CES 2018 Day 2: Intel’s quantum chip, HTC Vive Pro, Lenovo ThinkPad lineup, and more

The second day of CES 2018 featured a keynote address from Intel's CEO Brian Krzanich, unveiling of HTC Vive Pro, Lenovo's updated ThinkPad lineup, Xiaomi and Oculus partnership, and more.

Intel CES 2018, CES 2018, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich, Oculus Go, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Meltdown, Spectre, HTC Vive Pro, laptops at CES 2018, Xiaomi at CES 2018

CES 2018 Day 2: All the news from Intel, Facebook, Lenovo, HTC, and more

The 2018 edition of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is in full swing and companies are leaving no opportunity to create buzz around their products. While much of the day one of the CES 2018 was focused on showcasing prototype televisions, day two gave us a better understanding of new products and technologies that will arrive in coming months.

In its opening keynote address, Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich addressed the biggest issue the company faces today: Spectre and Meltdown, the two massive security flaws affecting millions of desktops in the world. Intel also announced a 49-bit quantum chip, which the company sees as the next step to “quantum supremacy”. At CES, HTC showcased the Vive Pro, an updated version of PC-powered virtual reality headset. But it was Facebook’s VP Hugo Barra who stole the show during Qualcomm’s press conference when he announced that the Oculus Go and the Mi VR headset will be made by China’s Xiaomi. Here’s a roundup of all the news and announcements from the tech trade show so far.

Intel addresses Meltdown and Spectre securities vulnerabilities

Intel CEO Brain Krzanich took the stage to address: Spectre and Meltdown, two massive security flaws that affected almost every computer worldwide. The chip maker expects to update all its processors released in the last five years before the end of the month. Intel also discussed its role as technology partner for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter games.

HTC Vive Pro unveiled with improved resolution

HTC has launched an updated version of its Vive virtual reality headset with high-resolution OLED screens displaying 2880 x 1600 combined, integrated 3D audio, and built-in headphones. The company says the new Vive Pro is designed for “VR enthusiasts and enterprise users who want the best display and audio for their VR experiences”. The original Vive launched nearly two years ago at MWC 2015 in Barcelona.

Xiaomi is making Facebook’s Oculus Go

Oculus’ VP Hugo Barra has announced that the Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is Oculus’ hardware partner, the $200 VR headset announced last year. Xiaomi is also making a China-only variant called Mi VR Standalone, which offers the same hardware as Go. Oculus Go, which will be powered by the Snapdragon 821 processor, is a wireless headset that doesn’t require PC like the Rift does, nor does it need a a smartphone like Samsung’s Gear VR.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops will run on Intel’s latest processors

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Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X1 Carbon, X1 Yoga and X1 Tablet have been announced with quad-core 8th gen Intel Core i7/i5 processors, Dolby HDR supporting displays, and faster memory. These laptops have built-in the new ThinkShutter Camera Privacy feature that lets users closer the webcam to avoid privacy concerns.

Google Assistant-powered Smart Display rivals Amazon’s Echo Show

Lenovo has announced a Smart Display device which is powered by Google Assistant and has a screen and speaker. The Smart Display answer all your questions, fetch the weather and traffic information, and even play YouTube videos. The device should be seen as a rival to Amazon’s Echo Show.