I went with the clamp since I knew it would be easy to hook onto my thin wooden side table or metal bed frame, and neither had a paint or finish that would be damaged by the clamp. Some folks also attach it to a headboard.
It was perfect for reading in bed or on the side of my couch. The Lamicall isn’t so long that I needed to add a loop to make it sit far enough away from my eye for comfortable reading, and usually I felt like I had just enough slack to perfectly place it within my preferred reading range. I could keep my Kindle’s text size tiny and put it right next to my face, or push it back farther if I wanted. It floated nicely above or near my head, whether I was lying in bed or sitting up on the couch while my son played nearby.
The base clamp is made of light plastic you secure with a screw top sitting on top of the clamp, which I liked instead of one that pinches on its own–especially since there are tiny grabby hands in my home. The clasp for the Kindle itself is also made of a light plastic, but was still stable and secure. Plus, you can rotate that upper clamp to get the perfect angle.
The neck of the arm is the most resistant part of it: It does take a little effort to move and angle the arm, but that strength and resistance are what keeps it from falling forward or out of place while you read. Even with the resistance, this Kindle holder is still plenty adjustable and goes in any direction you like.
To store it, I usually just push it out of the way toward the wall from wherever it’s clamped. It isn’t foldable, nor does it break down, so if you want it out of sight when you aren’t using it you’ll need a closet or long enough space to store its 3-foot form. It was a little weird to see it floating alone in the living room, but I didn’t find it obtrusive when I used it as a bed stand and simply pushed it against the wall when I was done using it.
It’s designed to be a universal tablet holder, so it’s big enough to hold tablets up to the 11-inch iPad Pro. It can hold a Nintendo Switch, too, along with other popular e-readers. (If only I had this in 2020!) It’s not the right dimensions to hold a bulky Steam Deck by itself, but I still used it to help me prop up a Steam Deck and take weight off my hands and wrists, though it’s not stable enough to float like a Kindle or iPad. It’s able to hold up smartphones, too, and it was similarly comfortable to read with either a Kindle or my iPhone on the Lamicall stand.
Not Quite Hands-Free
Photograph: Nena Farrell
While it won’t fall out of place, the stand is easy to jostle, and I wouldn’t call it hands-free reading—at least not on its own.
Compared to the iPad Pro, the changes Apple made to the iPad Air are more modest. Rather than a total redesign, the iPad Air is getting some expected and slightly overdue changes: a new screen size, a new processor and a front-facing camera that is placed on the landscape side of the tablet.
Yes, that’s some faint praise, but there’s a lot to like about the new iPad Air. It’s long been the best overall iPad, straddling the line between the budget entry model and the wildly powerful and expensive Pro lineup. That’s the case here, again. But now that the 13-inch iPad Pro is even more pricey than before, it’s good to see a large-screen iPad that doesn’t cost well over $1,000.
The 11-inch iPad Air is identical in size and weight to the old one, though the screen is .1 inches bigger this time. So there’s not a whole lot to say about that one. The 13-inch Air, however, feels quite a bit like the old 12.9-inch iPad Pro that was just replaced today. Indeed, it’s identical in all dimensions, but a little bit lighter (1.36 pounds instead of 1.5).
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
That makes it a little more approachable as a hand-held tablet, though I still feel like an iPad this large is best suited to either be used in a keyboard dock or flat on a table with an Apple Pencil. That said, Apple says that about half of iPad Pro sales were for the larger model, so there’s clearly an appetite for this bigger screen. There’s definitely something luxurious about using such a large screen tablet, provided it’s easy to handle, and that’s the case with the iPad Air (at least in the limited time I’ve had so far to handle the device).
I also got to try the new Apple Pencil Pro, which is compatible with the new Air. As I said here, the new tricks like barrel roll for changing the shape of your brush and a squeeze feature to bring up tools like a brush picker are solid additions, and I’m glad that Apple didn’t increase the Pencil’s price given these new features.
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
These tablets might not have the wow factor that I experienced when checking out the iPad Pro, but that’s OK. From my first look, it feels like the iPad Air lineup offers most of the same experience that you’ll get with an iPad Pro — at least in ways that normal buyers will recognize. And I think Apple did well on pricing this time out. The 11-inch iPad Air costs $599, same as before, but it now has a more reasonable 128GB of storage. The 13-inch model is priced at $799, an expected price bump for the larger screen. It’s the first time you can get a large-screen iPad for less than a grand, and I’m definitely curious to see if that helps to improve iPad sales.
You can read my first impressions of the new iPad Pro M4 right here.
Follow all of the news live from Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event right here.
France 2030 is a strategic €34 billion investment by the French government aiming to kickstart economic growth in the country.
As part of this initiative, the SIRCAPASS project (Surveillance of Road Infrastructures by Passive Sensors) has chosen French firm SilMach to provide ultra-cheap microsensors to monitor and ensure the structural health of bridges across the country.
The €1.7 million project is aimed at monitoring road infrastructures through passive sensors, specifically targeting impact detection, fatigue monitoring, exceptional overload, and crack identification – all tasks that previously were handled manually.
Operate effectively in harsh environments
Built around hybrid MEMS micromechanical sensor technology, these microsensors can record critical structural events without a power source, potentially identifying any hazards that might compromise a bridge’s structural integrity, and hopefully ensuring public safety.
“France 2030 marks a crucial step in SilMach’s development,” said Co-CEO Pierre-François Louvigné. “We are proud to lead this public-private consortium with key actors capable of providing a technological solution for the safety of the French and our economy.”
Fellow Co-CEO Jean-Baptiste Carnet added, “Everyone knows the human and economic cost of a bridge collapse. Our innovations are here to provide a new response to a major societal challenge.”
SilMach says its energy-free microsensor sensors operate effectively even in harsh environments including underwater and in space. With a communication module linked to an information system, the sensor can relay critical data and provide a mechanical memory ensuring access to raw data in a directly exploitable format.
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AOC has announced the Graphic Pro U3 Series of monitors, which it says are crafted with creative professionals in mind, particularly photographers, visual artists, designers, editors, broadcasters, and producers.
The Graphic Pro U3 line is made up of Q27U3CV, with a 27-inch QHD (2560×1440) display, U27U3CV, with a 27-inch 4K UHD (3840×2160) display, and the larger U32U3CV, with a 31.5-inch 4K UHD screen.
The standout feature of the Graphic Pro U3 Series is its compatibility with Calman, the Hollywood-grade color calibration software. The screens communicate directly with the software, allowing for precise and swift monitor calibration for color accuracy. It utilizes RGB-triplet control and 1D/3D-LUT profiling, unlike custom ICC profiles, offering a more robust display calibration at the hardware level, something not typically seen in monitors at this price point.
Plenty of ports
In addition to this, the AOC Graphic Pro U3 series comes with a welcome selection of ports. Q27U3CV has 1x HDMI 1.4, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 input, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 output, 1x RJ-45, 2x USB-C (1 up, 1 downstream) and 4x USB-A ports.
Both the U27U3CV and the top-of-the-range U32U3CV sport 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x RJ-45, 3x USB-C and 4x USB-A ports, as well as a KVM switch, so you can use a single keyboard and mouse to control multiple computers. Simply connect the devices to the monitor’s USB hub, and you can switch between PCs connected to the monitor’s USB-C ports. All three screens have 2x 3W speakers.
“At AOC, we understand that creative professionals demand the very best tools to bring their visions to life,” said Artem Khomenko, Head of Product Management at AOC.
“We are beginning a new chapter in AOC’s legacy. Our new Graphic Pro U3 Series is the result of our expertise in display technologies and our commitment to delivering high-quality, high-performance monitors that empower creators to push the boundaries of their craft. With exceptional color accuracy, hardware calibration with Calman Ready, versatile USB-C connectivity, and a sleek design, the new Graphic Pro monitors will deliver the perfect tools for content creators and designers.”
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AOC’s Graphic Pro U3 monitors, priced from £289.99 for the Q27U3CV, £399.99 for the U27U3CV, and £499.99 for the U32U3CV, will be available in July 2024.
With iOS 17.5, Apple is adding a “Repair State” feature that is designed to allow an iPhone to be sent in for service without deactivating Find My and Activation Lock. The fourth iOS 17.5 beta that came out today adds a “Remove This Device” option for all devices in Find My, and using it with an iPhone puts that iPhone into the new Repair State.
Right now, sending an iPhone to Apple to be repaired requires turning off Find My, and Apple says that it “might not” be able to repair devices that have Find My activated. Turning off Find My disables Activation Lock, an important anti-theft security feature that prevents an iPhone from being used with another Apple ID.
Apple currently uses Find My and Activation Lock as a way to ensure that a person sending a device in for repair actually owns that device, and that it’s not stolen. An iPhone sent in for repair with Find My disabled cannot be tracked, and it is not protected from theft, so if it is lost or stolen at some point in transit during the repair process, there is no recovery method available. Removing Find My also has a hitch with Stolen Device Protection, as there is an hour wait when turning off Find My, which can be inconvenient for repair purposes.
The new repair state leaves Find My turned on, so Activation Lock remains enabled, and the iPhone continues to be trackable with the Find My app while it is being repaired. When enabled, the device in the repair state has a “Ready for Repair” label. “This device remains fully functional in the repair state,” reads the text.
In the list of devices, an iPhone put into a repair state has a small stethoscope icon, and it can be marked as lost. While in repair state, the iPhone is fully functional.
As of right now, using the “Remove This Device” option in Find My to enable a repair state appears to be limited to the iPhone. Using it on other devices like an iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch shows a warning that the feature will remove the device from the Apple ID account, allowing it to be used by someone else. Note that an iPhone must be online and trackable through Find My for the repair state option to pop up. An iPhone that is offline will display the standard removal text. It is also worth noting that repair state cannot be disabled at the current time.
Repair state is a feature that is still in development, so it might work with other devices when iOS 17.5 and its sister updates launch in May.
Earlier this week, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo for headset, claiming production was being cut to 400,000 or 450,000 units compared to a previous market consensus north of 700,000. This came after a related report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who said in his that demand for Vision Pro demos is “way down” while sales in some locations have significantly slowed.
Naturally, this incited a lot of panic and hand-wringing among Apple enthusiasts who feared that the headset that was supposed to change VR forever might not have the staying power they expected. However, before anyone else starts clutching their pearls, I want to let you in on a secret: It doesn’t actually matter how many headsets Apple sells.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
First, let’s talk production numbers. Is it 400,000 or 800,000, or something in between? Back in January, the same Ming-Chi Kuo estimated that the company sold between 160,000 and 180,000 units during its , which was up from of around 60,000 to 80,000. But if we go back even further to last July, the cited two people who said Apple only asked its supplier to make fewer than 400,000 units in 2024 while other sources put that number closer to 150,000. Now obviously numbers are subject to change over time as Apple responds to feedback and interest from developers and the public. Regardless, trying to predict the exact number of devices to make is extremely tricky, especially for an attention-grabbing and innovative product that has been the subject of rumors dating back to (and even before that, according to some ).
Still, let’s take that 400,000 number and see how far it goes. Without factoring in accessories (some of which are very important, especially if the owner wears glasses), the Vision Pro sells for $3,500. Rough napkin math suggests that Apple is looking at around $1.4 billion in sales. That’s a pretty big number and for a lot of other companies, that would represent a banner year. But this is Apple we’re talking about —it raked in . And that was considered a down year. So we’re talking less than one percent of the company’s total revenue, which is basically a rounding error for Apple’s finances.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
That figure looks even less impressive when you consider all the research and development that went into making the Vision Pro. Apple is always cagey when it comes to revealing how much money it invests into various departments. But if we look at another major player in VR, Meta, we can get a better sense of what Apple’s VR budget might look like. According to Business Insider, based on an analysis of regulatory findings, since the start of 2019. That’s a serious chunk of change and more than enough to cause some consternation among investors, with Meta’s stock
But all these numbers are just noise. Analysts like to look at this stuff to help predict company growth, though they’re so busy focusing on quarterly numbers that they often miss the bigger picture. Depending on who you ask, Apple has than any other company in the world, with upwards of $165 billion sitting in a bank somewhere. And with recent reports claiming that Apple has I’d argue that the company may want to double down on its headset endeavors.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
That’s because the Vision Pro might be the first step towards a platform that could reshape the company’s entire trajectory like the original iPhone did back in 2007. From the start, it was clear Apple’s first handset would have a massive impact. But when people look back, they never cite the iPhone’s first year of sales, which only amounted to around 1.4 million units. Sure, that’s more than 400,000, but that was also for a significantly less expensive device and a drop in the bucket compared to the HUNDREDS of millions Apple has been selling more recently. Those figures were meaningless.
The Vision Pro is Apple’s Field of Dreams device for virtual reality, spatial computing or whatever you want to call the category that encompasses head-mounted displays. Apple had to build it so developers have actual hardware to test software on. Apple had to build it so there’s a platform for people to download apps from. (If you remember, the original App Store didn’t arrive until July 2008, more than a year after the OG iPhone went on sale and on its own made an estimated .) Apple had to build it to plant a flag, lest they cede the first mover’s advantage completely to Meta or someone else.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Even though I’d posit that the Vision Pro is a glorified dev kit (it was announced at WWDC after all), there are features that evoke the magical feeling I had the first time I used an iPhone. The Vision Pro has possibly the best optics I’ve seen on any headset, including enterprise-only models that cost way more than $3,500. It also has the best eye-tracking I’ve experienced, and it makes navigating menus and apps incredibly intuitive. It just kind of works. And slowly but surely, it’s getting better, as my colleague Devindra noted in his recent
Just like Apple’s first phone, though, the Vision Pro isn’t without its issues. It’s heavy and not super comfortable during long sessions. Its wired battery pack isn’t the most elegant solution for power delivery. Its front visor is prone to cracking, typing still feels clunky and there aren’t enough bespoke apps to make it an essential part of your everyday tech kit. But those are fixable issues and there’s clearly something there, a foundation that Apple can iterate on. Even in its infancy, the Vision Pro brings enough to compel hundreds of thousands of people (or developers) to buy a device that doesn’t make much practical sense.
The focus should be on what upgrades or additions Apple can make in the future, not on how many units it does (or doesn’t) make. So don’t let analysts or other noisemakers convince you otherwise.
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At first glance, the Maiyunda M1 doesn’t look all that special. It’s a mini PC with a large on/off button on the front, alongside a TF card slot, a USB 3.0 port, and two USB 2.0 ports. On the rear, there are HDMI 2.0 and DP ports to allow the device to drive two screens simultaneously (4K/60Hz). There are also four 2.5GbE RJ45 ports plus two additional USB 2.0 slots.
With dimensions of just 165 x 147.5 x 59mm, not including the 52mm leg pads, the M1 with its all-aluminum shell looks like any mini PC, and even its manufacturer describes it as “unassuming”.
But the Maiyunda M1 has something that sets it apart from the competition – four quick release NVMe SSD slots on the front (behind a fascia) so you can add additional drives without having to open the enclosure. The M1 can also hold an internal 2280 NVMe SSD, bringing the total amount of available storage to 40TB.
Choice of processors
At the heart of the M1 is either an Intel N100 or Core i3-N305 Alder Lake-N processor and the device comes with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM upgradeable to 32GB.
The manufacturer claims the M1 can handle temperatures of 0°C to +70°C and withstand humidity levels of 5%-85%.
Although it runs Windows, the creators say it supports a variety of other systems, including Linux, Proxmox VE, ESXI, Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Unraid, and OMV (OpenMediaVault).
The M1 is currently only available in China sadly, where it retails for a very reasonable 1380 CNY (about $190) on Taobao. There’s no information yet on the price differences between the various configuration options.
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Faster broadband is on the way, and it won’t require network providers to overhaul their infrastructure.
nbn, the largest wholesale broadband provider in Australia, used Nokia’s Lightspan MF fiber platform, to deliver 10G, 25G, 50G and 100G broadband speeds over its existing fiber network. Nokia’s Lightspan delivers next-generation Passive Optical Network (PON) at scale.
PON is a type of fiber-optic network that combines point-to-multipoint fiber architecture with communications networking. The technology works by using a single fiber-optic connection that divides into many distinct fibers, allowing one line to serve multiple users. This is achieved through both active and passive splitters, hence the name. PON technology boosts the efficiency of a network because it reduces the number of active switching devices used. Furthermore, it requires less power and supports greater distances between users and their service providers.
(Image credit: Nokia)
A game-changer
There are a number of different types of PON technologies, including Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON), Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON), and next-generation PON like XG-PON (10 Gigabit PON) and NG-PON2 (40 Gigabit PON). Nokia’s Lightspan supports a full range of PON options.
Geert Heyninck, vice president of broadband networks at Nokia, said: “There is a huge opportunity for operators to leverage their existing fiber broadband networks to efficiently add advanced services which goes way beyond consumer services. Think enterprise, mobile backhaul, Smart City, industry 4.0. It’s important for service providers to have choices to match the right speed and cost points to meet the different use cases and market requirements they may have. As the industry’s first and only solution capable of supporting the full range of PON technologies from 10G to 25G, 50G, and even 100G, we can give operators the freedom and flexibility they need to meet their business needs while also helping to optimize network performance and reduce costs.”
The trial highlighted the ease with which operators can upgrade the 10G PON to a symmetrical 25G PON and subsequently to 50G PON or 100G, using identical passive and active fiber components. This network evolution could be game-changing in delivering an enhanced digital experience for users, but there’s currently no word on when we can expect it to become widely available.
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Samsung is using artificial intelligence with every chance it gets, and even its latest Bespoke kitchen appliances use more AI than ever before. The Korean tech giant launched its latest Bespoke AI lineup earlier this month, and it is now available for pre-order.
Interestingly, one of the new kitchen appliances that didn’t get the AI label is the latest over-the-range microwave. It, too, is now available for pre-order, and early adopters can get discounts of up to $160, along with free installation and a ‘Haul away Old Appliance’ service.
But seeing how it doesn’t boast AI, is there anything special about this new Bespoke over-the-range microwave? We’ve already talked about the clever AI-based solutions employed by the latest Bespoke Flex refrigerator, AI-enabled, self-cleaning range, and Bespoke AI Laundry combo, and why most smartphone enthusiasts would probably be impressed by their capabilities. But what about this new microwave?
Samsung’s new Bespoke microwave is smart but not ‘AI smart’
Right off the bat, it’s clear that Samsung doesn’t use the term ‘AI’ at all to describe the new Bespoke over-the-range microwave. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the microwave doesn’t have any smart capabilities.
For example, the microwave can sync with compatible Samsung ranges and cooktops to turn ventilation and lights on or off automatically. Likewise, users can adjust ventilation speed and cooking time and receive notifications when heating or cooking is finished right on their smartphones.
And, of course, the new Bespoke microwave is compatible with the SmartThings mobile app, where users get recipe recommendations via Samsung Food and can monitor and manage power usage.
One final smart feature worth mentioning is the Sensor Cook. It can automatically adjust cooking time to give you the best result and, according to Samsung, “takes the guesswork out of your cooking.”
If you want to buy the new Bespoke over-the-range microwave from Samsung, you can now save up to $160 when you pre-order. Hit the pre-order button below for more details.
Samsung’s rivals are thinking bigger, though, and the South Korean firm is falling behind the curve in the flip-style phone segment as well.
Xiaomi MIX Flip will have a telephoto camera and Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn’t
Last year, OPPO became the first brand to introduce a flip phone with a dedicated telephoto camera. The Find N3 Flip has a 32MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. In February 2024, Huawei introduced the Pocket 2, a flip phone with an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Now, Xiaomi is ready to launch its first flip phone—Xiaomi MIX Flip—in China, and it will have a dedicated telephoto camera.
According to reports, the Xiaomi MIX Flip has a 60MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom. It reportedly uses an OmniVision OV60A sensor (1/2.61-inch) with 0.6µm pixels. Its primary camera is reportedly a 50MP OmniVision OVX800 sensor (1/1.55-inch), which is bigger than the one used in the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and as big as the primary camera on the Galaxy S24. The MIX Flip seems to lack an ultrawide camera, though. It is expected to have a 32MP selfie camera on the foldable screen.
In comparison, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn’t have a telephoto or high-resolution primary camera. You can watch our Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera review in the video below.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 could use a 50MP primary camera for in-sensor zoom, but it might not be enough
A few weeks ago, the first renders of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 were leaked. If those are accurate, the upcoming flip phone from Samsung will continue to have two cameras. It means we won’t see a telephoto camera on the Galaxy Z Flip lineup for the sixth year in a row.
Some reports claim the Galaxy Z Flip 6 will have a 50MP primary camera. Samsung could use the in-sensor crop for improved 2x zoom shots. However, those shots will likely not be as good as shots captured using the dedicated telephoto camera on the Xiaomi MIX Flip. This is a bit disappointing, especially since three of Samsung’s rivals have decided to ship flip phones with telephoto cameras.
