HTC released the Universal in the third quarter of 2005, and it immediately set a new standard for what a handheld device could accomplish. It launched during a time when phones were rather simple, as they made calls and sent the occasional text, while other devices handled all of the organizational tasks, such as calendars, notes, etc. Instead, the Universal’s owners received a single, all-in-one device that was essentially a productivity powerhouse.
The Nothing Phone 4a Pro costs $499 and grabs the show right away with its sleek industrial design, which essentially redefines the class that the company has set with previous models. The aluminum frame surrounds it, and is the most durable yet from Nothing. Circular LED patterns on the back light up for notifications timers and music visuals while small widgets on the home screen run simple games or step counters that add a bit of personality without complicating daily use.
On April 2, Sony increased the price of all of its PlayStation 5 consoles. The standard disc edition now costs $650, the digital edition up to $600, and the Pro model is a hefty $900. However, when you take a step back and look closely at the PlayStation Portal, things begin to make a lot more sense.
Jumping back into Nerf Arena Blast today provides the same adrenaline that captivated players all those years ago in 1999. People are still loading patched versions of the game onto their modern machines and connecting to active servers, where matches are quickly filling up. This game has always managed to transform what would otherwise be a bunch of kids playing with foam darts into full-fledged digital competition that still feels new 27 years later.
Home security gets a quiet boost when the details are clear regardless of time of day or lighting conditions. The newest Ring Indoor Cam Plus, priced at $35 (was $60), delivers on that promise with its Retinal 2K resolution, allowing you to see a misplaced key on the kitchen counter or a sleeping pet in the corner without having to squint at blurry corners.
Landmines and unexploded shells transform tracts of terrain into silent time bombs, slowing armies and claiming lives long after the conflict has ended. The British have begun employing small drones to undertake reconnaissance work for them first, allowing the computer to identify the threats so that soldiers can stay back and complete the job more quickly.
Scientists from MIT’s Media Lab have developed extremely thin strands that wrap and unravel at the flip of an electric switch. They strikingly resemble your own muscles. When grouped together, they can generate significant force and movement, all while remaining completely silent and hidden.
Starting next month, UK shoppers can order the Honda Super-N for less than £20,000 ($26,910). This cool electric vehicle pays homage to a famous 1980s Honda model and injects some joy back into daily travels. Honda constructed the Super-N on a lightweight architecture derived from their popular kei cars in Japan, where it was initially known as the Super-One. The end result is a low-slung car that’s easy to drive in traffic, feels agile, and saves money without compromising any of the necessities.
Soiboi Soft set out to build a four-digit display out of nothing but air pressure. The finished product is an impressive design, with 3D printed pieces and ultra thin silicone sheets, without cables running directly to the section. Instead, vacuum lines pull on flexible membranes to create luminous bars, which remain in place long after the signal is turned off.
A brief video showed a pair of arms slithering out from an ultra slim floor lamp, reaching out to pick up a rumpled blanket, and then nimbly transforming it into a clean rectangle in the blink of an eye. That lamp is called Lume, the creation of a Palo Alto-based company, and they had a rather basic idea: what if house robots looked more like furniture than machinery?