Meural Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Meural

Most people (me included) don’t have the money to collect art. But for art lovers and collectors, there’s nothing quite like hunting down the perfect piece to hang behind that love seat or over the mantle. Meural is a device for those in between: the people who might not have the time or money, but still recognize the beauty of a painting. And while Meural isn’t bringing art to the people, per se (it costs $600), it is making personal curation of art just a little more accessible.

Here’s how it works: you hang up the poster-size frame in your home, and the LCD display can pull up one of over a thousand paintings from various artists. Then, using motion-tracking technology, users can either swipe their hand right or left to cycle through pieces, up to reveal information about the piece or down to hide that information.

Check out all the smart home products at…
See full gallery

1 – 4 of 42

Next
Prev

It’s a simple interface, but the real magic is in its visual design. Meural, according to its developers, doesn’t look like an LCD display. Its backlighting is dynamic, making both better contrast and optimization for different media (such as oil on canvas) possible. The result should look like a real painting — one that could cost a couple hundred dollars — but can be changed at no cost. You can even upload your own work and play films and GIFs like you might see at the MOMA in New York.

Meural is a cool concept — especially for millennials like me who are interested in art, but don’t have the capital to cultivate their own collections. It’s already shipped an initial offering of units, but since receiving more independent funding, its developers plan to expand its availability considerably.

Smart Nora Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Nora

Anybody who shares a bed — or even just a room — with someone who snores knows how frustrating trying to get a good night’s sleep can be. The best way to quiet the person down is usually just to poke them, which can make the whole night a series of sleeping periods, punctuated by snoring, waking and poking. Now there’s a machine that will break up that rhythm by doing the poking for you.

Smart Nora consists essentially of two parts: an electronic sensor that rests on a bedside table and listens for repeating sounds in a particular frequency range (i.e. snoring); and an inflation device that slides underneath the snorer’s pillow and blows up when they snore, repositioning their head. Altogether, the gadget will set you back about $300 (however, at the time of writing, it was on sale for $260).

It’s difficult to measure how successful Smart Nora actually is — especially since the snorers themselves shouldn’t notice much of a difference. But the logic behind the device seems sound. The electronics are kept away from the head. The device is designed to filter out bedroom noises — although false positives shouldn’t be an issue if the device truly is nonintrusive, as the developers claim.

Check out all the smart home products at…
See full gallery

1 – 4 of 42

Next
Prev

Nora also offers some additional smarts: you don’t have to use it with an app, but if you choose to do so, you can record audio and track your snoring to make sure the device really is making a difference. The app will also tell users if their snoring might indicate sleep apnea, and whether they should consult a doctor. Obviously, Smart Nora isn’t a medical device, but getting a tip if you or a loved one has apnea is a great perk.

Of course, Smart Nora also has some apparent issues before even testing it. First off, many people are restless sleepers, or roll around during the night. If such a person were to roll off the pillow, then Nora couldn’t do anything to affect their snoring.

Second, the $300 price tag isn’t too appealing. Sure, the tech behind the device is interesting. It might even help mitigate snoring. But it’s hard to swallow a $300 surcharge before testing it for yourself — especially when you can find plenty of low-tech snoring solutions for under a hundred bucks.

Here are Smart Nora’s measurements:

• Length of a queen pillow: 50 cm by 15 cm
• Folds in half for easier travel: 25cm by 10 cm

Ecovacs Robotics Unibot Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Ecovacs Robotics

With brands like iRobot, Neato and Dyson leading the charge with app-enabled robot vacuums, floor cleaners are getting a lot smarter. Case in point? Ecovacs Robotics Unibot.

Like many other models on the market today, Unibot is lithium-ion powered and has a 90- to 100-minute expected run time. It also has a related app, where you can program your bot to clean automatically at certain times and even view a map of rooms and where you want it to clean.

But Unibot is doing something that I’ve never seen with any other robo-vac before — it has a couple of optional accessories.

Check out all the smart home products at…
See full gallery

1 – 4 of 42

Next
Prev

Yes, Unibot is compatible with a standard-definition Ecovacs-brand security camera, as well as an air purifier module. They’re designed to sit on top of the robot vacuum. Of course, both can’t ride on top of the bot at the same time, but you can choose the accessory you want — either the camera or the purifier.

The latest tech news:

• Self-driving cars to headline CES 2017
• Whirlpool turns food waste into fertilizer at CES
• Siri and Alexa’s future: Health and emotional support?

Ecovacs also plans to integrate with smart home tech when it launches in the US in the second half of 2017. Think voice control integrations and possibly more with lighting, climate and other connected home devices. Unibot wants to be the heart of your smart home.

Click here to find out what else is happening at CES 2017.

Mykie Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Close

Drag

Mykie’s default screen is a set of moving eyes. Mykie will also project videos on your kitchen wall.

Chris Monroe/CNET

Meet Mykie, the digital robot that wants to be your sous chef. Bosch displayed its concept countertop smart speaker at CES in Las Vegas this week. Mykie, short for “my kitchen elf,” is similar to smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home: You can use voice controls to ask Mykie questions such as, “What’s the weather today?” It will also be able to control connected Bosch appliances like dishwashers and ovens. Mykie’s main goal is to help you cook. You can search for recipes with voice commands or on Mykie’s control screen, and Mykie will project videos of someone preparing the recipe on your kitchen wall.

Mykie is very much in the development stage, and still has some kinks. During a CES demo, we asked Mykie to search for recipes with cumin as an ingredient. Mykie heard, “search for recipes with human.” But it’s an ambitious attempt by a big appliance manufacturer to try to wedge its way into the smart home market.

Check out all the smart home products at…
See full gallery

1 – 4 of 42

Next
Prev

iBaby Yobi Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

Baby-tech startup iBaby has cemented itself in the monitoring industry over the past couple of years because of a few creative design decisions — most notably replacing the actual monitor with a smart phone, and focusing more on the camera. Their feature-rich cameras, like the M6S, are some of the best on the market.

And now, they’re bringing that experience to Yobi, a voice assistant and robot for the whole family. At $400, Yobi isn’t cheap. But when I talked to iBaby President Elnaz Sarraf at CES 2017, she assured me that you get what you pay for — a premium device.

Check out all the smart home products at…
See full gallery

1 – 4 of 42

Next
Prev

Yobi’s base functions include facial and voice recognition, voice-command response and the ability to speak and understand multiple languages — English, Chinese, Spanish, French and more.

On top of this foundation, iBaby has layered a slew of other features:

• Monitors air quality
• Plays music (and, of course, dances)
• Passes on messages left for family members
• Sets reminders and alarms
• “Checks on” kids

Sarraf says Yobi also will change over time, depending on how users utilize it. Eventually, its intuitive responses will be personalized to you, although how exactly this will shake out remains to be seen.

Chris Monroe/CNET

In the brief time I worked with Yobi, I saw an assistant that works well — but not one with the same development and interoperability as, say, Alexa or Aristotle. I’m excited to see how Yobi develops over time, because for any voice assistant, personality is key. What really distinguishes Siri from Alexa from Google Assistant and so on, is the way interacting with each of them feels.

If Yobi can create a compelling personality, and bring uniquely child-oriented features, it could represent another exciting entry in the emerging field of kid-friendly voice and robot assistants.

iBaby plans to make Yobi available in Q2 of 2017.

New Nvidia Shield Android TV preview: Smaller, more capable 4K HDR video streamer

We’ve been huge supporters of the original Nvidia Shield TV since it launched in the UK at the tail end of 2015 and even today it’s the most powerful and capable media streamer on the market.

But that’s only going to remain true for around a week as its replacement will ship from 16 January, priced at £189.99.

That might seem hefty in comparison with some media boxes, but the new Shield TV offers much more than most rivals, and also comes with the newly designed games controller and a dedicated remote control. The latter wasn’t part of the package last year so is very welcome.

• What is Nvidia GeForce Now and how can it help you play PC games on a Mac?
• CES 2017: All the announcements that matter

We got to have a quick play with the new Shield TV at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, and our session proved just how capable the machine can be. We played Titanfall 2, which we presume was streamed via Nvidia Geforce Now – the company’s cloud gaming platform that is soon to open up the titles on offer to everything you own on Steam, Origin and other online game stores and services.

There was little or no lag and the graphical fidelity was excellent. The controller was wired, which we presume was partly to stop it going walkabouts and partly to keep it powered-up, but the game seemed just as if we were playing it on a PS4 or Xbox One.

Pocket-lint

The controller is much better this year too. It’s more ergonomic, that’s for sure, resembling an Xbox equivalent – save for some stylised shaping around the grips. We’ll be able to get more of a feel for it when we test the machine a bit more, but it’s definitely an improvement.

The box is much smaller than before, but similar styled. It is also compatible with Google Assistant and other smart home systems (SmartThings), so you can use the Shield TV to bark commands for your smart devices and appliances to enact upon. A handy, optional microphone – the Nvidia Spot – will help with that.

We have’t yet seen much of the box’s video streaming talents, but Amazon has joined the mix in those offering 4K and HDR footage, which is a great move. Netflix and YouTube continue as before, but Google Play Movies now offers 4K content too.

We can’t wait to play more with the new Nvidia Shield TV to bring you a full review, but considering the release date, it won’t be long.

LG Signature OLED Wallpaper preview: 2.5mm thin wall-mounted telly is simply stunning

Holy moly. At just 2.5mm thin, the LG Signature OLED W TV is a stunning thing to behold. Just look at it.

The entire Wallpaper panel is the same thickness, so it can sit perfectly flush with the wall. It even attaches by magnets. All the processor gubbins are tucked away in the LG Signature Dolby Atmos soundbar, to keep things neat and tidy.

Connecting the soundbar to the TV is a single cable, which you can barely see. This box facilitates built-in Wi-Fi and four HDCP 2.2-enabled HDMI ports, compliant with 4K video and HDR (high dynamic range).

All of LG’s 2017 tellies support four different forms of HDR, including HDR10 and Dolby Vision, like last year’s sets. This time, though, both HLG (hybrid log gamma) and another created by Technicolor are part of the package.

The smart TV operating system is an enhanced version of webOS too: webOS 3.5.

• Best TVs of CES 2017: Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and more

LG has been setting the standard in OLED panels and design and this new set doesn’t take its foot off the proverbial pedal. It’s 25 per cent brighter than last year’s top-end OLED model – although it’s not making ultra-brightness claims like Panasonic, nor is the TV panel also the speaker, as per Sony – but it’s just oh so good looking when wall-mounted.

Available in 65-inch and 77-inch sizes, there is no word on price or release date just yet. We’d be tempted to throw wadds of money at LG for one of these beauties, but given how expensive last year’s G6 set was we don’t expect the Wallpaper to be anything short of pricey.

Sennheiser’s wireless headphones give Bose some competition

When it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, Bose is widely regarded as best in class, with its QuietComfort 35s doing a stellar job at blocking out unwanted distractions. Here at CES, Sennheiser has its own wireless model with active noise cancellation: the HD 4.50BTNC. Naturally we wanted to see how the headphones held up in the chaos of a trade show booth. Spoiler alert: Bose may have some competition on its hands.

While the company actually debuted two wireless versions here in Las Vegas, the $200 HD 4.50BTNC adds active noise cancellation for $50 more than the HD 4.40BT. As a refresher, Bose’s QC35s are $350. Sennheiser’s new headphones are not only $150 less, but their performance is nearly on par with those Bose cans.

With the HD 4.50BTNC, you can expect a warm clear sound with crisp highs and punchy bass that’s adequate but it never overpowers. Much like the QC35s, if you want a heavy dose of low-end like Beats and others employ, you’ll want to look elsewhere. For those who are after crisp audio and well-rounded tone, the HD 4.50BTNC is worth considering. Even when I cranked them all the way up, the sound remained quite clear and didn’t distort.

In terms of design, the new Sennheiser headphones bring in some aesthetic touches from the HD 4 with a mostly black design. Unlike the Momentum line, the look is rather ho-hum and a plastic construction likely helped keep that price down. One notable design touch is the super thick and cushiony earpads. They not only ensure the HD 4.50BTNC is super comfy, but they also do an admirable job of blocking out noise on the HD 4.40BT too. In fact, I could barely hear all the noise around me in the booth when I tried the model that didn’t have noise cancelling. It was still there, but it was certainly faint.

These new HD series headphones don’t best my current favorites — the Sony MDR-1000X — but the cans that currently have my eye cost $200 more than the HD 4.50BTNC. What Sennheiser has accomplished here in a $200 (and $150) package is pretty impressive. These headphones certainly give Bose a run for their money and you will save a few dollars along the way. You won’t have to wait long either as the HD 4.40BT this month while the HD 4.50BTNC is scheduled to ship in February.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.

Deepest X-ray image to date uncovers a black hole bonanza

Believe it or not, that’s not a star field you’re looking at. Researchers have used NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory to produce an X-ray image of space (the deepest-ever X-ray, in fact) that has uncovered an abundance of supermassive black holes — they represent 70 percent of the objects in the picture above. Many of these holes would normally be undetectable, especially distant ones from the early universe, and it took 11.5 weeks of total observation time to spot them all. Think of it as a very, very long exposure photo, just for X-ray emissions.

The wealth of data is already providing clues not just to the history of black holes, but the universe itself. It suggests that supermassive black holes may be seeded with masses 10,000 to 100,000 times those of our Sun, instead of “just” 100 times. That would help explain why these holes can grow so large at a relatively quick pace. Moreover, X-rays from very distant galaxies (about 12.5 billion light years away) help explain the developments of both supermassive and stellar-mass black holes when the universe was getting started.

There’s still a lot of work to be done. Scientists want to conduct further studies to explain how supermassive holes grow, and the James Webb Space Telescope will be crucial to catching X-rays from older and more distant holes. Nonetheless, the data collected here could pay dividends for a long time to come.

Via: Space.com

Source: Chandra X-ray Observatory, ArXiv.org (1), (2)

The Engadget Podcast Ep 22: Filmore Jive

Senior editor Aaron Souppouris, senior HD editor Richard Lawler and senior editor Mat Smith join host Terrence O’Brien to talk about the tech announcements at CES that will shape 2017. Just like every year, it’s a big TV show. LG, Samsung, Sony and plenty others came with their biggest and brightest sets. But it was LG that stole Lawler’s heart with it’s crazy thin W-series OLEDs. The group also chats about how OLEDs are quickly becoming cheaper and more readily available.

Relevant links:

• LG Display’s 65-inch OLED prototype screen doesn’t need speakers
• LG’s new OLED TVs are so thin they have to be wall mounted
• I want Sony’s new 4K OLED TV in my home
• Samsung’s QLED 4K TVs look better, thanks to metal quantum dots
• Razer built a laptop with three screens because why not?
• Razer’s projector turns your gaming room into a hippie freakout

You can check out every episode on The Engadget Podcast page in audio, video and text form for the hearing impaired.

Watch on YouTube

Watch on Facebook

Subscribe on Google Play Music

Subscribe on iTunes

Subscribe on Stitcher

Subscribe on Pocket Casts

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2017.