What is a modular audio hub? Creative introduces the Sound Blaster Re:Imagine
Will this be the next big thing?
Singapore’s Creative Technology’s latest product isn’t coming straight to its online store. Instead, it’s turning to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter for its upcoming modular audio hub, the Sound Blaster Re:Imagine.
So what exactly is a modular audio hub and why should you fund it? Well, honestly, I’m not sure. From the press release, I can tell you that you connect devices to it like the Sound Blaster G8, and it will have customisable modules that let you design the look and feel to your liking.
You can add sliders, knobs, screens, quick keys, and more. These are all programmable, so you can create macros to change the behaviour of the buttons. Note that Creative didn’t specify how this would be done, but I assume it will be through its Creative desktop app.
I like that there’s two bases to choose from. A wider horizontal strip, and a more compact rectangular version. Since it’s modular, you can always get both bases and then swap the parts around to your heart’s fancy.
The Sound Blaster Re:Imagine will feature 32-bit/384 kHz audio, with a built-in DAC and amp, so you won’t have issues connecting to larger speakers as well. Creative also said the hardware platform will let developers have direct access, too.
Lastly, because everything is AI these days, there’s an AI-powered DJ, two AI companions, and retro DOS games included, though it seems you’ll have to play it on the small modular display, unless there’s some magical way to experience it on your PC instead. I’m also wondering if there are licensing issues involved, even if the games are likely mostly abandonware.
Anyways, check it out on Kickstarter here.
This week, we checked out the complete charger for your iPhone or Pixel 10, tried Dyson’s small and quiet air purifier, and tested the locally-powered facial recognition feature on a home security camera.
Designed to be placed by your bedside or table, the Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock supports Qi2 25W wireless charging, and can charge your iPhone (or Pixel 10), AirPods and Apple Watch at the same time. More importantly, it has a fan to keep your phone cool (by up to 7 degrees Celsius according to Belkin) while charging.
Despite being only around 45cm tall, the Dyson HushJet Purifier Compact HJ10 is said to be able to keep a 100m² room clean. It shoots the air up from its jet-engine inspired cover to circulate around the room. Dyson says it can capture up to 99.97% of particles, down to 0.3 microns, and rates the noise to be at a relatively low 42dB. It’s not cheap at S$499, but the compact size may be worth the premium.
What was most impressive about TP-Link’s latest Tapo C260 home security camera is its facial recognition feature. It can recognise members of the household and friends that you have identified with a good degrees of accuracy, while flagging unknown persons as strangers. And it’s all done using on-device AI, and not via the cloud. In fact, you don’t even need a cloud storage plan — just use your own microSD card.