Scout Motors returned to the LA Auto Show this week with two cars that draw on American history while addressing the reality of modern roads. After years of quiet development, the Traveler SUV and Terra truck, both electric at their core, made their near production debuts. Production in South Carolina will start late next year with deliveries in 2027.
Qualcomm has officially revealed details about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a processor designed for high-end smartphones and tablets. We initially heard about this in September, and they have only now fleshed out the facts. After last year’s Elite model deviated from the customary “Gen” naming convention, the new chip returns to what consumers are accustomed to.
Gustavo Bonzanini has made a name for himself turning everyday shoes into wearable art. His latest project takes the classic Nike Air Max 90s and rebuilds them around the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Released to celebrate the console’s 35th anniversary, these sneakers do more than just nod to the past. They play actual games from that era, right from your feet. Bonzanini calls them AIR SNES, a pair that combines the comfort of a classic running shoe with the thrill of 16-bit adventures.
Photo credit: OSU
In the Oregon State University lab, a group of researchers have found a solution to one of the construction industry’s longest-running problems. For years, Devin Roach and his team have been fine-tuning a pretty basic combination of dirt to come up with a material that can be printed into walls right on the spot and stand up on its own without any waiting around. The result is a mix of soil, hemp fibers, sand, and biochar that comes out of a 3D printer’s nozzle and sets almost as fast as the layer touches the air.
Walt Disney Imagineering has unexpectedly given Frozen’s lovable snowman Olaf a very lifelike pair of legs that look and function like the actual thing. This new Olaf robot roams the crowds at Hong Kong Disneyland, engaging with children and waving to visitors in a way that makes him appear to have sprung straight out of Arendelle. It took years for the engineers to transform a collection of code and motors into something that truly feels alive, and the ultimate result is right in the heart of the park’s new World of Frozen.
Bowie Stray grips the controls of his fighter, engines humming as he leads the Blue Bombers into a wall of enemy ships. This sequence from the new Hurricane level trailer teases pure aerial chaos captured in real time. Giles Goddard founded Chuhai Labs in Kyoto after years at Nintendo, where he programmed the original Star Fox and Super Mario 64. His team, publishing with Humble Games, first teased Wild Blue Skies back in March. A rename came this week alongside the extended Hurricane footage. PC players can wishlist it on Steam now, though no release date sits on the horizon.
Kodak is still trying to get us back to the click of a real shutter. The Snapic A1 is the latest addition to their affordable film camera series, made by Hong Kong’s Reto team under the iconic yellow logo. It was announced this week and is a retro 1970s pocket camera with a 1990s point-and-shoot design. For $99, this 35mm compact fits in a coat pocket and begs to be taken out for the day to capture images with warmth that digital files rarely achieve.
When closed, the Kernelcom measures 321 x 140 x 36mm, allowing it to comfortably fit within a backpack. It’s not heavy at all, weighing in at just 1.24kg, about the same as a hardcover book; the startup behind it was able to squeeze out two versions, one with an Intel processor for casual use and one with an AMD chip for heavier stuff.
Photo credit: MASK Architects
Motorcycles have a long history of transporting riders to the edge of the road and deep into the heart of nature. The Solaris takes this idea to the next level. Built by the talented team at MASK Architects, this electric bike not only carries you to off-grid destinations, but also powers up when parked – it harnesses the sun to charge the battery, converting every idle moment into an opportunity to fill up. Öznur Pınar Cer and Danilo Petta, both designers with backgrounds in architecture and engineering, created this revolutionary bike.
