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Best iPhone Deals: Save Up to $1,000 on the iPhone 16 and Previously Released Models

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 15:09
The iPhone 16 is a stellar phone, and there are deals that can help you save on this and previous-gen iPhones.
Categories: Technology

Don't Wrap Your Cheese in Plastic. Here's the Proper Way to Store It

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 15:00
We asked a cheesemonger how to keep fancy cheeses fresh for as long as possible.
Categories: Technology

Logitech POP Icon Keys review: Bursting with color

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:58
Logitech POP Icon Keys: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)

Most keyboards tend to be fairly sedate affairs – even the most brightly lit RGB-infused board typically comes with plain black keys – and those that sport interesting designs are often constrained to the costly realms of enthusiast DIY builders. The Logitech POP Icon Keys breaks that trend. It boasts a range of beautiful designs that will turn heads and catch the eye; if you’re tired of uninspired keyboards limiting your choices, it’s definitely worth a look.

In terms of typing feel, there are no mechanical switches here, but you still get a speedy, comfortable experience. The slightly dished keys are easy to find by touch and they’re mostly quiet, although the space bar can be annoyingly loud and rattly.

There are a few other notable drawbacks. You can’t adjust the typing angle as the included stand is fixed in place, andit also has some issues with ghosting, where keys aren’t always registered when you’re pressing several at once.

If you don’t mind those issues, though, the POP Icon Keys is fairly priced at $49.99 (£49.99 or $99.95 AUD) and, with its bold and bright looks, brings something a little different to the table.

Logitech POP Icon Keys: Price & availability
  • How much does it cost? $49.99 / £49.99 / $99.95 AUD
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Logitech POP Icon Keys costs $49.99 (£49.99 or $99.95 AUD). That feels very reasonable considering its unique looks and handy features. The POP Icon Keys is available at the Logitech official website or from third-party retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy.

Logitech POP Icon Keys: Design Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)

Let’s be honest: a keyboard can look as pretty as a picture, but the way it feels will trump appearance any day of the week. So, what’s it like to actually use the POP Icon Keys?

More often than not, it’s a positive experience. The low-profile keycaps are concave and slightly textured, which makes them easy to feel by touch. The keys don’t use mechanical switches, but they’re comfortable to use and slightly soft on the way down, albeit without any hint of sponginess.

This keyboard is designed for the workplace, and that means you get a quiet typing experience – for the most part. While the majority of its keys are quietly audible without being distracting, the space bar is noticeably loud and slightly rattly. In terms of sound, it’s the only egregious part of this keyboard, but it’s worth noting.

When it comes to appearances, Logitech has knocked it out of the park. My review unit came in the “off white and orange” colorway, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. The orange legends stand out pleasingly well against the white keycaps, with the action buttons (I’ll come back to those in the Performance section) contrasting well with the surrounding keys. It’s a well thought out color scheme that will look great on your desk. Logitech also offers a few other color options, all of which look attractive.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)

The downside of the design is that the key legends are simply printed onto the keycaps. This means that they will start to rub off over time, especially if you use the POP Icon Keys a lot. It probably won’t happen right away, but it’s something to consider. The printed legends also mean there’s no backlighting, which makes the board a little harder to use in a dark room.

Unfortunately, you can’t adjust the typing angle. Logitech has put a bar on the underside of the keyboard that acts as a stand, but there’s no way to raise or lower it. The default angle is fairly comfortable, but I’d have liked to have been able to raise it a bit higher.

Logitech has used a compact layout for the POP Icon Keys, with the arrow keys smushed under the Enter button instead of off to the side. Finding the Home and End keys in their new location takes a little getting used to (my regular keyboard has a tenkeyless layout), but it’s otherwise a good way to save space on your desk.

I know it’s not designed for gaming, but it’s worth pointing out that the POP Icon Keys isn’t great here. The Option/Start and Command/Alt keys are very close together -- in fact, the former is positioned where you might normally expect to find the latter -- so you can end up accidentally opening the Start menu during games. You should disable this key in software before you start gaming (unfortunately, you can’t do this in Options+ so you will need a different app).

Logitech POP Icon Keys: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)

The Logi Options+ companion app gives you tons of control over setting up shortcuts and macros and then binding them to the keyboard’s buttons. You can assign shortcuts to the Home, End, Page Up and Page Down keys (known as the “action keys”), as well as the brightness controls and F4 to F12 in the function row. These shortcuts can be used to control system settings or launch combinations of actions, and there are even app-specific controls that will do different things depending on which app you’re using. It’s all very well done and pretty powerful.

The POP Icon Keys can switch between three different devices, and doing so is fast and simple thanks to the dedicated buttons in the function row. It works with Windows, macOS, iPadOS, iOS and Android. Helpfully, the keys are printed with legends for both Windows and macOS.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Logitech)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Logitech)

As for connectivity, you can hook the board up to your computer using Bluetooth. There’s no wired option or wired charging – it’s batteries only. Speaking of which, the POP Icon Keys uses two AAA batteries to keep it juiced up. These are included with the keyboard, and Logitech says you’ll get three years of life out of them.

After doing some testing, it became apparent that the keyboard has a few issues with ghosting. When holding down, say, four keys on one side of the keyboard, pressing buttons on the other side sometimes would not register. It’s probably fairly unlikely that you’ll be pressing any five keys at once, but ideally you want what’s called “n-key rollover,” which means you can press any number of keys at once and they’ll all register. Clearly that’s not the case here.

Should you buy the Logitech POP Icon Keys?

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake) Buy the Logitech POP Icon Keys if…

You want an eye-catching keyboard

Logitech has several attractive designs for the POP Icon Keys, and any one of them will look great on your desk.View Deal

You value long battery life

Instead of an internal rechargeable battery, the POP Icon Keys uses alkaline cells instead. That gives it extra-long battery life without needing to plug it in.View Deal

You like customizable buttons

Many of this device’s keys are customizable in the Logi Options+ app, giving you extra controls that can be tailored to your needs.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

Ergonomics are important to you

The POP Icon Keys’ typing angle cannot be adjusted and felt a little low to me. If you don’t like it, there’s not a lot you can do to change it.View Deal

You’re a gamer

Let’s be honest, this is not a gaming keyboard, and you won’t find any gaming-specific features here.View Deal

You want n-key rollover

In my testing, I noticed some keys wouldn’t register when several others were pressed at the same time. If that’s a problem for you, look for keyboards that feature n-key rollover.View Deal

Logitech POP Icon Keys: Also consider

Razer Huntsman Mini

The Razer Huntsman Mini is definitely a more gaming-oriented keyboard, with its excellent optical switches and extra features like Razer’s Snap Tap. It’s also our pick for the best mini keyboard. You can pick one up for $69.99 (£119.99 or $219.95 AUD) on Razer’s website.

Read our full Razer Huntsman Mini reviewView Deal

Yunzii AL71

The Yunzii AL71 is another compact keyboard that’s wowed us. It lacks the POP Icon Keys’ programmable buttons, but in return you get a solid build, tons of customizability, and mechanical switches that make for a superb typing experience.

Read our full Yunzii AL71 reviewView Deal

How I tested the Logitech POP Icon Keys

I tested the Logitech POP Icon Keys by using it to type articles, play games and browse the internet. I tried it on both Windows and macOS and used its Logi Options+ app to create shortcuts and assign them to different keys.

First reviewed October 2024

Categories: Reviews

We got a sneak peak at the Asus ROG Phone 9, one of the first Snapdragon 8 Elite phones, and it's going to be fast

TechRadar News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:52

Monday at the Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Qualcomm unveiled its new flagship mobile SoC – the Snapdragon 8 Elite – which is powered by the company’s 2nd-gen Oryon CPU cores. Qualcomm flew TechRadar to Maui to check out the latest chips, and I managed to track down some surprises that will soon delight mobile gamers.

During the keynote, Xiaomi announced that its 15 series flagship would be the first phone to ship with the Snapdragon 8 Elite later this month. Honor then revealed that its Magic7 series handsets would also feature Qualcomm’s new mobile chip and launch Oct 30.

ASUS followed suit with the ROG Phone 9, a gaming flagship coming Nov 19 that also packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. But unlike the competition, ASUS reps were on hand with its new handset and I got to check it out at the event. While the company wasn’t willing to share any specs or pricing, I was able to handle the new ROG Phone 9 for a few minutes. So here are my brief first impressions.

The ROG Phone 9 looks a lot like the ROG Phone 8

(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)

The ROG Phone 9 shares the same industrial design as the ROG Phone 8 Pro ($1,199) that our own Jon Mundy reviewed back in January – down to the camera pod shape and port/button placement. Dimensions are similar, too, but this new phone feels lighter than its predecessor. You’ll find a couple of red accents in the back, alongside a redesigned dot-matrix LED display – which is now positioned horizontally when holding the handset in portrait orientation.

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(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)Image 2 of 7

(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)Image 3 of 7

(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)Image 4 of 7

(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)Image 5 of 7

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(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)

Obviously, under the hood, the big news is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. ASUS told me that the rest of the ROG Phone 9’s specs should be slightly improved over its predecessor, so I don’t expect too many surprises here. To jog your memory, the ROG Phone 8 series boasts a 6.78-inch 1080p 165Hz AMOLED screen with 2,500 nits peak brightness and an under-display fingerprint sensor. It’s rated IP68 for water and dust resistance.

The ROG Phone 9 should also inherit the ROG Phone 8 series’ shooters, which include a 50MP f/1.9 main sensor with PDAF and gimbal OIS, and 32MP f/2.4 3x telephoto with PDAF and OIS, and a 13MP f/2.2 120-degree ultrawide. A 32MP f/2.5 selfie camera rounds things up in front. In terms of battery power, the ROG Phone 8 series comes with a 5,500mAh dual-cell battery and 65W wired charging plus 15W wireless charging.

You also get stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and dual USB Type-C ports (one along the bottom edge and another on the left side). This allows you to charge the phone while holding it in landscape orientation without the cable getting in the way. On the memory front, the ROG Phone 8 series offers 12GB, 16GB, or 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM, and 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. There’s no expandable storage.

My ROG Phone 9 specs prediction: a little bit more

(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)

I figure that the ROG Phone 8 Pro specs above will carry over to the ROG Phone 9 mostly unchanged – especially the cameras, which look identical. A better ultrawide shooter (with AF) would be nice, but that’s a long shot considering this is a gaming handset. If anything, the AMOLED display might get upgraded to a brighter panel, and the dual-cell battery might get a bump up to 6000mAh, but that’s basically it.

Overall, I really liked what I saw during my brief time with the ASUS ROG Phone 9. This gaming phone feels great in hand, is evenly balanced, and is well made – just like its predecessor. But it also seems more refined than the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro. And while I didn’t get a chance to play any games, navigating the UI was smooth as butter, and the AMOLED screen was super clear, even under the intense Hawaiian sunlight.

(Image credit: Myriam Joire / Future)

Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon 8 Elite improves gaming performance by up to 40% while delivering better thermals and battery life. So, with a speedy new chip under the hood, equal or better specs than its predecessor, and a similar design, the ROG Phone 9 is shaping up to be quite the gaming powerhouse when it arrives on Nov 19. Stay tuned for final specs and pricing, and expect a full review as soon as we've had a chance to test this phone and run it through Future Labs.

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Categories: Technology

Hurricanes, Floods, Fires and Tornadoes: Natural Disaster Insurance Policies to Weather Any Storm

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:30
Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and expensive. Here's why you may need supplemental insurance coverage to protect your home.
Categories: Technology

Score 25% Off an Anker Power Bank to Keep Your Devices Powered Anywhere

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:21
Grab an Anker portable charger at its lowest price yet -- just $45.
Categories: Technology

'Despicable Me 4' Streaming on Peacock: Release Date and Time

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:17
Make room for Minions.
Categories: Technology

Best Internet Providers in Terre Haute, Indiana

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:15
Frontier Fiber offers the best blend of speeds and pricing in Terre Haute, but you might want to consider other providers as well.
Categories: Technology

Costco to Sell Exclusive Peloton Bike Plus Bundle This Holiday Season in New Partnership

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:08
Peloton is now part of the Costco family, making it easier to buy its sought-after bikes.
Categories: Technology

Here's What a Light Sleeper Thought of the High-Tech Manta Sound Sleep Mask

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:05
Can the Manta Sound Sleep Mask improve your rest? I tested it out.
Categories: Technology

Best Vacuum Deals: Simplify Your Cleaning Routine With a New Vacuum for a Low Price

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:05
Regardless of what kind of vacuum you're looking for, there's a deal that will save you money, time and effort while cleaning.
Categories: Technology

Best Internet Providers in Topeka, Kansas

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:00
Topeka residents have some great options to choose from, but pay attention to the drawbacks.
Categories: Technology

ARM and Qualcomm are playing dice with the future of Windows laptops

TechRadar News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 14:00

It’s no secret that 2024’s batch of AI PCs owes much of their success to the excellent batch of Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, which has the best version of Windows Arm running as the OS. However, a nasty split between the two could jeopardize everything, especially for consumers.

According to a breaking news report from Bloomberg, Arm canceled a “license that allowed longtime partner Qualcomm Inc. to use Arm intellectual property to design chips.” The company issued Qualcomm a 60-day notice of the cancellation of said license as required by law. The report stated that the split was caused by a breach of contract back in 2022, which escalated a legal dispute over vital smartphone technology.

Qualcomm responded in a statement, writing that Arm is trying to interfere with its CPUs and increase its royalty rates and that its claims are “baseless.”

This news comes as Qualcomm announced new automotive and mobile chips at the yearly Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, and in the same year, the brand Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite chips launched with the latest batch of AI laptops.

Why this legal battle is so disastrous

But this legal battle isn’t just a lovers’ quarrel between those major tech companies; it could have widespread ramifications for consumer tech at large. Windows laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 received massive rejuvenation through the Snapdragon Elite, which is made from tech provided by Arm.

This chip took one of the most inconsistently performing laptop lines and turned it into an absolute powerhouse in terms of performance and battery life. Further, its Windows Arm operating system, while still not at the level of Windows 11, has improved by leaps and bounds to the point where it’s near perfect for productivity work and reasonably competent for creative work and gaming.

Arm and Qualcomm are also vital as they’ve generated competition with Intel, AMD, and Microsoft in the AI PC and OS market. This has given consumers more variety while also keeping laptop prices more affordable than their competitors. If it can continue to gain momentum in the market, both the chips and OS could become a true threat to the big dogs as the tech behind them is refined.

Why would Arm move to cancel Qualcomm’s license?

While it’s impossible to know the full story behind this legal matter, Qualcomm’s statement in response and relevant Arms-related news suggest possible hints.

Qualcomm stated, "This is more of the same from ARM—more unfounded threats designed to strong-arm a longtime partner, interfere with our performance-leading CPUs, and increase royalty rates regardless of the broad rights under our architecture license.” According to Qualcomm, Arm is trying to acquire more money from the former by forcing an increase in royalty rates.

This also coincides with the news that Intel sold its 1.18 million-share stake in Arm back in August 2024. While it’s considered unlikely that the sale was attributed to any issues with Arm (it’s more related to streamlining operations amidst financial trouble), it’s still a possibility that there could have been something involving Arm’s finances. Otherwise, it should be a valuable asset worth keeping hold of.

Regardless of the reason, this legal dispute is akin to playing dice with the future of Windows laptops. What once seemed like a brighter future for laptops could stand to crumble if this ends with the permanent split between two tech companies that together have been successfully challenging the industry giants.

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I Tried Mosaic Foods Vegan Meal Delivery and It Blew Me Away

CNET News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:53
If you’re after premade vegan and vegetarian meals delivered straight to your door, Mosaic Foods is worth checking out.
Categories: Technology

PlayStation’s new PSSR AI upscaling looks set to compete with Nvidia’s DLSS - while AMD falls behind yet again

TechRadar News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:49

The brand new PSSR AI upscaling method built for the PS5 Pro appears to defeat AMD’s FSR 3.1, taking a leap closer to Nvidia’s DLSS - perhaps giving gamers another reason to purchase Sony’s enhanced console.

After its reveal during a presentation by PlayStation Lead Designer Mark Cerny, reception towards the PS5 Pro was somewhat negative - largely due to its pricing, which positioned it as comparable to a pre-built gaming PC. The main differences between the upcoming console and its base model are PSSR, 28% faster RAM, and a claim of 67% more compute units for better performance (while using ray-tracing), but all while still using the same internal CPU.

Scrutiny aside, the PSSR AI upscaling method may easily become the main talking point - a hands-on experience from Digital Foundry proves that PSSR at ‘Performance Mode’ is much clearer and detailed in comparison to FSR 3.1 in ‘Performance Mode’ while playing Insomniac Games’ Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

(Image credit: Sony/PlayStation) What does this mean for AMD?

While the PS5 Pro’s PSSR may be convincing and a drastic step in the right direction for Sony - especially if many games run at a smooth 60 frames per second - it still won't justify the $699.99 price tag (£699 / AU$1,199.95) for many users. Other than the recent reveal of Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Yotei, Bungie’s Marathon, Insomniac'sWolverine, and other timed exclusives, there aren’t many other exclusive first-party titles coming to the platform in 2025 that we know of at present, a key pull factor that could help sell the Pro.

A plethora of PlayStation exclusives are making their way to PC, some of which will launch simultaneously on the PS5 - such as the aforementioned Marathon - and it further supports the idea of opting for a pre-built system over Sony’s updated console. While GTA 6 won’t be coming to PC until some time after launch, there is currently no guarantee that the PS5 Pro will provide 60 frames per second, which will certainly leave many disappointed.

As for AMD, it's a defeat yet again as Team Red appears to be overtaken in three regions - their next-gen graphics cards will steer away from high-end, along with Nvidia continuing to dominate in the gaming laptop market, while also losing to both PlayStation’s PSSR and Nvidia’s DLSS.

We will have to wait and see just how impactful AMD’s newfound focus on AI for FSR 4 will be - it's claimed that battery life and performance for gaming handhelds will see big improvements using the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU, which is hopefully a sign of bigger things to come in 2025.

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Categories: Technology

Want your server to access more than 100,000 DIMM slots in one go? This Korean startup claims that is CXL 3.1-based technology can help you scale to more than 100PB of RAM — but it will cost nearly $5 billion

TechRadar News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:46

Ever imagined drawing on up to 100 petabytes of RAM? Well, this startup could be the key to unlocking groundbreaking memory capabilities.

Korean fabless startup Panmnesia unveiled what it described as the world’s first CXL-enabled AI cluster featuring 3.1 switches during the recent 2024 OCP Global Summit.

The solution, according to Panmnesia, has the potential to markedly improve the cost-effectiveness of AI data centers by harnessing Compute Express Link (CXL) technology.

Scalable - but costly

In an announcement, the startup revealed the CXL-enabled AI cluster will be integrated within its main products, the CXL 3.1 switch and CXL 3.1 IP, both of which support the connections between the CXL memory nodes and GPU nodes responsible for storing large data sets and accelerating machine learning.

Essentially, this will enable enterprises to expand memory capacities by equipping additional memory and CXL devices without having to purchase costly server components.

The cluster can also be scaled to data center levels, the company said, thereby reducing overall costs. The solution also supports connectivity between different types of CXL devices and is able to connect hundreds of devices within a single system.

The cost of such an endeavor could be untenable

While drawing upon 100PB of RAM may seem like overkill, in the age of increasingly cumbersome AI workloads, it’s not exactly out of the question.

In 2023, Samsung revealed it planned to use its 32GB DDR5 DRAM memory die to create a whopping 1TB DRAM module. The motivation behind this move was to help contend with increasingly large AI workloads.

While Samsung is yet to provide a development update, we do know the largest RAM units Samsung has previously produced were 512GB in size.

First unveiled in 2021, these were aimed for use in next-generation servers powered by top of the range CPUs (at least by 2021 standards - including the AMD EPYC Genoa CPU and Intel Xeon Scalable ‘Sapphire Rapids’ processors.

This is where cost could be a major inhibiting factor with the Panmnesia cluster, however. Pricing on comparable products, such as the Dell 370-AHHL memory modules at 512GB, currently stands at just under $2,400.

That would require significant investment from an enterprise by any standards. If one were to harness Samsung’s top end 1TB DRAM module, the costs would simply skyrocket given their expected price last year stood at around $15,000.

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Categories: Technology

McDonald's tries to reassure customers after deadly E. coli outbreak

NPR News Headlines - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:41

A preliminary investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests fresh onions that are served raw on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers were a likely source of contamination.

(Image credit: Mike Stewart)

Categories: News

Qualcomm’s next AI frontier is… your car

TechRadar News - Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:35

Qualcomm has historically been quiet about its automotive aspirations, preferring to focus attention on its Snapdragon mobile and laptop processor offerings. That might be changing. The company flew me to its Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit on Maui to see its latest Snapdragon Elite chips, and this year it's all about automotive. The Snapdragon Digital Chassis has been powering cars for a couple of years, but now Qualcomm is honking its Elite horn with Snapdragon Ride Elite and Snapdragon Cockpit Elite systems on a chip. And when Qualcomm says ‘Elite,’ it means power and AI. AI is coming to cars in a big way.

I don’t just mean self-driving AI, though that's certainly a big part of Qualcomm’s technology. The new Snapdragon Ride Elite chipset can manage up to 40 different sensors at once. These might include radar, LiDAR, cameras, microphones, and infrared. It will use AI to manage all of that data and assist with driving. Qualcomm suggests the Ride Elite will be able to handle Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving, which means you’ll still need to keep your hands on the wheel, or at least close to it.

Qualcomm AI means much more than driving automation. There will be new features tailor-made for an in-car experience, though a lot of what Qualcomm is showing off right now sounds like smartphone AI transported to the vehicle. You’ll be able to use AI to set a reminder, or it might find the closest Starbucks if it thinks you need some caffeine. Your kids can ask for last-minute homework help on the way to school.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Some of those sensors managed by Snapdragon will be pointed inside the car. Qualcomm imagines car makers using infrared cameras to not only detect the number of occupants, but also to read our body positions and even facial expressions. This technology is similar to Apple’s FaceID, which also uses infrared cameras to read the contours of your face.

Once the AI is aware of the passengers, it can help with safety features, like making sure you don’t leave pets or small children behind by accident. It will detect if you start to fall asleep and help keep you alert. It might also detect if your children in the back are asleep, and quiet the music and road alerts in their zone.

Zones will be a big part of the next generation of automobile cabins. Using AI, Qualcomm says the Snapdragon will be able to direct sound environments, climate changes, and other customizations only at one passenger or another. You might listen to music as you drive, while your passenger watches a movie and the kids in the backseat play games.

Getting Unreal graphics help from Epic Games

All of that will happen in the car, and Qualcomm imagines a car that has door-to-door displays. The new Snapdragon Cockpit Elite platform can drive up to 16 4K displays. Some of those will be your instrument gauge, your cockpit controls, and your rearview camera. Other displays will offer entertainment and controls to all of your passengers. Overkill? Maybe not.

The most interesting partner to appear with Qualcomm during the automotive keynote at the Snapdragon Summit was Epic Games. Epic has ported its Unreal Engine to cars. The same software that provides the backbone for some of the best video games, including Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, also powers the dashboard on Rivian trucks.

RIvian is using Unreal Engine on its console displays for maps, vehicle status, and pretty much everything else, and it looks unreal. The Engine is great at rendering a 3D environment, so it makes a natural fit for maps, looking at a diagnostic view of your car, and controlling the climate.

Rivian with K.I.T.T. headlights glaring (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This Halloween, Rivian owners have been treated to car costumes that make the interior look like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider or the DeLorean from Back to the Future. You can’t drive with the costume on, but it still looks fantastic and is fun to show off.

Where we're going we won't need roads ... or at least buttons

Qualcomm makes the brains, but it relies on car makers and software developers to make the thoughts

I still worry about the future of cars without physical buttons and controls, because I personally don’t have the dexterity to tap tiny touchscreen buttons while I’m driving. Thankfully, I won’t have to worry about touching controls, because the car’s AI will handle everything.

I don’t need to twist the temperature dial, I can just say “I’m hot” and the car will turn on the air conditioner. If my friend in the back says “I’m getting cold,” it will warm their zone. With intelligent AI assistance, I’ll be able to ask for anything that used to have its own button. I’ll just say ‘play Chappell Roan;’ or ‘turn on my emergency lights.’

Of course, relying on voice for control presents a new set of problems, especially for folks who have difficulties speaking, or an accent the car finds unfamiliar. Will the car know how Chappell Roan pronounces her name?

I wish I could tell you much more about what AI will do in your car, but we really don’t know yet. Qualcomm makes the brains, but it relies on car makers and software developers to make the thoughts. When Qualcomm launches a new chipset, we get one or two solid examples of what the future can hold, but we need to wait for RIvian, Mercedes, and myriad Chinese electric car makers like Great Wall Motors and Li Auto to develop and evolve the features.

Your car will get software updates and apps, just like your phone

Hearing from Li Auto, Rivian and Mercedes at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit, it’s clear that what excites these car makers the most is the way Snapdragon Elite chipsets will make it easier to update a car’s software and features. The entire software update process is going to change for cars.

Today, updating car software is a complicated process that requires a smartphone connection. Premium electric cars from Rivian and Tesla get software updates and major new features over-the-air, thanks to always-on connectivity and powerful processing.

That same concept is coming to more cars in the future, and when all of your car controls are based in software, that could mean you step into an entirely new vehicle after an overnight update.

Do you get annoyed when Apple updates your iPhone and suddenly your photo gallery looks totally different? Wait until that happens to your Mercedes cockpit. If it sounds like cars are getting dangerously close to being like smartphones, you don’t know the half of it.

Apps are coming to cars in a big way, and not just the apps you’d expect. Sure, there will be games you can play in the car. Angry Birds was on Qualcomm’s list of car apps, and Epic says Fortnite is a popular request from car customers. But Qualcomm also imagines your car will be a space for productivity.

You’ll run Zoom meetings in your car and see your participants on the dashboard. When you drive by a billboard for something you want, you’ll open Amazon on your dash to buy it. If you want to stop for the night, open Booking.com through your car, not your phone, and then your car AI will automatically map its way to your hotel room.

GM CEO Mary Barra addresses Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

You can even buy new additional software features through the car. Right now, Tesla owners can pay extra to buy the contentious Full Self Driving software update, but in the future, more cars will offer software updates and new features for an additional fee. You might start with a base model car, then after a year decide you want to pay for something more premium, and it will only take a software update to give you more.

Qualcomm still needs car makers to build upon its vision in order to realize an AI future that will be useful for cars, but GM, BMW, Mercedes and Rivian were all present for the Snapdragon Ride Elite and Cockpit Elite chipset launch.

Rivian wouldn’t comment on when the Elite chips would power its cars, and it also wouldn’t comment on what chipset the upcoming Rivian R3 will use. That car is launching in the right time frame to get Elite Qualcomm status. Reps from BMW told me to look out for an all new vehicle at CES 2025.

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