The ElliQ eldercare robot gets a hardware upgrade, generative AI for improved conversations

In some parts of the world (read: Japan, primarily), eldercare has been an important robotics focus for decades. In recent years, other markets have begun exploring the space. Labrador Robotics' home assistive system is a good example here in the States. In Tel Aviv, meanwhile, Intuition Roboti

Samsung brings back Ballie, its home robot, at CES 2024 — with a few upgrades

Remember Ballie, Samsung’s spherical home robot from CES 2020? I sure didn’t — until Samsung brought it back at this year’s keynote with a few on-trend AI upgrades. The new and improved Ballie, which Samsung previewed during its press conference at CES 2024 in Las Vegas toda

CES brings us another wave of overpriced ‘smart’ cookware

Wandering around the CES preview events, it’s clear that AI and other smart tech is coming to toasters, grills and all sorts of other devices. As someone who loves to cook, it’s possible that these products aren’t really for me, but I can’t help but think that a bunch of sma

Will Apple’s Vision Pro launch be a Groundhog Day for immersive computing?

Apple’s Vision Pro headset is set to finally launch in the U.S. on February 2, at a retail price of $3,499. At that price, there’s no doubt it’ll have limited appeal, which seems just fine with Apple given reports about their initial sales expectations. Apple originally announced

Withings’ new multiscope device checks vitals for telehealth visits

Aside from a brief on-again-off-again thing with Nokia, Withings has been quietly establishing itself as a home health powerhouse in recent years. The French company might not have the big-name pull of an Apple or Samsung, but it has been making some expertly crafted devices designed to make vital

CES 2024: Samsung's bigger, foldier, more rollable displays

Consider this a preview of a preview. It's an opportunity to take advantage of the brief Sunday morning news lull before the deluge kicks into full effect Monday. Tomorrow is, after all, when Samsung will host its CES 2024 press conference along with other big names like Sony and LG. This weeke

For just $139, this startup turns your iPhone into a BlackBerry-era relic

Clicks Technology is today unveiling the Clicks creator keyboard for the iPhone. It’s less “the future” than an unpleasant glance back to a world we thought we had left behind, in a nostalgia-tinged flashback to the days of BlackBerry and Nokia, where pressing physical buttons was

Qualcomm next-gen XR chip promises up to 4.3K resolution per eye

Just ahead of CES, Qualcomm today announced the next generation of its Snapdragon XR platform, the aptly named XR2+ Gen 2. The new system-on-a-chip promises up to a 4.3K resolution per eye at 90 frames per second (and a slightly reduced resolution at 120 fps), as well as a 2.5x GPU performance incr

Urbanista integrates Powerfoyle tech with solar-powered headphones

The subject of solar-powered tech rouses a bit of deserved skepticism among consumers. At the end of the day, I suspect most folks would love more sustainable gadgets they never have to charge, but on the whole, the actual technology rarely — if ever — lives up to expectation. Next week

I broke my wrist: Meta Quest 3 and Supernatural helped me through

A few weeks ago, I broke my wrist (in a very stupid way, e-scooters are bad) and the prospect of a protracted recovery period with extremely limited mobility in that arm was really not something I was looking forward to. Generally, I’m an extremely active person who primarily enjoys weight tr

Roku announces new lineup of high-end TVs to launch this spring

A year after announcing its own lineup of Roku-branded TVs, the hardware company revealed today a new range of high-end televisions. Roku also introduced Roku Smart Picture, an AI-powered feature that automatically adjusts picture and audio quality. The Roku Pro Series TVs feature a thinner design

Moonwalker robotic shoes get lighter and smarter

Next week at CES, Austin-based Shift Robotics will debut a revamped version of their viral hit robotic shoes. The Moonwalker X is a full pound lighter per shoe and features some key control system upgrades. The new shoes will also be available in smaller sizes. The original Moonwalkers caused a maj

MIT scientists are working on a vibrating obesity pill

MIT likens a new vibrating capsule to drinking a glass full of water prior to eating. Dieticians recommend the latter as a method for sending signals to your brain to simulate the sensation of being full. The researchers behind the new project further suggest it as a future alternative to surgery a

I guess I'm a projector person now?

I've been one of the those “I don't own a TV” people for a long time. Really my entire adult life, excepting those times when I shared my living space with someone who brought their own to the party. My exact motivation is a bit hazy all these years later, but at a certain point, it'