All I want for Christmas is for my glasses not to fog up. And Swiss scientists might deliver on that wish. ETH Zurich researchers have developed a gold nanocoating that heats glass by up to 46 Fahrenheit by absorbing a large amount of infrared radiation − and keeps your glasses fog free. Most protective treatments merely spread water around using hydrophilic molecules, but this nano-thin layer can stop the condensation from even forming.
The research group believes the layer could also reduce fog on car windshields, and future implementations could work on mirrors, windows and more. The coating lays gold between layers of titanium oxide, which amplifies the heating effect through refraction and protects the gold against wear – titanium is much tougher. And while gold is pricey, the amount needed is so small it shouldn’t add much to the price of your glasses if the tech makes its way into mainstream spectacles.
– Mat Smith
The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.
The biggest stories you might have missed
With Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon processor and a 1-inch camera sensor.
With the 13 and 13 Pro, Xiaomi is the second manufacturer to use Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, following Vivo’s X90 Pro and IQOO 11 series. The 13 Pro’s camera is the main highlight: It packs a 50-megapixel (MP) f/1.9 main camera with a Type 1-inch sensor (it’s really only 8.8 x 13.2mm, but it’s still significantly larger than most smartphone imaging sensors). It has a 50MP 3.2x zoom camera (75mm equivalent) with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a floating lens. And there’s also a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (14mm equivalent) because lots of camera sensors is a trend that’s going nowhere. Prices start at 4,999 yuan ($720) for the Xiaomi 13 Pro and 3,999 yuan ($570) for the Xiaomi 13. But, you won’t be able to buy them in North America.
It’s a lot of fun, but also just… a lot.
Square Enix
After multiple delays, Square Enix’s next big game is almost here. Forspoken is the first title to come from the team that made Final Fantasy XV – a game from 2016. While we know the magical attacks in Forspoken are spectacular, a one-on-one battle with Sila, the Tanta of Strength, made the biggest impression during our preview session – and the best showcase for all the attacks and moves you can master. Once you’ve read our preview, be sure to check out the demo to test the spells and magical parkour for yourself.
Each received 14 television nods, while ‘The Rings of Power’ and Will Smith were shut out.
Streaming services once again dominated TV categories for this year’s Golden Globes nominees. Netflix and HBO Max had the best showings among streamers, tallying 14 television nods. Netflix’s The Crown received four nominations: Best Drama Series, Best Television Actress – Drama Series (Imelda Staunton), Best Supporting Actress – Television Series (Elizabeth Debicki) and Best Supporting Actor – Television Series (Jonathan Pryce).
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story also received four: Best Limited Series – Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture and acting nominations for Evan Peters, Niecy Nash and Richard Jenkins. HBO’s The White Lotus picked up four nominations, but I haven’t started season two, so no spoilers, please.
Framework’s take on ChromeOS is expensive but well thought out.
Tech Reader
Framework released its first modular laptop last year, and the company now offers it with ChromeOS. It’s not the most exciting laptop, but it’s extremely well designed, upgradeable and flexible. You can easily swap out ports, add RAM and replace any parts that might break over time. Couple that with an excellent screen and keyboard and you have a quality device that should last years longer than the average Chromebook, even if its $999 price is pretty high.
All products recommended by Tech Reader are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at the time of publishing.
