Thursday, January 6, 2022

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Some Facebook moderators can work from home following protests

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:39 PM PST

Meta's in-house staff won't have to return to the office for months, but some of its contracted workers are only now getting a similar reprieve. BuzzFeed News has learned subcontractor Accenture has scrapped a requirement that hundreds of Facebook moderators return to in-person work in Mountain View, California on January 24th. The original plan, provided to moderators in late December, would have forced roughly 400 people to work in close proximity while COVID-19's highly infectious Omicron variant is likely to still be rampant.

The announcement led to public and private protests over the decision, including "nearly a dozen" threats to resign, BuzzFeed said. The moderators said it was impossible to maintain Accenture's social distancing requirements given tightly packed offices, closed stairwells, and poor enforcement, and that the company didn't provide exemptions for immunocompromised workers or vulnerable family members.

An Accenture spokesperson confirmed that moderators working from home "should continue to do so" based on COVID-19 health data, and claimed the company worked "collaboratively" to accommodate individuals in compliance with the law. Meta, meanwhile, said it would "continue to prioritize" the health and safety of all workers. Meta's own employees can defer returns to the office to as late as June.

These concerns aren't strictly new. Moderators accused Meta (then Facebook) in 2020 of putting lives at risk by asking some contractors to work from the office even when family members were highly vulnerable. Meta disputed some of the claims at the time, but not all. This also comes after a $52 million settlement with moderators who said they developed PTSD and other mental health issues while screening harmful material. However, this latest incident suggests Meta still hasn't shaken concerns about the welfare of its moderation teams.

Samsung's QD Display tech aims to unlock brighter, more colorful OLED TVs

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 01:50 PM PST

Samsung is best known for its QLED TVs but at CES 2022, after years of building up hype, the company's Display subsidiary unveiled its new QD-OLED technology and it promises to take on the best OLED TVs from LG. The tech is different from your standard OLED in that it only uses blue organic light-emitting diodes. Those diodes then shine the light they produce through a series of quantum dots, allowing the panel to produce the full spectrum of color visible to the human eye. The approach has multiple advantages.

The most notable, particularly compared to current OLED displays, is that the panel can get a lot brighter. In a demo FlatspanelsHD saw at CES, one display produced more than 1,000 nits of peak brightness across a 10 percent window. For comparison, some of the more recent TVs from LG can produce between 700 nits and 1,000 nits of brightness across the same area. Brightness is something LG has consistently tried to address with its WOLD panels. In December, the company's display subsidiary unveiled its "OLED EX" tech, claiming it would enhance brightness by up to 30 percent compared to conventional OLED displays.

Another advantage of the technology is better color performance. The panels Samsung Display showed off at CES 2022 covered 90 percent of the Rec. 2020 color gamut. LG's WOLED panels, which people consistently praise for their accurate and vibrant colors, hit about 70 percent of the Rec. 2020 standard. Lastly, viewing angles are improved. In addition to TVs, the technology will make its way to gaming monitors, with Samsung and Dell planning to use the tech in 34-inch displays.

We'll have to see how the panels perform in the real world, but at least on paper, QD-OLED could easily become the new standard for high-end consumer TVs. One of the first companies set to release a TV with a QD-OLED panel is Sony with its A95K sets. Unfortunately, Sony has yet to announce how much those TVs will cost, and we won't know until closer to release sometime this spring.

Watch GM's Silverado EV reveal in 10 minutes

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 01:27 PM PST

GM had a lot to show off during its virtual CES 2022 keynote, including the Chevrolet Silverado, which is built on the company's Ultium battery platform. The automaker offered an early look at two other Chevy EVs, which are electric versions of the Blazer and Equinox SUVs. 

On top of that, GM discussed BrightDrop's Ultium-based electric vans, the Cruise Origin vehicle and autonomous Cadillac concepts called InnerSpace and OpenSpace. Catch up on all of the key news from the event with our 10-minute supercut.

The Sundance Film Festival is going completely virtual again

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:59 PM PST

The Sundance Film Festival was gearing up for an ambitious hybrid event later this month, but those plans are now squashed thanks to the Omicron COVID-19 surge. Sundance is instead planning for a completely virtual event starting on January 20th, along with a handful of screenings in local markets. While disappointing, the festival's investment in a better digital platform last year puts it in a better position than other major events. (Looking at you, CES.) And of course, you'll still be able to check out the Sundance New Frontiers experiences in VR. Based on our experience last year, it'll be well worth it.

"While it is a deep loss to not have the in-person experience in Utah, we do not believe it is safe nor feasible to gather thousands of artists, audiences, employees, volunteers, and partners from around the world, for an eleven-day festival while overwhelmed communities are already struggling to provide essential services," Sundance Film Festival director Tabitha Jackson wrote in an e-mail to attendees.

BMW will use Amazon's Fire TV to power an 8K backseat 'Theatre Screen'

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:52 PM PST

Never mind cars that coddle drivers — BMW wants to give rear seat passengers the deluxe treatment. It's previewing a 31-inch, 8K "Theatre Screen" passenger option based on Fire TV for cars. Cue it up and the 32:9 screen will extend from the headliner, complete with 5G data and Bowers & Wilkins surround sound. You'll even watch the sunblinds close and listen to an opening theme from soundtrack composer Hans Zimmer.

Content from Amazon's platform will 'only' play in 4K, and few videos will make full use of the ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio. You can tilt the screen for an ideal view, though, and two rear passengers can control the volume and the rest of the entertainment system.

BMW didn't say which vehicles would include Theatre Screen beyond "future" models, but you'll access it as part of the My Modes feature that debuted in the iX. The price and availability also weren't available, although you can presume this will get expensive. Not that cost is necessarily a concern for the target audience — this may be as much for chauffeured customers as it is parents hoping to spoil their kids during road trips.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Google Fiber workers in Kansas City make a bid to unionize

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:47 PM PST

A supermajority of customer service representatives for Google Fiber, operating out of a store in Kansas City, Missouri, have signed union cards in the hopes of bargaining their first contract with their bosses. They're organizing under the auspices of the Alphabet Workers Union, a year-old division of the Communication Workers of America which is seeking to represent employees and contractors at all level of Google's parent company. 

The 11 workers — 10 of whom have signed cards since the union drive began in October — are jointly employed by Google and a staffing agency called BDS Connected Solutions. That's not out of the ordinary, as staffing arrangements with Alphabet go: a 2019 story in the New York Times found temps and contractors made up the majority of the tech giant's workforce, while a Recodereport that same year indicated that this second class of laborers earned significantly less than Google's own full-time employees. According to two BDS workers who spoke to Engadget, customer representatives had been feeling left out of key conversations about staffing and safety protocols, and communication with management has deteriorated. 

"We started off by just asking, 'Hey, how do you feel about this idea? Do you feel like you have enough say, in the conditions that you work in?' We basically received a unanimous 'No, I don't feel like we do,'" Emrys Adair told Engadget. "It hasn't always been like this," Mike Knox, who has been a Google Fiber representative for several years, said "the general relationship between management and the workers. It used to be closer." Kansas City was the very first market Google Fiber launched in, nearly a decade ago.

What makes this push to form a bargaining unit somewhat unusual, however, has been the decision to skip straight to petitioning the National Labor Relations Board. Typically, this is the longer, more arduous option when an employer refuses to voluntarily recognize a union. But, according to Adair, Alphabet and BDS have neither attempted to quash the union drive, nor expressed a willingness to recognize it."There's been no acknowledgement, no pushback. no response at all yet," they said. Google and BDS have not responded to requests for comment from Engadget.

Like many workplaces in recent years, these service representatives have cycled through closures, reduced hours and the occasional need to isolate and work remotely when a colleague tests positive for COVID-19. While they weren't keen to give too many specifics as to what they'd hope to secure in a first contract, one of the benefits they're seeking to obtain is hazard pay. "As far as the actual COVID precautions go, they've done a pretty alright, job," Adair said. "Our main concern is just that we're still working in the store in person in a pandemic, which in and of itself, no matter how you do that is a risk."

It may be months or years before the NLRB makes a ruling on these workers' right to form a bargaining unit. In the meantime, Knox hopes it might spur action from others within Google Fiber. "We're really hoping that this inspires in that regard," he said. "We're hoping that's a flashpoint where other people can see that and decide to push for more input."

Are you a Google employee, TVC or contractor? I'd like to hear from you. Download Signal messenger for iOS or Android and text me confidentially at 646 983 9846.

Peacock will stream all of NBCUniversal's Winter Olympics coverage

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:28 PM PST

Even though it feels like we were watching skateboarders tear it up at the Summer Games in Tokyo only a few weeks ago, the Winter Olympics are almost upon us. Watching all of the events often requires hopping between several channels and platforms, but this time around, you'll be able to check out everything in one place. Peacock Premium members can stream all of NBCUniversal's Winter Olympics coverage.

The platform will host live streams of every event from all 15 sports, including those aired on broadcast and cable, as well as full replays. You'll also be able to catch the opening and closing ceremonies, NBC's daily primetime show, studio programing, documentaries and more. Competition coverage starts on February 2nd and the Opening Ceremony takes place in Beijing two days later. The Winter Olympics conclude on February 20th.

Peacock Premium typically costs $5 per month, though Comcast subscribers get an ad-supported version at no extra cost. Peacock users can stream other live sports, including Premier League soccer games.

Cadillac's new self-driving concept is a luxury loveseat on wheels

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

After introducing a six-person self-driving box and a frickin' ridable drone concept last year, GM's latest luxury self-driving EV idea is much more grounded. The InnerSpace concept looks like a futuristic car from the outside—but inside, there's a two-seat loveseat surrounded by one of the widest screens we've ever seen. There's no steering wheel or pedals, of course. Instead, there's a built-in ottoman and a compartment for slippers and a blanket. Where GM's going, you won't need any sort of manual control.

Even stepping into the car seems like something from science fiction: the doors pop out, while the large windshield/sunroof rises up. As usual, concepts like the InnerSpace are a way for car designers to flex their muscles and imagine what future vehicles could actually be like. While it certainly seems out of reach for most people, perhaps Cadillac's more affluent clientele would be intrigued by owning a personal spaceship. At least it's better for the environment than full-sized luxury SUVs. 

"Electrification and autonomous driving will fundamentally change the role of vehicles and the experiences customers have with them," Bryan Nesbitt, GM's executive director of Global Advanced Design, said in a statement. "We're exploring where that will go with these innovative concepts, envisioning mobility as an ally of wellness, giving customers the ultimate luxury, more personal time rather than taking it."

As someone who hates the act of driving, but lives in a place where I can't avoid it, it'll be interesting to see how car makers turn these self-driving concept vehicles into a reality. And maybe after getting these wild designs through their systems, they'll show us more concepts for self-driving family EVs.

HTC Vive reveals a VR wrist tracker for the Focus 3 headset

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 11:53 AM PST

HTC Vive has revealed a wrist tracker for its Focus 3 headset. The device is 85 percent smaller and 50 percent lighter than the Vive Focus 3 controller.

The brand says the wearable can track your arm from fingertips to elbow. The Focus 3's cameras can monitor LEDs for standalone tracking. As such, attaching the Wrist Tracker to an object allows the headset to track it with six degrees of freedom.

With the help of high-frequency IMU (inertial measurement unit) data and an advanced kinematic model, Focus 3 will still know the exact position of your hand and wrist when the tracker isn't in the cameras' line of sight. It can predict your pose too, so if you, for instance, reach behind your head with a tennis racket to play a smash shot, the headset should still have a good idea of what you're doing.

The Vive Wrist Tracker will be released in early 2022, starting in the US. It costs $129/€129/£119. HTC Vive also revealed new accessories for the Focus 3, including a multi battery charger and charging case, in part to reduce downtime between sessions.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Lyft and Kakao drivers can soon take ride requests through Android Auto

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 11:45 AM PST

Many ride hailing drivers won't have to mount their phones in the near future. Google is partnering with Lyft and Kakao Mobility to bring their driver apps to Android Auto sometime this summer. If you work for either service, you'll accept and navigate rides directly from your car's touchscreen. This won't help you much if you're a passenger, of course, but it will give drivers a much clearer view of the route ahead.

It should be much easier to use wireless Android Auto if you are driving. Motorola is releasing a $90 MA1 adapter on January 30th that enables wire-free use on cars where Android Auto is already available.

The additions come alongside other car-related integrations unveiled at CES, such as starting and unlocking BMW cars, UWB car door access from your pocket and key sharing. Google Assistant car control and YouTube are also coming to compatible cars from Volvo and others. While it will take months for all of Google's plans to unfold, it's evident Android is about to play a more important role in vehicles — whether or not you're at the wheel.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Walmart orders 5,000 electric delivery vans from GM's BrightDrop

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 11:39 AM PST

GM's BrightDrop has secured additional orders for its all-electric EV600 and EV410 delivery vans. Walmart has reserved 5,000 of the vehicles from the company, Brightdrop announced on Wednesday. Like FedEx, which received the first part of a 500 vehicle order from BrightDrop at the end of last year, the retailer hopes to have an all-electric delivery fleet by 2040. Walmart said it will use the vehicles as part of its InHome delivery business. In 2022, the company plans to expand the availability of the service to 30 million US households by the end of the year. Walmart estimates its first vans from BrightDrop could be on the road as early as 2023.

Alongside the news from Walmart, BrightDrop announced that FedEx had reserved priority production for 2,000 additional EV600 delivery vans, and could order as many as 20,000 more over the next few years. The all-wheel-drive EV600 has 600 cubic feet of cargo storage space and can travel up to 250 miles on a single charge. It also includes auto-locking doors and motion-activated interior lighting.

GM and BrightDrop aren't the only companies providing electric vans to some of the biggest parcel delivery companies on the planet. In 2020, FedEx ordered 10,000 EVs from UK-based Arrival. Meanwhile, electric transport startup Rivian is producing 100,000 delivery vans for Amazon.

BMW's color changing car concept works just like an e-reader

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 11:00 AM PST

E-Ink technology has proven itself useful in many applications since its advent in 1997 — from digital whiteboards to laptop displays, even personal accessories. At CES 2022, that technology finally made its way to the automotive industry as BMW unveiled an e-ink vehicle exterior that can change colors depending on weather and traffic conditions, or just the driver's mood. 

In answer to your first question, no, this futuristic feature is nowhere near production ready despite appearing at the show on a live demonstration vehicle, dubbed the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink. 

The electrophoretic coloring material itself is applied as a vehicle body wrap but works just like it e-ink displays do in your Kindle. The wrap is embedded with millions of microcapsules each containing a negatively-charged white pigment and a positively charged-black pigment. Depending on the setting, applying an electrical charge to the material will cause either the white or black pigments to rise to the top of the microcapsule, changing the vehicle's color in moments. 

While the current iteration can only swap between a pair of colors, the palette could eventually be expanded to display a rainbow's worth of differing shades. "This gives the driver the freedom to express different facets of their personality or even their enjoyment of change outwardly, and to redefine this each time they sit into their car," Stella Clarke, Head of Project for the BMW iX Flow featuring E Ink, said in a prepared statement. "Similar to fashion or the status ads on social media channels, the vehicle then becomes an expression of different moods and circumstances in daily life."

E-ink exterior displays could also prove useful in more practical applications such as changing colors depending on the weather to increase a vehicle's battery life (and therefore, range) in cold climates or reduce the need for air conditioning in balmy weather.

GM teases electric versions of its Chevy Blazer and Equinox SUVs

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:41 AM PST

GM's electric vehicle debuts at CES 2022 involve much more than just the Chevy Silverado. The automaker has teased plans for Blazer and Equinox EVs that would respectively arrive in spring and fall 2023. The Equinox should be relatively affordable, too, with the compact SUV expected to carry a starting price around $30,000 before tax and incentives.

The company was shy about technical details, but did say the Equinox would be available in LT and RS trim levels, and sell to fleets as well as everyday customers. The design (above) isn't a radical one given Chevy's existing EV aesthetics, but it is considerably more aerodynamic than the current machine.

The two extra models make sense in light of GM's electrification strategy. If the company is going to exclusively sell EVs by 2035, it needs to make affordable rides that fulfill the roles occupied by current mainstream cars. That means augmenting or replacing its most recognizable models, not just launching ground-up designs like the Bolt or Cadillac Lyriq. While the Blazer and Equinox won't be as exciting as flagships like the Hummer EV, they could easily form the backbone of GM's lineup in the near future.

Ubisoft's game subscription service is coming to Xbox consoles

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:30 AM PST

Ubisoft is bringing its game subscription service to Xbox. Ubisoft+ is currently available on PC and cloud gaming services like Google Stadia and Amazon Luna. Subscribers can access more than 100 Ubisoft titles (as well as DLC and monthly bonuses) for a monthly fee. The lineup includes titles like Assassins Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs Legion, Far Cry 6 and Riders Republic.

The publisher didn't provide a timeline for bringing Ubisoft+ to Xbox. Nor has it revealed pricing. The PC-only subscription is $15 and a PC and cloud plan is $18 per month. It's unclear whether Ubisoft will offer a console-only plan.

When Ubisoft+ does arrive on Xbox consoles, it will join a subscription service from a rival publisher. EA Play, formerly known as EA Access, has been on Xbox since 2014 (and PlayStation since 2019). Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can access EA Play titles at no extra cost.

Meanwhile, Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Extraction will be available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass when it debuts on January 20th. Along with up to two teammates, you can take on hordes of aliens in the tactical shooter, which is based on a Rainbow Six Siege mode called Outbreak. Siege is already available on Xbox Game Pass and via cloud gaming on Game Pass Ultimate, and it's coming to PC Game Pass on January 20th as well.

Instagram starts testing the return of chronological feeds

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:19 AM PST

Instagram has started to test the chronological feed it promised last month. The company has started to test the new versions of its feed, which will allow users to switch between chronological and algorithmically-sorted feeds, says Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.

Mosseri first shared plans to bring back a chronological feed in December during a Senate hearing on Instagram's impact on teens and kids' mental health. The company later confirmed that it was working on two new versions of its feed, one called "favorites," and one called "following."

In his latest comments, Mosseri said that Instagram will soon allow users to toggle between three different feeds: home, favorites and following. Home will be similar to Instagram's current feed, which ranks posts based on what you're likely to be interested in, while "favorites" will be a dedicated feed for the friends you care most about. "Following" will be a chronological feed just for accounts you follow, much like Instagram's default feed prior to 2016.

Instagram plans to roll out anew chronological feed.
Screenshot via Twitter

"We think it's important that you can get to a chronological feed, if you're interested quickly and see the latest that has been posted by the accounts that you follow," Mosseri said in a video.

Importantly, the "home" feed will also see significant changes. Mosseri said that the main feed would "have more and more recommendations over time." The company has already been testing adding recommendations from non-followed accounts and Reels into its main feed, so it sounds like Instagram plans to double down on these efforts. Last week, Mosseri said the company was going to "rethink what Instagram is" in 2022, and would focus on Reels and building more tools for creators.

For now, the new feed changes won't be rolling out widely. Mosseri said the new feed tests "are already out or going out over the next couple of weeks," with the "full experience" expected to launch for everyone in the "first half of this year."

Volvo will debut its 'self-driving' Ride Pilot feature in California

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:15 AM PST

Volvo will debut "Ride Pilot," its take on a Tesla-like autonomous driving feature, in California, the automaker announced on Wednesday during CES 2022. Once it's approved for use on highways, Volvo says it will offer Ride Pilot as a paid subscription add-on for a new electric SUV it plans to reveal later this year. It will later bring the feature to other markets globally.

The company worked with Zenseact and LiDAR developer Luminar to create Ride Pilot, and it's currently testing the feature in Sweden. As you might guess from Luminar's involvement, Ride Pilot will utilize LiDAR technology, an approach that puts Volvo at odds with Tesla. CEO Elon Musk famously called the tech a "crutch" during a 2018 earnings call. According to Volvo, Ride Pilot will utilize a Luminar Iris LiDAR sensor complemented by eight cameras, 16 ultrasonic sensors and five radars to enable the software to judge depth. Additionally, the company says it will push out continuous over-the-air updates to ensure the feature is safe to use. 

"When we say self-driving, we mean self-driving. So this will be a feature or function where the car is actually responsible for the driving so you will not need to keep your hands on the steering wheel and you will not need to keep your eyes off the road," said Martin Kristensson, head of AD and mobility at Volvo.

Volvo says it will start testing Ride Pilot in California by the middle of 2022. It picked the state for its favourable regulatory stance on autonomous vehicles.   

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Volvo is bringing YouTube and Google Home integration to its vehicles

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:00 AM PST

Volvo says it will be the first automaker to offer direct integration with Google Home in its cars. You'll be able to control certain functions remotely via Google Assistant. You might tell your phone to lock the doors or ask a smart speaker to start warming up your car as you're getting ready to leave home.

Two-factor authentication is needed for "more sensitive commands," like unlocking the doors. You can also learn info related to your car through Google Assistant.

More features will be added later, such as the option to schedule charging. Volvo will roll out Google Home integration in the coming months. To use it, you'll need an Android-powered infotainment system that's connected to the Volvo Cars app and a Google Assistant-enabled device.

It's not the first time we've seen integration with connected home platforms in cars. GM and BMW owners can control smart home devices from vehicles with built-in Alexa, while Samsung and Google brought a SmartThings dashboard to some models with Android Auto. Still, Google Home is one of the more prominent connected home platforms around. If you have a smart speaker with Google Assistant enabled, these features might come in useful.

In addition, YouTube will be the first video streaming service on Volvo's infotainment system. You'll be able to download the app from the Play Store. The automaker offers unlimited data in certain markets, so you might be able to watch as many videos as you like without worrying about busting your data allowance.

For safety reasons, you'll only be able to watch YouTube videos on the screen when the car's stationary. That will ensure Volvo avoids the kind of controversy Tesla was embroiled in recently, when it emerged that games were playable on the infotainment system while a car was moving. The company said it would disable that option after the NHTSA said it was looking into the matter.

Other apps that Volvo owners will soon be able to download to their infotainment system include navigation apps Sygic and Flitsmeister; charging apps ChargePoint and Plugshare; and parking services SpotHero and ParkWhiz.

Earlier this week, Volvo announced it will use Qualcomm's car chipsets to power the infotainment systems in Polestar 3 and its upcoming electric EV. The automaker claims Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms will make the systems more responsive and more than twice as fast.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Google is working to improve Windows and Android integration

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:00 AM PST

Google wants to do for Android and Chrome users what Apple does for people in its ecosystem. It's announcing a set of news today at CES 2022 that are designed to help those using non-Apple devices easily set up, connect and share seamlessly across platforms. That involves expanding its existing Fast Pair and Chromecast capabilities to more products, as well as improving the sharing of data between Android phones and laptops. In fact, Google said that "for the first time with Android, we're also focused on building for other platforms, like Windows."

First, Fast Pair. Google is working with Acer, HP and Intel to bring Fast Pair to Windows PCs so you can quickly connect your Android phone to your laptop. You can then set up Bluetooth accessories, sync your text messages and easily share files via Nearby Share. This feature will arrive on select Windows PCs later this year. 

Meanwhile, Google is also bringing Fast Pair to devices beyond wearables, cars and Bluetooth audio accessories, to include things like TVs and smart devices. It already works with the Pixel Buds and some Fitbit watches, enabling easier setup on those devices. In a few weeks, your Chromebook can automatically detect your Fast Pair-enabled headphones when you turn them on, allowing you to connect to them in a single click. New Chromebooks arriving later this year will be easier to set up, too. You can connect your Android phone and port over saved data like your Google account and Wi-Fi password.

A pop-up dialog on an Android TV asking if the user wants to connect their detected Pixel Buds.
Google

The company said it'll let you connect headphones to Google TV or Android TV in the coming months, and that Fast Pair will work with new Matter-enabled smart home devices as well. That should make adding connected appliances to your home network easier than before. It doesn't sound as simple as Apple's HomePod setup where you can just hold your iPhone near your speaker to trigger the installation process, but we'll have to wait to see Google's solution in action to know for sure.

After your gadgets are all set up and synced with each other, Google also wants to enable convenient connections a la Apple's AirPlay or AirDrop. It's bringing Cast support to more brands, starting with all Bose smart speakers and soundbars, so you can stream music and audio from your Android phone to compatible speakers. 

The company is also "building a technology for Bluetooth-enabled headphones" that will let them automatically switch audio output depending on what device you're using. Say you're wearing earbuds while watching a show on your Android tablet and a call comes in on your phone. The system will pause your movie and the headphones will switch over to your phone, then go right back to your tablet when your conversation is over. This will work for all audio playing through your devices at a system level, rather than on a supported-app-only basis. For Apple users, this is similar to how AirPods can automatically switch between iPads, iPhones and Macs. 

An animation showing how audio switching between an Android tablet and phone works when a call comes in on the latter.
Google

Google says compatible headphones will also get spatial audio support so you can hear directional sound based on your head's movements for more immersive experiences. These features are coming in the next few months.

Later this year, Phone Hub on Chromebooks is also getting new features to make it more useful. For example, you won't have to install separate apps like Signal or WhatsApp on your laptop to message your friends via your phone anymore. Messages from chat apps will show up on your Chromebook and you can reply to them from there. Google is also adding Camera Roll to the Phone Hub so you can view your media without opening photos.google.com. 

Locking and unlocking devices and vehicles is also getting easier. Just like you can with Apple Watch (and some Samsung devices), in the coming months you'll be able to use your paired Wear OS 3 watch to keep your Chromebook and Android devices unlocked when you're close by.

An animation showing a phone and a Chromebook. When a message appears on the phone, a small window pops up on the bottom right of the Chromebook.
Google

Cars are also getting an Android update. Compatible Samsung or Pixel phones will now be able to lock, unlock and start supported BMW vehicles. Later this year, too, phones with ultra wideband support can open car doors without leaving your pocket or purse. Google is also adding support for key sharing, in compliance with the Connected Car Consortium interoperable standard, so you can remotely share access to your vehicle right from your phone. The company said it's "working to bring digital car keys to more Android phones and vehicles later this year."

Finally, you'll also be able to tell the Google Assistant to warm up, cool down, lock and unlock your car and ask it for the amount of battery left in your EV. This is coming first to Volvo Cars vehicles in the coming months, "with more to follow," according to Google. 

Everything Google announced today fits in with the vision of ambient computing the company has talked about for years. "This is sort of a foundational element for us to achieve the vision of ambient computing," vice president of multi-device experiences Erik Kay told Engadget. It does seem like when these updates do roll out, non-Apple users may have less reason to envy the seamless ecosystem that iPhone or Mac users enjoy.

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Razer’s latest absurd concept is a modular workstation with a 65-inch OLED

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:00 AM PST

CES wouldn't be the Consumer Electronics Show without Razer bringing at least one prototype product to the event. This year was no different with the company using the annual trade show to unveil Project Sophia, a concept modular gaming desk. In its current iteration, the table includes room for 13 separate modules. These can be used to add components like touchscreen hotkey panels, external capture cards and audio mixers to Project Sophia, thereby allowing you to modify the station to your needs. Razer claims it's possible to reconfigure the table "in seconds."

Project Sophia
Razer

The computer that powers everything is housed in a chassis that magnetically snaps underneath Project Sofia's glass tabletop surface. Razer says it features the latest components from Intel and NVIDIA, and you can detach the case at any point to install new upgrades. Naturally, this being a Razer product, you'll find plenty of RGB lighting, all of which you can control through the company's Chroma software. But arguably the most eye-catching aspect of Project Sophia is the 65-inch OLED display Razer has built into the station. The company says it will also offer a model with a 77-inch display – but we'll note here Project Sophia may never make it to market.

Looking at the rest of the concept, Razer appears to have paid less attention to ergonomics. Judging from the renders the company shared, you can't adjust the height of Project Sophia to make it a standing desk or to better accommodate the position of a chair. And speaking of chairs, the company also unveiled a "Pro HyperSense" version of its $399 Enki gaming chair. Razer partnered with D-Box to add haptics to the chair. It will support 2,200 games, movies and TV series, including releases from publishers like Ubisoft and Microsoft. Oh, and it too will come with RGB lighting.

Enki Pro HyperSense
Razer

Razer didn't say when it plans to release either product, though we expect it's far more likely for the Enki Pro HyperSense chair to make it to market.  

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Razer's $150 Zephyr Pro smart mask adds voice amplification

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:00 AM PST

Almost exactly one year ago, Razer announced Project Hazel. The smart face mask, which later became Zephyr, went on sale in October for $100 and promptly sold out. No doubt sensing an opportunity, the company now plans to release a Pro version of the mask in 2022. It will have all the features of the standard model, including the dual-fan active filtration system with N95 filters and RGB lighting, and add voice amplification.

That's a feature Project Hazel included but that Razer was forced to cut as it worked to bring the prototype to market. It will amplify your voice by 60 decibels up to one meter away. A button on the side will allow you to toggle the feature on and off. Beyond 2022, Razer hasn't said when it will release the Zephyr Pro, but what we do know is the mask will cost $150. The company will also offer a starter pack with 100 days of filters for $200.

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