Would you like it if you could change your car’s color with the press of a button? Sounds unreal, doesn’t it? Well, German automaker BMW doesn’t think so, and at this year’s CES event, it has showcased a car named BMW iX Flow with its newly developed color-changing technology. The car uses the company’s in-house E Ink tech that enables it to change color on the fly. Here’s how all this happens.

BMW iX Flow with Color-Changing Body Panels

In an official blog post, BMW reveals that the iX Flow features an E-Ink prototype technology that relies on electrical signals for the process. The new color-changing system uses electrophoretic technology to change the pigment of its surface when stimulated with these electrical signals. It is a similar technology that is used in eReaders like Amazon’s Kindle devices.

“Digital experiences won’t just be limited to displays in the future. There will be more and more melding of the real and virtual. With the BMW iX Flow, we are bringing the car body to life,” says Frank Weber, the current CEO of the company and a member of the board.

A tweet by Out of Specs Studio showcases the color-changing technology on BMW iX Flow in action. Here’s a look:

Currently, the electrophoretic-based E Ink technology can only change from white to black and vice-versa, using negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. Furthermore, the new E Ink technology can also change the color of individual body panels of the car, giving it a dual-tone look. Just imagine, you leave the house in a white SUV, and come back home in a stealthy-looking greyish-black one. How cool would that be?

This technology will allow people to give their car different looks, designs, and patterns as per their preference or “mood of the day.” But, it also has pretty practical use cases.

For instance, as white does not absorb much heat, drivers can set the color of the car to white in hot regions and reduce the usage of air conditioning. In winters, they can change the car to black to absorb more heat from the surroundings, reducing the need for the in-car heating system. Additionally, the change of colors can reduce the amount of energy consumed by the car’s electrical system, and thus, its fuel consumption.

As for the availability of the color-changing car, BMW finds it difficult to answer that question, despite it being attractive and useful at the same time. Hence, the company will take some time to further develop its E-Ink technology before applying it to its commercial vehicles.

What do you think about this concept car? Would you like a color-changing car for yourself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned for more

 

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Nvidia has announced two new laptop GPUs, expanding its RTX 30-series GPU lineup in the market. The latest two GPUs – GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, join the existing range of laptop GPUs from Nvidia and are the flagship graphics processors in the lineup. So let’s take a look at the details about the new GPU offerings from Nvidia.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPUs Announced

The two new flagship-grade laptop GPUs from Nvidia are here to offer desktop-class graphics performance on laptops. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti comes with 16GB of GDDR6 memory. This is, surprisingly, higher than the 12GB memory of the desktop version of the RTX 3080 Ti, which the company unveiled last year at Computex.

Nvidia says that the new RTX 3080 Ti for laptops is capable of delivering 120 FPS at 1440p with Ultra Settings and is faster than the desktop Titan RTX variant from the previous generation. The laptops with the said GPU will launch in the market from February 1, with a starting price of around $2,499 (~Rs 1,86,209). The first OEMs partners to launch notebooks with the RTX 3080 Ti would be Razer, Dell, and more.

Coming to the lower-end Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, the company says that it will be 1.7 times faster than the RTX 2070 Super. It will be capable of delivering up to 100FPS at 1440p with Ultra Settings, and notebooks with this GPU will also start shipping from February 1. The starting price would be around $1,499 (~Rs 1,11,696).

Now, although Nvidia did not provide much detail about the specs of its upcoming laptop GPUs, it unveiled the next-gen Max-Q technology for laptops that would drive these new GPUs. The fourth-generation Max-Q technology for gaming laptops will be able to control a device’s CPU, GPU, and other components to deliver improved performance.

It will use various new features like Rapid Core Scaling, CPU Optimizer, and Battery Boost 2.0 to improve the performance of the laptop. We expect to get more details on the new GPUs and the Max-Q technology once laptops powered by these GPUs launch in the market in February. So, stay tuned to our website for more updates.

 

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It’s CES time and Acer is one of the companies that has unveiled a slew of products during the ongoing event. Acer has unveiled three new Chromebooks, namely the Chromebook Spin 513, Chromebook 315, and Chromebook 314. All these laptops are meant to cater to different kinds of users, ranging from hybrid office-goers to students learning through digital means. All three Chromebooks feature advanced multi-tasking capabilities, military-grade durability, and recycled materials. Let’s take a look at each of them below.

New Acer Chromebooks Unveiled

Acer Chromebook Spin 513

The Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (model CP513-2H) is a new version of the existing Chromebook Spin 513 that was launched back in 2020. It comes with a 13.5-inch VertiView display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels. The screen comes with narrow bezels, offering users more screen real estate for viewing content. It has a 360-degree hinge and can be converted into four modes such as the Tent mode and Tablet mode.

Under the hood, the device packs the octa-core MediaTek Kompanio 1380 CPU, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It is backed by a battery that can offer up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The Chromebook Spin 513 comes with MIL-STD 810H military-grade durability, Wi-Fi 6, a backlit keyboard, a USB Type-C port, a pair of upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio, a pair of microphones, and more.

Acer Chromebook 315

Acer Chromebook 315 (model CP315-4H/T) is a full-fledged notebook, sporting a 15.6-inch anti-glare Full HD IPS display with an option for a touch-enabled screen. There is a flare-reducing technology-backed HDR webcam that delivers a wide field of view for users to enjoy high-quality video calls.

Acer says that the device packs the latest Intel processors. Hence, it is likely backed by Intel Celeron dual-core N4500 CPU, Celeron quad-core N5100 CPU, or the Pentium Silver N600 processor. This is paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device offers up to 10 hours of battery life and supports Wi-Fi 6 for high-speed wireless connectivity.

As for the ports, the laptop gets two USB-C ports on each side, a MicroSD slot, a full-size keyboard with a numeric pad, and a touchpad made with a unique eco-friendly material, which the company calls OceanGlass. Acer says that the OceanGlass touchpad is entirely made of plastic waste from oceans that have been recycled into a glass-like material.

Acer Chromebook 314

Acer Chromebook 314 (model CB314-3H/T) is a budget-friendly option for students. It features a 14-inch Full HD display with anti-glare technology and an option for a multi-touch-enabled screen. The laptop also supports the MIL-STD 810H standard for extra durability. It also claims to deliver a 10-hour battery life on regular usage.

Much like its elder sibling, the device packs the latest Intel processors and an OceanGlass-made touchpad. Furthermore, it comes with support for Wi-Fi 6 for high-speed wireless connectivity and a webcam with temporal noise reduction (TNR) technology for improved video calls in low-light conditions. Other than these, there’s also a USB-C port and DTS Audio-supported speakers in tow here.

Pricing and Availability

The new Chromebook Spin 513 starts at $600 (~Rs 44,704) and will be available to buy in North America from June 2022. It will be up for grabs in EMEA in April 2022 at a starting price of Euros 649 (~ Rs 54,700).

The Chromebook 315 and 314 start at $300 (~Rs 22,352) in the USA in January 2022. In Europe, however, the Chromebook 315 will start at Euros 399 (~Rs 33,552), and the Chromebook 314 will start at Euros 369 (~Rs 31,029). While the Chromebook 315 will be available in EMEA in late Q1 2022, the Chromebook 314 will be available in April 2022.

 

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After unveiling some unique smart TVs and its new “OLED.EX” display technology earlier last week, LG has now announced its smart TV lineup for this year during the CES 2022 tradeshow. The company has introduced the high-end G2 series and a budget-focused C2 series, along with the new version of its WebOS UI for TVs. Check out the details below.

LG 2022 Smart TVs Revealed

Starting with the premium LG 2022 G2 series, it includes the usual 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch models. However, LG has now introduced a massive 97-inch model and an 83-inch model as well. The former is the world’s first 97-inch OLED smart TV. All the new LG G2 TV models come with, what the company calls a “flush-to-the-wall Gallery Design.”

The lower-end LG 2022 C2 series consists of the 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch, and 83-inch variants, and the new 42-inch model. The Korean giant says that the new 42-inch model is to cater to console and PC gamers, offering them an immersive OLED display for their high-performance gaming needs.

Meanwhile, LG also introduced its first gaming laptop recently, and with the 42-inch smart TV, it seems like the company is now aiming to establish its name in the gaming sector.

Both the LG G2 and C2 series come with LG’s OLED Evo technology to produce accurate colors and realistic images and are powered by the latest Alpha 9 Gen 5 processor. The processor is said to improve the TVs’ performance, add 3D quality to the onscreen images, and will improve the LG’s AI Sound Pro feature to create virtual 7.1.2 surround sound for a theater-like experience.

Additionally, the display on each TV is certified by both TÜV Rheinland and Underwriters Laboratories. The new 2022 LG smart TVs come with a number of gaming features that can be accessed via the Game Optimizer menu.

LG has also introduced the new 2022 QNED TV lineup with the company’s Quantum Dot NanoCell technology and the Precision Dimming Technology. 

WebOS 22 Update

In addition, LG has introduced a new version of its WebOS platform, WebOS 22, with this year’s TV lineup. Currently, LG TVs run WebOS 6.0 and the new version is probably to match with the new year.

WebOS 22 brings new features and changes like the ability to create separate user profiles with personal preferences and content recommendation settings for a more personalized experience. Users will be able to switch profiles via the TV’s UI or through the new “NFC Magic Tap” option from a compatible smartphone. The latter can also be used to mirror the screen of a connected smartphone on the LG TVs. Additionally, users will be able to mirror another TV’s screen using Room To Room Share and will also be able to turn the new LG TVs into a media display with the help of Always Ready.

Furthermore, starting in 2022, LG will allow users to control other smart devices using their smart TVs with the upgraded ThinQ AI.

Coming to the pricing and availability details of the new LG 2022 smart TV models, there is no information at the time of writing. But, we expect the company to reveal the prices of the upcoming G2 and C2 TV series in the coming weeks. So, stay tuned for more..

 

Samsung’s second-generation S-series “Fan Edition” smartphone, lovingly called the Galaxy S21 FE, is finally here. The device, which has been leaked several times in the past, is an affordable variant of the Galaxy S21 and a successor to last year’s Galaxy S20 FE. It is aimed to bring the Galaxy S-series’ premium features at a relatively affordable price point. Here are the details.

Galaxy S21 FE: Specs and Features

The Galaxy S21 FE, as rumored previously, comes with a Galaxy S21-like design with a vertical rear camera hump that blends into the matte-finished back panel. However, it goes for a plastic build for the obvious cost-cutting reasons. It comes in four colors, namely Olive, Lavender, White, and Graphite. Upfront, there is a center-placed punch-hole screen.

The screen spans 6.4-inch and supports a Full HD+ screen resolution. It is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display that gets up to a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. The Galaxy S21 FE 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile platform and comes in three RAM + storage configurations: 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB, and 8GB+256GB.

As for the cameras, there are three at the back, including a 12MP primary snapper with OIS and dual-pixel AF, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with an FoV of 123-degrees, and an 8MP telephoto lens with support for up to 30x Space Zoom. The front camera stands at 32MP. This is pretty much similar to its predecessor from last year. There are various camera features at our disposal, including, Night mode, AI Face Restoration, dual-video recording, and more.

The Galaxy S21 FE 5G is backed by a 4,500mAh battery with support for 25W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and wireless PowerShare functionality. It runs Samsung One UI 4.0 based on Android 12 out-of-the-box, which is a first for a Samsung phone.

There’s support for 5G (of course), an optical in-display fingerprint scanner, IP68 water and dust resistance, Samsung Pay with NFC, and more.

Price and Availability

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE starts at $699 (around Rs 52,139), which is similar to the Galaxy S20 FE price when it was launched. It will be available to buy, starting January 11, but the date of availability will differ for different markets. There’s no word on its availability in India just yet, but we can expect it to launch here soon.

Are you going to buy the new Galaxy S21 FE 5G? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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Ahead of its CES 2022 event, Samsung has introduced its new gaming monitor lineup for this year. The lineup includes the Odyssey Neo G8, the Smart Monitor M8, and the High-Resolution Monitor S8 to deliver a high picture quality to the users, be it for gaming, work, or simply consuming content. Here’s a look at the details.

Samsung Odyssey Neo G8

This monitor joins the high-end Odyssey Neo lineup and is the world’s first to come with a 4K display that supports a 240Hz refresh rate, which can enhance the overall gaming experience. The 32-inch monitor gets Quantum Mini LEDs for deeper and richer blacks, gets a peak brightness of 2000 nits, and supports the Quantum HDR 2000 for an improved viewing experience.

It features a sleek design similar to the Odyssey Neo G9 and gets the CoreSync lighting for the automatic detection of colors on the screen “to create a deeper sense of immersion.” The monitor also gets the RGB lighting at the back and has multiple ports.

Smart Monitor M8

This is a successor to the Smart Monitor M7 and boasts an ultra-slim design, which is three-quarters thinner than its predecessor. It has a 32-inch QLED UHD display with a 99% sRGB color gamut, and 400 nits of peak brightness. The Samsung Smart Monitor M8 comes with a movable magnetic SlimFit Cam, which calls for clearer video calls. It has an in-built Video Call app that supports major video-calling platforms, including Google Duo.

Smart Monitor M8 also gets access to various video-streaming and productivity apps and supports SmartThings Hub to control various other smart devices. Additionally, there’s support for a USB Type-C port with 65W fast charging capabilities and provides an all-in-one workstation experience that dismisses the need for an extra docking station.

It comes in a new warm white color option and gets a similarily-colored remote control as well.

High Resolution Monitor S8

This monitor comes in 27-inch and 32-inch screen size variants. The Samsung Monitor S8 supports a UHD screen resolution, up to 98% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, and supports the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) Display HDR 600. It is also the world’s first UL (Underwriter Laboratories)-verified Glare-Free monitor. The display is matte that can reduce light reflection.

The monitor features 90W USB Type-C charging, LAN ports, and comes with the ability to charge laptops and phones without the need for an additional docking station. The Monitor S8 also comes with a Height Adjustable Stand that can allow for tilting, swiveling, and more functions for users to easily mount the monitor anywhere.

In addition, Samsung has also introduced the 2022 Micro LED, Neo QLED, and Lifestyle TVs with advancements in the picture and sound quality, an upgraded UI, and loads more.