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.

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• 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.

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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.

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

Watch NVIDIA’s GeForce stream ‘Mass Effect Andromeda’ to Facebook

Game streaming is about to get a lot simpler for NVIDIA GeForce video card owners with the company’s new integration with Facebook Live. We got a chance to see the feature in action at CES, and it works as advertised. NVIDIA reps were able to quickly shoot some footage from the much-anticipated Mass Effect Andromeda right to their Facebook timeline from their GeForce Experience app.

Additionally, you’ll also be able to send screen grabs and 360-degree photos from NVIDIA’s Ansel app to Facebook. Your friends can rotate their phones to explore those 360-degree photos — something Facebook has offered for a while, but it’s particularly useful for observing game worlds.

Obviously, game streaming isn’t anything new at this point. But NVIDIA reps note that it’s a completely different experience sharing gameplay to your friends and family, rather than to complete strangers on the internet. It’s not necessarily a better solution than Twitch and YouTube Gaming, it’s simply different.

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

Samsung M9500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player preview: Not just 4K but Bluetooth too

Samsung announced its new, top-of-the-line Ultra HD Blu-ray player a week or so before the CES 2017 consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas but we have now seen the M9500 in the flesh.

The Korean company calls its new deck the ultimate content player because it doesn’t just spin 4K Blu-rays, it is also capable of Bluetooth wireless streaming, and has Samsung Smart Remote integration, so you can use just the one controller across all the latest Samsung UHD devices.

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The player can even stream your Blu-rays to a mobile device to enjoy elsewhere in the house. And the player automatically sets disc content for optimal playback, no matter whether they feature HDR, Dolby Atmos or DTS-X picture or sound technologies.

You won’t have to change the settings on your TV.

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Another neat new audio trick is you can pair Bluetooth headphones to the player and enjoy the audio privately. And the player can play back 360-degree videos and photos stored on a mobile device to your TV.

Of course, Blu-ray players aren’t the snazziest in looks – they do invariably sit under a TV or in a cabinet after all – and the M9500 is no exception. But it is curved a little to match some of Samsung’s TVs and very capable.

We can’t wait to test it properly when we get a review sample.

Price and release date are yet to be revealed.

LG put Alexa in a refrigerator and it seems like a great idea

Alongside a load of new TVs, you can count on all the big tech companies to roll out new smart appliances every year at CES. LG is no exception, adding Amazon’s Alexa to its line of Smart InstaView refrigerators. We’ve seen previous versions of the fridge with huge touchscreens in the door, but this time around the company has tacked on a virtual assistant and webOS software in the US. For the global model, expect Windows 10 integration and access to Cortana for spoken assistance.

The kitchen is one of many places Alexa is popping up in new devices at CES, but it’s a place where the virtual assistant has the potential to be especially helpful. In addition to the usual tasks like news and weather updates, it can lend a hand with grocery orders. Due to the chaos of LG’s booth, I wasn’t able to test out the voice interaction, but I was able to tap through the Smart InstaView’s other features.

As you might expect, kitchen tools like recipes are available right on the door of the appliance. There are also cameras inside that allow you to look in on specific compartments from the touch panel. In other words, you can see if you’re low on milk, eggs or cheese just by tapping around on the door. The display is also transparent so you can disable it entirely and get an actual view of what’s behind the door. You can also knock on the door to take a look inside. Lastly, as you might have guessed, all of this info is accessible on your mobile device of choice.

Alexa will play a bigger role in the kitchen this year due to the likes of LG, Whirlpool and others adding support to their new appliances. In terms of LG, the only real downside is cost. One of last year’s InstaView models was priced at $4,600, with this year’s version unlikely to be cheaper.

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

The Game Boy is back from the dead… kind of

Raise your hand if you owned a Game Boy, a Game Boy Color or a Game Boy Advance. Now keep it raised if you still own one in full working order, with rechargeable batteries that last 10 hours. If you don’t still have your hand up, Retrobit’s new game console might be of interest.

The Super Retro Boy is a four-button handheld console that’s compatible with Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. That’s it. No magic features, no built-in games (although it will come with a multi-game cartridge with unspecified titles), no internet connection, no TV-out. Just brightness and volume dials, a headphone jack and an on-off switch. Up front are four action buttons (A, B, L and R), start and select keys, and an “HD” display (resolution details weren’t available, but it seemed sharper than my Game Boy Micro’s). Inside is a rechargeable battery good for 10 hours.

I played five minutes of F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, and it ran well. The d-pad was a little spongy, although the rep at the booth said that would be improved by the time the Super Retro Boy Launches. I’m not really a fan of the L and R buttons being above A and B, but again, the rep suggested Retrobit is looking into moving them around the back.

The Super Retro Boy will be priced at $80 when it launches in the US this summer. It’s nice to see a company not throwing too much at a “retro” gaming device, and, if Retrobit can fix the flaws on the early prototype I tried, I’m definitely interested in picking one up.

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

The Smartcane alerts your family in case of a fall

Against the backdrop of flashy TV screens and futuristic cars, it’s hard for a company to make an impression with a smart walking stick. But the Dring Smartcane, from French startup Nov’in, made its mark at CES this year. The company wants to bring the centuries-old mobility tool into the digital age with motion sensors. Geared towards the elderly and people with low mobility, the cane has a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope to track the user’s movements.

In addition to movement sensors, the Smartcane also has an alert system that connects directly to the GSM network. In case of a fall or emergencies, the cane can be used to send an alert to a caregiver, who can choose to respond with a signal so the cane user knows help is on the way. The data collected from the cane is sent to a secure server. Artificial intelligent algorithms process the data to understand users’ habits and movements to deduce low activity, tiredness and other changes in walking patterns that can be linked to a deteriorating condition.

To find the right design that could contain the technology and still be lightweight and ergonomic, the French company turned to Maison Fayet, a century-old cane maker. The result is a simple polished cane that conceals the sensors in the grip. So people who are used to the traditional design will have no problem adopting a new connected device when it ships at the end of the year.

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