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Triton 14 AI, FreeSense ring, and our Acer Computex 2025 faves

‘Breaking AI barriers’

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At this point you’re either sick of or are just used to all the mentions of AI in literally everything tech. Safe to say it’s here to stay. And Acer’s approach at Computex 2025 is to break its barriers. 

The company launched a slew of products with an “AI’ tag. That’s true from their signature Aspire and Swift series laptops, Predator Gaming devices, and other accessories and peripherals. 

From everything they showed, here’s a quick list of our favorites. 

Predator Triton 14 AI

I can still clearly remember the very first edition of the Predator Triton. It was a new category that promised a thin frame – something unheard of for gaming rigs at the time.

While the original Triton was indeed thin for its time, I feel like it is the Predator Triton 14 AI that has finally, truly, fulfilled the promise of a gaming laptop in a slim profile. 

The specs are top of the line. Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 288V, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, up to 32GB of LPDDR5X memory and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage, and many more. 

It also boasts of other features like AI Vision Sensor on the laptop’s webcam, Copilot+ for exclusive experiences like Live Captions, Image Creator.

The Predator Triton 14 AI is a sexy beast and I’m dying to get my hands on it for an extended period. 

FreeSense Ring 

Acer producing a health monitoring smart ring wasn’t on my bingo card but here we are. The FreeSense ring isn’t reinventing anything. It’s a steadfast biometric sensing ring meant to help you monitor your general health. 

It can track vital metrics like heart rate, blood oxygen levels, heart rate variability, and sleep quality.

The data can be analyzed through a companion mobile app that generates insights and provides suggestions.

Nitro Google TV monitors

Is this becoming a trend? Display makers Samsung and LG have already started adding some form of TV OS on some of their monitors. Now, it’s Acer’s turn putting Google TV on a couple of their monitors. One’s standard, the other ultrawide. 

It’s a nice touch and adds more welcome functionality on what otherwise would have been a dead device without the aid of a laptop or computer. 

Acer SpatialLabs View Pro 27 3D

This was a quirky and a little bit dizzying experience… but still fun all things considered. The tech was first showcased in 2023 and now it’s been mixed with AI. 

The many images and videos we were shown taking advantage of the 3D visuals were AI-generated. Some were a little unsettling, sure, but focusing on how far the tech has come, it’s pretty impressive. 

I can’t imagine a big number of people having some use for this. But if you can dream it, you should try to make it, and Acer did. It’s cool and we’re excited to see where the tech goes. 

Acer AI Translate Buds

Acer Translate Buds

Here’s another device that I didn’t exactly expect from Acer. And another one that’s promising but definitely needs a little more time in the oven. The premise is cool, and the demo was nice, but the translation needs work. 

Translation is a tricky thing. It’s not always straightforward and some cultural context might get lost in, well, translation. But I’m hopeful, with the aid of AI, that this is one use-case that will soon reach a satisfactory level of useability. 

Honorable mentions 

There were plenty more on display at the Acer Booth in Computex 2025 and here’s a quick fire round of the things that caught our eye. 

Acer Computex 2025

Not sure if we like it for the cat or for the dual monitors. 

Indiana Jones skin on a Helios machine. 

Acer Medical things. 

This tiny projector. 

And the Acer Connect M4 – a mobile hotspot.

Check out more of Acer at Computex 2025.

Accessories

England, Wales start banning Meta Glasses

The smart glasses are now banned in courtrooms.

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Earlier this year, New York became the first state to issue a blanket ban against smart glasses in courtrooms. The new regulation marks one of the first public spaces to prevent the contentious devices. Now, England and Wales are following suit in their courtrooms by banning Meta glasses inside.

As reported by The Guardian, courtrooms in both countries will confiscate Meta Glasses from those taking them into the building. Owners can retrieve them again upon exit.

Like the decision in New York, the English and Welsh bans are simple enough to follow. As it is everywhere, it’s forbidden to record video inside courtrooms in England and Wales. Because Meta Glasses have cameras (and are primarily used for their video capturing capabilities), they fall under prohibited items.

Notably, smartphones are not included on this list, despite having sizable cameras themselves. Although, to be fair, it’s much more difficult to discreetly record video using a smartphone. Smart glasses pride themselves with the ability to take videos seamlessly.

Meta Glasses are having such a moment today. Though some users, especially creators, are excited for them, a significant chunk of the population is concerned over their ability to take videos without subjects knowing they’re being recorded. Some users have even found ways to disable the built-in LED indicators which should, in theory, warn the public that the glasses are recording. It’s since turned into a privacy nightmare.

SEE ALSO: New York becomes first state to ban smart glasses

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Peak Design’s new City Line combines minimalism and color

Less padding, more personality

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Known for its camera-friendly bags with generous padding to protect photography gear, Peak Design is taking a different approach with the City Line.

The new collection prioritizes lightweight construction and everyday functionality, stripping away unnecessary bulk while still delivering the thoughtful organization the brand is known for.

The new collection includes the City Backpack in 15L and 22L sizes, the 15L City Tote, the City Crescent in 6L and 12L options, and the compact 2L City Sling. While each bag serves a different purpose, they all share the same minimalist aesthetics and intuitive organization.

To achieve that lighter design is Peak Design’s new weather-resistant MonoShell material, along with a seam-reduced construction that cuts down on unnecessary bulk.

It also comes with Peak Design’s built-in BagLev hook, allowing you to hang your bag from a table instead of placing it on the floor.

Beyond the neutral and muted finishes we’ve seen in the past, Peak Design is also introducing brighter options that add more personality to the collection.

The vibrant Lapis blue, in particular, stands out as a fun alternative for anyone looking to move beyond the usual black everyday bag.

The City Line is now available through peakdesign.com and authorized retailers worldwide.

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DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: From a videographer’s perspective

Better tracking, fewer buttons

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DJI’s smartphone gimbals have always chased one goal: delivering cinema-smooth footage without forcing you to carry a heavy rig.

The Osmo Mobile 8P (OM 8P) makes its priorities clear right out of the box. This is not a simple refresh. DJI rebuilt how you control the gimbal, and that decision shapes the entire shooting experience.

Freedom behind the lens

The biggest change is the FrameTap remote, and it’s the kind of upgrade that fixes a problem you didn’t realize was slowing you down until it’s gone.

On the standard OM 8, adjusting your framing meant reaching for your phone every time, which broke the flow of shooting and pulled you out of the moment.

FrameTap puts that control back in your hand. You can reframe shots and manage the gimbal without touching your phone at all, and for anyone shooting solo, that alone changes how usable the whole setup feels. Tracking has taken a real step forward too.

ActiveTrack 8.0, paired with Module 2, held onto its subject even after they stepped out of frame for a moment, then picked them back up without much fuss.

It also lets you sit off-center in the shot instead of forcing you into the middle every time, which gives you more room to compose something that doesn’t look like every other gimbal video.

None of that would matter much if the gimbal itself wasn’t solid, and it still is. The OM 8P holds onto the same foldable design, magnetic phone clamp, and built-in tripod that made the OM 8 easy to live with.

And it remains one of the better compact options for stabilization, tracking, and portability in one package.

The tripod legs are a touch wider this time, and that extra width does make a noticeable difference on uneven ground.

The trade-offs in touch

The trade-off for all that new remote functionality is a control scheme that takes more getting used to. More of the gimbal’s functions now live on the FrameTap touchscreen, the joystick is smaller, and switching between shooting modes takes a few extra taps compared to the OM 8. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a learning curve you’ll need to budget time for.

DJI also removed the zoom and focus wheel, so if you leaned on that dial for quick adjustments, you’ll feel its absence here. Module 2 no longer lets you plug a DJI wireless mic in directly either.

You’ll need to connect it to your phone instead, which adds a step to a setup that used to be simpler. Phone compatibility is still a limiting factor as well. DJI lists support for phones up to around 300g and 11mm thick, so bigger phones or ones in chunky cases may not clamp in properly.

Finding your ideal workflow

The OM 8P makes the most sense for solo creators who want dependable tracking and the freedom of remote framing without stepping up to a dedicated camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket.

If you’re already shooting on a phone with a solid camera, this fills the gap nicely. It’s a tougher sell if you prefer physical buttons over touchscreen menus, or if your phone runs on the larger and heavier side, since fitting it onto the clamp might be a problem before you even get to shooting.

Price, availability

DJI is offering the OM 8P in three combos, so how much you pay depends on how much of the ecosystem you actually need.

  • Standard Combo (PhP 7,499): the gimbal itself, with 8th-gen stabilization and the detachable FrameTap remote included.
  • Advanced Tracking Combo (PhP 9,199): adds the Multifunctional Module 2 for the improved subject tracking we tested.
  • Creator Combo (PhP 11,099): the full kit, built for creators who want everything DJI bundles in from the start.

Is the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P your GadgetMatch?

The DJI Osmo Mobile 8P asks you to relearn a few habits in exchange for a gimbal that finally lets go of your phone. If hands-free framing and steadier tracking matter more to you than a dedicated zoom dial, this is worth the adjustment.

If you’d rather keep things exactly as they were on the OM 8, that learning curve might be the deciding factor.

Swipe right if you shoot alone often and have been waiting for a gimbal remote that actually works. The FrameTap remote alone justifies the upgrade if reaching for your phone mid-shot has been slowing you down.

Consider this if reliable tracking matters to you, especially if you’ve had a subject wander out of frame and stay lost on older gimbals.

And of course, get this if you already own a capable phone under the weight and thickness limits, and you’d rather invest in a smartphone rig than jump to a dedicated camera like the Osmo Pocket.

Swipe left if you lean on physical dials for zoom and focus, and moving those functions to a touchscreen sounds like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.

This is not for you if you use a DJI wireless mic and want it plugged directly into the module without routing through your phone first. Or, your phone runs heavier or bulkier than DJI’s limits allow, since no amount of enthusiasm fixes a clamp that won’t close.

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