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New 16-inch, 240Hz OLED panels and a crop of new CPUs from Intel and Nvidia mean a raft of new laptops at CES to host them. Intel announced its gaming-focused 14th-gen Core HX series here, and in December, Intel and AMD launched their flagship Core Ultra and Ryzen 8000 series laptop CPUs.

The companies behind the chips are focused on AI, and that’s what you’re going to hear a lot about in 2024, as they try to use it to differentiate these newer premium models from older generations — to try to sell you on upgrading.

The best laptops of this year’s show offer new designs to take advantage of new features, such as reducing cooling systems to make them smaller and lighter or incorporating the latest Wi-Fi 7 wireless. These are the models we think went the extra mile.

Read more: CNET’s Picks for Best of Show, The Most Exciting, Innovative and Impactful Tech Winners of CES 2024

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid

Lenovo’s been playing around with offbeat laptop designs for a while, and its dual Android and Windows ThinkBook seems almost conventional compared to some of its previous concepts.

The device has a processor in each half: a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor powering the tablet and its 14-inch, 2.8K OLED screen, and an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip in the base. That means the base can function as a Windows system when connected to an external monitor. The question is, though, do enough people want two different operating systems sharing the same hardware for it to get any traction?

Read more: Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid Can Switch Between Android and Windows

Asus Zenbook Duo

Asus helped pioneer the concept of the dual-screen laptop, but historically that second screen has been only a slice of the depth of the notebook and tended not to match up. With the 2024 model, Asus has expanded to two matching full-size OLED touchscreens, allowing it to create the equivalent of an almost 20-inch monitor.

The screens are 120Hz, 2,880×1,800-pixel panels linked by a hinge that lets it lie flat and a detachable keyboard. There’s also a built-in kickstand; without one I’m not sure the design would work. You’ll be able to configure it with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 H-series CPU, up to 32GB of memory and up to 1TB of storage. Ports include two Thunderbolt 4, a USB Type-A, HDMI out and a headphone jack.

If you strip out the computational power, it’s like looking at the ZenScreen Fold OLED.

Read more: Asus Zenbook Duo Laptop Has Dual 14-Inch OLEDs for 20 Inches of Workspace

Alienware m16 R2

Alienware’s M series has been an awkward fit in the product line ever since the company launched its svelte X series. This year, the company took the opportunity to scale it back in several ways in order to fix that. Most noticeably, it got rid of the forward-hinge design, basically lopping off a lot of the extra airflow it needed to cool the system.

To make that work, Alienware also scaled back on the components, especially the GPU, which tops out with a GeForce RTX 4070 rather than the RTX 4090 it previously could support. By making it a smaller, lighter and less expensive system, Alienware now has a true midtier line. It’s shipping this month starting at $1,650.

Read more: Alienware Made the New m16 R2 Laptop More Portable and Discreet by Cutting Off the Rear

HP Omen Transcend 14

The new 14-inch model in HP’s Omen Transcend line is designed to straddle work and play, cutting back drastically on the RGB glitz and sharp corners we’re used to with gaming laptops. An interesting addition is a built-in wireless receiver compatible with the excellent HyperX Cloud 3 Wireless gaming headset (HP owns HyperX), so that’s one less dongle you need to worry about.

It’s light enough for your commute but doesn’t skimp on the power. You can configure it with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and up to a GeForce RTX 4070, and is built around a 14-inch, 2.8K OLED display with a 48-120Hz variable refresh rate. It starts at $1,500 and is available now for preorder.

Read more: HP Omen Transcend 14 Is More Versatile Than Your Average Gaming Laptop

HP Spectre x360 14

We’re big fans of the Spectre 2-in-1 laptop line, and the 2024 model maintains that reputation. It’s sleek, generally well designed, and is the first laptop we’ve laid hands on equipped with the Intel Arc graphics integrated GPU that comes in the new Core Ultra processor.

Its screen is a 2,880×1,800-pixel OLED panel that supports variable refresh rate up to 120Hz — VRR is made possible by that Arc GPU. It’s available now starting at $1,500.

Read more: HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Review: Meteor Lake Arrives in Style

MSI Titan 18 HX

MSI redesigned its most mammoth gaming laptop, streamlining it without the huge forward hinge, and beefing up the display to a new 120Hz, 4K mini-LED panel that’s DisplayHDR 1000-certified and has Calman Verified color. And check out the touchpad — we’re big fans of illuminated pads.

As you’d expect from a power gaming laptop, it incorporates the latest components, in this case up to the Intel Core i9-14900HX and GeForce RTX 4090. MSI has also opted to incorporate Wi-Fi 7, which is optional (versus Wi-Fi 6E) for that CPU’s chipset.

Razer Blade 16

The 2024 Blade 16 incorporates one of the new 2,560×1,600-pixel, 240Hz OLED displays or alternatively the company’s dual-refresh mini-LED IPS screens that can switch between 4K (2400p) 120Hz and 1200p 240Hz. The OLED display is rated ClearMR 11000 (a new measure of motion blur sponsored by VESA) and DisplayHDR True Black 500-certified, which is pretty much top of the line for a laptop screen.

It also incorporates the new Intel Core i9-14900HX and up to a GeForce RTX 4090. It starts at $3,000 and you can buy it now.

Read more: Razer’s 2024 Blade Laptops Bring All the Newness

Dell XPS line

It’s been a while since Dell updated the design of its XPS laptops. Last year’s 13-inch “Plus” model was the first in a long time, and it must have been a success, because now the entire line boasts the signature look: the lattice-free keyboard and a touch function key row that lights up when you want it and goes dark when you don’t, and a seamless glass touchpad with haptic feedback.

All the models will incorporate the Core Ultra CPUs; the 13-inch will use the chip with integrated Arc graphics, while the other two support discrete Nvidia RTX 40-series graphics. They expected to ship soon, but we don’t have pricing.

Read more: Dell’s New XPS Laptop Line Has a Fresh but Familiar Look

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 and G16

The ROG Zephyrus are well designed and well liked gaming laptops, and the 2024 models look like they’ll continue that trend. The company has redesigned the LED array on the top of the G14 — one of that model’s original novelties which is still unique — and both sizes bring OLED screens to the line for the first time. 240Hz, natch.

As is the norm for the G series, the 16-inch model is Intel-based, in this case up to a Core Ultra 9 185H and up to a GeForce RTX 4090. The 14-inch uses AMD CPUs, up to the Ryzen 9 8945HS, accompanied by discrete Nvidia graphics, up to an RTX 4070.

Read more: Asus’s New Strix Scar Gaming Laptops Have Fancy Mini-LED Displays

Acer Predator Helios 16 and 18

Acer’s latest Predator Helios 16 and 18 models have incorporated swappable mechanical switches (for the WASD keys, only) that provide tactile feedback and faster response time where you need it. Three sets of switches are included in the box so gamers can dial in the right feel. Both the 16- and 18-inch models also feature 250Hz mini-LED display options.

In addition to getting updated with the latest 14th-gen Intel HX silicon, they can be configured with up to RTX 4090 graphics.The Predator Helios 16 (PH16-72) will be available later this month starting at $1,900. The Predator Helios 18 (PH18-72) will start shipping in March starting at $2,000.

Read more: Acer Brings 14th-gen Intel HX Chips to Its Helios and Nitro Gaming Laptops

Razer Blade 18

This one was really just a teaser, but it holds a special place in my heart because it’s one of the few new models that plans to offer Thunderbolt 5 support — higher bandwidth for docks, faster external drives and the ability to drive three 4K monitors are pretty compelling — in addition to the few new capabilities provided by Intel’s 14th-gen HX chipset.

Plus, you’ll be able to configure it with newest 165Hz 4K OLED screen, which is a nice perk. And it retains the same black-slab, work-or-play design that the Blades are known for.

Read more: Razer’s 2024 Blade Laptops Bring All the Newness

The Miami Dolphins had a chance to win the AFC East title Sunday night and host a playoff game this weekend. Instead, after falling to the rival Bills last weekend, they’re heading to Kansas City to battle Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs in Saturday’s second Wild Card game of the weekend.

Kansas City enters the playoffs having finished 11-6 in the regular season and having rested a number of their starters in Week 18 as their playoff position was already secure.

Whereas Saturday’s first game aired on NBC, this contest will stream nationally on Peacock (as well as on broadcast TV in the local Miami and Kansas City markets) with kickoff called for 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). Here is how you can watch, stream and follow along.

You can also check out our full guide to streaming the NFL in 2023 for your viewing options for the rest of the season.

Dolphins vs. Chiefs game today: When and where?

This NFL Wild Card fixture sees the Chiefs host the Dolphins at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Saturday. The game will take place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, home of the Chiefs.

How to watch the Dolphins vs. Chiefs game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. It’s also a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

How to watch Dolphins vs. Chiefs in the US

For those outside of the Miami or Kansas City areas, this week’s Dolphins-Chiefs game will be available to watch nationally via streaming service Peacock.

Can I watch Dolphins vs. Chiefs on local TV?

Yes, but only if you live in the local market of either of the teams playing on Saturday. KSHB 41 in Kansas City and WTVJ 6 in South Florida will be showing the game. There are two ways to watch local channels on your TV. The first is with a live TV streaming service. The second is with an over-the-air antenna, if you live in an area that has good reception.

You can watch local networks with a live TV streaming service, but not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries the channel you need for the game in your area.

All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

Quick tips for streaming the Dolphins vs. Chiefs game using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

iOS 17 arrived back in September and users have had a fair amount of time to assess all the new features that the tech giant’s latest upgrade has brought. While some features have been praised for being super helpful or fun to use, others haven’t received the same fanfare.

One of the features that has iPhone users seriously split is NameDrop. While some folks enjoy the ease of being able to simply raise their phone to share their contact info with others, some are wary of the speedy contact-sharing feature. Specifically, there’s worry about how readily contact information can accidentally be shared with someone — or even worse, how simply it could be stolen.

According to Forbes, law enforcement agencies around the country have been raising concerns about the ease with which someone could access personal information without consent. Although NameDrop doesn’t necessarily function that way (we’ll get into that a bit later), it’s still reasonable to want to disable it if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe using the feature.

If you decide you want to disable NameDrop, read on to find out your options for NameDrop management.

For more, here’s how to fix the most annoying iOS 17 features and everything you should do before updating to iOS 17.

Is NameDrop dangerous?

No, NameDrop isn’t necessarily dangerous. According to Apple, you’re able to select which pieces of information are shared when you NameDrop your contact to another person.

You also only have two options when two iPhones are placed together and the option for NameDrop is presented. You can either Receive Only, which means that you will only receive the other person’s contact information, or you can Share. When you select Share you will send your contact information and receive the other person’s contact information.

If you somehow accidentally NameDrop with someone you don’t want to, you’ve got options. You can be ultraselective about what information you choose to share, or opt to receive only. If you’re worried about sharing in a public place, Tony Anscombe, chief security evangelist at cybersecurity company ESET, has a low-tech way to share contact information out of sight in a place like a coffee shop or bar: Hide one iPhone under a notebook or magazine and then place the second iPhone on top of the obscured device to discreetly share contact data. If you’d rather not be bothered, Anscombe recommends that users disable the setting in the Airdrop settings.

Disabling NameDrop is pretty simple, but it’s important to note that NameDrop is automatically enabled when you download iOS 17 or purchase an iPhone 15, so you’ll have to manually turn it off if you don’t want it active on your phone.

How do I disable NameDrop?

If you want NameDrop disabled for good, it’s pretty simple to just turn it off.

All you need to do to disable NameDrop is:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap on General.

3. Navigate to the AirDrop tab.

4. Once you open the tab, simply toggle the Bring Devices Together option off. It’s as easy as that. If you have a change of heart and decide you feel comfortable with NameDrop and want to enable it, all you need to do is toggle the Bring Devices Together option back on.

For more, here’s our review of the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

At CES 2024, both LG and Samsung debuted big screen transparent TVs. Like something out of science fiction, these are absolutely as crazy as they sound. When the TVs is off, it’s like it’s no longer there. Not invisible exactly, but if you didn’t know what it was, you’d never guess that in a fraction of a section it could be showing episodes of Star Trek or The Expanse. While in development for many years, and available in some sizes commercially, transparent screens saw a big push towards the mainstream this year as actual televisions.

With the biggest TV manufacturers hyping this new technology, could a transparent TV be in your life soon? After all, it was only a few years ago these same companies showed off future tech like micro-LED and OLED, and they’re available everywhere now.

The answer is yes — but perhaps not in the way you think.

Transparently magic

Before we peek into the future, let’s look at the present. While transparent TVs look like something dreamed up by Hollywood special effects artists, they’re surprisingly more of an evolution in TV tech, not something entirely revolutionary. The core technologies of all the transparent TVs shown at CES are versions of that company’s TV tech. For example, LG’s transparent TV is OLED, and Samsung’s is micro-LED.

As far as the future of this tech is concerned, that’s a good thing. While making a transparent version of a TV is by no means trivial, it’s more like making clear door panels for a car that’s already being built, not reinventing the car. Using as much existing manufacturing and design knowhow as possible means these screens could be affordable to us mere mortals within a few years. LG says it plans to sell its version later this year, but you should have no doubt it will be exceptionally expensive. At least, for a while.

Transparent future

So will your next TV be transparent? Almost certainly not. While neither company is talking about prices, these will be costly. No surprises there, since these are first generation technologies. We can look to Xiaomi’s $7,200 55-inch transparent TV for some hints. Is $10,000 for LG’s 77-inch possible? For sure, but probably even more.

Eventually the prices will fall, but even then it’s likely you won’t want one. At least, you won’t want one for your main TV. This is because transparent TVs can’t “create” black. To get a watchable image of your favorite TV show or movie, something has to supply the black, otherwise the image is going to look very weird. The LG, for example, has a roll-up back panel to aid in creating the contrast needed for real video. This is why these companies are demoing the TVs with fish, numbers and data, and other content that doesn’t require black portions of the image.

It’s unlikely transparent TVs will ever look as good as a non-transparent TV. Maybe that’s fine if that’s what you want in a TV, but given the assumed price premium, most people will probably feel it’s not worth it. For most situations, the transparent aspect will be a neat trick for the occasional party, but it will stay in nontransparent mode most of the time. If that’s the case, is the extra cost worth it? New OLEDs like the LG G4 and C4 will likely look a whole lot better and for a whole lot less.

While undeniably cool as a futuristic statement piece in your house, transparent TVs are likely to find more practical uses elsewhere. For example, store windows that let you see inside and show you prices and ads. Windows that can let you see outside while showing a stock ticker, weather highlights, emails and ads, or the glass in a stadium’s box seats where you can see the action on the field, but also see scores and highlights on a transparent screen. On the consumer side, LG even has a prototype tube/speaker combo mounted inside a transparent TV.

What transparent TVs actually do is expand the number of places you can display information, and yes that includes more places to display ads. So it goes. That ability to make money is what’s going to accelerate their acceptance, which will drive down the cost of the technology. That will make them even more accessible, and potentially end up in your home… just perhaps not as your main TV.

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As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, and also Budget Travel for Dummies. You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube.

Get set for for weeks of top-drawer international soccer, as Africa’s best sides face off across the Ivory Coast for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations.

Led by former Liverpool and Bayern Munich striker Sadio Mané, Senegal come into this year’s tournament as defending champions, while 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco are the favorites to walk away as champions this time out.

Star names to keep an eye out for include Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah, who will try to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth title; Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus, who will hope to replicate his recent superb recent club form for West Ham; and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, the Napoli striker who’s currently one of the world’s most coveted forwards in world football.

Originally scheduled for last summer, the tournament was postponed amid weather concerns over Ivory Coast’s rainy season; that’s why the competition is called AFCON 2023, not 2024.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the tournament live wherever you are in the world.

The Africa Cup of Nations 2023: When and where?

Kicking off with an opening match between the host nation and Guinea-Bissau on Saturday, Jan. 13, this year’s tournament runs for four weeks and takes place across six stadiums dotted around the Ivory Coast. AFCON 2023 concludes with the final at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on Sunday, Feb. 11. A full schedule for this year’s tournament can be found at the foot of this page.

How to watch the Africa Cup of Nations online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the tournament locally, you may need a different way to watch games — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

Livestream every Africa Cup of Nations game in the US

Matches from this year’s tournament in the Ivory Coast will be shown exclusively live in the US via beIN Sports, which is available through most cable providers.

If you don’t have a cable or satellite TV subscription, you can watch AFCON fixtures with a live TV streaming service, with a number of major services offering beIN Sports.

All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

Livestream AFCON matches in the UK for free

Rights to show this year’s tournament in the UK are split between pay TV network Sky Sports and free-to-air broadcaster the BBC.

Sky Sports will be showing all 52 games live, while the BBC will be showing 10 select matches, including the opening fixture between host Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau on Jan. 13, as well as both semifinals and the final. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game.

Matches being shown on the BBC can be streamed for free via the public broadcaster’s online service iPlayer, so long as you have a valid UK TV license.

Livestream the Africa Cup of Nations in Canada

If you want to stream games from the AFCON in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to beIN Sports. The service has exclusive rights for this year’s tournament in the region and is available via most cable operators. If that’s not an option, the network also offers its very own standalone streaming service beIN Sports Connect.

Livestream the Africa Cup of Nations in Australia

Football fans Down Under can watch this year’s tournament on beIN Sports, which is showing every single AFCON game live in Australia.

Quick tips for streaming the Africa Cup of Nations using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming AFCON matches may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Full fixture list and schedule

All kickoff times in ET.

Group A

Jan. 13, 3 p.m.: Ivory Coast vs. Guinea-Bissau – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 14, 9 a.m.: Nigeria vs. Equatorial Guinea – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 18, 9 a.m.: Equatorial Guinea vs. Guinea-Bissau – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 18, 12 p.m.: Ivory Coast vs. Nigeria – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 22, 12 p.m.: Equatorial Guinea vs. Ivory Coast – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 22, 12 p.m.: Guinea-Bissau vs. Nigeria – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

Group B

Jan. 14, 12 p.m.: Egypt vs. Mozambique – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 14, 3 p.m.: Ghana vs. Cape Verde – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 18, 3 p.m.: Egypt vs. Ghana – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 19, 9 a.m.: Cape Verde vs. Mozambique – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 22, 3 p.m.: Mozambique vs. Ghana – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Jan. 22, 3 p.m.: Cape Verde vs. Egypt – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

Group C

Jan. 15, 9 a.m.: Senegal vs. Gambia – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Jan. 15, 12 p.m.: Cameroon vs. Guinea – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Jan. 19, 12 p.m.: Senegal vs. Cameroon – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Jan. 19, 3 p.m.: Guinea vs. Gambia – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Jan. 23, 12 p.m.: Guinea vs. Senegal – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Jan. 23, 12 p.m.: Gambia vs. Cameroon – Stade de la Paix, Bouake

Group D

Jan. 15, 3 p.m.: Algeria vs. Angola – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Jan. 16, 9 a.m.: Burkina Faso vs. Mauritania – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Jan. 20, 9 a.m.: Algeria vs. Burkina Faso – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Jan. 20, 12 p.m.: Mauritania vs. Angola – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Jan. 23, 3 p.m.: Angola vs. Burkina Faso – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Jan. 23, 3 p.m.: Mauritania vs. Algeria – Stade de la Paix, Bouake

Group E

Jan. 16, 12 p.m.: Tunisia vs. Namibia – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Jan. 16, 3 p.m.: Mali vs. South Africa – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Jan. 20, 3 p.m.: Tunisia vs. Mali – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Jan. 21, 3 p.m.: South Africa vs. Namibia – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Jan. 24, 12 p.m.: South Africa vs. Tunisia – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Jan. 24, 12 p.m.: Namibia vs. Mali – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro

Group F

Jan. 17, 12 p.m.: Morocco vs. Tanzania – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro
Jan. 17, 3 p.m.: DR Congo vs. Zambia – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro
Jan. 21, 9 a.m.: Morocco vs. DR Congo – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro
Jan. 21, 12 p.m.: Zambia vs. Tanzania – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro
Jan. 24, 3 p.m.: Tanzania vs. DR Congo – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Jan. 24, 3 p.m.: Zambia vs. Morocco – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro

Round of 16

Match 1, Jan. 27, 12 p.m.: Winner Group D vs. 3rd place B/E/F – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Match 2, Jan. 27, 3 p.m.: Runner up Group A vs. Runner up Group C – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Match 3, Jan. 28, 12 p.m.: Winner Group A vs. 3rd place C/D/E – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Match 4, Jan. 28, 3 p.m.: Runner up Group B vs. Runner up Group F – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro
Match 5, Jan. 29, 12 p.m.: Winner Group B vs. 3rd place A/C/D – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Match 6, Jan. 29, 3 p.m.: Winner Group C vs. 3rd place A/B/F – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
Match 7, Jan. 30, 12 p.m.: Winner Group E vs. Runner up Group D – Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Match 8, Jan. 30, 3 p.m.: Winner Group F vs. Runner up Group E – Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro

Quarterfinals

Match 2, Feb. 2, 3 p.m.: Winner Match 4 vs. Winner Match 3 – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Match 1, Feb. 2, 12 p.m.: Winner Match 2 vs. Winner Match 2 – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Match 3, Feb. 3, 12 p.m.: Winner Match 7 vs. Winner Match 6 – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Match 4, Feb. 3, 3 p.m.: Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 8 – Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

Semifinals

Match 1, Feb. 7, 12 p.m.: Winner Quarterfinal 1 vs. Winner Quarterfinal 4 – Stade de la Paix, Bouake
Match 2, Feb. 7, 3 p.m.: Winner Quarterfinal 3 vs. Winner Quarterfinal 2 – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

Third place play-off

Feb. 10, 3 p.m.: Loser Semifinal 1 vs. Loser Semifinal 2 – Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

Final

Feb. 11, 3 p.m.: Winner Semifinal 1 vs. Winner Semifinal 2 – Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

The Miami Dolphins had a chance to win the AFC East title Sunday night and host a playoff game this weekend. Instead, after falling to the rival Bills last weekend, they’re heading to Kansas City to battle Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs in Saturday’s second Wild Card game of the weekend.

Kansas City enters the playoffs having finished 11-6 in the regular season and having rested a number of their starters in Week 18 as their playoff position was already secure.

Whereas Saturday’s first game aired on NBC, this contest will stream nationally on Peacock (as well as on broadcast TV in the local Miami and Kansas City markets) with kickoff called for 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). Here is how you can watch, stream and follow along.

You can also check out our full guide to streaming the NFL in 2023 for your viewing options for the rest of the season.

Dolphins vs. Chiefs game today: When and where?

This NFL Wild Card fixture sees the Chiefs host the Dolphins at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Saturday. The game will take place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, home of the Chiefs.

How to watch the Dolphins vs. Chiefs game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. It’s also a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

How to watch Dolphins vs. Chiefs in the US

For those outside of the Miami or Kansas City areas, this week’s Dolphins-Chiefs game will be available to watch nationally via streaming service Peacock.

Can I watch Dolphins vs. Chiefs on local TV?

Yes, but only if you live in the local market of either of the teams playing on Saturday. KSHB 41 in Kansas City and WTVJ 6 in South Florida will be showing the game. There are two ways to watch local channels on your TV. The first is with a live TV streaming service. The second is with an over-the-air antenna, if you live in an area that has good reception.

You can watch local networks with a live TV streaming service, but not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries the channel you need for the game in your area.

All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

Quick tips for streaming the Dolphins vs. Chiefs game using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.

When the original iPhone launched, back in 2007, it marked a firm rejection of button heavy hardware like BlackBerrys and Palm Treos, and the overwhelming success of its onscreen keyboard virtually banished the physical keyboard from our phone lives. A startup company with a new iPhone case called Clicks is hoping to change all that.

Two popular YouTubers have debuted an iPhone case at CES 2024 that adds a physical keyboard with real buttons to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Clicks is the kind of retro, “analog” tech that’s been making a splash with Gen Z, but that older generations might find nostalgic as well, harkening back to the days of early smartphones. I recently got a chance to try out the Clicks case in person to see what it’s like.

Read more: Best of Show: Our Most Exciting, Innovative and Impactful Tech Winners of CES 2024

As an iPhone user, I still find myself longing for a physical keyboard from time to time, particularly when my fingertips are damp after finishing a sweaty workout or handling a perspiring cup of iced coffee. I sometimes crave the precision typing that I get on my laptop, as well as the somatic satisfaction of smashing a physical keyboard with my thumbs.

Here’s the thing: Not only has the iPhone never had a physical keyboard; it was revolutionary in part because it didn’t. Save for the home button and a few other controls, the iPhone celebrated its all-virtual keyboard.

The Clicks case launches Feb. 1 for the iPhone 14 Pro, and later in the spring for iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Clicks cases are available for preorder now, ranging in price from $139 to $159. Color options include banana-yellow BumbleBee and a more tame, grayscale London Sky.

Model	Clicks case price	Ship date
iPhone 14 Pro	$139	Feb. 1
iPhone 15 Pro	$139	Mid-March
iPhone 15 Pro Max	$159, $30 deposit	Early spring

Here’s what I experienced when converting my iPhone 15 Pro into a keyboarded handheld smartphone for the first time.

Hands-on with Clicks keyboard case for iPhone Pro

Let’s get to the bottom line first, then dive into the details. The extra screen space while typing is a dream, the case was surprisingly light, and I acclimated to the additional keyboard shortcuts quickly.

The most immediate and obvious benefit to the Clicks case is the change in screen size when typing. Since the case already has a keyboard, the digital keyboard no longer appears on your screen while typing, giving you far more space.

It was weird in a good way, a real “wow” moment, and the extra screen real estate alone may be worth the investment. On the demos I saw, which showcased an in-progress Instagram Story draft, the difference was dramatic — certainly helpful for creators who don’t want to toggle back and forth to see how a draft post looks.

The best part? No spelunking in your Settings to update keyboard preferences; the change takes effect immediately as soon as you plug the case in.

I thought adding a case big enough for a keyboard would add a lot of weight, but the Clicks case was lighter than I expected. Stuffing my phone into either the front or rear pocket of my Levis was doable, although the case clearly jutted out. Since accessing numbers with the Clicks case attached requires either a Shift or number lock command first, you won’t have to worry about intra-pocket keyboard button mashing locking you out of your device. Some people may find the extra length clunky and opt to shed the case for everyday activities, such as taking a phone call without earbuds.

It was surprisingly easy to slip the Clicks iPhone case onto my phone, even though the USB-C port juts out at the bottom. Like the keys themselves, the case has a rubbery quality with a bit of stretch, so once the port was attached, pulling the lip of the case over the top of my phone was easy. To remove, I pressed gently on the back to pop the top of my phone forward, then slid my iPhone out.

The case has a MagSafe pass-through port at the bottom, so you’ll still be able to use charging wires or other accessories as needed.

Clicks comes with several preprogrammed keyboard shortcuts and lets you customize additional shortcuts of your own, for a total of up to 36 commands. I tested two shortcuts in detail: Command-H, to return to the home screen, and a spacebar shortcut, which scrolls down a web page when on a browser. When I asked SVP of Product Marketing Jeff Gadway whether this shortcut would also work on social media feeds, he said it depends on the app, rather than hardware preferences.

Nevertheless, both shortcuts were deliciously convenient and easy to adopt — I had them down in just a few tries. I could see myself reading long articles or websites without having to move my thumb repeatedly, similar to how a Kindle or e-reader works.

The Clicks keys are tactile with a bit of a rubbery quality, and lean more toward Tamagotchi than Magic Keyboard. The physical keyboard is laid out differently from your iPhone’s digital keyboard, mainly because of Clicks’ wider bottom row, which adds a command key, tab key and symbols key.

On the iPhone 15 Pro model I demoed, the physical keyboard was smaller than your phone’s digital keyboard. It was hard to tell how long it would take for me to acclimate to the buttons, but on my maiden voyage things felt a bit crowded. I ended up tilting my fingertips forward so I could type with my nails instead. I’m not sure I’d want to write an article on my phone (As I’ve been doing with this very story while on the CES show floor), but it’s hard to say after spending only 20 minutes with the device. The iPhone 15 Pro Max model I tried had a more spacious keyboard.

My Clicks iPhone case takeaways

What surprised me most was that the change in keyboard interface was instant. It went into effect the moment I plugged the case into my iPhone, which had me wondering why someone else hadn’t thought of this sooner. Perhaps that’s the benefit of having two seasoned industry pros at the helm: Michael Fisher and Kevin Michaluk, known respectively as Mr. Mobile and CrackBerry Kevin on YouTube.

We’ll be able to give a more in-depth review of the Clicks iPhone case in the future, when the company begins fulfilling orders next month. But as far as first impressions go, this case might be a good fit for iPhone Pro users seeking a physical keyboard experience.

More from CES 2024

• Folding, AI and ‘Paper’ Screen Phones: The Best in Mobile at CES 2024
• Stunning TVs, Flying Taxi, Inside-Out Phone: Coolest Tech at CES
• Google VP: Here’s How AI Will Slowly But Surely Take Over Your Smartphone

So much of the modern world requires passwords. Everything needs you to log in, from your Amazon account to your electricity portal. This can lead to password fatigue, where you throw up your hands and use the same password on different websites just to save yourself the hassle. Unfortunately, that can be a big security breach, especially if you accidentally use an important password on an insecure site.

Luckily, password managers can help, since they can not only store all your passwords but also generate new and more secure ones than you’d likely manage. Though some of them can be expensive, Dashlane is having a New Year’s sale that knocks $20 off its Premium plan, bringing the price down to $20, from $40. You just need to use the promo code NY24 at checkout. But be sure to do it before Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. PT, since that’s when the sale ends.

So, what does the Premium plan from Dashlane get you? Well, for starters, you get to have an unlimited number of passwords on an unlimited number of devices, which is great if you’re often switching between several. Also, while it’s only for one person, you can securely share your password with others who have Dashlane, and that can come in quite handy if several folks need to log in to the same thing.

Besides just password management, Dashlane Premium also does a host of other things, such as monitoring the dark web to make sure none of your sensitive info has been breached. In a similar vein, you can get phishing alerts with Dashlane’s real-time web browser monitoring, to make sure you aren’t going to any seedy websites that’ll steal your info.

So, if you’d like to save yourself the hassle of remembering a dozen passwords, or you’re thinking of switching password managers, then this $20 discount on the Dashlane Premium plan may be the way to go. Especially if you plan to grab any phone deals or laptop deals, where you’re going to be transferring info and logging in to a whole host of stuff.

The NFL playoffs have arrived. After 18 weeks of regular-season action, Saturday kicks off football’s postseason with Joe Flacco and the 11-6 Cleveland Browns heading to Texas to take on rookie C.J. Stroud and the 10-7 Houston Texans in the playoff opener.

The Texans enter the game as the AFC South champion, having won the division in Week 18 by beating the rival Colts on Saturday night and then benefiting from the Jaguars’ loss to the Titans on Sunday.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game is called for 4:30 p.m ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on NBC. Here is how you can watch, stream and follow along.

Keep reading to see your options for watching Browns vs. Texans on Peacock and live TV streaming services, and check out our full guide to streaming the NFL in 2023 for more viewing options.

Browns vs. Texans game today: When and where?

This Wild Card matchup sees the Texans host the Browns at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on Saturday. The game will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, home of the Texans.

How to watch Browns vs. Texans in the US

Saturday’s Browns-Texans game is on NBC, so your local NBC station will carry the game. In addition to cable, satellite and an over-the-air antenna — which lets you watch NBC for free — you can also watch the game live using a streaming service. The least expensive is Peacock Premium at $6 per month. Most live TV streaming services, including YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV, also carry your local NBC station (see below), but they’re a lot more expensive.

You can also subscribe to NFL Plus, the NFL’s own streaming service at $7 per month, but streams are limited to just watching on a phone or tablet (not a TV).

All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

CES 2024 arrived with announcements from the biggest tech companies around that showed off new devices and teased exciting technology. But another trend is the various ways sustainability has crept into keynotes and presentations that talk about the environmental impact of all those shiny, new gadgets on store shelves.

The big change for CES 2024 is a focus on what goes into your product. Unlike previous years when companies had pledges to source energy from green power or buy carbon offsets, which sustainability experts have criticized for not reducing emissions, they’re expanding their use of recycled materials in devices and displays.

As CES wound down, Google announced its new policy supporting the Right to Repair movement and the user’s right to fix their own devices. This includes making tools, parts and repair manuals available to device owners — including Pixel phone owners. Combined with Google’s commitment to supply the latest Pixel 8 series with seven years of software updates, it seems like more device manufacturers are acknowledging consumer desire to keep their devices around for longer, which means fewer old devices thrown away into landfills and contributing to climate woes.

Read more: Best Phone To Buy for 2024

At the outset of 2024, the tech industry is becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability — either because it’s recognizing that it needs to account for all the ways producing new technologies contributes to climate change, or because the growing public awareness of industrial impact on climate change means they can’t ignore their own contribution.

“[Device] buyers are still asking about carbon emissions (upstream and downstream) but they also want to know about the materials that are being used, the recyclability of the product that they buy, etc.,” said Bjoern Stengel, Global Sustainability Research lead at the International Data Company. Getting the most use out of devices and reuse of their materials is becoming a major differentiator for those buying tech, especially in commercial uses like information technology.

Over 70% of companies surveyed by IDC moved beyond the early stages of talking about sustainability and now need to make measurable progress on their set targets to please shareholders, Stengel said. Companies are reliably reporting their environmental impact data and using sustainability measures to find cost savings. Their next task is to stand out from the competition with their sustainability approaches. For IT professionals who can see the scaled impact of replacing products, using sustainable materials and recycling equipment is attractive. But consumers are still waking up to the impact of their frequent device upgrades.

“Today, most consumers have no clue on how damaging for the planet it is to regularly renew their smartphone hardware. Once they realize, sustainability will become a key way to differentiate between premium smartphone brands,” said Forrestor Vice President and Principal Analyst Thomas Husson.

In the smartphone space, the extended-lifespan Fairphone is an eco-friendly choice but still too niche, Husson said. Apple has begun to use sustainability to differentiate its products, which will set the tone for the rest of the phones industry, and Samsung will likely expand on previous efforts to incorporate more recycled materials into its devices.

In the home, European Union regulation is pushing appliance makers like Miele, Groupe Seb and Arcelik to adopt more sustainable measures and embrace a circular economy — ensuring that devices reaching the ends of their use lives have their most valuable parts recycled into new products.

“While only a niche of consumers is effectively paying a premium for greener products today, our data suggests that a majority would like more environmental value for the same price,” Husson said. “Firms who revisit their value chain and innovation approaches with their ecosystem of partners are best placed to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Recycling materials in more of your gadgets

More companies are pledging to use recycled materials in their products, which could help reduce emissions and waste by finding second lives for parts of old devices that would otherwise be headed for landfills, including metals and rare earth materials whose extraction and integration contribute to climate change.

Gaming and computing accessories company Razer announced that two existing products in its lineup — the DeathAdder V2 X Hyperspeed mouse and Ornata V3 keyboard — will henceforth be made with 40% and 20% recycled materials, respectively, qualifying them for UL 2809 ECOLOGO certification standard of reduced environmental impact. All core PC peripherals Razer launches this year and beyond will also include recycled materials.

“Today’s gamers want innovation and performance but are acutely aware of the impact plastics have on the world,” Kenneth Ng, sustainability lead at Razer, said in the company’s announcement post.

Companies have been slowly shifting where they used recycled materials. While at CES 2022 Samsung had previously committed toward more recycled material in their product packaging by 2025, the company’s CES 2024 keynote reinforced its efforts to use recycled ocean plastic in phone and TV components. Samsung also pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions company-wide by 2050 with the device experience division using 100% renewable energy by 2027.

Dell has been using recycled materials since 2007 and recycled 2.5 billion pounds of materials since. The company is starting with plastics because, as Product Sustainability Lead Katie Green explained, those are the heaviest and highest-volume materials in the company’s products. The second heaviest and most prevalent material category — metals — became the next to be recycled into new products, including rare earth magnets and aluminum. Last year, the company began using 50% recycled copper in some of its charging cables that will soon expand to the XPS laptop line, and in 2024, will use recycled cobalt in laptop batteries and recycled steel in desktop displays.

Read more: Best Senior Phone Plans

“[We are] understanding if we’re prioritizing the right, sustainable materials and the right components, and doing it in a way that dematerializes as much as possible,” Green said.

Dell first introduced its Concept Luna laptop in December 2021 (and updated it a year later in 2022) as a testbed for sustainable design which has trickled into its main products, from trying out modular parts to reducing material waste. For instance, Dell first tried removing the plastic Dell logo on the laptop lid in Luna in favor of a stenciled logo straight on the aluminum chassis, then used that process in its Inspiron line of computers — a small change that’s multiplied by the scale of Dell product manufacturing.

At CES 2024, Panasonic pledged to reduce its use of resin plastic in its products and develop a system that blends recycled plastic with antioxidants and other materials in order to form new plastics ready to be included in products.

Curiously, there are limits to how much some recycled materials can be used in a product, Dell discovered. For instance, the company found a maximum of 35 to 40% post consumer recycled plastic in its current method, Green said. Like Panasonic, it’s developed a method to blend the old plastic with something new — in Dell’s case, a bio-based plastic that’s renewable. One composition could be 30% post-consumer plastic, 20% bio-based plastic and 20% recovered aerospace plastic, a blend that’s found in Dell’s Latitude 5000 and Precision 3000 series of laptops.

By 2030, Dell wants half of the materials it uses in products to be recycled or renewable.

Efficiency as sustainability

Other corners of the tech industry don’t make gadgets, but they still have ways to make their products greener. Two years ago, semiconductor maker AMD set a goal to make its EPYC line of server CPUs and Instinct AI accelerator CPUs deliver 30x more energy-efficient by 2025. The goal? Reduce the massive energy consumption that large-scale computing is expected to draw as research institutions use enormous computational power to calculate solutions to big problems.

In early December, AMD announced that it’s on track to hit its 2025 target, and that its CPUs power eight of the 10 most efficient supercomputers on the Green500 list.

“While these applications require increasing amounts of computing power and energy, they’re vital to solving some of the most essential – and challenging – problems humanity has ever grappled with,” AMD Senior Vice President Sam Naffziger wrote in the announcement post. Supercomputers on the list help scientific research, untangle genomics, discover new drugs, predict climate change and advance AI.

AI and more

Dell introduced its third year of ideas that it’s exploring with Concept Luna via a blog post back in December. New this year is using predictive analytics, AI and machine learning to better anticipate component problems. Even without diagnostics, these could anticipate if your device’s hard drive may fail or battery capacity may be depleted.

At last year’s Dell World, a robotics company in partnership with Dell showed how AI and camera tech can scan components from old products and analyze whether they could be recovered and repaired or recycled for parts. On top of that, Dell is experimenting with using components that provide telemetry at the end of the product’s life to assist with harvesting. As Green explained, this could hypothetically take the form of a chip in your computer speakers that recalls how much their previous owner used them — and if the speaker is in good enough shape to be recycled.

Dell also expanded the number of products able to be represented by its augmented reality app, first introduced in June 2022, to help guide consumers in their own personal repairs in far more immersive ways than a simple device manual can do.

But for all these neat technological advances in diagnosing, harvesting and guiding repairs, Dell had a simpler longevity bottleneck it’s tried to fix: Making it easier for users to get spare parts. The other big pillar of sustainability is simply making sure devices last longer by ensuring the process is less painful for users.

The sustainability strategy of longer gadget lives

For years, some of the most profitable Big Tech titans stiffly resisted making their products easier to repair, preferring their own repair chains and systems. But that’s changing as more companies simplify their products and methods of repairing them. Forget next-gen AI and recycled materials in new products — the biggest change could be getting more life out of the gadgets and PCs you already have.

For instance, Dell is in the process of adding QR codes on the back of its products, starting with this year’s XPS line, that users can quickly scan to get to a “personalized support experience,” as Green calls it. In short, it pre-enters your device info to Dell’s support network to provide users with access to repair manuals, spare parts and driver updates.

Admittedly, Green says Dell is implementing the QR codes in anticipation of the European Commission’s Digital Product Passport initiative, which requires more transparency in consumer tech products’ sustainability footprint. But it will still make it easier for laptop and PC owners to access the tech support they need to potentially keep devices running for longer and out of landfills when possible.

Tech joins the circular economy or is left behind

Tech isn’t the only sector gradually embracing longer device lives and reusing materials — so-called circular economy strategies are being applied by a range of industries including life sciences, industrial manufacturing, and consumer goods too, according to Gartner Vice President and Analyst Sarah Watt.

Companies have to shift how they even conceive of products to keep them at their highest level of usefulness for as long as possible. That can have positive impacts for business, too, but it takes a mind shift away from direct consumption.

“The idea behind the circular economy is to decouple resource consumption from growth,” Watt told CNET over email.

Companies can do this by designing products for end-of-life management, and Gartner has seen situations when changing raw materials or increasing recycled content have had a significant positive impact on emissions goals. Yet it’s still early days for mixing sustainability goals with embracing new technologies.

“Complex new technologies generate emissions through production and use, but it is the same technologies that can also help us identify opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Watt said.

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.