TECH:

Standing as one of the most anticipated PC peripheral names to show at CES 2021, Razer did not disappoint with its reveals at the annual trade show. The main highlights of its conference were Project Hazel and Project Brooklyn which stand as concept designs that express the explorations of innovation made by the Razer and engineering teams. Razer hopes to show its advancements to receive customer feedback that will serve to further develop its products alongside rigorous testing for release in the near future.

In response to the still on-going COVID-19 pandemic, the global lifestyle brand created Project Hazel, “the world’s smartest and most socially friendly face mask.” The smart mask was designed to help improve the convenience of daily wear while overcoming common social interaction challenges sustainably.

A natural progression from Razer’s proactivity in the fight against the Coronavirus, the reusable Project Hazel smart mask innovates with N95 medical-grade respirator protection using detachable and rechargeable active ventilators and Smart Pods that regulate airflow for optimal breathability. The bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) Smart Pods equipped can reportedly filter out at least 95 percent of airborne particles and have a high fluid resistance. In a bid to reduce waste associated with disposable masks, the smart mask uses replaceable and rechargeable disc-type ventilators that can be sanitized with the dual-purpose wireless fast charging box with disinfecting UV-light interior.

The clear, transparent personal protective covering design allows those around you to view facial cues with the help of interior lights that activate automatically in the dark. The patent-pending Razer VoiceAmp Technology also uses a built-in microphone and amplifier for clearer communication while maintaining personal safety. The silicon-lined smart mask ensures comfort with an air-tight seal from the adjustable ear loops that work with active air cooling and regulation that brings in oxygen while venting out CO2. Two customizable Razer Chroma™ RGB lighting zones that offer 16.8 million colors and a suite of dynamic lighting effects also provides the mask with unique style.

Project Brooklyn on the other hand is “a compact, integrated gaming chair for next-generation immersion.” The transformable ergonomic gaming chair from Razer was designed to bring full-scale immersion from its haptics, graphics and lighting in a flexible form factor. The chair is a full-fledged entertainment powerhouse built with leather, carbon fiber and RGB lighting that transforms easily into a gaming station with a 60” OLED rollout display, riveting tactile feedback built into the seat and 4D armrest tables.

Rounding up its announcements, Razer also announced new Blade 15 and Blade Pro 17 gaming laptops powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Laptop GPUs. Priced at $1,700 and $2,300 USD respectively, the portable PCs provide two times the energy efficiency, accelerated performance and introduce third-generation Max-Q technologies. The Razer Blade 15 and Razer Blade Pro 17 powered by NVIDIA Ampere architecture are set to be available for pre-order from Razer January 12 with the 15-inch model to be available January 26 and the 17-inch model to be available sometime Q1 2021.General Motors has unveiled a series of highly-futuristic electric vehicles over at CES 2021, and taking the spotlight is the new Cadillac eVTOL, a fully-autonomous air taxi.

Reminiscent of the drones we so often find now within the camera and photography words, the flying car utilizes electric propulsion via a 90kWh battery and four propellers and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 56 mph. As its name suggests, it can take off and land vertically and supports both air-to-air and air-to-ground communications. As a vehicle of the future, it’ll also feature self-driving technology, so you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

“We are preparing for a world where advances in electric and autonomous technology make personal air travel possible,” said GM’s global design chief Michael Simcoe during the presentation. “It is a concept designed for the moment when time is of essence and convenience is everything.”

Aside from the revolutionary air taxi, GM also teased a number of other electric transportation options coming in the future, including an autonomous Halo self-driving pod, the Cadillac Lyriq, and Celestiq, the new GMC electric Hummer, and the Chevrolet Bolt EUV.Oakley has just released one of the most advanced face masks for everyday use. This tech-heavy reusable mask protects against particulate pollution and can be fitted with an additional filter for higher exposure situations. 

The engineered MSK3 mask also sees updates like an eyewear channel to prevent fogging, a semi-rigid body construction, and a durable silicone perimeter gasket to keep the mask snug to your face. 

Those interested can get the first notification of the MSK3’s availability via the Oakley online store.Aside from revealing its new IE 300 wired in-ear headphones that are a refined version of its acclaimed 7mm Extra Wide Band (XWB) transducer, Sennheiserhighlighted its affordable HD 250BT headphones at CES 2021.

Priced at just $70 USD, the wireless one-ear model was designed by the German audio company to deliver “club sound for everyday life.” The budget-friendly HD 250BT headphones feature a built-in microphone, support for the AAC and AptX audio codecs with access to Sennheiser’s Smart Control app for users to customize the sonics generated. Utilizing reliable Bluetooth 5.0, the headphones feature an incredible 25-hour battery life.

Look for Sennheiser to release its affordable HD 250BT headphones later this year.Ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations, Microsoft is now offering a new Xbox Series X/S controller in a striking Pulse Red.

The new addition will join the current lineup of Carbon Black, Robot White and Shock Blue controllers launched at the same time as the next-gen Xbox back in November of last year. Most of the body is dressed in a vibrant red shade, which is then paired with a crisp white lower body wrapping round the rear of the controller. Matte black accents then round out the design by the hybrid D-pad, the ABXY buttons, as well as the triggers and shoulder bumpers. Other standard features include a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port, and Bluetooth connectivity for Windows 10 and Android devices.

For those interested, the new Pulse Red Xbox Series X/S controller is now available in China, and will be available in most other markets on February 9 for a price of $65 USD. Learn more over on Microsoft’s blog post.