Razer has revealed the release date for its handheld cloud gaming system, the Razer Edge. The device, which runs on the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform, will be available on January 26th. The WiFi version costs $400. As for the 5G model, that will…
Razer’s Blade 15 gaming laptops with 12th-gen Intel CPUs are $400 off
You can now save $400 on one of the best premium gaming laptop out there. The configuration of Razer’s Blade 15 we recommend in our latest gaming laptop guide combines bleeding-edge performance and speedy graphics, all wrapped up in a sleek and sturdy …
TCL’s huge glasses remind us good AR is difficult
If augmented reality glasses become a groundbreaking product category, they will need to look similar to regular prescription glasses. TCL is showcasing a pair of frames at CES 2023 that — while inching further in that direction — accentuate how tall of an order that still is. TCL describes its RayNeo X2 AR glasses as having a “subtle and lightweight body for everyday wear,” but their comically oversized nature makes us question whether “subtle” was the best word choice.
TCL says the RayNeo X2 “harness pioneering binocular full-color MicroLED optical waveguide displays.” While that’s quite a mouthful of technical jargon, that’s because the company isn’t (yet) aiming these glasses toward consumers. Instead, it’s a developer platform to flesh out over time as AR tech gets smaller and better.
TCL’s glasses run on the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 platform, the same chipset found in the Meta Quest 2 VR headset. Its MicroLED display has an impressive 100,000:1 contrast ratio and can reach a brightness of 1,000 nits, which should help make its visuals readable in bright sunlight. In addition, as reported by CNET, TCL says it will offer prescription inserts that allow you to use them in place of regular glasses — not on top of them.
TCL
Rather than approaching AR like HoloLens or Magic Leap, where 3D-animated virtual characters leap across your furniture, TCL’s glasses are more in the vein of Google Glass. For example, the company says its “smart GPS” navigation system uses simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to overlay virtual directions while showcasing nearby landmarks. The glasses can also deliver on-screen call and message pop-ups or translate in-person conversations with real-time subtitles. In addition, it can play music quietly so that others around you won’t hear. Finally, it has a built-in camera for capturing first-person videos, stills and time-lapse photos.
These are all ways AR glasses could — and likely will —enhance our lives someday. But it’s 2023, and a company well-established in advanced display technology still has trouble shrinking its glasses to a more subtle size. It helps to understand how deeper-pocketed competitors like Apple still haven’t announced consumer AR wearables despite reportedly working on them for the better part of a decade. This category requires advances that have taken loads of time — and will likely take at least a bit more.
While we wait for AR glasses to advance to the point where we’ll want to wear them publicly, TCL is recruiting developers to help it prepare for that day. The company will start offering the RayNeo X2 dev kit to software makers “in select regions” by the end of Q1. It says a commercial launch will come later, although we imagine that will fare better with future iterations that don’t make you look like 1970s-era Michael Caine.
Apple TV+ sci-fi series ‘Foundation’ will return this summer
Apple TV+ has offered a sneak peek at the second season of Foundation and revealed when the sci-fi series will return. More episodes of the show, which is based on Isaac Asimov’s series of books of the same name, will premiere this summer and will introduce the second crisis.
The clip opens with one of the main characters, Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), waking up in a stasis chamber that just happens to be in space. It’s a compelling start to a teaser that’s packed with eye-catching imagery. A terrifying creature pops up at the end, so be mindful of that if you’re jumpy.
The first season of Foundation arrived in the fall of 2021, so fans have had to wait quite a while for it to come back. Jared Harris and Lee Pace are among the stars who are returning for season two.
Razer rounds out its laptop line with the high-spec Blade 16 and Blade 18
Razer is no stranger to making high-performance gaming laptops. But with the arrival of 13th-gen CPUs from Intel and 40-series mobile GPUs from NVIDIA, it really feels like the company is trying to cram as much power as it possibly can in its new Blade…
Google’s higher-resolution driving maps will premiere in the Polestar 3
Google could soon give Polestar owners an edge when they’re navigating around town. The search giant is debuting “HD” driving maps that will come first to the Polestar 3 SUV. The upgrade will provide current, extra-detailed road info ranging from lanes to road signs. The content will not only help with existing driver aids like Pilot Assist, but should prove vital for eventual self-driving features using the 3’s optional, LiDAR-based Pilot Pack.
The Polestar 3 is expected to arrive in late 2023 and sell for $85,300 in the US. You should also see the upgraded maps in the Volvo EX90. We’ve asked Google if and when you’ll see HD maps reach other cars, particularly from brands that aren’t using Google built-in (aka Android Automotive). We’ll let you know if the company can share more. On top of Polestar, companies like GM, Honda, Renault and Volvo (Polestar’s sibling brand) have committed to using the Android OS in at least some of their vehicles.
The enhancement doesn’t come as a shock. Even partial autonomy requires very precise location data to ensure smooth navigation — you don’t want your car choosing the wrong lane or missing a turn. Google also has an extensive understanding of driving maps thanks to Waymo’s robotaxi efforts, not to mention a strong financial incentive to improve its mapping tech. The more detailed maps could encourage other automakers to adopt Google’s apps and services.
You won’t need to wait for a new EV to use some new Google-powered features. An update rolling out to the Polestar 2 sedan adds Google Assistant-based remote actions. You can precondition the climate control system, unlock doors, check the battery level (including estimated range) and otherwise handle basic tasks without reaching for your phone or walking to the car. The feature is only available in the US at present, but it will eventually reach other countries.
Google’s revamped Android Auto experience is now available
It took several months, but the Android Auto overhaul is here. Google is now rolling out its redesigned in-car experience for Android users. As mentioned at I/O, the redesigned interface streamlines navigation, communication and media playback. Maps is in a more driver-friendly position, while the split-screen view offers quick access to music and texts regardless of your car’s screen orientation. There’s finally a media progress bar, and conversation shortcuts (shown below) help you make calls and reply to messages.
Google is expanding Android Auto’s functionality at the same time. Newer Pixel and Samsung phones will “soon” let you place WhatsApp calls, the company says. Assistant now offers smart suggestions for missed calls, arrival time sharing, music and podcasts.
Google
There are a few vehicular upgrades coming beyond Android Auto. Digital car key sharing is coming to Samsung phones in the near future, while Xiaomi phone owners will have the option later in 2023. The keys themselves will be available for makes other than BMW, although Google didn’t say when that might happen. HD maps are coming to the Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 to boost their autonomous and assistance features. YouTube is also coming to cars with Google built-in, so you’ll have more to watch while you’re charging or parked.
To some extent, the Android Auto upgrade was necessary. Apple has previewed a next-gen CarPlay interface that’s not only more useful, but can take over more of a car’s infotainment system. Google’s revamp isn’t directly equivalent, but might give automakers a stronger incentive to support Android Auto in an increasingly competitive market.
Android’s media player could make it easier to move audio between speakers and headphones
Google is working on ways to make it easier for folks to switch audio playback to another device when they listen to music or podcasts via Android. The company says it’s collaborating with Spotify to let you swiftly move what you’re listening to from one Spotify Connect-supported device to another, all from the Android media player.
Android 13 features a redesigned media player with a notification section that enables YouTube and YouTube Music users to quickly change which compatible Bluetooth or Chromecast built-in devices they’re playing audio or video on. Spotify integration could make things a bit more straightforward for folks who move audio playback from one speaker or TV to another when they go to a different room, for instance, or if you want to change from single-speaker playback to blasting music throughout your home.
In addition, Google says it’s working on a related audio handoff feature. When you move from one place to another, you’ll see media notifications asking if you’d like to shift the audio to a nearby device. So, when you leave home, your Android phone might ask if you want to transfer your music or podcast from a speaker to your headphones, and then to Android Auto once you’re in your car. Google is working with Spotify and YouTube Music teams to add integration for those services. Spotify started testing a similar feature in its own app in 2019.
HTC builds a standalone VR / AR headset to rival the Meta Quest Pro
Years after unofficially exiting the consumer VR space in favor of enterprise products, HTC has returned with its first standalone headset for consumers. The Vive XR Elite is a $1,100 flagship for VR and passthrough mixed reality (MR). Although that pu…
Mercedes and Chargepoint team up to build 400 North American charging hubs
In July, GM announced that it was partnering with EVGo to establish a “coast-to-coast” charging network for its electric vehicles. On Thursday, Mercedes Benz announced that it will be building a network of its own — at least, in partnership with Chargepoint — that will be accessible no matter what make or model of EV you drive.
Mercedes and Chargepoint plan to establish 400 new charging hubs throughout the US and Canada — that’s 2,500 new DC fast chargers in all — “in key cities and urban population centers, along major highway corridors and close to convenient retail and service destinations,” according to Thursday’s announcement. The automaker and MN8 Energy will finance the scheme while Chargepoint will supply the hardware and infrastructure. Chargepoint in 2020 partnered with NATSO for a billion-dollar project to install its chargers along rural highways. Those effort continue.
The hubs and DC fast chargers will all be accessible by EV drivers of all stripes, regardless of their vehicle type — the inverse of Tesla’s proprietary network. But since Mercedes is pulling the purse strings, its customers can look forward to a few extra perks when they pull into a hub. That includes being able to reserve a space ahead of time and automatic vehicle-station handshake authentication.
Each charger can deliver up to 500V of power, allowing 400V-architecture vehicles like the Rivian R1T to take full advantage of the increased power transmission while 800V vehicles like the Audi A6 e-tron, the Porsche Taycan, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and Kia’s EV6 will see improved charge times though not the upper limit of what their electrical systems can handle. The company notes that these chargers are, “designed to easily scale to meet future demand as EV adoption and vehicle capability grows.”