3+ mon, 2+ day ago (419+ words) A new innovation is aiming to redefine earbuds " not just in function but in form. Meet The PIN, a pair of wireless buds handcrafted from real wood and packed with AI-powered features including real-time translation, virtual assistants and a sleep aid. These sustainable buds are also affordable, starting at US$134. And it's no surprise they've been a hit with Kickstarter backers " the campaign was fully funded within two hours, and after a week had nearly 500 pledges. The PIN is the work of Sudeshna Naik, a UC Berkeley Development Engineering graduate who studied sustainable product development. "At Berkeley, I learned a hard truth: Why so many sustainable products fail," Naik said. "The lesson was clear: If people feel they're compromising on performance, they won't choose sustainability. The PIN was designed to change that." The earbuds are built with housings made from…...

1+ mon, 4+ week ago (452+ words) Desktop smart amps from the likes of Yamaha, Boss and Positive Grid are great for solo practice and group rehearsals. Tone upstart Chaos Audio is challenging the big boys with the Nimbus, a 70-W app-driven "music studio in a box" built on an open platform. Like the THR, Katana and Spark models, the idea here is to negate the need for a bunch of floor stomps, multiple amps, mixers, interfaces, and other gear " and cram everything you need for bedroom practice into one portable box. The custom amp processor inside the box features ARM Cortex brains that run at 1 GHz, reportedly much more powerful than chips found in competitors like the THR30 and Lava Studio. This is supported by 512 MB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Impulse Responses of treasured amps can be loaded into the system, and there's support for…...

2+ mon, 6+ day ago (465+ words) Lava Music caused a glitch in the Matrix a few years back with an oddball carbon-fiber acoustic guitar rocking built-in digital effects. Now the company is looking to reshape the amplification landscape with "the world's most advanced amp." It kind of combines a desktop guitar amp with digital modelers and multiFX units, along with an interactive learning platform, a recording studio, looper and jam box, and a whole lot more. We have seen similar before from the likes of Orange and Positive Grid, but this one can work all on its own " without you needing to plug in peripherals or squint at your smartphone. Out of the box, the system boasts more than 30 amp models courtesy of the company's own lavaAI neural brains ""each trained using advanced algorithms that replicate the tonal nuances of iconic vintage and modern amplifiers, cabinets,…...

5+ mon, 1+ week ago (504+ words) More than a decade ago, a startup launched on Kickstarter to fund an automated guitar tuner called the Roadie. Now the company has returned to the platform with the smarter, faster, smoother and more powerful fourth generation. Though there are many crowdfunding horror stories, the Roadie guitar tuner is not one of them. The first app-controlled tuner and peg turner in one successfully navigated its Kickstarter in 2013 and subsequently went on sale about a year later. So yes, you can plug into a tuner or fire up an app and either turn the pegs by hand or use a crank-like device. But the Roadie automated much of that, in a handy form factor that didn't take up much room in the gig bag. I loved the review unit that Band Industries sent over, but it relied on the microphone of…...

3+ mon, 1+ week ago (443+ words) There's a lot to love about the conventional lithium-ion batteries we use in our gadgets and electric cars, but they still pose a fire hazard because of the flammable liquid electrolyte inside. Solid-state batteries have an edge over them, thanks to the use of a (mostly) solid electrolyte sandwiched between the cathode and anode. Hardware upstart BMX is taking a stab at packing this tech into a power bank that can juice up your phone anywhere you go, without the chance of self-combusting. With a solid state battery, you don't have to worry about thermal runaway incidents that can cause it to swell, explode, or catch fire. BMX says its SolidSafe power bank is heat, shock, and fire resistant. Heck, in a video by 9to5Mac, you can see it survive having a nail hammered into it and even have a corner…...

9+ mon, 3+ week ago (303+ words) [Band Name of the Year voting is now open!]In morning meetings and Slack messages between the New Atlas team, sometimes a phrase is mentioned that simply begs to become a band name. Here's your chance to vote on the best of the best!Continue ReadingCategory: Good Thinking, LifestyleTags: New Atlas In morning meetings and Slack messages between the New Atlas team, sometimes a phrase is mentioned that simply begs to become a band name. Here's your chance to vote on the best of the best! Last year, a "Band Name of the Day" (#bnotd) initiative was championed by our own Bronwyn Thompson " who certainly knows a good band name when she sees one, having spent many years as a contributor and deputy editor for Rolling Stone Australia. Throughout the year, we've collected a list of candidates, chiefly to amuse…...

6+ mon, 3+ day ago (438+ words) There are now enough different types of powered personal watercraft, you might not want to commit to buying just one. Well, that's where the Propel kit comes in, as it combines five different aquatic electric rigs in one modular package. Manufactured by US startup Propel Foil, the kit is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. At the heart of the setup is the aluminum/EPP-foam-bodied Modular Universal Chassis. It incorporates the 50.4V/50-Ah Samsung lithium-ion battery, a ~10-kW electric thrust-vectoring jet-drive motor, and the waterproof control system. That chassis gets inserted into the included reinforced-PVC dropstitch Navigator board body, which then gets inflated around it. Next, a set of adjustable-angle handlebars, along with an attached wireless remote, get mounted on top of the deck. The result is called the E-Scooter, which is essentially a powered, handlebarred stand-up paddleboard (SUP). If…...

10+ mon, 4+ week ago (264+ words) TL;DR: Study 14 new languages with a lifetime subscription to Babbel, on sale for $149.97 with code LEARN25. Learning a new language isn't easy, but it can be so useful whether you're traveling ... Thanks to StackSocial, a Babbel lifetime subscription is $449 off TL;DR: Study 14 new languages with a lifetime subscription to Babbel, on sale for $149.97 with code LEARN25. Learning a new language isn't easy, but it can be so useful whether you're traveling, working, or connecting with new friends. Don't know how to get started? A lifetime subscription to Babbel is now down to $149.97 (reg. $599). How Babbel makes learning a language easy By logging on for only 10 minutes a day (of course, you can go longer if you want to), you can access short language lessons that cover a number of real-life topics like transportation, dining, shopping, directions, making friends, and much…...

10+ mon, 3+ week ago (414+ words) [Big-screen 4K entertainment without dominating a room between use]Ultra-short-throw projectors are a great way to replace the big-screen TV without having to endure tricky setups. But even these entertainment hubs can be large and heavy. That's certainly not true of the O2S Ultra from JMGO.Continue ReadingCategory: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Laser TV, Projectors, 4K UHD, CES 2025 World's smallest Laser TV throws big-screen 4K visuals from inches away Ultra-short-throw projectors are a great way to replace the big-screen TV without having to endure tricky setups. But even these entertainment hubs can be large and heavy. That's certainly not true of the O2S Ultra from JMGO. "The O2S Ultra is more than just a laser projector; it's a game-changer in redefining home entertainment," said Forrest Li, CEO of JMGO. "With its compact size and cutting-edge performance, we're solving real-world problems for users who seek exceptional…...

10+ mon, 2+ week ago (412+ words) You don't have to be an EDC nerd to appreciate this little knife. The BladeNex is a compact folding scalpel made from CNC machined titanium that's small enough to fit on your keychain and go wherever you do. We've featured other compact knives on our pages over the years, but what's particularly neat about this one is that it supports replaceable blades. That means you should be able to get years of use out of this durable knife, and always have a sharp edge on hand when you need it. Measuring just 2.42 in (6.1 cm) when closed, the BladeNex is made from premium GR5 titanium alloy that's light yet strong, and corrosion resistant to boot. It's designed with a hole that lets you attach it to a keyring, zipper, or even a necklace. There's also a stainless steel clip on the back to…...