The LG Gram Style is an iridescent 16-inch laptop with a disappearing trackpad

Of all the new LG Gram laptops unveiled at CES 2023, the Gram Style is the most eye-catching. It features an iridescent finish on the lid and keyboard deck that, even under the garish convention center lights here in Las Vegas, managed to look pretty. Like the rest of the Gram line, the Style is an impressively thin and light laptop for its size, with the 16-inch model coming in at 1.2kg (2.7 pounds). In fact, it’s so light that the bicep curls and front raises I did using the laptop didn’t feel like any work at all (weird flex, I know).

Speaking of flex, though, I did feel the 16-inch Style yield a little under my grip during the front raises, and it’s worth reminding you that we’ve had issues with the build quality on previous Grams. Though nothing ever actually broke during our testing, in general Gram laptops have felt less premium than other ultraportables, and almost plasticky. The Style has what LG calls a “glass design,” and I use quotes because the entire laptop isn’t actually made of glass. In fact, even after I picked it up, I couldn’t tell what the back of the device was made of, and had to ask. While the base of the notebook is made from a nano-magnesium alloy, the lid and keyboard deck, where the iridescent finish is, are Gorilla Glass 3.

That keyboard deck is also another highlight here. At first glance, it looks like there’s nothing below the keyboard, but drag your finger across the surface and two LED lines light up to indicate the boundaries of the trackpad. When I tried doing that, I didn’t even feel a difference between the touchpad and the rest of the deck — looks like LG took this “hidden trackpad” in a tactile sense as well. It’s an interesting concept that might have aesthetic benefits, but I’m not sure it will appeal to those who rely on touch to figure out where the trackpad is.

The Style laptops also feature anti-glare OLED screens, which was so effective that I initially thought this was just a really bright and colorful LCD. That’s not a ding on the display though, I still found the Windows 11 wallpaper vibrant and crisp. 

The Gram Style isn’t the only new laptop LG showed off at CES — there are new sizes available, and all models are also available in Intel’s latest 13th-generation Core processors. For all the details on those products, as well as the full specs of the Gram Style, check out our news article here.

Samsung’s 2023 Freestyle can combine projections from two units into a massive image

As ever, Samsung has a ton of news up its sleeve for CES, including some updates about its Freestyle portable projector. It looks pretty similar to the company’s previous Freestyle model, but this one includes Samsung’s smart TV platform and features its Gaming Hub, as well. This also provides access to services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Luna and NVIDIA GeForce Now for cloud gaming.

However, the real magic with this year’s version of Freestyle may become apparent when you have two units. When projections from the two become one, as the Spice Girls might have once sang, Edge Blending tech can combine them into a single ultra-wide display with a 21:9 aspect ratio. Samsung says the patented technology can automatically keystone the picture and make adjustments for “an even more immersive cinematic experience.” So, if you have a living room with an enormous wall or happen to know a friend with an art gallery, you may be able to set up two Freestyle projectors and play Fortnite on a massive display.

Samsung
Engadget

There are very few details on pricing, availability and full specs available at the moment, but we’ll update this post when they become available.

Samsung
Engadget

Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar first look: Dolby Atmos powered by Q-Symphony

CES is typically the place a lot of companies debut new soundbars and this year is no different. Samsung has announced the HW-Q990C and HW-G60C models, both of which offer Dolby Atmos audio but do so in different formats and in different sizes. If you’re looking for a robust surround sound setup with multiple speakers or smaller all-in-one option, Samsung’s two latest soundbars tick both of those boxes. 

First, the HW-Q990C is a flagship model that comes with two rear speakers and a wireless subwoofer. The 11.1.4-channel setup uses Samsung’s Q-Symphony 3.0 to “precisely direct individual audio elements” via the soundbar and TV speakers. With the display and speaker combo, Samsung explains that Q-Symphony can leverage 22 total audio channels with the help of the processor inside one of the company’s compatible televisions. The company says the Q990C can also “pair acoustically automatically” with its TVs so that the entire system is tuned for its best performance. When paired with a Samsung TV, the soundbar handles the dialogue while surrounding audio comes from the display’s speakers. The company says this contributes to improved 3D audio. 

Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar
Billy Steele/Engadget

To tailor the entire set to your living room or home theater, Samsung’s SpaceFit calibration is onboard. The company explains that this technology leverages AI to adjust individual driver frequencies and gain levels to properly fill a room. A nighttime mode adjusts for low-volume listening, Adaptive Sound 2.0 uses AI to optimize audio and Game Pro 2.0 tweaks the settings for various genres. The HW-Q990C is also a SmartThings hub, offering voice control and the ability to change things inside the SmartThings app. 

For more compact spaces, the HW-G60C is an all-in-one option that uses a combination of beamforming tech and virtualized Dolby Atmos to create a 3D feel. Samsung says this more compact unit can also be used as both computer speakers and a smart speaker thanks to echo-canceling microphones and bi-directional audio. HDMI/ARC, USB, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast connectivity are all here and there’s customizable LED lighting and specific sound profiles for gaming. What’s more, Samsung says a set of four microphones are tuned for chat by isolating voices, which the company explains will also help when summoning a virtual assistant. 

Finally, a fruit scanner that will tell you if your avocados are ripe

We’ve all been there. It’s late, you’re tired from a long day’s labor and all you want to do is go home to relax with your loved ones. But you’re not at home, are you? No, you’re at the supermarket with a hankering for homemade guac and that pile of fresh, treacherous avocados is staring you in the face, mocking you with their inscrutable knobby skins and their likely rockhard insides. Who’s got three days to let them sit in a bag after you go full Last Crusade and choose unwisely? That’s where OneThird’s “freshness scanners” come in.

The company notes that up to 40 percent of the perishable food brought to market annually (~$1 trillion-worth) is eventually discarded before it reaches our kitchen tables. What’s more, the current generation of produce scanners can only inform on lab-specific tests (like sugar content and acidity) rather than freshness or potential shelf life. The touch points from OneThird do and, according to the manufacturer, can reduce food waste in these situations by as much as 25 percent on average.

its a black box with a cradle for either strawberries or avocados that blasts a little red light at them and tells you if they're sufficiently squishy.
OneThird

“The astronomical volume of food that goes to waste each year is heartbreaking, particularly since so much is wasted in affluent countries. We’ve worked hard to create technology that helps to address this persistent, global challenge which directly impacts food scarcity,” said Marco Snikkers, CEO and founder of OneThird. “We are proud to have built the first product that accurately and objectively predicts the shelf life of fresh produce. The interest has been overwhelming and we aim to accelerate the deployment of our technology globally.”

Using propriety algorithms to interpret returns from a near-infrared laser, the OneThird devices can determine an avocado’s shelf life in real time. The company makes two variants of the system, one for the end user in the produce aisle, and another for the growers in the supply chain.