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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Incredible images from Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2023 winners
September 22, 2023Photos can tell us stories about nature that words alone can’t convey. The winning entries in the Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2023 competition prove that, as far as nature is concerned, a picture is worth a thousand words. -
First all-digital Instax is a cute ball of photographic fun
September 21, 2023Fujifilm has launched a cute Instax camera that makes printing to instant film optional. The Instax Pal digital camera comes bundled with a Mini Link 2 printer, but can stow snaps to onboard storage for transfer to an app to add filters and stickers. -
Nikon launches the beautifully retro Z f full-frame mirrorless camera
September 20, 2023Nikon has added a second "heritage-inspired" camera to its mirrorless lineup, joining the Z fc in riffing off of the look of the company's FM2 single-lens-reflex film camera from the early 1980s – but this time built around a full-frame image sensor.
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Military
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Boeing to develop hypersonic missile interceptor for DARPA
September 21, 2023Boeing has been tapped by DARPA to develop and test the technology that will be required to build a prototype to intercept hypersonic missiles in the upper atmosphere as part of the agency's four-year Glide Breaker program. -
US Air Force gets new aggressive electronic warfare aircraft
September 18, 2023The US Air Force has taken delivery of the first of 10 improved EC-37B Compass Call electronic attack warfare aircraft from BAE Systems and L3Harris Technologies as it replaces its vintage EC-130H Compass Call that has been in service since 1982. -
Raytheon UK to install laser weapon on British Army fighting vehicle
September 18, 2023In another step from the workbench to the battlefield, Raytheon UK is integrating its first high-energy 15-kW laser weapon into a Wolfhound armored vehicle for the British Army as part of the Ministry of Defence's Land Demonstrator laser program.
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Mobile Technology
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NearLink launches, 6X faster than Bluetooth, with 1/30th the latency
September 24, 2023Huawei has launched a breakthrough short-range wireless connection tech, aiming to combine the advantages of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Faster, more efficient and with a vastly reduced delay, it's also got more than 300 companies and institutions on board. -
iPhone Pro Max sports a titanium body, 29-hour battery and USB-C port
September 12, 2023Apple has announced the latest version of the iPhone, which is available in four USB-C-connectible models – the 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. The latter boasts a titanium body, and a lofty price tag of US$1,199. -
Sony gets inventive with the cameras for latest premium compact handset
September 04, 2023At first look, it may seems like the fifth-generation Xperia 5 has lost a rear camera, but the main shooter actually pulls double duty across two focal lengths. The compact smartphone also gets a chip update and improved battery performance.
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Drones
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AtlasNEST aims to make airports safer, by deploying drones
September 22, 2023Ordinarily, drones flying around airports are thought of as a hazard. The AtlasNEST system, however, utilizes drones to fly over landing areas where problems may be occurring, in order to give control tower workers a bird's eye view. -
WASP M4-TL quadcopter can be folded up and rocket-launched into action
September 11, 2023In recent years, we've seen a few folding-wing drones that can be quickly and easily launched from a tube. The WASP M4-TL tactical UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) takes that same concept and applies it to a military-spec quadcopter. -
For the first time, AI dominates humanity's best in a real-world sport
August 30, 2023High-speed drone racing has just had a shocking "Deep Blue" moment, as an autonomous AI designed by University of Zurich researchers repeatedly forced three world champion-level pilots to eat its dust, showing uncanny precision in dynamic flight.
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Home Entertainment
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Asus aims for backyard movie nights with the ZenBeam L2 portable projector
September 25, 2023Asus has added another model to its ZenBeam range of portable projectors. The compact L2 short-throw entertainment hub comes with Android TV, Harman Kardon sound and a battery that's good for more than 3 hours of watching per charge. -
4K UST laser projector puts the focus on high detail and rich colors
September 22, 2023Last year, Casiris launched a successful Kickstarter for a 4K triple-laser ultra-short-throw projector called the A6. Now the company has moved over to Indiegogo for its latest model, an all-in-one Tri-Color streaming entertainment hub called the H6. -
Triple-laser projector throws big-screen 4K visuals from inches away
September 20, 2023California-based projector maker Nomvdic has announced its new flagship model, a triple-laser ultra-short-throw Laser TV capable of projecting 100-inch 4K UHD visuals from just inches away, supported by Harman Kardon sound.
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Deals
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Maximize your gains with this AI-powered real estate tool starting at $39.99
September 24, 2023Make better investment decisions in real estate investing or buying with Mashvisor, an AI-powered analysis tool. Grab the Lite Plan for $39.99 or the Professional Plan for $199.99. -
Enjoy music and your surroundings with over $40 off these headphones
September 21, 2023TL;DR: Don't miss out on conversations or awareness of your surroundings. Free your ears with these Open Ear Conduction Stereo Wireless Headphones, now only $33.99. -
This $43 smartwatch is compatible with Google Assistant
September 20, 2023TL;DR: Keep track of your health with a smartwatch and Google Assistant. Get this Health Smart Watch with activity tracking and Bluetooth calls on sale for just $42.99 (reg. $59).
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3D Printing
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Anker makes high-speed 3D printing even more affordable with the M5C
August 02, 2023Last year, Anker breezed into the desktop 3D printing space with the AnkerMake M5, launching on Kickstarter to test the market and fund production. Now the company has announced a more affordable follow up called the M5C. -
Revolutionary gel allows metal items to be 3D printed at room temperature
July 06, 2023Although there are several methods of 3D-printing metal objects, all of them involve heat – which isn't conducive to producing heat-sensitive electronics, among other things. A new gel, however, can be used to print such items at room temperature. -
"Bimetallic" 3D printing tech produces better, stronger metal items
June 22, 2023Different types of metal have different qualities, so combining them can result in items that outperform those made of any one metal. A new technique now allows such mixing to be performed by 3D printers, faster and easier than ever before.
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Computers
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Inventor ponders ethics of wiring human brain tissue into computers
September 22, 2023When you take 800,000 human brain cells, wire them into a biological hybrid computer chip, and demonstrate that it can learn faster than neural networks, people have questions. We speak to Dr. Brett Kagan, Chief Scientific Officer at Cortical Labs. -
With some 1,500 dead animals in its wake, Neuralink heads to humans
September 20, 2023Following years of controversy, including whistleblowers reporting of rushed experimental “hack jobs” that resulted in as many as 1,500 animal fatalities, Elon Musk's brain-chip implant company has begun recruiting for its landmark first human trial. -
Thunderbolt 5 delivers up to 3 times the bandwidth of its predecessor
September 13, 2023Intel has announced the latest in next-gen connectivity with Thunderbolt 5, a single-cable solution designed to deliver up to three times more bandwidth than its predecessor to benefit even the most demanding PC user.
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Games
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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. -
Smartphone-controlled GameNite console brings shared board games to TVs
August 31, 2023While there's nothing like playing board games with family and friends, old-school box-contained games do have their drawbacks. That's where GameNite comes in – it's a console that lets groups of people play phone-controlled games on their TV. -
Atari games like it's 1980 with "faithful recreation" of Atari 2600 console
August 23, 2023It's time to dust off your old Atari cartridges as the company again tries to tap into gaming nostalgia with an updated version of its iconic Atari 2600, which will ship with a 10-in-1 cartridge but also supports legacy 2600 and 7800 game cartridges.
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Laptops
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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. -
Spacetop AR laptop puts the screen on your face
May 19, 2023Seeking to free laptop users from small displays that limit functionality, Sightful has unveiled a laptop with no screen. Instead, AR glasses project a 100-inch virtual screen anywhere, transforming any space into a screen-filled portable office. -
Framework previews modular gaming laptop with upgradeable GPU
March 24, 2023Back in early 2021, a Californian startup revealed plans to launch a 13-inch laptop that users could upgrade, repair and customize. Now the company is about to launch the Framework Laptop 16, which will allow users to upgrade discrete graphics.
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Music
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Boss invites guitar players to jam wirelessly with the Katana Air EX
September 21, 2023Boss has added a new desktop model to its impressive Katana range of app-enhanced modeling amplifiers for electric guitar and bass. The 35-W Air EX allows for wireless connection between instrument and combo amp, and can also run on batteries. -
Concert-level Bluetooth speaker ready to rock your next dance party
September 20, 2023Those crazy soundsmiths over at Soundboks in Denmark have launched the fourth generation of the company's stupid loud Bluetooth speaker, which promises improved sonics and a longer battery life at full whack. -
Fender Vintera II 70s Strat review: Big vintage tone, accessible price
September 20, 2023The Made-in-Mexico Vintera line is only four years old, but Fender has overhauled it anyway. We've had the quirky 70s Strat for a week, and at less than half the cost of an American Vintage II, it plays beautifully and presses all the retro buttons.
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Robotics
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Toyota upends robot learning: New AI masters complex tasks in hours
September 19, 2023"We've had a bit of a breakthrough." Toyota, MIT and Columbia Engineering have shown off wild results from a new AI learning approach that massively accelerates how quickly robots can acquire new skills. It looks like a ChatGPT moment for robotics. -
"World's first humanoid robot factory" will ship Digits in 2024
September 19, 2023Agility Robotics is well into construction of a 70,000-sq-ft facility in Salem, Oregon, with the capacity to produce more than 10,000 units per year of the company's Digit humanoid robot – which will work alongside humans on the factory floor. -
Soft micro-combustion actuators unlock explosive robot motion
September 14, 2023Most robots use electric actuators, but this little fella packs a lot more punch. Researchers have created a new type of minuscule combustion engine that gives this tiny frog robot explosive leaping abilities, as well as fine movement control.
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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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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. -
Holoportation box is a sign of things to come for ASL learning
April 24, 2023At a teaching symposium earlier this month, the world's only liberal arts university for deaf students explored the potential for remote learning by testing out a life-size holoportation device called the Epic from Proto Inc. -
Logitech debuts Project Ghost videoconferencing booth prototype at ISE 2023
February 03, 2023Video chats came into their own during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing an audiovisual lifeline for fragmented families and remote colleagues in touch. But they seem rather flat compared to Project Ghost presented by Logitech at ISE 2023 this week.
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Wearables
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Apple adds double-tap gesture control to adventure-ready Watch Ultra 2
September 13, 2023If you thought that last year's Apple Watch Ultra was a pretty impressive adventure wearable, there was clearly room for improvement as the second generation launches – with a much brighter display, double-tap control and on-watch Siri. -
Oscilloscope Watch nears end of epic 10-year development journey
September 06, 2023The estimated shipping date for successful Kickstarters can often prove to be a bit ambitious, but backers of the Oscilloscope Watch project are finally being rewarded for their patience – almost 10 years after the campaign ended. -
ScanWatch 2 combines analog beauty with health-tracking smarts
September 05, 2023Though most smartwatches will offer analog-looking faces, companies like Withings have been offering a mix of both worlds for a number of years. Now the company has launched its latest flagship hybrid health tracker in the shape of the ScanWatch 2.
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Virtual Reality
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Sony's Mocopi system takes motion capture mobile
June 30, 2023Late last year, Sony launched a mobile motion-capture system in Japan that worked with a companion app to create a VR avatar for such things as gaming or chat. Now the Mocopi system is up for pre-order in the US. -
Face-worn tech could help bring smell-o-vision to the world of VR
June 06, 2023While we've seen multiple attempts to produce real-world odors in VR environments, many have involved cumbersome wearable devices. Chinese scientists have developed a much more streamlined system, which is applied to the skin below the user's nose. -
Apple enters the AR arena with Apple Vision Pro system
June 05, 2023After months of speculation, Apple has finally announced its house-brand augmented reality system. Known as Apple Vision Pro, the setup is described as being the company's first "spatial computer."
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