Govee intros two new advanced lighting products at CES

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Govee is one of the better brands for smart RGB lighting and it’s announcing two new products this week at CES, including the new AI Sync Box Kit 2 that’s perfect for gamers.

In addition to the AI Sync Box Kit 2, Govee is also announcing the Neon Rope Light 2. Both products will be available sometime in the first half of 2024 but Govee doesn’t give specifics on availability or pricing just yet. That being said, by the sounds of each product you’re probably going to want to pay whatever they cost. Not to mention, Govee’s RGBIC smart lights tend to be on the inexpensive end. With much more affordable pricing compared to competitors. So whatever these end up costing, it’s unlikely to break the bank.

The Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2 helps bring your games to life

The AI Sync Box Kit 2 is really a lot like the current model you can already buy. It also appears to deliver the same kind of experience you might get with something like the Nanoleaf 4D kit. Although it does go about things differently. And with potentially more features. In our Nanoleaf 4D review, we said the experience was transformational. Because of the way it rips colors from the screen and displays them on the wall behind the monitor.

It truly is an amazing experience and makes entertainment that much more immersive. Govee’s new sync box aims to take things to the next level. It uses the power of AI (like the original model) to allow the user to create their own effects. But the lighting also supports up to 8K resolution and 120Hz at 4K resolution. So you can expect the lights to shift and change at a fast enough rate to match up with your game content pretty well.

What’s more, is that the system supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Govee Home. As for the Neon Rope Light 2, Govee has made it more flexible so it’s easier to shape how you want it. This is made possible by new bend clips and a more flexible material for the rope light itself. Additionally, the Neon Rope Light 2 comes in new Black and White colors, and there’s a new feature in the app that allows for DIY lighting effects.

Govee is adding new gaming integrations with Corsair iCUE

To further make its lighting products appealing to gamers, Govee is adding new integration with Corsair’s iCUE software. This is similar to how some Govee lights work with Razer Chroma. Corsair iCUE lighting can be attached to the inside and outside of your PC case and other components, and now Govee lights will be able to sync up to those for a more immersive effect.

Govee says that this new integration will allow users to “enhance their setups through custom lighting effects that sync to in-game cues, CPU temperatures, and notifications.” The company says this will be available through an update sometime in Q1. As for device compatibility, Govee only mentions RGB bulbs and light strips but doesn’t say which models specifically will support the integration.


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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to have two Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 versions

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Samsung‘s much-anticipated Galaxy S24 Ultra will debut with two versions of the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy’ chipset, offering varying clock speeds for the most powerful Cortex-X4 core based on the region of purchase. The official specification slides for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 revealed a maximum clock speed of 3.30GHz for its single Cortex-X4 core.

According to insider information from @TheGalox_alt on X, the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy’ will be available in two versions, both catering to three specific markets – B, N, and U. ‘U’ designates the U.S. market, ‘N’ represents Samsung’s home market, Korea, while ‘B’ does not have specified regions but is likely to cover the rest of the world.

One version features a Cortex-X4 running at the standard 3.30GHz, offering no difference from the regular variant in terms of clock speed. The second, slightly overclocked version, boasts a 3.40GHz Cortex-X4, presenting a marginal improvement.

No Exynos 2400 for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, but two different versions of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

It’s noteworthy that the top-tier Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra will exclusively launch with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, with no plans for an Exynos 2400 variant. Despite the minute clock speed difference, Samsung’s decision to offer different versions based on market locations may add a layer of complexity for some people.

Industry experts consider the US and Korea to be two crucial markets for Samsung. However, these two markets will reportedly get the version with a 3.30GHz Cortex-X4, the same as the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The rest of the world will likely get the version of the ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy’ chip with the Cortex-X4 core running at 3.40GHz.

While a 100MHz difference may not yield substantial real-world contrasts, Samsung’s strategy could potentially complicate the supply chain and confuse end users. The decision to offer two versions based on geography might aim to address various factors, including regional preferences, regulations, or supply constraints. However, it remains to be seen how the market will respond to these nuanced differences and whether the advantages of the overclocked version will be noticeable.


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XGIMI’s latest projector doubles as a ceiling lamp

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XGIMI has unveiled two new projectors at CES today, including the Aladdin, a projector with an ingenious design that doubles as a ceiling lamp. The other projector is called the Horizon Max, offering 4K resolution like its Horizon Pro model, and an incredibly bright 3,100 ISO lumens. The Horizon Max also has an IMAX Enhanced certification, which means it can play IMAX Enhanced content where available. Right now, you’ll only find IMAX Enhanced content from a handful of services, such as Disney+ and Sony’s recently announced Bravia Core.

The idea is that you can watch IMAX content at home instead of going to the theater. XGIMI is giving you a way to do that with the Horizon Max. It also runs Google TV so you’ll have access to Disney+ through the Play Store. The Aladdin runs on Google TV as well, however, it won’t be nearly as bright or have the IMAX Enhanced capabilities.

The XGIMI Aladdin projector is a 3-in-1 device

While having a bright 4K projector might be what you’re after, a projector can also be in the way or clash with other home decor. This is where the Aladdin comes in. Its unique design has it hidden within a ceiling lamp so it’s almost out of sight. If you’ve ever seen other ceiling-mounted projectors, they’re easy to spot and can feel much more in place in a home theater room. But with the Aladdin, it can essentially fit anywhere thanks to its unassuming, round design.

It also has one more trick up its sleeve. It has a built-in Bluetooth speaker so you can use it for music. The built-in speakers deliver 360-degree spatial audio for a more immersive sound experience for viewing or listening to content and the speakers are built by Harman Kardon. XGIMI hasn’t confirmed pricing for the Aladdin nor does it mention if or when it’ll get a US release.

The Horizon Max on the other hand should “cost less than $3,000.” XGIMI plans to launch the Horizon Max in the second half of the year. As TechRadar points out, the Aladdin may launch in the US in the second half of the year as well.

XGIMI Horizon Max


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Acer reveals Predator gaming routers and new Swift AI laptops

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Acer is unveiling a ton of new products at CES this year, and that includes a suite of new AI-powered laptops and a pair of gaming routers in its Predator lineup. For the laptops, Acer is announcing the Swift Go 16, the Swift Go 14, and the Swift X 14. As for the routers, there’s the Predator Connect X7 5G CPE, and the Predator Connect T7. Acer partnered with Qualcomm on both of these routers and both serve the needs of gamers. But each one of the routers is a little unique in what they offer too.

The Predator Connect X7 5G model mixes both Wi-Fi 7 and 5G connectivity for a better and more reliable connection. The tech inside uses Qualcomm’s ‘Immersive Home Platform‘ and Acer says the idea is that the router will minimize the disruption you might have with the connection. That way you get more reliable internet for gaming or any other connection-based activities.

The Predator Connect T7 does things a little differently. It still promises a fast and reliable connection for your home wireless network. But instead of mixing the Wi-Fi 7 and 5G, it’s a mesh router system that allows you to link access points together for better coverage. Acer says “wired-level latency is possible” with this mesh setup. So if wired-level latency is what you’re after, this could be a good way to get it without actually hardwiring your PC.

You can also control and manage both routers using the Predator Connect utility app.

Acer doesn’t mention the pricing or availability of the Predator gaming routers

Acer doesn’t mention pricing or availability on these yet. But does say exact pricing and availability will vary by region. These should be available for consumers in North America as most of Acer’s other Predator products are. But for now, there’s no word on cost or when they’ll hit shelves.

Acer’s new Swift laptops are powered by AI with Intel Ultra

Intel Ultra chips are becoming more and more entwined with the latest PCs, and Acer’s new Swift laptops are the latest recipients. Last year, Acer announced a range of new gaming laptops powered by Intel Ultra, and now it’s using the CPUs in one of its more mainstream lineups. The Swift Go 16, Swift Go 14, and Swift X 14 will all come with an Intel Ultra CPU but they’ll use different model chips and vary slightly with the GPU offering. Since these aren’t gaming laptops there’s nothing intense happening with the specs or features.

However, you will be able to get the Swift X 14 with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. So think of it like an under-the-radar gaming laptop that doesn’t look like a gaming laptop. It’ll also come with a Calman Verified 2.8K OLED display, and up to 32GB of RAM as well as 1TB of storage. The Swift X 14 is geared towards “creators and students” but it should also suit gamers just fine if they want something a little more on the down low.

The Swift Go 16 and 14 meanwhile will use Intels Arc GPUs for graphics processing, and they support up to 32GB of RAM as well as up to 2TB of storage. These definitely feel like they are designed more for students and general PC use, with battery life rated at 10.5 hours on the Swift Go 16 and 12.5 hours on the Swift Go 14.

Pricing and availability

Acer is using some quite nice displays on both models though. The 14-inch model will get a 2.8K display with a 90Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the 16-inch model is getting a 3.2K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Both are also OLED panels. So expect really deep blacks and nice vibrant color contrasts. Both the Swift Go laptops will be available in March. Prices will start at $749.99 for the Swift Go 14 and $799.99 for the Swift Go 16. The Swift X 14 goes on sale in February. It will be a little more thanks to the NVIDIA GPU and other features though. Prices will start at $1,399.99.


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Acer’s Predator SpatialLabs View monitor adds 3D to your games

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Acer is expanding its SpatialLabs View tech to its Predator gaming monitor lineup, the company announced at CES today. This tech will add stereoscopic 3D to its Predator gaming monitors for what sounds like a pretty interesting experience. The ‘Predator SpatialLabs View 27’ will “let gamers dive deeper into the depths of 3D worlds” the company says. In more specific terms, the monitor will add stereoscopic 3D effects to your games.

In essence, the game will look just as it always does but with a new unique kind of view thanks to the 3D tech. Acer already offers this tech on other displays and it works with games already too. Called ‘SpatialLabs TrueGame,’ it takes existing depth information from games and applies proprietary shaders and drivers to create a 3D profile. Acer says there’s even a new 3D Ultra Mode that utilizes a second virtual camera to increase the depth and geometry that applies to every scene across the game.

The monitor features a 4K display in a 27-inch size with a 160Hz refresh rate. So it’s not just a gimmicky 3D monitor that adds no value to your gameplay. You can also switch off the 3D at any time if you want. The monitor is set to launch in the US in Q2 of this year, but it’ll be quite pricey at $1,999.

Acer is also adding this tech to a new Aspire laptop called the Aspire 3D 15. This comes with a Core i7-13620H CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. In addition to up to 2TB of SSD storage and up to 32GB of RAM. Making it more than capable for casual gaming. Acer plans to launch the laptop in February starting at $1,399.

The Acer Predator SpatialLabs monitor uses a one-click system to launch games in 3D

Acer is trying to make this process as seamless as possible. And it doesn’t sound like it could get any easier. If you want to play games in 3D, you can use a patented one-click system to launch any game in its pre-configured 3D profile. Of course, the game will need to be supported. Luckily Acer already has a growing list of games that work with this tech. Including big titles like Dark Souls 3, ABZU, Days Gone, NierAutomata, Crash Bandicoot 4, and quite a few others. It also says it’s adding new games all the time. Specifically, it says titles will be added every month although it doesn’t mention how many.

Acer has more gaming monitors lined up, including a massive 57-inch model

If stereoscopic 3D isn’t your thing, or if you just want something larger than 27 inches, well Acer has you covered. It has four more Predator monitors that it’s announcing at CES. The Predator Z57 is its flagship monitor this year. It’s a massive 57-inch Dual UHD display with a lot of features to make any gamer salivate. Aside from the size, it also has a 120Hz refresh rate, a 1000R curvature, a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification, and two HDMI 2.1 ports so you can plug in both your PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Acer says this will launch in North America in Q2 starting at $2,499.

There’s also the Predator X34 V3, Predator X34 X, and the Predator X39. All three of these will also launch in North America in Q2 with prices starting at $899, $1,299, and $1,499 respectively. Both the X34 X and the X39 use OLED panels and have the same resolution of 3440 x 1440 with a 240Hz refresh rate. The X34 V3 meanwhile is a Mini-LED panel with a 180Hz refresh rate. It also has the same resolution as the other two monitors. Unfortunately, it looks like only the Z57 supports HDMI 2.1. But if that doesn’t bother you or you only plan to use them for PC, they’re stacked up with great gaming features.


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How AI hallucinations are making bug hunting harder

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Bug bounty programs that pay people for finding bugs are a very useful tool for improving the security of software. But with the availability of artificial intelligence (AI) as seen in the popular large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Bard, and others it looks like there is a new problem on the horizon.

Bounty hunters are using LLMs not only to translate or proofread their reports, but also to find bugs.

Daniel “Haxx” Stenberg of cURL explains in a blogpost why he sees this as a possible problem. CURL is a computer software project providing a library and command-line tool for transferring data using various network protocols. The name stands for Client for URL. Daniel is the original author and currently the lead developer.

He argues that, for some reason, bug bounty programs also attract fortune seekers that are looking for a quick buck without putting in the necessary work. According to Stenberg, developers could easily filter out these fortune seekers before they had access to LLMs.

The source of the problem lies in the bad habit of some LLMs to “hallucinate.” LLM hallucinations is the name for the events in which LLMs produce output that is coherent and grammatically correct but factually incorrect or nonsensical.

This is a problem for developers because they can often discard nonsensical reports from humans only after a short examination. But reports generated by AI look coherent, so they waste a lot more time.

In the mystery of the CVE’s that are not vulnerabilities we saw how the automated submission of bugs had raised issues before that wasted a lot of developer time. Time the developer would like to use to fix real bugs or work on new features. As Daniel put it:

“A security report can take away a developer from fixing a really annoying bug. because a security issue is always more important than other bugs. If the report turned out to be crap, we did not improve security and we missed out time on fixing bugs or developing a new feature. Not to mention how it drains you on energy having to deal with rubbish.”

This is especially annoying when the person that submitted the bug is unable to respond to additional queries in a way that clarifies the issue. Which is often the case since that person has no idea why the LLM flagged the submission as a bug in the first place.

In several areas people are working on tools that can recognize content created by AI, but these are not a full solution to this particular problem. Bug bounty hunters also use LLMs to translate their submissions from their native language to English. Which is often very helpful. But if a recognition tool were to discard all those submissions, they might end up ignoring a serious security vulnerability just because the bounty hunter wanted to submit a report in perfect English.

In the future, AI will undoubtedly proove to be useful in finding software bugs, but we expect these tools will be deployed by the developers themselves before the software goes live.


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LastPass starts enforcing 12-character master password for all users

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LastPass has started enforcing a 12-character minimum master password. The company is also carrying out additional measures to bolster its security against emerging threats. Previously, users could choose a weaker password despite the recommendation for a longer one. The new policy will hopefully put an end to the security breach woes that the password manager application suffered in 2022. To make matters worse, Cybersecurity experts claimed that the security lapses led to a wave of crypto thefts.

LastPass now requires mandatory 12-character master password

LastPass in a blog post revealed that since April 2023, all new users and existing users who took steps to reset their master password were required to follow the 12-character limit. However, this change did not affect legacy customers who continued using a shorter and weaker master password. For the uninitiated, the master password is the one that secures the LastPass account. All stored credentials likely get exposed if the account gets hacked. Still, the company claimed that as long as customers followed ‘best practices’ irrespective of the password strength, their data would remain secure.

Now, all master passwords on LastPass must be 12 characters or more which will remain the default setting. The master password must include uppercase, lowercase, numeric, and special characters, as is generally required for passwords nowadays.

New master password requirement is now rolling out

LastPass says that the new master password policy is rolling out in a phased manner. Free, Premium, and Family accounts are being notified first via email starting January 8. Business and Teams customers will have to comply towards the end of January 2024. Users with a 12-character login don’t need to make any changes and are good to go. Everybody else will have to create a longer master password. User accounts that don’t comply with the new policy will be logged out and asked to set a new password.

LastPass will also cross-check passwords on Dark Web

In addition to the updated longer password, starting next month, LastPass will begin checking new or reset master passwords against a database of known breached credentials on the dark web. If the chosen credential has already been exposed, the password manager will issue a security warning pop-up alerting the user to select another code.


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Police investigate sexual assault on an avatar

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British police are investigating a case involving a virtual sexual assault of a girl’s avatar. Even though there was no physical violence involved the incident will be investigated as it has caused psychological trauma.

By definition, an avatar is a virtual representation of a user and is driven by the user’s movements in the virtual world. In Virtual Reality (VR) an avatar is placed, behaves, and moves like a physical body.

In the investigation, a girl under the age of 16 was playing a VR game when the avatars of online strangers gang raped her avatar. The VR experience is designed to be completely immersive. For example, we’ve all seen those “funny” movies where people wreck their television set because they loose contact with reality because what they see through their VR headset is so believable. So, it’s not very hard to imagine how much of an impact the incident had on the girl.

The BBC reports that the incident left her very distraught. According to an unnamed senior officer familiar with the matter, the victim suffered psychological trauma “similar to that of someone who has been physically raped”.

Whether it is possible to punish the attackers remains to be seen. As we all know, laws always trail behind when it comes to new technological developments. For an actual assault or rape case there needs to have been physical contact.

The incident should at least be considered as a good reason to:

  • Start thinking about legislation that can deal with these sort of incidents.
  • Create platforms that can provide a safe environment, especially for children.

It is possible to utilize existing laws, for example against the creation of synthetic child abuse images, which could be used as the basis of prosecutions in virtual world cases, but specialized laws would make court proceedings a lot easier.

According to the Daily Mail Online, police leaders are now calling for legislation to tackle a wave of sexual offending online, saying officers’ tactics must evolve to stop perverts using new technology to exploit children.

Details about the specific platform have not been released. But it’s certain that the new technology has led to new variations of existing types of crime like the theft of rare game artifacts, fraud, and sexual offenses. Unfortunately, some people feel they can behave like savages when they are hiding behind their virtual identity.

Billions of dollars are invested in developing the metaverse, an umbrella term for virtual worlds, and to attract new VR users. We hope to see some of those dollars invested in safety precautions, which will keep the experience safe for everyone.

For parents looking for guidance on how to keep their children safe on the internet, we recommend reading Internet Safety Tips for Kids, Teens and Parents.


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Galaxy S24 Ultra appears in real-life photos, front & back

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The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra surfaced plenty of times thus far. Its design is hardly a secret at this point, but the latest leak gave us the best look at the phone yet. The Galaxy S24 Ultra real-life photos have surfaced.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has appeared in two real-life photos

If you check out the two photos below, you’ll see the phone in the flesh. The phone’s front and back sides are visible here, and this is obviously the Galaxy S24 Ultra, not the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

It’s easy to tell the difference between the two, as the new model has a flat display. You’ll also notice very thin bezels around that panel. The phone still has rather sharp corners, and the overall design language is the same.

A centered display camera hole is still here, as is the recognizable camera setup on the back. Each of the cameras is its own camera island, kind of. The phone’s backplate still has a matte finish, which is something many people will appreciate.

This seems to be the Titanium Gray colorway

The color variant that surfaced here seems to be grayish, with a warm tint on it. That could be due to the lighting when this image was taken, however. We believe that this is the Titanium Gray colorway that is rumored.

You will also notice that the phone’s power/lock and volume rocker buttons are placed on the right-hand side. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see the bottom of the device, but that’s where the S Pen will be accessible from.

Samsung recently confirmed that the next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on January 17. During that event, the company will announce the Galaxy S24 series. In other words, the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra are coming. The press event will be held in San Jose, California, and yes, this will be a global launch for the Galaxy S24 series.


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Watch Xiaomi’s first EV park itself in multi-level garage

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Xiaomi announced its first electric car, the Xiaomi SU7, not long ago. That car comes in two models, and an interesting video just popped up. That video shows Xiaomi’s first EV park itself in a multi-level garage.

This is Xiaomi’s official video, it seems, and it was reuploaded by TechDroider to YouTube. The video itself is embedded below the article, in case you’d like to watch it, and it has a duration of around a minute.

You can now watch Xiaomi’s first EV park itself in a multi-level garage

In this video, you’ll see that the driver activates the self-driving mode upon the entrance to a multi-level garage in China. The car drives on its own to the desired parking level, and it even moves out of the way for the upcoming car.

When it reaches the level it wants, a parking spot is identified, and the Xiaomi SU7 finishes the job. This was a rather smooth job by the Xiaomi SU7, but that is to be expected considering this is an official video.

Xiaomi has promised that the Xiaomi SU7 is coming to its homeland this year. There is still no word on the global launch, and it’s possible that it will remain exclusive to China. We’ll have to wait and see.

The Xiaomi SU7 comes in two distinct models

The Xiaomi SU7 and Xiaomi SU7 Max do look the same, however, they’re different under the hood. The other EV, the Xiaomi SU7 Max, is not only more powerful, but it has a number of added perks.

The car itself does look quite sporty, and we can see influences from various other brands here. Xiaomi also announced a number of color options, but we still don’t know the price tags for either model.

This car comes as a result of a partnership with state-owned Beijing Automotive, and it has been a long time coming. Xiaomi is already working on new engines for new EVs, so this is definitely not a one-time thing for Xiaomi. You can expect to see more EVs from the company moving forward.


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