Hemispherical solar cells could significantly improve sunlight absorption
Enhancing light absorption with photovoltaic tech thanks to 3D finite element analysis
Electronics
The latest consumer electronics, from smart home devices to cool gadgets that are bound to be industry-changing.
Apple doubles iPhone 15's advertised battery lifespan ahead of EU regulations
iPhone 15 batteries can now retain 80% of their capacity at 1,000 charge cycles
Walmart confirms Vizio acquisition for $2.3 billion
Walmart could put Vizio's smart TV ad platform to good use
Wyze cameras were once again letting users see other people's homes after cloud outage
Some users were able to see thumbnails from cameras that weren't theirs
Mini robots and remote surgery offer new solutions for medical emergencies in space
One small rubber band cut, a great leap for (space) surgery
Roku crosses 80 million active accounts, but growth continues to slow
Roku users watch an average of 4.1 hours of TV per day
LED glass basketball court to make NBA debut this month, displaying stats and replays
Courts can also display other entertainment content and host potentially any hardcourt sport
Why some Apple Vision Pro early adopters are returning their headsets
Discomfort is a leading reason for returns
Mark Zuckerberg says the Meta Quest 3 is a "better product" than Apple Vision Pro... period
The Vision Pro costs $3,500, while the Quest 3 starts at $500
A promising new calcium-oxygen battery design can withstand up to 700 recharge cycles
New electrolyte material provides a potential breakthrough for calcium-based batteries
Minnesota burglars are using Wi-Fi jammers to disable home security systems
Criminals are becoming increasingly tech-savvy
Apple's Vision Pro could cannibalize the iPad, but it will take years
The iPad is safe, for now
Canada moves to ban the Flipper Zero amid rising auto theft concerns
Who knew a toy-like security testing device could prove to be such a menace?
Bottom line: The popularity of the Flipper Zero has Canadian officials on edge. While the tool's capabilities do raise concerns, the knee-jerk prohibition highlights the tricky balance between empowering white-hat hackers and preventing malicious misuse of technology.
Lenovo to show off new ThinkBook laptop with a transparent display
Is the future of laptops transparent?
This real-world Pokédex identifies pocket monsters using ChatGPT and AI voice cloning
In context: A YouTuber recreated a real-life working version of the Pokédex from the 1990s anime series. For those unfamiliar, the Pokédex was a red camera-like device that Ash used to identify Pokémon. The gadget would analyze the creature and then vocally tell Ash its name and description.
Ring subscription price hike: Basic plan jumps to $5 a month, no extra features
A 25% increase in the US, 43% in the UK
When Asus and MSI battle over OLED monitor burn-in warranties, consumers win
In brief: Asus and MSI are seemingly locked into a battle over OLED monitor warranties, besting each other with extended coverage. In the end, however, it's the consumer that ultimately win with more purchasing peace of mind.
Tablet shipments hit their lowest volume since 2011, but Chinese tablets mitigated the decline
Another industry glad to see the back of 2023
Cirrus Logic is working on a new reference design for Intel's Lunar Lake laptop processors
New audio and power chips to improve efficiency and the overall user experience
AMD is set to bring the heat with Zen 5, Ryzen 9000, and new X870E motherboards
In context: With mandatory USB4 support coming to AMD's next-gen X870E chipsets, upgrading to Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 CPUs could get pricey. The new connectivity standard requires an extra controller chip, which vendors will likely pass on as higher motherboard costs. Be ready to budget more than expected if you're planning a Zen 5 build.
Apple Vision Pro teardown investigates the EyeSight Display
Easily replaceable battery and speakers, software-locked prescription lens
Next-gen autonomous drone set to unveil hidden secrets of Antarctica
The Little Plane That Could (map snow covered mountains)
Meta's VR/AR division had its best and worst quarter as total losses pass $42 billion
Reality Labs is costing Meta a lot of cash
Snap recalls drones due to fire risk, offers refunds to all users
The Pixy batteries are overheating, resulting in at least one minor fire
Meta Quest receives spatial video and gesture support as company hopes the Apple Vision Pro can save mixed reality
Meta to become the Android of mixed reality headsets