscription, however. You get a year of access included with a phone purchase, then it's a 10 / CHF10 / 9 monthly fee (paying for a long-term plan up front can reduce the cost by up to 60 percent). Charging tech Anker and Belkin feel like CES mainstays at this point. They each had some interesting charging gear to show off this year. Belkin offered up a refreshed Nintendo Switch 2 case that recharges the console via its 10,000mAh power bank (which delivers up to 30W of fast charging). The case has an LCD screen on the outside to show you at a glance how much juice it has left and theres a built-in kickstand for you to prop the console up on. Belkins new Switch 2 charging case costs $100 and its available now. The companys new $100 UltraCharge Pro Power Bank can recharge two devices simultaneously. You can get your hands on that next month. Theres also a very slim BoostCharge power bank that can fit into your pocket. That will run you $60 and it will ship later this year. Anker Nano Charger (45W, Smart Display, 180 Foldable) Anker Anker unveiled its neat Nano Charger, which can seemingly identify the iPhone model you hook up to it and provide the appropriate level of charging power. This plug will arrive later this month for $40. The company announced a string of other products that can charge multiple devices at the same time. The $150 foldable Prime Wireless Charging Station can juice up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously, with up to 25W of Qi2 wireless power. Thatll arrive by the end of March. Theres also a 10-in-1 Nano Power Strip ($70, late January release) with 70W of output, surge protection and multiple USB-C ports, USB-A ports and AC outlets. Anker also showed off a 13-in-1 Nano Docking Station that you can snag right now for $150. Among other things, this supports up to three 4K displays, as much as 100W of upstream charging and 10 Gbps of data transfer between devices that are hooked up to it. Handy! AI Amazon introduced Alexa.com to Alexa+ Early Access customers. Amazon No prizes for guessing that there's going to be a ton of AI-related news at CES this year. Amazon, for one, announced that it's rolling out a web-based version of Alexa+ . That means you won't necessarily need to have an Amazon device to try out the generative AI-powered assistant. However, Alexa+ Early Access customers are getting first dibs on the web version. Two Sweekar devices are pictured on a table, one wearing a pink and blue snowboarder outfit and the other (behind it) wearing a cowboy hat and outfit Karissa Bell for Engadget There are a boatload of AI-powered devices on the CES show floor too. One that we saw early on is a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet from a startup called Takway. The Sweekar will remember your interactions with it (you'll need to feed and play with the pet to keep it healthy and happy). Once it's all grown up, the Sweekar will head off on virtual adventures and tell you about its exploits when it returns. Takway will soon start a Kickstarter campaign for the Sweekar, which will likely cost between $100 and $150. Ludens AI's Cocomo robot, Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Ludens AI, meanwhile, showed off a pair of AI companion robots that are admittedly pretty cute. Cocomo can react to your voice and touch interactions, follow you around your home and learn about you over time. It stays close to human body temps, so it feels cozy if you hug it. Inu, on the other hand, stays on your desktop. It, too, responds to your voice and touch. The Fraimic art display at CES Amy Skorheim for Engadget We also saw the Fraimic , an E Ink display that can tap into OpenAI to generate images. There's no subscription for the Fraimic (which costs $399 for the standard size, which has a 13-inch display) and you get 100 AI-generated images per year included with your purchase. Pre-orders are open now and the Fraimic is expected to start shipping in this spring. MindClip held in a hand. Daniel Cooper for Engadget Some companies are still trying to make wearable AI devices happen. SwitchBot has a wearable mic called the AI MindClip , which can seemingly record and transcribe everything you say (no, thank you!). Ankers Soundcore division got in on the mix too with its Work voice recorder . Plaid, meanwhile, brought its NotePin follow up to the dance. This time around, the NotePin S has a button that you can push to record conversations. You can also press the button to flag key moments for an AI-generated summary to focus on. The NotePin S is available now for $179, should you be enticed to buy such a thing. On a similar note, Bee provided an update on what its bee-n up to since Amazon bought the company last year. It has developed four features that its rolling out to its existing AI voice recording wearable devices, including one that draft an email when you say you need to send one, and another that highlights trends in what you say over a period of weeks or months. Theres also a voice notes feature, because thats something you cant do with your phone already. Robots The product version of Boston Dynamics' Atlas. Boston Dynamics Boston Dynamics Atlas robot is ready to roll. Weve seen a few iterations of this machine over the last few years and now the companys latest model is set to go into production. In addition, Boston Dynamics has teamed up with Google DeepMind to fuse Gemini Robotics AI foundation models into Atlas robots. Per a press release , the partnership will focus on enabling humanoids to complete a wide variety of industrial tasks and is expected to become a driving force of manufacturing transformation, beginning in the automotive industry. As it happens, Hyundai (Boston Dynamics majority shareholder) and DeepMind will be among the first to receive Atlas robots. Switchbot's Onero H1. Karissa Bell for Engadget LGs CLOiD is still a concept helper robot for now, but the Onero H1 is one you may be able to buy as soon as this year. During an in-person demo , we saw Switchbots robot (slowly) pick up clothes, chuck them in a washing machine and close the door. The company has also released a video that shows the Onero H1 carrying out other household tasks, from serving food and drinks to washing windows. Were told Switchbot plans to sell the robot for less than $10,000. Transportation Sony Honda Mobility Afeela Press Conference at CES 2026 Afeela Sony and Honda brought the latest revision of their first Afeela EV to CES 2026. We already knew that youd be able to play your PS5 remotely while the vehicle is parked, though we learned some new details from the companies presentation. The Afeela 1 will debut with an advanced hands-off, eyes-on driver assistance system. The aim is to eventually offer Level 4 autonomy via over-the-air updates. Sony Honda Mobility plans to start shipments at the tail end of 2026, first in California, then in Arizona. However, after getting a close-up look at the latest iteration of the EV, Engadget contributor Tim Stevens reckons the Afeela 1 feels more and more out of touch with each passing year, even though it was an audacious product when it was announced at CES 2020. We also got our first look at a model thats a further down the pike. The Afeela Prototype 2026 is a taller version of the first EV. Just dont expect to be able to try it yourself until at least 2028. Muxi Segway Segway is expanding its e-bike lineup with two new models that have a heap of smart features, from Apple Find My integration and GPS tracking to remote locking and health app functions. The Muxi (above) looks quite pretty and has a cup holder(!), while the $2,000 Myon has a chunkier frame and features such as electronic gear shifting. Both are cargo-centric step-through models. You can buy the Myon now, and the $1,700 Muxi will be available in March, just in time for spring. Along with those e-bikes, Segway had a new electric dirt bike to tell us about. The Xaber 300 was created with off-roading in mind. There are three power modes, offering the equivalent of 150cc, 200cc and 300cc engines. Segway hasnt revealed pricing for the Xaber 300, which should be available this spring or summer. Gaming Slide from NVIDIA's CES 2026 presentation about DLSS 4.5 NVIDIA NVIDIA announced the latest version of its DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) upscaling tech. DLSS 4.5 is said to offer sharper visuals thanks to the 2nd Generation Super Resolution Transformer, which is available now for all RTX GPUs. NVIDIA says this offers better temporal stability, reduced ghosting and improved anti-aliasing. On GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, DLSS 4.5 will be able to generate up to five extra frames for each traditionally rendered one and deliver up to 4K 240Hz path traced performance, NVIDIA says. The Dynamic 6x Frame Generation feature will be available for those graphics cards sometime this spring. NVIDIA also detailed a new version of its G-Sync variable refresh rate tech. It says that G-Sync Pulsar can minimize motion blur by effectively quadrupling your refresh rate. So 250 Hz gameplay will seemingly offer up a perceived effective motion clarity of over 1,000 Hz with G-Sync Pulsar enabled. Youll need a G-Sync Pulsar-compatible display to use this feature. Most displays have a backlight thats always on, so images fade from one frame to the next. On G-Sync Pulsar displays, there are several horizontal backlight sections. The backlights pulse from top to bottom. This is said to help the pixels in each frame stabilize before theyre backlit, resulting in lower motion blur. Its interesting stuff. Acer, AOC, ASUS and MSI are each releasing a G-Sync Pulsar-compatible 27-inch monitor this week. 8BitDo FlipPad 8BitDo The FlipPad is one of my favorite things Ive seen coming out of CES this year. Its an 8BitDo mobile game controller thats designed for vertical use. There are a bunch of neat physical controllers for phones that are built for landscape mode. But many mobile games are played with the phone oriented to the vertical position. And thats not to mention emulators that allow you to play the likes of Game Boy titles while your phone stands tall. So its neat to see 8BitDo offering a physical controller thatll do the trick. The company also unveiled a new Xbox controller with swappable joysticks and button modules. A keyboard thing. Corsair Why have a numpad on the side of your keyboard when you can have a highly customizable controller instead? Corsair slapped a Stream Deck into a keyboard and it looks absolutely rad. Ive yet to take the plunge on a Stream Deck-style controller and since Id rather not have an extra device on my desk, Im very tempted to pick up the $350 Galleon 100 SD, which is available now. It has 12 programmable keys that you can use for gaming (give me that Helldivers 2 profile so I dont have to keep punching in stratagem codes) or livestreaming, but there are plenty of other applications too. They can help with video editing, controlling smart home devices or simply adjusting media playback. Theres a five-inch screen and two dials for fine control too. Oh, and its a full-sized mechanical keyboard to boot. GameSir had a couple of interesting controllers to tell us about. The Swift Drive (which seems to be a working name) has a steering wheel with force feedback in the middle of a regular gamepad. Its a cool idea and it seems to work pretty well. The Swift Drive should hit the market later this year. In addition, GameSir teamed up with Hyperkin to make a modular controller that works with phones, tablets and Nintendo Switch consoles. Youll be able to slot those devices into the X5 Alterons grip (as you might with a Backbone or Razer Kishi controller) though theres a Bluetooth option for PC gaming too. The magnetic modules include ones styled after the GameCube and Nintendo 64, and therell be one with a trackpad thats made with first-person shooters in mind. Theres no pricing or release date for the X5 Alteron yet, but Im eager to try it. Elsewhere on the gaming front, Lenovo revealed a SteamOS-powered version of the Legion Go 2 . That variant of the handheld is heading your way in June for $1,199. Razer had some concept gear to show off, including an AI-driven headset with built-in cameras that can recognize objects and text, and a gaming chair with haptic feedback and spatial audio built in. Theres also an AI desktop companion device with several avatars to choose from, including an anime girl and legendary League of Legends player Faker. Audio A speaker and a turntable. Victrola Victrola announced a pretty Bluetooth speaker that sits neatly underneath its turntables. You can use a cable to connect the two as well. Of course, you can play audio from other devices, including phones and tablets. Ive had my eye on a Victrola turntable for a while thanks to its Sonos integration, and the Soundstage speaker is tempting too. The Soundstage will be available this summer for $350. The three sizes from the Cambridge Audio L/R speaker series. Green speakers in three sizes. Cambridge Audio Speaking of pretty speakers, I really like the aesthetic of these three wireless bookshelf options from Cambridge Audio. The classy-lookin L/R Series speakers start at $549 for a 100W model with a 21mm hard-dome tweeter with a 3-inch long-throw woofer hut no support for Wi-Fi streaming (there is Bluetooth aptX HD, though). At the top end is the $2,299 L/R X, a 800W speaker that has a a 2.5-way acoustic design with a 28mm Torus tweeter and dual five-inch woofers. Theres even a touch of LED underlighting on this model and the $1,599 L/R M, which has 300W of power, smaller four-inch dual woofers and the same 28mm tweeter. All three speakers will be available later this year. Theres lots more audio gear at CES beyond the Victorla and Cambridge Audio speakers, of course. JBL was at the event to show off a whole bunch of earbuds and gaming headsets . Shure now has a USB-C version of its MV88 condenser microphone, making it compatible with Android devices and recent iPhones. Thatll run you $159. The latest version of JLabs teeny JBuds Mini earbuds now have customizable active noise cancellation (ANC) and yet they still cost $40 . PartyStudio is a speaker with 128 different instrument sounds that works with any MIDI keyboard. Nathan Ingraham for Engadget PartyStudio seems like a fun product its a MIDI speaker with 128 built-in instrument tones and 50-plus drum machine patterns. Theres a companion 36-key MIDI keyboard called PartyKeys as well (the speaker will work with any MIDI keyboard, though). PopuMusic is the company behind both. Anker, meanwhile, has new AeroFit 2 Pro earbuds that are pretty interesting. Theyre the companys first open-ear earbuds with ANC. You can snap them up in February for $180. Theres also a new portable Bluetooth speaker from Anker called the Soundcore Boom Go 3i. Its a 15W unit with (according to Anker) up to 22 hours of battery life, and it should cost between $65 and $80 when it drops in March. Engadget deputy editor Billy Steele has been checking out some of the audio gear at CES, including Shokz $250 OpenFit Pro earbuds , which have Dolby Atmos support. Billy has also had some hands-on (or heads-on) time with Klipschs first new headphones in years. There are initially three models in the companys Atlas series, including the Atlas HP-1, a wireless set with ANC that has a lovely wood finish on the exterior of the earcups. Klipsch is only allowing demos with lossless audio over USB-C for now, but the audio quality is excellent, Billy wrote in his hands-on story . Smart home Dreame Cyber X robot vacuum Engadget As ever, there was a ton of smart home gear at CES this year. One thing that caught our eye is a robot vacuum concept from Dreame . It's one of several companies working on models that can climb stairs, but the Cyber X is a slightly terrifying one since it has large legs that look a bit like chainsaws. The teeth in these legs help provide traction so that the Cyber X can climb stairs that are almost 10 inches high. While Dreames vacuum positions its legs horizontally to climb stairs with tank-style traction, Roborocks Saros rover pushes itself upwards on extendable legs to reach higher floors. The legs have wheels on the bottom and knee-like joints these can help the robot vacuum to raise itself over obstacles on floors too. Narwhal built a vacuum for your mattress. The U50 is a handheld model that has a UV sterilization light. It has a high-speed tapping feature that can help dislodge gunk and mites. The company also showed off a new robot vacuum and mop with a PetCare Mode you can use to track down your bestest furry friend and keep an eye on them when you're not home. You can even talk to your pet via a speaker system. Both products should be available in the spring. Anker's Eufy brand has a new robot vacuum too , along with a video doorbell, outdoor light and smart lock. This ones pretty interesting: Lockins latest vein-recognition smart lock can wirelessly recharge via an optical infrared beam emitted by a separate device thats plugged into an outlet. On a similar note, Ring has updated its door, window and break glass sensors, and it has introduced an OBD-II car alarm, motion detectors and panic buttons. Most of those will be available in March, though can pre-order the car alarm now. Elsewhere in home security, Ugreen announced a modular system that does not require a subscription. At a time when so many companies are desperate to sell you a subscription for dependable monthly revenue, thats quite refreshing. Devices that are part of Ugreens platform including a video doorbell and 4K cameras should be available later this year. IKEA made its CES debut to show off some of its smart home tech, namely a string of budget-friendly, Matter-compatible devices. Along with some home sensors, the company plans to offer a $6 smart bulb, an $8 smart plug and a $6 smart remote in the coming weeks. Senior reporter Amy Skorheim checked out the products and particularly liked the BILREA remote, which you can use to control IKEA's lamps and other devices. Philips Hue SpatialAware feature Speaking of smart bulbs, Philips announced some Hue updates at CES. You'll need a Hue Bridge Pro to use the SpatialAware feature , which uses augmented reality to make sure all of the lights in a room are working together harmoniously to create, for instance, a more natural-looking sunset scene. Philips will be rolling out SpatialAware to Hue users this spring. Also on the way is Apple Home support for the Hue Secure Camera, Hue Secure video doorbell and Hue contact sensors. Elsewhere in lighting, Govee has a new floor lamp, as well as a ceiling light that's said to simulate a skylight . In terms of kitchen tech, GE Appliances has a new smart refrigerator that's designed to make restocking easier. It has a built-in barcode scanner you can use to quickly add items to a shopping list. It's possible to sync the items to Instacart for grocery delivery. There's also an interior camera that can help you keep tabs on the goods in your fridge's crisper drawer. As you might expect for a smart fridge, it has a touchscreen on the door that you can use to call up recipes. The GE Profile Smart Refrigerator will be available in April for $4,899. Nosh Daniel Cooper for Engadget Nosh , meanwhile, is an AI cooking robot that you'll be able to buy in the next few months. Load it with ingredients, pick one of the 500 dishes in Nosh's repertoire and the robot will put everything together. While it has water and oil reservoirs, as well as a built-in spice rack, you'll still need to prep the fresh ingredients before adding them to the machine. Nosh will cost $2,000 but if you're ready to pre-order now, you can snag one for an early bird price of $1,200. Moving outside, Whisper Aero claims that the T1 leaf blower (from its Tone Outdoors division) is 80 percent quieter and 60 percent more powerful than leading gas handheld blowers. That seems pretty great on paper, so heres hoping that your noisy neighbors will be convinced to shell out $599 for a T1 when it arrives in September. Meanwhile, Segways Navimow unit has a bunch of new robot mowers . Health and accessibility Image of the Throne Toilet Computer perched on the side of a toilet. Daniel Cooper for Engadget It perhaps shouldnt come as a surprise that a toilet computer made an appearance in our roundup of weird CES tech . But if Ive learned anything from watching Scrubs , its that our waste offers up a lot of revealing information about our health, so Throne is a pretty compelling device. It has a camera and microphone to track your bowel motions and urination levels. The idea is to figure out your regular toilet usage and then flag any deviations from that. The creators hope that Throne will help you gain a better understanding of your gut health, which could be beneficial for those on GLP-1 drugs, for instance. Throne will start shipping in February for $340 and a $6 per month subscription. Image of Vivoo's FlowPad Vivoo Vivoo also showed off a toilet device that can monitor your urination levels. Not only that, the company unveiled a smart menstrual pad . The idea is for for wearers to scan the pad with their phone camera after use. Elsewhere, the latest version of Withings Body Scan scale can track 60 biomarkers, up from the 40 that the first model from 2023 can keep tabs on. The Body Scan 2 should be available in the spring for $600. A man sits in a manual wheelchair with an add-on attached that gives it a large central front wheel and raises the casters off the ground Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Accessibility tech is a welcome sight at CES, and WheelMove looks like it could be useful for many wheelchair users. Its a device with a large front wheel that can quickly be attached to any manual wheelchair. It can then raise the wheelchairs smaller front wheels off the ground, primarily to help users navigate rough terrain. The $6,000 WheelMove will debut in France later their year before a broader rollout. ReviMo has built a robotic lift that it says can help people move themselves from (for instance) a bed to a wheelchair without the assistance of a caregiver. The company expects Niko to cost around $15,000, but its attempting to get the device covered by insurance. Dephy's Sidekick, which the company describes as bionic footwear. Karissa Bell for Engadget Dephys Sidekick is designed as a walking aid. Its an ankle-worn exoskeleton thats attached to a sneaker. The Sidekick has sensors that can detect the users gait and adapt to it in order to deliver an effective boost in each step. At $4,500, the Sidekick isnt cheap, but it could be a boon for those who are perhaps not as physically active as theyd like to be. Dephy is also adapting the tech for athletic use the company is working with Nike on a robotic sneaker project . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/all-the-tech-and-gadgets-announced-at-ces-2026-130124023.html?src=rss

Dell unveils a massive 52-inch 6K ultrawide curved monitor at CES 2026

PC and gaming monitors are among the CES 2026 announcements, and Dell may just have one of the most impressive. The company launched an ultrawide, curved 52-inch 6K monitor at the show this year, a productivity behemoth designed for stock traders, engineers and other professionals. Dell claims the UltraSharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor is the first 52-incher to market thats also ultrawide, curved and supports 6K resolution (but with that many qualifiers almost anything can be a world first). Given Dells experience in the monitor realm, this could be a dream display for professionals who handle vast data sets such as trading platforms, AutoCAD, 3D rendering software, spreadsheets and more. It sports a 120Hz refresh rate on an IPS Black panel and emits up to 60 percent less blue light when compared to competing monitors. It delivers an impressive 129 ppi (for comparison a 4K 32-inch monitor delivers 138 ppi) and an ambient light sensor helps avoid eye strain during long work sessions. Users can connect up to four PCs to the monitor simultaneously, which can use picture-by-picture to treat each partitioned screen as an individual monitor. It also features built-in KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) features that let users control all connected PCs via a single mouse and keyboard. The monitor can also charge your laptop with up to 140W of power via a Thunderbolt 4 connection. Dell also rolled out a new 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor with support for both True Black 500 HDR and Dolby Vision. It claims true-to-life color accuracy out of the box and excellent gamut coverage at 99 percent of DCI-P3. This monitor would be a strong fit for film and photo editing. The Dell UltraSharp 52 Thunderbolt Hub Monitor is priced at $2,900 with stand or $2,800 without. It will be widely available starting January 6. The Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD-OLED Monitor comes in at $2,600 and will be available beginning February 24. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/dell-unveils-a-massive-52-inch-6k-ultrawide-curved-monitor-at-ces-2026-140024842.html?src=rss

The next Xbox Developer Direct showcase is on January 22

Xbox will kick off the fourth installment of its Developer Direct event on January 22 at 1PM ET. As usual, we'll get a glimpse at what the upcoming year has in store along with news, new gameplay footage and more directly from the teams behind this year's slate of games. It's officially Developer_Direct season! Join us on January 22 at 10am PT for an exclusive look atFable, Forza Horizon 6, and Beast of Reincarnation: https://t.co/FvFUT7RzVZ | #DeveloperDirect pic.twitter.com/GMRpVDxucs Xbox (@Xbox) January 8, 2026 In a blog post announcing the event, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief Jon Skrebels said Xbox's 25-year anniversary will be marked by the return of some beloved franchises. Gamers will also get their first extended look at Fable , a reboot of the iconic series. The event will also be unveiling gameplay footage for Forza Horizon 6 , the upcoming open-world racing game set in Japan. UK studio Playground Games is behind both titles. The showcase will also include new details and gameplay from Beast of Reincarnation , the one-person, one-dog role-playing game. The game is being developed by Game Freak, the studio best known for its series of Pokmon games , and follows protagonist Emma and her canine companion in post-apocalyptic Japan. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-next-xbox-developer-direct-showcase-is-on-january-22-154444166.html?src=rss

Nintendo reveals its first Switch 2 Joy-Con color variant

Nintendo has unveiled the first color variants for the Switch 2 Joy-Cons in light purple and light green, set to arrive on February 12 alongside Mario Tennis Fever . The new controllers are now on pre-order for $100 and include matching wrist-straps. Other than the colorway, these are standard Joy-Con 2 controllers with motion controls and HD rumble, along with the C Button for GameChat and the mouse controls for compatible games. However, you may have noticed something weird about them the colors are on the inner rails, so you'll barely be able to see them when the Joy-Con 2s are connected to a Switch 2 console, except around the thumbsticks. By contrast, previous Joy-Con color variants covered the entire shell. The new Switch 2 Joy-Con colors also clash with the light blue and orange strips on the inner left and right of the console. Along with the new Joy-Con 2 controllers, Nintendo released a lengthy game-play video for Mario Tennis Fever, also set to arrive on February 12th. It details some of the key gameplay features, like fever shots, the ice racket and moves like slides and dives. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-reveals-its-first-switch-2-joy-con-color-variant-142725414.html?src=rss

Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds are on sale for $165

It's hard to find better wireless earbuds than Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 if you're an Android user. The statement is even more true if you have a Pixel phone. If you're on the market for a new pair, you can grab the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $165 in the hazel colorway, which is $54 off their usual price. Other color options are also discounted, just not as steeply. The device made our list of the best wireless earbuds , and this is particularly true for those tied into the Pixel ecosystem. These earbuds are on the smaller side and, more importantly, comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They also manage to deliver pristine audio , as we were fans of the punchy bass, full mids and crisp highs on offer. The battery lasts for 30 hours when you include return trips to the charging case, at around eight hours a pop. They offer multipoint Bluetooth that switches between audio sources with just a single button press. There's an app for keeping an eye on battery levels and ANC levels. The primary downside when these were first released was the high price tag, which has been alleviated by this sale. Beyond that, there's really just one nitpick. Smaller earbuds translate to a smaller touch panel, which requires precision to operate. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/googles-pixel-buds-pro-2-earbuds-are-on-sale-for-165-193444985.html?src=rss

19 CES gadgets you can buy right now

CES 2026 is in full swing, but you dont have to wait months to get your hands on everything announced in Las Vegas this year. A surprising number of products are already up for pre-order, if not outright available to buy today, from new chargers and docks to projectors, keyboards and smart home gear. CES is still a showcase for concepts and big promises, but these are the gadgets that have real pricing and an order button ready right now. Check out all of the CES 2026 gadgets you can buy right now below. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/19-ces-gadgets-you-can-buy-right-now-164325541.html?src=rss

Apple AirPods Pro 3 are back on sale at a record low price

The AirPods Pro 3 are on sale and back at their record low price of $200. This is marked down from $250, a hefty 20 percent discount. This model was just released in September of last year, so consider this a substantial discount for such a recent product. We gave these AirPods a score of 90 out of 100 in our review and we consider them the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users. The third generation model is a substantial update to an already impressive product, bringing new features like live translation to the table. The AirPods Pro 3 also offer heart-rate tracking, allowing them to stream live data to Apple Fitness and other third-party workout apps. This lets you track your fitness and close activity rings similarly to when using an Apple Watch. Apple also improved the sound quality of this generation thanks in large part to a redesigned acoustic architecture that improves how air is delivered into the ear canal. Additionally, the company changed the angle of the drivers to help more sound get where it needs to go instead of bouncing off the sides of your ear. We felt the jump in audio quality from the last generation to this one was substantial. The ANC on the AirPods Pro 3 has also been improved. Apple claims this model filters out twice as much noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and four times as much as the original AirPods Pro. We found the noise cancellation to be top-notch. Live Translation is as neat as it sounds, leveraging the AirPods' noise cancellation tech, Apple's AI and beamforming mics to help you understand a speaker in a different language. Right now, this is limited to a handful of languages with more being added over time. It's not often you see one of Apple's best and most recent products on sale for 20 percent off, so if you're in the market for an upgrade or your first set of AirPods, consider taking advantage of this deal. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-airpods-pro-3-are-back-on-sale-at-a-record-low-price-140752004.html?src=rss

CES 2026 Day 2: All of the coolest tech we saw on the show floor during the second day

CES 2026s second day was all about hands on time with new tech. From Legos most ambitious play experiment yet to assistive mobility tech, smart home ideas that actually feel affordable and robots that might one day fold your laundry, heres what stood out most on January 7. Lego Smart Play Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke's Red Five X-Wing Nathan Ingraham for Engadget LEGOs new Smart Play system feels far more compelling in person than it did on stage. The Smart Brick, combined with Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures, responds dynamically to movement, proximity and context, triggering sounds and interactions without screens or apps. Seeing kids physically act out Star Wars battles while the bricks reacted in real time made it clear this is designed first and foremost for active social play, not digital distraction. WheelMove A man sits in a manual wheelchair with an add-on attached that gives it a large central front wheel and raises the casters off the ground Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget WheelMoves motorized wheelchair attachment is compact, surprisingly quick to install and genuinely empowering in action. The add-on lifts a chairs front wheels and adds powered assistance, making grass, cobblestones and slopes far easier to navigate. After seeing it demonstrated on uneven surfaces, its easy to imagine this opening up spaces that would otherwise be exhausting or inaccessible for manual wheelchair users. Throne Image of the Throne Toilet Computer perched on the side of a toilet. Daniel Cooper for Engadget Thrones toilet-mounted health tracker is exactly as strange as it sounds, but its also thoughtfully designed. Using computer vision to analyze bowel movements and urination, the device aims to establish a personal baseline and flag changes over time, with gut health and GLP-1 users firmly in mind. Its too early to judge accuracy, but seeing it in person made it feel less gimmicky and more like a niche wellness tool worth testing. IKEA smart home gear The popular VARMBLIXT donut lamp is now smart. Amy Skorheim for Engadget IKEAs first CES appearance leaned heavily into what it does best: simple, affordable design. The new Matter-compatible smart home range includes bulbs, plugs, remotes and sensors priced low enough to make smart homes feel accessible again. Standouts like the magnetically mounted BILREA remote and playful TEKLAN lamps showed that IKEA hasnt sacrificed charm in its push toward interoperability. SwitchBot Switchbot's Onero H1. Karissa Bell for Engadget SwitchBots Onero H1 was one of the most intriguing robots on the show floor because its meant to ship this year. The wheeled humanoid robot uses articulated arms and onboard AI to perform household chores, like loading a washing machine, albeit at a deliberate pace. Watching it work made the case that speed matters less than reliability when a robot can handle tasks while youre not home. Eyebot vision testing Image of the Eyebot Kiosk Daniel Cooper for Engadget Eyebots self-service vision testing kiosk turns a 20-minute optometrist visit into a process that takes just a few minutes. The test is guided by a large touchscreen and reviewed remotely by a licensed eye doctor, striking a balance between automation and oversight. After comparing results with a recent traditional exam, the accuracy felt reassuring, even if it doesnt replace full eye health screenings. Dephy Sidekick sneakers Dephy's Sidekick, which the company describes as footwear. Karissa Bell for Engadget Dephys Sidekick robotic sneakers deliver a subtle but noticeable boost with each step. The ankle-mounted exoskeleton adapts to your gait, and walking with it feels bouncy rather than overpowering, especially at lower assist levels. Its not for everyone, but after hours on the CES floor, the idea of powered help for people with limited mobility started to make a lot of sense. Klipsch headphones Klipsch Atlas HP-1 Billy Steele for Engadget Klipschs return to headphones starts strong with the Atlas HP-1 . The wireless ANC model looks premium, borrows familiar design cues and delivers the brands warm, balanced sound in early demos. Pricing is still unknown, but based on build quality and audio alone, these feel positioned firmly at the high end. Clear Drop The Clear Drop soft plastics compactor next to a pile of the bricks it produces. Amy Skorheim for Engadget Clear Drops home plastic compactor tackles a real recycling problem most households face. The machine takes bags and wraps them into dense bricks that can be shipped to partner recycling facilities, and watching it swallow soft plastics was oddly satisfying. Its expensive and not perfect, but its one of the more practical attempts at dealing with waste outside municipal systems. Nosh cooking robot Nosh Daniel Cooper for Engadget Nosh is an AI cooking robot designed for low-effort, sauce-heavy meals like soups, curries and pasta. Multiple ingredient trays allow you to prep meals ahead of time, then slide them in when youre ready to eat. Its not replacing real cooking anytime soon, but as an alternative to microwaved meals, its more appealing than expected. Day two leaned heavily toward tech you could physically interact with, whether that meant flying Lego ships through the air, watching a robot load laundry or testing a vision exam in a kiosk. With more show-floor time still ahead, well be back with additional hands-ons, impressions and daily recaps as CES 2026 continues. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ces-2026-day-2-all-of-the-coolest-tech-we-saw-on-the-show-floor-during-the-second-day-134608348.html?src=rss

The weirdest tech we've seen at CES 2026 so far

CES is famous for ushering in big TVs, faster chips and serious upgrades to the tech we already use every day. Its also where companies feel emboldened to ask some very strange questions, like whether your toilet should analyze your poop or your nails should change color on command. From experimental laptops to health tech that probably didnt need a camera, these are the weirdest gadgets we spotted at CES 2026 . Throne toilet computer The Throne device perched on the side of a toilet. Daniel Cooper for Engadget Throne is a toilet-mounted computer that uses cameras and microphones to analyze your bowel movements, which is a sentence we did not expect to type this week. Designed to establish a personal baseline for your bathroom habits, it aims to flag changes that could indicate digestive or metabolic issues, including for people on GLP-1 drugs. We cant speak to its effectiveness yet but if knowledge is power, this thing might know way too much. Vivoo Hygienic FlowPad smart menstrual pad Vivoo's FlowPad Vivoo Vivoo looked at at-home health tracking and decided the bathroom was still underutilized. Alongside its clip-on smart toilet that analyzes your hydration by literally monitoring your pee , the company also unveiled a menstrual pad infused with microfluidics that can track fertility and hormone markers once you scan it with your phone. Its a bold reminder that CES 2026 is fully committed to quantifying everything even the stuff wed rather not discuss over brunch. Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable While it normally has a 16-inch display, the Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable concept's screen can expand up to 23.8 inches across. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Lenovos Legion Pro Rollable is what happens when a gaming laptop decides it wants to be a widescreen monitor mid-match. Its 16-inch display can physically expand sideways into ultra-wide formats, turning flight sims and racing games into full cockpit experiences at the press of a couple of keys. Its impractical, faintly ridiculous and absolutely the kind of CES concept we hope survives long enough to escape the demo floor. Lenovo ThinkBook XD Rollable With its XD Rollable concept, Lenovo took the Thinkbook Plus Gen 6's basic design and made it even more futuristic by allowing its flexible display to wrap around onto its lid. Sam Rutherford for Engadget If the Legion Pro Rollable is excessive, the ThinkBook XD Rollable is philosophically confusing. Its flexible display doesnt just grow taller, it wraps over the lid to create a world-facing screen for people sitting across from you, which feels either futuristic or deeply unnecessary depending on your mood and situation (maybe this is the perfect device for hotel check-ins and other points of sale?). Still, its a gorgeous piece of hardware theater and proof Lenovo is determined to roll screens onto every surface it can reach. OhDoki Handy 2 Pro Image of The Handy 2 and Handy 2 Pro Daniel Cooper for Engadget OhDokis Handy 2 Pro arrived at CES with one clear message: more power, fewer limits and absolutely no chill. The upgraded sex toy model cranks battery life up to five hours and unlocks a Turbo mode so aggressive it was described as overclocked, which is not a term we expected to hear in this category. It can also charge your phone, because apparently even pleasure tech needs to justify itself with productivity. iPolish iPolish Daniel Cooper for Engadget iPolish finally made Total Recall nail tech real, minus the dystopia and Schwarzenegger. These press-on acrylic nails use an electric charge to switch between hundreds of colors in seconds, letting you change your manicure as often as your outfit. Its delightfully impractical, surprisingly affordable and the most convincing argument yet for treating your nails like a customizable display. Hisense S6 FollowMe display Hisense S6 FollowMe display Hisense Hisenses FollowMe display is a screen that physically follows you around the room which no one really asked for, but CES happily delivered anyway. Designed to reposition itself automatically so content stays in view, it feels like the logical endpoint of smart TVs becoming increasingly clingy. We havent seen it in action yet, but the idea of a display that refuses to be ignored is deeply on brand for 2026. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-weirdest-tech-weve-seen-at-ces-2026-so-far-134056504.html?src=rss

Volvo's EX60 electric crossover promises 400 miles of EPA range

Ahead of a launch later this month, Volvo has teased some impressive details about its upcoming electric crossover. The EX60, which slots between the EX40 and EX90 , will offer an EPA range of 400 miles, beating all other Volvos and most EVs in general. It will also be the first Volvo car to use a megacasting process designed to reduce weight and boost manufacturing efficiency. With our new electric vehicle architecture, we directly address the main worries that customers have when considering a switch to a fully electric car, said Volvo CTO Anders Bell. The result is class-leading range and fast charging speeds, marking the end of range anxiety. Volvo Volvo considered that main worry to be range anxiety, so it focused on maximizing endurance to the largest extent possible. Key to that is Volvo's advanced SPA3 EV architecture, which integrates the battery directly into the structure of the car with cell-to-body technology. Volvo also developed its e-motors in-house to improve efficiency and reduce weight. The company also made the EX60 fast to charge with an 800-volt electrical system and support for up to 400kW fast charging, letting you add up to 168 miles of range in just 10 minutes. New lighter materials and lower heat generation aid in that, meaning the EX60 can add over 100 miles or range in just a few minutes, Volvo wrote on its blog. Volvo The megacasting, meanwhile, helped Volvo replace hundreds of smaller parts with a single, high-precision casting to reduce weight. The Volvo EX60 will be revealed on January 21, 2026 at a livestream on Volvo's website . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/volvos-ex60-electric-crossover-promises-400-miles-of-epa-range-130008964.html?src=rss

The gaming monitors that caught our eye at CES 2026

CES is about many things, but primarily it's about screens. TVs and laptops get the most attention, but you'll find all kinds of new PC monitors, too. At CES 2026, several companies are using the trade show as an opportunity to update their gaming monitor lineups. This year expanding what OLED panels can do in terms of refresh rates, brightness and color production is the big focus, but there's some more unusual options, too, like a glasses-free 3D monitor. The collection below are some of our favorite gaming monitors that have already been announced: LG UltraGear GX7 LG's latest QHD OLED gaming monitor is its brightest to date LG The LG UltraGear GX7 is the fastest and brightest gaming monitor LG has offered so far and a gaming-focused showcase for LG Display's 4th-gen RGB Tandem 2.0 OLED technology . The new display tech splits up the yellow layer of the company's 3rd-gen OLED tech into distinct red and green layers that, when stacked with blue layers, create brighter, more energy-efficient screens. In the case of the UltraGear GX7, the new 27-inch monitor reaches a typical brightness of 335 nits, and is VES DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified, for deeper contrast between the dark and bright parts of the screen. LG touts the display's Dual Mode, which lets discerning gamers switch between two distinct settings: a 540Hz refresh rate mode at QHD resolution, when image quality is what you care about most, or a 720Hz refresh rate mode at HD resolution, when speed is your priority. Whichever mode you choose, LG promises the monitor will offer a smooth and stutter free experience. It has a 0.02ms response time and supports both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSYNC Premium Pro, so you should be set, regardless of what your computer's specialty is. For $1,000, the LG UltraGear GX7 seems like a high watermark for OLED gaming monitors. Samsung Odyssey 3D and Odyssey OLED G8 Samsung's new Odyssey 3D monitor is the world's first 6K display with glasses-free 3D, with a 6,144 x 3,456 resolution, and the ability to take games beyond 2D by tracking the position of your eyes, and enhancing terrain, distance and object separation. Even if you're not interested in playing formerly 2D games like Lies of P: Overture with an added sense of depth, a 32-inch LCD screen with a 165Hz refresh rate that's capable of being boosted to 330Hz through Samsung's Dual Mode is nothing to sneeze at, especially with a 1ms response time. On top of its big 3D monitor, Samsung is also pushing its own updated OLED tech at CES. The company's new 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 uses a 4K QD-OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate and a glare-free treatment for added visibility. The monitor has a VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, but unlike LG's display, its brightness is capped at 300 nits. ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCWM and ROG Strix Pulsar XG27AQNGV The back and front of ASUS' new ROG Swift monitor with a Tandem OLED panel. ASUS While the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27UCWM uses a Tandem OLED panel a panel with two light-emitting layers, like the Ultra XDR Retina display on Apple's recent iPad Pros the big change ASUS is focused on at CES 2026 is its new RGB Stripe OLED layout, technology LG helped pioneer . These updated panels use a full RGB sub-pixel arrangement to produce sharper text and more accurate color reproduction when compared to the QD-OLED panels the company has used in the past. The 27-inch ROG Swift OLED PG27UCWM can be run at 4K with a 240Hz refresh rate or at FHD with a 480Hz refresh rate. The display also has a 0.03ms minimum response time for smooth and clear action, and 99 percent DCI-P3 color gamut coverage for more vibrant and accurate color reproduction. The OLED monitor also includes a Neo PRoximity Sensor which automatically turns the screen off when you're not looking at it, to prevent burn-in. NVIDIA's new G-Sync Pulsar tech, which uses variable backlighting to reduce blur, is specifically meant for competitive gamers, and ASUS' new ROG Strix Pulsar XG27AQNGV monitor is one of the first to support the new tech. The monitor features a 27-inch, 1440p panel with a 360Hz refresh rate and the fastest response time ASUS has ever achieved in a 1440p LCD display. The monitor also includes DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1 and multiple USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports for whatever devices you want to connect to it. MSI MPG 314CQR QD-OLED X36 MSI's new curved MPG monitor with a QD-OLED panel. MSI The star monitor of MSI's new products at CES 2026 is the wordily titled MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 , a curved, 34-inch ultrawide monitor, with new OLED panel. Like Asus, MSI is mixing different OLED display technologies for better results. This new monitor uses a 5th-gen Tandem QD-OLED panel with an RGB Stripe sub-pixel layout for sharper visuals. MSI also applies what it calls DarkArmor Film to enhance light absorption, eliminate the reddish tint some QD-OLED panels have under ambient light, and boost black levels by up to 40 percent. As an ultrawide, the MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 has a resolution of 3,440 x 1,440, an aspect ratio of 21:9 and a refresh rate of 360Hz. MSI says the monitor can reach a peak brightness of 1,300 nits, and the company provides multiple HDR modes to switch between depending on your needs. Similar to ASUS, the monitor also includes a sensor for detecting whether a human is in front of the screen MSI calls it an AI Care Sensor so that the monitor can power-off or enter standby mode when not in active use. ViewSonic VX2738 2K OLED Gaming Monitor ViewSonic's new 24-inch OLED monitor. ViewSonic ViewSonic's new gaming monitors are more approachable and (presumably) more affordable than the options from competitors, but not necessarily less performant. The company top-of-the-line model, the ViewSonic VX2738 2K OLED Gaming Monitor has a 27-inch 2K QHD QD-OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate and up to 0.03ms response time. The monitor supports AMD FreeSync Premium and NVIDIA G-Sync for smoother gameplay. The VX2738 also has the ability to scale down its image via a 24.5-inch esports mode for competitive settings. ViewSonic says the monitor will include HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports and be available for $500. HP HyperX Omen OLED 34 HP's new curved OLED monitor with a headphone hook. HP HP's newest monitor under its unified HyperX Omen gaming brand is the HyperX Omen OLED 34 , a curved 34-inch monitor with a QD-OLED panel. HP says the monitor uses V-stripe QD-OLED tech, which like in MSI and ASUS' monitors, means sharper text and better color accuracy. The HyperX Omen OLEd 34 has an aspect ratio of 21:9, a 360Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time. The monitor has 100W USB-C power delivery for whichever laptop you decide to connect to it, and a built-in KVM switch, HP says. Plus, the company is offering a customizable, 3D-printable headphone hook, if you want to store your accessories nearby. Acer Predator XB273U F6 Gaming Monitor An Acer Predator monitor on a white background. Acer is showing off multiple new monitors at CES 2026, but the Predator XB273U F6 Gaming Monitor stands out for its ridiculously fast refresh rate. Acer says the 27-inch screen has a 500Hz refresh rate by default, that can be boosted to 1000Hz at a 1,280 x 720 resolution if you use the company's Dynamic Frequency and Resolution (DFR) mode. The Predator XB273U F6 otherwise features a 2,560 x 1,440 IPS panel with a brightness of 350 nits, that's calibrated to cover 95 percent of the DCI-P3 and 99 percent of the sRGB color gamut. The monitor also has 2-watt speakers built-in, and includes HDMI2.1, DisplayPort 1.4 and audio out ports for connecting to the rest of your PC gaming setup. Acer says the Predator XB273U F6 will be available for $800 when it launches in Q2 2026 in North America. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-gaming-monitors-that-caught-our-eye-at-ces-2026-130000433.html?src=rss

Gmail is getting a Gemini AI overhaul

In a move that should surprise nobody, Google is stuffing more Gemini AI into Gmail. A host of new features, some of which are already familiar to Workspace users , are rolling out today for Gmail users in the US. Some are free, while others require a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription . The first premium feature is AI Overviews, the same name as a similar feature in Google Search . Gmails version lets you ask questions about your messages in the search bar, using natural language. Google uses the example of, Who was the plumber that gave me a quote for the bathroom renovation last year? Its hard to imagine that saving much time over a basic search for plumber quote or plumbing estimate, but maybe it could help in some situations. There's also a free portion of AI Overviews that summarizes mail threads for easy catch-ups. However, the ability to ask your inbox questions requires a subscription. Meanwhile, Proofread is a subscription-only feature that's essentially Grammarly for Gmail. As you'd guess, it suggests improvements in grammar, word choice, conciseness, voice and sentence structure. AI Inbox Google Finally, there's the AI Inbox, a feature that filters out the clutter so you can focus on what's most important. Google says it's like a personal briefing that flags to-dos and catches you up on what it thinks is most important. (It identifies VIPs based on frequent contacts, your contact list, and inferred relationships.) The company claims, without adding further detail, that this all happens securely with the privacy protections you expect from Google. AI Inbox is another subscription-only feature. Now onto the free stuff. Help Me Write is a tool for all Gmail users that generates email copy from a prompt. This kind of thing should be well-familiar by now , as Big Tech increasingly encourages users to avoid drafting anything from scratch . And Suggested Replies can draft replies for you that mimic your tone and style. (Google describes it as a next-gen version of Smart Replies .) Help Me Write and Suggested Replies are rolling out to everyone (no subscription required) today. The new Gemini-powered features begin rolling out to Gmail today. Although they're starting with English speakers in the US, Google says they'll arrive in more languages and regions in the coming months. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gmail-is-getting-a-gemini-ai-overhaul-130000422.html?src=rss

Disney+ is launching vertical videos this year

Disney+ will add vertical videos to its service in the US sometime this year, in hopes that they can entice viewers to engage with its app every day. The company has made the announcement at its Tech + Data Showcase event at CES 2026. Disney first dabbled in vertical content with Verts, which launched for the ESPN app in August 2025, giving it the insight it needed on how its users respond to the video format. Erin Teague, Disney Entertainments EVP of Product Management, told Deadline that the company will use the format for all kinds of content. The service isnt just planning to use it as a vehicle for movie and series teasers, but also for original short-form programming. She didnt say what kinds of original programming Disney+ will be adding as vertical videos to its app, but vertical micro-dramas have become incredibly popular over the past year. Were obviously thinking about integrating vertical video in ways that are native to core user behaviors, Teague said. So, it wont be a kind of a disjointed, random experience. The company is targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha users, in particular, since theyre not inclined to sit and watch long-form content on their phones for hours. Disney said in a statement that the experience will evolve as itexpands across news and entertainment and will be personalized for users, with making the service a must-visit daily destination as its goal. After all, if a user is already in the app, theyre more likely to explore and watch the services programming. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/disney-is-launching-vertical-videos-this-year-120000776.html?src=rss

You wont be able to buy Samsungs household Ballie robot after all

For years, weve been wondering when Samsung would actually bring Ballie, its cute household companion robot, to market and now we finally have our answer: it wont. After the planned summer 2025 release window came and went, the company has opted not to release the gizmo as a consumer product, at least not for the foreseeable future. According to Bloomberg , Samsung has indefinitely shelved the robot. A spokesperson told the publication that the company will keep Ballie around as an active innovation platform internally. After multiple years of real-world testing, it continues to inform how Samsung designs spatially aware, context-driven experiences, particularly in areas like smart home intelligence, ambient AI and privacy-by-design, the spokesperson added. Theres a sliver of a chance that Samsung will eventually bring Ballie to market, but that seems unlikely as things stand. So, six years after we first clapped eyes on the robot at CES 2020 , (and two years after a redesigned larger version debuted), it appears to be doomed as a consumer device. Its a bit of a shame, as Ballie seemed like a fun gadget. In fairness to Samsung, companies are now likely having to be more judicious about what products especially more experimental ones go into full production amid rising costs of things like RAM . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/you-wont-be-able-to-buy-samsungs-household-ballie-robot-after-all-104529942.html?src=rss

The best E Ink tablets for 2026

Im a longtime lover of pen and paper, so E Ink tablets have been intriguing to me ever since they started becoming more widely available. After having hundreds of half-filled notebooks over the years, I, at some point, turned to digital tools instead because it was just easier to store everything on my phone or laptop so I always had my most important information at my fingertips. E-Ink tablets seem to provide the best of both worlds: the tactile satisfaction of regular notebooks with many of the conveniences found in digital tools, plus easy-on-the-eyes E-Ink screens. These devices have come a long way in recent years now you can find them in multiple sizes, some have color E Ink screens and others double as full-blow ereaders with access to ebook stores and your local librarys offerings. Ive tested out close to a dozen E Ink tablets over the past year or two to see how well they work, how convenient they really are and which are the best tablets using E Ink screens available today. Table of contents Best E Ink tablets for 2026 Are E Ink tablets worth it? What to look for in an E Ink tablet Other E Ink tablets we've tested Best E Ink tablets for 2026 Are E Ink tablets worth it? An E Ink tablet will be a worthwhile purchase to a very select group of people. If you prefer the look and feel of an e paper display to LCD panels found on traditional tablets, it makes a lot of sense. Theyre also good options for those who want a more paper-like writing experience (although you can get that kind of functionality on a regular tablet with the right screen protector) or a more distraction-free device overall. The final note is key here. Many E Ink tablets dont run on the same operating systems as regular tablets, so youre automatically going to be limited in what you can do. And even with those that do allow you to download traditional apps like Chrome, Instagram and Facebook, E Ink tablets are not designed to give you the best casual-browsing experience. This is mostly due to the nature of E Ink displays, which have noticeable refreshes, a lack of vibrant colors and lower picture quality than the panels youll find on even the cheapest iPad. Arguably the biggest reason why you wouldnt want to go with an iPad (all models of which support stylus input, a plethora of reading apps, etc) is because its much easier to get distracted by email, social media and other Internet-related temptations. What to look for in an E Ink tablet Writing and latency Arguably the most important thing to consider when looking for an E Ink tablet is the writing experience. How good it is will depend a lot on the displays refresh rate (does it refresh after every time you put pen to paper, or at a different regular interval) and the stylus latency. Most of the tablets Ive tested have little to no latency, but some are certainly better than others. Finally, you should double check before buying that your preferred E Ink tablet comes with a stylus, or if you need to purchase one separately. Reading How much will you be reading books, documents and other things on this tablet? E Ink tablets come in many sizes, but most of them tend to be larger than your standard e-reader because it makes writing much easier. Having a larger display isnt a bad thing, but it might make holding it for long periods slightly more uncomfortable. (Most e-readers are roughly the size of a paperback book, giving you a similar feeling to analog reading). The supported file types for e-books can also make a big difference. Its hard to make a blanket statement here because this varies so much among E Ink tablets. The TL;DR is that youll have a much better reading experience if you go with one made by a company that already has a history in e-book sales (i.e. Amazon or Kobo). All of the titles you bought via the Kindle or Kobo store should automatically be available to you on your Kindle or Kobo E Ink tablet. Also with Kindle titles, specifically, since they are protected by DRM, its not necessarily the best idea to try to bring those titles over to a third-party device . Unless the tablet runs an operating system like Android that supports downloads for apps like Kindle and Kobo, youll be limited to supported file types, like ePUB, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, PNG and others. Search functionality Most E Ink tablets have some on-device search features, but they can vary widely between models. Youll want to consider how important it is to you to be able to search through all your handwritten notes and markups. I noticed in my testing that Amazons and Kobos E Ink tablets made it easy to refer back to notes made in books and files because they automatically save to the specific pages on which you took notes, made highlights and more. Searching is less standardized on E Ink tablets that have different supported file types, but their features can be quite powerful in their own right. For example, a few devices I tested supported text search in handwritten notes along with handwriting recognition, the latter of which allows you to translate your scribbles into typed text. Sharing and connectivity While we established that E Ink tablets can be great distraction-free devices, most manufacturers understand that your notes and doodles arent created in a vacuum. You may want to access them elsewhere, and that requires some form of connectivity. All of the E Ink tablets I tried have Wi-Fi support, and some support cloud syncing, companion mobile apps and the ability to export notes via email so you can access them elsewhere. None of them, however, integrate directly with a digital note taking system like Evernote or OneNote, so these devices will always be somewhat supplementary if you use apps like that, too. Id argue that, if you already lean heavily on apps like OneNote, a standard tablet with a stylus and screen protector might be the best way to go. Ultimately, you should think about what you will want to do with the documents youll interact with on your E Ink tablet after the tablet portion is done. Price E Ink tablets arent known for being cheap. They generally fall into the $300-$800 price range, which is what you can expect to pay for a solid regular tablet, too. A key factor in price is size: cheaper devices with E Ink displays are likely to have smaller screens, and stylus support isnt as much of a given. Also, those types of devices are generally considered e-readers because of their size and may not be the best for note-taking, doodling and the like. E Ink tablets have gone up in price recently. Supernote and Onyx Boox increased prices, as did reMarkable. The former said it was due to increased costs, and a reMarkable representative confirmed this to Engadget and provided the following statement: We regularly review our pricing based on market conditions and operational costs. We've communicated an upcoming adjustment for the US market effective in May to provide transparency to our customers. Multiple factors influence our pricing decisions, including supply chain dynamics and overall operational costs in specific markets. As a result, the reMarkable Paper Pro jumped from $579 to $629 (that's for the bundle with the standard Marker and no Folio). This isn't great, considering the Paper Pro was already on the expensive side of the spectrum for E Ink tablets. It's also worth noting that Supernote and Onyx Boox have raised prices in the past few months as well. Other E Ink tablets we've tested Onyx Boox Tab X C The Boox Tab X C is a color-screened version of the Tab X, the companys all-purpose e-paper Android tablet. The Tab X C has a lovely 13.3-inch Kaleido 3 E Ink color display, an octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM and it runs on Android 13, making it one of the most powerful tablets in Booxs lineup. Ive used the Tab X in the past and this color version runs similarly, if not better, and at 5.3mm thick, its impressively svelte even when you pair it with its folio keyboard case. As someone who loves legal-pad sized things to write on, I also like how the Tab X C is most akin to A4-size paper. But at $820 for the bundle with the standard case (or a whopping $970 for the tablet and its keyboard case), its really only best for those who are ready to go all-in on a premium E Ink tablet. Lenovo Smart Paper Lenovo made a solid E Ink tablet in the Smart Paper , but it's too pricey and too married to the company's companion cloud service to warrant a spot on our top picks list. The hardware is great, but the software isn't as flexible as those of competitors like the reMarkable 2. It has good Google Drive integration, but you must pair it with Lenovo's cloud service to really get the most use out of it and in the UK, the service costs 9 per month for three months, which is quite expensive. Onyx Boox Tab Ultra The Boox Tab Ultra has a lot of the same features we like in the Note Air 2 Plus, but its designed to be a true, all-purpose tablet with an E Ink screen. Running Android 11 and compatible with a magnetic keyboard case, you can use it like a standard 2-in-1 laptop, albeit a low-powered one. You can browse the web, check email and even watch YouTube videos on this thing but that doesnt mean you should. A standard 2-in-1 laptop with a more responsive screen and better overall performance would be a better fit for most people who even have the slightest desire to have an all-in-one device. Like the rest of Onyxs devices, the Tab Ultra is specifically for those who put reading and eye comfort above all else. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-e-ink-tablet-130037939.html?src=rss