Engadget

07.01.2026 23:00 When LG announced that it would demo a laundry-folding, chore-doing robot at CES 2026, I was immediately intrigued. For years, I've wandered the Las Vegas Convention Center halls and wondered when someone might create a robot that can tackle the mundane but useful tasks I despise like folding laundry. With CLOiD , LG has proven that this is theoretically possible, but probably not likely to happen any time soon. I went to the company's CES booth to watch its demonstration of CLOiD's abilities, which also include serving food, fetching objects and fitness coaching. During a very carefully choreographed 15-minute presentation, I watched CLOiD grab a carton of milk out of the fridge, put a croissant in an oven, sort and fold some laundry and grab a set of keys off a couch and hand them to the human presenter.Throughout the demonstration, LG showed off how its own appliances can play along with the robot. When it rolled over to the fridge, the door automatically opened, as did the oven. When the LG-branded robot vacuum needed to move around a hamper, CLOiD helpfully cleared the path. But the robot also moved very slowly, which you can see in the highlight video below. The appliance maker is selling the setup as a part of its vision for a "zero labor home" where its appliances and, I guess, robotics technology can come together to take care of all your chores and household upkeep. Maybe I'm jaded from a decade of watching CES vaporware, but I left the slick demo thinking the concept is unlikely to amount to much anytime soon.On one hand, it is exciting to see robots competently performing tasks that would actually be useful to most people. But this technology is still far from accessible. Even LG isn't making any firm commitments about CLOiD's future as anything more than a CES demo. The company has instead said that CLOiD is a signal of its interest in creating "home robots with practical functions" and "robotized appliances," like fridges with doors that can open automatically. That may be a more reasonable target for the company . But it's still pretty far from anything approaching the fantasy of a "zero labor home."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/lgs-cloid-robot-can-fold-laundry-and-serve-food-very-slowly-181902306.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 23:00 I'll admit that I've always kind of taken walking for granted. Other than a knee injury more than a decade ago, my ability to walk long distances has largely been limited only by my own choices. That's not the case for everyone, though. And robotics company Dephy has created a pair of robotic sneakers, called the Sidekick, that are meant to help people who want to walk more than their bodies might otherwise be capable of.The system consists of two parts: an ankle-worn exoskeleton and a special pair of sneakers that attach to it. The exoskeleton hooks onto the back of the shoe and is secured with a strap around your calf. The battery powered device is equipped with sensors that can detect and adapt to the wearer's gait in order to deliver an extra "boost" with each step. The whole setup is pricey, at $4,500, but Dephy is betting that people who have "personal range anxiety" might be willing to pay for the extra confidence the Sidekick can provide. "This is a device that's kind of like an extra calf muscle," Dephy CEO Luke Mooney told me. The Sidekick.Karissa Bell for EngadgetI was able to take the Sidekick for a spin around the CES showfloor and it was a truly surprising sensation. The best way I can describe walking with the Sidekick powered on is that with every step forward there's a noticeable upward push from under your heel. It wasn't enough to throw me off balance, but it did feel a bit strange.The Sidekick has adjustable power levels based on how much help you might need. At the highest level, it definitely felt unnecessarily pushy. The lower levels were still noticeable but felt less disruptive. I just felt… bouncy. Later, when Mooney turned off the power entirely, I noticed that my feet felt weirdly heavy in a way they hadn't just a few minutes before. Mooney was quick to tell me that I'm not Dephy's target demographic. "A lot of times people who are fit, or like athletes, actually struggle to adopt to the technology because their body's so in tune with how they move," he said. "Whereas folks who are not as physically active and fit, their body's ready to accept help."The company's technology will be used in products more focused on athletic performance, however. Dephy has partnered with Nike on its upcoming robotic sneaker currently known as Project Amplify. Mooney declined to share details on the collaboration, but the shoemaker has claimed that some early testers have been able to improve their mile times by two minutes. I tried the Sidekick early in the day. Several hours later, though, when I was walking between the Las Vegas Conventions Center halls for the third or fourth time, I started thinking about those robotic sneakers again. I was getting close to 10,000 steps and hadn't sat down for hours. My feet were sore. I remembered that strange, bouncy boost and thought it sounded kind of nice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/these-robotic-sneakers-gave-me-a-surprising-boost-at-ces-174500005.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 23:00 Spotify is rolling out more social features to keep people on the platform. It's adding a new tool to its messaging platform that lets users see what their friends and family members are listening to in real time. Once activated, a user's listening activity will be displayed at the top of the chat. The other person in the chat can tap the bar to play a particular track, save it or react with an emoji. People can also, of course, comment directly to either praise or rag on the song selection. There's another little addition to Spotify's messaging system. Users will now be able to invite chat participants to start a Jam, which is the app's collaborative listening feature. Premium users will find a "Jam" button in the top right corner, which sends an invite. This lets two people add tracks to a shared queue and listen together. Free users can join one of these sessions, but cannot initiate. It's worth noting that the messaging platform is currently just a one-on-one affair. There's no option for a group chat, so users won't be able to spy on multiple people simultaneously. These tools are rolling out gradually for iOS and Android right now, but won't be broadly available for a few weeks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-now-lets-you-share-what-youre-listening-to-in-real-time-via-chat-173749120.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 23:00 I know IKEA is all about small, efficient spaces, but their meeting room inside the Venetian during the company’s first-ever CES was the same size as my living room. Plenty of people were as excited as I was to see what the Swedish designers brought with them to the show and the room was thick with humans. A bowl full of BELÖNING bars helped ease my mounting claustrophobia and I was able to check out the new smart home lineup. Like most things IKEA, the 21 Matter-compatible smart home devices are simple, sleek and silly affordable. They include a $6 smart bulb, an $8 smart plug, a $6 smart remote and a slew of home sensors. A slightly pricier globe bulb is a direct answer to my longstanding wish for more attractive smart bulbs. One of my favorite of the new devices was the BILREA remote control. It’s a smooth, riverstone-like object that either comes with two simple buttons or a button and a scroll wheel. It pairs up with and controls IKEA’s smart devices and lamps but what I really love is the magnetic mount integrated into its body. You can either attach the remote to any ferrous surface or use the small metal chip and included adhesive to give the remote a home on a wall or elsewhere. Why have so few other companies come up with a way to neatly and simply organize these tiny yet crucial controllers? The whole suite is Matter-compatible and, as such, it needs a hub to function. IKEA has its own, DIRIGERA, but, true to the Matter principles of interoperability, you can also use a Matter hub you already own. The new line of smart home devices should start showing up in IKEA stores and on its website sometime in January. Lamps and speakers from the TEKLAN smart home collection.Amy Skorheim for EngadgetApart from the egalitarian and utilitarian items, the Swedish brand also brought a new collection of products, TEKLAN, designed in collaboration with designer and photographer Tekla Evelina Severin. These include circular Bluetooth speakers in color-saturated patterns and solids ranging from eight to 18 inches. There are also two new speaker lamps, called KULGLASS, that have glass lampshades inspired by soft serve ice cream. Those devices went on sale on January 1 this year.Finally, I made my way over to the curious, donut-shaped lamps. This is the smart version of the store’s popular VARMBLIXT lamp that debuted three years ago. It’s controllable through the app or the remote I mentioned above and gently cycles through a rainbow of color patterns, shifting slowly from shade to shade. I got lost for a while watching it morph from white to pink to red and back again. For a moment I forgot I was wedged into a room too full of people. I figured those around me probably wanted a look at the lamp for themselves, so I took a longing glance back at the BELÖNING bowl and squeezed out of the room. The popular VARMBLIXT donut lamp is now smart. Amy Skorheim for EngadgetThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ikeas-first-ces-appearance-included-a-6-matter-smart-bulb-172623474.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 23:00 Samsung says AI data center-fueled RAM scarcity could raise the company's prices. Wonjin Lee, Samsung's global marketing leader, sounded the alarm in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday at CES 2026. As recently as early December, Samsung told Reuters that it was monitoring the market but wouldn't comment on pricing. So, the change of tune can be seen as a deliberate signal to soften the ground ahead of an official announcement."There's going to be issues around semiconductor supplies, and it's going to affect everyone," Samsung’s Lee said. "Prices are going up even as we speak. Obviously, we don't want to convey that burden to the consumers, but we're going to be at a point where we have to actually consider repricing our products."Samsung appears to be softening the ground ahead of an official announcement.SamsungThe global RAM shortage is the result of AI data centers gobbling up high-bandwidth memory. Memory manufacturers have shifted their output priorities to meet that demand, leading to a snowball effect where even the low-bandwidth RAM found in automobiles is affected."AI workloads are built around memory," Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO of Greyhound Research, told NPR in late December. "AI has changed the nature of demand itself. Training and inference systems require large, persistent memory footprints, extreme bandwidth, and tight proximity to compute. You cannot dial this down without breaking performance."It's been more than three years since ChatGPT launched and kicked off the AI craze. During that time, companies have hyped chatbots and other generative AI tools as a technology that will take us to the promised land, making life easier as machine learning automates our daily lives. It isn't yet clear if an AI bubble is set to burst, but some financial forecasters have sounded the alarm. Regardless, it's hard to see how consumers and workers are getting anything but the short end of the stick so far.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/samsung-says-ram-costs-will-likely-lead-to-price-hikes-soon-170653524.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 23:00 I’m fascinated by AI cooking robots which, as far as I’m concerned, automate the one fun bit of cooking. Sadly, it’s far easier to make something that can stir a pan of ingredients as they cook compared to building something that would successfully peel a carrot. Nosh is the latest unit to use CES to announce itself to the world, gearing up for its launch in the next few months. Like its many rivals, you load ingredients into the unit and then Nosh will assemble them for you. Unlike its many rivals, you can have more than one ingredient tray, opening up the possibility that you could prep multiple meals at the same time.Even if you’re not familiar with the category you can guess how this thing works: You’ll select a recipe from the hardware’s 500-dish strong repertoire. Then you’ll prepare the necessary raw materials and slide them into individual compartments in the trays. Once done, you’ll be able to push the tray into the unit when you’re ready to eat and let it get on with the job of cooking. There are water and oil reservoirs, a spice rack mounted in the top, and a camera that uses computer vision to keep an eye on the meals as they cook. As each morsel is added, a mixer arm spins to ensure the food never stays in one place for too long. From the marketing materials it’s clear Nosh works best with sauce heavy meals. Pasta dishes, soups and curries will work pretty well in the system, which may limit how often you’ll want to use it across a regular week. That said, the idea of having this as a low-effort alternative to pre-prepared meals from the oven or microwave is preferable. I’m just not sure how engaged I’ll be in finely julienning carrot batons after an 18-hour day at the content factory.Nosh is launching in the near future but early birds can already put some cash down to get the unit for $1,200, a deep discount on its $2,000 retail price. And, for all my snootiness about the utility of AI cooking robots in general, I’ll admit — I am looking forward to trying one of these out. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/nosh-is-an-ai-cooking-robot-for-the-meal-prep-crowd-170000610.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 23:00 Vision tests are an important part of life, but they aren’t always the most convenient things to work into your schedule. It’s an issue Eyebot thinks it has solved with its kiosk, which shrinks the time taken from 20 minutes to closer to three minutes. Plus, you don’t need to book an appointment where an optician will lean too close in to your face while trial and error-ing corrective lenses. As mundane as a subject as a visit to the eye doctor is, this device could have some fairly massive ramifications. And, having tested it, I can certainly see the benefits.Eyebot CEO Matthias Hofmann said that, despite the popularity of online glasses retailers like Warby Parker, 85 percent of Americans prefer to buy glasses in person. But accessibility is a big issue, especially in areas where there aren’t enough eye doctors to efficiently process tests. Hofmann added that this issue is far worse in rural areas, where people may need to drive for an hour or more to see an eye doctor, and then wait two weeks for their prescription to be filed. It’s these two maladies that Eyebot’s kiosk is meant to address, allowing people to walk up and complete their vision test whenever they want.The test itself is very simple, you just walk up to the kiosk and let the big touchscreen walk you through the steps. You’ll answer some basic screening questions — this test is suitable for those aged 18 to 64 — and then complete a fairly perfunctory letter test. Once that’s done, you’ll be asked to stare at a picture of a hot air balloon . Once that’s done, you just need to share your email address and then wait for your prescription to be filed.But you don’t need to worry that your eye health is being left to some algorithm making its best guess. Eyebot explained that each of its prescriptions are sent to an eye doctor working remotely who can look at the data the kiosk has generated, signing off on the prescription. Thankfully, I was able to compare this prescription with my last eye test from the previous year, and found that Eyebot’s results matched it perfectly. It is worth noting, however, that Eyebot can’t run any medical tests; like the little puff of air blown onto your eyes to measure the pressure your eyes can withstand, which shows your risk of glaucoma. Consequently, while you can get your prescription with this process, you’ll still be advised to take regular visits to see a clinician. Eyebot is presently operating in limited numbers in some Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Pennsylvania, with plans to roll this out across the US in the near future. For the former, you’ll need to pay, while the latter comes as a benefit of your membership. Hofmann said that he envisages a future where there are Eyebot kiosks in shopping malls or at brick and mortar stores for online glasses retailers to grease the wheels of getting that fancy new pair of specs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/eyebot-promises-an-accurate-vision-test-in-a-couple-of-minutes-160000184.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 CES 2026 is in full swing, but you don’t have to wait months to get your hands on everything announced in Las Vegas this year. A surprising number of products are already up for pre-order, if not outright available to buy today, from new chargers and docks to projectors, keyboards and smart home gear. CES is still a showcase for concepts and big promises, but these are the gadgets that have real pricing and an order button ready right now. Check out all of the CES 2026 gadgets you can buy right now below. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/17-ces-gadgets-you-can-buy-right-now-164325644.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 Anker, one of the leaders in third-party chargers, has unveiled a new portfolio of "smart" chargers and docks at CES 2026. The company says the lineup adds improved visual interfaces, faster Qi2 wireless charging and "upgraded ecosystems" for the latest line of iPhone models. First up is the Anker Nano Charger with smart display, which features a tiny screen, 180-degree foldable prongs and provides up to 45W of power. The plug can identify the exact iPhone model connected and then deliver the right amount of power for your phone. Anker says the Nano uses three-stage power delivery and a "Care Mode" that the company claims keeps batteries cooler than some competing 45W chargers. It arrives in late January 2026 and will retail for $40. For fans of wireless charging stations, the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station offers a 3-in-1 solution for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. It uses a "AirCool" system for "faster, safer performance" and offers up to 25W of Qi2 wireless power. The design is also foldable for compact travel. It's set for release in Q1 2026 and will retail for $150. The company debuted a clamp-on 10-in-1 Nano Power Strip with 70W of output and built-in surge protection. It sports two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports and six AC outlets. The Nano Power Strip is getting a late January release, and it will sell for $70. Anker also unveiled a 13-in-1 Nano Docking Station. This serves as an all-in-one hub with support for up to three displays , up to 100W of upstream charging and 10 Gbps of data transfer between connected devices. It also features a removable 6-in-1 hub with SD and microSD card readers, a USB-A port and a 5 Gbps USB-C port. The Nano Docking Station is available now and retails for $150. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/anker-unveils-a-new-lineup-of-chargers-docks-and-accessories-at-ces-2026-160021025.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 It's been six years since Sony first rolled out its prototype car at CES 2020. It was called the Vision-S back then, and I remember everyone endlessly debating just how serious the consumer electronics powerhouse was about making a car. Over the subsequent half-decade, Sony has proven it is not only serious, but absolutely hell-bent on making this thing a reality.At CES 2026, we're still somehow about 12 months away from that car hitting the roads. Now called the Afeela 1, instead of being built by Sony proper it will come from the joint venture Sony Honda Mobility. It will start at $89,900, offer around 300 miles of range, and wear an exterior design so sedate that even the 31.5-inch-wide "Media Bar" micro-LED integrated into the nose barely makes an impact.With the Afeela up on stage again this year, what's new in 2026? I'm fresh from getting a closer look at the sedan here in Las Vegas and, sadly, there's little more to see than what so underwhelmed me last year. From the outside, 2026's Afeela looks nigh identical to 2025's, save for one change: I'm happy to report that the unfortunate seam running down the middle of last year's nose-mounted Media Bar has been fixed. It now appears to be a single, contiguous panel.On the inside, the interior seems to have a higher degree of fit and finish than last year's. To get in, you either push on a little button hidden in the trim or pull out the smartphone app and request that the door open automatically. There are no door latches as such, something that might raise a few eyebrows given Tesla's current door handle woes. Sony Honda Mobility at CES 2026Tim Stevens for EngadgetThe door closes automatically once you're inside, instantly hushing the manic drone of the crowd on the always-packed CES floor. This creates a great soundscape for the whopping 28 speakers Sony is deploying here. The car's interior shape was actually designed to optimize the placement of those speakers, and the few moments of music I heard were impressive.There's Dolby Atmos support, so you can take full advantage of the spatial audio features in the cockpit. You can even toggle the sound on or off for individual seats, perhaps helping a little one stay asleep in the back seat — or simply sparing your kids from the depths of your guilty pleasure playlist.The most noticeable feature inside the car, though, is the sweeping display that runs across the dashboard. There's a 12.3-inch LCD gauge cluster on the left conjoined with a 28.5-inch display that goes all the way to the right. Sony's infotainment software effectively splits that rightmost panel in two, enabling you or the passenger to drag apps left or right as needed.Media or other distracting apps running on the passenger's side of the display will trigger an integrated privacy shield, blacking it out ensuring minimal distraction for the driver. But Sony is still pushing the envelope a bit here in a few other areas. You can dial into Zoom meetings from the driver's seat, for example, and while the Afeela 1 won't be the first car to do this , Sony will actually let the driver participate in the video while driving. This seems a little unnecessary to me.Sony Honda Mobility at CES 2026Tim Stevens for EngadgetZoom uses the ceiling-mounted camera, one of 40 sensors in and around the Afeela 1. That includes the pods for a LiDAR sensor and more cameras protruding rather conspicuously from the roof. These sensors will provide Level 2+ driver assistance at launch. Over time, Sony promises to upgrade the car to Level 4, meaning that you, the driver, could theoretically take a nap behind the wheel. The car certainly looks to have enough sensors and processing power to make that work, but as we saw with Tesla's Full Self Driving, these sorts of automotive upgrades have a tendency to take longer than anticipated.Some of that digital processing power comes courtesy of Qualcomm's Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which also powers the infotainment experience. The software that runs the dashboard and rear seat experience looked far more comprehensive than before. That includes a functional AI voice assistant providing advanced routing guidance, like telling you which of the dozen taquerias on your route has the best guac.Personalization is a big part of the sales pitch here, with downloadable packages changing everything from the car's ambient lights to the gauge cluster, engine sound, and even whatever's displayed on the nose-mounted display.The idea here is to give you an emotional connection with the car -- despite its decidedly emotionless exterior design.Sony Honda Mobility at CES 2026Tim Stevens for Engadget"Our brand, Afeela, is built on a vision to redefine the relationship between people and mobility," Izumi Kawanishi, Sony Honda Mobility's president and COO, said. "Being in a car will no longer be about driving. It will be about making the most of your time and space while you move."I got to sample a number of these customizations at the show, including a particularly cool one that replicated the dashboard of Honda's first-ever Grand Prix-winning machine, 1965's RA272. The Afeela even picked up the raspy sound of its 1.5-liter V12.The pre-production car on the Afeela stage had about a dozen such experiences installed, but the plan is for many, many more. Sony Honda Mobility will launch what it's calling the Afeela Co-Creation Program, a set of software developer tools and interfaces enabling third-party developers to not only create their own customizations, but to sell them.Yes, alternate revenue streams are a big part of the equation here, including premium audio and video purchases, but Sony seemingly isn't factoring that in to help make the Afeela 1 more affordable. Again, you're looking at $89,900 to start, a price that hasn't changed from last year.In fact, the biggest change to the Afeela 1 since CES 2025's showing is a delay. The sedan now isn't hitting the road until the very end of 2026, with first, limited deliveries happening in California. Arizona is next in 2027, but it could be years more before it's available anywhere else in the world.Don't call it vaporware, though, because it is coming. Trial production work is already happening at Honda's plant in Ohio. In fact, the Afeela 1 you see here is an early, pre-production machine assembled there.But just because it's going to happen doesn't mean that it will be a compelling product. An EV that costs $20,000 more than a more-powerful, longer-range Lucid Air Touring is a difficult proposition today, never mind 2027 or later, when the Afeela 1 will finally become readily available.Sony Honda Mobility at CES 2026Tim Stevens for EngadgetWith sedans increasingly on the outs in the American market, an SUV shape would make more sense. Sony confirmed that one is coming by rolling out the Afeela 2026 Prototype, but despite its name, it isn't coming until 2028 at the earliest.As much as I respect Sony's stubborn commitment to this project, the numbers are just not working out in the Afeela 1's favor. I asked Sony Honda Mobility America president and CEO Shugo Yamaguchi what would make the car stand out in an EV segment that's increasingly crowded with quality machines, many available for tens of thousands less."We do have that LiDAR, which is expensive, and introduces more safety. We have better entertainment, amazing displays and 800 TOPS of processing power. So, we believe that through our applications and our development, we are going to more than make our customers happy," he said.Will customers pay more for a luxury and safety experience topped off by an expensive sensor that likely won't be fully utilized for years to come? After making a similar pitch in its 2025 EX90, Volvo has decided to delete LiDAR from the 2026 model. I can't say I'm more bullish here.The Afeela 1 was an audacious product when it was announced at CES 2020, but with each subsequent year it feels more and more out of touch. It'll undoubtedly be the ultimate expression of brand loyalty for the true PlayStation fans out there. But with even established luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz shifting their focus to more affordable EVs like the new CLA, a $90,000 sedan with specs that sounded good in 2020 makes it awfully hard to stay excited for this PlayStation on wheels.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/at-ces-2026-sony-honda-mobilitys-latest-afeela-1-still-feels-woefully-out-of-date-163513001.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 Roblox Corporation, the company behind the popular online game platform Roblox, announced today that age verification will now be required for any users wishing to use in-game chat in all regions where the feature is available. This comes after mounting pressure to protect underage players and lawsuits from multiple state attorneys general like Louisiana and Texas. Starting January 7, players in the US and abroad will need to submit to facial age estimation via a selfie. Users 13 years of age or older may opt for ID-based checks. These features were given a trial rollout late last year in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands, where Roblox says half of the daily active users have already completed verification. The company says facial estimation is done via its third-party vendor Persona and that images are deleted immediately after processing. Age verification remains optional to play the game itself and is only required to use chat for now. Once a player's age is verified, they will be placed in one of six age groups, the youngest being under 9, and the oldest being 21+. Players in these groups can only chat with their own group, as well as age groups directly below and above theirs. Roblox says players who are 13 or older can still chat more freely with players beyond their immediate age group by using the "Trusted Connections" feature within Roblox. This feature is intended for friends imported via a user's phone, or contacts added by QR codes shared outside of Roblox. Age verification is still required by both parties to use this feature. Players under 9 years old will have chat turned off by default unless a parent approves its use after age verification. Roblox says it may ask users to resubmit verification if their behavior suggests they are substantially older or younger than they claimed. Roblox has faced repeated accusations that it was not doing enough to protect younger players. In 2024, the company banned players under 13 from accessing certain types of in-game content, as well as restricting their ability to direct message with other players outside of specific games. Last year the company cracked down on user-created content, after a lawsuit from the state of Louisiana alleged some disturbing in-game "experiences" that minors may have been exposed to.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-now-requires-age-verification-to-use-in-game-chat-163213512.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 WhatsApp just rolled out some upgrades to group chats. Perhaps the most interesting is the addition of member tags, which lets users give themselves a tag that's customized for a specific group. Meta gives examples of a user assigning themself the role of a dad in one chat and a soccer goalkeeper in another. This could actually be pretty useful to people who use WhatsApp group chats to role play as characters, organize fantasy sports leagues and other stuff like that. The platform is also rolling out text stickers to group chats. This lets users turn just about any word into a sticker via an integrated search engine. Folks can gather their most-used stickers together for easy access. Finally, there are event reminders. This is fairly self-explanatory. The tool lets people create early reminders for upcoming events. Meta says that "this helps everyone remember to commute to the party you're hosting or hop on the call at the right time." This is just the latest WhatsApp update. The platform recently rolled out AI-powered chat summaries and re-introduced away messages.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-upgrades-group-chats-with-member-tags-and-text-stickers-161420141.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 Eye tests are an important part of life, but they aren’t always the most convenient things to work into your schedule. It’s an issue Eyebot thinks it has solved with its kiosk, which shrinks the time taken from 20 minutes to closer to three minutes. Plus, you don’t need to book an appointment where an optician will lean too close in to your face while trial and error-ing corrective lenses. As mundane as a subject as a visit to the eye doctor is, this device could have some fairly massive ramifications. And, having tested it, I can certainly see the benefits.Eyebot CEO Matthias Hofmann said that, despite the popularity of online glasses retailers like Warby Parker, 85 percent of Americans prefer to buy glasses in person. But accessibility is a big issue, especially in areas where there aren’t enough eye doctors to efficiently process tests. Hofmann added that this issue is far worse in rural areas, where people may need to drive for an hour or more to see an eye doctor, and then wait two weeks for their prescription to be filed. It’s these two maladies that Eyebot’s kiosk is meant to address, allowing people to walk up and complete their eye test whenever they want.The test itself is very simple, you just walk up to the kiosk and let the big touchscreen walk you through the steps. You’ll answer some basic screening questions — this test is suitable for those aged 18 to 64 — and then complete a fairly perfunctory letter test. Once that’s done, you’ll be asked to stare at a picture of a hot air balloon . All the while, two banks of three infrared cameras are scanning your eyes to create a 3D model of your retina and optic nerve. Once that’s done, you just need to share your email address and then wait for your prescription to be filed.But you don’t need to worry that your eye health is being left to some algorithm making its best guess. Eyebot explained that each of its prescriptions are sent to an eye doctor working remotely who can look at the data the kiosk has generated, signing off on the prescription. Thankfully, I was able to compare this prescription with my last eye test from the previous year, and found that Eyebot’s results matched it perfectly. It is worth noting, however, that Eyebot can’t run any medical tests; like the little puff of air blown onto your eyes to measure the pressure your eyes can withstand, which shows your risk of glaucoma. Consequently, while you can get your prescription with this process, you’ll still be advised to take regular visits to see a clinician. Eyebot is presently operating in limited numbers in some Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in Pennsylvania, with plans to roll this out across the US in the near future. For the former, you’ll need to pay, while the latter comes as a benefit of your membership. Hofmann said that he envisages a future where there are Eyebot kiosks in shopping malls or at brick and mortar stores for online glasses retailers to grease the wheels of getting that fancy new pair of specs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/eyebot-promises-an-accurate-eye-test-in-a-couple-of-minutes-160000668.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 CES 2026 isn't the first year we've seen a wave of interesting robots or even useful robots crop up in Las Vegas. But it's the first year I can remember when there have been so many humanoid and humanoid-like robots performing actually useful tasks. Of those, Switchbot's Onero H1 has been one of the most intriguing robot helpers I've seen on the show floor, especially because the company says that it will actually go on sale later this year . Up to now, Chinese company Switchbot has been known for its robot vacuums and smart home devices. Much of that expertise is evident in Onero. The unexpectedly cute robot has a wheeled base that looks similar to the company's robot vacuums, but is also equipped with a set of articulated arms that can help it perform common household tasks. I was able to see some of its abilities at Switchbot's CES booth, where Onero dutifully picked up individual articles of clothing from a couch, rolled over to a washing machine, opened the door, placed the items inside and closed the door. The robot moved a bit slowly; it took nearly two minutes for it to grab one piece of clothing and deposit it inside the appliance which was only a few feet away. I'm not sure if its slowness was a quirk of the poor CES Wi-Fi, a demo designed to maximize conference-goers attention or a genuine limitation of the robot. But I'm not sure it matters all that much. The whole appeal of a chore robot is that it can take care of things when you're not around; if you come home to a load of laundry that's done, it's not that concerning if the robot took longer to complete the task than you would have. The laundry is done and you don't have to do it. That's the dream. Under the hood, Onero is powered by RealSense cameras and other sensors that help it learn its surroundings, as well as on-device AI models.The demo of course only offered a very limited glimpse of Onero's potential capabilities. In a promotional video shared by Switchbot, the company suggests the robot can so much, much more: serve food and drinks, put dishes away, wash windows, fold clothes and complete a bunch of other — frankly, impressive — tasks. The Onero in the video also has an articulated hand with five fingers that gives it more dexterity than the claw-hand one I saw at CES. A Switchbot rep told me, though, that it plans to offer both versions when it does go on sale. Which brings me to the most exciting part about watching Onero: the company is actually planning on selling it this year. A Switchbot rep confirmed to me it will be available to buy sometime in 2026, though it will likely be closer to the end of the year. The company hasn't settled on a final price, but I was told it will be "less than $10,000." While we don't know how much less, it's safe to say Onero won't come cheap. It also seems fair to say that this will be a very niche device compared to many of Switchbot's other products. But, if it can competently handle everything the company claims it can, then there's probably a lot of people and businesses that would be willing to pay.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/switchbot-came-to-ces-with-a-laundry-robot-you-might-actually-be-able-to-buy-153000025.html?src=rss

07.01.2026 18:01 Lego’s Smart Play system announced at CES 2026 earlier this week is a new embrace of digital technology that we haven’t seen from the company before. While the demo Lego gave at its press conference on Monday was a good start to showing what Smart Bricks are capable of, it really isn’t a substitute for seeing it in person. I was able to get an extended demo that answered many of my questions about how the system will work once Lego fans of all ages get their hands on the first Smart Play sets.As I detailed yesterday, the Smart Play system contains three elements. The Smart Brick is packed with technology like proximity sensors, an accelerometer, color sensors and a speaker, all powered by a tiny chip. It’s crucial to know that each Smart Brick is identical at this point; to really bring a set to life, you need to combine it with Smart Tags or Smart Minifigures. Both the Tags and Minifigures contain specific instructions that help the Brick understand the context that it is placed in.The demo started out simply, with three small Lego builds: a car, a helicopter and a duck. Each of those builds had a unique Smart Tag that the Smart Brick uses to understand how it should respond to real-world stimulus. The car started making the sound of a revving engine, and when playing with it to drive it faster and more aggressively, the engine made more noise. Tilting the car would cause it to make some screeching sounds as if it was taking corners hard, and flipping it over would make the sound of a car wreck. The Smart Brick can similarly sense what specific Smart Minifigures is near it and respond accordingly. Since the first three Smart Play sets are all based on Star Wars, it’s a little easier to explain how they interact with the Smart Brick. Take the Throne Room Duel A-Wing set — it includes Smart Minifigs for Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine, and there are also Smart Tags that correspond to various actions the characters can take. If you place a Smart Brick behind Palpatine’s throne, the classic “Imperial March” theme will ring out and Palpatine himself will chatter a bit. The Minifigures don’t actually say real words, but they can still embody their characters well enough. Vader, for example, offers his classic breathing sound and exclaim if he’s defeated in a light saber duel.Lego Smart Play Star Wars setsNathan Ingraham for EngadgetThat duel is a clever part of this set. There are moveable mounts you can place Luke and Vader on, along with a Smart Brick. To complete the battle scene, a Smart Tag tells the brick to take on the characteristics necessary for a light saber battle. As such, when you place the Minifigures in the mount, you’ll hear the classic sound of a light saber humming to life. And if you move the characters around and crash them together, you’ll hear the sounds of battle. Finally, knocking a Minifigure off its spot will tell the brick associated with that character to make their trademark sound of defeat — in Vader’s case, that’s the iconic “noooooooo.” The other two new Smart Play sets are Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter and Luke’s Red Five X-Wing — an ideal pair for some space-based dogfighting. The X-Wing shows off how good the Smart Brick is at handling multiple inputs. Adding it to the X-Wing will make sounds of the ship humming to life, thanks to the X-Wing-specific Smart Tile. Sit Luke in the cockpit and you’ll hear the Jedi theme music play, and seating R2-D2 in the back will make the Droid chatter at you in its familiar tones. The Smart Tile is how the Smart Brick identifies this set as an X-Wing figher.Nathan Ingraham for EngadgetPitting the two ships against each other shows off more of the Smart Brick’s capabilities. Grabbing the ships and whooshing them through the air will make the Smart Brick play sounds that aren’t just generic engine noises — you can definitely hear the difference between the X-Wing and the TIE fighter. Each ship also has lasers you can activate, and if two kids are in the same room flying ships around and firing off lasers, you’ll hear the ships taking “damage” as well. Firing enough shots while aiming at another ship will eventually cause it to play some exploding sounds to indicate that it has gone up in flames — the Minifigures associated with the ship will also make sounds of dismay, as well. At first glance, the sets themselves don’t feel wildly different than other smaller-scale Star Wars sets, but the people from the Lego Group giving the demo pointed out a few notable characteristics. The TIE fighter and X-Wing are both specifically designed to withstand more abuse from active play scenarios than the average Lego set, and they’re also specifically designed to fit will in a kid’s hand so they can run around and propel them through the air. The Throne Room set, meanwhile, has a detachable area where Luke and Vader can battle — you can remove and re-attach it to the throne area easily enough, but it’s good to separate it out for more aggressive light saber battles.Lego Smart Play Star Wars setsNathan Ingraham for EngadgetAll told, I’m quite excited to see where Lego goes with its Smart Play system from here. Starting out with some simpler sets from a massive franchise like Star Wars is a logical way to introduce the system. There are obvious play scenarios that make perfect sense as a way to show off the Smart Brick. But I’m looking forward to a time when Lego starts selling tiles and Minifigures that can expand the capabilities of existing sets, whether they’re licensed or not. And the idea of smushing together Star Wars with some of the many other properties that Lego has access to feels like just the kind of chaotic fun kids will love having.That’s perhaps the most important point about Smart Play. While Lego has made major overtures for capturing the hearts and wallets of adult Lego fans, Smart Play is very clearly aimed at kids right now. There are no screens, apps or setup needed for Smart Play — it seems exceedingly easy to just pick up and start playing. Furthermore, Lego is using this technology to make Lego sets more interactive, something the company hopes will encourage more social play amongst kids. That’s a solid use of the technology packed into a Smart Brick if you ask me.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/lego-smart-play-hands-on-using-smart-brick-technology-to-get-kids-to-play-together-133000740.html?src=rss