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Lenovo Debuts Latest ThinkPad X1, IdeaPad 5 Laptops, Tab M9 Tablet Ahead of CES 2023

There’s also a lamp that may make you more productive.

Lenovo can be counted on to announce at least a few outside-the-box devices at CES. But before the annual tech show kicks off Jan. 5 in Las Vegas, the company has unveiled some more run-of-the-mill updates to its commercial and consumer computers and accessories.

On the commercial side, Lenovo will update its ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop, X1 Yoga two-in-one and sub-2.2-pound X1 Nano laptop with the «very latest generation of up to Intel Core i7 processors with Intel vPro.» The X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga will also support up to 64GB of LPDDR5 RAM. They’ll also have improvements to privacy and presence detection, posture warning and eye wellness alerts, webcam enhancements like auto-framing and background blur and OLED displays with settings designed to reduce energy consumption.

There will be a lot of sustainability messaging from PC makers this year, and that includes Lenovo. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has a palm rest made from 90% recycled magnesium and the bottom cover is 55% recycled aluminum, while the X1 Nano Gen 3 features 90% recycled magnesium hybrid in the palm rest and bottom cover. Retail packaging is made from 100% bamboo and sugarcane fiber.

The new X1 models are expected to ship in April with prices starting at $1,649, approximately 1,360 or AU$2,480 converted.

Lenovo also announced new commercial monitors including the ThinkVision P49w-30, an ultrawide 49-inch display expected in June and starting from $1,699. There are also some new desk accessories coming, the most interesting of which is the Lenovo Go Desk Station with Webcam.

The Go Desk Station looks like a desk lamp but is much more and potentially a great solution for someone with limited desk space. The light is on a rotatable arm and at the opposite end of the light is an arm with a 4K webcam attached. The design lets you easily brighten your work area or your face while using the webcam. The light’s brightness and color temperature are adjustable, too.

The lamp’s base has a built-in USB-C hub with a 135-watt power input that can pass through 65 watts of power to a laptop. There’s an HDMI 2.0 output also to connect to a monitor. There’s even a retractable shelf in the base with a 15-watt Qi wireless charging pad. It’s expected to be available in March for $329.

For consumers, Lenovo announced updates to its IdeaPad Pro 5/5i and Slim 5/5i laptop line. Both models are available in 14- and 16-inch sizes, however only the 16-inch versions will be available in the US. Like the ThinkPads, these will have the latest Intel Core processors or AMD Ryzen processors, and the Pro models have the option of next-gen Nvidia discrete graphics. Other updates include improved displays including OLED options and dynamic refresh rates up to 120Hz; full-HD webcams; and larger touchpads.

The 16-inch IdeaPad Pro 5i is expected to ship in May starting at $1,500. The 16-inch IdeaPad Slim 5/5i is also expected in May starting at $650 for AMD models and $750 for Intel.

Lenovo also announced a new mini desktop PC, a budget two-in-one 12-inch Chromebook and the Tab M9, a 9-inch HD tablet running on Android 12 available sometime in Q2 and starting at $140. You can read more about all of Lenovo’s CES 2023 announcements on its news site.

Technologies

RFK Jr. Announces All Americans Need Health Tracking Devices: Here Are the Pros and Cons

The US Health Secretary plans a huge campaign to encourage health wearables: CNET knows exactly the kind of devices he’s talking about, and why accuracy may be a problem.

Many Americans already track health statistics like heart rate and sleep cycles on app-connected accessories. Now the federal government wants to jump in. On June 24, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced «one of the largest HHS campaigns in history» to encourage the use of wearables to track health conditions, a trend CNET has recently covered.

Kennedy is referring to the many different bands, watches and even clothes that use technology to track human vital signs. CNET’s reviewers have spent years testing devices like these, seeing how rings monitor health signs, straps track your heart health and the right devices lead to better sleep.

The latest version of the Apple Watch, for example, has sensors designed to detect heart rate, heart rhythm issues, falls, sleep health, sleep apnea, temperature, breathing rate and more. The newest Oura Ring can track sleep patterns, menstrual cycles, temperature, heart rate and other health details.

«We think that wearables are a key to the MAHA agenda, Making America Healthy Again ,» Kennedy told the Subcommittee on Health during its budget meeting. «My vision is that every American is wearing a wearable within four years … they can see what food is doing to their glucose levels, their heart rates and a number of other metrics as they eat it.» 

Kennedy also tweeted that «wearables put the power of health back in the hands of the American people.» 

«Wearables,» however, is a broad term encompassing everything from fitness devices that count steps to sleep trackers you wear at night. And consumer devices can’t easily replace monitoring solutions offered by medical professionals. 

For example, CNET has covered research indicating that even the best-in-class Apple Watch struggles with accuracy from metrics like steps to heart rate. Another study from California State Polytechnic University has shown that fitness-related Fitbit trackers show high inaccuracies as well. In fact, that research was used in a related Fitbit lawsuit.

Speaking of glucose monitors, Kennedy isn’t the only White House official with an interest in such health sensors. The administration’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, co-founded glucose-monitoring company Levels and sells a monitoring app as well as other wellness products.

Finally, CNET wellness experts remind everyone that wearables aren’t always a good fit. Those suffering from eating disorders or body image issues should always talk to an expert before using wearables, as they can exacerbate certain issues or lead to a unhelpful outlook. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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What’s Included in Xbox Game Pass? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Check out the pros and cons of each Game Pass tier, and how much each costs.

Editors’ Note: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers a slew of benefits, including a massive game library, diverse device support and both PC and console games. Nifty features like the ability to play on smart TVs, phones, tablets and PCs — not just consoles — make this a convenient gaming subscription service for a wide range of people. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs less than the price of a new game each month, yet gives access to hundreds of titles, which is why it earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. The original article follows.

New AAA video games used to cost $50 apiece, but it’s not unusual to see a similar game cost $70 now. That price might make you pause before you buy the game, but with an Xbox Game Pass subscription, you could play a brand-new game, and others, for a fraction of the price.

Microsoft launched Game Pass in 2017, and since then, the gaming service has grown to be one of the best values for gamers. All Game Pass plans offer member discounts for non-Game Pass titles and other perks, but figuring out which plan is right for you can be difficult.

That choice can be especially tough after Microsoft removed its Game Pass Console plan and replaced it with Game Pass Standard. The company also increased the price of Game Pass Ultimate from $17 to $20 a month.

I’ve covered the service in the past, including future releases and whether Game Pass Ultimate will save you money compared with buying single games. And with all the new titles Microsoft announced would be joining the service as Day 1 releases, like the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages, you might be wondering what the difference is between different Game Pass plans.

Here’s what you need to know about the Game Pass plans so you can decide which one is right for your needs.

Xbox Game Pass tiers

Game Pass Core Game Pass PC Game Pass Standard Game Pass Ultimate
Day 1 releases No Yes No Yes
PC games No Yes No Yes
Online multiplayer Yes Yes Yes Yes
EA Play No Yes No Yes
Cloud Gaming No Yes (select games via GeForce Now Ultimate) No Yes (via Xbox Cloud Gaming and select games via GeForce Now Ultimate)
Monthly price $10 $12 $15 $20

For more on Xbox, here’s what was announced at Gamescom, some titles available on Game Pass Ultimate right now and everything to know about that gaming service.

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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Review: The Best Content Deal in Gaming

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