The morning after: an ultra-thin layer of gold and titanium could prevent lenses from fogging up
All I want for Christmas is for my glasses to not fog up. And Swiss scientists could make this wish come true. Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a gold nanocoating which heats the lens up to 46 degrees Fahrenheit by absorbing a large amount of infrared radiation – and keeps your glasses fog free. Most protective treatments only spread water using hydrophilic molecules, but this nano-thin layer can even prevent condensation from forming.
The research group thinks the layer could also reduce fogging on car windshields, and future implementations could work on mirrors, windows and more. The coating deposits gold between layers of titanium oxide, which amplifies the refractive heating effect and protects the gold against wear – titanium is much stronger. And although gold is expensive, the amount needed is so small that it shouldn’t increase the price of your eyewear if the technology makes its way into consumer eyewear.
– Matt Smith
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With Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon processor and 1 inch camera sensor.
With the 13 and 13 Pro, Xiaomi is the second manufacturer to use Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, after Vivo’s X90 Pro and IQOO 11 series. The 13 Pro’s camera is the main highlight: it packs a 50-megapixel (MP) f/1.9 main camera with a 1 inch type sensor (it’s really only 8.8 x 13.2mm, but that’s still much larger than most smartphone imaging sensors). It has a 50 MP (75mm equivalent) 3.2x zoom camera with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a floating lens. And there’s also a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (14mm equivalent) because a lot of camera sensors is a trend that’s not going anywhere. Prices start at 4,999 yuan ($720) for the Xiaomi 13 Pro and 3,999 yuan ($570) for the Xiaomi 13. But you won’t be able to buy them in North America.
It’s a lot of fun, but also just…a lot.
Square-Enix
After several delays, Square Enix’s next big game is almost here. Speak is the first title to come from the team that made Final Fantasy XV – a game from 2016. While we know the magic attacks in Speak are spectacular, a one-on-one battle with Sila, the Tanta of Strength, made the biggest impression during our preview session – and the best showcase for all the attacks and moves you can master. Once you’ve read our preview, be sure to check out the demo to test spells and magical parkour for yourself.
Each received 14 television nods, while “The Rings of Power” and Will Smith were left out.
Streaming services once again topped the TV categories for this year’s Golden Globe nominees. Netflix and HBO Max had the best showings among streamers, totaling 14 television nods. by Netflix The crown received four nominations: Best Drama Series, Best TV Actress – Drama Series (Imelda Staunton), Best Supporting Actress – TV Series (Elizabeth Debicki), and Best Supporting Actor – TV Series (Jonathan Pryce).
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story also received four: Best Limited Series – Anthology Series or TV Movie and acting nominations for Evan Peters, Niecy Nash and Richard Jenkins. HBO The White Lotus picked up four nominations, but haven’t started season two, so no spoilers, please.
The version of Framework on ChromeOS is expensive but well thought out.
Engadget
Framework released its first modular laptop last year, and the company now offers it with ChromeOS. It’s not the most exciting laptop, but it’s extremely well-designed, upgradable and flexible. You can easily swap ports, add RAM, and replace any parts that might break over time. Add to that an excellent screen and keyboard, and you’ve got a quality device that should last years longer than the average Chromebook, even if its price of $999 is quite steep.
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