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The laptops of 2022 look ahead to the future of work - CNET
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The laptops of 2022 look ahead to the future of work - CNET

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 09:59 AM PST

conceptpari3 — Dell's wireless webcam prototype.
Richard Peterson/CNET

This story is part of The Year Ahead, CNET's look at how the world will continue to evolve starting in 2022 and beyond.

The years 2020 and 2021 served as a reminder of just how central computers are to work, school, home and just about everything we do. It started around March 2020, when many people took their work laptops home, and then didn't return to the office for over 18 months, if at all.

During that time, we changed how we attended meetings, collaborated on projects and learned new things. But, for the most part, our work-from-home and learn-from-home tools were the same as the ones we had before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, that work laptop just wasn't designed for all-day video meetings, or for sitting in a virtual classroom. Case in point: Most laptops during this time still had lousy webcams and merely adequate microphones. You could always tell when someone had a hard-to-find full-HD standalone webcam (or better) with a good eye line and clear image. Many people were stuck with something like a MacBook Air, with a tilted up-the-nose shot and soft and blurry image.

It's not that we didn't know that turning every home office into a primary office would mean more people would want better cameras, mics, displays and more. But reacting to that need -- by designing a new product or new features, then getting something manufactured and into stores -- is a multi-year process. That's why it's only as we step into 2022, at CES and beyond, that we're starting to see even simple features like full-HD webcams go mainstream.

The pandemic also made one-laptop-per-person even more of a rule than it already was. That's because every single household member, adults and children, needed their own full-time system. You might have your office laptop with you -- but it might be old and junky enough (or so corporate) that you'd want something else. You or your spouse might be a freelancer and need their own laptop. Meanwhile, every school-age child in the family suddenly needed a separate laptop for remote schooling -- no more sharing a system for the kids or having a centrally located family PC.

Here's how these trends, pushed into high gear by the pandemic, are going to be reflected in the new PCs and laptops of 2022 and beyond.

hp-elite-dragonfly-g3-workspace-1 — HP's ultralight Elite Dragonfly laptop.
HP

Easy fix: Betters webcams and mics

For years, the 13-inch MacBook Air was the single most universally useful laptop most people could buy. With one significant flaw – the mediocre 720p webcam. See enough of these and you could almost tell who in your Zoom meeting was on a MacBook, just as some experienced radio DJs can tell which microphone someone is using just by the sound.

To its credit, Apple started rolling out better cameras right away, starting with the 2020 version of the 27-inch iMac. I appreciated its 1080-pixel camera so much I ended up dragging it from one corner of my house to the other just to use the webcam and mic in meetings and TV appearances. The trend continued in the 24-inch iMac and the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops.

Now, and into 2022, you can expect many more full-HD cameras in laptops from Lenovo, Dell and others. It won't be in every model, as it's still an additional expense and frankly may require a larger camera unit, but it gets closer to becoming the universal standard every day. And whether you're working from home, in an office or both, that's a good thing.

Macbook Pro 2021 — The latest MacBook Pro laptops already have upgraded 1080p webcams.
Dan Ackerman/CNET

New recycled ideas

Everyone wants their product to be green, and sometimes it's even for non-publicity reasons. I've heard about laptops and accessories that used a certain amount of recycled plastic, or recycled paperboard in computer packaging, but 2022 means even more laptops will be built around recycling materials and reusing parts.

Dell impressed me recently with a new concept demo called Luna. The idea is that your laptop will have many more user-accessible parts, not so much so that you can upgrade them later on (although I'd still like to see that), but more so you can swap out old or defective parts and Dell can reclaim the unused ones without junking the whole laptop. It also makes it easier to trade in a used laptop so the hard drive, CPU, RAM and other components can be stripped out and slotted into new machines.

The Luna is just a concept project, not a real laptop line, but I'm hoping some aspects of it will make it into real products sooner than later.

What you can look forward to from computers in 2022 is more recycled material in laptop packaging and even power adapters, even if that's tougher to do with the laptop body itself.

The new Dell XPS 13 Plus also sported a few cutting edge upgrades, including a capacitive touch function key row and an all-glass front lip.
Dan Ackerman/CNET

New ways to work

Some upcoming innovations promise to ease a little of the awkwardness that remote work brings. A few of these have already been announced, like Dell's Flow concept, which automatically connects and disconnects a laptop from a secondary display based purely on proximity. I also liked Dell's Pari webcam prototype, which is wireless and able to stick itself anywhere on your screen to get the perfect eye line. Or you could just pick it up and aim it anywhere, from the whiteboard across the room to the brilliant idea you sketched out on a cocktail napkin.

These developments are still in the concept or prototype stage, so don't expect them any time soon. But I think we will see more innovative helper apps and features this year, like laptops that can alert you when someone is peeking over your shoulder or that can log you in with facial recognition, even when you're wearing a mask.

The final frontier may be the smart desk. What will it look like and what will it do? I don't think there's universal agreement on that yet, but I suspect it'll start with wireless charging and may move into secondary displays, ergonomic adjustments and more.

Wider chip choices

Two big forces are helping laptops and other computers move away from being so dominated by Intel chips. One is that wide adoption of Chromebooks, especially from students engaged in some level of remote learning, is opening the door to more ARM-based laptops, which were previously nonstarters in the Windows world.

Second, Apple's aggressive timeline for shifting the entire Mac lineup from Intel to its own M-series chips has shown that laptops that skip Intel or AMD chips don't have to skimp on performance. In fact, the latest M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBooks are miles faster than most of the Intel models they replace. Google is said to be prepping its own chip, specifically for Chromebooks, as well.

Still, Intel controls roughly 75% of the computer market, and this widening of the playing field may be affected by many factors, including ongoing chip supply shortages. And since so many people had to splurge for an emergency upgrade to a new laptop over the past 18 months, those people may be reluctant to upgrade again so soon.

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Apple Fitness+ introduces Collections and Time to Run starting January 10 - Apple Newsroom

Posted: 07 Jan 2022 06:01 AM PST

January 7, 2022

UPDATE

Apple Fitness+ introduces new ways to motivate people toward their goals with Collections, Time to Run, and more starting January 10

New Time to Walk guests and Artist Spotlight workouts also join Fitness+

Apple Fitness+, the first fitness and wellness service built entirely around Apple Watch and designed to be welcoming to all, is introducing Collections and Time to Run on January 10. Collections are a curated series of workouts and meditations from the Fitness+ library organized to help users reach a goal, and Time to Run is an audio running experience designed to help users become more consistent and better runners, featuring popular running routes in some of the most notable cities.

"At the beginning of a new year, we know many people are looking for new ways to go after their goals. With these new additions, Fitness+ makes it easy to get motivated and stay active anywhere, with the most complete library of high-quality and diverse content to train your mind and body, no matter where you are on your fitness journey," said Jay Blahnik, Apple's vice president of Fitness Technologies. "We can't wait for people to get motivated to reach their goals with Collections, and inspired by Time to Run's exploration of iconic cities with rich running history."

The same day, Fitness+ will also introduce the third season of Time to Walk featuring guests such as Rebel Wilson, Bernice A. King, and Hasan Minhaj, as well as new Artist Spotlight workouts featuring music from Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams, Shakira, and the Beatles.

"For me, a great playlist can make or break a workout," said Shakira. "Music has that power to energize you and make it more fun, so I hope these playlists can be inspiring for the Apple Fitness+ users who choose them too!"

Collections

Fitness+ will introduce Collections, a curated series of workouts and meditations from the Fitness+ library organized to help users reach their goals. Drawing from almost 2,000 studio-style workouts and guided meditations available in Fitness+, Collections will provide users with an entirely new way to get motivated as they begin their next workout or meditation. Collections will include a suggested plan to help users make intentional training choices over the next several days or weeks.

The following six Collections will be available at launch:

30-Day Core Challenge

Improve Your Posture with Pilates

Perfect Your Yoga Balance Poses

Run Your First 5K

Strengthen Your Back, Stretch Your Hips

Wind Down for a Better Bedtime

Time to Run

Running is one of the most popular activities that can be done anytime, anywhere, with benefits like improved cardio fitness, a better mood, and stress relief. Time to Run on Fitness+ is a new audio running experience designed to help users become more consistent and better runners, with each episode focused on a popular running route in some of the most notable and iconic locations.

Each episode is composed of inspiring coaching tips led by one of the Fitness+ trainers users know and love, including Emily Fayette, Jamie-Ray Hartshorne, Sam Sanchez, and Scott Carvin, as well as one new running trainer, Cory Wharton-Malcolm. Wharton-Malcolm, who is renowned for championing inclusivity in the running community, ran his first marathon in 2007, and now he embarks on running adventures all over the world. His lively coaching makes even the hardest run feel playful.

Time to Run episodes also feature motivational and energizing music, with playlists curated by the Fitness+ trainers. The playlists are designed to match each run's intensity, location, and coaching, capturing the spirit of the city where the run takes place. For example, the playlist for Miami Beach features Latin music inspired by the vibrant sights and sounds of the city. Users can also save the playlists to listen to anytime. During Time to Run, users will also receive photos taken by the Fitness+ trainer of notable sights along their route. Photos will be available in the workout summary afterward, and users can save them to their photo library or share with others.

Time to Run will launch with three episodes: London, coached by Cory Wharton-Malcolm; Brooklyn, coached by Emily Fayette; and Miami Beach, coached by Sam Sanchez. One new episode of Time to Run will be released each week on Mondays. Runners of all levels can enjoy Time to Run and stay motivated on their route from start to finish.

Time to Run joins a growing portfolio of Fitness+ audio experiences, including Time to Walk and Meditation, that can easily be done anytime, anywhere — all users need is an Apple Watch and AirPods, or other Bluetooth-enabled headphones. Time to Run can be experienced outside or inside on a treadmill, and episodes will be available in the Workout app on Apple Watch with a Fitness+ subscription. For Apple Watch customers who use a wheelchair, Time to Run becomes Time to Run or Push, and once selected, it gives users the choice to start a run or an Outdoor Push Running Pace workout.

Time to Walk

Starting January 10, Fitness+ will introduce the third season of Time to Walk, an inspiring audio experience on Apple Watch designed to encourage people to get active by walking more often. Time to Walk features some of the world's most interesting and influential people, who share stories, photos, and music with Fitness+ subscribers. Time to Walk has featured 41 guests to date, including Dolly Parton, Anthony Joshua, Jane Fonda, Randall Park, Camila Cabello, Naomi Campbell, Ruby Bridges, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Bebe Rexha, and many others. Most recently, His Royal Highness Prince William closed out the second season talking about the importance of keeping mentally fit.

As the series begins its third season, new guests will be added each week. Starting January 10, users can walk with actor, writer, and producer Rebel Wilson. In her episode, she recalls an acting lesson that became a great life lesson, and how an unexpected connection provided comfort after she lost a loved one.

Some of the additional Time to Walk guests in Season 3 will include:

Bernice A. King, advocate, minister, and CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

Hasan Minhaj, the comedian, writer, and producer known for his work on "The Daily Show" and his award-winning series "Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj."

Chris Meloni, the actor best known for his television role on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Ayọ Tometi, the human rights advocate, strategist, and writer known for her role as a co-founder of Black Lives Matter.

Chelsea Handler, known for her standup comedy, former host of "The Chelsea Handler Show," and the author of six best-selling books.

Sugar Ray Leonard, former professional boxer, Olympic gold medalist, and Hall of Famer.

Artist Spotlight

Additionally, Fitness+ will add to the popular Artist Spotlight series with new workouts featuring the music of Ed Sheeran, Pharrell Williams, Shakira, and the Beatles. The series dedicates an entire workout playlist to a single artist. Every Monday for four weeks, new workouts featuring music by each of these artists will appear in the service across different modalities. Workout types include Cycling, Dance, HIIT, Strength, Treadmill, and Yoga, across music genres such as Chill Vibes, Everything Rock, Hip-Hop/R&B, Latin Grooves, and Upbeat Anthems.

Inspired by these Fitness+ workouts, Apple Music and Apple One subscribers can enjoy the Fitness+ Spotlight series, which includes a unique playlist for each individual Artist Spotlight musician, featuring motivating, high-energy tracks from their entire catalogs, as well as collaborations and remixes for motivation outside of their Fitness+ workouts.

About Apple Fitness

Apple Fitness+ is an award-winning fitness and wellness service powered by Apple Watch and designed to be welcoming to all, wherever they are in their journey, and to help users live a healthier day. Subscribers have access to the largest library of workout content in 4K Ultra High Definition with studio-style workouts and meditations, all led by a diverse and inclusive team of trainers. Fitness+ also has workout programs with custom content designed to help users through a season of life or prepare for important moments, an Artist Spotlight series with entire playlists by world-renowned music artists, and Collections, which include curated content from the Fitness+ library to help users go after their goals. Fitness+ helps users train their body and mind with a one-of-a-kind personalized and engaging experience that can be done anytime, anywhere, intelligently incorporates workout metrics from Apple Watch right on the screen, and motivates users from start to finish with music from today's top artists. With Fitness+, users can also get moving with inspiring audio experiences including Time to Walk, featuring some of the world's most interesting and influential people, and Time to Run, designed to help users become more consistent and better runners. Apple Fitness+ is available to customers in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. It's available in English with subtitles in Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. More information is available at apple.com/apple-fitness-plus.

Pricing and Availability

Fitness+ is available as a subscription service for $9.99 (US) per month or $79.99 (US) per year.

Fitness+ is included in the Apple One Premier plan, which, where available, also gives customers access to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and iCloud+ with 2TB of storage for $29.95 (US) per month, and can be shared among six family members.

Fitness+ is available in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US.

Three months of Apple Fitness+ are included for customers who purchase Apple Watch Series 3 or later, and one month of Fitness+ is included for existing Apple Watch users.¹

Fitness+ can be shared among up to six family members for the same price, making it easy for other Apple Watch users in the same household to enjoy the service.

Fitness+ requires an Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 7.2, and is available when paired with iPhone 6s or later with iOS 14.3.

To get the newest features, use Fitness+ with Apple Watch Series 3 or later with watchOS 8.1, paired with iPhone 6s or later with iOS 15.1; iPad with iPadOS 15.1; or Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD with tvOS 15.1.