Technology
The latest in technology news, from advanced robotics to smartphones, digital cameras and home entertainment gear.
AI pilots US Air Force Valkyrie combat drone for the first time
August 10, 2023
The US Air Force's XQ-58A Valkyrie experimental combat drone has made its first flight under the control of artificial intelligence. On July 25, 2023, the robotic aircraft completed a three-hour sortie at the Eglin Test and Training Complex in Florida.
Photography
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Vote now for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Awards
December 03, 2023Here’s your chance to play juror and vote in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Awards 2023, a collection of 25 stunning photographs that shine a light on the beauty and brutality of the natural world. -
Mega-retro Jollylook Eye converts digital photos to instant prints
November 28, 2023Six years ago, Ukrainian startup Jollylook brought us a very retro-looking analog camera that produced instant-print photographs. The company is back again with the similarly old-school Eye, that converts digital photos into instant prints. -
Kodak's long-awaited "new" Super 8 film camera finally reaches production
November 27, 2023Almost seven years ago, Kodak announced it would soon be offering a digitally enabled movie camera that shot on good ol' Super 8-mm film. Well, it's taken a while, but prospective buyers can now reserve a Kodak Super 8 Camera of their very own.
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Military
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AUKUS partners to build global deep-space defense tracking network
December 03, 2023The US, UK, and Australia AUKUS agreement is about more than nuclear subs, as evidenced by the three nations announcing the building of an international Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability network intended to monitor space out to geosynchronous orbit. -
UK MoD wants to add ChatGPT to combat simulation robots
November 30, 2023If your close combat simulation droid isn't chatty enough, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has your back. It's awarded a contract to combat training specialist company 4GD to add ChatGPT language models to its SimStriker robot targets. -
Lockheed Martin completes short-range test of long-range missile
November 22, 2023In what seems like a paradox, Lockheed Martin has successfully conducted a short-range qualification flight test of its long-range Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) for the US Army at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
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Mobile Technology
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DJI's pocket handicam upgraded with 1-inch sensor and rotating screen
October 25, 2023It's been three years since DJI updated its 4K handicam, and that's clearly long enough as the Osmo Pocket launches into its third generation – coming with a 1-inch sensor, rotating touchscreen, and a significant price hike. -
Motorola gets the bends for latest demo of flexible phone concept
October 25, 2023Lenovo held its Tech World 2023 expo yesterday, with Motorola taking a second stab at a flexible smartphone concept that can be wrapped around the wrist like a bracelet, arched on a table top or stood on its own base. -
PocketBook ups color resolution for InkPad Color 3 e-reader
October 23, 2023Back in 2021, Swiss e-reader manufacturer PocketBook was among the first to release a device built around E Ink's Kaleido Plus color technology. Now the company has updated the InkPad Color with a higher-resolution color E Ink screen.
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Drones
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Unique 13-foot transforming drone nails moving target in Navy trials
November 09, 2023Pterodynamics has taken its unique and fascinating Transwing drone out for sea trials with the US Navy, demonstrating its ability to land autonomously on a moving target. Its dihedral folding wings give it exceptional range and cargo capacity. -
NatureEye lets online users fly real drones over amazing places
November 01, 2023Camera drones have made aerial photography way more accessible, but … what if there isn't much to look at where you live? That's where the NatureEye service comes in, as it allows you to remotely pilot a drone at conservation areas around the world. -
Everdrone E2 launched to deliver life-saving medical equipment in minutes
October 26, 2023Back in 2021, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden partnered with Everdrone to test drone delivery of defibrillators to real-world heart attacks victims. Now the company has announced a multipurpose drone to support first responders.
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Home Entertainment
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Compact 1080p projector fires three lasers for color-rich viewing
November 30, 2023ViewSonic has announced a new compact projector called the M10 that features a triple laser light source, offers Full HD visuals with support for HDR/HLG content, and comes with built-in Harman Kardon sound. -
JBL spins out turntable rocking high-res Bluetooth streaming
November 29, 2023Harman brand JBL announced its first vinyl spinners back in January, including one that allowed for wireless playback via portable speakers, soundbars and headphones "without sacrificing audio quality." The Spinner BT is now available to buy. -
Streaming 4K projector throws big-screen visuals from inches away
November 28, 2023Back in September, Ultimea launched a Tri Color Laser TV called the Thor T60 on Kickstarter. As the company gets ready to ship to backers, the UST projector has gone up for pre-order along with a single laser sibling called the Thor T50.
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Deals
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24 long-stem roses for $35, shipped free to a loved one for the holidays
December 03, 2023Illuminate the holidays of a loved one with a bouquet of 24 long-stemmed roses, a top tier selection of flowers sourced directly from Rose Farmers, shipped free to anywhere in the continental US, for only $34.99 (reg. $96.76), until December 17th. -
Cyber Monday extended—this $169.97 Kodak scanner saves your old photos
November 30, 2023TL;DR: Transform your color and black and white negatives into enduring digital prints with the Kodak Slide N Scan Film & Slide Scanner, currently price-dropped for our extended Cyber Monday sale to $169.97 (reg. $224) through Dec. 3. -
Seize the night with this Cyber Week deal on $80 Night Vision Binocs
November 29, 2023These lightweight night vision binoculars, equipped with 10x magnification and a nearly 1,000-foot range, open a portal to the nocturnal realm, revealing the secrets of the night with unparalleled clarity and precision. You can buy them now for $80.
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3D Printing
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Inkbit tech 3D-prints complex multi-material items in a single session
November 16, 20233D printing single objects out of different materials can be difficult, if those materials cure at different rates. The new Inkbit system addresses that problem, and has been used to print a complex functional robotic hand… in just one print job. -
Full-color 3D scanner accurately models objects of "any size"
October 27, 2023If you can 3D-scan it, you can 3D-print it – and Matter and Form has announced a super-versatile new way to do so. The Three system creates photorealistic, high-detail, full-color 3D scans of objects from coins to cars, and potentially beyond. -
3D printing resin produces single items that are both soft and rigid
September 26, 2023Although an increasing number of devices are being developed for use on or in our bodies, such devices tend not to be very … "body-like." A new 3D printing resin could change that, by allowing for variable stiffness throughout single objects.
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Computers
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Mini PC rocks detachable Bluetooth speaker out front
December 01, 2023Chinese compact computer maker SoonNooz has launched an interesting model called the Mini, which has a stunning retro vibe but features a front section that can be removed from the main body to serve as a Bluetooth speaker. -
Fiio crams dual hi-fi DACs in a mechanical keyboard
November 23, 2023There's a good chance that the headphone jack of your laptop or PC doesn't offer stellar plugged-in audio quality. Chinese hi-fi brand Fiio is aiming to offer a significant quality boost with a mechanical keyboard rocking its own DAC/headphone amp. -
New cybersecurity tech treats keys like the Colonel's secret recipe
November 21, 2023Cybersecurity is a growing concern as more critical infrastructure can be exposed to hacks. Now Australian engineers have developed and demonstrated a new technique called “ineffable cryptography,” which treats keys like the Coca-Cola secret formula.
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Games
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Review: Spintronics uses mesmerizing mechanics to teach electronics
October 18, 2023Upper Story's second board game uses a gorgeous array of mechanical gadgets to give kids a physical, visual, fun way to understand electronics – and to give parents the feeling their young genius might be able to get them into a better nursing home. -
Sony slims down PlayStation 5, offers optional attachable Blu-Ray drive
October 10, 2023Right on schedule, Sony has unveiled a mid-generation refresh for the PlayStation 5. The update slims down both models of the console, beefs up the storage space, and adds an optional Blu-Ray drive that can be later fitted to the digital-only console. -
New cloud gaming tech from MIT and Microsoft keeps video and audio in sync
August 31, 2023Researchers have developed a new cloud gaming system that uses low-level white noise to accurately synchronize separated audio and video streams transmitted to multiple devices, ensuring gamers see and hear things at the right time.
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Laptops
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Tadpole hatches as a tiny webcam specifically designed for laptops
November 16, 2023Most laptops and Macbooks come with a webcam built in, but they can leave video-chatters somewhat wanting in terms of performance and image quality. Newcomer Opal Camera has addressed such things with a small-but-powerful model called the Tadpole. -
Google aims for a better class of Chromebook with new Plus category
October 02, 2023More than a decade since the first low-powered but fuss-free, easy-to-use, inexpensive laptops running Chrome OS were launched, Google has now announced the Chromebook Plus program – a new performance-focused category with built-in AI. -
Framework goes all in on AMD for modular, user-repairable Laptop 16
July 19, 2023The 16-inch version of the customizable, repairable and upgradeable laptop announced by California tech startup Framework back in March has now gone up for pre-order, with Ryzen silicon and Radeon graphics leading the component charge.
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Music
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Boss crams 11 tasty amp and speaker tones into compact floor stomp
December 01, 2023Boss has launched a new compact pedal that offers guitarists stomp-sized access to digital recreations of 11 amp tones matched with Celestion Impulse Responses, for "consistent, high-quality sound while performing, recording, and practicing." -
Teenage Engineering knocks out powerful portable groovebox
November 23, 2023Back in 2015, Sweden's Teenage Engineering launched a bunch of pocket-friendly synths and samplers called, appropriately enough, the Pocket Operators. Now the team has announced a higher-end, almost pro-level version called the EP-133 KO II. -
Review: $399 ToneX pedal puts AI-captured guitar amps at your feet
November 19, 2023IK Multimedia's gorgeous ToneX pedal remains unrivaled at its price point as 2023 comes to a close, replacing your guitar amp with a cornucopia of tone profiles either captured directly from your own rig, or downloaded from thousands online.
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Robotics
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Robotic excavator builds a giant stone wall with no human assistance
November 22, 2023Building a wall by stacking randomly shaped boulders could almost be the definition of hard work – both physically and mentally. It's the sort of thing we might want robots to do, so it should come as no surprise that one has in fact just done it. -
Fourier's GR-1 humanoids pose little threat in a dance-off
November 22, 2023Singapore company Fourier Intelligence has released a video showing at least a dozen of its GR-1 humanoids, set for customer delivery this year. But while the GR-1 might have the best hips in robotics, it ain't gonna win any rug-cutting contests. -
Tiny locust-inspired robots are champion long-jumpers
November 14, 2023Earlier this year, we heard about some tiny robots that used a bio-inspired mechanism to jump high into the air. The makers of those devices have now tweaked the design, creating bots that jump very long distances.
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Smartwatches
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Coros PACE 2 review: A lightweight, long-lasting smartwatch
July 04, 2021If you want a wearable to track workouts, runs, sleep and plenty more, then there's no shortage of devices to pick from – and after a couple of weeks of testing we can tell you that the Coros PACE 2 has a few features that might make you choose it. -
The budget TicWatch E3 shows off Wear OS at its best
June 16, 2021Google has promised big improvements for its Wear OS wearable platform later this year, but in the meantime Mobvoi has launched a new device that could be the best value smartwatch on the market right now: the TicWatch E3. -
The newest Casio G-Shock smartwatch is the first to run Wear OS
April 01, 2021Google's Wear OS platform could certainly use some more actual smartwatches to run on, and Casio has obliged with the GSW-H1000 – the first G-Shock smartwatch from the brand to come with Wear OS on board.
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Telecommunications
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Record-breaking fiber transmits 20x global internet traffic per second
December 03, 2023Everybody wants a faster internet connection, and now engineers in Japan have shattered the record for data transmission. The team managed to transmit more than 20 times the global internet traffic per second through a single optical fiber. -
LG sets new real-world-ready distance record for 6G data transmission
September 26, 2023While 5G feels pretty new and flashy, the industry is already making preparations for the next generation. LG Electronics and the Fraunhofer Institute have now conducted a test that set a new distance record for data transmission using 6G technology. -
Groundbreaking optical fiber blazes new data transmission speed record
June 12, 2023A team of international researchers say they’ve set a new world speed record for an industrial standard optical fiber that’s as thick as a human hair, achieving a data transmission rate of 1.7 Petabits per second over a 41-mile cable.
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Wearables
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SmartHat may be the Swiss Army knife of safety helmets
December 01, 2023On modern worksites, workers are typically required to carry – or even wear – quite a few electronic devices. The SmartHat is designed to make things easier, by packing a head-load of gadgets into a single safety helmet. -
Ice Ring gives 24/7 health tracking the finger
November 23, 2023Folks looking to monitor health metrics while on the move will likely pop a smartwatch on their wrist. Those wanting a simpler option might go for a smart ring instead, and wearable outfit Omate has just launched the Ice Ring in Europe. -
Humane's Ai Pin puts wearable AI on tap
November 13, 2023San Francisco-based smart tech startup Humane has launched its first product. The Ai Pin essentially allows users to attach an AI chatbot and lifelogger to their clothing and access AI wherever they are.
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Virtual Reality
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XR-4 aims for mixed reality that's "indistinguishable from natural sight"
November 28, 2023Finland's Varjo has announced the latest edition of its mixed-reality headset for enterprise and military, which is claimed to offer "virtual and mixed reality experiences practically indistinguishable from natural sight." -
Fluid Reality introduces its untethered, high-res haptic VR gloves
October 30, 2023Fluid Reality is offering a cheaper, more lightweight haptic VR glove that doesn’t need to be tethered to bulky backpacks or multitudes of tubing. It’s designed to provide users with a high-resolution VR experience, direct to their fingertips. -
Zuckerberg and Fridman show off insane leap in face-to-face VR chat
October 02, 2023"This is really the most incredible thing I've ever seen," said podcast host Lex Fridman, interviewing Mark Zuckerberg in VR using Meta's stunning new photorealistic avatars, coming soon to Quest, so lifelike that they "cross the uncanny valley."
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