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Apple will license Imagination’s graphics tech once again after public spat

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Apple and Imagination began working together way back in 2006, with the British company designing graphics processor chips for Apple and the company subsequently purchasing a stake in the chip maker. In 2017, though, trouble arose when Apple announced it would be building its own GPU and would no longer need Imagination’s chips.

Over the next year there was a public and messy breakup including disputes over IP, the poaching of employees and Imagination losing 70 percent of its value and putting itself up for sale.

Now, though, the two companies have made their peace and will be working together once again. A brief announcement from Imagination said only, “Imagination Technologies (“Imagination”) announces that it has replaced the multi-year, multi-use license agreement with Apple, first announced on February 6, 2014, with a new multi-year license agreement under which Apple has access to a wider range of Imagination’s intellectual property in exchange for license fees.”

Apple has yet to make an announcement itself, so these are all the details we have for now. It could be that this is evidence of Apple struggling to make its own graphics chips without Imagination’s IP, which was the source of the dispute in 2017.

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Bosch is finally making LiDAR sensors for autonomous cars

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LiDAR is the final piece of the sensor puzzle for Bosch’s self-driving ambitions. The company said it designed the sensors for all autonomous driving use cases.

Laser-based LiDAR systems piece together a high-res, real-time 3D map of the surrounding area, which car systems can use to better understand everything happening nearby and react accordingly. The sensors work in concert with radar and cameras to help cars navigate with optimal safety.

Bosch isn’t the only company working on LiDAR sensors, but it’s a major supplier. If it can keep a tight lid on production costs, it could help make semi-autonomous and fully autonomous cars more affordable.

Last year, Luminar unveiled a LiDAR system that’s said to cost less than $1,000 for production cars. Waymo also said last year it’d start selling LiDAR sensors, possibly for less than $5,000 each. Those are significantly cheaper than some other sensors, which have cost up to $75,000 over the last few years. It’s not clear when Bosch will start selling its own sensors or how much they’ll cost, but at the very least more competition should help drive down LiDAR prices.

Meanwhile, Bosch said it recently implemented artificial intelligence in its self-driving camera tech. It can detect and categorize objects and measure their movement. It can also recognize “partially obscured or crossing vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists quickly and reliably.” This, Bosch suggests, should help driver assistance systems trigger a warning or enable emergency brakes more effectively if needed.

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LG’s new rollable OLED TV unfurls from the ceiling

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This small change wasn’t as simple as flipping a roll-up TV upside-down. LG Director of New Product Development Tim Alessi told CNET last January, “The first model of rollable OLED was designed to roll up only. Even if a professional were to figure out a way to hang it from the ceiling, there is no mechanism to re-orient the picture, so it would appear upside down. It’s also likely that mounting it from an 8-foot ceiling would result in the panel being too high for comfortable viewing anyway.”

There are no specifics yet regarding how LG has resolved the ceiling-height issue, but things should become clear at CES 2020 next week.

LG is bringing a handful of other new displays to the show, including three designed specifically for flight: a series of 55-inch OLED video walls for airplane cabins; a 55-inch Full HD Transparent OLED display that acts as an aisle partition and screen; and a 65-inch UHD Bendable OLED screen that’s flexible at both ends, designed specifically for first class.

LG airplane displays for CES 2020

For more grounded consumers, there’s the 88-inch 8K Cinematic Sound OLED display with an 11.2 channel system, and the 77-inch UHD Film Cinematic Sound and Wallpaper OLED with a wafer-thin screen. The sound systems are embedded into both of these displays. In automotive tech, LG will show off its Plastic OLED displays in a variety of sizes. And finally, for commercial spaces, there are LG’s interactive in-TOUCH displays, including an 86-inch LCD screen that acts as an electronic whiteboard, with the ability to read four pens simultaneously.

LG previously revealed a few non-display gadgets it’ll bring to CES 2020, including an indoor vegetable cultivator and AI-driven soundbars.

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Klipsch debuts noise-cancelling headphones with 30 hours of listening

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To start, Klipsch claims the Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling headphones provide 40 decibels of active noise cancellation. Like most other noise-cancelling headphones, they include a transparency mode that allows you momentarily turn off the feature so that you can hear a conversation or what’s going on around you.

The company claims the headphones can play music for up to 30 hours on a single charge. That’s not as much battery life as we’ve seen on some noise-cancelling models like the Jabra Elite 85h, but it’s better than the 20 hours Bose promises with its 700 headphones. With USB-C fast charging, you’ll be able to get five hours of battery life after just ten minutes. The included FlightCase also allows you to plug the USB-C cable into the headphones without taking them out of the case.

Klipsch over-ear noise cancelling headphones

In terms of codecs, Klipsch says the headphones will ship with SBC, aptX HD and AAC support out of the box. The inclusion of both aptX HD and AAC is encouraging since not all high-end Bluetooth headphones come with aptX HD support, which is a bummer if you use an Android phone. Klipsch says they’ll also deliver the company’s signature sound — though we’ll need to test them out to hear just how they perform.

While the retro-styling of Klipsch’s latest headphones won’t be for everyone, they definitely look premium. With a lightweight design and ample use of memory foam, Klipsch claims they’re comfortable enough for all-day use. They also fold up to make them easier to store, and feature a dedicated Google Assistant button.

As with all the other headphones Klipsch announced today, you’ll be able to use the company’s new Connect app to tweak EQ settings. The app, which was initially supposed to arrive last year, also allows you to see the device’s battery level, as well as contact customer support if you need to troubleshoot an issue with the headphones.

Klipsch McLaren noise-cancelling headphones

Klipsch also plans to sell a more expensive McLaren-branded pair that will cost $549. Like the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition, the co-branded model makes ample use of McLaren’s signature papaya orange color.

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Klipsch’s flagship soundbar supports Alexa, AirPlay 2 and Dolby Atmos

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The remaining lineup isn’t quite so advanced, but it’s also easier to justify. A refreshed Bar 48 doesn’t include WiFi but is more compact than its predecessor, delivering 3.1-channel sound with Atmos, eARC and a 10-inch subwoofer. It too can pair up with Surround 3 (here for 5.1-channel surround) and will arrive in the fall for $699. If you have a smaller TV or just don’t need any frills, the Bar 44 provides 3.1-channel sound with an 8-inch subwoofer and ‘just’ Dolby Digital/Digital Plus support, although you do get Bluetooth for streaming audio from your phone. The Surround 3-capable soundbar appears in the summer for $499.

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Klipsch’s next true wireless earbuds will include AI and gesture controls

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The Klipsch T10 True Wireless and T5 True Wireless ANC smart earphones both include AI, gesture controls and active noise cancellation. Though, the details about the AI are limited. All we know is that these have “a built-in operating system with embedded artificial intelligence.” The T10 are smaller than most true wireless earbuds, but that comes at a price. When they’re available in fall 2020, they’ll be listed at $649. The T5 True Wireless ANC will also be available in fall 2020, but they’ll cost significantly less: $299.

Klipsch is also developing a sport version of the T5. The company says the “rugged earphones” and their case are dust- and water-tight. They have an IP67 rating, and the case offers both moisture removal and wireless charging. They come with three sizes of no-budge ear wings, and when they arrive in summer 2020, they’ll be priced at $229.

Klipsch

Klipsch

Klipsch has been in the audio gear business since 1946, and it has consistently produced high-quality products. While its first true wireless earbuds, the original T5 True Wireless offer great quality, we were a little disappointed with their fit. Klipsch says the second generation, the T5 II True Wireless earphones, addresses those comfort qualms with a new earbud and nozzle design. There’s also a new Bluetooth antenna, but the battery life (24 hours with the case) remains the same. The T5 II is slated to arrive in summer 2020 and will cost $199.

All of the earbuds will work with the new Klipsch Connect App, which allows users to personalize EQ settings, download updates, monitor battery levels and contact customer support. The app, which was still in development when we reviewed the original T5 True Wireless, is now available.

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Behringer’s latest synth clone is based on the Octave Cat from the 70s

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While Behringer says the CAT is “an authentic reproduction” of the CAT SRM II circuitry, the new version is missing a key feature of the original: a keyboard. The company also nixed the keys on its Wasp clone in favor of a desktop module, so this isn’t a huge surprise. However, it does offer an analog signal path with dual VCO design. The first has four oscillator shapes — sawtooth, triangle, modulated pulse and sub
octave square — while the second has sawtooth, square and sub shapes. There are separate sliders for each shape, so you can tweak the sound as you see fit. Those oscillators can be modulated from six sources, with two depth attenuators. The vintage CAT filter (VCF) is also included.

As Synthtopia notes, the CAT clone was first announced two years ago when Behringer confirmed it was also working on new versions of the ARP 2600, Wasp, Korg MS-20 and several others. For now, it seems the company is content on just showing what the CAT can do — there’s no word on pricing or availability just yet. NAMM is just around the corner though, so we could get more info during that event.

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‘Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection’ is free on PS Plus in January

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The other title is… less ambitious. Goat Simulator is a classic sandbox game that revels in its absurdity and glitches. It’s not going to captivate you for weeks on end, especially if you’ve already played it on one of its many other platforms, but it might work if you need to blow off some steam at the end of a long day.

Both titles will be free for Plus owners between January 7th and February 3rd. Titanfall 2 is still free until January 6th, so you’ll want to hurry if you haven’t checked out an excellent mix of a compelling solo campaign with fast-paced multiplayer matches.

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EPA scientists warn the EPA against proposed regulation rollbacks

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One of the proposals the board criticized is the administration’s plan to reduce Obama-era vehicle emissions standards for car and light truck models up to 2026. The 41 scientists in the board, many of whom were appointed by the Trump administration, said there are “significant weaknesses in the scientific analysis of the proposed rule.” They explained (PDF) that the economic models used to justify the rollback have weaknesses that lead to “implausible results.”

Meanwhile, they said the EPA’s plan to modify the Waters of the United States rule, which defines the waterways that can be federally regulated, is not fully consistent with established science. The change would reverse a rule that limits dredging and pesticide applications near smaller streams and wetlands, and the panel says it “neglects established science” that shows how contaminated wetlands and groundwater can spread to drinking water reserves.

The panel also advised the EPA to conduct a new risk assessment on the basis of its proposal to change mercury regulations for power plants. It asked the agency to look at all “relevant health outcomes for neonates, children and adults” and to widen its study of consumption of fish affected by mercury. The scientists could still revise their recommendations, though any revision must be published soon seeing as two of the proposed rules are set to be finalized this month.

Vermont Law School Patrick Parenteau told The New York Times, however, that the panel’s recommendations could stop the rollbacks from happening. “The courts basically say if you’re going to ignore the advice of your own experts you have to have really good reasons for that,” he said. “And not just policy reasons but reasons that go to the merits of what the critiques are saying.”

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Disney+ moves up ‘WandaVision’ premiere to 2020

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The series touches on the relationship between Scarlet Witch and Vision in the post-Avengers: Endgame world (which raises all kinds of questions) and is known to have both a 1950s element as well as a key tie int to the 2021 movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

While Disney hasn’t explained the early release, it’s not hard to imagine why it would shuffle the schedule. Simply speaking, there isn’t a huge number of originals (at least, ones aimed at grown-ups) on the calendar for 2020. This might give you a reason to stay subscribed throughout 2020 if The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, more Mandalorian and out-of-theaters movies aren’t enough.

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