WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging services in the world, with somewhere over a billion people using it on a regular basis. The platform is also rapidly evolving, as new features are being tested and rolled out constantly. This time, WhatsApp is rolling out new search filters in the WhatsApp Business application.
WhatsApp Business is an alternative messaging application developed by WhatsApp, intended for use by companies and other organizations to communicate with (potential) customers. It has some extra functionality over the standard WhatsApp application, such as business profiles, away and greeting messages, and landline/fixed phone number support.
WhatsApp Business search filters (Source: WABetaInfo)
WABetaInfo spotted a new addition to the WhatsApp Business application on Android and iOS — more search filters. You could already narrow your search results to messages containing photos, videos, links, GIFs, audio files, and/or documents, but now there are three additional options. You can now filter messages based on if the recipient is in your contacts list, and if the message has been read or not. As with the existing filters, you can use more than one at the same time.
There’s probably less of a need for the new search filters in the regular WhatsApp application, except for people that send and receive a significant amount of messages. Still, it would be nice to see it on the standard app as well.
The new Pixel Pixel 6 series debuts a revamped At a Glance widget. The updated widget can show your calendar event, your flight boarding pass, workout stats, and more. In November, we learned that Google was working on a big update for the widget that would add even more features, including the ability to display shopping lists, doorbell alerts, connection and battery info of Bluetooth devices, and so on. While most of these features have yet to go live, Google has started rolling out Nest doorbell alerts for some users.
As spotted by Mishaal Rahman, At a Glance widget has now started showing Nest doorbell alerts for some users. The doorbell alert integration is rolling out via a server-side update. As you can see in the screenshots below, when your Nest doorbell detects activity at your door, the widget now shows a persistent notification on the home screen and lock screen that reads “Someone’s at the door.”
A big feature update is coming soon for the At a Glance widget. Integrated Nest doorbell alerts started working for tipster Nick Cipriani today w/ Google App v13.0.6.29. I can also confirm doorbell alerts are working, and I also enabled the new settings page. pic.twitter.com/HhhULDOKhl
Note that the new At a Glance widget, which is baked into the Google App, is currently exclusive to the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. That means the doorbell alerts integration will likely be limited to these two devices as well — at least initially.
In addition to Nest doorbell alerts, Google is working on adding the following capabilities to the “At a Glance” widget:
At a store: Shopping lists and Google Pay rewards cards when you’re in supported stores
Bedtime: Your upcoming bedtime from the Clock app
Connected devices: Connection status and battery info for your Bluetooth devices
Fitness: Activity info from your fitness app
Flashlight: Reminder when the flashlight is on
Safety check: Safety check countdown from the Personal Safety app
Timer & stopwatch: Timer and stopwatch info from the Clock app
None of the above-listed features are currently live yet. We’ll let you know when they start rolling out to users.
Samsung is gearing up to launch its next flagship lineup, Galaxy S22 series. Over the past months, we have learned plenty about the Galaxy S22 series, with leaked renders and rumored specifications giving us a fair idea as to what to expect from Samsung’s next flagship lineup. Now a report claims that the lineup will launch in early February, in line with earlier rumors.
According to a new report from South Korean publication Digital Daily, which cites a Samsung Electronics official, Samsung will hold an online “Galaxy Unpacked 2022” event on February 8, where the company will debut the Galaxy S22 series. The official says the company has internally confirmed the launch date and is “discussing the timing of sending out invitations to the end of January.” In addition, the report says the new lineup will go on sale on February 09, with general sales kicking off from February 24. Samsung Electronics’ communication team declined to comment on the report.
The launch date revealed by the Samsung official is in line with what John Prosser claimed back in November. Back then, the tipster said Samsung was going to hold a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 8, where it would take the wraps off of the new Galaxy trio.
Just like last year, Samsung’s 2022 flagship lineup will reportedly consist of three models: the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22 Plus, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. All three models are rumored to pack Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2200 SoC (the US and India are likely to get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1). As far as the design is concerned, the standard Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22+ are believed to retain the last year’s design, as seen in leaked renders. Both phones will reportedly feature a 50MP GN5 primary shooter.
The smartphone market now has a decent selection of foldable phones to choose from, if you are in the market. The clamshell-style is one of the more popular types of foldable devices, with Samsung leading the way in sales with the Galaxy Z Flip3. Since the launch of this device, HUAWEI has begun selling its own phone with a flip function called the P50 Pocket. Each phone has its own strengths, so let’s take a look at the areas where the HUAWEI P50 does it better than Samsung.
No More Hinge Gap
One of the most common complaints from users of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 is the gap in the hinge. When the phone is closed shut, a small gap can be found between the two screens. When HUAWEI designed the P50 Pocket, they made sure to create a phone that doesn’t have a gap. So when the P50 Pocket is closed, both screens lie flat against each other.
The P50 Pocket also has a slimmer build altogether. Measuring only 15.2mm from one end to the other when the phone is close, which is smaller than the 17.1-15.9mm measurement on the Galaxy Z Flip3.
A Larger Display
While it isn’t a dramatic difference, the HUAWEI P50 Pocket has a slightly bigger screen than the Galaxy Z Flip3. The P50 Pocket fits a 6.9″ folding display at 1188×2790, while the Galaxy Z Flip3 has a smaller 6.7″ screen at 1080×2640.
Since you’re getting a phone with the ability to fold to half its size, opting for the larger display is probably a good idea. A slightly higher resolution benefits the 21:9 screen on the P50 Pocket, as your games, movies, and apps will look fantastic on this display.
No Folding Crease
Another common complaint about the Galaxy Z Flip3 is that users will find a crease begin to form in the center of the display, after moderate use. This is also an issue found in most other flip phones with these flexible folding screens. HUAWEI claims to have fixed this common issue to the point where users won’t experience it at all on the P50 Pocket.
More RAM and Storage
While these two phones share very similar specs across the board, the Premium Edition of the P50 Pocket will offer 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The Galaxy Z Flip3 will max out at 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. So the extra boost in memory is there for anyone that needs it. Both phones share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, so you can expect similar performance from both of these devices.
A Bigger Battery with Faster Charging
For anyone that values fast charging speeds and large batteries, the P50 Pocket is going to be the better option. HUAWEI put a large 4000mAh battery in their phone, with a 40W fast charging capability. The Galaxy Z Flip3 has a smaller 3300mAh capacity, and the fast charging maxes out at 15W.
In conclusion, both of these phones are great options for anyone looking to get a new flip phone, but the HUAWEI P50 Pocket exceeds in many ways that should be seriously considered. You can find out more information on the HUAWEI P50 Pocket on the official page here.
We thank HUAWEI for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.
As someone who uses both iPhones and Android phones but prefer using the latter, it’s pained me for years that the best smartwatch by far — the one made by Apple — only works with the iPhone, which means whenever I was using an Android phone, I knew the smartwatch paired to it was second rate. The biggest issue was that, compared to Apple’s wearables, most Android watches had comparatively slow performance and lackluster features set — a problem that was partly Wear OS but mostly due to underpowered chipsets like the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100.
This problem was, I don’t want to say “fixed”, but at least alleviated in 2021, with Samsung and Qualcomm each releasing new wearable SoCs that improved performance significantly. It’s the latter chip — Snapdragon Wear 4100 Plus — that powers the just-announced Skagen Falster Gen 6, and the improved speed is immediately noticeable compared to 2020 Wear OS watches.
Skagen Falster Gen 6 Specifications: Click to expand
Skagen Falster Gen 6: Specifications
Specification
Skagen Falster Gen 6
Build
Stainless steel casing
Glass face
Dimensions
Thickness 11.5mm
Watch face 42mm
Display
1.28-inch AMOLED
326 ppi
SoC
Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+
RAM & Storage
8GB storage + 1GB RAM
Battery & Charging
Battery size not disclosed
Rapid charging (0-80% in 30 minutes)
Audio & Microphone
Single loudspeaker
Single microphone
Sensors
PPG Heart Rate
SpO2
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Compass
Altimeter
Off-body IR
Ambient Light
Software
Wear OS
About this review:Skagen provided XDA a review unit of the watch before launch. Skagen did not have any inputs in this review.
Skagen Falster Gen 6: Design and Hardware
The Skagen Falster Gen 6 may have just hit the market, but it is not new per se. This is actually a rebranding of the two-month-old Fossil Gen 6. They have the exact same internals, so you’re getting 8GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, all the usual sensors like accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter, etc, plus that aforementioned Snapdragon Wear 4100+.
Since Skagen is a Danish-inspired brand that aims for “Danish-minimalism,” the Falster Gen 6 comes in a smaller, sleeker body than Fossil’s Gen 6, without the raised bezel, and thin, detached lugs. I’ve been wearing the beautiful but bulky Huawei Watch GT 3 prior to switching to the Falster Gen 6, and the latter’s much smaller size was a breath of fresh air.
The Huawei Watch GT 3 (left) and the Skagen Falster Gen 6.
I am a fan of the watch’s matte black coating over the stainless steel frame (it also comes in silver), but not so much of the cheap rubbery strap. There is a version with a leather strap plus you can use any third-party 20mm strap, so this is not a huge deal.
And while the Falster Gen 6’s 11.5mm thickness is a hair thinner than the Fossil Gen 6, is still thicker than the Apple Watch Series 7 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. I also question the need for three physical buttons (the middle one is rotatable), as a combination of screen swipes, taps along with a single button should be enough for navigating a smartwatch UI. Plus they get in the way when I bend my wrist up 90-degrees, such as when I’m trying to do pushups.
The Falster Gen 6 can track just about everything rival smartwatches from Apple and Samsung can do, except EKG
Still, I’d say overall the Skagen Falster Gen 6 is a good-looking sleek smartwatch that doesn’t get in the way of long sleeve sweaters or jackets. The 1.28-inch AMOLED screen looks great in a vacuum, but compared to the Huawei Watch GT3, it doesn’t get as bright, and colors don’t pop as much.
There’s a loudspeaker on the left side of the watch casing and a mic on the right side. They both work fine — I was able to take phone calls even outside with traffic noise, and both myself and the other party could hear each other fine.
Around the back are the usual sensors: the Falster Gen 6 can track just about everything rival smartwatches from Apple and Samsung can do except EKG (electrocardiogram). Otherwise, blood-oxygen level, steps walked, stairs climbed, heart rate, GPS tracking are all here.
Fossil/Skagen did not disclose battery size, but I have been able to get a day and a half on a single charge. Right now, as I’m typing this, my watch has been off a charger for 26 hours and there’s still 37% battery left. While a day-and-half is fine for me, I must mention that there are rival smartwatches from Fitbit and Huawei that can last way longer — the Fitbit Sense and Huawei Watch GT 3 can go five to six days on a single charge. Fossil/Skagen also claims the watch can add 80% in 30 minutes of charge, but I could not recreate those speeds. Half an hour of charging a completely drained Gen 6 only added 67% of battery in my testing, which is quite off the marketing number.
A bigger gripe for me is the Falster Gen 6, like 99% of smartwatches, uses a proprietary charger, meaning you need to bring that cable with you on trips, and if you lose it, you must buy another one. Huawei’s recent smartwatches can be charged wirelessly via any Qi charger. That’s the way smartwatches should go. Or at least use USB-C.
The Falster Gen 6 watch is rated 3ATM, meaning it can withstand rain and light splashes, but you can’t really take it swimming.
Skagen Falster Gen 6: Software and Performance
Fossil was left in a rough spot when Google and Samsung announced a surprise partnership last year at Google I/O that essentially gave Samsung first dibs at Wear OS 3. This means the Skagen Falster Gen 6, like the Fossil Gen 6, runs on the older Wear OS 2. While Fossil promises an update to Wear OS 3 will come sometime in 2022, we must review the watch for what it is — running outdated software.
For the most part, I had no issues with the Falster Gen 6’s performance. The UI moves around smoothly, and I enjoy being able to rotate the middle button to scroll down. There are some noticeable shortcomings, like the inferior Google Maps integration. When I am navigating with Google Maps and wearing a Galaxy Watch 4, I get turn-by-turn instructions that show on my wrist. This doesn’t happen on the Skagen Falster Gen 6. Wear OS 3 also has superior watch face complications and has exclusive access to a Wear OS-specific YouTube Music app.
There is one crucial thing the Skagen Falster Gen 6 get right that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 does not — it has Google Assistant
There is, however, one crucial thing the Falster Gen 6 gets right that the Galaxy Watch 4 does not — it has Google Assistant! Samsung’s latest smartwatches may be running Wear OS 3, but it’s not a pure Google version of the software. Instead, it’s littered with Samsung’s services, including the significantly inferior Bixby.
So while the Falster Gen 6’s Wear OS 2 is a bit slower and lacks some features of Wear OS 3, it can at least access the best and smartest digital voice assistant on earth.
Google Maps on the Falster Gen 6
Another feature that the Falster Gen 6 can do quite well is allowing me to respond to text messages from various chat apps via voice dictation. This sounds like a simple enough feature, but very few Android smartwatches get this right. Huawei and Xiaomi’s smartwatches, for example, can only show notifications, they cannot actually respond. Fitbit Sense can only do canned responses. Any Samsung or Wear OS watches from before 2021 technically could respond, but the voice dictation was so painfully laggy, they were virtually useless. Only in 2021, when there was the aforementioned silicon upgrade from Samsung and Qualcomm, did some Android wearables finally become capable enough to handle voice dictation in a timely manner.
You can also respond to messages with an on-screen keyboard on the Falster Gen 6, but the QWERTY keyboard is very cramped, resulting in typos often. This is another area where the Galaxy Watch 4 is superior, as it offers a scribbling method of text input (copied straight from the Apple Watch) that works much better than pecking on a tiny keyboard.
Fitness tracking on the Falster Gen 6 is fine. It’s been raining all week in Los Angeles, so I have been unable to go for runs, but the watch did track my steps accurately. I also tried SpO2 and heart rate tracking with the Falster Gen 6 alongside the Apple Watch Series 7 and Galaxy Watch 4 and all the results were similar. Sleep tracking worked okay, I think Fitbit’s sleep tracking is still the best-in-class, in that it doesn’t get tricked into thinking I’ve woken up just because I tossed and turned a few times.
Google Fit, the default health app to track data for Wear OS devices, is also a bit lacking compared to similar apps from Fitbit, Apple, Samsung, or even Xiaomi. The interface is complicated, and instead of showing you actual data, Google Fit has a habit of showing you some arbitrary point system, like “you earned 40 points for an afternoon walk.” I don’t care about the points, just show me how many actual steps I walked!
There are, sadly, very few watch face selections in the Wearable app, and while third-party apps like Facer have more options, the app itself is a bit spammy, with constant push notifications, lots of ads, and some watch faces requiring money that isn’t clearly labeled
Skagen Falster Gen 6: Conclusion
I really enjoyed my time wearing the Skagen Falster Gen 6. Yes, the software isn’t as zippy as a Galaxy Watch 4, and battery life isn’t as impressive as Fitbit Sense or Huawei Watch GT 2. But the Falster Gen 6 can do one thing better than those other watches for me: it allows me to check my phone less often.
This is because I use Google Assistant often, and I get a lot of chat messages throughout the day (Slack, WeChat, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal). The Skagen Falster Gen 6 with Google Assistant support, and a functional way to respond to notifications fit whats I need.
Galaxy Watch 4 (left) and Skagen Falster Gen 6.
However, at $295, the Falster Gen 6 is $50 pricier than the Galaxy Watch 4, so if you don’t need Google Assistant often (or if you somehow are okay with Bixby), then the Galaxy Watch 4 is a better performer at a lower price.
Fossil's newest smartwatch released under its Skagen branding, this is a clean and minimal-looking Wear OS watch that, despite outdated software, still does smartwatchy things quite well.
Another year has come and gone, and another CES is over. CES 2022 was very different compared to ones past, as despite a physical show for the first time since the pandemic began, many people chose not to travel. On the ground in Las Vegas, some companies were present while many initially planned to go and chose to bow out in the weeks leading up to the show as the Omicron variant emerged and became a wild threat.
Yet, as the phrase says, the show must go on and so CES 2022 certainly did. For the companies that were there, plenty of products were on show and while the show floor was nowhere near as busy as it usually would be, it was still a showcase of invention.
From cars to the smart home, from computing to mobile and all the categories in between, here are Team XDA’s picks for the Best of CES 2022, some of which we saw in person at the show.
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3
If CES is good for one thing, it’s wild and crazy ideas like the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3. The first two generations of the product were crazy enough, with an E Ink display in the lid. This one has a different secondary display, a full-color eight-inch touchscreen next to the keyboard.
At this point, you’re probably asking why you’d need such a thing, and that’s a reasonable thing to ask. It has multiple uses. For example, in the image above, it zooms in on a portion of the screen, and then you can use the pen to edit the image with precision. You can pinch to zoom, or you can scroll to different parts of the screen. Another thing you can do is take handwritten notes. If you’re reading a book or on a call, you can take notes on that eight-inch display.
Microsoft Whiteboard is on there by default. This is a pretty powerful collaboration feature, since Whiteboard automatically syncs in real-time. You can draw while on a meeting, and others will see it while you’re doing it. They can collaborate in real-time too, but they’ll probably need a second device because they’re not as cool as you with your ThinkBook Plus Gen 3.
Let’s not forget, it also has a 17.3-inch 21:10 display. The giant ultra-wide display results in that big chassis that allows for a full-size keyboard and an eight-inch touchscreen. Check out our hands-on article for the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 here.
Dell XPS 13 Plus
The Dell XPS 13 Plus is a brand-new entry into the XPS series, and it’s not replacing the standard XPS 13 because frankly, this is a pretty radical change. In fact, if you’re looking at the image above, you might be asking all kinds of questions, like where the touchpad is.
It’s still there, but you can’t see it. The touchpad on the Dell XPS 13 Plus is entirely border-less. It’s also got a brand-new keyboard, with larger keys that aren’t islanded.
Somehow, there’s something even more controversial than a touchpad you can’t even see. The regular F-keys that you’re used to are gone, replaced by capacitive keys. By default, they show the shortcuts that you’re used to, and if you hit the Fn key, they turn into the F-keys that you’re used to. Some have compared it to Apple’s failed Touch Bar.
Still, there’s no denying this device’s futuristic design and that it comes with the quality of a Dell XPS. You can check out our hands-on of the Dell XPS 13 Plus here.
ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold
Sure, a big 17-inch screen is cool, but do you know what’s even cooler? A 17-inch screen that folds. Indeed, ASUS announced just the second-ever Windows PC with a foldable display. While it is bigger, what makes this super interesting is that it’s the first in a broader wave of foldable devices that are coming.
At CES 2022, Intel also announced its first Evo spec for foldable-display devices, and the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold is the first to meet that spec. That means that another way it differentiates itself from Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold is that it has 12th-generation processors of the 9W variety. Previously, foldables could only use Intel’s Lakefield chips, which weren’t very good.
The resolution of the 17.3-inch 4:3 OLED display is 2,560×1,920, and you can stand it up for one giant display. When folded, it turns into two 12.5-inch 1,920×1,280 3:2 screens, and there’s a keyboard that you can insert inside of it. Unfortunately, ASUS hasn’t announced pricing and availability yet, but nothing with Intel’s U-series processors are scheduled to ship before this spring.
Acer Chromebook Spin 513
There’s a lot of new silicon at CES 2022, including Intel’s 12th-generation processors, AMD’s Ryzen 6000 chips, and even a teaser of its Ryzen 7000 desktop processors. One chip-maker that might fly under the radar a bit is MediaTek, but the company has a brand-new processor for Chromebooks in the high-end tier.
Acer is the first to use the MediaTek Kompanio 1380 with its Chromebook Spin 513. The Kompanio 1380 is a chipset that’s competing more along the lines of an Intel Core i3, and indeed, MediaTek is a leader in ARM Chromebooks. However, until now, those Chromebooks were entry-level to lower mid-tier. The new chips that the firm is producing are hitting the upper mid-tier to the high end.
As for the Chromebook Spin 513 itself is pretty great too, chipset aside. It has a 13.5-inch 3:2 display with a 2,256×1,504 resolution and 7.7mm bezels. Given the new aspect ratio, it’s 18% taller when compared to a 16:9 screen. This makes a big difference for productivity. It’s also MIL-STD-810H certified, has DTS Audio, and has Wi-Fi 6, all for $599.99.
Dell UltraSharp 32 4K Video Conferencing Monitor
With so many amazing announcements, I almost feel like Dell’s UltraSharp 32 4K Video Conferencing Monitor has fallen off of the radar; but it didn’t for me. When Dell showed me this product at a pre-briefing weeks ahead of the show, I felt like I was seeing something special. Sure, it’s a 32-inch 4K monitor, right? It’s so much more than that.
It’s also for a 4K webcam built into it, which is a really big deal. After all, 4K webcams aren’t very common to begin with. The two main options are the Dell UltraSharp 4K Webcam and the Logitech BRIO. The UltraSharp 32 4K Video Conferencing Monitor actually includes the UltraSharp 4K Webcam; it’s just a lot smaller because a lot of the internal components are built into the monitor itself.
On top of that, it’s got echo-canceling dual-array microphones and 14W speakers. Between display quality, video capture quality, microphone quality, and speaker quality, everything is just the best you can get. Integrating all of that into a single unit eliminates a lot of cables from your desk too.
If you spend a lot of time on video calls and meetings, there is simply no better monitor to use, and it’s hard to imagine how you could even improve on it. It is the ultimate monitor in the work from home era.
The Dell UltraSharp 32 4K Video Conferencing Monitor is going to be available on March 29. Dell didn’t announce pricing, but it won’t be cheap.
Samsung Eco Remote
Samsung’s pre-CES 2022 keynote by CEO JH Han focused on a few key areas, one of which was sustainability. The company unveiled a range of sustainability measures, but arguably the most important is the Eco Remote. Although this is technically not new as it was launched with TVs last year, the Eco Remote is going to ship with every TV launched by the company this year which should go a long way to preventing the unwanted disposal of millions of batteries every year. This year’s model also enhances the solar charging from last year’s model by charging through harnessing RF waves, which makes it very interesting technology.
That in and of itself is newsworthy but what makes this initiative special is that Samsung is making the Eco Remote technology free and open source for other companies to use. The goal is to remove all the disposable batteries used in TV remotes, and the company also expects to bring this same technology to other accessories within its portfolio. As far as planet-saving measures, it’s hard to deny that this is one measure that has an immediate positive impact upon the planet.
Samsung Freestyle Projector
Samsung’s The Freestyle is one of our favorite announcements at CES 2022, weird nomenclature of “The” as a prefix notwithstanding. This portable projector can be powered by any battery pack that can output 50W, and offers a 180-degree swivel design so you can point, play and enjoy a large display wherever you are. It’s perfect for usage both in the home as well as on the go, and if you like to camp, glamp or just want to travel in style, this is the ideal friend to take with you.
It features a ton of smarts including the ability to optimize the screen size to fit the content, auto-focusing of the projector itself and auto-leveling, so there’s no chance you’ll have a crooked neck after watching a two or three-hour long movie. There’s also a 5-watt 360-degree speaker so you don’t need to worry about good audio quality, and it supports streaming apps, playlists and even lets you use voice assistants. It works with both Android and iOS, using SmartThings and AirPlay 2 respectively to get your content on the big screen.
It’s available to pre-order now for $899 and there’s a range of accessories that will launch soon, including new skins to change the color of The Freestyle itself. This packs a whole lot of punch in a small body and it’s one product that everyone should have.
One of our favorite products at CES 2022, this portable projector packs a big punch in a small body. For $899, you get an incredibly talented projector that will work wherever you go and whether it is in your home, on a campsite or even in your garden, you should definitely buy The Freestyle.
If there’s a single technology that was on display in force at CES 2022, it was QD-OLED, which stands for Quantum Dot Organic Light Emitting Diode. The next generation of OLED display technology, QD-OLED is designed to combine the best of both technologies. Samsung has sold and marketed Quantum Dot for years as an alternative to OLED – which is primarily produced by LG Display – and Sony’s new QD-OLED display panel is being made by Samsung Display itself.
QD-OLED essentially combines the best parts of the OLED experience (such as perfect blacks and infinite contrast) with the best parts of the Quantum Dot LED experience like higher peak brightness and more vivid color reproduction at higher brightness levels (aka less saturation than OLED TVs at peak brightness). Indeed, Sony says that QD-OLED “boosts color brightness by up to 200 percent compared to conventional TVs” and given that OLED has long been the king of the TV display, it’ll be very interesting to see how the new QD-OLED standard compares when it starts shipping in the spring.
Alienware 34 Gaming Display (AW3423DW)
While Sony created the first TV running QD-OLED technology – which we could probably have seen coming – no-one could have foreseen the first QD-OLED monitor being made by none other than Alienware. Made using a Samsung Display panel, it has a ton of features that could make it a gamers’ paradise, and also the dream monitor for creative types everywhere.
It features DisplayHDR 400 True Black certification, covers the entire P3 Gamut and can reach 1,000 nits peak brightness. It’s factory calibrated, can switch between P3 and sRGB color profiles via the on-screen menus and lets you change the gamma settings. It features an aspect ratio of 24:10 (at 3,440×1,400 pixels resolution) and supports up to 175Hz refresh rate over DisplayPort, or up to 100Hz refresh over HDMI. If you want to use it as a display for your Xbox or PS5 however, it doesn’t support HDMI 2.1, which may be a deal breaker.
As far as monitors go, there’s a lot to like about the Alienware 34 Gaming Display and while they haven’t revealed a price, we won’t have long to go. It launches in China on March 2, will ship on March 29 and will launch in other regions beginning in April. One thing is clear however – QD-OLED is brand-new technology, and as we’ve seen in the past, brand-new technology is never cheap. That said, this monitor seems like it could be worth it.
Movano Ring
When it comes to wearable health tech, Oura makes the ring you’ve probably heard of, but startup Movano could be the next big one to watch. At CES 2022, Movano showed off a smart ring that incorporated all the same features as the Oura Ring 3rd Generation but also promised further features and all for a lower price.
The latter costs $299 and our CCO Nirave absolutely loves his, using it daily to monitor heart health following some medical issues. He says that if Movano can deliver on the promise of its ring – and secure the all-important FDA approval – it could be the must-have wearable in health technology this year, especially as the Oura Ring also requires you to pay a monthly subscription to access all of the more advanced features.
Movano is currently undergoing clinical trials of the radio frequency technology that would help it collect the data needed to monitor glucose and blood pressure. Given that these are used in the management of diabetes and heart disease respectively – and those are two of the biggest killers globally – to say that the Movano Ring could be lifesaving would be an understatement.
Withings Body Scan Scale with ECG
While Movano is still a ways away from launching – although it will be this year – Withings showed off its new smart scale at CES 2022 and it is thoroughly impressive. Combining everything you expect from a Withings scale – including weight, other body measurements and body type information – with several new features including body composition and most importantly, the ability to run an ECG, this is a scale that hopes to give you a snapshot of your all-round health.
The addition of an ECG is great and makes this the first scale with built-in ECG. It’s able to record a 6 lead ECG – making it one of only a handful of devices that can record 6 lead ECGs – and once it receives FDA approval and launches in Q2, you’ll be able to send the ECG recording to a licensed cardiologist to get examined as well. Sleep Apnea is a fairly common problem and being able to record an ECG while weighing yourself in the morning should help more people be diagnosed with heart conditions.
BMW iX Flow
CES might be a technology show but it’s also fast becoming a showcase of the latest automotive innovations. Companies from around the world take the abundance of space outside the traditional Las Vegas convention show floors to showcase everything from their latest infotainment systems to new in-car experiences and connected experiences. Sometimes however, there’s an announcement that just blows everyone away.
The BMW iX Flow did exactly that at CES 2022. When buying a new car, we’ve all been through that decision process of deciding what color to buy. It’s one of the most important decisions in the car buying process, simply because it’s a very public statement of your personality. The BMW iX Flow showcases technology that could help with this decision one day; simply put, it’s a color-changing car. Yes, read that again: it’s a car that changes its color.
The car uses a specially developed body wrap that similar in material to the Amazon Kindle. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophorectic technology surfaces different color pigments, which results in the color changing experience showcased in the video below. As far as technology goes, it’s one of the coolest automotive innovations we’ve seen in a long time.
HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Headphones
Some gamers still use wired headsets instead of wireless ones because the latter often doesn’t offer enough battery life and most gamers don’t want to deal with charging etc. The new HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless headphones promise to solve this, and could basically be the best wireless headphones for gamers for one simple reason: they claim to offer 300 hours battery life.
That’s no mean feat; almost all gaming headsets come with double-digit battery life, although there are a few that creep past the 100 hours mark. The Sennheiser GSP 370 was the first to reach that mark with a claimed battery life of 100 hours and it captured the attention, so it’s unsurprising that the entire gaming industry is buzzing with the HyperX Cloud Alpha claiming to offer three times that amount. That’s almost an entire week’s continuous usage before you need to reach for a charger, and if you spend an entire week gaming, you might have larger issues to contend with than battery life. It launches next month and at a cost of $200, it might just be the best gaming headset for everyone.
Google Fast Pair
CES usually is the ground where new hardware and concept demos are shown off, so including a software feature may feel out of place. But Google did choose CES 2022 to announce a rather important and influential change coming to your personal tech sphere: more devices with Fast Pair.
On the face of it, the announcement may seem trivial. After all, pairing a Bluetooth device isn’t actually rocket science. But…it actually is, for the general populace at least. Apple has showcased the power of tight integration with its products, which has allowed it to touch over 3 trillion USD in valuation. The simplicity of opening a pair of new AirPods and having it show up magically on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac beside it is absolutely convenient to the end-user as they no longer have to fiddle with obscure menus that they know little about. This ease-of-use is underrated, and Google is attempting to bring them to a significantly more diverse ecosystem of products with Fast Pair.
You will soon be able to Fast Pair devices like supported headphones and earphones from OnePlus, Sony, Microsoft and many others to Chromebooks, Google TV, and Android TV. Further, Fast Pair support is also being extended to Matter-enabled Smart Home devices. Android phones and Chromebooks will also soon synergize better than ever before. All of these smaller experiences add up to a more seamless experience for the ecosystem, and Fast Pair from Google takes credit for the same. It may not be at the same level as the Apple ecosystem, but it’s progress nonetheless.
Jabra Elite 4 Active
The Jabra Elite 4 Active are an addition to the TWS lineup from Jabra, slotting in above the Elite 3. They are marketed as Jabra’s most affordable workout model at a price of $120, which is definitely more affordable than the next best Elite 7 Active at $180. You do give up on several features like Bluetooth multipoint pairing, ear detection sensors, and wireless charging. But what you get are decent options for workout earbuds that feature good ANC and transparency modes. You also get an IP57 rating which makes them great for working out without a worry about dust and sweat.
What makes the Jabra Elite 4 Active great is that they remain an easy-to-recommend product for a product category that still has scope for maturing. TWS come in all shapes, sizes, and prices, but good and reliable TWS need to become cheaper and more widely available. The Jabra Elite 4 Active don’t need to reinvent the wheel that everyone tries to do at CES 2022 — they just need to present themselves as another viable option that you cannot go wrong with.
The Jabra Elite 4 Active are a relatively affordable pair of workout-focused TWS that aim for reliability. With ANC and IP57 protection, they make for a great option that remains easy to recommend from the house of Jabra.
CES traditionally isn’t a show that’s mobile focused, but Samsung bucked the trend this year by launching the Galaxy S21 FE. The last phone to be launched in the Galaxy S21 range – and just a few weeks before it likely launches the Galaxy S22 range at that – the Galaxy S21 FE isn’t going to excite the world. However, the other mobile adjacent products that Samsung showed off certainly will.
Before the launch of the first Galaxy Fold, Samsung unveiled new displays at Samsung Developer Conference, and at CES 2022, it showed off several next-generation displays that likely show us the future of Samsung’s foldable lineup. And we’re super excited.
The Flex S and Flex G take the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and up the ante by adding an additional fold. This essentially makes the internal display one encompassing three different parts when unfolded, and it’s clear that a future Galaxy Fold with this form factor would make it onto our best foldables list.
The Flex S is an example of what a foldable laptop from Samsung would look like and it’s one that we hope will be made into a real product someday.
Look at the videos above to see the new concepts in action and read more here!
Motorola MA1 Wireless Android Auto Dongle
The Motorola MA1 isn’t the first dongle for wireless Android Auto, but it’s the first one you can soon go out to buy. Android Auto is in a weird spot, wherein most cars and entertainment systems need a wired connection but some newer head units support a wireless connection with your phone. Wireless is obviously more convenient, which is where these dongles come in.
The Motorola MA1 will be sold by SGW Global under the Motorola branding. You just need to plug the dongle into the USB port on your car or head unit that has wired Android Auto, and the dongle will let you then establish a connection to your phone over Bluetooth and 5GHz Wi-Fi. Further, you just need to start your car, which will automatically establish a wireless connection without requiring you to even remove your phone out from your pocket. For $89.95, this will be worth it for frequent users.
The Motorola MA1 wireless Android Auto dongle lets you connect your smartphone with a wired Android Auto head unit wirelessly. This convenience is worth the price for frequent Android Auto users as they would no longer need to remove their phones from their pockets.
Garmin has made a name for itself for its health and fitness tracking products, and the Venu 2 Plus banks heavily on those capabilities. It’s not a full-blown smartwatch as it does not have an app store or other advanced smartwatch features, but it carries over most of its feature set from the Venu 2 before it.
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus comes with a 43mm case and a standard 20mm strap, a circular AMOLED with always-on mode, upto 9 days of battery life, Garmin Pay for contactless payments, notification mirroring, and internal storage for downloaded music. The watch can also be used as a speakerphone for phone calls, similar to a Wear OS smartwatch or Apple Watch. This watch is a bit expensive at $449.99, but several fitness enthusiasts swear by Garmin’s health and fitness tracking capabilities, so it is worth a look if those are high on your priority list.
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus prides itself on its fitness and tracking capabilities. It's not a full-blown smartwatch, but it has enough smarts to accomplish most practical smartwatch tasks. Get it if accurate fitness tracking is high up on your priority list.
That sums up our picks for the best of CES 2022, but what announcements stood out for you from CES 2022? Let us know below, over on Twitter, or in the XDA Forums!
Motorola has a ton of devices, and sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with them as they leak. The Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022) has suffered from leaks quite a few times already, with both renders and some marketing materials surfacing recently. Now, though, we are able to share key specifications from the device ahead of its official launch thanks to our sources.
First of all, the Moto G Stylus (2022) has an internal codename of Milan, and it will launch with Android 11. Our source also tells us that there will only be one major upgrade to Android 12, with bi-monthly security updates for two years. We expect this device to launch in North America and Europe at the very least, though we can’t confirm that.
When it comes to the display, the Moto G Stylus (2022) has a 6.78-inch full HD display with a resolution of 2460×1080. It will support a 90Hz refresh rate, and we also know that it’s an IPS LCD panel. It appears to have the MediaTek Helio G85 that launched last year — a 64-bit SoC with eight cores — and a Mali-G52 GPU. It also (obviously) has a stylus, and that stylus can dock inside of the phone.
In terms of cameras, there’s a centered camera cutout housing a 16MP fixed-focus sensor which appears to be the OV16A1Q. The rear-facing cameras are comprised of a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL S5KJN1, an 8MP Samsung ISOCELL S5K4H7 ultra-wide, and a 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 depth sensor. As for memory and storage, the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022) should come with 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage expandable via MicroSD card. It’s also expected to have a 5,000 mAh battery with 10W charging.
Finally, the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022) also has a fingerprint sensor in the power button, and there is no dedicated Google Assistant key. There’s a single bottom-firing speaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack. According to our sources, there is no NFC or dual SIM support.
We aren’t sure when exactly the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2022) will launch, but we expect that it’s not too far off. Last year’s device launched in January 2021, meaning that it could be any day now that we hear more.
