A number of large exhibitors have canceled their plans to attend CES in person, but according to the organizers, there’s still plenty happening at consumer tech’s big shindig. We are covering the show remotely here at WIRED, and we’ll share every fascinating tidbit here in our liveblog, which will run for the next few days. New entries will appear at the top of the feed below.
Tuesday is the “press preview” day at CES. There are lots of press conferences and big announcements coming over the course of the day, so stay tuned. Especially look for coverage of electric vehicles—many of the big automakers are holding media events in Las Vegas today, so expect to see some wild concept vehicles on display, along with more practical behind-the-wheel enhancements everyone can benefit from.
Samsung Repackages the Galaxy S21
A new S21 Fan Edition.
Photograph: SamsungThe Galaxy S21 is so last year, but it’s not time for the Galaxy S22 just yet. As Samsung’s top-end flagship smartphone starts to disappear from store shelves (supplies have been scarce for several months), the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition (FE) is taking its place. This glass slab has the same speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, AMOLED 120-Hz screen, and 12-megapixel main camera, and it starts at $699, a price that’s $100 cheaper that its elder sibling.
There are a few differences. It’s 0.2 inches thicker than last year’s 6.2-inch Galaxy S21. I’ve used it for the past few days, and it still feels pretty compact and remarkably thin. This bigger size allows for a beefier 4,500-mAh battery too. But what brings down the price is the plasticky shell. (It still has a metal frame inside.) Samsung also swapped the 64-megapixel telephoto zoom camera for an 8-megapixel one. Details from this camera sensor won’t be as sharp, but the upgraded 32-megapixel selfie cam on the front might make up for it.
The S21 FE is Samsung’s first phone to run Android 12 out of the box. It comes in four colors: white, olive, graphite, and lavender. The conundrum? Samsung is expected to reveal the Galaxy S22 next month, and if it follows the pattern set by its predecessors, it’ll cost just $100 more than the S21 FE. You may want to wait. —Julian Chokkattu
Earbuds That Disappear
JLab’s $20 headphones try to match your skin tone.
Photograph: JLabMost headphones are pretty conspicuous. From the brazen white AirPods to flashy Galaxy Buds2, it often seems like designers think of us more as human billboards than people. Enter the new JLab Go Air Tones, which come in a wide array of human skin tones and are designed to disappear in your ears.
