Dubai welcomes its first and unique online off-center rental platform for children’s books and toys: Toyshare. On a mission to rescue the planet and provide limitless creativity and learning, Toyshare has created a concept that embodies a sharing economy for children to “Play.Learn.Share.” while reducing the amount of plastic in landfills and oceans. Families across the UAE can now enjoy an economical and sustainable platform to regularly access top-quality books and toys while reducing home storage requirements and, ultimately, reducing plastic waste.

The ingenious idea was coined by Hani AlQattan, a UAE National airline captain after he soon discovered that the books and toys he would gift his children were short-lived since his children would lose interest and abandon the items after two weeks. The father of two and innovative entrepreneur had then established Toyshare to address two main concerns; save books and toys by increasing their lifecycle, and increase practicality for parents while reducing the expense. Through the founder’s passion, Toyshare’s offerings include providing new educational books and toys every fortnight delivered directly to families’ doorsteps across the UAE, which are then collected and replaced with new toys to consistently stimulate learning habits and activate creativity all while preserving the earth.

The innovative platform gives families access to quality products with endless possibilities from its hand-selected books and toys spanning over 100 high-end brands from around the world for ages 1-12, ranging from kids’ favorite Chicco, Lego, Nerf guns, LeapFrog to thousands of educational wooden and plastic branded toys. Toyshare’s diversified portfolio of over hundreds of books includes popular books by more than 40 publishers, including the renowned Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Dog Man, and many more.

For peace of mind, all books and toys are professionally disinfected and sterilized using environment-friendly cleaning products and top-quality UV lights to clear potential germs and bacteria. Before dispatching via Aramex delivery, and as an extra precaution, the warehouse has added a lock to their packaging bags which will further maintain the sterility of products while being delivered to homes.

The platform’s creative and entertaining gesture can be seen in their payment method as a user would be required to purchase ‘balloons’ as a currency which will then be used to rent the books and toys. For a seamless process, Toyshare offers monthly memberships for users to subscribe to a best-suited plan, with two deliveries a month, that are customized according to the number of toys desired.

Toyshare aims to educate children on the importance of giving and sharing, which is deeply embedded in the company’s values. Once books and toys are retired from its library, they are then donated to www.toyswithwings.org charity to distribute the pre-loved books and toys to refugee camps, orphanages, centers for disabled children, and pediatric hospitals.

Families can sign up to receive new educational books and toys every fortnight at their doorstep through a user-friendly app available on App Store and Google Play.

Logitech has introduced the new Signature M650 wireless and Signature M650 for Business mouse, a comfortable and personalised mouse with two different sizes and a left-handed option, offering a better experience for more people. The wireless mouse is designed to upgrade any desk setup and improve the overall work experience with features like SmartWheel scrolling, nearly silent clicks, and a contoured comfort design that enables faster, more comfortable work than ever before.

“There are more than a billion knowledge workers in the world, and around half of them don’t use a mouse or have an entry-level or corded mouse with limited functions,” said Art O’Gnimh, vice president of the mainstream business for creativity and productivity at Logitech. “The Signature M650 offers a true Logitech signature experience with simple productivity functions that make working all day easier and faster.”

Whether working on a document or browsing through a website, the Signature M650’s SmartWheel helps to deliver precision when needed and speed in an instant. The Signature M650 and larger size Signature M650 L also feature SilentTouch technology, reducing click noise by 90% compared to the Logitech M185 Mouse, ideal when clicking during a video call. Enjoy a strong wireless connection and a battery that lasts up to two years, giving you complete peace of mind.

With two sizes and a left-handed option, a contoured shape, a soft thumb area, and a rubber side grip, the Signature M650 inclusive design allows you to work comfortably for extended hours and gives you the ability to customize the side buttons to favorite shortcuts with Logitech Options+. The Signature M650, available in off-white, graphite, and rose, works with Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, ipadOS, and Android operating systems. Connect in an instant via Bluetooth Low Energy or Logi Bolt USB receiver.

Sustainable design considers environmental and social impacts from the moment raw materials are sourced right through to end-of-life. At Logitech, products are designed to deliver great user experiences and minimize environmental footprint, which is why a portion of the Signature M650’s plastic parts are made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic – 64% for the graphite, 26% for off white and 26% for rose.

The Signature M650 mice will be available in January 2022 on Logitech.com and at other global retailers. The suggested retail price for the Signature M650 and larger-sized Signature M650 L is $39.99.

Sony exhibited at CES 2022 that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, and online on January 5. Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President, and CEO of Sony Group Corporation spoke at Sony’s press conference held on January 4 ahead of the exhibition’s public opening, stating, “Throughout the past two challenging years, we have reaffirmed the importance of our Purpose. We want to enable people to connect more deeply with those who share the same interests and form stronger bonds within their communities.” He touched on Sony’s work with artists such as Adele on her new album “30,” and introduced its latest technologies and initiatives to support creators, including “Virtual Production” that removes restrictions on video production, Sony’s professional drone “Airpeak” that supports creativity, and its latest smartphone “Xperia PRO-I.”

Next to take the stage was Tom Rothman, Chairman, and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, to talk about PlayStation Productions, a collaboration between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Interactive Entertainment to produce movies and TV based on PlayStation IP. Tom Holland, who stars in PlayStation Productions’ film adaptation of Uncharted, and Neil Druckmann, Co-President of game development studio Naughty Dog, talked about the significance of the collaboration.

Next, Jim Ryan, President, and CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment, announced the next-generation virtual reality system PlayStation VR2 and the new PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers that will realise an unprecedented experience and immersive feeling in the world of games. Furthermore, he announced the latest in the “Horizon” series, “Horizon Call of the Mountain,” which was a huge hit all over the world, as a title exclusively for PlayStation VR2.

Yoshida then took to the stage again, to highlight the tracking technology of Sony Group company Hawk-Eye Innovations, and Sony’s partnership with Manchester City Football Club for the realisation of next-generation fan communities in the virtual space. Yoshida concluded his presentation by speaking on the latest progress and future direction of VISION-S- an initiative that aims to contribute to the evolution of mobility. He stated that “Sony is well-positioned as a ‘creative entertainment company’ to redefine mobility,” and announced that Sony will establish an operating company “Sony Mobility Inc.” in the spring of 2022, through which the company intends to explore entry into the EV market..

Main Products and Technologies Being Showcased\
Under the theme “Co-create the Future of Entertainment,” Sony will introduce various technologies and initiatives that support creators and get closer to users at its booth in Las Vegas and the online platform “Sony Square.”

URL: https://square.sony.com/ces2022/

Highlights of the Sony Booth in Las Vegas:

VISION-S
A prototype (VISION-S 01), which is being tested on public roads, and an SUV-type prototype vehicle (VISION-S 02) as a new form factor will be exhibited. For more details, please refer to the press release and special site about VISION-S.

Airpeak S1
Sony’s professional drone “Airpeak S1,” for which sales have now started in the US, will be exhibited for the first time. Airpeak S1 is the world’s smallest drone that can be equipped with a full-size mirrorless Alpha camera. It features a proprietary motor, propeller, control system and sensing technology that enables high agility and dynamic and precise flight.

PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 brings players into game worlds with unprecedented speed, visual fidelity, and sensor immersion. PS5 is equipped with an ultra-high speed SSD, integrated custom I/O, Tempest 3D AudioTech technology, and DualSense^T Wireless Controller with cutting-edge haptic technology and adaptive triggers. A collection of all five galaxy-inspired colour variations for the console covers and DualSense wireless controller will also be showcased in the venue.

Crystal LED Theater
A large Crystal LED will be installed at the entrance to the booth, displaying content that introduces Sony’s latest innovations in areas such as virtual production and future of sport entertainment:

Virtual Production
Virtual production frees creators from various restrictions in shooting, such as location, weather, and time, by implementing a production environment that integrates the background image with the subject in real time. The combination of Crystal LED, which projects high-definition background images with high contrast and rich colour reproduction, and the cinema camera “VENICE,” which achieves high resolution and delicate depictions, stimulates creators’ creativity and increases the freedom of expression.

Hawk-Eye’s Tracking Systems and Virtual Fan Engagement
Hawk-Eye Innovations, a Sony Group company, has been advancing innovation in the world of sports through its sports officiating and broadcast enhancement technology. Their latest achievement has been the introduction of new skeletal tracking and data-visualisation systems. These systems make it possible to instantly and accurately track the movements of athletes and objects from the live game video captures, collect the skeletal data and virtually recreate the live action.

Sony is also conducting a PoC (proof of concept) with Manchester City Football Club to create a next-generation global online fan community that integrates the physical and virtual worlds. The PoC will leverage Sony’s image analysis technology and sensing technology, as well as Hawk-Eye’s tracking systems, to explore the creation of new forms of entertainment to engage sports fans all over the world.

STARSPHERE
Together with the University of Tokyo and JAXA, Sony is promoting STARSPHERE, a project aimed at creating inspiring space experiences. Sony will exhibit for the first time a mock-up of a nano-satellite equipped with Sony’s camera equipment, scheduled for launch in the 2022 fiscal year. Using a shooting simulator, users can control the satellite to capture the earth and stars exactly as they intended. STARSPHERE aims to generate new value and deliver inspirational experiences by enriching people’s perspectives of space and will engage in co-creation with various creators and partners in this area going forward.

Sony Square
In addition to video coverage of its press conference and exhibits in Las Vegas, Sony will also feature videos of technologies and initiatives relating to the sub-themes: “Empower Creators,” “Expand Fan Communities,” and “Envision a Better Planet.” New product announcement videos for Sony’s 8K/4K BRAVIA TV line-up and live 360 Reality Audio live video performance will also be available.

BRAVIA XR TV Line-up
A new Mini LED line-up is added to the BRAVIA XR TV Series. Powered by Cognitive Processor XR™, Sony’s unique signal processing technology, “XR Backlight Master Drive” precisely controls Mini LED backlight for incredible dazzling lights and deep blacks in every corner of the large screen. The new BRAVIA XR™ TV line-up delivers immersive viewing and gameplay experiences formed by combining in-depth picture and three-dimensional sound.