Home Blog Page 496

HP reveals new Elite laptops, folios, and other gear

0

HP this week introduced a refreshed range of notebooks, folios, and other gadgets at the virtual event that is CES 2021. Among the new products are the Dragonfly Max, Dragonfly G2, Folio, and Wireless Earbuds, all of which fall under the Elite series.

Both the Elite Dragonfly G2 and HP Elite Dragonfly Max are convertible 2-in-1 notebooks with 13.3-inch displays. Each runs on the latest Intel 11th-gen Core processors with the new Intel Xe graphics and can be configured with up to 32GB RAM.

The Dragonfly Max will only be offered with a 1920 x 1080 display, but the Dragonfly G2 can be found in HD and 4K panels. The Dragonfly Max has a 5-megapixel webcam while the G2 has a 1.2-megapixel camera.

Both models will include 5G options, with support for both AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the US. Pricing and exact availability has not been revealed but we ought to expect them later this month.

The Elite Folio is a new convertible laptop with a 13.5-inch 1920 x 1080 display at 3:2 aspect ratio. Its design lets users pull the screen forward to rest between the keys and trackpad or lie flat for a more tablet-like usage.

Other features include a webcam with a 76-degree field of view and built-in privacy shutter, dual microphone array, and high-definition Bang & Olufsen speakers. The Elite Folio comes with a Slim Active Pen for markup, notes, and more. Pricing and availability is unclear at this point.

HP also introduced its Elite Wireless Earbuds which it says are “the world’s most advanced earbuds for a collaboration”. Details here include personalized audio tuning, adjustable noise cancellation, and presets for sound situations.

Designed with collaboration in mind, the earbuds seamlessly switch from a PC conference call to music on a phone using a dedicated app. Look for these in April.

To learn more about these products and others being revealed at CES, check out the landing page at HP’s website.

GE Lighting rebrands C by GE to Cync, expands portfolio

0

Savant Systems, who now owns GE Lighting, has started providing a look at what is in store for the smart lighting brand for 2021.

First things first, the weird C by GE branding is being left behind in favor of a new Cync name. The overall move will be a transition over a few months; the mobile app will get a rebrand in March.

Looking ahead, Cync will expand beyond lights and will ultimately cover a whole range of smart home gadgets, for both indoors and outdoors.

The first product, the Cync Outdoor Smart Plug, lets users remotely control two outlets using the mobile app or through voice such as Google Assistant. It’s the sort of outlet you’d use for holiday lights, pathway lights, fountains, and pools. Weather resistant, the plug includes support for both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Pricing has yet to be announced.

The Cync Indoor Camera promises more control over a user’s data and privacy than rival cameras. For instance, the privacy shutter covers the lens and mutes audio when you’d prefer not to capture any footage. Additionally, it will be possible to record footage to microSD cards in the event users may not be comfortable with using a cloud for storing video. Set to arrive in May, it’s not clear what price we might expect.

A new Cync Fan Speed Smart Switch expands the brand’s line of smart switches and allows for simple control of ceiling fans. With four speeds, scheduled on/off times, and the ability to control via app or voice assistant, it works without need of a hub. The Smart Switch is scheduled to launch in June.

Kohler kicks off 2021 with smart toilet, touchless faucet, and $16,000 bathtub

0

The coronavirus may have turned CES into a virtual event for 2021 but that doesn’t mean that companies are sitting on the sidelines. Indeed, many are still introducing new products and showcasing things to come over the coming year.

Kohler this week offered up a sneak peek for some of its newest product, including a host of new smart products for the bathroom and kitchen. Among them are a $16,000 bathtub, a touchless bathroom faucet, and smart toilets.

Kohler will have its own digital Kohler@Home event on February 2-3 where it is expected to showcase some 80 products and innovations.

Stillness Bath

With pricing that reportedly ranges from $6,100-$16,000, the tub starts by filling up from the bottom  and then overflows into the Hinoki wood moat to create a soothing sound.

A full spectrum of lighting wraps the bath and helps create the mood, while fog then envelopes the surface bath. Essential oils can be added to the experience tower which emit “invigorating aromas to stimulate the senses and promote focus”.

The Stillness Bath is expected to arrive in 2021.

Innate Intelligent Toilet

The Innate isn’t smart in the ways one might expect; it doesn’t tie to your phone or work with Google Home, but it’s got some intelligence under the hood — or is it tank?  The toilet features a heated seat, automatic opening and closing, intuitive remote, and a bidet function. Look for it to arrive later this summer for about $3,100.

Touchless Residential Bathroom Faucet

The touchless bathroom faucet arrives not a moment too soon, providing users with hands-free activation for washing hands, brushing teeth, and other tasks. Offered in two models, one has a built-in sensor while the other is activated by a remote puck.

Belkin debuts SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds

0

Belkin this week introduced the SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds as part of its CES 2021 product announcements. Set to arrive in March and April across Belkin and global retailers, they’ll be available in black and white options.

Per Belkin, these earbuds will offer up to eight hours of play time per charge. The carrying case, which can be charged wirelessly or via USB-C, provides another 20 hours of playback. According to Belkin, just 15 minutes on the charger will result in two additional hours of playback.

The Belkin earbuds are IPX5 rated against sweat and splashes and feature support for Apple’s Find My network. This means that the crowdsourced network can help users locate any lost or stolen earbuds.

  • Belkin signature sound features custom drivers that provide powerful bass and exceptional clarity while minimizing harmonic distortion
  • Up to 8 hours of battery life in each earbud with an additional 20 hours of battery life from the case
  • Apple Find My integration so you always know where your earbuds are
  • Advanced Environmental Noise Cancellation reduces call background noise
  • Improved call and audio quality with aptX low latency
  • Qi wireless charging makes staying powered easy

You can learn more about the earbuds at Belkin’s website where they are currently listed as “coming soon”. Pricing looks to be about $100 for the FREEDOM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds.

V-MODA unwraps M-200 ANC for 2021

0

Premium audio brand V-MODA has unveiled its newest headphones, the M-200 ANC, offering them up for immediate pre-order.

The V-MODA M-200 ANC are the company’s first Bluetooth headphones to feature active noise cancelling, and build on previous models in the portfolio. If you’ve ever seen a pair of its headphones, you’ll recognize the distinct, if not harsh, design aesthetic is present for the new unit.

Like others in the V-MODA lineup, the M-200 ANC can be custom designed with decorative shields and six color choices. Moreover, they can be laser engraved or color printed with a logo or design.

While soft to the touch with a 100% premium PU leather exterior, the M-200 ANC is also extremely durable thanks to a metal-build core and flexible headband.

The V-MODA M-200 ANC pair over Bluetooth 5.0 and provide up to 20 hours of wireless playback (with ANC on) per charge. According to V-MODA it should take about 10 minutes to add 90 minutes of playback.

Key Features

  • Driver Size: 40mm (Neodymium magnets with copper-clad aluminum wire coils)
  • Bluetooth Audio Codecs: Qualcomm aptX HD, AAC, SBC
  • Mobile App for customizing sound through different EQ profiles and to adjust noise
    cancelling level
  • Battery Life: 20 hours of wireless playback on one charge with ANC activated
  • Voice Assistants: Google Assistant or Siri
  • Frequency Response: 10 – 40,000Hz (Hi-Res Audio certified in wired mode) – able to
    reproduce the deepest bass to the same standard as the sharpest highs

Availability

You can learn more about the V-MODA M-200 ANC at the brand’s website where you can also place an order for your own pair. The headphones, which start at $499, come with an “Exoskeleton” carry case with a carabiner clip. Look for them to ship sometime in the first quarter of the year (Q1 2021).

Jabra Elite 85t picks up four new color options

0

Jabra hasn’t introduced any new products for the start of 2021 but that doesn’t mean it’s not doing altogether. Indeed, it has something minor up its sleeve for the virtual event that is CES 2021.

Its most recent earphones, the Elite 85t noise-canceling true-wireless earbuds, now come in four new color options. Set to hit retailers in the coming weeks, the earbuds will be offered in gold/beige, copper/black, black, and gray. These colors join the titanium/black version that launched back in October.

The Elite 85t typically sell for about $230, but have occasionally dropped to about $180 on Amazon and other retailers.

Key features for the Jabra Elite 85t:

  • Six microphones
  • Adjustable ANC
  • Dust and rain resistance (IPX4)
  • 25 hours battery life including case
  • Qi wireless charging for earbud case
  • 12mm speakers

Ampere expands its reach with hydro-powered Shower Power speaker

0

After starting out with products centered around mobile and wireless charging, Ampere has begun stretching its arms a bit. Its new Shower Power speaker, set to ship in the first quarter of the year (Q1 2021), is a Bluetooth speaker designed specifically for the bathroom.

The Shower Power promises to fit all showerheads and will be powered by the water that passes through it. In essence, it will have a continuous battery life and will not need to be removed for charging.

The Shower Power is constructed from 100% recycled ocean plastic so it’s not only cool tech, but environmentally conscious, too.

The speaker automatically turns on when the water is turned on and stores enough power to keep playing after your shower is over too. With the water running, Shower Power always generates enough power to play and charge the battery at the same time. With a fully charged battery, Shower Power boasts over 20 hours of listening time with the shower off.

The Shower Power was the fourth successful Kickstarter campaign from the Ampere brand, raising some $224,000 on the crowdfunding site.

This week, Ampere also announced that it will release an LED light version called the  Shower Power Shine. The speaker will provide a light show to the shower speaker, even synchronizing with the audio.

The Shower Power speaker will start at $99.95 when it begins shipping later this quarter.

Roborock intros S7 robot vacuum with advanced mopping capabilities

0

Roborock on Monday announced its newest robot vacuum cleaner, the S7. Slated to arrive in March, the unit promises to feature of the fastest sonic mops in the space.

The robot vacuum field has been an interesting one to watch evolve over the last few years. Not only do they get smarter and more powerful, but they’ve also integrated mopping components.

The Roborock S7 is reported to provide anywhere from 1,650 up to 3,000 scrubs per minute, breaking up dirt and dried-on messes. The number will vary based on the cleaning mode set by the user.

The S7 also features “VibraRise” technology which detects carpet and automatically lifts the robot vacuum’s mop. This allows for a single session to handle both vacuum and mopping, saving time and energy. Additionally, the unit can return to its docking station with the mop attachment included.

The S7 builds on its predecessor, the S6, with an improved brush for agitating carpet; the 2500Pa of suction will lift the dirt from carpet and rugs. The 5200mAh battery allows for up to three hours of continuous cleaning in quiet mode.

Similar to its other smart robot vacuums, the Roborock S7 has a companion app which gives users the ability to customize cleaning schedules and adjust preferences. It also features a real-time indication of the robot’s route and mapping history. Last, but not least, it can integrate with Google Home, Siri, and Alexa.

The Roborock S7 will arrive in March and will be available to purchase from Amazon for $649. Look for it in black and white color options.

Complete Unity Game Developer Bundle: 200 lessons to get your game off the ground, just $39

0

If you want to develop and create video games, the cold truth is that you need to know Unity. Why? Well, the gaming engine powers roughly one in every three of the more popular mobile games. Players like Square Enix, Ubisoft, EA, and others are using it; it’s simple, versatile, and leads to great gaming experiences.

It’s time to get you on the same playing field as the bigger names. Our AG Deals Store highlight for you today is the Complete Unity Game Developer Bundle, designed to get you from newbie to master in no time at all. Priced only $39 (95% off), it’s a collection of training that you can bite off as time allows. After all, it’s a lifetime subscription.

The training bundle offers:

  • Procedural Content Generation: Save Time By Making Your Games Build Themselves
  • Working With Huge Worlds In Unity: Build Massive Game Worlds & Make Them Run Smoother
  • Augmented Reality Game Development: Mix the Real World with Your Game’s Using This Futuristic Technology
  • Storytelling In Games With Unity Cinemachine: Create Professional Cutscenes That Captivate Your Audience
  • Controllable Human Animations With Unity: Bring Life to Your Gaming World By Creating a Playable Human Character
  • Master Unity Mobile Game Development: Walk Through Mobile Game Development in Only 3 Hours
  • Build A Complete Unity 2D Mobile Platformer Game: Get a Step-By-Step Guide for Creating Your Own Unity Platformer

This bundle is designed to not only teach you Unity, but in easy to manage lessons over nearly 30 hours. With more than 200 lessons spanning the seven courses, it’s all you need to get your game off the ground. Worth around $1,400, the full collection of courses is just $39 through our limited-time offer.

Best Sellers

Earn Credits!

For every $25 you spend in the AG Deals Store you get $1 credit added to your account. And, if you refer the deal via social media or an email that results in a purchase, you’ll earn $10 credit in your account.

First Time Buying?

If this is your first time buying, you are also eligible for 10% discount! Just be sure to subscribe for email updates.

Free Stuff

Not looking to spend any money today? No worries. You can still visit the AndroidGuys section for freebies and pick something anyhow.

LOCKLY introduces two new smart locks for CES 2021

0

LOCKLY is a company offering residential and commercial smart lock solutions. Today, they debuted two new smart locks.

LOCKLY Duo

LOCKLY Duo

The Duo is a combination latch and deadbolt smart lock. It uses a hackproof digital keypad which randomly shuffles pin number locations. This is combined with a biometric fingerprint sensor.

In addition, you can control your Duo with your voice with Alexa or Google Assistant integration as well as real-time control and monitoring with the smartphone app. However, to use these features, you will have to purchase the separate Secure link Wifi Hub.

Finally, for friends and family, you can send Offline Access Codes for the long term or eKeys for short-term or one-time use so they can get in even when you’re not home.

The Duo will be available Q1 2021 in Satin Nickel and Matte Black at Lockly.com, Amazon, and other major retailers for $399.99

LOCKLY Guard

LOCKLY Guard

The LOCKLY Guard is a smart lock for sliding and swing-style doors is ideal for both new and existing sliding and swing doors say for a patio, balcony, or backdoor. It has a hackproof pin lock with fingerprint sensor access.

This combines with remote lock and unlock with the smartphone app or with voice control through Alexa or Google Assistant, though you will need to purchase the Secure Link Wifi Hub for these features.

As with the DUO, the Guard allows for Offline Access Codes or one-time/short-term eKeys so you can grant access to friends and family.

The Guard will be available in Q2 in Satin Nickel, Matte Black, and Metallic Chrome for $499.99. There is also an optional addon for the Guard for a built-in RFID card reader allowing for contactless access.

Both of these devices are ready for property managers with LOCKLY Access Portal, which allows for property managers to manage and monitor all locks at once in an easy-to-use dashboard for up to 1,000 locks.