As the Consumer Tech team prepares to head to Las Vegas for CES 2024 next week, we cannot stop thinking about LG’s adorable 4K projector while also wondering what an Xbox-inspired BLT would taste like. Oh, and we also rounded up the top product stories of the week.
LG Just Announced the Cutest Little 4K Projector
The CineBeam Qube sports a 360-degree rotatable handle.Image: PR Newswire
LG recently announced a new 4K projector, the CineBeam Qube, and I’m pretty smitten with it. It supports 4K and can project up to 120 inches, but its “eye-catching minimal aesthetic” is what the company seems most proud of. The CineBeam Qube is pretty cute. – Dua Rashid Read More
Meta Quest 2 Won’t Easily Stream to TVs Anymore, But at Least It’s Half the Price Now
Photo: Gizmodo
Trying to draw attention back to its Metaverse ambitions, Meta dropped the price of its 128 GB to $250. That’s exactly half of what the company’s latest Quest 3 costs. An extra $50 will net you the 256 GB Quest 2, but if you’re looking to get one even cheaper, the company is advertising refurbished headsets starting at $230 and $270, respectively.
No matter what, Meta is still in charge, and if the company giveth, it may also taketh away. Over the past week, Meta silently removed the option to let users stream to Chromecast. Android Central first reported during the holidays that users no longer find the option to cast to Chromecast, though they can still cast to a phone or computer. – Kyle Barr Read More
Vizio Agrees to Pay Out $3 Million and Stop Advertising Bogus ‘Effective’ Framerates
Vizio says its “Dynamic Motion” feature on its latest 55-inch Quantum smart TVs can offer a refresh rate close to 120Hz, but the actual refresh rate is 60Hz.Image: Vizio
TV maker Vizio is being taken to task for making big claims of excessive refresh rates on its TVs when, in reality, an “effective frame rate” is based on software meant to give the impression of smoother viewing. While folks who bought a Vizio TV shouldn’t expect any big payout, it’s a strong reminder not to take big framerate claims on your next television or monitor at face value. – Kyle Barr Read More
Microsoft’s ‘AI Browser’ Edge Is a Precursor to the ‘AI’-ification of Everything
Microsoft is now calling Edge the “AI Browser” on mobile, though not on its Windows Store.Image: T. Schneider (Shutterstock)
Microsoft is trying to rebrand its Edge internet browser. No longer should its name remind you that its icon shortcut sits alone and forgotten at the edge of your Windows desktop. Now Microsoft is trying to claim Edge is on the cutting edge of AI. The Redmond tech giant has started calling its native internet explorer “Microsoft Edge: AI Browser.” If you think that’s already a little on the nose, expect more companies to do so in the coming year. – Kyle Barr Read More
The Xbox Already Looks Like a Toaster, Now It Is One
The Xbox Series S toaster will stick an Xbox logo on all your bread. Image: Walmart
A wise man once said, “All toasters toast toast.” Well, sure enough, they… don’t, but some non-toaster devices could be well adapted to aid me with making a quick BLT. Now Microsoft, in all its wisdom, has decided to take its Xbox Series S design and finally add a slot on top—not for discs—but for bread. Why turn a Series S into a toaster? For the memes, of course. – Kyle Barr Read More
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2024 Will Hopefully Reveal the Galaxy S24’s New AI Chatbot
After the dopamine hit of CES 2024 wears off, we’ll need something else to carry us through the first month of the new year. Fortunately, we’ll have Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked to look forward to. The company has officially announced its next flagship smartphone series will be revealed on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The event streams live on Samsung’s YouTube page at 10:00 A.M. PT / 1:00 P.M. ET. – Florence Ion Read More
Yes, Some New Windows Keyboards Are Getting a ‘Copilot Key’ to Quick-Access AI
The new Copilot key takes over the right ctrl button, mirroring the Windows key.Image: Dell
Microsoft’s big early 2024 AI push has PC makers dancing along to the siren song of big tech’s new big obsession. Along with the newly-announced XPS lineup of Dell laptops, there’s one small tidbit of information that isn’t nearly as engrossing but could prove to be Microsoft and the largest PC maker’s push to redefine how folks use their PC with a brand new “Copilot key” on users’ keyboards. – Kyle Barr Read More