AI assistant with voice control
One of the most unusual gadgets was the Rabbit R1, a compact companion device designed to perform tasks using artificial intelligence. It is assumed that the user will only need to give the gadget a voice command, for example, order food or a taxi, and Rabbit R1 will do all subsequent actions independently.
The hardware of the device differs little from modern smartphones: Rabbit R1 is controlled by an eight-core MediaTek processor (apparently it will be Helio P35) with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. In addition, the gadget is equipped with a 2.88-inch touch screen, two microphones, a 360-degree rotating camera, as well as two analog controls – a scroll wheel and a physical button used to call an assistant and confirm actions.
The main feature of Rabbit R1 was the operating system, built on the basis of the LAM (Large Action Model) AI model, designed for planning and executing actions. AI will independently learn to work with applications already existing on the market without the need for additional optimization on the part of developers. However, if necessary, users can independently teach Rabbit R1 certain operations.
The device is not positioned as a competitor to smartphones; it occupies a special niche as a digital companion. It will be interesting to see how functional the AI assistant will be in real use cases. The first devices purchased through pre-orders will reach customers in March.
Second generation of Ballie robots
Following LG’s recent introduction of the Smart Home AI Agent, Samsung has updated the design and construction of its Ballie companion robot.
Outwardly, it resembles a small ball on wheels with an “eye” located in the center – in this area there are infrared sensors and cameras for orientation in space, as well as a projector with which the robot can display useful information (for example, a timer) on any flat surface. broadcast movies, videos and duplicate the owner’s computer screen. In addition, Ballie can become the center of a smart home and control the operation of connected devices.
With all the variety of functionality, the robot will try to be unobtrusive and flexibly integrate into the daily life of its owners and their pets. Ballie already gives the impression of a finished product – it would not be surprising if in a few years similar robots begin to appear everywhere as companions for work and entertainment.
Even smarter: Volkswagen cars will receive ChatGPT support
The update will affect all cars with support for the IDA voice assistant – now the AI assistant will not only be able to process simple commands, but also conduct a dialogue with the driver and passengers, answer questions and help with driving the car.
ChatGPT will be built into the server part of the assistant, so for it to work it will require a stable Internet connection, which is not available in all regions of the world. However, thanks to cloud hosting, the vehicle’s computing systems are relieved and the overall safety of using the assistant is increased. Volkswagen representatives note that the system will not have access to any confidential data about the car or its owner, and questions and answers will not be stored on the company’s servers.
The updated IDA AI assistant with ChatGPT will be available on both electric and internal combustion vehicles. It is expected that the system will become standard for Volkswagen production vehicles from the second quarter of 2024.
Sony Spatial Content Creation System
Ahead of the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, the Japanese electronics manufacturer has announced its first MR headset aimed at content creators and enthusiasts. It has not yet received an official name. It is assumed that the device will be based on the promising Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 platform, also announced at CES 2024. The manufacturer says that the XR2+ Gen 2 will receive an updated architecture with a higher clock speed, improved energy efficiency (50% higher compared to the XR2 Gen 2) and productivity (up to 2.5 times higher). This filling will be very useful for Sony’s MR headset: the company plans to equip it with two OLED displays with a resolution of 4000 x 4000 pixels (16 megapixels in total).
Compared to Apple Vision Pro, Sony’s solution is less focused on entertainment and content consumption. The company expects that the target audience for the as-yet-unnamed device will be 3D artists, designers and engineers. It is possible that such a specific positioning of the headset is caused by Sony’s reluctance to directly compete with Apple’s brainchild.
Sony’s first MR headset is expected to go on sale at the end of 2024.
Laptops with two full screens
Annual updates to laptops with a classic design (Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, Razer Blade 16 and others) have become quite common: they become thinner, more productive, get brighter and “faster” displays, and undergo minor design changes.
This year, the palette of traditional laptops was diluted with unusual devices with two screens – Asus Zenbook Duo and Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. Both models are similar in design and boast two vertically positioned OLED panels that users can customize to their liking. For example, the lower displays of new products can be used as a touch keyboard or controller in games. They support a variety of gestures for quickly moving between applications and desktops.
Both laptops come with a detachable keyboard that can optionally be placed on top of the bottom screen (using magnets), turning the gadget into a regular laptop. In addition, Zenbook Duo and Yoga Book 9i have special stands that allow you to raise the laptop above the table surface and position both screens at a comfortable angle for the user.
Despite the similar design and internal construction, laptops are built on different platforms and will perform differently in work tasks. The Asus Zenbook Duo is powered by a high-performance Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, while the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is powered by a power-efficient Intel Core i7 1355U. Moreover, Lenovo’s brainchild has a slightly larger battery with a capacity of 80 Wh (versus 75 Wh for Asus). Thus, the Zenbook Duo will be more suitable for intensive work that requires maximum performance in this form factor, while the Yoga Book 9i will offer consumers a more autonomous and “cooler” solution.
First consumer transparent TV
Despite the fact that transparent displays cannot be called something new, LG decided to release the first mass product of this class – Signature OLED T.
The device has a 4K resolution with a screen diagonal of 77 inches. Apparently, the transparency effect will only be achieved when showing absolutely black color (i.e. only if…
