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Satechi has a beefy new charger with 165W output, four Type-C ports, and even a cute little stand
Thicc charger with some thicc power output
There's a growing trend of brand-new smartphones being sold without charging bricks. Apple decided to remove the charger from its boxes starting with the iPhone 12, and this trend has only been spreading in the Android world, with devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21 notoriously shipping charger-less. This forces smartphone buyers to do one of two things: reuse an older phone's charger or buy a new one. And if you're already dipping into savings for a new phone, why not also get yourself a cool charger while you're at it? This new Satechi charging brick might be perfect for you, especially if you have multiple devices.
The best of CES 2022: AP's favorite products from the show
It wasn't well attended, but it was full of great tech
CES 2022 has just wrapped up in Las Vegas, and even with the show closing one day early due to COVID-19, there were a plethora of new gadgets on display. But let's be honest: most of the products at these shows turn out to be bad. At the same time, there are some real gems. Here are the coolest products we've seen come out of CES 2022.
Smartphone users come in all colors, and Pantone's making sure their phones (accurately) reflect that
Color accuracy may be the next hurdle for smartphone displays
Skin tones have been mentioned in passing during countless smartphone announcements over the years, but none had made accurate and authentic looking skin come across as a priority until Google announced Real Tone for the Pixel 6. Now that the subject is on the table, Pantone is challenging smartphone manufacturers to show people as they look in real life with its new SkinTone Validated program.
Samsung's Home Hub tablet wants to be your smart home's command center
Releasing internationally later this year
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Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem is among the most ubiquitous, especially if many of your appliances consist of intelligent Samsung products already. SmartThings also integrates well with third-party manufacturers and home assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, making devices connected to it easily controllable. But sometimes it’s still simpler to just use a touchscreen to command all of your devices with your fingertips rather than your voice, and that’s where Samsung’s new Home Hub comes in, introduced during CES 2022 (via The Verge).
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Your next Samsung foldable might look even more outlandish
Samsung shoed off a couple of cool foldable display concepts at CES 2022
Samsung showed off its first prototype for a foldable display in 2011. While its first commercial folding phone wouldn't launch until 8 years later, that initial prototype was enough for people to start dreaming of the foldable phone era. Now that it's here, two form factors are dominating the market — a clamshell design, like the Galaxy Z Flip3, and a book design, Z Fold3-style. But what if there were more? Samsung showed off a couple of new foldable prototypes at CES 2022 in the form of its Flex S and Flex G panels — and they're looking reeealllyyy nice.
Samsung's new projector is basically a smart TV in a compact body — and also somehow a light bulb
A projector that wears many hats
Samsung has its hands in so many product categories it can be hard to keep track of them all, from mobile gadgets like phones, tablets, and watches, to less portable stuff like appliances and TVs. But while a TV may be happy to live on the wall, projectors manage to bridge that gap between big screens and easy portability. This year at CES 2022 we're taking a look at Samsung's efforts to push the boundaries of what a "TV" can be with its new Freestyle projector.
Razer has a plan to sync your games with every single light in your house
It includes a new app and new hardware partners
Can't bear the thought of your living room, kitchen, or guest room looking drab? Want to spread the joy of all the RGB gear in, on, and around your Fortnite rig? Razer, which booted up its CES 2022 presence with a very un-RGB smartwatch, wants to bring every single smart bulb and lightstrip in your house under its roof with the Razer Smart Home app.
For Google at CES 2022, 'connectivity' is clearly more than just a buzzword
Everything you own, all playing nicely together? This could be the year
The modern world's evolved to embrace connectivity. We live in cities, we work in offices (or at least, we used to), and so many of our interactions are driven by this urge to keep connecting with others. That's absolutely true of our devices as well, and for as great as a smartphone is on its own, it's nothing compared to the role it can play in a greater ecosystem of connected wearables, computers, media systems, and even vehicles. Now at CES 2022 Google's only talking about making all these connections stronger, more feature-rich, and easier to set up.
Google's bringing your Android-powered car more apps, voice controls, and UWB car keys
As long as you've got a compatible vehicle
Some big changes are coming to Google in your car. The search giant has announced a plethora of new features for both Android Auto and built-in Android Automotive systems. Most of the new features are rolling out in the spring or summer, but you can look forward to more apps, new Assistant integrations, and what appears to be the first Google-blessed wireless Android Auto adapter. However, some of these features will require specific (and expensive) car models.
Qualcomm wants your next Volvo or Honda to be a smart car
Its Snapdragon Cockpit platform will power Android Automotive
Google has had its eyes focused on cars for a while now, continuing development on phone-based solutions like Assistant Driving Mode and the in-dash version of Android Auto. Meanwhile, it's also continued to build Android Automotive, an entire operating system designed to integrate with every aspect of your vehicle. It's been a slow expansion, but with new partnerships between Qualcomm and various car companies, some major advancements are coming to the car company's next-gen electric vehicles.
Razer and Fossil have made a smartwatch baby and you get three guesses what color the strap is
Skagen also has a new watch, too
Smartwatch producer Fossil is back for another year, taking the opportunity during CES 2022 to push forward its sixth generation of Wear OS smartwatches with its Skagen brand taking the lead. In addition, Razer is snagging a slice of the action by partnering with the company for a limited edition wearable.
HyperX is a fairly well-known peripheral manufacturer that grew popular thanks to its affordable gaming headsets. The company operates as Hewlett Packard's peripheral arm, now dabbling in all manner of hardware, such as mice, microphones, and keyboards. Well, since CES 2022 is in full swing, HyperX has announced its very first gamepad, and it's an Android-focused controller called the HyperX Clutch that will support Android and PC out of the box, and it even comes with a detachable mobile phone clip.
Nokia set for major US expansion with five new budget phones and two new wireless partners
HMD Global announces new partnerships with Dish Wireless and Consumer Cellular
HMD Global's news for the doomed CES 2022 show concerns what is its biggest US expansion since it started making Nokia-branded phones back in 2016. Not only is the Finnish company releasing five brand-new smartphones — all budget devices under $250 — but it's also announcing two major new wireless partnerships with Dish and Consumer Cellular. These phones may not be the most exciting products around, but the intent is clear. HMD sees an opportunity to grow its US business and it's going all out in 2022.
JBL's latest super-colorful Bluetooth speakers bring the beats to CES 2022
Brace yourselves; there’s a lot on show
There are plenty of brands we look forward to seeing introduce their lastest gear at CES each January, and JBL is no exception. For CES 2022 the Samsung-owned audio company has quite a few new products to show off, including portable Bluetooth speakers, gaming earbuds, and lots more.
The HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook comes with a haptic trackpad and optional 5G connectivity
A versatile business laptop
HP is one of the biggest Chromebook manufacturers, and there’s a good reason for that. The company continues to impress with its products, bringing innovation to the market and introducing novel form factors. During CES 2022, HP has launched yet another intriguing Chromebook. The business-focused HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook comes with a novel haptic trackpad and optional 5G connectivity, packaged in a convertible form factor.
Anker shows off its tiny new 100W GaN charger, Eufy dual-camera doorbell, and more at CES 2022
GaN chargers, garage cams, and power banks, oh my!
Trade shows like CES are all about wowing attendees with presentation and spectacle, and while that may be easy if you're showing off 120-inch high-refresh-rate OLED TVs, it's a little trickier when you're dealing with lower-key smart home and mobile devices. We've got plenty of love to go around, though, and for CES 2022 we're absolutely making a point to check in with companies like Anker, taking a look at all the new devices and accessories it's introducing, including a few under its eufy and Nebula sub-brands.
Hisense has ULED TVs in any size or refresh rate you could want — all running Google TV
No more Android TV 'round here
The Chromecast with Google TV, introduced in late 2020, gave the world a first glimpse at Google's new living room interface, and since then, we've seen it land in both streaming devices and smart TVs, either through new launches or software updates. Hisense is now jumping on the Google TV bandwagon with a series of ULED TVs just introduced at CES 2022, coming at you in multiple sizes, refresh rates, and (of course) price points.
Lenovo’s Smart Frame no longer requires Google Photos to work, soon compatible with Instagram
You’ll even be able to watch videos on it
The Lenovo Smart Frame is a great but pricey way to have an ever-changing display of your loved ones or favorite images right on your wall in a beautiful package, though it does come with its fair share of limitations. During CES 2022, Lenovo has announced a much needed slew of new features that makes the frame a lot more versatile.
Lenovo’s latest Smart Clock Essential comes with Amazon Alexa and some cute ambient night lights
Previous iterations relied on Google Assistant
Lenovo’s smart clocks are among our favorite bedside companions when it comes to good ol’ alarm clocks and smart speakers in one device, and during CES 2022, the company has announced another member of the family. The Lenovo Smart Clock Essential with Alexa Built-in, as it’s officially called, is a diversion from the tested formula as it relies on Amazon’s voice assistant rather than Google’s, but if that’s your jam, it could be the perfect bedside alarm clock.
Sony refreshes its smart TV lineup, adding an optional True Tone-like camera
Now your TV can spend all day watching you lounge around all day
Sony never misses an opportunity to feature its upcoming TVs at CES, and this year is no exception as the 2022 Bravia XR series is coming out in full force. The announcement features six TV models, but the new screens aren’t the only products taking the stage. Sony is also launching a new TV-mounted camera designed to enrich colors, contrast, and brightness of their displays in response to the environment. Additionally, a major firmware update is also turning up in the announcement, promising to add support for 360 Spatial Sound Mapping to two of the company’s soundbars.