Acer has also released a number of laptops, desktops, and monitors, but the DualPlay concept laptop with a pop-up controller caught my eye. The controller that plugs into your Predator laptop magnetically functions as a trackpad when it’s built into your laptop, but you can also take it out and use it as a gaming controller, or use it as a dual controller like the Switch Joy-Cons. You can also split it. DualPlay also has 5-watt speakers that pop out from both sides to avoid disturbing people around you. Again, this is a concept, so we don’t know when or if we’ll ever see something like this in a real product.
HMD fusion is a modular phone
Photo: HMD
HMD is progressing well. The company released its first Qi2 Android smartphone a few weeks ago (despite some implementation issues) and recently announced the Barbie Phone. Now it’s time to get funky with HMD Fusion. Unveiled again at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, this $299 Android smartphone attempts to revive the modular smartphone concept that was popular circa 2016 (remember Moto Mods and Google’s Project Ara? ). Apple’s MagSafe system has made it common for magnets to stick to the backs of phones, so this time it might actually work. HMD has open sourced its technology, so anyone can create any “outfit” HMD likes. There’s a smart pin on the bottom of the phone, so unlike MagSafe accessories, these gear can wirelessly transmit data to and from your phone, and they can also be powered by the Fusion’s battery.
First, HMD makes some of these costumes. There are also game controller outfits that add controls to the side of your phone, turning it into a gaming handheld of sorts. Some mods are simple, like adding wireless charging support, while others are more complex, like Rugged outfits. This makes the Fusion more durable with an IP68 water resistance rating, and also adds SOS and push-to-talk buttons. It’s equipped with an additional flash, similar to a ring light, and can be rotated to face the front of your phone, giving you plenty of illumination when taking selfies. HMD also showed off fan-made costumes, including a projector, an E Ink backpanel, and a solar panel that can fold and charge the back of your phone. The company doesn’t intend to bring these to market, but wants to allow people to create and sell their own costumes.
Otherwise, the Fusion looks like a solid $299 smartphone with a 108-megapixel primary camera, a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, and a 5,000 mAh battery. Two Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates are provided, and several components of this phone are user-repairable. Simply remove the screws to access the interior, and the parts will be sold on iFixit for 7 years. Even if you open your phone, you will not receive any warranty. Fusion is expected to go on sale in the US in the fourth quarter of this year (between October and December). —julian chokkatu
Honor’s foldable phone is ultra-thin
There were several Honor devices on display at IFA, but the headliner was the impressive Honor Magic V3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends). This is the thinnest foldable phone ever, and it has some interesting AI features that you can read about in our review. At only 9.2 mm thick when folded, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 feels chunky. Too bad it’s not sold in America.
Honor also launches MagicPad2, a 12.3-inch OLED Android tablet with a smart pencil and snap-on keyboard for a laptop feel, and productivity-focused AI features such as voice-to-text, math and handwriting recognition I did. Honor MagicBook Art 14 and Honor Watch 5 round out the new lineup. (Honor hosted WIRED at a media event at IFA and covered some of the reporter’s travel expenses.)
deepfake detector
Photo: Simon Hill
As deepfakes continue to evolve, the myriad ways they can potentially threaten us are rapidly increasing. Scammers are already using deepfake technology to impersonate real people during video calls, so the ability to detect them is critical. Part of Honor’s AI efforts include a new deepfake detection system that the company demonstrated at IFA. Running in real-time on Honor laptops, the detector was able to scan video calls to determine possible tampering. Although this is a prototype, it could be rolled out to Honor devices as a software update once it’s ready for prime time.
Tado wants to integrate home energy
Heating specialist Tado wants to be your one-stop shop for home energy management. I reviewed Tado’s Smart Thermostat V3 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) a while back, but the company has since launched the X-Series, which includes a heat pump optimizer and radiator thermostat with a rechargeable battery that supports Matter. I did. It announced a new wireless smart thermostat for the X-series at IFA, scheduled to launch in the UK in November.
Tado also showed off some interesting new app features designed to help people using solar panels make the most of the electricity they generate. Tado’s new solar power forecasting helps ensure that sunlight is feeding into heat pumps and EV chargers, and the app can drill down into real-time usage. However, home batteries seem to be the obvious missing piece to the home energy puzzle.
Intel announces Lunar Lake processors
It’s hard to get excited about Intel’s Core Ultra 200V laptop CPUs until you consider the promise of faster frame rates and longer battery life. Intel says its Lunar Lake chips will outperform Qualcomm and AMD in several aspects, including gaming and AI performance in the thin and light laptop class. Laptop batteries could be the biggest winner, as this overhaul focuses on power efficiency. (This is a general trend seen with Copilot+ PCs.)
It also has Wi-Fi 7 built in, along with Bluetooth 5.4 and at least two high-speed Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports. New versions of the Dell XPS 13 and Asus Zenbook S 14 with this chip are coming soon, with more to follow. These are some of the first “Copilot+ PCs” that can perform certain AI tasks without a Qualcomm chipset.
Aqara launches new smart home series
Photo: Akara
There were a number of interesting announcements at IFA, including the T1 valve controller from smart home brand Aqara that can automatically shut off the water and gas in your home upon detecting a leak. Aqara also revealed the Garage Door Controller T2 kit, which can control two garage doors and add support for geofencing, voice assistants, and automation with Matter-enabled platforms. New smoke detectors, some smart switches, a new LED bulb T2, and tight integration with Matter, Home Assistant, and Tesla continued to be released. Aqara’s unique Voice Mate H1 is a battery-powered device for voice control that only activates when lifted for maximum privacy.
