🌄 Good morning, Daily Authority readers, and a very Happy New Year to you all. We’ve kickstarted January with a bang as CES 2023 formally opens its gates tomorrow. Yes, the world’s largest tech show is underway, and there’s plenty of tech news to go around. So without further ado, here’s everything you need to catch up on.

The OnePlus 11 is here!

OnePlus has finally launched the OnePlus 11 after those incessant leaks and teasers. There are no surprises to be unpacked, honestly. The phone has only dropped in China for now, with a global release set for February 7. So what does the new “flagship killer” pack? Let’s take a look.

• As expected, the OnePlus 11 gets the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with up to 16GB of RAM.
• OnePlus says it has equipped the phone with an “advanced RAM management system” for better multi-tasking performance and gaming.
• You also get up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage.
• There’s a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display up front that uses a Samsung LTPO 3.0 panel for a 1 to 120Hz variable refresh rate.
• The circular camera setup at the back contains a 50MP Sony IMX890 main sensor, a 32MP Sony IMX709 portrait lens, and a 48MP IMX581 ultrawide camera that also supports macro shots.
• A 16MP shooter takes care of selfies.
• Running the entire show is a 5,000mAh duel-cell battery with a 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging system.
• The OnePlus 11 starts at 3,999 yuan (~$580) for the 12GB / 256GB model and goes up to 4,899 yuan (~$711) for the 16GB / 512GB variant.

Pixel 7a hands-on surprise

• The Google Pixel 7a is still a while away. We don’t expect it to launch anytime before Google I/O this year, which generally takes place in May. So you can imagine how surprised we were to see a hands-on video leak of the upcoming affordable Google Pixel.
• The leak apparently originates from Vietnam. This makes sense since Google is said to have shifted the assembly and production of Pixel phones from Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) facilities in Southern China over to Vietnam.
• Akin to previously leaked renders, the hands-on Pixel 7a video shows that the phone takes after the current Pixel 7 lineup. Google obviously wants to maintain uniformity in the series, which isn’t a bad thing.
• The alleged Pixel 7a in the video bears a matte camera visor, physical buttons on the right side, and a flat screen.
• The biggest reveal seems to be that Google is finally bumping up the refresh rate for its A series phones. The video confirms that the Pixel 7a features a 90Hz display.
• The Pixel 7a is also expected to include a few higher-end features like wireless charging, an upgraded camera setup, and of course, the more powerful Tensor G2 chip.

Laptops galore at CES 2023

As I said earlier, the Consumer Electronic Show, or CES, is in full swing. It’s a place where tech companies large and small, from around the world gather to showcase their new wares. This year, pre-CES unveils this year included a number of new laptops from Dell, Acer, LG, and more. Here’s what’s launched so far.

Dell strengthens gaming portfolio

• Dell launched the G15 and G16 mainstream gaming laptops and also announced new Alienware M and X series laptops.
• The new G15 brings a 15.6-inch FHD 120Hz or 165Hz panel, 13th gen Intel Core processors, NVIDIA Geforce RTX 40 series graphics, 8GB to 32GB of RAM, and 256GB to 2TB of NVMe storage.
• Meanwhile, the Dell G16 ups the ante in several key areas, including a higher resolution display with a refresh rate up to 240Hz.
• Dell also added plenty of connectivity options to the notebooks, including an HDMI 2.1 port, a USB 3.2 port, a USB-C port, an Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm port. The RTX 4070 model also has a Thunderbolt 4 port.
• Over at Alienware, the new M series gaming machines give you your choice of 13th gen Intel Core CPUs or AMD Ryzen CPUs, and NVIDIA Geforce RTX 40 series or AMD Radeon graphics.
• The M16 and M18 pack many more bells and whistles, including a refresh rate of up to 480Hz and a whopping 9TB of storage at the top end.
• The Alienware X series laptops at CES 2023 combine gaming smarts with super thin shells. More specifically, Dell claims the X14 R2 is the world’s thinnest 14-inch gaming laptop at 14.5mm thin.

Acer goes thin-and-light

• Acer also announced new PCs at CES 2023, including the all-new Acer Swift Go laptops.
• They will be released in 14-inch and 16-inch models.
• Both versions come with OLED displays in thin and light notebook designs, Intel’s 13th Gen Core H-Series processors, up to 16GB of RAM, up to 2TB of onboard storage, and a microSD card port for adding more storage.

LG takes ultraslim to a new level

• Over at LG, the all-new Gram Ultraslim made its entry as LG’s thinnest laptop ever at just 10.99mm when closed. It weighs just 2.2 pounds.
• The notebook still packs a 15.6-inch OLED display inside, along with Intel 13th-Gen Raptor Lake Core chips, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of onboard storage.
• The company also announced another notebook brand coming in 2023.
• The LG Gram Style notebooks, in 14-inch and 16-inch models, will have a glass design, allowing owners to see some differences in the colors available for the notebooks when viewed from different angles.
• Both will also get OLED screens, and both will also support Intel 13th-Gen Raptor Lake Core chips, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of onboard storage.

Roundup

🎮 Solving modern gaming problems: Dell unveils second-gen Concept Nyx, the gaming controller of the future (Android Authority).

🖥️ Keeping with gaming, Samsung announced the perfect OLED displays for gamers (Android Authority).

🏠 A smart home hub to rule them all: The new Homey Pro aims to be the one smart home hub you need for everything (Android Authority).

🔋 Battery life for weeks: Fossil announces Gen 6 Hybrid Wellness Edition (Android Authority).

🔌 In related news, there’s a new Qi2 wireless charging standard coming in 2023 (Android Authority).

📱 It’s time to update your Pixel phones with the January security patch (Android Authority).

🤔 Meanwhile, Motorola is officially teasing the ThinkPhone as a “Business-grade upgrade” (Motorola, Android Authority).

💬 Microsoft and OpenAI are aiming for a ChatGPT-backed Bing version to compete with Google (The Information).

📺 Samsung has announced its new 2023 Neo QLED, MicroLED, and OLED TV lineup (Samsung).

🚗 Your car cockpit of the future: Chrysler previews a screen-packed, button-less vehicle cabin (The Verge).

Wednesday Weirdness

Withings has a new device, and the company wants you to pee on it. You read that right! No, it’s not a pregnancy test. It’s a noninvasive device that you stick in your toilet to monitor metabolic and reproductive health.

• The device is aptly called the U-Scan. It’s a hands-free urine lab you can stick inside your pot.
• The U-Scan consists of two parts: a reader and a replaceable cartridge.
• You pee on the reader while the cartridge is inside.
• Small but mighty, the device can distinguish urine from other liquids and even tell the difference between various family members based on urine stream signatures.
• As of now, Withings has announced two consumer health cartridges.
• The U-Scan Cycle Sync leverages the device’s capability to help those who menstruate track their cycles, predict ovulation windows, and more.
• the U-Scan Nutri Balance analyzes users’ urine for specific gravity, pH, vitamin C, and ketone levels. This cartridge aims to help users garner insight into their nutrition and hydration.
• The device will be available in Europe in mid-2023 for €499.99, with plans to expand to US markets in the future.

Have a nice rest of the week,

Adamya Sharma, Editor