Panasonic has a trio of 4K UHD Blu-ray players for 2017

Panasonic has used CES 2017 to launch a trio of new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players at the more affordable end of the budget spectrum. The DMP-UB400, UB310 and UB300 all promise to deliver a super-sharp 4K Blu-ray image thanks to the company’s Hollywood Cinema Experience Processor (HCX) which promises to deliver “precise colours and optimal brightness”.

• Best TVs of CES 2017: What to expect

Panasonic has developed a new function for the three players that claim to allow them to “faithfully reproduce dark and bright areas regardless of viewing environment”. If for example you’re watching a dimly lit scene but are sitting in a bright room, Panasonic’s new function can increase the brightness of what’s on screen, but retain all the detail. The same function will be rolled out to the DMP-UB900 and DMP-UB700 via a firmware update at a later date.

• Panasonic DMP-UB900 review: Ultra HD Blu-ray master class

Panasonic

While all three players are capable of delivering a high quality 4K image, it’s the features and connections that separate them. The DMP-UB400 has twin HDMI outputs, one for video and one for audio, a feature borrowed from the UB900 and UB700. The twin outputs separate video and audio signals to help minimise interference. However all three can playback high-resolution audio via physical source or streaming.

Netflix and Amazon 4K streaming services are supported across the range so you’re not short of 4K content options. Panasonic has yet to confirm when the new 4K Blu-ray players will go on sale but we’ll update this story as soon as we know more.

Samsung QLED TV preview: Is this Samsung’s best ever television range?

During a pre-CES invite-only briefing, Samsung unveiled the QLED TV series and we can honestly say, from what we’ve seen so far, that they are the best televisions the company has ever made.

We got up close to the new QLED TV concepts shown at the Samsung visual display briefing and although we’re not yet quite sure how the range will pan out, with model numbers and series identifiers, it’s easy to see why Samsung is proud of its new direction.

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The winning factor is undoubtedly brightness. Boasting 1,500 to 2,000 nits peak brightness, the HDR representation of the new tech is superb. The major rival tech, OLED, cannot achieve such high levels of brightness, thanks to the QLED having a backlight and OLED not, so the demos we’ve seen are striking.

Of course, OLED is capable of deeper blacks, with each pixel generating its own light, but the QLED TVs are no slouch in black level response either.

Samsung also claims that its new version of Quantum Dot technology is capable of 100 per cent colour volume, which represents a far wider colour field than last year’s models. And apart from the clearly dynamic saturation on the demo models shown front and centre, other recessed demonstration screens had more natural tones.

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Other features for the new series include a separate media box for all connections and a single, simple optical cable attaching it to the TV. It’s thin and “almost invisible” – certainly in comparison with the thick black cables usually dangling from a set.

The TVs this year can also be controlled through a smartphone, iOS or Android, using Smart Hub capabilities. We didn’t get to see that in action though.

We did see the new wall mount Samsung is introducing with this set, and considering we love to pop our own sets up on the wall, the incredibly narrow footprint of the mount is hugely welcome.

There will be curved and flat variants, which might make a little difference for mounting. They will all be 4K Ultra HD.

First Impressions

Before CES we did wonder which way Samsung would jump, whether it would have its own OLED panel or increase development in Quantum Dot and LED.

QLED is perhaps the obvious choice for the manufacturer and we have to say that by offering such incredible brightness in consumer TVs it represents a respectful alternative to OLED.

Of course, it mainly relies on the source and quality HDR material, but these will definitely present quality content with aplomb.

The future is bright and, for Samsung, the future is QLED.

The Miraxess Mirabook is a laptop shell for your smartphone

As the gap between smartphone and laptop performance dwindles and the size of phones grows, there’s lss and less of a need for casual users to have both on hand at the same time. The Maxiss Mirabook bridges that gap by providing a laptop-like computing experience powered by your smartphone’s CPU.

By outward appearances, the Mirabook looks like a standard laptop. It features a 13.3-inch screen in an aluminum chassis that weighs slightly less than 2.2 pounds. It includes a couple USB-C ports, which it uses to connect to a compatible smartphone, as well as an HDMI jack for external monitors and an SD slot to expand its onboard memory out to 128GB. What’s really cool is that the rig can run for up to 24 straight hours — all while charging your phone. The Mirabook can use either Andromium for Android or Continuum for Microsoft to emulate a desktop (rather than mobile) workspace.

Miraxess reps told Engadget that they envision the device being made available to travelers on long-haul flights, much like airlines rent out headphones, so that folks can check their notebooks but remain productive in the air. The company plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign come March or April and will offer the Mirabook for around $300.

Of course this isn’t the first time that a company has attempted a laptop-phone chimera. Motorola had the Atrix and Ubuntu briefly developed Ubuntu for Android, which would load whenever an Android smartphone was connected to an external monitor. Don’t remember either of those? There’s a good reason for that. They both flopped, hard.

As for the Mirabook, we only had a few moments to check out it during CES Unveiled but can’t help but wonder why folks wouldn’t simply use a low-end netbook or Chromebook during their travels instead of shelling out for a laptop without a mind of its own.

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

BenjiLock uses a fingerprint to keep your gym locker secure

Fingerprint readers are already a staple feature of many smartphones, and here at CES we found the technology built into what looks like a traditional padlock. The BenjiLock, designed by a startup from Los Angeles, supports up to four different fingerprints and saves them in an encrypted chip for easy access. It doesn’t leave physical keys out altogether, however, since the company says you may need to use the included set at some point. For example, if someone you don’t know makes a few attempts to unlock the device, BenjiLock automatically erases your information and will require the key to open it again.

If you don’t like the white model pictured here, it also comes in a variety of colors, including black, copper, brass and stainless steel. Unfortunately, BenjiLock won’t be up for grabs until the third quarter of this year for $80, which isn’t that high of price to pay for a fancy gym locker to humble-brag about to your bros. Unless you’d rather just stick to using keys or a combination that, somehow, you always tend to forget.

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

Meet the VR boots that want to make you feel every step

If 2016 was the year of virtual reality, 2017 might just be the era of VR accessories. Japanese gadget-maker Cerevo has debuted Taclim, a pair of motion controllers and shoes that provide haptic feedback in VR, vibrating in various ways as players walk across different surfaces or kick enemies in the face.

Taclim is still in the prototype stages and Cerevo is using its debut at CES 2017 to gather feedback on the fresh hardware. It’s clear the system is fresh — the boots are clunky, with two chunky straps across the top, and foam soles that separate and slide to allow for size adjustment. It’s difficult to balance on the shoes, let alone kick out with any real force.

Playing an unreleased PlayStation VR game, Headbutt Factory, the boots responded about half of the time as I kicked out at a series of floating enemies. I walked along a pathway composed of various surfaces, including snow and wood. When I could actually feel the vibrations, they were effective in evoking the different textures.

Taclim is slated to hit the market in the fall, but don’t expect to see it in your living room. Cerevo CEO Takuma Iwasa says he envisions Taclim as a product for business owners to use to advertise their products or programs. For example, the owner of an ice skating rink could create a VR experience that uses Taclim to imitate the feeling of sliding along the ice, and set it up in an arcade, convention show floor or other public venue.

The full haptic feedback system will cost $1,000 to $1,500 when it comes out in the fall. The demo game, Headbutt Factory, is due to hit PlayStation VR at the end of January and will eventually be free on Taclim. Whether it actually works, though, is up to Cerevo.

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

WooHoo is an Echo with a touchscreen, facial recognition and more

We’re beginning to see a trend here at CES. A ton of companies are either injecting their tech with a dose of Alexa or building their own Amazon Echo competitors from scratch. SmartBeings falls into the later category, but its WooHoo device packs a lot more punch than the online retailer’s smart speaker. WooHoo can do some of the things Echo handles, but it’s also equipped with both facial and voice recognition, Android-powered software and a 7-inch touchscreen. Oh yeah, and it’s a full-on IoT hub for all your smart home tech.

If you can imagine a version of Echo with a rotating camera that helps complete tasks when a specific person walks in a room, you’ll get the idea here. Yes, it also works as a regular old speaker too. That camera also adds a layer of security so you can see when someone enters a room. That’s all great, but SmartBeings’ cloud-based software is perhaps a bigger selling point here. It requires a monthly subscription, but you get access to to software that allows you to manage all of that connected home tech with the ability to keep an eye on your kids or turn on music when you (and only you) enter a room. It also offers the help of AI that learns your habits in order to become more helpful.

Why the name WooHoo? That’s the keyword to activate the device much like “OK, Google” or “Alexa” alerts the virtual assistants for Google and Amazon’s smart speakers. Final retail pricing is still in the works, but if you pre-order now, the gadget will only cost you $49 with five color options. The subscription will set you back an additional $9 a month for the home plan and $19 for the business option. SmartBeings plans to start shipping WooHoo in late summer.

Mona Lalwani contributed to this report.

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

The first available smart mirror has a narcissistic sequel

Just a few months after hitting the market, there’s already a new model of the first smart mirror you can actually buy. The HiMirror Plus boasts incremental upgrades that make it a better companion for selfie and beauty lovers. It costs $259 — that’s $70 more than the original — and has a new ambient light to simulate different lighting conditions environments so you can better apply your makeup (and, let’s be real, take fantastic selfies). The company also unveiled an accessory called the HiSkin — handheld scanner with optical sensors that you can place on your face (or any part of your body, really) to get a better read on your complexion. I used a HiMirror Plus for a few days ahead of CES, and then checked out the HiSkin here at the show, and am skeptical that they could really help improve my skin.

You might have seen my hands-on with the original HiMirror, which I saw at a briefing in November. Since then, the company has added a few software updates that integrate playlists of how-to videos on YouTube. But the most obvious difference between the two generations is the addition of what the company calls ambient lights to the long sides of the device. You can press a button to scroll through different scenes, such as daylight, restaurant and sunset, and the lights change color to simulate the selected setting. The idea here is that if you know what your face will look like in the place you’re going to, you’ll be able to better tailor your makeup for the situation.

During my time with the Plus, I never found this tool all that useful for adjusting my makeup, since the different lights in my bathroom, bedroom and living room did a good enough job of giving me an idea of what my face would look like in all my anticipated environments. I did, however, get a huge kick out of taking a ton of selfies in front of the mirror, playing with the lighting until I achieved the most Instagram-worthy effect. Basically, then, there’s no real utility here other than goofing around and growing an Instagram following.

Those who are that dedicated to their social media careers may find it worthwhile to get the Plus over the original mirror. What’s more, someone who’s contemplating between the first HiMirror and the new one is most probably as narcissistic as I am, and just as likely to enjoy this feature.

Aside from the new ambient lights, the HiMirror Plus is basically the same as its predecessor. Its voice control capabilities are still limited, and its well-meaning words of encouragement, such as “You can do better!” continue to be funny. Having had one in my own apartment for a few days this time around, I can more easily see the device’s appeal. I actually wanted to stand in front of the mirror and take a picture every day to see how my skin fared compared to the day before.

Taking a picture for the analysis is fast enough: You hold your hand in front of the infrared sensor that detects your movements, which triggers a three-second countdown before snapping your photo. Getting my results took close to a minute, though, during which I tended to walk away from the mirror to attend to other tasks. It’s a testament to HiMirror’s appeal, though, that I always came back to check out my results and look at how I did in specific areas such as clarity, dark spots, red spots, firmness and fine lines.

HiMirror’s target audience is obvious. Put bluntly, it’s just narcissists like myself, plus the beauty-obsessed. The company’s latest accessory is designed specifically for the latter, who would be more interested in knowing the finer and more accurate data on their skin’s level of hydration and melatonin. The device can be paired with the HiMirror mobile app, so you don’t actually need to get the mirror to get a read on your complexion. Given the stiflingly dry hotel room I’ve been staying in the past few days, I can see why someone would want to track how moist their skin is. But it’s a niche product that doesn’t seem useful on a daily basis.

it’s unlikely that the HiMirror Plus and HiSkin will find their way into every home, although they could appeal to a specific audience. Beauty lovers and the plethora of YouTube vloggers creating makeup tutorials will find the smart mirror a useful tool. Widespread adoption, on the other hand, will be elusive.

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

Whirlpool brings Alexa to its next generation of appliances

Alexa can already order a pizza and fire up your TV as you lazily bark commands at it, but appliances giant Whirlpool is about to put Amazon’s personal assistant to work with some extra chores around the house. The two companies announced they’ve teamed up to connect Alexa with Whirlpool’s next line of smart home appliances. The future where you can ask your fridge to set the temperature in the veggie drawer has finally arrived.

Amazon and Whirlpool already enjoy a cozy partnership with Amazon Dash’s one-touch ordering, but the new Alexa skills add even more useful features to an integrated smart home. In the laundry room, Alexa will be able to tell you whether your washer or dryer is running and how much time is left on the cycle, plus a few other settings. In the kitchen, Alexa will let users set cooking modes and temperatures, check whether the oven is on and set cooking timers using voice commands alone. Whirlpool’s smart refrigerators will also be able to turn off the ice maker and “maximum cool” settings or check temperatures without having to crack open the fridge itself.

Whirlpool will be showing off the new integration in all its new smart home appliances at this year’s CES, but the Alexa skill is expected to roll out in “early 2017.”

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

Source: Whirlpool Newsroom

Sevenhugs made a smart remote that’s truly universal

Those “universal remote controls” that control just your home entertainment center? They might need a new name. Meet the Sevenhugs Smart Remote, which not only controls your TV, but also your Nest thermostat, Philips Hue lights, Sonos speakers and, well, nearly 25,000 different connected devices. Not only that, but thanks to infrared, internal position sensors and an open API, you can even order an Uber by pointing at your front door. Yeah, no kidding.

Sevenhugs launched its Smart Remote on Kickstarter in November last year, and a month later, it had over 6,000 backers and earned over a million dollars in funding. And no wonder: Sevenhugs’ tiny handheld promised to be a smart remote for everything. Its 3.53-inch screen adapts to whatever device it’s pointing at. Aim it at your Samsung Smart TV, for example, and it’ll let you scroll through your subscribed channel list. Point it at your Philips Hue lamp instead, and you can turn it on and off or change its color.

The remote uses WiFi, Bluetooth and Infrared to connect to most home entertainment and IoT gadgets. But the real magic comes with motion tracking and indoor position sensors that you can put throughout your home. Map those sensors to specific functions using the Sevenhugs app, and you can trigger certain actions by pointing the remote at it. So place one at your front door, map it to Uber or Lyft and it will bring up a special car-ordering display thanks to Sevenhugs’ open API. Place a sensor by the window and it can check the weather when you aim the remote at it.

You can even create so-called custom scenes and control different devices at the same time. For example, you could trigger a “date night” scene and have the lights dimmed and the TV switch over to Netflix for a romantic evening in. And if you ever lose the remote, no problem; the app has a “Lost & Found” button so you can easily find it.

The Smart Remote is available for pre-order now for $229, though it will cost $300 when it hits stores later this year. Each order comes with one smart remote, a case, a charging base (it apparently lasts between a couple days and a few weeks depending on use) plus three room sensors.

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

Source: Sevenhugs

ReNu is an acoustic kit that sends calming vibes to your brain

Millions of Americans live with chronic or episodic anxiety. While technology has become one of the main contributors of that stress, it also has the potential to provide the solution. The market for stress-reducing technologies has been booming for a few years. NuCalm, from Solace Lifesciences Inc., was first introduced in 2010 as a drug-free, stress intervention system that moderated adrenaline levels in the body. The technology, which was adopted in clinical settings like dental clinics over the last few years, now has a consumer version. At CES today, the company introduced ReNu, a stress management kit that induces a deep slumber through a proprietary software.

While the company claims that ReNu’s strength is a brainwave-tweaking software that rapidly reduces stress, the process starts with a surprising step that feels counterintuitive. Before the user can experience the technology, they are required to use supplements in the form of a cream or chewable nutrients that the company claims are “all-natural amino acids”. Next, a couple of small patches, placed behind each ear, produce microcurrents to rapidly increase the absorption of the nutrients. The stimulation from the patches also prepares the brain for the company’s proprietary software, which is delivered to the brain in the form of binaural audio.

The ReNu kit includes a noise-cancelling JBL Everest Elite headset that enables the listener to hear soothing music. The track uses a mix of algorithms for binaural beats that tweak brainwave frequencies. Through the audio, ReNu oscillates the frequency between alpha and theta zones — essentially producing a state of deep relaxation and recovery to cope with a stressful day.

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