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Plaud is back with another conversation-recording AI wearable. This one, the NotePin S, is only a minor iteration on the original NotePin. This model adds… a button.

The recessed recording button replaces the squeeze-to-record mechanism on the 2024 original. A single long press starts recording. It also adds a new "press to highlight" feature. The idea is to flag what's most important in a conversation, helping the AI learn what to emphasize in its summary.

Otherwise, you're getting the same package as in the first NotePin. The capsule-sized "S" model still has two microphones, weighs 0.6 ounces and has an advertised reliable recording range of 9.8 feet. (Students may want to keep that last point in mind before considering one for classes in lecture halls.) It includes hardware to set it up as a pin / lapel, lanyard, wristband or clip.

The NotePin S is available today for $179. You can order it from Plaud's website and Amazon. Just be sure to look out for your fellow humans and get their consent before recording them, okay?

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/plauds-latest-ai-wearable-has-a-button-for-flagging-key-moments-170000172.html?src=rss

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We're just hours away from the start of CES 2026, and with that comes Intel's launch event. The chip giant is expected to provide more details on its AI PC initiative and the new processors powering it: The Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs (aka Panther Lake) are made using an 18A process — that's 18 angstroms, or just under 2nm — and designed for high-end laptops and gaming devices.

For Intel, the stakes at CES are higher than ever. In the past 12 months, both NVIDIA and the US government acquired ownership stakes in the company, helping nearly double the stock price by the end of the year. But that's still down over more than 20 percent since 2021, as rivals like TSMC, Qualcomm, AMD and NVIDIA have taken the leadership mantle in chip fabrication and AI hardware. 

How to watch Intel's launch event

Senior VP of Intel's Client Computing Group Jim Johnson will kick off the launch event on Monday, January 5 at 6PM ET. A livestream will be available on the Intel Newsroom YouTube channel, which we'll post here when it's live.

What to expect from Intel at CES 2026

As we noted above, Intel has publicly confirmed that it will be highlighting "the next generation of Intel-powered PCs, edge solution, and the AI experiences enabled by the new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Processors." We'll be keen to hear if the company can address the profitability concerns that have surrounded those next-gen chips since at least last summer, when published reports indicated that yields were still under 50 percent. (In response, Intel told Engadget that it felt "very good" about its trajectory on Panther Lake, though it didn't hit the late 2025 release date it had envisioned at the time.)

Will we get any updates on that NVIDIA partnership? It's possible. But don't expect to hear anything about Intel possibly fabricating the chips for that rumored new entry-level MacBook Air. If that comes to pass, the announcement will definitely be at a time and place of Apple's choosing. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/how-to-watch-the-intel-ces-2026-launch-event-130040089.html?src=rss

Govee, which makes some of the more unique and interesting smart lighting products, has a new batch at CES 2026. That includes two ceiling lights (one of which simulates a skylight) and a floor lamp that supports trillions of colors.

Govee describes the new Ceiling Light Ultra as "the industry's first ceiling light designed as a true creative canvas." It uses 616 individually controlled LEDs (the highest in its class, according to Govee) to provide that level of detail. Using the Govee app, you can design visuals for it "with up to eight distinct layers of motion, color and shapes."

Govee Ceiling Light UltraGovee

The product will support an upcoming AI Lighting Bot 2.0 update. The new version of the scene creation chatbot lets other compatible lights (including the Gaming Pixel Light) "generate dynamic GIF animations."

If your ceiling lamp needs are as simple as “look like a skylight, please,” there's the Govee Ceiling Light with Blue Sky Effect. The company says it emulates natural skylights "with high accuracy." (However, it's also less flexible than the Ultra, with far fewer individually controlled LEDs.) You can also use it as a more traditional white-light fixture, and Govee says it's good for spaces are large as 300 square feet.

Govee Floor Lamp 3Govee

Finally, there's the Govee Floor Lamp 3. The sleek light's 16-bit RGBIC array allows it to reproduce over 281 trillion colors. Its white lighting capabilities range from 1000K to 10000K. It also supports a new DaySync system that can adjust lighting effects to match the time of day.

Unfortunately, we don't yet know precisely when any of the new lights will be available — or how much they'll cost. But we did learn that Govee lights will now work with Samsung SmartThings, joining their existing support for Matter, Alexa and Google Assistant.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/govees-ces-lineup-includes-a-ceiling-lamp-that-simulates-skylights-130000611.html?src=rss