For many, unwinding after a long day means diving into a first-person shooter in which every flick of the wrist determines victory or loss. One maker, known online as ‘Basically Homeless,’ grew tired of all the lopsided multiplayer matches. So, he set out to even the odds with something simple on the surface: a mousepad. What emerged goes far beyond cloth and rubber, turning a basic gaming essential into a subtle guide for your cursor.
Milan’s Rho Fiera was once again buzzing with EICMA enthusiasm, and in the midst of all the excitement, the Shoei GT-Air 3 Smart emerged. This elegant full-face touring helmet, the result of a collaboration between Japan’s Shoei and France’s EyeLights, is the first time augmented reality has been integrated directly into one of these. It’s a seamless blend of protection and projection that shoehorns all of the critical riding data directly into the rider’s line of sight.
Zack Nelson of Jerry Rig Everything puts his phones through the wringer like a seasoned mechanic tucking up a new motor, looking for weak points with tools that tell him in no uncertain terms how they’ll stand up to the daily grind. When it comes to the OnePlus 15, this includes dragging a razor blade over its surfaces, twisting it in a vice, and even waving a flame in front of the screen to see how it reacts.
In the midst of the wrapping paper frenzy and tight shipping schedules, one compact machine quietly demands our attention: Apple’s Mac Mini M4. Apple first released it a while back, but now you can snag one for $479 ahead of Black Friday, which feels like a value at this time of year when everything else appears to be inflated. This time around, the Mac Mini M4 comes equipped with 16GB of RAM standard, instead of just 8GB like its predecessor.
AutoFlight has introduced a game-changing solution: a floating platform for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. This is the world’s first dedicated landing location for eVTOL air taxis on rivers, lakes, and the open sea. Built with battery giant CATL, the platform works entirely on solar power and stored energy, with no emissions. Sick of gridlock roads and long airport wait times? There’s a new way to cross the water without ever seeing a fixed runway.
Jens stares down at the row of party guests, his new invention perched precariously on a rickety seat. One by one, they freeze, their faces illuminated by the gentle glow of a low-cost camera module. A few minutes later, the machine starts up, its servos buzzing as a pen scratches across the paper. Jens has been following a wild idea for months, transforming a collection of off-the-shelf parts into the world’s first portable instant sketch camera.
A robotic hand rests on a plain tabletop, its pale synthetic skin pulled taut over the hidden math of a network of fibers that appear to pulsate like veins under tension. The fingers curl over to form a grip that feels almost too fluid, almost like a human hand. This is Clone Robotics’ most recent demonstration of their Neural Joint V2 Controller, a system that transforms a complex jumble of artificial muscles into something that responds well and isn’t prone to wobbling.
Porsche’s 911 GT3 has long been known for straddling the line between everyday usability and track-ready performance. Now, with the latest Manthey kit, designed specifically for the new 992.2 model, that delicate balance has moved substantially in favor of the track.
If you find yourself staring longingly at an old floppy disk and wondering where all the charm has gone in modern gadgets, the Pocket8086 might just be the ticket to bring you back to the warm light of a CRT. This compact device from Chinese manufacturer 8086YES! manages to compress the essence of an 80s IBM PC XT into a clamshell that’s smaller than the typical tablet, which is quite a squeeze to say the least.
Holiday shopping season typically means crowded stores, but buying a console online flips that script. The PS5 Slim Digital Edition is a sleek option you can slip right into Sony’s universe without the bulk of the extras which can be a real pain for anyone who just wants a simple setup. They’ve knocked the price down to $399 (was $499.99), so right now its a great deal for gamers who just want some real power without all the fuss.