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Huawei and its peers won't win over the US without trust
Standing in front of a slide simply titled "Something I want to share," the CEO of Huawei's consumer product division is about to break tradition. Richard Yu is going to directly address the reported partnership with AT&T that fell through at the last minute, pulling back the curtains, ever so slightly, on a business that is largely conducted behind closed doors. The Chinese electronics company recently overtook Apple as the world's second-largest smartphone maker in sales, but it still struggles to gain the approval of the American public.
Watch the first footage from Kodak’s reborn Super 8 film camera
Even if you think film has had its day, there's no denying that it evokes a dreamy nostalgia that digital video can't match. Kodak got a lot of folks, including A-list Hollywood directors, excited about its hybrid Super 8 camera based on that idea, and it has now revealed the first footage that seems to deliver on that promise. Shot by cinematographers like Nick Green and GQ fashion photographers, the video reveals the soft grain, organic-looking flares, low resolution and high contrast you (might) love with Super 8 film.
Facebook's Hugo Barra says standalone headsets are key to social VR
Even though Oculus didn't have an official presence at CES this year, its leader, Hugo Barra, made a surprise appearance at Qualcomm's press conference to make an important announcement: Xiaomi would be its global hardware partner for Oculus Go, its first standalone VR headset. What's more, Xiaomi would also be making a special variant of the Go, the Mi VR Standalone, especially for China. In an interview with Barra following the press conference, he explained the reason for the push in standalone headsets: social VR.
The totally normal, completely unsurprising lack of women at CES
There's a spot on the corner of Paradise Road and Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas where you can stand, facing the convention center, and see ads for Huawei, Hisense, Bosch and naked women. The tech-branded tents and billboards have now disappeared, soon replaced by different ads specific to a different industry, but for one week in January every year, Sin City is overrun with technology companies for CES. The newsstand offering images of nude women isn't directly connected to CES, but it's still there, in the background of the entire show -- this idea of women as commodities rather than thought leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs or even a viable market. The Consumer Technology Association, which puts on CES every year, came under fire in November when it announced the 2018 lineup of keynote speakers, all of whom were men. White men, in fact, aside from one speaker. Comments to this article have now been closed.
Nanoleaf wants you to control your smart home with a dodecahedron
A few months ago, Nanoleaf revealed a "Rhythm Starter Kit" that let you synchronize its colorful Aurora light panels with music. At CES, the company released a product designed to control it and more: the Nanoleaf Remote. But unlike a typical handheld remote control, the Nanoleaf Remote is in the shape of a 12-sided polygon -- a dodecahedron, if you will -- which changes the lights depending on which side it's on. And the beauty of it is that you don't have to use it with just Nanoleaf products -- it'll work with compatible Apple HomeKit products as well.
Fox Innovation Lab showcases Wes Anderson VR and Movies Anywhere
During CES, Fox Innovation Lab hosted an event focused on tech it's pushing this year, like HDR10+, but the most important parts were a slick VR experience tied to Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs and discussion of the recently launched Movies Anywhere. While VR experiences built around movies are hardly new, this one took an unusual tack.
Meltdown and Spectre flaws loomed large over CES
The Meltdown and Spectre CPU vulnerabilities hung like a shadow over the festivities of CES. What's typically a celebration of consumer electronics was instead a stark reminder of just how far-reaching these issues are. And that's especially the case for Intel and AMD, both of whom unveiled fast new processors that are still vulnerable to future Spectre exploits. They each had statements about what they're doing to secure their hardware, but there was no escaping that the threat of Spectre is the new normal. That's particularly troubling when tech companies are hoping to launch smart home solutions that seep into every aspect of ours lives.
Assistive hearing is the next big thing for wireless earbuds
The number of companies that sell true wireless earbuds has exploded in the last year. B&O, Bose, Sony and Samsung all joined the craze Bragi started back in 2014. Thanks to a bill signed into law last year, some hearing aids and assistive audio devices will be available over-the-counter without the need for a prescription. Headphone companies are also using their tech to help people with hearing problems, especially those suffering from tinnitus.
Nissan shares its vision for our autonomous EV future at CES
Not surprisingly, autonomy and electrification dominated transportation news at CES 2018. Toyota introduced its e-Palette concept mobility solution (which proceeded to dominate Engadget's Best of CES awards), while Silicon Valley startup Robomart unveiled plans to bring produce shopping to your front door. Automakers also announced a slew of upcoming self-driving technologies, ranging from Alexa integration and automated emergency brakes to Level 5 personal transport pods that do away with the steering wheel altogether.
After Math: CES 2018 by the numbers
After a week in the desert, CES 2018 has finally come to a close. Booths were trod, products were demoed and the conference was visited by only one of the biblical plagues. Puffco debuted one of the only cannabis gadgets seen at CES in recent memory, a gaming robot beat virtually every human who challenged it in Scrabble, and Toyota's "E-Palette" mobility concept turned all of the heads. Numbers, because how else will you tally votes for the Best of CES awards?
The TVs that mattered at CES
As usual, CES 2018 provided a bonanza of big screens, loaded up with every piece of tech you can create a buzzword for. But figuring out which TVs will matter to you next year is about a little more than just pixels and apps. While there could be only one "best" winner, the decision of what to buy is about more than just picture quality, which is why these screens are the ones that stuck out.
Retro tech, accessibility and the latest in the TV wars
There's so much news at CES, it can be hard to filter out the noise and find what matters. Thankfully, Engadget is here to help. A collection of your favorite editors got together toward the end of the show to have a conversation about the big trends and the announcements that excited them most. And, of course, Richard Lawler talked about TVs. Click here to catch up on the latest news from CES 2018.
Tobii proves that eye tracking is VR's next killer feature
There are plenty of ways virtual reality headsets could get better. They could offer higher-resolution screens (like the new Vive Pro), a wider field of view and improved built-in tracking sensors. But another feature might be even more essential: eye tracking. It's not a new concept -- we've been following FOVE's eye-tracking headset, as well as 7Invensun's Vive accessory, for a few years now. But it seems more important than ever as consumer VR winds up. Tobii, a company that's been exploring the potential of eye tracking for a while, is hoping to integrate its technology into the next generation of VR headsets. And based on some demos I saw, it's clearly not a question of if VR headsets will get eye tracking. It's when.
Zap your brain for a better you
Squirt some conductive gel on your skin, place a lightweight headset on your noggin and, according to a number of companies at CES, there's barely a limit to the types of self-improvement you can achieve. You can improve your sleep or your athletic performance, or lose weight. You might relieve nausea or even aid depression. And with almost no effort on your part.
Amazon’s flop of a phone made newer, better hardware possible
Amazon devices have taken root in our homes with almost alarming speed, but the tech giant hasn't gotten everything right. Back in 2014, Amazon released the Fire Phone, an ambitious smartphone that remains the company's biggest hardware flop to date. The comapany has never confirmed how many Fire Phones it sold, but considering that Amazon took a $170 million write-down in October of that year, it's fair to say the device bombed.
Taking Arcimoto’s three-wheeled EV for a spin
The rise of the electric car promises a cleaner future. Arcimoto CEO Mark Frohnmayer believes that we can do more to reduce our footprint by not just removing trash from our air but also using smaller vehicles built using fewer materials. The $11,900 Arcimoto three-wheeled EV is the result of his desire to lower his CO2 emissions and cut down on the space a daily driver takes in the world.
Bathrooms are getting smarter, for better or worse
Getting up from the toilet after a satisfying bowel movement, you walk right over to the sink and start washing your hands. "Alexa, flush my toilet," you say while reaching for your toothbrush. Your mirror starts displaying your schedule for the day, the weather update and the latest news. Suddenly there's a ping -- your toilet has detected an anomaly in your stool and recommends you increase your fiber intake. A dispenser built into your medicine cabinet whirs to life and spits out a fiber supplement.
Mexico's CES 2018 presence is the start of something big
For many technology entrepreneurs and startups, CES is where dreams are born. It's the place where their concepts and products are showcased to the masses for the first time ever, all with the hope of making a dent in one of the most thriving industries at the moment. Over the past 12 years, that's been the case for Manuel Gutiérrez-Novelo, a 47-year-old Mexican entrepreneur and inventor who has been attending the show since the 2000s. Gutierrez has launched a number of products throughout the years at CES, including what he calls the world's "first" virtual reality viewer connected to a computer, in 2006.
Toyota insists its e-Palette is more than a concept car
There's one thing that keeps Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda up at night. It's not a traditional car company like Honda, Ford or Nissan. Or what he's going to have for breakfast the next day. It's technology juggernauts like Facebook, Google and Apple and what might happen when they decide to enter the automotive industry proper. Will the company be ready? Is it doing enough to stay ahead of a potential broadside from Silicon Valley? The answer, Toyoda believes, is to morph Toyota into a data and smart mobility company. One that's less about selling cars and trucks and more about moving people, products and services in the most efficient way possible.
Schwarzkopf’s smart salon personalizes your hair care regimen
As a woman whose long, thick hair has undergone several chemical treatments, I've always been concerned about the health and quality of my tresses. When I heard about Schwarzkopf Professional's new hair analyzer, I was naturally intrigued by its potential uses. The company is bringing its SalonLab Analyzer system to Schwarzkopf salons across the US and Europe in 2018 so you can get a better understanding of how damaged your hair is. Not only that, but salons can also use the information gathered to better cater their treatments to your needs, as well as create personalized shampoos on the spot. I went for a quick consultation at CES 2018, and so far I'm impressed by what it offers.
