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Welcome to your first CES edition of TMA, attempting (almost futilely) to distill the biggest product reveals and announcements. Despite two days of briefings and conferences, today is merely day one. However, weve already seen Sony Honda reveal its next car and the Afeela 1 isnt yet on sale. Weve got a deep dive on what weve seen so far, right here. AMD announced new Ryzen AI 400 laptop processors and updated desktop chips, including the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, with a new focus broadly on AI processing improvements. NVIDIA had a lengthy, dense press conference showing off its dominance in AI tech, but it lacked major consumer announcements until overnight, when it revealed next-gen G-Sync tech and an upgraded version of DLSS. The new tech can handle up to 4K 240Hz path traced performance. It also adds an improved version of Super Resolution Transformer, with more stability. This years wildcard CES press conference was Lego? It revealed Smart Bricks, which adds sensors, audio and wireless communication to traditional Lego pieces. The system is launching with Star Wars sets later this year and perhaps crucially, no smartphone or screen is needed to play. Theres also LG and Samsung to get into more on those below! Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning CES 2026 Day 0: Everything else Intel hopes its Core Ultra Series 3 chips are the start of a comeback Razers Project Madison concept chair has reactive lighting, immersive audio and multi-zone haptics It took guts for Dell to admit its mistake. Heres how XPS will make its big comeback The Handy 2 Pro is an overclockable sex toy Garmin had the nerve to launch a food-tracking feature in Las Vegas Samsungs Galaxy Z Trifold gets me excited about foldables again Phone and tablet, together. Engadget After launching its double-folding smartphone in Korea, Samsung is giving its newest foldable the press tour at CES 2026 and, despite reservations, its slick. The key difference between the Z Trifold and the Z Fold series is a second fold-out wing, turning it from a traditional smartphone into a more tablet-like form factor, closer to what were used to. Farewell square-ish screens. This is what we were promised when foldables first appeared: a larger screen that offers greater utility than traditional smartphones, without compromise. Sam Rutherford tested one out. Read on for his impressions. Continue reading. Samsungs giant 130-inch TV is here to make you want Micro RGB TVs In more wall-friendly sizes. Engadget The big reveal at Samsungs First Look CES press conference was literally big: a flagship 130-inch Micro RGB TV framed by a giant metal easel with embedded speakers. Its much more in the realm of concept than reality no price, no release date. It works as a halo product for more realistic TV sets using Samsungs new preferred display technology. This year itll be offering TVs in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes. And if youre curious, we explain what Micro RGB TVs are. Continue reading. LGs approach to TVs at CES 2026? Variety. Oh, and scale. Engadget CES2026 marks the return of LGs ultra-thin Wallpaper TV. The latest version sports a gorgeous OLED screen and wireless connectivity, and its about as thin as a pencil. We checked out the new Wallpaper TV during a CES preview event, along with LGs Gallery and Micro RGB sets. If money were no object, Id want a 100-inch LG Wallpaper TV. According to Devindra Hardawar, it looks shockingly thin in person. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-ces-2026-press-day-174444560.html?src=rss
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The ASUS Zenbook Duo was easily one of my favorite laptops of 2024 as it was the first dual-screen notebook actually worth buying. But now at CES 2026, ASUS has given the second-gen model a complete revamp with practically all the upgrades and tweaks Ive been hoping for. Like the rest of the Zenbook line, the 2026 Duo is getting ASUS Ceraluminum treatment on its lid, bottom and kickstand, which not only looks great but it adds an extra bit of durability and scratch resistance. Theres also an improved magnetic latch system and Bluetooth connection for its detachable keyboard to help keep it charged up and paired more reliably. However, the biggest upgrade is ASUS all-new "hideaway" hinge. Not only does it allow the system to unfold flat against a table, it also massively shrinks the gap between the laptops two 3K 144Hz Lumina Pro OLED displays to just 8.28 mm. Thats a reduction of 70 percent compared to the previous model and it makes the idea of using a dual screen laptop just that much more seamless and appealing than before. Another important upgrade is that despite having a significantly larger 99Whr battery (up from 75Whr on its predecessor), the overall footprint of the second-gen Zenbook Duo is actually five percent smaller than before. That makes it noticeably more compact without sacrificing on weight or thinness, which is staying pretty much the same at 3.6 pounds and 0.77 to 0.9 inches thick (depending on where you measure). Connectivity remains excellent as well, with ASUS including Wi-Fi 7, two USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 connector and even a full-size HDMI 2.1 jack. And for all the artists out there, the Zenbook Duo also supports stylus input via the ASUS Pen 3.0, so you can easily detach the wireless keyboard and use either screen as a built-in drawing tablet. That said, its currently unclear if the stylus comes included or not. Meanwhile on the inside, the Zenbook Duo features either an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 or Ultra 9 386H chip with up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. On top of that, ASUS increased the Duos TDP to 45 watts, which is another notable bump up over the original. So not only does it have a larger battery, its performance is getting a big boost as well, especially when combined with the much improved onboard graphics from Intels latest integrated Arc GPU. Here's how the new 2026 ASUS Zenbook duo (right) stacks up against the outgoing model (left). Sam Rutherford for EngadgetI know a lot of people out there still arent convinced that dual screen laptops need to be a thing, and thats totally OK. But as the kind of person who feels like they are missing a limb when Im traveling and away from my two monitors at home, the second-gen Zenbook Duo feels like a major refinement of an already great idea. Its got a bigger battery, faster performance and a hugely streamlined design without gaining any bulkiness or weight. Out of all of the laptops Ive seen at CES 2026, this is the one I most wish I could grab and start using right away. The one potential concern is that ASUS has yet to release pricing for the new Zenbook Duo or say when it will go on sale. So heres hoping it wont break the bank when it arrives sometime later this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-asus-zenbook-duo-got-a-fantastic-redesign-for-ces-2026-173000392.html?src=rss
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Eric Migicovsky has been thinking a lot about friction. Specifically, hes been thinking about how too much friction in the way of using a device can put people off wearing it altogether. The founder of Pebble is here at CES 2026 with a few new devices from the company he recently started to bring back the beloved smartwatch brand, including the Pebble Round 2 and the Index 01. That second one is a simple ring with a button on it that you push down to talk to Pebbles AI whenever you want it to help you remember something. In the sea of AI gadgets that clutter the showfloors of CES (and the current tech industry in general), the Index 01 is refreshingly simple. The prototypes I saw here in Las Vegas werent connected to phones, so they werent actually working. They also seemed a little unfinished, like there was still some polishing to do. But I was able to put a few on and push their buttons. I also checked out the one Migicovsky wears more on that in a bit.I have to caveat that the rings that Migicovsky and his team had for us to try on were way too large for me. I did manage to get sized and found out I was a Pebble size 7, while my colleague Dan Cooper was determined to be a size 11. These demo rings sat loosely on my finger and Migicovsky was particular that I wear it on my index finger and not my thumb or middle finger. I suspect that has to do with how you reach for and press the button. Its much easier to push the key if its closer to your thumb. Since the idea of the Index 01 began as an app on the Pebble watch, Migicovsky has been working hard to figure out how best to make it easy to access. Back when it was an app, friction points were having to use your other hand to press the screen, he said. We also experimented with gestures and voice activation, wake words, he added. But as many of us are painfully familiar with, those triggers dont always work well. The whole thing that drives this ring is it being something that you can rely on. It being something that you can incorporate into your habits, Migicovsky said. So putting a button right by your thumb not only makes sense, but might even be, in my opinion, a bit more accessible for people with, say, speech impediments or only one hand. I have to admit I initially found the Index 01s design to be a bit bulky-looking, and the rubbery button protrudes a lot more than I expected from looking at it in its glamor shots. Its like in place of a diamond or a gemstone on the ring, theres a weird little nipple that you twiddle around until you want to push it. I did find the button easy to press, if that allays any of your concerns at all. But, really, the Indexs powers arent visible. Its what happens after you push the button that matters. Using the Pebble Index 01 ringThe actual demo was brief. Migicovsky prefaced things by telling me what he was about to ask, held up his hand to his mouth, pushed the button and asked me Whats your favorite book these days? I explained I had recently been reading Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and then Migicovsky let go of the button. After a few starts and stops due to internet woes, the companion app on his phone responded, showing a transcription of what we said, followed by an answer That sounds like a fun read! I can create a note about the book you are reading if youd like.I didnt get to ask many more questions, and I think Id need to live with an actual unit in my life to start to rely on it more. But I love the idea of a second brain or an AI assistant thats always ready for my random thoughts at the push of a button. Migicovsky said the Index 01 is water resistant, so you never have to take it off, even in the shower. So for those times when youre sudsing up and have a random stroke of inspiration about soap art, you can still tell the Index 01 to remember your Eureka moment.Depending on how you use it, Migicovsky said the Index 01 can last for years up to three if youre not too heavy of a user. Since he doesnt want for you to have to place the ring on a charger and forget to put it back on again, the device is not rechargeable. When youre about a month away from running out of juice, the app will send you a warning and ask if you want to order a replacement. Youll also be offered the option of sending it in for recycling.That still feels a bit wasteful and potentially expensive, but Migicovskys thinking is that if you still are using the ring enough after two years to be thinking about extending its battery life, the price might be justifiable to you.Why a Pebble AI ring instead of others?Its things like this that make me think Migicovsky (and the Pebble team) have the right approach to making an AI ring. Though the hardware is not the most advanced and there is a quaint simplicity to the software, there is a level of thought and care that feels important to any products success. Migicovsky is quick to acknowledge that Pebble watches wont be for everyone. That if you want a health-tracking device or something with a bright, colorful screen, you should consider something else. Hes even considering placing ads for other smartwatches on the website listing the new Pebble devices.Look Im the first person to call myself out when I fail, Migicovsky wrote in a blog he posted last November. And when he spoke with Engadget, he also recognized that Pebble at one point might have tried to do too much. These days, there are other companies making smart rings that are all about tracking your sleep and fitness, and the Index 01 is not that. And Pebble is absolutely 100 percent not that company. Maybe with a renewed focus on a sustainable business model, Pebble actually has a chance to survive and continue making its AI ring and other devices. Nowadays, Migicovsky just wants to make gadgets that will make you smile. And when I look at a cute little nyan cat wiggling about in its lo-fi, lo-res and low-frame-rate glory on the new Pebble smartwatches, I just feel warm inside. The Index 01 is available for pre-order now at an early bird price of $75 and will cost $100 after it starts shipping in May.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/pebbles-founder-might-be-just-the-right-person-to-make-an-ai-ring-170104222.html?src=rss
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