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Last year Razer showed off Project Ava as a digital assistant that lived inside your computer to help adjust settings or provide gaming tips. But now at CES 2026, the companys AI companion platform has gotten a major glow-up while moving into some new digs. Now, in lieu of being constrained entirely to your PCs screen, Razer has given Project Ava a real home in the form of a small tube that can display a 5.5-inch animated hologram of the AIs avatar. Youll still need to connect it to your computer via USB-C to provide Ava with the power and data it needs. However, all of your companions other components are built into its abode, including dual far-field mics so you can talk to it, a down-firing full-range speaker so it can talk and an HD camera with an ambient light sensor so the AI can see and react to its surroundings. View this post on Instagram But perhaps the biggest upgrade to the project is that instead of just Ava, who Razer describes as a calm, reliable source of energy to help you keep things clear, efficient, and always on point, there are three or four new personas (depending on how were counting) joining the roster. Kira looks like a TikTok e-girl decked out in a frilly outfit complete with Razer neon green accents, while Zane is her edgy masculine alternative who kind of reminds me of the Giga Chad meme, but with extra snake tattoos. Then theres Sao, who appears to be directly inspired by iconic Japanese salary woman Saori Araki. Finally, theres an avatar made in the likeness of Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok), the most successful and well-known League of Legends player of all time and one of Razer's sponsored esports athletes.The new peripheral for Project Ava is a cylinder that can display a 5.5-inch hologram of an AI companion.Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThe idea now is that instead of being trapped inside your computer, Ava or one of Razers other personas can sit on your desk and be your companion for everything. They can remind you of upcoming events, respond to questions or even comment on your outfit using Razers built-in camera. That said, if you need some privacy, the devices mics can be muted and the company says its planning on putting a physical camera shutter on final retail models. Of course, Ava or any of the other avatars can still hang out while you game and give you advice. During my demo, Kira helped pick out a loadout in Battlefield 6 based on user criteria and even provided pros and cons for some of the games other equipment options. Project Ava's expanded roster of AI companionsRazerUnfortunately, hile I did get to see Kira and Zane talk, dance and sway in their little bottles, Sao and Faker werent quite ready to make their holographic debuts. But according to Razer, thats sort of by design as Project Ava is very much a work in progress. Currently, the avatars responses are generated by X AIs Grok (yikes!), but the platform was created as a sort of open-source project that will support other models like Gemini or ChatGPT. Down the line, Razer is hoping to add the ability for users to create their own unique avatars and companions based on their input or inspiration from real-world objects. Meanwhile, for avatars like Faker's because hes also an actual person, Razer wants additional time to make the AI companion helpful with topics like real-time League of Legends coaching.Say hello to Giga Chad, I mean Zane. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetThat said, while some folks might find Project Ava a bit weird or unnerving, it actually feels pretty tame (almost cute even) in an era where people are already marrying their AI partners. And if youre the kind of person who prefers digital companions over flesh-and-blood alternatives (you know, people), I guess its kind of nice to have a more tangible representation of your electronic waifus and husbandos.Faker's avatar was only viewable in this nearly life-size mock up. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetSadly, Razer has not provided full pricing for Project Avas holographic peripheral, though a representative said that it will be in the same ballpark as the companys other peripherals. Im estimating a final cost of around $200. Reservations for Project Ava are currently live with a $20 deposit before official shipments begin sometime in the second half of 2026. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/razer-put-a-waifu-in-a-bottle-at-ces-2026-205315908.html?src=rss
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YouTube introduced some new filters to its advanced search tools today. Possibly the most exciting change is that Shorts are now listed as a content type, so the three-minute-or-less videos can be excluded as results in your searches. This is a welcome update for any of us who have been on the hunt for a long-form explainer only to wade through dozens of ten-second clips before finding anything close to our goal. Especially with the addition of even more AI slop last year thanks to the Google Veo 3 engine, an option to exclude Shorts may look even more appealing.The other updates include a pair of renamed features within advanced search. The "Sort By" menu will now be called "Prioritize." Likewise, the "View Count" option has been renamed to "Popularity;" this will allow YouTube's algorithms to account for other metrics such as watch time to gauge how much other users are engaging with a particular video. A pair of former filter options have also been removed; there will no longer be choices to search for "Upload Date - Last Hour" and "Sort by Rating."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-will-let-you-exclude-shorts-from-search-results-204500097.html?src=rss
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Fender Audio may have announced its new headphones and speakers right before CES, but Las Vegas afforded us the first opportunity to see the brands new lineup in person. Fender Audio is a Fender-owned brand from Riffsound thats designing and making new devices after licensing the name. Its been a while since the guitar and amplifier company made any general-use speakers of its own, and this new arrangement is similar to what Zound was doing with Marshall for a spell. Logistics out of the way, lets get down to what the Mix and Ellie are like in the flesh. First, the Mix headphones offer a modular construction that allows you to replace nearly every piece as needed. The ear cups detach from the headband and the ear pads are replaceable. You can also swap out the battery, thanks to an easy-to-access slot behind one ear pad. And on the other side, a USB-C dongle for wireless lossless audio is stowed for safe keeping (wired lossless audio over USB-C is also available). Fender Audio Mix headphonesBilly Steele for EngadgetFender Audio kept the controls simple on the Mix, opting for a single joystick for volume and playback changes. The joystick also serves as the power and pairing control as the only other button cycles through active noise cancellation (ANC) modes. In terms of sound, the Mix will satisfy listeners who crave deep bass, and vocals cut through clearly. In my brief demo, I wouldve liked more mid-range, but Ill wait until I get a review unit for a full assessment there. I should mention the other standout feature is battery life: the Mix will offer up to 52 hours of use with ANC enabled (up to 100 hours with it off). Then there are the Elie speakers. Both offer a similar set of features, which includes two wireless inputs for microphones (the company is working on its own model) and a combination XLR and 1/4-inch input for instruments. The Elie 06 is the smaller unit, housing a tweeter, full-range driver and subwoofer with 60 watts of output. The larger Elie 12 doubles all of that, serving as a more robust but still very portable option. Fender Audio Ellie speakersBilly Steele for EngadgetBoth Elie units can be used in a single configuration or as a stereo pair. You can also connect up to 100 of the speakers via a Multi mode. Fender Audio has done a nice job here of checking all of the usual Bluetooth speaker boxes while offering something unique in terms all of those inputs. Its like the company combined regular portable speakers with larger party boxes, offering something for customers who dont want a massive device or any of the flashing lights. Of course, none of these specs matter if the company didnt ace the sound quality. While Ill wait until I can spend several hours with some review units before I make any final judgement on these, I can tell you that both Elie speakers made a great first impression. Theres ample bass in the tuning for both, but obviously the larger Elie 12 offers more thump. Both units also provide excellent vocal clarity and nice details in the highs, as I made sure to select test tracks with lots of subtle sounds like Bela Flecks banjo tunes. The back of Fender Audio Ellie 06 speakerBilly Steele for EngadgetFender Audio says the arrival of the entire new lineup is imminent. Both the headphones and the Elie 6 will cost $299 and the Elie 12 is $399.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/hands-on-with-fender-audios-headphones-and-speakers-at-ces-2026-203104561.html?src=rss
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