Facebook unveils a long rumoured foray into hardware with the Portal-- a videoconferencing device consisting, essentially, of a tablet-style display, AI-powered cameras able to track users around the room, a 4-mic array and Alexa capability.
The Portal comes in two versions, regular or Portal+. The regular Portal has a 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 resolution display and 10W speakers on the bottom, while the Portal+ has a 15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 display, 20W speakers, 4-inch woofer and a stand able to rotate from landscape to portrait mode with a touch. Both are sold by the social network as primarily a video chatting solution, even if the addition of Alexa makes them rivals to any number of similar devices already available on the market.
Aimed at customers curious about vinyl but unwilling to invest in a whole stereo system, the DUO is a small turntable with a reduced platter just 25% the diameter of standard turntables. The makers claim the belt drive has a "unique rotational stabilisation" able to reduce vibrations, with a wow and flutter (aka the distortion the turntable generates as it plays the record) of less than 0.9%. Also included are an Audio-Technica AT3600 cartridge and a spring-equipped tonearm able to generate a tracking force of 2.5g.
The Sila handles one 2.4GHz band at up to 400Mbps, and two 5GHz bands at up to 1733Mbps and 866Mbps. The surprisingly clutter-free design hides 9 antennas, while the software is able to detect consoles, determine if a PC is playing games and reserve bandwidth for gaming. In addition, a multi-channel zero-wait DFS system claims to eliminate network congestion issues caused by neighbouring wifi networks.
Class B HDBaseT handles the delivery of 3840 x 2160 resolution video at 30Hz 8-bit 4:4:4, or both 3840 x 2160 and 4096 x 2160 signals at 60hz 8-bit 4:2:0 to 35m., or 1080p 60Hz 48-bit to 70m, with multi-channel audio support up to Dolby Atmos and DTS-X.
Described by the company as "the most advanced TV on the market," the Q900R promises to "to change the way we view content in our homes forever.” It is the first 8K resolution (7680 x 4320) TV to hit the general market and features QLED technology, essentially a means to add quantum dots to an LCD panel in order to enhance the colours and bring black levels to near OLED levels.
First released in the US around a year ago, the Thermostat E consists of 2 parts. The first component is a stand-mounted thermostat featuring the familiar Nest dial interface, while the second is a round boiler controller dubbed the Heat Link E. The thermostat has a large frosted showing current and target temperatures, and wirelessly communicates with the Heat Link E. Actual control involves either twisting the outer dial, companion iOS/Android app or voice control through Google Home.
