Some premium Windows laptops have a nifty feature that can detect your presence and lock the screen for your security, or even track you to improve your digital well-being. This is something that current ChromeOS devices don’t yet support, but there’s now an indication, spotted by Chrome Unboxed, that it might already be in the works for a new Chromebook model.
This is all being fueled by a listing in the Chromium repository that mentions “body detection” for a Chromebook that goes by the name of “Crota.” This Chromebook apparently has the 12th-generation Intel Alder Lake CPU and could be coming in early 2023. Adding to that speculation is the fact that @wistron is attached to the email domain in the listing, which Chromeunboxed finds is typically associated with Dell’s involvement in a project.
So, which Dell Chromebook could come with this body detection feature? Well, speculation is that it could be an Inspiron Chromebook model, though that’s uncertain since a flagship Dell Chromebook has not been released in two years. Chrome Unboxed reports that there’s a total of three additional Chromebooks from Dell that are in the works with 12th-generation Intel CPUs, so it could be any one of those models. These have the codenames “Gimble,” “Primus,” and “Banshee.”
Again, a lot of this is largely based on speculation, and nothing has been made official as of yet. Google, though, did seem to tease this technology in March 2021. Then celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chromebooks, the company mentioned “utilizing our artificial intelligence technology to help people proactively, integrating sensor technologies for more personalized experiences” as one of the things coming up in the next 10 years on new hardware.
Chromeunboxed also uncovered listings in the Chromium repository for auto lock and snoop detection. These two features can perhaps be related to body detection, but that’s uncertain at this point. It’s also uncertain how exactly ChromeOS might use these features to its advantage, or if additional sensors will be involved. If based on how the technology works Windows laptops, it could depend on the webcam and infrared sensors, but that’s just a guess.
Chromebooks do, however, have privacy screens, which make it harder for someone to see what’s on your display. The HP Elite c1030 has this technology on board, so there is interest in increased privacy and security features in the Chromebook space.
Mozilla is giving Firefox’s Smart Window two new tricks. If you haven’t tried it yet, Smart Window is an optional AI mode in Firefox with a built-in chat that helps you get things done while you browse. With this update, it can fill out online forms using details from your tabs and keep an eye on websites for you.
Tired of typing the same details into every form?
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.