Hogar’s Google Assistant speaker has a built-in smart home hub

Hogar Controls has unveiled the Google Assistant-powered Milo Smart Home Speaker with a built-in home hub that supports the Z-Wave Plus and Zigbee home automation standards. The versatile device can get you the news and weather from Google’s AI, stream music across Bluetooth and WiFi, and control your blinds, lights, locks, thermostats and other devices via the hub.

Other features include a touch controller, a three-microphone array that allows voice recognition even when you’re not close to it, a speaker with a 2-inch driver plus dual two-inch passive radiators for “clear highs and deep bass,” and an aluminum and fabric design, in light gray or black.

Hogar said the Milo is the first-ever smart speaker with Z-Wave Plus, but Toshiba recently released its own smart speaker/hub combo, the Symbio, with that feature (the Symbio also includes a camera). Nevertheless, the products highlight a bit of a trend at CES this year to put home hub features in smart speakers, since they’re often sitting in a central spot in your house.

That only works, however, if they do all their tasks well, and that’s often not the case with all-in-ones. Both the Milo and Symbio are voice-controlled, for instance, but you’ll also need to use an included app to power many of the smart home functions. Considering that such devices are generally marketed as being simple to use, the home automation functions might be too complex for the average buyer.

Google recently unveiled a “sync” setting for its own Home-powered devices that might make things a bit easier, however. For a user comfortable with Zigbee or Z-Wave Plus, the Hogar Milo Smart Speaker has a lot of functionality for the $149 price — a hundred bucks less than the Toshiba model.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 hands-on: A meatier, more useful update

Last year, Lenovo refreshed its popular Thinkpad X1 line of flagship laptops by adding a new color option, slimming down the profile and using the latest-generation Intel chipsets. This CES, the company has more substantial changes to reveal. The new Thinkpad X1 series now come with microSIM card slots and e-SIM technology, so they’ll remain “always on, always connected,” per Microsoft’s marketing language. The X1 Carbon laptop and X1 Yoga convertible are also the first PCs announced to sport screens with Dolby’s Vision HDR technology, and feature built-in privacy shutters for the webcam.

All three X1s are also equipped with twin far-field microphones that can hear you from up to four meters (about 13 feet) away, so you can shout at Cortana from across the room if you wish. At my demo here in Vegas, the Thinkpad X1 Yoga was able to hear me and Lenovo’s reps from at least 12 feet away. Those who don’t like using Cortana will be glad to know Lenovo will be including the Amazon Alexa app for PCs on the new Thinkpad X1s by the end of January, so you could be saying “Alexa” instead of “Hey Cortana”.

At last year’s CES, I mentioned that the Thinkpad X1’s screens weren’t as colorful as the competition. Lenovo must have noticed, because the new Thinkpad X1 Carbon’s and Yoga’s screens are sumptuously vibrant. Dolby’s Vision HDR standard is not commonly used in the consumer tech industry, which is still struggling to agree on a common definition for displays. In cinema, however, Dolby is well-established and the Thinkpad panels rendered rich colors, with nuanced gradients, deep blacks and high contrast. I especially dug the matte coating on the screen, which helped minimize glare and didn’t affect the generous viewing angles.

Cosmetically, the black models of the X1 Carbon and Yoga have a smoother soft-touch coating than before that makes the systems feel more premium. Both laptops feel as sturdy as their predecessors, despite being just 2.49 (Carbon) and 3.08 pounds (Yoga).

Of course, the new devices are all equipped with the latest (eighth-generation) Intel Kaby Lake R chipsets, with up to quad-core options. You can get up to 1TB of SSD storage, and 16GB of RAM. I also liked the generously spaced keys and 1.8mm travel on the Carbon and Yoga keyboards, and even though I’m not a fan of pointing sticks, I found it responsive.

On the X1 Tablet, Lenovo stiffened the companion keyboard to make the whole system feel more like a typical laptop. This is one of my favorite detachable keyboards so far, thanks to the comfortable keys with 1.5mm key travel and roomy touchpad with dedicated left and right mouse buttons.

The X1 Tablet also has a new 3:2 screen aspect ratio on its 3K panel, which looked bright and produced vivid colors when I saw it. I prefer the Dolby Vision HDR displays on the Carbon and Yoga, as they were more colorful, but the tablet’s screen is a lovely canvas in its own right.

Speaking of canvasses, you can draw on the X1 Yoga and Tablet with included styluses. The Yoga’s slides into a slot built into the underside of the laptop, while the Tablet comes with a holster attachment that snaps onto the slate. I like that Lenovo offers a way to keep your pen with your computer so you won lose it. The tablet’s stylus is thicker than the Yoga’s, by the way, and feels more like a real pen. It detects up to 2,048 levels of pressure so you can get more precise with your drawings.

All told, the 2018 Thinkpad X1 refresh appears to be more substantial than last year’s, and offers a few useful new features like the Think Shutter and eSIM capability. This is one of the first Intel systems with eSIM we’ve seen, too — HP just unveiled the Intel version of its always connected Envy X2 convertible at CES as well. The new Thinkpad X1s will be available this month, starting at $1,709 for the Carbon, $1,889 for the Yoga and $1,599 for the Tablet, so if this preview already has you convinced you have to buy one, you don’t have to wait much longer.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Lenovo Smart Display hands-on: Google Assistant gets a new kind of home

In case you hadn’t heard, Google’s Assistant doesn’t just live in phones, speakers and televisions anymore. You’ll see the Assistant pop up in small, connected screens meant for use around the house later this year, and we just spent a little time with Lenovo’s first efforts: the 8-inch and 10-inch Smart Displays. It’s hard not to think of them as just a pair of surprisingly handsome tablets, but after getting a sense of how the Google Assistant works on a purpose-built screen, it’s clear that Amazon’s Echo Show has some serious competition.

But first, the basics. The 8-inch screen on the smaller Smart Display runs at 1,200×800, while the larger version’s 10-inch panel runs at 1,920×1,200. Other than that, the two versions of the Smart Display are essentially the same. Both use Qualcomm’s SDA 624 chipset, both have large vertical speaker screens next to the left of their screens and both use tiny sliders on their right sides to physically cover their built-in 720p cameras. The (definitely non-final) software I tested on the Smart Displays worked best in landscape mode, but you can turn either of the Smart Displays on their sides to stand vertically thanks to a handy triangular hump.

And don’t be fooled: these aren’t just off-the-shelf Android tablets running a special Google Assistant skin. Google Assistant director Chris Turkstra confirmed the Smart Displays actually run the Android Things OS and boot directly into the Assistant interface — you won’t be installing apps or swiping through the usual Android home screens. (Well, at least without a little extracurricular hacking.)

But what are they actually like to use? Well, when they’re inert, the Smart Displays are basically just digital picture frames that cycle though images in a Google Photo album. When you start talking to them, though, the Assistant’s calming female voice responds with crispness and clarity through Displays’ speakers. If you close your eyes and start talking to a Smart Display, the experience is nigh-indistinguishable from chatting up a Google Home speaker. That’s a good thing, too: Alexa’s deep ties to Amazon are nothing to scoff at, but if you’re anything like me, having a voice assistant that can reach into the well of data I’ve already given Google gives the Assistant a distinct edge.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

As handy as Google’s Home speakers are, though, they’re not great at succinctly conveying lots of information. Google’s move to embrace these small screens, then, is proof that pictures are worth a thousand words. I spent my time with the Smart Displays asking it to show me restaurants around Las Vegas, requesting YouTube videos to watch and fiddling with a fun little trivia game that should keep parties interesting. These are the sorts of basic requests I throw at Google’s Assistant all the time anyway, but the screens really shine in areas you may not expect. Thanks to partnerships with online recipe sources like NY Times Cooking, the Smart Displays offered more nuanced, visual directions as you’re trying to prepare some dinner.

More interesting are the ways the Smart Displays tap into existing Google products: video calls over Duo are both super-simple to initiate and worked fairly well despite some lousy Wi-Fi. If you ask the Smart Display for directions somewhere, they’ll automatically show up on compatible smartphones. And if you’re the sort who has a few Nest cameras around the house, tapping into them through these small screens is a breeze. What remains to be seen is whether — and how — third-party developers will work to build experiences for a completely new kind of Google product.

In general, the Smart Displays seem full of promise, even if I’m still not totally sold on the idea of festooning a home with smart displays. Aren’t our lives already ruled by plenty of screens as is? Still, if you’re already invested in Google’s ecosystem, the Lenovo’s new screens should slot into your life nicely. The 8-inch model will sell for $199 while the 10-inch model costs $249 — expect both to be available sometime this summer.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Lenovo Miix 630 hands-on: A solid keyboard and Snapdragon power

Last month, we saw the first Snapdragon-powered PCs from ASUS and HP — laptops and convertibles that promised 20-hour battery lives, constant connectivity and a full Windows 10 experience. Here at CES 2018, Lenovo unveiled the 12.3-inch Miix 630 detachable, which is its first offering for Microsoft and Qualcomm’s platform. At first glance, it’s not significantly different from HP’s convertible, but closer inspection reveals some key differences.

Since Lenovo is known for the excellent keyboards in its Thinkpads, the company said it spent a lot of time and focus on the Miix 630’s. The keys here have 1.3mm of travel, and bear a similar layout to the Thinkpads. Although the folio is not as rigid as that for the new Thinkpad X1 Tablet, I still enjoyed typing on the Miix 630, thanks largely to the comfortable keys.

Another difference between the Miix 630 and HP’s Envy x2 is that Lenovo included an embedded eSIM capability in addition to having a nanoSIM card slot. Since carriers haven’t rolled out eSIM support yet, this difference doesn’t mean much at the moment. But in the future, if embedded eSIM technology becomes more prevalent, the Miix 630 has the advantage of readiness.

Otherwise, the Miix 630 is just like the Envy x2, which isn’t surprising given these are first-gen devices that have to adhere to Qualcomm and Microsoft guidelines while the platform is in its infancy. But Lenovo does offer more RAM and storage options, going up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.0 storage. The Miix 630 was responsive during my testing, keeping up with my quick repetitive swiping through pages of apps, thanks to the Snapdragon 835 chipset. I didn’t push it too hard, though, so I can’t tell if it will lag under more taxing situations yet like editing 4K video.

The Miix 630’s 12.3-inch 1,920 x 1,280 display was bright, clear and vibrant enough for Netflix viewing or Instagram, and writing on it with the included Lenovo Active Pen was smooth and comfortable. It has a 13-megapixel infrared camera on the front to support face recognition logins via Windows Hello, and a 5-MP camera on the rear, you know, because it’s 2005.

Like the HP and ASUS systems, the Miix 630 promises to last up to 20 hours of video playback, and supports gigabit LTE where available. Lenovo was careful to emphasize that this is its first offering for the Windows on Snapdragon platform, and said that there may be more form factors coming in the future. The Miix 630 will be available in the second quarter of the year starting at $799, which is costlier than ASUS’ $599 Novago. We don’t yet know how much HP is asking for the Envy x2, so we can’t tell which is the better option at the moment, but it’s clear that fans of Lenovo’s keyboards who want an always connected convertible should seriously consider the Miix 630.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Razer gaming devices now sync with your Hue lights

If you own enough Razer gear, you’re probably used to a light show. But wouldn’t it be nice if that show extended to your entire room? It will very shortly. Razer and Philips have formed a partnership that will let you sync any Chroma-equipped Razer device (including laptops and peripherals) with Hue lights. If a game supports it, you can change the lighting color of your whole environment in tune with gameplay. Your room may turn blood red during a battle scene, or go an appropriately Razer-themed green when you’re in a forest.

Outside of games, you can still use the syncing option to set the mood.

The update will go live sometime in the afternoon Pacific Time on January 9th, when Razer posts an update to its Synapse 3 software. You’ll need a Hue V2 bridge, color Hue lights and the latest Hue mobile app to make everything work. When you’re ready, titles like Overwatch, Quake Champions and a range of “other popular games” will support the feature. This could easily prove to be a novelty, but consider this: if you’re deep into the Razer ecosystem and were thinking of getting smart lights, you now have an added incentive to make that upgrade.

Source: Razer

JBL Link View is a Google-powered smart display with audio clout

While Amazon might have been the first to come to market with a smart display — the Echo Show and the Echo Spot, respectively — it’s now no longer the only ones. At this year’s CES, Google is announcing a slew of smart displays from several companies, and one of them is the JBL Link View from Harman International. Think of it as a Google Home, but with a touch screen.

Measuring 13 by 5.9 by 3.9 inches, the overall Link View looks a bit like a halved football, but with a display set in the middle. That display measures 8 inches across and features a HD 1280 x 720 resolution. And, because of the Google partnership, it works with Google Assistant as well as Nest cams and most other Google products. As we saw from the Echo Show as well as the Echo Spot, having a display in addition to a smart speaker is phenomenally useful. You can use the display for video calls, watching YouTube, follow step-by-step recipes and yes, watch YouTube clips.

Though there are many smart displays announced here at CES, the Link View might have an edge over the competition when it comes to audio. Thanks to its Harman roots, the JBL Link View comes with two front-facing 10W speakers, a rear-facing passive radiator for deeper bass, plus 24 bit HD audio streaming. There’s also a built-in Chromecast for multi-room playback.

There’s no word on pricing just yet, but according to JBL, it’ll be in stores by summer this year.

Sony’s new soundbars can virtualize Dolby Atmos sound

Sony always makes home audio products a part of its CES presentations, and 2018 is no difference. Perhaps most notable are the HT-Z9F and HT-X9000F, two soundbars that include Dolby Atmos surround sound. Of course, true Atmos requires overhead speakers, and these are just 2.1(HT-X9000F) and 3.1 (HT-Z9F) soundbars. As such, this requires some virtualization, which happens courtesy Sony’s “virtual surround engine,” which the company claims can replicate the wide soundstage Atmos provides. And regardless of whether you’re watching content mixed for Atmos or not, the more expensive HT-Z9F include a “Vertical S” button that Sony says will provide virtual 3D sound. The HT-Z9F will retail for $900 and the HT-X9000F will cost $600 when they arrive this spring.

If virtual Atmos sound doesn’t cut it for you, Sony is also introducing the SS-CSE Dolby Atmos speakers, which are meant to be placed on top of either the SS-CS3 bookshelf speakers or the SS-CS5 standing floor speakers. They’ll really work with any speakers you have, but naturally they’re a better physical fit with Sony’s own hardware. They fire audio upwards to reproduce the sound of the ceiling-mounted Atmos speakers you’d find in a theater; you’ll need a compatible receiver, though. Sony doesn’t have pricing for these speakers yet, but they’ll also be available in Spring 2018. Between these new speakers, Sony’s existing home theater speakers and its STR-DH790 receiver, you can get a full Atoms-Capable home theater solution from Sony. It won’t be cheap, though.

Finally, if your needs are a bit more modest, the compact HT-S200F soundbar might fit the bill — Sony is billing it as a more compact audio solution. It has a build-in subwoofer and also offers virtualized surround sound; it also includes a USB port for playback from devices other than your TV. Like the rest of Sony’s new speakers, this won’t be available until the spring, but there’s no word on pricing just yet.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Sony’s CES headphone lineup covers hi-res audio, sports earbuds and more

Sony isn’t just showing off its latest TVs and soundbars here at CES, the company usually reveals a lineup of headphones and Bluetooth speakers in Las Vegas. This year is no different. The company’s group of products this time around covers a lot of bases, including hi-res audio, sports earbuds and mega bass. Here’s what Sony is debuting in the desert.

First up, the MDR-1AM2 is a revamped version of the MDR-1AM that Sony debuted back in 2014. The company says the new model features improved audio. More specifically, the wired headphones are compatible with up to 100kHz frequencies and pack in a new 40mm HD driver. Aluminum-coated liquid crystal polymer diaphragms handle the fine details while design elements should help with high frequency ranges and prevent signal loss. The MDR-1AM2 will ship this spring for $300.

If you prefer your headphones to able to handle a more active lifestyle, Sony has three wireless options it’s showing off at CES. The $180 WF-SP700N totally wireless and $150 WI-SP600N in-ear models both offer active noise cancellation. In terms of battery life, you can expect three hours on a charge with the WF-SP700N and an additional two full charges from an included case for nine hours total. With the WI-SP600N, the company says you can expect up to six hours of playback on a charge. There’s also an $80 WI-SP500 model that touts up to eight hours of battery life. All three are IPX4-rated options, so you don’t have to worry about sweating on them at the gym. What’s more, all thee are set to ship this spring.

In terms of Bluetooth speakers, Sony is adding three models to its Extra Bass line with the SRS-XB41, SRS-XB31 and SRS-XB21. All three have a Live Sound mode that creates what the company calls a 3D audio experience with a focus on bass — in keeping the name of the product line, of course. The trio also pack in multi-color lights that change based on the music you’re playing. Basically, Sony thinks these are ideal party companions, especially due to the fact you can pair up to 100 of them together. The SRS-XB41, SRS-XB31 and SRS-XB21 are priced at $250, $150 and $100, respectively. And all of them are slated to arrive this spring.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Sony’s 2018 4K TVs keep the focus on OLED, HDR and Android

Last year Sony kicked off the year by adding OLED and HDR to its lineup, then later pushed Google’s Assistant AI as an upgrade for its Android TV platform. In 2018 the company is sticking to those basics on its latest 4K TVs with a few tweaks. It will once again offer OLED TVs in 55- and 65-inch sizes, this time with an updated version of its technology that broadcasts sound directly from the display itself.

Now dubbed “Acoustic Surface,” this A8F series appears to pack the upgraded version of Crystal Sound that LG Display is showing off, with support for 3.1 channels of audio instead of the A1E’s 2.1. There’s no word yet on price, but last year’s models launched at $5,000 and $6,500, and currently sell for around $3,000/$4,000.

If those OLED TVs are a little too expensive, then Sony is still offering LCD options as well, with the X900F series. Inside these local dimming LED screens is the same X1 Extreme Processor Sony’s using in the A8F, however, it says that new “X-Motion Clarity” tech is in play to reduce blur during fast motion without losing brightness. The X900F will be available in 49-, 55-, 65-, 75- and 85-inch sizes later this year.

All of Sony’s high-end TVs are still Dolby Vision HDR-ready, run Android TV and will ship with Google Assistant built-in. Just like previous models, its voice command service is not always listening but can be activated by a button on the remote. Hands-free control is possible if you have an Amazon Alexa device, Google Home or one of Sony’s own smart speakers.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Source: Sony

Google Assistant wants to be everywhere you are in 2018

Google is at CES in a big way this year — no, seriously — and it’s mostly centered around one product: Google Assistant. The search giant is incorporating its personal assistant AI into more devices than ever. They run the gamut from smart speakers (some of which have displays), smart earbuds and yes, even cars. If CES 2017 was the Alexa show, then CES 2018 just might very well be the Google show.

“We think Assistant is more useful if it’s available across all devices and contexts,” said Scott Huffman, Google’s VP of Engineering in charge of Google Assistant. “It’s not just phones or speakers or laptops; it’s all kinds of things.” To that end, Google is focusing on incorporating Assistant in three major categories at CES: the home, the car and mobile — which, in the case of the latter, means smarter pairs of earbuds.

Perhaps the most notable of the three categories is the home, which is where Google is really giving Amazon a run for its money. A few days ago, it announced that it sold tens of millions of Google Home devices last year, with nearly 6.4 million of them sold in the last quarter alone. Now, at CES, it’s expanding its portfolio of partners. According to Google, it’s announcing even more Google Assistant-powered speakers from the likes of Altec Lansing, Anker Innovations, Bang & Olufsen, Braven, iHome, JBL, Jensen, LG, Klipsh, Knit Audio, Memorex, RIVA Audio and SoLIS.

Through partnerships with JBL, Lenovo, LG and Sony, Google is entering the smart display category, going right up against Amazon’s Echo Show and Echo Spot. That means these devices are more than just smart speakers — they have touch screens that let you make video calls, look up step-by-step recipes and, of course, watch YouTube videos (which, incidentally, you can’t do on any of the Echos).

“[The third-party devices] go through the same rigorous testing that we do on our own devices,” said Chris Turkstra, a director for Google Assistant. When asked if he was afraid the third-party devices would cannibalize the sales of Google’s own Home and Home Mini products, he said that the goal here is to get more diverse products. “What we want is to create an ecosystem,” he said. “Google products will still get features and updates earlier than others, and they’ll be able to compete more directly with Amazon’s products as well.” But, he continued, partner products will offer a far wider variety of hardware than Google alone can offer.

Next up are TVs. Sure, Google Assistant is already on NVIDIA’s SHIELD TV as well as Sony’s Android TVs, but why stop there? The company announced today that Assistant will roll out to even more Android TVs from the likes of TCL, Skyworth and Xiaomi. More Android TVs from Changhong, Element, Funai, Haier, Hisense and Westinghouse will also debut this week with Google Assistant on board. And, not to be left out, LG will also be rolling out several Assistant-integrated TVs later this year.

As for cars, Google Assistant will be coming to automobiles in the way that makes the most sense: through Android Auto. Yes, Android Auto already has a voice interface, but it was kind of a vanilla experience. With Google Assistant, however, you can do a lot more. In addition to telling you the weather and reading out your text messages, you can also ask Assistant to control your Nest and bring up your playlists on Spotify. Basically, everything you can already do with Assistant on your phone, you will also be able to do with the Android Auto interface in the car.

There are a few caveats of course. The Android Auto interface is designed to reduce distraction, so you won’t be able to bring up YouTube videos. You’ll also only be able to listen to the scores of last night’s game instead of seeing them on the screen.

The third category that Google is focusing on at this year’s CES is mobile. Not in terms of phones — you can already get Google Assistant on Androids and iPhones — but in terms of headphones. So far the only ones that have it are Google’s Pixel Buds as well as Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II. But today at CES, Google announced even more Assistant-integrated headphones from companies such as Jaybird, JBL, LG and Sony. In many cases, you trigger the Assistant just by pushing a button on the side of the headphones. From there you can tell it to play your favorite music, read you your appointments for the day, or just anything you’d like Assistant to do.

With all the things that you can do with Google Assistant, it can be a little confusing to know what they are. That’s why Google is introducing a new way to talk about them. As teased at last year’s I/O, Google will start calling them Actions, in the same way that Alexa calls them “skills.” Plus, it’s also rolling out a whole new directory of Actions that you can explore on your phone — there’ll now be a blue icon in the corner of the Assistant app that’ll lead you to directly to it. What’s more, as you use Assistant, the directory will learn to give you suggestions that are tailored to your tastes and interests.

“We really think of Google Assistant as bringing Google’s investments into AI,” said Huffman. “There’s speech recognition, language understanding, even vision. It makes it even more possible to have natural human-like conversation with users.”

Google Assistant is already on more than 400 million devices, and in 2018, that number is to escalate even further. “What’s driven the growth is all the third-party devices,” he continued. “We allow third parties to tap into all the information that Google can provide.”

Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.

Source: Google