Monthly Archives: June 2024

This Ultimate Jogger’s Utility Belt gives you a waist-mounted 420-lumen LED Flashlight and EDC storage

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Cars and bikes have headlights, so why is it that joggers have to rely on phone flashlights or those awkward headlamps that workers in mines use? Designed by avid running enthusiast and Ironman participant Bryan Robbins, the Lumabelt is one part utility belt one part high-vis flashlight. Turning the humble runner’s fanny pack into something much more sleek and functional, Lumabelt is a slim wearable that stores your phone, keys, and wallet while you’re running… but it also comes with a built-in LED flashlight strong enough to illuminate the path ahead of you while you run, helping you see as well as be seen by others. Plus its $29 price tag makes it a no-brainer for pretty much anyone who finds themselves navigating the outdoors in the dark, whether you’re taking your dog for a walk, hiking a trail, or even if your job is in the security domain.

Designer: Bryan Robbins

Click Here to Buy Now: $29 $40 ($11 off). Hurry, only 4/116 left!

A seasoned athlete, Robbins took to the roads to exercise after realizing his sedentary lifestyle was making him gain a lot of weight. Motivation pushed him to get off his office chair and go get some physical exercise – but the late nights proved to be an obstacle to his routine. Regular head-mounted lamps weren’t elegant, and the waist-mounted ones he had were either way too bulky, or didn’t have lights that were powerful enough. The reason, Robbins figured, was that these products were created by companies built on profit motives, not by actual runners or by brands that listened intently to runners. The first prototype of the Lumabelt was soon born, given his need to have a ‘sleek’ utility belt that also housed a powerful seamlessly integrated light.

Barely 3 inches high, the Lumabelt is a pretty sleek runner’s belt that has enough space for your essentials, but also packs an incredibly powerful flashlight that does a much better job of helping you navigate the dark. The spacious pocket holds your keys, phone, AirPods case, and even a compact power bank if you want to charge your phone or your Lumabelt while running. A 420-lumen LED strip practically works as your own personal headlight, letting you see the road ahead of you very clearly. For comparison, smartphones have flashlights that max at around 60 lumens. The Lumabelt offers two brightness modes to choose from – a Mid-Bright that works well in dawn/dusk settings, and a Full-Bright that’s perfect for the dark.

The beauty of the Lumabelt’s design comes from Robbins’ own experiences, as he faced quite a few struggles with utility belts that were too bulky or bounced around while he ran. To counter this, the Lumabelt has a sleek, streamlined, body-hugging design that doesn’t flip-flop as you sprint. The LED strip is mounted at a lower-facing angle so the light shines directly on the ground ahead of you, and a built-in battery gives you roughly 3 hours of continuous usage on Full-Bright mode, which can either be significantly extended by using a power-bank, or by switching to the Mid-Bright setting.

The belt comes with a one-size-fits-all design, working on waist sizes between 28 and 60. The pockets are expandable too, letting you tuck more than just 1-2 items in if you want to carry other EDC too. Although designed for night runners, the belt proves to be pretty useful across a variety of needs and occupations. It works phenomenally well for campers and hikers, travelers, cave exploration, dog-walking, or even security. The Lumabelt starts at a discounted $29, with global shipping this September.

Click Here to Buy Now: $29 $40 ($11 off). Hurry, only 4/116 left!

The post This Ultimate Jogger’s Utility Belt gives you a waist-mounted 420-lumen LED Flashlight and EDC storage first appeared on Yanko Design.

OpenAI has delayed its seductive ChatGPT voice assistants

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If you’ve been dreaming about spending your summer whispering sweet nothings into the digital ears of one of the seductive ChatGPT voice assistants that OpenAI showed off last month, you’ll have to dream a little longer. On Tuesday, the company announced that its “advanced Voice Mode” feature needs more time in the oven “to reach our bar to launch.” The feature will be available to a small group of users to gather feedback, and then launch to all paying ChatGPT customers in the fall. 

“We’re improving the model’s ability to detect and refuse certain content,” OpenAI posted on X. “We’re also working on improving the user experience and preparing our infrastructure to scale to millions while maintaining real-time responses.”

Voices have been a part of ChatGPT since 2023. But last month, OpenAI demoed an upgraded version that sounded so humanlike it drew comparisons with Samantha, the seductive voice assistant in the 2013 movie Her, played by Scarlett Johansson. Weeks after the presentation, the actress accused OpenAI of copying her voice despite denying permission.

OpenAI said it's still figuring out when the new voices (minus the Johansson soundalike) will roll out to paying users this fall. Another feature that lets the voice assistants use your phone’s camera to understand the world around you has also been delayed until that time. “Exact timelines depend on meeting our high safety and reliability bar,” the company said.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/openai-has-delayed-its-seductive-chatgpt-voice-assistants-233027946.html?src=rss

With Three Bedrooms, This Tiny Home Is A Comfy & Cozy House For A Family Of Five

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Designed by Evergreen Homes Australia, the Grevillea is a great housing option for families, as it can accommodate up to five people, although it may be a tight fit. The home features a clever space-saving layout that includes three bedrooms as well as a well-designed kitchen. All these features have been snugly fit into a length of 8.4m. The home is named after an evergreen tree and is founded on a triple-axle trailer.

Designer: Evergreen Homes Australia

Equipped with a black metal exterior and timber accenting, the home has a stylish matte finish to it. It features a glass door that leads you to a compact living room equipped with a small sofa and a wood-burning stove. The interior of the home is quite light and spacious. Generous glazing and high ceilings add an airy vibe to the home. Tiny nooks and smart shelving help in maximizing the storage space within the home. The kitchen is positioned next to the living room, and it is pretty well-stocked. The home includes a two-burner propane-powered stove, fridge/freezer, microwave, dishwasher, a full-size electric oven as well as a sink. The kitchen also contains a seating area with stools and a breakfast bar for two. The breakfast is amped with a pull-out table area.

The master bedroom is located next to the kitchen, and it has plenty of headroom to stand upright since it is positioned downstairs. The bedroom features a queen-sized bed, with a bathroom placed on the opposite side of the home. The bathroom houses a full-sized shower, composting toilet, and vanity sink.

Besides the master bedroom, Grevillea also accommodates two loft bedrooms. The larger bedroom can be accessed via a storage-integrated staircase and is like most loft-style rooms found in tiny homes. You can enter the smaller bedroom through a wooden ladder, and it can house one person. It can be used for storage, if not a bedroom. The tiny home is powered by a grid-based hookup, though it can be equipped with solar panels if the owner decides to adopt an off-the-grid lifestyle.

The post With Three Bedrooms, This Tiny Home Is A Comfy & Cozy House For A Family Of Five first appeared on Yanko Design.

Volkswagen and Rivian agree to $5 billion partnership

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Volkswagen and EV company Rivian have entered a new partnership, and the total price tag for the collaboration could reach an eye-popping $5 billion. The businesses are launching a joint venture to develop platforms for “software-defined vehicles.” According to the press release announcing the deal, the joint venture's work will focus on Rivian's zone-based approach to electric vehicles, which significantly reduces the complexity of the wiring and electronics. Both Rivian and Volkswagen are expected to debut vehicles using their combined forces as a result of the partnership; the release notes that each of the brands will continue operating their vehicle businesses separately.

The massive dollar figure for this collaboration is broken up into components. Volkswagen is making a baseline $1 billion investment in Rivian the EV company, followed by two more expected investments of the same amount in 2025 and 2026. The car brand also anticipates putting a total of $2 billion into the joint venture, some at the launch and some as a loan in 2026.

This work will see Volkswagen adopting Rivian's signature zonal architecture for its own future machines. Today's announcement follows hot on the heels of the brand integrating ChatGPT into many of its car models.

Rivian has seen some financial struggles this year, leading the company to abandon plans for a plant in Georgia and to cut 10 percent of its salaried staff. A deal of this size with a leading traditional automaker should help the company to stabilize as it works towards its next generation of electric vehicles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/volkswagen-and-rivian-agree-to-5-billion-partnership-230421407.html?src=rss

Samsung’s next Unpacked event is set for July 10

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Samsung’s next Unpacked event will be on July 10. The Paris showcase will be the company’s second of the year, following its Galaxy S24 unveiling (and Galaxy Ring render reveal!) in January.

Samsung’s announcement teases “the next generation of Galaxy AI and the ever-expanding Galaxy ecosystem.” The invitation noted the city’s trendsetting reputation, describing it as the “perfect backdrop for the rollout of our latest cutting-edge innovations.” January’s Unpacked was in San Jose, ideal for the AI features it debuted; perhaps Paris could set the scene for something fashion-related. 

Paris will also host the 2024 Summer Olympics starting later that month, and Samsung is a sponsor. So brace yourself for some potential promotional tie-ins, like the oh-so-exciting Olympic-branded editions of Galaxy S flagships.

A person wearing the Galaxy Ring wearable on their right hand as they hold a phone with their left.
Samsung

Samsung already let slip in a court filing that the Galaxy Ring will arrive in the US “in or around August of this year,” making launch details about the upcoming wearable virtually inevitable. (The company proactively sued Oura this month to try to prevent the startup from filing a lawsuit of its own.)

In addition to wearables, foldable phones tend to feature prominently in Samsung’s summer Unpacked events (replacing the Galaxy Note, which occupied that slot in the old days). Backing that up is SamMobile, which accurately reported the event’s date and location in April. The blog also claimed Samsung would reveal the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 at the event, along with new earbuds and more about the Galaxy Ring.

The company said it has a bonus for US customers who know they want one of the new devices before they’re announced. If you reserve an upcoming device from today through July 10 through Samsung’s website or Shop Samsung app, it will throw in a $50 Samsung Credit for your pre-order. Reservation orders will also be entered in a sweepstakes to win $5,000 in Samsung Credit.

Samsung will stream the summer Unpacked event on its YouTube channel, main website and Newsroom site. The event kicks off at 9AM ET on July 10.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-next-unpacked-event-is-set-for-july-10-230032676.html?src=rss

Threads can now show replies from Mastodon and other fediverse apps

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Meta just made an important update for Threads users who are sharing posts to the fediverse. The company began allowing users to opt-in to sharing their Threads posts to Mastodon and other ActivityPub-powered services back in March. But the integration has been fairly limited, with Threads users unable to view replies and most other interactions to their posts without switching over to a Mastodon client or other app.

That’s now changing. The Threads app will now be able to show replies and likes from Mastodon and other services, Meta announced. The change marks the first time Threads users who have opted into fediverse sharing will be able to see content that originated in the fediverse directly on Threads.

There are still some limitations, though. Meta says that, frustratingly, Threads users won’t be able to respond directly to replies from users in the fediverse. It also notes that “some replies may not be visible,” so Threads’ notifications still won’t be the most reliable place to track your engagement.

Meta also announced that it’s expanding the fediverse sharing options to more users, with the feature live in more than 100 countries. (Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said the company is hoping to turn the fediverse beta features on everywhere “soon.”)

The changes are an important step for anyone who cares about the future of decentralized social media. Though Meta has been somewhat slow to deliver on its promises to support ActivityPub in Threads, the app has the potential to bring tens of millions of people into the fediverse.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-can-now-show-replies-from-mastodon-and-other-fediverse-apps-224127213.html?src=rss

I need this WALKCAR in my life because I’m too lazy to walk

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Urban commuting just got a significant upgrade with the release of the WALKCAR 2 and WALKCAR 2 Pro. Launched on April 1, 2024, these innovative personal mobility vehicles captivate tech enthusiasts and city dwellers, and they’ve won me over too. Hailing from Japan, these ultra-compact devices are set to change how we move through our cities. Imagine gliding effortlessly through crowded streets, bypassing traffic, and reaching your destination without breaking a sweat. These sleek, portable vehicles fit seamlessly into your daily routine, offering convenience and efficiency. Perfect for commuting to work or exploring new neighborhoods, the WALKCAR 2 turns every journey into a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Designer: cocoa motors. Co., Ltd.

A Portable Marvel: Design and Portability

The WALKCAR 2 series is impressively portable. The device offers remarkable convenience, weighing roughly 6.4 lb (2.9 kg) and comparable in size to a 15-inch laptop. Available in four stylish colors—Sonic Yellow, Celeste Blue, Sand Beige, and Sumi—these vehicles are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional. This combination of portability and style ensures that the WALKCAR 2 fits seamlessly into both professional and casual settings, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of users.

The design and build quality of the WALKCAR 2 are equally remarkable. The ultra-light carbon body, specifically using carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP), provides a robust yet lightweight frame. This material is ten times stronger than steel and significantly lighter, ensuring durability and ease of transport. The high elasticity of the carbon frame provides excellent road grip, contributing to a smooth and stable ride even on challenging terrains. The compact size allows it to fit easily into a backpack or a large handbag, making it an ideal everyday carry item. Whether heading to work, running errands, or exploring a new city, the WALKCAR 2 can be your constant companion, ready to provide quick and efficient transportation whenever needed.

Performance and Advanced Motor Technology

Performance is where the WALKCAR 2 series truly shines. The WALKCAR 2 reaches a maximum speed of 6.2 mph and boasts a cruising distance of 4.35 miles. For those needing more power and range, the WALKCAR 2 Pro offers a top speed of 9.3 mph and a 5-mile range. Both models feature a four-wheel independent suspension system that absorbs vibrations in all directions, ensuring a comfortable ride even on uneven surfaces. This suspension system improves comfort and enhances the vehicle’s stability, making it suitable for novice and experienced riders.

One notable feature is the world’s most miniature in-wheel motor, developed exclusively for WALKCAR. Housed within the front drive wheel, this motor provides the torque performance of a bicycle, allowing the device to climb slopes up to 12 degrees for the Pro model. The use of welded connections instead of screws maximizes coil space, enhancing efficiency and power. Additionally, the newly adopted ultra-super duralumin heat sink improves heat dissipation, maintaining performance during extended use. This combination of advanced motor technology and efficient heat management ensures that the WALKCAR 2 delivers consistently high performance, even under demanding conditions.

User-Friendly Operation and Charging Convenience

Operating the WALKCAR 2 is as intuitive as walking. To accelerate, press the toes of both feet. Deceleration and stopping are achieved by raising one toe slightly. Turning is managed by shifting your weight, allowing precise control and easy maneuverability. This intuitive control scheme ensures that even new users can quickly adapt to the device, making it accessible to a wide range of people, including those who may not have previous experience with personal mobility devices.

Charging the WALKCAR 2 is both quick and convenient. With the included quick charger, the battery reaches 80% capacity in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for short breaks during the day. A full charge takes only 60 minutes, ensuring minimal downtime. This feature mainly benefits urban commuters needing a reliable and ready-to-go mobility solution. The ability to charge quickly and efficiently means that users can rely on the WALKCAR 2 for their daily transportation needs without worrying about long charging times.

Real-World Applications and Daily Commutes

The practical applications of the WALKCAR 2 are vast. For frequent travelers to Japan, like myself, who visit once or twice a month, this device is a game-changer. In a country where walking and public transportation are the norms, the WALKCAR 2 provides a seamless way to cover the distance between subway stations and destinations. On my visits, I often struggle to keep up with my friends, who are more accustomed to extensive walking. The WALKCAR 2 would allow me to maintain their pace effortlessly, ensuring I don’t miss a beat in this bustling metropolis.

Imagine navigating through the narrow streets of Tokyo or reaching a distant café without breaking a sweat. The WALKCAR 2 brings convenience and efficiency to these everyday scenarios. It allows users to explore more remote areas, visit favorite shops, or enjoy parks that are otherwise too far to reach on foot. By extending the practical radius of our daily lives, the WALKCAR 2 enriches our experiences and opens up new possibilities for urban living.

For city dwellers, the WALKCAR 2 could revolutionize daily commutes. Instead of being confined to locations close to subway stations, users can live in more spacious homes further afield, knowing they can easily travel the last mile. This flexibility enhances living conditions and reduces the stress associated with crowded public transportation. The ability to quickly and efficiently cover the distance from home to public transport hubs means that users can enjoy the best of both worlds: a more comfortable living environment and easy access to the city’s amenities.

A Worthwhile Investment

Priced at $999 for the WALKCAR 2 and $1,499 for the Pro version, these devices represent a significant investment. However, the cost is justified considering the advanced technology, build quality, and the convenience they offer. The WALKCAR 2 series is sold out, reflecting its popularity and the high demand for such innovative mobility solutions. Preorders are being accepted for the next production run, allowing eager customers to secure their units. The high demand for these devices highlights their appeal and the value they offer to users seeking a modern and efficient mode of transportation.

The WALKCAR 2 and WALKCAR 2 Pro are more than just gadgets; they are transformative tools that enhance urban mobility. With their compact size, robust performance, and user-friendly operation, they promise to change how we move through cities. For frequent travelers, urban commuters, and anyone looking to expand their mobility options, the WALKCAR 2 series is an invaluable addition to daily life. As we seek ways to navigate our urban landscapes more efficiently, the WALKCAR 2 paves the way for innovation and practicality. Its ability to provide a reliable and convenient mode of transport in various urban settings makes it an essential tool for modern urban living.

The post I need this WALKCAR in my life because I’m too lazy to walk first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola is the latest to offer a Bluetooth tracker with the Moto Tag

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There's a new Bluetooth tracking option for absent-minded Android owners: Motorola today unveiled the Moto Tag. The company didn't share the exact release date for the device, but said it would be available "in the coming months in select markets." We also don't have any price information yet.

Moto Tag runs on Google's Find My Device infrastructure, both for location data and privacy protections. A tracker isn't much good if it stops working, and Motorola claims the Moto Tag will last for a year on a single battery charge, assuming optimal conditions. In a tacit acknowledgement that the design of these trackers has already become standardized, Motorola's release noted that the Moto Tag fits into "most third-party accessories already on the market." So if you've been using AirTags, or one of the similarly-shaped Bluetooth trackers on the market, the Moto Tag should work with your existing case. Could be a nice option for anyone interested in picking up one of the company's new foldable phones who wants to keep their tech to a single brand.

While Bluetooth trackers have obvious practical benefits, especially for those of us who easily lose track of belongings, serious security concerns have also risen around the devices. Worries about stalking and theft have dogged the product category since their launch, although Apple and Google recently rolled out a rare joint effort to help combat that issue. Tile also faced more direct security issues with a hacking breach earlier this month.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/motorola-is-the-latest-to-offer-a-bluetooth-tracker-with-the-moto-tag-220022175.html?src=rss

Toys ‘R’ Us uses OpenAI’s Sora to make a brand film about its origin story and it’s horrifying

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The rise of artificial intelligence in our media and entertainment industries has raised a lot of concerns about programs like Open Al’s text-to-video maker Sora replacing the artistic endeavors and aspirations of humans. If those AI made movies are anything like a new brand film about the Toys 'R' Us toy store chain's origin story, the only thing we’ll have to fear is watching them.

Toys ‘R’ Us’s current owner WHP Global worked with the Emmy nominated creative agency Native Foreign to create a short brand film called The Origin of Toys ‘R’ Us using OpenAI’s text-to-video creator Sora. The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and can currently be viewed on the toy retailer’s website.

The Origin of Toys ‘R’ Us is only a little over a minute long but it’s a mix of confusing and eerie. The film features the young version of the toy store chain’s founder Charles Lazarus coming up with the idea for his signature retail creation and its giraffe mascot Geoffrey but almost the entire thing takes place in some kind of cosmic fever dream. It’s like someone tried to take the hollow behavior of M3GAN, dressed her up like Opie Taylor from The Andy Griffith Show and let it loose in the remnants of a toy store that blew up near the edge of the universe.

In the movie, Mini-Charles is a starry eyed kid hanging out in a bicycle shop owned by his father who looks like a cross between Billy Eichner and John Denver. Little Charlie falls asleep and has a weird dream about some of kind of Dr. Seuss planetarium where every kind of generic toy you can dream of sits on shelves and floats above his head. This magical place is where he meets Geoffrey the giraffe, the store’s iconic mascot, that looks like Sona used a different AI to generate it.

The film leaves out the part where Lazarus wakes up in an emergency room after accidentally doing “all the mushrooms” that caused him to have his retail fever dream.

Sora is a generative AI model that creates “realistic and imaginative scenes from text instructions,” according to the OpenAI website. OpenAI premiered its video generating model in February. Sora can generate videos that are about a minute long from text prompts. It’s not available to the public yet.

The current state of Toys ‘R’ Us isn’t as rosy as its brand film makes it out to be. The toy store chain filed for bankruptcy in 2018 closing all of its stores in one fell swoop. The acquisition firm WHP Global took over the brand’s parent company Tru Kids Inc. in 2021. Two years later, the firm announced plans to expand the toy store brand with new locations in airports and cruise ships starting with a location in Dallas-Fort Worth international Airport and locations of the department store chain Macy’s.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/toys-r-us-uses-openais-sora-to-make-a-brand-film-about-its-origin-story-and-its-horrifying-214730500.html?src=rss

Reddit puts AI scrapers on notice

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Reddit has a warning for AI companies and other scrapers: play by our rules or get blocked. The company said in an update that it plans to update its Robots Exclusion Protocol (robots.txt file), which allows it to block automated scraping of its platform.

The company said it will also continue to block and rate-limit crawlers and other bots that don’t have a prior agreement with the company. The changes, it said, shouldn’t affect “good faith actors,” like the Internet Archive and researchers.

Reddit’s notice comes shortly after multiple reports that Perplexity and other AI companies regularly bypass websites’ robots.txt protocol, which is used by publishers to tell web crawlers they don’t want their content accessed. Perplexity’s CEO, in a recent interview with Fast Company, said that the protocol is “not a legal framework.”

In a statement, a Reddit spokesperson told Engadget that it wasn’t targeting a particular company. “This update isn’t meant to single any one entity out; it’s meant to protect Reddit while keeping the internet open,” the spokesperson said. “In the next few weeks, we’ll be updating our robots.txt instructions to be as clear as possible: if you are using an automated agent to access Reddit, regardless of what type of company you are, you need to abide by our terms and policies, and you need to talk to us. We believe in the open internet, but we do not believe in the misuse of public content.”

It’s not the first time the company has taken a hard line when it comes to data access. The company cited AI companies’ use of its platform when it began charging for its API last year. Since then, it has struck licensing deals with some AI companies, including Google and OpenAI. The agreements allow AI firms to train their models on Reddit’s archive and have been a significant source of revenue for the newly-public Reddit. The “talk to us” part of that statement is likely a not-so-subtle reminder that the company is no longer in the business of handing out its content for free.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/reddit-puts-ai-scrapers-on-notice-205734539.html?src=rss