After weeks of debate and uncertainty, CES 2022 is nearly over.
This year's Las Vegas extravaganza had been thrown into doubt after a number of major exhibitors and keynote speakers pulled out following coronavirus fears, but somehow, the show has gone ahead.
We may not be on the ground to report on CES 2022, but we've been keeping an eye on all the top news, releases and updates in the B2B and B2C world that your business needs to know about - and here's what we found...
First things first - although CES 2022 is going ahead as an in-person event, it's certainly not the event we initially expected.
As the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has swept the globe, a number of key exhibitors and a number of keynote speakers have already dropped out, including the likes of Amazon, Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Microsoft and Google all cancelling their plans to have a physical presence at CES.
This has led the CTA, the organization that runs CES, to announce that it will be ending the trade show one day early, with the last day of the conference now set for January 7, 2022.
Covid-19 PCR tests were required of all attendees before they enter any of the venues, and a raft of digital events will also be taking place.
CES is typically a consumer-facing show, although this has changed somewhat over the past few years.
As mentioned, we'll be covering all the top B2B and B2C news your business needs, but if you're after the latest gadgets and shiny tech, check out TechRadar's CES 2022 hub for all the hot news.
So what can we still expect from CES 2022?
The CTA claims there are still more than 2200 exhibitors at the show, although this number is likely to be wildly optimistic given the names that have dropped out.
Today (Monday 3) sees two major events, both aimed firmly at the consumer market - the CES 2022 Tech Trends to Watch forecast, where the CTA itself looks into the crystal ball for the next big thing, and the Unveiled Las Vegas showcase, where media get a sneak peak at the show floor before it's open to the public.
Tomorrow (Tuesday 4) will see the show itself begin properly, with LG and Hisense kicking off with their press conferences.
Welcome to Day 2 of CES 2022!
After a quiet introduction yesterday, we're all set for the real event to kick off today, with a keynote from Samsung, and press conferences from the likes of LG and Hisense among others.
There's been plenty of news and releases already going live, so here's a selection of the top business-focused launches we've seen so far...
If you've ever absent-mindedly left your iPhone or work bag in a taxi or bus, then Targus may have the solution.
The company's new eco-friendly backpack that comes with Apple ‘Find My’ technology built in, meaning users will be able to monitor and track where any lost items are headed.
So if you lose just your iPhone, you'll be able to ping it by pressing a button on the backpack. Users can also set up geofencing alerts, so if the backpack moves out of a certain area, you'll receive an alert, and the tracker also comes with a loud sound alert that can be triggered remotely.
The Cypress Hero Backpack with Find My Technology will be available in Spring/Summer 2022, costing £139.99/$149.99.
Targus has also launched a range of accessories to help workers transition and continue hybrid working practices.
The new releases include what the company says is the world’s first biometric device and docking solution in one. The snappily-titled DOCK720: USB-C Hybrid/Universal 4K Quad Dock is able to support for single 8K resolution or four 4K displays, as well as offering what Targus says is a "robust assortment of ports", as well as security enablement via fingerprint authentication.
Targus has also released a new docking monitor that integrates the dock and HD monitor into a single unit. The Targus Docking Monitor incorporates a Targus USB-C universal docking station into a 24” LED display to create a clutter-free and productive workspace, as well as offering the "world’s first" single power adapter for the dock, both monitors, and the laptop.
The DOCK720 doesn't have a release date just yet, but Targus says it should cost £399.99/$442.99, with the Targus Docking Monitor set for release in April 2022, where the primary monitor with integrated webcam will cost £399.99/$429.99, and the secondary monitor £199.99/$199.99.
Netgear has launched a new tri-band mesh router that promises rapid Wi-Fi speeds for small offices and remote working setups - and it's pretty nice to look at too.
The Orbi Pro SXK50 offers theoretical speeds of up to 5.4 Gbps courtesy of Wi-Fi 6, supports up to 75 concurrent devices and has a maximum coverage area of 12,500 square feet.
It'll be available in the US later this month for $449.99, and in Europe later in Q1 at a price of £419.99/€449.99.
Click here to read more.
Audio company Jabra has launched a new business-focused webcam you may want to look into: the PanaCast 20
In addition to 4K HDR video, this rather sleek-looking cam uses AI to ensure you're always perfectly in frame and that lighting levels are suitable for the room type and time of day.
Jabra is also eager to emphasize the security credentials; the PanaCast 20 has a built-in lens cover to prevent any mishaps that might compromise the user, and all computation relating to the AI features is handled on-board, minimizing the opportunity for data to be intercepted en-route to the cloud.
The main problem: it doesn't come cheap, at $299/£232.
We mentioned earlier that Lenovo would be taking to the CES stage today, and among its new releases are a set of ThinkPad Z Series laptops aimed firmly at the business market.
The two new devices, the ThinkPad 13 and ThinkPad 16 (named for their respective screen sizes) are constructed from sustainable and recyled materials.
This doesn't mean they aren't powerful though, as both laptops will be powered by next-gen AMD Ryzen PRO processors thanks to a partnership between the two companies.
The ThinkPad Z13 comes with an exclusive next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 PRO processor and integrated AMD Radeon graphics, and the Z16 sports AMD Ryzen PRO H-Series processors, with integrated AMD Radeon graphics or optional AMD Radeon discrete graphics.
“We are immensely proud of our ThinkPad heritage but there is little time to reflect, and we will also strive to delight new customers as well as existing ones. Innovation is in our DNA from design and development to engineering and supply chain. We will continue to push the boundaries, make changes, and work with close partners like AMD and Microsoft to deliver innovative and more secure products like ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 that are designed to exceed the needs of customers, current and future," said Jerry Paradise, vice president, Global Commercial Product Portfolio, Lenovo PC and Smart Devices.
The ThinkPad Z13 will be available from May 2022, starting from $1549, with the ThinkPad Z16 also available from May 2022, starting from $2099.
Next up, a new addition to Dell's UltraSharp range of business monitors: the memorably-named U3223QZ.
This 32-inch 4K display comes with the company's new 4K webcam built in, plus two echo canceling mics and two 14W speakers, which means it could be the ideal choice for someone after a high-quality panel for remote working.
According to Dell, the U3223QZ is also the first monitor in its class to feature IPS Black panel technology, which should give you inky-dark blacks and brilliant contrast.
Lastly, the monitor is certified for collaboration software Microsoft Teams, which can be launched via a dedicated button on the bottom bezel. It's a nice touch for Teams users, but might be an annoyance for others.
We'll be calling this one in for review soon.
HP has also been busy at CES, unveiling a range of laptops and other devices aimed at enabling "the office anywhere".
This includes the new EliteBook 605 Series PCs - described as "new robust and reliable devices for easy mobility and seamless collaboration", HP says the new HP EliteBook 645 G9 and HP EliteBook 655 G9 can "arm employees with everything they need to work in the hybrid era."
HP says the EliteBook 645 G9 and EliteBook 655 G9 are expected to be available in March for a starting price of £849/$899.
That's not all though - HP has also launched its ProBook 405 Series PC, offering "business class performance and style with essential security for growing businesses".
The company says its three new releases, the HP ProBook 445 G9, HP ProBook 455 G9, and HP Pro 435 x360 G9, are perfect for growing business and remote workers to help them get the job done wherever they may be.
Powered by AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 Series processors and Windows 11, the new lightweight PCs also feature an IR camera, and an HD camera with temporal noise reduction and super resolution upscaling to boost your video conferencing experience - with HP Wolf Security and HP Tamper Lock helping keep your company's sensitive information secure.
It's day 3 of CES 2022!
With the conference drawing to a slightly subdued end (this year's event is finishing a day early due to mass drop-outs amid Covid-19 concerns) today is the last big day for press conferences and launches - with the public now able to go visit the show floor itself.
As with the last few days, we've wrapped up a few of the most interesting or novel business-focused releases we think your company may enjoy.
We highlighted some new laptops from HP last night, but the company has also revealed a whole host of other hardware aimed at boosting remote work.
This includes the company's new E Series Conferencing Monitor releases which HP says are "the world's most advanced conferencing monitor" offerings around. The HP E24m, E27m, and E34m Conferencing Monitors come with a 5MP tiltable privacy webcam, improved lighting sensors, Windows Hello login, noise- cancelling mics, and front-firing speakers - and can be set up with a single USB-C cable.
HP has also revealed the M24 and M27 Webcam Monitors, a more stripped-back pair of conferencing tools offering a 5MP webcam, front-firing speakers, and noise-cancelling mics.
Sadly there's no news on pricing or availability for any of the new devices just yet, so stay tuned for more information as soon as we get it.
If you're looking to up your video conferencing set-up in 2022, then Anker has a new webcam that may be right up your street.
The Anker Video Bar looks to undercut more expensive options by offering 2K/30FPS video streaming (more than enough for good-quality Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls) in a one-size-fits-all package that bring together webcam, mic, speaker and lighting.
The Video Bar comes with its own adjustable lighting built in to the device, allowing you to tweak levels to your heart's content, and make sure you don't seem to dark or too washed-out.
It also features MagicSight, a feature designed to automatically adjust light levels, with an accompanying app also allowing further customization, along with a built-in mic and speaker array to offer comprehensive sound quality as well.
The Anker Video Bar will cost $220 when it launches on January 25.
With Wi-Fi 6 and 6E becoming a more common sight in homes and offices across the world, the need for proper hardware to benefit from superfast speeds and high latency is paramount.
TP-Link has released a new Wi-Fi 6E router with four mechanical antennas that rotate automatically in order to continually optimize the signal based on the location of your devices.
The Archer AXE200 Omni can deliver total speeds of over 10 Gbps, the company says, tracking the usage of your devices to make sure you never drop out. With a tri-band setup that includes a 6Ghz band, it should offer a significant upgrade on your home network reliability and connectivity.
TP-Link says the Archer AXE200 Omni will be available in 2022, but couldn't commit to a firm release date, or confirm any pricing information just yet.
Plugable has unveiled the first ever docking station to support three 4K monitors at once, for those ultra-productive remote workers out there.
With three 4K HDMI ports and three 4K DisplayPort ports, the UD-6950PDZ docking station also lets owners mix and match monitors with different connectivity standards.
Beyond display options, the dock also features 6x USB-A ports (two of which are front-facing), a Gigabit Ethernet port, audio jack and 60W charging.
"Compatible with Windows 10, 11 or macOS 11+, the UD-6950PDZ is the simplest way to turn your laptop into a high-resolution command center," explained Plugable.
"Its innovative design includes three DisplayPort ports and three HDMI ports allowing users to mix and match monitors when building their triple display home or work set up. The specialized chipset with Displaylink technology allows the M1 Mac and other laptops that natively only support one display to add three total screens."
There is a rather large elephant in the room, however: where are the USB-C ports?
The UD-6950PDZ will be available to purchase later in Q1, at a price of $249.
BlackBerry has announced a range of new partnerships and updates to some of its software offerings as it once again looks to remind people it isn't a smartphone company any more.
Nowhere is this perhaps more obvious than in the new feature of its BlackBerry Jarvis software composition analysis tool. This will now allow those doing business with the US Federal Government to comply with the recent software bill of materials (SBOM) requirement from President Biden’s "Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity".
The Biden administration has been toughening up its cybersecurity policies following last year's SolarWinds attacks, with Executive Order 14028 requiring anyone doing business with the US government to provide a full SBOM and also showing it can quickly spot and patch any security issues.
Available within the next few weeks, the feature will be on offer to any embedded software developers whose products are used by the Federal Government, with BlackBerry saying it will help developers keep software secure from all known issues, hopefully keeping itself and the US Government safe.
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