Apple’s latest iteration of the Mac Mini, the M4 model, showcases an array of impressive design and engineering advancements. Building upon the success of Apple Silicon, this new release offers users a compact, high-performance, and user-friendly computing experience. The video below from Max Tech gives us a detailed look at the inside of the new […]
The release of iOS 18.2 brings a host of exciting features and enhancements designed to elevate your Apple device experience. This update introduces a range of improvements, from AI integration to optimized battery performance, ensuring that your iPhone or iPad remains at the forefront of technological innovation. Let’s dive into the key features of iOS […]
As we step into November 2024, a carefully curated selection of essential iPhone apps from iReviews is transforming the way you manage your productivity and personalize your device. These innovative applications harness the power of advanced technologies to streamline your daily tasks, offering a range of features that enhance both efficiency and customization. From AI-powered […]
The clocks are rolled forward, the post-Halloween holiday festive feeling is here and Mariah Carey is beginning her journey to hitting the top of her charts with her quintessential Christmas single. It’s officially winter, and instead of cranking up the heater this season (and worrying about an astronomical power bill), here’s an alternative that sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel but actually isn’t – a body-heating blanket that uses a carbon nanotube fabric and infrared heating to keep you warm.
Meet the Jartoo, an electric blanket that isn’t anything like the one your grandparents used. Relying on one of the most comfortable, energy-efficient materials on the planet, the Jartoo blanket is lined with a high-performance carbon nanotube fabric that heats evenly and efficiently in under a minute. The blanket has 6 heat settings and relies on a mere 70 watts of power. That’s about as much as a ceiling fan consumes, or around 96% less power than your traditional heater or AC uses.
Designed to look and feel like a sophisticated, soft, plush blanket that you’d want to wrap yourself in, the Jartoo is nothing like those stiff, weirdly wiry electric blankets from decades ago. While most electric blankets were designed to be placed under you, this one is designed to be wrapped around you, which means you can wear it in bed, in your work chair, or even your sofa. The velvet exterior feels luxuriously soft, while the blanket’s heating tech works like magic.
The magic of the 60-second heating comes courtesy of the Jartoo’s use of Apalos FlexHT Carbon Nanotube Film—a technology more often found in aerospace. Carbon nanotubes get their name from the tube-shaped graphene cylinders suspended within the material. Known for its high-strength and incredible energy efficiency, CNT is a perfect choice for the blanket. It heats evenly, heats rapidly, and still remains much more flexible (and safe) than say a copper-wire heating element.
Apalos FlexHT Carbon Nanotube Film technology
Most electric blankets use heating elements woven into the blanket’s fabric, but the Jartoo relies on something much more sophisticated – Far-Infrared (FIR) heating. If you’re not familiar, FIR technology heats objects directly rather than the surrounding air, creating a warmth often described as “sun-like.” This isn’t just cozy; it’s practical, delivering a soft, radiating heat without hot and cold zones, like you’d feel with older electric blankets. The entire heating process takes a mere minute, getting you from shivering cold to toasty and cozy in seconds.
Carbon nanotubes’ energy efficiency doesn’t just translate to a warmer blanket, it also means better warming with lower energy consumption. Specifically, the Jartoo blanket operates at just 70 watts, making it 60% more energy efficient than typical electric blankets and nearly 97% more efficient than a heater that operates at over 1500 watts. Plus, it runs on a safe 24V low-voltage system, meaning it’s a low-risk option for everyone in the family, including kids.
To cater to different preferences, the Jartoo offers six adjustable heating modes. Ranging from a cozy 95°F to a toasty 131°F, the blanket allows for customized warmth depending on what you need, whether it’s a light layer of warmth on a chilly morning or full heat on a particularly snowy night. You can set it to turn off automatically with a timer, configured by a remote—so there’s no need to worry about leaving it on while you’re dozing off.
With the toasty warmth also comes comfort. The Jartoo is made with a blended velvet fabric, designed to be soft against your skin while standing up to daily wear. The velvet is spill-resistant, which means it can take on the daily ritual of sipping coffee or tea while snuggled in your blanket. However, if you’re extra clumsy, the blanket is machine-washable and doesn’t require any special treatment or wash cycle. Perfect for households with kids, pets, or just people who like a clean blanket.
The Jartoo blanket comes in a 50″x60″ size, which is perfect for a single person. It’s designed to not just be used in bed, but even on your sofa as you curl up to watch a movie, or while you’re working at your WFH setup. The blanket is accompanied by a remote control, a GaN plug-adapter to power the blanket, a charging cable for the remote, and a warranty card for your Jartoo. If an entire blanket feels like way too much of a commitment, the Jartoo comes in a small heating-pad-sized unit too, perfect for physiotherapy, dealing with cramps, or just using as a foot-warmer!
Automatic transmission cars were good, self-driving EVs even better, and now ones that can console you on a bad mood day are god sent. Yes, this is the future of mobility that’s upon us and the Robo-EV by PIX Moving Team is the living example.
The micro car envisioned for choked city mobility is completely 3D-printed out in one piece making it structurally strong and easy to manufacture for commercial use. The Switzerland-based company has crafted a prototype of this bold vision and we are impressed.
The real-time manufacturing processes employed in manufacturing this four-wheeler make way for complex component manufacturing, ease of customization, and of course modularity of use. There are other benefits as well including lightweight yet robust chassis and frame. The team used basalt composite to make the suspension ultra-reliable minus any bells or whistles. Even the wheel arches are made from 3D-printed metal.
Its real USP lies in the smart technology embedded on the inside. Robo-EV comes with an AI system that can detect the mood and tone of the driver in real-time. Based on the data, the intelligent car can provide emotional support via its large language model. The interaction can be two-way as the car’s voice system also functions as a voice assistant. In a way, you won’t need a buddy on long trips when you’ll be driving this Swiss EV on the roads.
Robo-EV touts regenerative braking adding to its reserve of battery power, and extending the total range. PIX Moving Team tested the two-seater vehicle on the road and the results have not yet been shared with media houses. The electric vehicle of the future is targeted primarily towards ridesharing and public transport domains. More than that it gives a clear vision of what the future of city transportation will be like.
Shift Studio’s Sunflower fire pit redefines concrete fire pits with a modular twist, moving away from the bulky, one-piece molds traditionally used. Instead of casting the entire pit in a single, heavy mold, Sunflower’s modular design features smaller, repeatable concrete segments supported by a sturdy internal metal frame. This new approach not only makes each piece easier to cast, finish, and handle but also allows for on-site assembly, simplifying installation and adding flexibility. It’s an innovative break from the limitations of traditional concrete casting, where design is usually constrained by weight and the impracticalities of handling one large piece.
The modular setup also opens up a world of creative possibilities. Each “petal” piece of concrete is distinct, enabling customizable combinations in color, tone, material, and finish. This setup gives Sunflower a unique aesthetic versatility, allowing homeowners to tailor the fire pit’s look to suit their personal style or the vibe of an outdoor space. It’s easy to imagine a configuration where each petal has its own shade, creating a gradient that enhances the fire pit’s organic, flower-inspired design. If a petal gets damaged, it can be replaced independently, which is a practical advantage not seen in traditional single-mold fire pits.
When Sunflower is lit, it truly comes to life. The metal frame holds the fire at the center, while the concrete petals channel light through the openings, casting shapes that resemble rays of sunlight. This interplay of light and shadow produces a mesmerizing, almost sun-like pattern that radiates warmth and creates a visually captivating experience. The segmented design not only looks beautiful but brings a tactile, hands-on quality to concrete, transforming the traditionally industrial material into something intimate and engaging. This setup encourages people to gather around, inviting quiet moments of reflection or shared conversation around the fire.
What makes Sunflower especially compelling is how it balances rugged concrete with an organic shape that feels connected to nature. The flower-inspired form, with petals circling a central flame, fosters a sense of unity and invites interaction in a way that’s rare for such functional pieces. Functioning not only as a fireplace but essentially also as a centerpiece, the Sunflower is designed to draw people in and evoke a sense of calm. Plus, with its modularity, Sunflower becomes a customizable, evolving piece that can be adapted to different settings, seasons, or moods.
A winner of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for the year 2024, Shift Studio’s Sunflower reimagines concrete fire pit design, blending artistry with utility in a way that’s refreshingly adaptable. Its modular structure supports flexibility in both design and function, turning a simple outdoor fixture into a customizable, eye-catching element.
At SEMA 2024 the newly launched Toyota Land Cruiser 2025 model saw a chunky makeover thanks to the in-house bred Japanese aftermarket company Modellista, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation. The Overland Vision Concept is one of the prototypes shown off by Toyota at the automotive mecca.
The vehicle is modded to bring extreme overlanding capability to the otherwise benign Land Cruiser. According to Modellista their core vision behind this design is to explore the potential of the brand in the U.S. If they intend on achieving what they’ve set their eyes on, the ultra-rugged Land Cruiser model will be a reality in the future pitted against the futuristic Cybertruck.
This concept is a heavily armored vehicle that made heads turn at the SEMA show for its Cyberpunk look and bold character. It comes with an array of inclusions like aggressive off-road tires, lower body panels, fender flares, skid plates, a lift kit, headlight protection, side-carrying containers, a roof-mounted tent and a centrally mounted ladder. The aftermarket specialist made judicious use of amber green LED lights and a full-width light bar above the grille. These green LED accents extend to the whole front fascia and rear section to lend the ride an intimidating persona.
Overland Vision Concept has brush wires all around to protect against dents and scratches from exposure to the tough off-roading adventures, a dystopian future, or an apocalyptic warzone. Modellista has given the grille a good treatment of the TOYOTA logo with the Land Cruser branding below the bumper. The vehicle carries a two-tone theme in black and silver spilling over to the dark black tinted windows which make it a good candidate for a VVIP entourage.
It’ll be exciting to see how American adventure lovers see this lucrative Overlander pitted against the likes of the Ford F150 Raptor, Land Rover Defender, Jeep Gladiator, or Toyota Tacoma!
Apple showed us what a mixed reality headset could be capable of with the debut of the Vision Pro at WWDC in 2023. It had all the bells and whistles required of an AR and VR headset from Apple, but didn’t find many takers. Perhaps because of its steep price tag or maybe, no one was ready for a headset positioning them into the spatial computing just yet.
For me, per se – it was the price, bulkiness, and small market size for a standalone device in the smart glasses category. Apple soon realized it after significant losses in projected sales. This is why rumors of Apple mulling the rollout of a more affordable non-Pro mixed reality headset model started doing the rounds.
Such a device would be made possible by trimming down the features and functionalities of the Vision Pro, but the Cupertino company has thought otherwise (at least for now). New reports by way of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is instead planning a pair of smart glasses that would be targeted at the masses – like the Meta’s Ray Bans – and fit better in the Apple ecosystem than the Vision Pro or its stripped-down brother.
The latest information suggests that the budget-friendly Vision model could have been postponed until after 2027, while the new internal study, codenamed project “Atlas” is running within Apple to understand from the company’s employees where they stand on the topic of smart glasses. Based on the internal understanding, Apple is thinking about smart glasses that would somewhat target the consumer segment that Meta’s Orion augmented reality glasses intend to.
The Orion glasses for now are a prototype themselves. It wouldn’t be the best choice to compare or base the two non-existent devices on the same footing. But the basic idea is that Apple could have a pair of smart glasses that look like regular glasses and are a combination of slick design and useful features that would allow a connected iPhone to do most of the computing.
At the time of writing, it is not known whether Apple has started building such a product. Still, we learn that feasibility studies are happening within the company to deliver eyewear that addresses the issues of convenience, weight, and battery life. Irrespective of what direction Apple intends to take with the idea of smart glasses, it’ll almost take a few years to reach the market. If you’re in a hurry, get your hands on the Meta options!
There are already a bunch of Black Friday deals to check out, but if you're on the lookout for a great set of wireless headphones for yourself or a loved one, here's one that's absolutely worth your attention. Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones have dropped to $298. That's a $102 discount. This isn't quite the lowest price we've seen for the over-ear XM5s. They dropped to $280 at one point earlier this year. However, the headphones haven't gone back down to that point since, and this is still a great deal.
We've long been recommending Sony's 1000X line and this is the best iteration to date. They earned a score of 95 in our review. The redesigned headphones are much more comfortable to wear for extended periods than previous models.
Sony has improved the active noise cancellation (ANC) feature as well, thanks to the addition of a new chip and four more microphones. We feel that the company's current flagship headphones do a better job of blocking out high frequencies and background noise (and even human voices) than the XM4s.
The XM5s can switch between noise modes depending on your location or activity, and they can pause audio automatically when you start speaking. They deliver better call quality than rival models and, in general, you'll get clear, crisp sound, including punchy bass. You won't need to charge the XM5s too often either, as they have a 30-hour battery life.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-slash-100-off-the-sony-wh-1000xm5-headphones-192016332.html?src=rss