A man of many hats, Tre has expertise in Holistic Health and Wellness, Digital Marketing, and Media Analytics. With over 10 years of experience as a recording artist and producer, he directs our Music Production workshops. and releases music as Tre'mendous - Learn More
Will the new Snapdragon X Elite processors put new Windows 11 laptops at the forefront of mainstream AI experiences?
The new Omnibook series marks the beginning of AI-powered computers for both the industry and HP. The first of the two – the Omnibook X – is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite.
This marks the PC industries second big push to ARM-powered computers, one that has already become a standard with the M3 chips in Apple’s computing devices. ARM chips bring improved battery life, thermal management and integrated graphics without compromising processing power that comes with X86/64 architecture. Only this generation of ARM devices comes with AI powered smarts.
The Omnibook X is also a CoPilot+ PC which is Microsoft’s latest version of Windows 11 laptops powered by on device AI.
So, does the Omnibook X deliver? You’ll have to wait until our extensive review goes live, but our early indications show that there are practical improvements across the board. Even if the AI in Windows 11 is a bit underwhelming at the moment.
You can get the HP Omnibook X with a starting price of $1,149.99 at HP or catch it on sale for a limited time at Best Buy for $899.00
Weighting in at just 48lbs, the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro is one of the lightest – and smartest – e-bikes available today.
At first glance, tha Carbon 1 Pro doesn’t look like an electric bike. Touting a sleek and lightweight carbon fiber frame, it looks just like a regular cyclist’s bike.
That is, until the reasonably loud Bluetooth speakers draw attention to the mini-LED smart box in the center of the handlebars.
The C1 Pro also contains a rechargeable battery in the down tube of it’s impressively compact and thin frame, making it a PEV that’s arguably the most trimmed-out bike available today..
I’m talking ChatGPT voice assistant, Bluetooth stereo speakers for your favorite streaming apps,3 PAS modes with a (somewhat) hidden Turbo mode, a headlight (and taillights) with turn-signal indicators, and even an embedded e-sim for recording your routes, calories burned, fingerprint lock/unlock access to the smart bar, and most importantly anti-theft GPS tracking to deter would be bandits from being tempted to take it – and an electric fence alarm for the ones who dare to try.
It’s all brought together by the Urtopia app’s detailed control center for the bike:
While we haven’t had the e-bike for long, so we need a bit more time to take the bike through its paces and determine if it’s ready for the mainstream. But we will have a better idea in the coming week or two. Our full-on review of the Urtopia Carbon 1 Pro will be published shortly.
The AMD Powered, Ultra portable laptop is internally upgradable and more than powerful for anything from everyday to extensive tasks.
System76, a tech company known for offering easy to use, open-source technologies to the masses has sent us the Pangolin (2023 model) for review.
This Ryzen 7 powered laptop has a generous amount of ports, a 16″ matte screen with anti-glare, and even a kill switch for the webcam to secure yourself from snooping hackers.
While you can get the Pangolin directly from the System76′ website, we’ve taken the Pangolin (2023 model) through its paces. Keep reading to see our conclusions of this highly capable laptop below.
Design: Big Screen and Ports Galore
The Pangolin has a 16-inch anti-reflective matte screen, with a generous port selection including a barrel AC/DC power port – although the Pangolin can be charged through USB-C. There’s an HDMI port for external monitors, although the USB-C port is Thunderbolt 4 enabled. For those wanting analog audio, a 3.5mm headphone jack exists.
On the left side of the laptop is a full-size SD card reader, a Lexington lock slot, and a 3rd USB-A 3.0 port. Check out the full spec sheet below:
Full Specs
Specs
System76 Pangolin
OS
Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS of Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 7840U
CPU
8 Cores – 16 threads 3.3up to 5.10 Ghz
GPU
AMD Radeon 780M
RAM
32 GB LPDDR5 @ 6400 Mhz
Display
16″ 1920×1080 FHD, Matte Finish,60 Hz
Storage
2 x M.2 SSD (PCIe NVMe) Up to 16TB Total
Expansion
3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, SD Card Reader
Running a customized distro of Linux named Pop_OS!, (made in-house by System76) it has one of the most commercially assessable operating systems that’s not Windows or MacOS.
From a design standpoint, Pop_OS! has a similar feel to MacOS with its Unix-like interface. For those familiar with Linux – it’s interface derives from the GNOME flavor of Ubuntu Linux, but you can easily install different distro shells (UIs) on top of the Pop_OS! Linux Kernel.
The Pop_OS! App Drawer
We’re reserving our final take of Pop_OS! In a separate review article, but I will state here that Pop_OS! Is probably the most user friendly version of Linux that ships from a manufacturer out the box. System76 also promises lifetime support for your OS when you purchase one of their devices.
The Pop_OS! settings menu, About Device tab
It may take some re-adjusting and you may have to find open-source alternatives to proprietary software packages you need to use; But if you’ve ever used Linux before, you’d be surprised at how far it has come along in 2024.
Conclusion
The 2023 model of the Pangolin has some significant improvements over the 2022 model, mostly in the upgraded CPU and GPU, .Those looking for more dedicated graphics might want to look at the Oryx Pro; or the Darter Pro if you want a even lighter, Intel-powered laptop in the System76 lineup.
Apple might not make AirPods for computing devices that they don’t manufacturer, but in many instances their Beats brand is the better bang for buck buy.
Build Quality
The design has been refined and updated with a studier headband (the gaudy beats branding removed ☺️), metal hinges where the headphones fold and touch/swipe controls.
They fold inward to store in the Beats-branded pouch that comes with the headphones, which also has two pouches for the included USB-C and 3.5mm cord for analog connection. You can also listen to Hi-Fi Audio through the USB-C cord, which will simultaneously charge the headphones.
The Beats Studio Pro stands at the top of the Beats headphones hierarchy – offering the most powerful audio drivers and the largest feature set. The Noise Cancelation is some of the best in the market and uses the same algorithms as the AirPods Max – as they both have the
AirPods Max for Android?
The Beats Studio Pro’s are compatible with Android Fast Pair, so they connect like AirPods would to iPhones.
The Beats app is the hub where you handle the settings of your headphones, like adjusting EQ or setting up features like the Noise Cancellation or Transparency modes.
The Studio Pros are rich in lows, with broad mids and tamed high frequencies. The high end doesn’t sound muffled or muted, but the subwoofers in the headphones there to dominate the frequency spectrum. The color and warmth of the sound the Beats Studio Pros produce is reminiscent of Subwoofer based car audio systems built to showcase bass heavy music like Hip-Hop or Reggaeton. They are good set of reference headphones for audio engineers working with similar genres of music, which is where the USB-C and 3.5mm connections are invaluable. There are also three personalized sound profiles for USB-C audio through its built-in DAC (Digital to Analog Converter).
Conclusion
We’re doing a in-depth comparison of the Beats Studio Pro, in Pro Audio environments like Recording and Mastering Studios; As well as comparisons to the top Over-The-Ear headphones in the market and will conclude this review shortly.
The S1 Active is a lighter smartwatch than the vanilla Xiaomi Watch, with a slightly more durable and sporty build. Although it’s not sold in any major retail stores, and Xiaomi Pay is still not available in the U.S. – it’s just as assessable as more readily available smartwatches on the market.
Cycling is one of the most extensive forms of cardio, with mountain bikes at the top of the list of workout methods. E-Bikes, or electric bikes – tackle this task easily while adding the convenience of a moped-like battery-powered motor that adds pedal assist for a near-effortless commuting alternative.
Many are beginning to enjoy the benefits of getting around on an e-bike, with many people using it as their main mode of transportation.
We’ve done our research and compiled a list of the top e-Bike models and companies that capture the adventurous lifestyle of motorcycling in their brand and following.
Class 1 e-bikes
The e-bikes in this category usually stick to the tried-and-true design of traditional Cycling bikes, where the rider only uses Pedal Assist. In this class the top speed you can achieve on your e-bike is 20 mph before the motor shuts off. In this class, you are granted access to the same roads and trails that are available to non-motorized bicycles. Although some of the bikes in this category can be unlocked by contacting the manufacturer, they ship out of the box locked to this Class speed to meet local laws and regulations regarding motorized vehicles.
The Helm City is arguably the most bike-looking e-bike available, with a removable battery that looks like a slender water bottle – the City by Helm is an e-bike that will blend in with the sleekest acoustic mountain bikes. It’s also an e-bike that comes with a throttle, so technically it’s not a Class 1 e-bike. It’s lightweight (38 lbs) and sleek looks place it in the Class 1 category.
Cowboy’s 4th iteration of their sleek e-bike has a dedicated cockpit for your smartphone, an inconspicuous battery with a integrated brake light, and advanced anti-theft tracking.
The Chord by Urtopia looks like it’s shaping up to be one of the smartest e-bike’s on the market. One of the lightest (46 lbs) e-bikes with the longest range (75 miles) and smart features that will put your smartphone to shame.
The e-bikes in this category gives the rider access to both Pedal Assist and a throttle. Typically Class 2 e-bikes can achieve a top speed of 20mph and can be ridden where traditional bikes are allowed to (bike trails, etc.) – although terrains that are more suitable for off-road is best as the power of the throttle can damage the turf on bike trails.
The Model J by the Electric Bike Company is the bike of your dreams
While the Electric Bike Company is a pioneer in electric bike manufacturing, the Model J is the newest bike added to their extensive lineup of awesome e-bikes. With the ability to be equipped with 3 batteries that add a whopping 195 mile range per charge, the Model J is the e-bike of an urban commuter’s dreams.
Super73 is one of the most recognized brands making electric bikes, The R-Adventure Series is Super73’s flagship model and features Full suspension, improved weight distribution, and longer seats which makes it a comfortable option for Urban Commuting. The 73 R-Brooklyn (pictured below) features the powerful Rugged-series drive system, a new LED headlight and LZRD tires for city and street racing.
The Rubicon is an electric motorbike by QuietKat made in partnership with Jeep – which takes their Jeep e-Bike and adds up to 42% more range. QuietKat is one of the leading companies making E-Bikes, and their motorbike styled e-bike is arguably some of the most durable and reliable on the market.
The Astro Pro is an electric motorbike by C3strom – which takes their C3strom Astro and adds a bigger battery. Their motorbike styled e-bike is sleek and stylish.
When the Dragonfly Pro first arrived, I was excited for the prospect of Cloud Gaming on Chromebooks. And between the Play Store and Linux, there should be a ton of options for content creation, document editing and such. Little did I know that Google was still offering underbaked software that was still playing catch up to the premium hardware shopping with ChromeOS on the market today. But that’s such case with the HP Dragonfly Pro.
Don’t get me wrong, ChromeOS is ready for 85% use case scenarios that people use computers today. But for those people who may want access to the latest Video editing, music production and programming tools, it’s not quite there yet. There are apps that are available that can get you started, but it’s still feels a bit held back by the fact that it’s a Chromebook.
HP has basically used the same chassis in this Chromebook as the one that comes with Windows 11, which makes it one of the best laptop designs available.
You can enable Linux in the system settings, which opens up alot more functionality that the Android and Web Apps in ChromeOS doesn’t fulfill if you need it. One thing that I found disappointing is their is limited root access to Linux containers, even through terminal for installing depositories necessary for certain programs to run.
The HP Dragonfly Pro is one of the best Chromebooks on the market, and it’s price matches it’s stature.The crisp touchscreen display is sharp but reflective. The specs are respectable, but there are only two thunderbolt 4 enabled USB-C ports, so keep a hub or dongle nearby..
For decades, iMacs and MacBooks have been the staple brand in Multimedia Firms, Recording Studios and Film Studios due to Apple’s superior proprietary programs. But starting 5/23, Apple brings their two most acclaimed pro apps for creatives to iPadOS, Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro.
Redesigned for the iPad with all touch interfaces, Apple is ready to arm the iPad with desktop-level creative tools that will almost certainly elevate their tablet to a must have in any Film or Music Studio.
First up is Final Cut Pro, a non-linear Video Editor that has been used to make some of world best video content. From Movies, Documentaries, Music Videos and more, you can create pro-level content all from your iPad.
Logic Pro, a professional music studio containing everything you can think of to create high quality music compositions and songs – is finally ready for the mobile masses. What’s so intriguing about this is, Logic Pro is the reason so many people have came to the conclusion that MacBooks and iMacs are must have staples of recording studios round the world.
Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro will be available Tuesday May 23rd – for a subscription. While the first month is free, both apps will cost $4.99 a month/$49 a year. For more details clink the link above.
