In a few days, the first orbital space flight taking off from UK soil might be launching from Spaceport Cornwell. Virgin Orbit has announced that the initial window for its historic “Start Me Up” mission will open on January 9th, Monday, at 22:16 UTC (5:15PM Eastern Time). If the launch needs to be pushed back due to technical issues or inclement weather conditions, the company has back-up dates lined up throughout the month.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved the licenses Virgin Orbit needs to perform launch activities in the UK back in December, following its approval of Spaceport Cornwall’s first launch license. Virgin Orbit is working with the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), Cornwall Council and the Royal Air Force for this mission.
Seeing as Start Me Up is the “first” in several ways — it’s also the first international launch for Virgin Orbit, as well as the first commercial launch from western Europe — the private space corp said it will “maintain a conservative posture with regard to system health, weather, and all other elements of scheduling.” That ups the probability of a delay, unless everything falls into place for Virgin Orbit on Monday. Even so, the LauncherOne orbital launch vehicle that will be used for this mission is now attached to Cosmic Girl, the Boeing 747 aircraft that will serve as its first stage launch platform. The company had to transport LauncherOne, which was manufactured in Long Beach, California, to the UK to make the journey possible.
The little—actually, big—rocket that could 🚀 In preparation for our first-ever overseas launch #StartMeUp, we had to figure out a way to safely transport our rocket across the world. Tap to see LauncherOne’s journey to @SpaceCornwall: https://t.co/Tu5BYrZgyX
In addition to making history, the mission will ferry satellites from seven customers, both commercial and government, to orbit. Its payload include CIRCE (Coordinated Ionospheric Reconstruction CubeSat Experiment), which is a joint project between the UK Defense Science and Technology Laboratory and the US Naval Research Laboratory, and two CubeSats for the UK Ministry of Defense’s Prometheus-2 initiative.
The CES conveyor belt of PCs doesn’t let up. Lenovo has been busy. Let’s start with its latest YogaBook, the dual-screen YogaBook 9i. Instead of folding like a conventional laptop, this… thing unfurls a screen atop another, with a slimline keyboard at the bottom. Thankfully, as well as the keyboard and stylus accessories, there’s a kickstand to ensure those two 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED displays stay in place. There’s an incredible amount of flexibility here. You can have the screens unfolded like a book, stacked atop each other or as a classic laptop, with the lower screen showing the keyboard.
Engadget
Then there’s the $400 Smart Paper tablet. An unashamed stab at rivaling Amazon’s Scribe e-ink tablet, there’s a screen to write and annotate on and a battery-less stylus you can holster in the case. There are nine pen settings (such as pencil, ballpoint and marker) and over 4,000 pressure sensitivity levels to ensure your sketches come out as you intended. Lenovo’s Smart Paper can convert your handwriting into text, and you can use keyword searches to find what you’re looking for – something Amazon’s version lacks. Conversely, though, Lenovo won’t have the library of Kindle books to scribble notes on – these are two distinct offerings.
Oh, you wanted a twist? Well, Lenovo isn’t done: It also revealed a new ThinkBook Plus that twists and turns to switch between e-ink and OLED screens. In short, it’s a bit of both. Check out our full impressions and spec rundowns here. We’ll be back Monday with more CES coverage, including Engadget’s Best of CES winners.
– Mat Smith
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Back in 2020, Ring showed off a concept home drone. Now it’s getting closer to patrolling the homes of anxious types. The mini drone zooms around your home, scouting for intruders when you’re not there. The entire device, including the dock, looks more like a kitchen gadget than a security drone. The Always Home Cam makes that drone-ish hum – don’t expect it to sneak up on any trespassers – and you train it by holding it (without obscuring the camera) and walking around your home in flight paths. There’s also the option to set multiple paths and waypoints. Ring still hasn’t announced a release date or a price.
The main improvements are durability and security.
Engadget
While Lenovo has been a huge force in the enterprise laptop space thanks to its long line of ThinkPads and ThinkBooks, Motorola is attempting to bring a similar aura to its newest mobile device: the ThinkPhone by Motorola. With an aramid fiber weave back, it certainly looks the part. The big question is: Do people want a phone that matches their work laptop? And will people be willing to choose the ThinkPhone over the usual Apple and Samsung suspects?
The concept will serve as a design template for upcoming production vehicles.
There’s finally an electric Ram truck – or at least a concept of one. Stellantis, an automaker with a stable of more than a dozen North American and European brands, including Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Maserati and Fiat, has extremely ambitious goals to make 100 percent of its European sales and half of its US sales fully electric vehicles. The company hasn’t revealed the battery size yet for this concept truck, but it did confirm the system will use an 800V architecture enabling it to add up to 100 miles of range in about 10 minutes on a 350 kW DC fast charger.
The prototypes have reportedly passed Department of Transportation testing.
Goodyear is back with an improved sustainable tire prototype – 90 percent sustainable materials – a full 20 percent improvement over last year. The company says the 90-percent blend has already passed Department of Transportation testing, approving it for road use. The 90 percent tires reportedly offer a lower rolling resistance compared to the company’s reference tires, which translates as better gas mileage and longer EV ranges.
The company is still working with its supply chain partners to secure sufficient precursor materials to produce them at a commercial scale and even plans to have a fully sustainable blend by 2030. The new materials include four types of carbon black made of both organic and inorganic sources: soybean oil and rice husk silica, post-consumer polyester and bio-renewable pine tar resins.
When Tesla started offering a yoke steering wheel in Model X and Model S EVs, CEO Elon Musk rejected the idea of a more conventional option. Now, the company has indeed brought back the round steering wheel as an option in the configurator, Electrek has reported. Selecting it doesn’t appear to change the price or delivery time.
If you already bought a Tesla Model S or X with a yoke and don’t like it, you have options, too. As pointed out by YouTuber and Tesla owner Marques Brownlee, the company is now offering a $700 option to replace the yoke with a round steering wheel. “This retrofit is only compatible with Model S and Model X vehicles configured with a Yoke Steering Wheel. Purchase price includes installation through Tesla Service,” Tesla notes. It adds that the wheel has “no stalks or shifters.”
The yoke divided Tesla fans, as many felt it wasn’t practical for one-handed use and that it was awkward when driving at slow speeds. It was also deemed potentially unsafe by some owners in case you needed to do quick maneuvers like a skid recovery.
Yet another round wheel is boring & blocks the screen. FSD in panoramic mode looks way better with a yoke.
When the yoke came along, Tesla also replaced all the stalks with force touch buttons, another thing some drivers weren’t crazy about. As mentioned though, the new wheel option doesn’t have any stalks or shifters either, and the design appears to be based on the yoke in terms of spoke positioning, buttons, etc.
When asked in a tweet in 2021 if Tesla would offer a round steering wheel as an option to the yoke, he replied simply “No.” He went on to explain that “yet another round wheel is boring & blocks the screen. FSD in panoramic mode looks way better with a yoke.” Apparently, there were enough potential buyers who felt otherwise.
Delta is introducing free WiFi on around 80 percent of its domestic US flights starting on February 1st, 2023, confirming rumors from late last year. The service, available through a T-Mobile sponsorship, will come to 700 planes by the end of the year and on regional and international aircraft by the end of 2024. “It’s going to be free. It’s going to be fast. And it’s going to be available to everyone,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian at CES 2023.
Travelers will need to use their Delta SkyMiles information to log in for access, but getting an account is free. The company announced last year that it would be upgrading more planes using Viasat as a provider. It has been charging a $5 flat fee for WiFi to date.
Apart from any profit motive, airlines have been slow to introduce free WiFi over concerns that the systems wouldn’t be fast enough to accommodate hundreds of people at once. Delta has been working on the system since 2018, with the eventual goal to offer free WiFi.
“We didn’t just want free Wi-Fi to offer base-level service – we wanted it to be transformative for the entire onboard experience,” he said. “It is imperative all customers onboard can enjoy their favorite content just as they would at home, and we’ve put this system through meticulous tests to make that possible.”
Jetblue also offers free WiFi via corporate sponsorship, but Southwest, United, American and other airlines charge fees, usually in the $8 to $10 range. American has recently been trialing free WiFi for certain customers.
Delta also announced that it will unveil new in-flight entertainment systems starting this summer, with user preferences traveling from “flight to flight… even where you left off on a movie,” according to the press release.
In years past, L’Oréal has shown up at CES with gadgets that deliver personalized beauty products to consumers. From the Perso custom skincare dispenser to the YSL at-home lipstick maker, the company’s tech lab has brought interesting gadgets to the show that have tangential inclusive benefits. But this year at CES 2023, it’s introducing an accessibility-minded device that can help those with limited hand or arm mobility apply lipstick. The system is called Hapta, and based on a quick demo I tried here in Vegas, is surprisingly refined.
It’s worth noting right off the bat that some assembly is required to use the system. There are three general parts to Hapta: the lipstick in a custom case, the gimbal on a mount and a grip. To set the device up, you’d need to have all three components set up on a stand. In this initial setup, the lipstick is in a custom holder that has a spring-loaded release. This makes it possible for someone to remove from the case with one hand. In theory, that is. In reality, at least on the version I saw at CES, the release is still a little too strong, and the lipstick shot straight out of the case and almost onto the floor.
For now, if L’Oréal doesn’t refine the system, you’ll have to find a way to place a finger or obstruction behind the lipstick before pressing the button. Once you remove the lipstick, you have to place it in the ring attached to the gimbal, which didn’t take much effort. Then, you’ll have to pick up the grip, line up a symbol on its edge with a corresponding button on the gimbal mount, and slide the handle in. In about a second, the device chimes to indicate that the attachment is secure, and you can pick up the entire thing with one hand and bring it up to your lip.
But first! As of the iteration I saw at the demo, you’ll still need to use two hands to twist the lipstick so that enough is peeking out for the application. L’Oréal told me after watching me struggle to make this happen with one hand that it would consider looking into ways to simplify this process.
Once the lipstick is ready, you can put it up to your mouth and pause for a second to sort of calibrate the Hapta. It’ll understand what position is upright and maintain that by compensating against any motion while you move the grip around.
To be clear, for hygiene reasons, I did not apply this lipstick on my mouth, and because of that I don’t know how well the application process performs. But from my using it to hover over my lips as I moved my elbow and wrist, the gimbal felt sturdy enough to withstand some pressure, and the motors were very responsive. In general, the Hapta was quick to react to my motion and keep the lipstick level, which is important if you’re trying to draw a precise line near your cupid’s bow, for instance. For those who might not have the finger strength or dexterity to hold up something as small as a tube of lipstick, I can see Hapta being useful.
Joel Chokkattu / Engadget
The Hapta will be available for between $149 and $199 starting in December, and L’Oréal said it will also be making a version that’s designed for people with tremors in their hands. In spite of the few quirks I saw at the demo, I was mostly impressed by what the company has made so far. This is by no means just a prototype. Everything felt polished, which makes sense as L’Oréal worked with utensil maker Verily that made utensils that level themselves for people with limited hand and arm movements.
Also, L’Oréal said in a press release that Hapta will launch with Lancôme lipsticks in 2023, but that it will be “followed by additional makeup applications in the future.” It’s not only nice to see people with disabilities being included in beauty tech, but it’s also encouraging that a brand as big as L’Oréal is actively working on tools to enable independence in makeup application for everyone.
Peugeot has presented its vision for the future of electric cars at CES 2023, where it previewed its latest concept sedan called the “Inception.” The car is all angles and sharp lines with panoramic glass windows that go all around its middle, paired with a glass roof. Peugeot says its body shade is made of very fine metal pigments, while the lights on the front bumper incorporate the brand’s three emblematic claws.
Inception — named after the Latin word “Inceptio,” which means the beginning — was built on one of Stellantis’ four future BEV-by-design platforms, specifically the one for low sedans. It uses an 800-volt, 100kWh battery technology that gives it the capability to travel 800 km or 497 miles on a single charge and can suck enough juice to travel 150 km (93 miles) within five minutes of being plugged in. The four-wheel drive vehicle can also be recharged by induction, eliminating the need for cables. When it comes to power, Inception’s two electric motors can generate 680 horsepower combined and give it the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100kmh in less than 3 seconds.
The concept also marks the debut of the brand’s next-gen cockpit. It replaces the classic steering wheel with a rectangular one called the “Hypersquare,” which comes with a tablet-type screen at the center that displays information. There’s a circular recess at each corner of the screen that users can program to control certain aspects of their vehicle, so they can easily use their thumbs to access them without having to take their hands off the wheel.
Peugeot says the Inception will inspire its future electric vehicles, including its most compact models. The first cars based on the design will arrive as soon as 2025.
Peugeot has presented its vision for the future of electric cars at CES 2023, where it previewed its latest concept sedan called the “Inception.” The car is all angles and sharp lines with panoramic glass windows that go all around its middle, paired with a glass roof. Peugeot says its body shade is made of very fine metal pigments, while the lights on the front bumper incorporate the brand’s three emblematic claws.
Inception — named after the Latin word “Inceptio,” which means the beginning — was built on one of Stellantis’ four future BEV-by-design platforms, specifically the one for low sedans. It uses an 800-volt, 100kWh battery technology that gives it the capability to travel 800 km or 497 miles on a single charge and can suck enough juice to travel 150 km (93 miles) within five minutes of being plugged in. The four-wheel drive vehicle can also be recharged by induction, eliminating the need for cables. When it comes to power, Inception’s two electric motors can generate 680 horsepower combined and give it the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100kmh in less than 3 seconds.
The concept also marks the debut of the brand’s next-gen cockpit. It replaces the classic steering wheel with a rectangular one called the “Hypersquare,” which comes with a tablet-type screen at the center that displays information. There’s a circular recess at each corner of the screen that users can program to control certain aspects of their vehicle, so they can easily use their thumbs to access them without having to take their hands off the wheel.
Peugeot says the Inception will inspire its future electric vehicles, including its most compact models. The first cars based on the design will arrive as soon as 2025.
In recent years, Google has used CES as a platform to showcase its vision of “Better Together” — the idea that all devices should play nice with each other. Typically, that means it makes announcements around features like Fast Pair and expansion of Cast compatibility to more third-party products. At CES 2023, the company shared that it’s working with Spotify to integrate the Connect streaming tool into the Android UI. It also teased a preview of an audio handoff feature that would suggest different devices to move your music onto depending on your habits and where you are.
But CES is a big car show, and Google also has products for automobiles. Today, it also told us that its higher-resolution maps will debut on the Polestar 3 and, for the first time since its announcement at I/O 2022, showed off the latest Android Auto interface to the public.
There were two vehicles at the Google booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s trailer lot — a BMW i7 with the new Android Auto experience and a Volvo EX90 with Google built in. This was our first look at the Volvo itself, and we’ll be putting up a separate hands-on about our experience with that in a bit. Our focus for this story (and video) is the new Android Auto.
Like we learned at I/O, the updated interface will adapt to bigger screen sizes and feature a split screen layout. Google’s removed the status bar, placing indicator icons in a small square to the top left, and added a row of shortcut keys below that. When we were in the car, the left panel housed the Spotify app, and with a swipe from the right side, we pulled in a list of suggested playlists.
This left window also serves as a container for alerts that you don’t have time to deal with during your drive. For example, if a notification comes in, you can swipe right on it to send it to the dock, and it’ll wait there until you’re ready to deal with it.
For more of our experience with the revamped Android Auto in the BMW i7, check out the video above! And make sure to stay tuned this week for a ton of news coming out of CES 2023.
I get it: On one hand, you want to be a resilient off-grid solarpunk freed from the yoke of your increasingly-unreliable power company. On the other, you’d still like to enjoy creature comforts both at home and when you’re on the road. It’s a problem E…
There’s finally an electric Ram truck — or at least a concept of one. Stellantis is the world’s fifth largest automaker with a stable of more than a dozen North American and European brands including Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Maserati and Fiat. The company has set extremely ambitious goals to drastically reduce its carbon footprint by the end of the decade, as part of Dare Forward 2030, with 100 percent of its European sales and half of its US sales to be of the fully-electric variety. As part of that effort, Stellantis has already teased us with an EV concept from Chrysler, came right out and showed us next year’s electric Jeep and, on Thursday, unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept.
The Ram 1500 BEV will be available in the 2024 model year alongside the as-of-yet-unnamed Jeep (with which it also shares a STLA EV frame). The Concept shown off Thursday will serve as a design template for the upcoming production vehicle.
Stellantis
Stellantis describes the Ram BEV’s exterior as “brutiful,” a portmanteau of “brutal yet beautiful.” I think that prominent split between the cabin and quarter panels just makes it look like an Autobot who hasn’t quite fully finished transforming yet.
Stellantis
Of course as a concept vehicle, Ram has affixed every bell and whistle it can to the vehicle’s exterior, from “grand saloon style” doors to an animated RAM grille logo and fully animated LED tail lamps and badging. The sideview mirrors are 3D-printed to reduce weight and drag.
Stellantis
You’re goddamn right it has a frunk. And a powered tailgate, flush-mounted door handles, power side and rear steps and why does your truck have to be so big it requires built-in step ladders. Hey so how much gravel are you planning on hauling in your luxury electric pickup truck, exactly. The one with a self-leveling suspension, 24-inch rims and little light up center caps.
Stellantis
Under the hood, the Ram will offer dual-motor AWD and four wheel steering with up to 15 degrees of articulation. The company hasn’t revealed the battery size yet but did confirm that the system will use an 800V architecture enabling it to add up to 100 miles of range in about 10 minutes on a 350 kW DC fast charger.
Stellantis
The Ram BEV Concept’s interior benefits greatly from its flat cabin floor. Ram’s “one space environment” theme centers on flexibility with a rail attachment/floor track system that allows the seats and consoles to shift and even be removed entirely. The concept vehicle also has space for a set of third-row jump seats — like a minivan but with lower utility. With the passthrough window open, the Ram concept can fit 18-foot items without needing the rear liftgate lowered. Yeah, all the bells and whistles.
The Ram concept’s center console consists of two 14-inch screens. The upper screen can be shifted between three positions as the driving situation calls for — or even be pulled off entirely and reaffixed elsewhere in the vehicle. The lower screen also slides around. An augmented reality heads-up display projects relevant driving details onto the front windscreen. It’s got an exterior projector that doubles as an outdoor movie theater. I feel bad for whoever breaks the rearview mirror in this truck because it houses “a smart backup camera with 360-degree views, speakers, and receivers compatible with voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri.” That’s not going to be cheap to replace.
Stellantis
The steering wheel is collapsible (a la Demolition Man) for when it engages its supposed Level 3+ ADAS. Remember, this is a concept vehicle, they can just make capabilities up. The wheel also incorporates capacitive controls while, “tactile swiping technology enables occupants to configure the sun visors or the entire electro-chromatic roof with the ability to adjust the opaqueness.” Why do some people have to sleep outside?
Stellantis
The BEV features an AI assistant because this is hell, we are in hell and we deserve our incoming highway HALs. It responds to voice commands. With a 3D RAM avatar which serves, per the release, “as the vehicle’s face.”
The driver doesn’t even have to be in the vehicle to issue verbal commands. The BEV concept has a dedicated subset of exterior controls like “close the windows, play music, take a picture” and “follow me,” which is literally ghost whipping that has somehow gotten past Stellantis’ legal department. It “allows the vehicle to automatically follow the driver walking ahead of the vehicle,” using a mix of voice commands, onboard sensors and cameras. The feature, RAM argues, “can be useful in situations where the driver needs to move a short distance and doesn’t want to get back in the truck.” So c’mon you lazy blockheads, show us your best Jeremy Renner impression.
