Hasta La Gadget!

  — EMBARGO: 12:01 A.M. EST, JANUARY 5, 2022

Electrified pickups and SUVs may be all the rage but there’s apparently still plenty of room in the EV market for more battery-powered autos and crossovers. At CES 2022 on Wednesday, Chrysler revealed its first fully electric vehicle concept, the Airflow.

“The Chrysler Airflow Concept represents the future direction of the Chrysler brand, providing a peek at the dynamic design, advanced technologies and seamless connectivity that will characterize the full-electric portfolio we plan to reach by 2028,” Chris Feuell, Chrysler CEO, said in a press statement.

Stellantis

Being a concept vehicle, the Airflow has most every bell and whistle Chrysler could include such as an in-vehicle camera for in-vehicle video conference calls as well as the company’s new E/E (electrical/electronic) and software platforms, STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit, and STLA AutoDrive. STLA Brain serves as the vehicle’s central controller, allowing it to receive OTA updates. SmartCockpit, on the other hand, runs the Airflow’s infotainment system, providing navigation and voice control, as well as an on-board app store, for both the driver and passengers. Autodrive will reportedly offer Level 3 self-driving features with the capability for further feature improvements via the those OTA updates.  

The Airflow concept is equipped with dual 150kW motors, giving the crossover AWD capabilities and a Chrysler-estimated 350 – 400 mile range. Exterior design details include full-width LED tail lights and 22-inch rims, while the leather-bound interior boasts individual climate control options, separate dash-mounted touchscreens for the driver and front passenger (as well as seat-back mounted screens for both rear passengers), and ambient lighting that shifts based on the passengers’ preferences and what’s playing on the the central displays.

Stellantis

Being but a concept vehicle, the Airflow that arrives in 2025 could — and likely will — look and perform a bit differently from what was announced today. Looking at you, promises of level 3 autonomy.

<img width="1200" height="800" src="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/xbox-controller-1200×800.jpg" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Xbox controller and Game Pass logo" loading="lazy" style="margin: auto;margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%" data-attachment-id="705501" data-permalink="https://www.slashgear.com/xbox-game-pass-kicks-off-2022-with-two-excellent-titles-04705500/xbox-controller-2/" data-orig-file="https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/xbox-controller.jpg" data-orig-size="1440,960" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="xbox-controller" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="

Miguel Lagoa/Shutterstock

” data-medium-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/xbox-controller-1080×720.jpg” data-large-file=”https://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/xbox-controller-1200×800.jpg” />The new year is just kicking off, but Microsoft is already adding new titles to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Several of the titles are set to release on both the PC, console, and cloud versions of Game Pass, which means plenty of different ways to play these latest offerings. While some are smaller, like the delightfully hand-drawn “Gorogoa”, … Continue reading

I’ve been an avid user of bone-conduction headphones for years and can attest to the lackluster low-end in this form factor. Luckily, things are improving. Along with recently changing its name to Shokz (formerly Aftershokz), the company has delivered on this long-desired feature upgrade to its line of bone-conduction headphones. The new product is called OpenRun Pro ($179.95) and there is a significant boost in bass with this Bluetooth 5.1 headset. In addition, Shokz is renaming its existing product line to tie things together with Aeropex becoming OpenRun and Xtrainerz now called OpenSwim.

For those new to bone-conduction headphones, let me clarify a few things. These still don’t quite measure up to over-ear or in-ear models, since they have an open-ear design. The transducers rest against your cheeks in front of your ears and deliver sound to your inner ear via the bone. It’s a different delivery system for sound that leaves your ears open to the world, which can be a double-edged sword. They’re not great on the subway or in generally noisy environments. Don’t be disheartened, though, as this same design lets you walk, run or bike around and listen to music while still being able to hear the world around you. And with the upgrades we’re seeing, the audio experience is better than ever.

Until now, diminished low-end has long been a problem for this form factor. The OpenRun (Aeropex) have good volume levels and a decent frequency response compared to previous models. But now that I’ve tested the OpenRun pro, there’s been a noticeable improvement in the low-end spectrum. I don’t mean that they’re so loud they’re literally bouncing off your cheeks (like the old Titanium model did). These deliver a good sub-frequency to give your tunes more depth without excessive tactile reverberation. My standard listening is techno and electronic music (like this) and it holds up pretty well. The decibel and frequency response specs are the same as before, but acoustic tweaks have born fruit. For bone conduction headphones, the OpenRun Pro sounds great.

Other desirable enhancements in this new model include the fit and charging capability. The over-the-ear curve is more rounded and the side enclosures are 20-percent smaller than before. This makes them feel light and comfortable. The battery life has been bumped up from 8 to 10 hours of listening and you can charge fully in one hour (a whole hour less than before). On top of that, we’re told you can get 1.5 hours worth of listening in five minutes of charging. A great feature when you’re settling in for a workout and hear the headset exclaim “charge me”.

If you’ve just gotten Aeropex headphones over the holidays, don’t fret. I’ve been using these for a long while and have enjoyed the experience. I even feel that while there’s not as much bass, these could be a touch louder in the mid to high range than the new model. 

On top of that, the OpenRun Pro has traded complete waterproofing for better sound. A fine mesh grate covers two vents in front of and below the cheek-based delivery system, changing it to IP55 water-resistant (still more than adequate). The OpenRun (Aeropex) retains its IP67 rating due to its sealed enclosure. If you want to wear these in the shower, then you’re in a good place (but maybe consider OpenSwim if this is a habit).

As of today, the entire line is available for purchase including the new OpenRun Pro ($179.95) with a few new colors (although only available in black at launch). The fully-waterproof OpenSwim is still $149.95, while the OpenRun ($129.95) will continue to be available at its recently lowered price.

Shokz

Follow all of the latest news from CES 2022 right here!

Wireless earbuds effectively work like sound-blocking earplugs when crammed into your ears, and while that’s great for tuning out distractions, it’s not so great when it’s safer to hear what’s going on around you. Shokz’s solution to the problem has been to skip the ears altogether and deliver sound through a user’s…

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Passengers on an Amtrak train became stuck in Virginia on their way to New York. They were forced to deal with a lack of food and overflowing toilets.