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In a new presentation, Ayaneo has confirmed that its upcoming Ayaneo 2S Steam Deck-like handheld consoled will be powered by an AMD chip identical to the one in the ASUS Rog Ally, The Verge has reported. The AMD Ryzen 7000 chip is likely the Ryzen 7 7840U, a chip that’s supposed to be nigh on the same as the AMD Z1 Extreme found in the Ally. The Ayaneo 2S will also come with a three-pipe cooler and other improvements. 

The Ayaneo 2S looks identical to the Ayaneo 2 we reviewed earlier this year, but has improvements under the hood that address some our key complaints. Namely, the new 7000 series processor with Radeon 780M graphics offers “substantial performance gains in the low TDP 8-15W gold range” compared to the 6800 in the current model. 

That could mean improvements in battery life, which we called “mediocre” in the Ayaneo 2. Aya has also promised slightly reduced temperatures with the Ryzen 7000 processor as well. On top of the new chip, Aya says the console will have an improved fingerprint sensor, a more colorful screen, smoother triggers and a case that’s easier to open.

Along with the new Ayaneo 2S, the company is also promising upgrades to existing handhelds. The Ayaneo Air will get a free speaker upgrade, and Ayaneo 2 and Ayaneo Geek buyers will receive a free cooling module that can lower temperatures by 12 degrees. 

The company may offer Ayaneo 2 buyers a future motherboard upgrade as well, and Ayaneo Air Plus buyers will automatically be updated from the 6800U to the 7000 series chip if they haven’t received it yet. Offsetting that good news a bit is that Aya indicated it will end its free lifetime warranty plan for the original Ayaneo Founder’s Edition and offer a voucher for a free Ayaneo 2021 instead.

The company also showed off the new Ayaneo Geek 1S, effectively a more basic Ayaneo 2 with a lower-resolution 800p screen, but packing the same Ryzen 7000 processor. The Ayaneo 2S and Geek 1s will arrive to Indiegogo at the end of April and open for orders in mid-May, with shipping set for the end of June. The free cooling and speaker upgrades also arrive in mid-May. Launch of the Ayaneo Slide we saw earlier this year is still unknown, and the Android-based Ayaneo Pocket Air will go into production in July. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ayaneo-2s-will-give-the-steam-deck-and-asus-rog-ally-some-serious-competition-081023214.html?src=rss

Portable speakers aren’t really considered luxury items, unless they’re made by a company like Bang & Olufsen. The Danish audio outfit is well-known for its lavish take on home entertainment gear, headphones and even Bluetooth speakers. Today, B&O is introducing its latest portable option: the Beosound A5. Built in collaboration with designers GamFratesi, the A5 combines aluminum, wood and paper fiber for a decidedly high-end take on the modern portable speaker. As is the case with all of the company’s products, there’s a premium price tag to match. 

Bang & Olufsen says the Nordic Weave color option is made with an aluminum top and bottom, a light oak handle and a woven paper fiber grille, inspired by “laid-back Scandinavian summers spent at the beach.” There’s also a black anthracite aluminum version with a dark oak handle and matching speaker cover that’s meant to conjure “the aesthetic of winter woodlands.” Despite the seemingly temperamental materials, the company explains that the A5 is IP65 rated water and dust proof, so you should feel free to take it outdoors. That is, of course, if you feel comfortable taking a $1,000 speaker outside.

Another notable aspect of the Beosound A5 is its modular design. B&O says it opted for this construction so that the speaker can be easily repaired with the aim of extending its life. The company also plans to sell additional covers in other materials and colors for customization. The A5 runs on B&O’s Mozart software, which allows the company to introduce new features for both audio and connectivity over time — like proximity pairing that’s already in the works. Mozart also allows two units to be used in a stereo setup and to integrate the A5 into a multi-room arrangement. 

Bang & Olufsen

The company says the Beosound A5 is its most powerful portable speaker thus far, thanks to a four-driver arrangement and four digital amplifiers that muster 280 watts. B&O explains that’s enough to fill larger spaces with 360-degree sound. More specifically, the A5 houses a 5.25-inch woofer, two 2-inch mid-range drivers and a 3/4-inch tweeter. The speaker also offers beamforming audio tech from the high-end Beolab 90 and 50 hi-fi speakers. Bang & Olufsen says this addition “creates an immersive experience far beyond the expectations of a portable speaker.” What’s more, AirPlay 2, Chromecast and Spotify Connect are all options for audio playback. 

The A5 is capable of 12 hours of playtime on a charge and the top panel doubles as a wireless phone charger. Of course, topping up your handset is sure to impact battery life. Onboard controls give you access to basic audio tweaks or you can make those inside the Bang & Olufsen app. 

The Beosound A5 is available in stores and online starting today. The Nordic Weave color option costs $1,049 (£899/€999) while the Dark Oak version is $1,149 (£999/€1099). 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bang-and-olufsen-beosound-a5-070038467.html?src=rss

Samsung’s earnings results for the first quarter of 2023 are in, and they’re a massive departure from the same period’s last year wherein it reported a steep rise in profit. The tech giant has posted a consolidated revenue of KRW 63.75 trillion (US$47.5 billion) and an operating profit of only KRW 0.64 trillion (US$477 million), mostly because its semiconductor business has (according to Reuters) reported record losses. Samsung’s DS division, which operates its semiconductor and display businesses, reported a consolidated revenue of KRW 13.73 trillion (US$10.2 billion). However, it also posted KRW 4.58 trillion (US$3.4 billion) in operating losses for the first quarter.

Overall demand for memory products has been decreasing over the past months, with the division reporting only KRW 0.27 trillion (US$201 million) in operating profit for the fourth quarter of 2022. This quarter, Samsung blamed ongoing inventory adjustments, as well as the economic slowdown and the weakened customer spending that resulted from it for the decrease in overall demand. That said, the company expects demand to gradually recover in the second half of the year as customers’ inventory levels get depleted.

Despite the loss in profits overall, Samsung’s mobile division performed well in the first quarter. The company’s MX and Networks businesses, which cover both mobile devices and telecommunication network equipment, posted KRW 31.82 trillion (US$23.7 billion) in consolidated revenue and KRW 3.94 trillion (US$2.9 billion) in operating profit. Samsung explained that while there was a low demand for smartphones overall, the market for premium devices grew year-over-year. The division’s positive performance was apparently made possible by the strong sales of the Galaxy S23 series, specifically the Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

Going forward, the company’s MX business will focus on supporting Galaxy S23 sales while boosting the marketing for its foldable phones to increase awareness about the devices before the next generation drops. Samsung is expected to unveil its next foldable devices in the second half of the year, possibly in August likes its previous launches. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-semiconductor-business-posted-massive-losses-for-q1-2023-053610092.html?src=rss

Tile, best known for its AirTag-like trackers that help you locate lost objects, can now find something that can get lost on purpose — your cat. The $40 Tile for Cats tracker from Life360 is a modified version of the Tile Sticker with a silicon collar attachment and 250 foot Bluetooth range. The idea is to give you peace of mind that your cat is somewhere in the house, and then help you figure out exactly where that sneaky floof is hiding. 

The battery on the Tile for Cats lasts a generous three years, and you can easily replace the sticker. It even offers AI assistant integration with Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, so you can locate Sir Fluffybutt with a voice command. 

For the $40 price tag, you get a Tile sticker and attachment that’s compatible with most cat collars, including breakaway collars. The attachment can stretch up to 1.7 times without breaking and is water resistant, so it’ll continue to function even if hit with a few drops. 

Tile for Cats is Life360’s first pet tracker, though the company was already marketing its regular Tile Trackers for the same purpose. It’s designed for indoor use only, though, due to the limited range. If you’re worried about your pet getting lost outside, you’d be better off with a dedicated pet tracker, typically costing around $100 plus a subscription fee. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiles-latest-accessory-helps-track-your-cat-095531840.html?src=rss

A young Harrison Ford will grace cinema screens for 25 minutes this summer — aided by some new Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) software. The news that LucasFilm’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny would feature a de-aged Ford came at the end of last year, but an interview with director James Mangold in Total Film just revealed it will be for almost a fifth of the film’s running time. 

The fifth Indiana Jones iteration starts with an opening scene from 1944 — about eight years after Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark took place. “My hope is that, although it will be talked about in terms of technology, you just watch it and go, ‘Oh my God, they just found footage. This was a thing they shot 40 years ago,” Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm and a producer, told Empire. The rest of the movie shoots forward to 1969, with Indy on a mission to prevent a comeback of Nazism.

The news of Ford’s extended return to his thirties comes a few months after Disney, which produced the movie alongside LucasFilm, announced it had built an AI that could make an actor appear older or younger with relative ease at the end of last year. The researchers behind the AI, known as FRAN (face re-aging network), explained it would only work with real people if there were images available of the person in those poses and lighting at a younger age.

Footage of Ford’s earlier roles was pulled from the Lucasfilm archives to accomplish this. Ford also acted with dots across his face to aid the system — and with the agility of a young man, according to Mangold. Then, the technology would quickly do its thing. Mangold would “shoot Harrison on a Monday as, you know, a 79-year-old playing a 35-year-old, and I could see dailies by Wednesday with his head already replaced.” 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/indiana-jones-5-will-feature-a-de-aged-harrison-ford-for-the-first-25-minutes-103553183.html?src=rss