 |
|
|
|||||
It's been ten years since LG introduced its Gram line of ultra thin and light laptops, and despite my early skepticism about its longevity and build quality, the company continues to make new models regularly. It's expanded the portfolio to offer pro variants, clamshells and 2-in-1s, and in keeping with every laptop maker in recent years, LG is now infusing the Gram Pros with more of its own... you guessed it... AI. We already learned about this year's LG Gram Pro lineup when they company unveiled the details last week. From the announcement, we found out that four new models are available. Here at CES 2025, I was able to check out the LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 in person to see what I was able to learn beyond the press release. The short answer is: not much. In the six days or so since LG shared the 2025 Gram lineup with the world, the company has yet to disclose pricing and availability. That's pretty common for many CES launches, so I wouldn't chalk that up as a warning sign. Besides the fact that it has new Intel Arrow Lake processors and displays with variable refresh rates that go up to 144Hz, though that's reserved for the LCD panel option. For models with OLED, you can only go up to 120Hz. There's also improved treatment to deal with glare, which was surprisingly effective at mitigating the overhead fluorescent lights on the show floor. I could still see the floating glowing orbs reflected on the display, but for the most part I was able to view the YouTube video playing on the demo unit just fine. As is becoming tradition for me at CES by now, I tried to bicep curl the Gram Pro 2-in-1 and frankly, the laptop remains unsatisfying for serious gym rats looking for heavy weights. Those wanting a truly portable system that fits into the thinnest of pockets without dragging on your shoulders will appreciate the Gram Pro. But, its 16-inch screen means it's fairly hefty and won't fit into many purses. I also appreciate the sturdy hinges LG has used in the Gram lineup. The Gram Pro 2-in-1's case hasn't been tweaked since last year's model, and I was mildly concerned when the lid started to flex a bit when a rep at the LG booth was flipping it over. But the device remained intact, and frankly all Gram laptops have always exhibited some level of flex because of how thin they are. The other main update to the Gram Pro 2-in-1 is the addition of LG's Gram AI suite of services. These include "Gram chat," which is available in on-device and cloud-based versions. The former uses LG's own EXAONE large language model, while the latter taps OpenAI's GPT-4o. Gram Chat Cloud can also integrate with your calendar and inboxes to help manage your schedules and "send and receive emails more efficiently," according to LG. There are also features like Time Travel, which is LG's take on Microsoft's Recall, helping users find what they're looking for by feeding parameters like date viewed or inline text to the AI system. When I asked an LG rep how the service would avoid the security concerns that Microsoft's Recall was criticized over, they said that people would have to grant permission before continuing to use their laptops. Like I mentioned, LG has yet to share details on price or when these Grams will be available, but with last year's Gram Pro 2-in-1 going for about $1,300 on Amazon right now, I'd imagine this year's models won't be too far off.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lg-gram-pro-2-in-1-2025-hands-on-of-course-a-thin-and-light-laptop-gets-ai-at-ces-2025-023252332.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
LG LG is the debut act at CES "press day," the full day of press conferences that precede the show floor's opening on Tuesday. LG execs will take the stage at Mandalay Bay promptly at 8AM PT on Monday and you can watch it all right here. Last year, LG pre-empted Apple by reinventing what the "AI" initials stand for. In LG parlance, it's "Affectionate Intelligence" an angle they are leaning into again this year. As for more tangible products, the transparent OLED-T TV the company announced in 2024 did make it across the preorder finish line before New Year's Eve with a $60,000 price tag. And in addition to its usual big appliance push, LG even touted new EV chargers. But the little home robot that LG introduced last year hasn't been seen since. What to expect at the LG CES 2025 press conference Beyond the "AI everywhere" angle (which you'll hear from nearly every vendor this year), expect LG to tie together its full range of product categories, from TVs to appliances and everything in between. And because LG (like Samsung) has tended to tip its hand in the days and weeks before CES, we already have some idea of what to expect. For instance, we already know that the company's 2025 OLED evo TV line will pair 4K resolution with gaming-friendly 165Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the new PF600U packs an HD projector, Bluetooth speaker and LED mood lamp into something that looks like an old-school oscillating floor fan. On the audio front, Engadget's Billy Steele already likes the "punchy highs" he heard during a quick demo of the compact S20A soundbar. And the newest LG Signature microwave includes a built-in 27-inch touchscreen display on its door, so your kitchen will never be without a screen. Of course, we're hoping to see another take on transparent TVs (maybe with a more consumer-friendly price point) and maybe a real-world look at that robot, too. Watch the LG CES 2025 livestream You can watch the LG CES press conference as it happens below. The feed will start Monday, January 6 at 11:00AM ET. We'll also be embedding Engadget's liveblog coverage, so you can get up-to-the-minute commentary as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lg-ces-2025-press-conference-and-liveblog-watch-it-here-monday-at-11am-et-013155504.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Current Backyard made its CES debut last year with an electric smart grill and griddle, but for 2025, the company is going in a slightly different direction. Looking to cater to the pizza oven craze, the company revealed the Model P Smart Pizza Oven in Las Vegas. As you might expect, the unit is all-electric, but it's certified for use indoors and outside. The "smart" portion of the recipe here is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity that provides access to tools in the company's app. The company says the Model P can hit a maximum temperature of 850 degrees Fahrenheit, the level at which a Neapolitan-style pie can cook in two minutes. For comparison, that's the same max heat output as the pricier Ooni Volt 12. Current Backyard explains that the internal design of its electric oven uses an algorithm alongside top-mounted graphite and under-stone circular calrod elements to ensure uniform heating. The company says this construction also eliminates the need to rotate pizzas during cooking. A cordierite cooking stone assists with the even doneness, especially for crisping up the crust. What's more, Current Backyard says the Model P will recover quickly between pizzas to keep the cooking process moving along. In fact, the company explains that you can cook three Neapolitan-style pizzas in about 10 minutes. The Model P will alert you when it's okay to launch another pie after you retrieve one from the oven. The Model P has five cook modes for different styles of pizza and other uses: Neapolitan, New York, thin crust, frozen pizza and a broil function with high and low settings. Those presets can be chosen on the oven or with an app. Also inside the company's app, there's a Pizza Build Calculator that offers customized cook time and temperature based on a selected style and ingredients. This tool takes into account the amounts of sauce, cheese and toppings along with the thickness of the dough. You can also select well done if you're like me and prefer your pies extra crispy. Current Backyard didn't include an exact arrival date in the Model P announcement, but it did say that the pizza oven will cost $599 when it's available for purchase sometime in Q2. You'll be able to purchase accessory kits and an outdoor cart for the Model P as well, with that latter add-on priced at $399. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/current-backyard-debuts-the-model-p-smart-pizza-oven-at-ces-2025-010054271.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||