We may earn a commission from links on this page.If what you enjoy most about the beach is sitting in the shade, sipping a cold beverage, and scrolling on your phone, have I got exciting news for you: Today at CES, Anker Solix announced the immanent release of a new Solar Beach Umbrella, as well as an electric cooler, the EverFrost 2. When used together, these devices can quite literally work to keep you cool this summer.Outdoor umbrellas with solar panels arent entirely new, and the options currently on the market typically have a small solar-capturing panel that can power lights built into the frame. However, Anker is approaching solar integration in its outdoor furniture differently. The panels span the entire crown of the umbrella, offering 100W of maximum solar input, which is the same as a standard solar panel. They seem wildly efficient at producing energy, tooAnker promises 200% solar generation in low light (20,000lux), and 130% in bright light intensity (50,000lux). This means the umbrella will create a generous amount of solar driven energy even when it is overcast. Credit: Anker Solix What will you do with all that energy? Probably recharge your phone, or perhaps a speaker. But Anker thinks you might also want to plug in any of the many power stations it sells, to get even more juice for your devices. Maybe you'll plug it directly into the EverFrost 2, to keep food and drinks frosty? (Though fully charged, the cooler will last 52 hours using only the onboard battery, so youd only need the umbrella to power if you're planning to spend a long time at the beach.) The umbrella has XT-60 and USB-C ports, and the battery on the cooler also acts as a power bank, offering 60W USB-C and 12W USB-A charging.The umbrella is 84 inches tall and 74 inches in diameter, enough to keep a few people shaded during the day. The solar panels are waterproof (rated IP67) and use sunshade fabric to reduce heat under the umbrella. Anker hasn't indicated what the cooler or umbrella weigh, an important omission given hauling these things to the beach might be a lot of work, what with all that battery power onboard.It's more likely you'll keep the umbrella on your patio, where it will become an additional source of power in your yard. Anker Solix is solidly a battery company. They make terrific backup batteries, from tiny portables to whole home backups. They have a whole line of solar generators, and the solar panels to go with them. While solar power was for years relegated to powering outdoor goods that you didnt have electricity for, and was generally unreliable, these days I actively choose solar over batteries because the technology has improved phenomenally. The solar panels on my outdoor security cameras perform astoundingly, even through weeks of overcast weather. While umbrella and cooler companies have previously tred to bring solar into their products, the results haven't always been reliable, and the part they struggled withthe solar panelsis precisely the tech that Anker Solix is known for.But more importantly, I think this speaks to where solar is headed. Consider what smart plugs can tell us: For years inside the home, we have been able to install smart plugs to turn common items into smart devices. Eventually, that connectivity made its way to the devices themselves. By bringing solar panels to devices themselves, Anker Solix is reducing the need for its own power stations. Imagine a future where you don't need to lug around a giant power bank, but only the devices you want to use, all of which will all have onboard solar power. It will be interesting to see how Anker leverages solar moving forward to build out other experiences. Why not patio furniture that heats in winter or cools in summer?The Anker Solix Beach Umbrella will be available this summe, with pricing to be announced. The Everfrost 2 will be available Feb. 21 in three sizes, starting at $699.

One of the things I love the most about CES is finding all the silly one-offs and concept products that might never see full production. At CES 2025, MSI made something truly joyful when it created a custom CPU cooler that features a built-in turntable.The water blocks official name is the Mag Coreliquid A13 concept, though a name doesnt really matter because MSI says it doesnt have plans to turn it into an actual retail device. Thats kind of a bummer since not only does it mean you wont be able to put a fun little spinning table inside your desktop, it also sucks because the cooler that the A13 is based on the Mag Coreliquid A15 360 is a real product that has some neat specs. It features an offset CPU mount that can improve the performance of recent Intel chips (like the Core Ultra 200S) that have hotspots in unusual positions.MSI made a concept CPU water block for CES 2025 that has a built-in turntable and it's kind of awesome.Sadly, there are no plans to put it into actual production. Also, the Lucky the dragon figure does not come included.@engadget pic.twitter.com/X70XJeAq8I Sam Rutherford (@samrutherford) January 7, 2025 Now I fully admit that the fun of having a spinning table inside your PC might be lost on a lot of people. But then again, just look at Lucky (thats the name of MSIs dragon mascot) twirling in place while the desktop churns along. And whats better is that you can raise the clear lid on the water block and put anything you want inside. Think about a fancy watch or maybe a disco ball. Wouldnt that be a hoot, especially with all those RGB lights nearby? Honestly, the whole setup is kind of mesmerizing.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetBut alas, the Mag Coreliquid A13 will never be yours. That is unless people make enough noise and keep bugging MSI until they make it for real. The power is in your hands.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/msi-made-a-cpu-cooler-with-a-tiny-built-in-turntable-and-its-pure-fun-063636564.html?src=rss

The original ROG Flow Z13 was always a bit of an odd machine. It felt like the strange lovechild between a Surface Pro and a traditional gaming laptop. But at CES 2025, ASUS is giving the tablet a much needed refresh that includes a massive performance boost thanks to the companys updated XG Mobile graphics dock.One of the biggest departures from the previous model is that this time instead of relying on a CPU/GPU solution from Intel and NVIDIA, ASUS is going with an all-AMD configuration. The ROG Flow Z13 features up to a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with unified memory that tops out at a whopping 128GB (though ASUS spec sheet suggests it actually maxes out with 32GB of RAM). Also, by using a chip with an increased emphasis on power efficiency and combining that with a larger 70Whr battery (up from 56Whr), ASUS says the Z13 should deliver improved longevity of up to 10 hours on a charge. Meanwhile, the system remains rather svelte, weighing just 2.6 pounds and measuring just half an inch thick. This means it should be an excellent choice for portable gaming and productivity.The Z13s screen is also pretty impressive, because even though its not an OLED, its Nebula Display is powered by a vivid IPS panel with a 180Hz refresh rate, up to 500 nits of brightness and 100 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 spectrum. I also appreciate that even on a system this sleek, ASUS still found room for a full-size HDMI 2.1 jack in addition to two USB 4 ports, one USB-A, 3.5mm audio and even a microSD card reader.Some other subtle updates include a redesigned keyboard with larger keycaps, a more durable PU leather cover and a much bigger touchpad. Inside, theres also a new steel vapor chamber that ASUS says outperforms traditional copper variants, while the addition of a customizable Action Key on the side of the system makes it easy to adjust display settings or summon whatever app you want.Of course, one of the coolest things about the Flow Z13s adaptability is that when you want even better performance, you can connect it to ASUS ROG XG Mobile Dock, which has also gotten a major refresh for 2025. Thats because while it retains a similar design, it now supports up to an NVIDIA RTX 5090 for a massive boost in graphics power. The other big change is that instead of relying on ASUS proprietary XG Mobile port to connect the two devices together, this time the dock uses Thunderbolt 5. The dock also has a wealth of connectivity options including both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 jacks, so you can use it as a hub when stationed at a desk. Finally, its also backwards compatible with the original Z13, so owners of the previous model have another way to extend the life of their machine.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetUnfortunately, ASUS has yet to provide info regarding the ROG Flow Z13s release date. However, were expecting the device to start at around $2,000 for a version with a Ryzen AI Max 390 chip or $2,200 when configured with a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU. Pricing for the XG Mobile dock is still to be determined, though with it sporting an RTX 5090, it will almost certainly cost a pretty penny.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-asus-rog-flow-z13-is-starting-to-make-more-sense-as-a-gaming-tablet-043027074.html?src=rss

There's so much AI-powered nonsense at CES that it's kind of refreshing to see a very straightforward, classic gadget like the Swippitt. It's a breadbox-sized hub that contains five battery packs that can fit into a a custom-made iPhone case. When the battery is in the case, it works like similar product, keeping your phone juiced up. The trick is that when the battery is empty, you pop your phone into the top of the box and it automatically removes the battery from the case and drops in a fresh one.Keeping our phones charged up is definitely a problem, but it's fair to ask whether Swippitt is an over-engineered (or possibly too expensive) solution. For $450 you get the Swippitt hub and five batteries, but you'll also need to purchase a separate $120 case for your iPhone. The team is making cases for the iPhone 14, 15 and 16 series and is also working on ones for Samsung as well. If you're intending this to be a family solution for multiple phones, things could get pricy fast.Nathan Ingraham for EngadgetThat said, there's something charming about having a little box that can just drop a fully-charged battery into your phone case in seconds. I wish you could see the inside and actually see the batteries change maybe we'll get a transparent model in the future. Naturally, there's also an app that'll let you check the status of all five batteries, whether they're in the charger or out being used. Parents can even get alerts for when their kids' phone drops below 15 percent.Probably the biggest challenge for Swippitt is keeping up with phones as they get slight tweaks and revisions every year that change their dimensions and, more importantly, their batteries. Phone batteries will surely keep getting larger and require more power to recharge, so Swippitt will have to stay on top of both case design and battery pack design. It feels like a lot to ask for a small start-up, but they've already contended with such changes Apple's addition of a dedicated camera button to the iPhone 16 series meant they had to quickly redesign the case.Nathan Ingraham for EngadgetAs for availability, Swippitt says it'll start shipping initial orders in April, but it expects it'll take a few months from there to get fully up to speed. And while the $450 price tag is steep, Swippitt is offering 30 percent off initial orders in January, plus you can grab a $100 off early CES discount through January 17, which considerably changes the financial equation. If you're hard on your phone's batteries and want to keep it juiced up without ever really giving it a thought, that convenience might be worth the cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-swippit-hub-keeps-your-iphone-loaded-up-with-fresh-batteries-041320116.html?src=rss

The search for ways to get robot vacuums over tall thresholds reaches inevitable conclusion as Dreame launches bot with tiny mechanical legs.

Tiny AI models advance one of the most applied data science techniques time forecasting.

Good looking, fun to wear, and insane battery life

With a month to go before the 2025 edition of Stockholm Design Week, you can still be featured in Dezeen's digital events guide to the festival.Taking place from 3 to 9 February 2025, this year's festival promises an enticing mix of events, including exhibitions, installations, open showrooms, talks, tours and product launches.If you're planning one of these events, or are taking part in the Stockholm Furniture Fair, get in touch with the team at eventsguide@dezeen.com.Faye Toogood has been announced as the guest of honour of this year's fair, which runs from 4 to 8 February 2025, celebrating the 23 years of the festival.Get listed in Dezeen's digital Stockholm guideDezeen offers standard and enhanced listings in its Stockholm guide.Standard listings cost 100 and include the event name, date and location details plus a website link. These listings will also feature up to 50 words of text about the event.Enhanced listings cost 175 and include all of the above plus an image at the top of the listing's page and an image in the listing preview on the Dezeen Events Guide homepage. These listings will also feature up to 100 words of text about the event.Featured listings cost 350 and include all elements of an enhanced listing plus a post on Dezeen's Threads channel, inclusion in the featured events carousel on the right hand of the festival guide homepage for up to two weeks and 150 words of text about the event. This text can include commercial information, such as ticket prices and offers and can feature additional links to website pages such as ticket sales, newsletter signups and more.For more information about partnering with us to help amplify your event, contact the team at eventsguide@dezeen.com.About Dezeen Events GuideDezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.For more details on inclusion in the Dezeen Events Guide, including in our guide to Stockholm Design Week, email eventsguide@dezeen.com.The illustration is by Rima Sabina Aouf.The post There's still time to be listed in Dezeen's digital guide for Stockholm Design Week 2025 appeared first on Dezeen.

Fake people. Fake photos. What's not to like?

MacworldOkay, Mac users, we can admit there are some advantages to having a PC, right? Like those Windows-only apps and games. Instead of being eternally jealous, were getting Windows 11 Pro at one of its lowest prices ever: $20 (reg. $199)this week only. Its the perfect time to dip our toes into the world of PC gaming or try out other Windows-exclusive software.How does it all work? With a little help from Boot Camp (if you have an Intel-based Mac) or a virtual machine like Parallels Desktop, you can run Windows alongside macOS. Then, you can finally download Red Dead Redemption 2 and other games. Windows 11 Pros DirectX 12 Ultimate gaming graphics pick up any slack your Mac might have.This is also your chance to try Windows OS without buying a PC. You might be pleasantly surprised by the sleek interface, multitasking features, and the AI assistant, Windows Copilot.You only have a limited time to download Windows 11 Pro to your Mac for $20 (reg. $199). No coupon is needed to get this price.Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $19.97Get It HereStackSocial prices subject to change.