Since its invention, the form factor of the airplane has been bird-based; both airplanes and birds remain aloft by having appreciable wingspans. And in broad strokes, the overall form of the airplane hasn't changed much in the past 100 years. Helicopters are modeled after no animal. With nothing to emulate, they were the first flying craft that had to find their own form. Designers of rotor-based drones, too, had to find their own forms. The market has largely settled on quadrotors in an "H" or "X" configuration. However, UAV manufacturer Ascent AeroSystems has completely rethought the form with their Helius model. It consists of a vertically-oriented body and just two rotors, one stacked over the other, in a coaxial arrangement. Stacking the two rotors generates more thrust per unit area while keeping the form compact; there are no bulky arms that need to extend outwards. This arrangement, the company says, makes the drones more compact and easy to store; allows them to carry heavier payloads; offers better reliability and, with its narrow profile, stands up better to harsh weather.The Helius comes equipped with a low-light camera system that can shoot high-quality video. It can track objects and is equipped with AI-enabled obstacle avoidance. It's fairly speedy, topping out at 45 mph, and has a flight time of over 30 minutes. And it weighs just over half a pound.It's also fairly expensive to produce; the price tag is $4,500, which is perhaps why Ascent is targeting industrial and government clients as well as law enforcement and emergency response units.Time will tell whether the coaxial design will creep into the consumer sector. It's not a stretch to imagine a future where quadrotors look like quaint early attempts to nail the drone's form factor.

AI is transforming almost every industry in more ways than ever thought possible previously. Its only fitting, then, that it transitions the size and possibilities of personal computers to exponential capabilities. To that accord, Asus has unveiled the Ascent GX10, a mini-supercomputer designed for your work desk. Created with NVIDIAs new GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip in the heart, the new PC is envisioned to bring transformative power to every developers fingertip.The tiny, white brick-like Ascent GX10, is a PC you can pair with your choice of keyboard and mouse and transcend into a world of limitless computing. The device, integrated with Grace Blackwell SoC, can put the power of a petaflops-scale AI supercomputer in the hands of developers, data scientists, and AI researchers, equipping them to push the boundaries of AI sitting right at home in front of their usual desk.Designer: AsusWith the ever-increasing size and complexity of generative AI models, the need for PCs with substantial memory and computing power is increasing manifold. The Ascent GX10, with 1,000 AI TOPS processing power and 128GB of coherent unified system memory, could make the powerful and efficient desktop solution developers now require when prototyping, tuning, and inferencing large AI models.The heart of the Ascent GX10 is the advanced GB10 Superchip designed by NVIDIA on the Grace Blackwell architecture. It has been specially optimized for compact form factor PC, which many other companies including NVIDIA, Dell and HP have come to embrace, and should soon have their iterations of the computers out. Leveraging the prowess of the GB10 chip and its Blackwell GPU comprising 5th generation Tensor Cores and FP4 support the Ascent GX10 can deliver an output of 1000 TOPS of AI processing power.This makes the GX10 a powerful and economical desktop proposition for managing large-scale AI models. It arrives in a compact white box with a carved pattern on top, has a visible power button, and a connectivity port. Under that hood, a high-performance NVIDIA Grace CPU with a 20-core Arm processor together with the 1,000 AI TOPS processing power and 128GB of unified memory can allow developers to carry out advanced AI model development and fine-tune or inference the latest generation of reasoning AI models of up to 200-billion parameters.In addition to enhancing data pre-processing, optimizing memory-intensive AI workloads, and real-time inferencing; Asus enables Ascent GX10 to seamlessly integrate with other systems. This is possible with the NVIDIA ConnectX network interface cards (NICs), which come integrated, and allow two GX10 systems to link together. The might of two of these little powerhouses can then, according to the company handle even larger models, such as Llama 3.1s 405 billion parameters.Beyond the local competence, the Ascent GX10 can let users seamlessly transition from desktop environments, and then on to accelerated cloud data centers without any code adjustments. This can permit AI developers, data scientists et al, to develop AI models without any computing limitations. Asus has not yet delivered a word on when the GX10 will launch or its pricing structure, but we are hopeful it will be in the accessible range.The post Asus drops Ascent GX10, powerful AI supercomputer that can fit in the palm of your hand first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Soviet Retro Apartment, designed by Lepo Bureau, is where mid-century Soviet aesthetics meet modern-day comfort. Functional simplicity reigns in this space. The rich textures and classic tones are reminiscent of Soviet-era interiors.In the Soviet Retro Apartment, the dark wood accents and vintage tilework are complemented by timeless furnishings. This results in an interior thats stylish but rooted in history. Get inspired by this space that merges nostalgia and contemporary refinement.The living room in the Soviet Retro Apartment is dominated by a boxy leather sofa in a medium brown tone. It has sleek stainless steel legs. Theyre not very visible, creating the effect of the sofa floating in the air. This is a trick to making a small space feel bigger. The coffee table is minimalist, with a wooden top resting over metallic legs. On one end of the living area is a large bookshelf housing decorative accessories. We also see a reading nook with a chair and a black side table and floor lamp, allowing residents to have a designated area for reading.This apartment follows an open floor plan. Light oakwood cabinetry covers the kitchen wall, while the countertops provide space to keep appliances. The range hood is nice and minimalist, while the small cubed tiles add visual interest.In the vacant space between the kitchen and living area is a dark wooden dining table. The chairs are compactlooking a lot like bar stools youd see paired with kitchen islandsmaking sure theres optimal functionality while saving space. The table is beautifully lit by daylight entering the large windows.A minimalist bed with soft upholstery takes center stage in the bedroom. On one side is a compact nightstand providing room to keep quick essentials, and this is paired with a pendant light. On the other end is a compact dresser with a mirror and organically shaped chair. We also see a wall-mounted globe light. This asymmetric setting creates a contemporary impact in the otherwise Soviet-inspired bedroom.A wooden workstation in the bedroom gives hoemowners a designated spot for working the day away. No matter what the size, your home should cater to your specific needs!This bathroom is spacious, housing a double vanity so both partners have their own space to get ready. A compact bathtub is covered in light-hued tiles. Simultaneously, a darker recessed shelf is illuminated with integrated LED lighting.Another bedroom in the Soviet Retro Apartment features a compact, dark wood vanity. This one has a segregated shower cubicle and a wall-mounted toilet to save space.

Ahead of the Switch 2 launch Nintendo is becoming an inspiration in the AI era.

GIMP 3.0 makes the image editing software a more viable option.

This compact resistance machine lets you lift weights and get in your cardio, and it has thoughtful safety features.

Arriving in April, this midrange Android smartphone gets a bigger battery, a brighter screen, and even more AI.

MacworldApple has long been rumored to be working on a smart home control tablet, which many have dubbed HomePad. The device will reportedly feature a new interface that lets users control their smart home accessories, view relevant data like the temperature and weather, FaceTime their contacts, and more. It wont have an App Store, it is said but will feature purpose-driven Apple apps and services.While the company doesnt typically acknowledge unreleased projects publicly, the new Food section in the Apple News app and other iOS 18.4 changes all but confirm the HomePad is on the way.The UIs have itFor those unfamiliar, iOS and iPadOS 18.4 (currently in beta) introduce a new Food section in the Apple News app, for News+ subscribers. The tab highlights nutrition-related news, diet recommendations, and other food-related articles. More importantly, it integrates an extensive recipe catalog, letting you view the ingredients and cooking directions without needing to skip through the fluff and backstory typically bundled with online recipes.Upon entering the recipe catalog on my iPad for the first time, I was immediately struck by its user interface. The tab features gigantic buttons with noticeably large touch targets not seen in other native iPad apps. It feels like an experimental sneak peek of the HomePads interface rather than software specifically designed for the iPad.After starting a random recipe, the steps were displayed in huge typography on my iPad. The text is massive, and I could easily read it from across the room. Its almost like the UI belongs to a product youd mount to a wall or rest on the counter, not a tablet you hold in your hands.FoundryThe well-thought-out view isnt limited to oversized elements. When following a recipe, you can quickly start a timer by hitting the mentioned duration in the directions. This takes the Clock app and Siri out of the process and makes it a one-tap featureperfect when following along with a recipe. The implementation is invaluable to cooks; when your hands are covered in messy ingredients, you can effortlessly tap the display with your wrist, knuckle, or nose to start a timer.Baking in the frameworksBeyond the user-facing Food section, the latest betas of iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS 18.4 include a few under-the-hood tweaks that further point to an imminent HomePad launch. Starting with tvOS, the latest prerelease build adopts the ChatKit framework that handles some iMessage features. Given that Apple TVs and HomePods dont offer the Messages app, its almost certain that the implementation is designed for the HomePad. After all, the smart home hub will likely run a modified version of tvOS that unlocks iOS-like features not available on the Apple TV, such as texting.Similarly, iOS 18.4 introduces a fresh CookingKit framework that could add more recipe-related features at the system level. So, for example, users may be able to search for a specific recipe by searching for an ingredient in Spotlight. This proves that the Food section in Apple News isnt just a minor addition that the company will later neglect. Its building an entire system around it, potentially committing to serious development and upgrades in the coming years. Yet again, this suggests the HomePad is on the horizon, as its assistance in the kitchen is expected to be one of its key selling points.FoundryThe iOS 18.4 beta also references a new Home category in Apples product lineup, further indicating the HomePad release is right around the corner.Spicing up SiriWith iOS 18.4 beta, Apple also added a ton of new actions to the Shortcuts app, providing users with granular control over system apps and laying the groundwork for a big Siri update. When Apples virtual assistant adopts the new App Intents, users will be able to almost fully control apps via voice commands. This will tie well with Apple News Food section on the HomePad, as youll likely be able to have Siri initiate the bundled timers and scroll through the steps instead of awkwardly tapping with your nose when your hands are occupied or walking to the wall where its mounted.The new Siri will play a big role in the HomePad since it is likely to heavily rely on hands-free input. Siri in its current form isnt smart or powerful enough to run a device like HomePad, but an updated version is on the way. It was supposed to launch this spring, but now that the big Siri upgrades have been pushed back to the coming year, Apple is likely to delay the HomePad as well. HomePad needs to coincide with a time when Apple can at least promise the new Siri is coming soon, which means a fall release at the earliest.Voice commands will be critical to HomePad, so Apple cant launch it with the improved Siri so far away.FoundrySomething is comingiOS 18.4 proves that the HomePad is no longer just a theoretical device or prototype lying in some secret Apple basement. The companys latest software updates share as-close-to-concrete evidence that the project is actively being built, and its release could realistically follow before the year-end. Earlier rumors pointed to a spring release, but the recent Siri delays may have reportedly bumped that back to later in the year. A spring launch would now mean the HomePad doesnt include the hotly anticipated Siri features and thats unlikely to happen. Whats more, Apple is expected to introduce the biggest design and interface overhaul in years when iOS 19 and macOS 16 are released this fall. That new design, which will reportedly streamline the interface across devices, could debut in HomePad, but with the Siri delays, it makes more sense to launch the HomePad closer to when iOS 19 arrives.Beyond the Food section in Apple News, the specific frameworks in iOS and tvOS, as well as the declaration of the Home device category in the code, reveal that the HomePads first official preview is nearing. One possibility is a WWDC reveal in June, with shipping in the fall. Apple could also unveil HomePad at its September iPhone event (though the iPhone 17 appears to be a larger-than-usual launch). Or perhaps Apple will hold a dedicated smart home event in October in the slot usually reserved for Macs.But whenever it arrives, thanks to iOS 18.4 we know one thing for sure: Apple is working on something big.

This is todays edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of whats going on in the world of technology.4 technologies that could power the future of energyWhere can you find lasers, electric guitars, and racks full of novel batteries, all in the same giant room? This week, the answer was the 2025 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit just outside Washington, DC.Energy innovation can take many forms, and the variety in energy research was on display at the summit. ARPA-E, part of the US Department of Energy, provides funding for high-risk, high-reward research projects. The summit gathers projects the agency has funded, along with investors, policymakers, and journalists.Hundreds of projects were exhibited in a massive hall during the conference, featuring demonstrations and research results. Here are four of the most interesting innovations MIT Technology Review spotted on site. Read the full story.Casey CrownhartIf youre interested in hearing more about what Casey learnt from the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, check out the latest edition of The Spark, our weekly climate and energy newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.Join us today to chat about chatbotsChatbots are changing how we connect to each other and ourselves. But are these changes for the better, and how should they be monitored and regulated?To learn more, join me for a live Roundtable session today at 12pm ET. Ill be chatting with MIT Technology Review editor Rachel Courtland and senior reporter Eileen Guo, and well be unpacking the landscape around chatbots. Register to ensure you dont miss out!The must-readsIve combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.1 A French scientist was denied US entry over anti-Donald Trump messagesUS authorities claimed the exchanges criticising the Trump administrations research policy qualified as terrorism. (Le Monde)+ Frances research minister is a high-profile critic of Trump policy. (The Guardian)+ Customs and Border Protection is cracking down at airports across the US. (The Verge)2 RFK Jr wants to let bird flu spread through poultry farmsExperts warn that this approach isnt just dangerousit wont work. (Scientific American $)+ A bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in Scotland. (BBC)+ How the US is preparing for a potential bird flu pandemic. (MIT Technology Review)3 Clearview AI tried to buy millions of mugshots for its databasesBut negotiations between the facial recognition company and an intelligence firm broke down. (404 Media)4 Top US graduates are desperate to work for Chinese AI startupsDeepSeeks success has sparked major interest in firms outside America. (Bloomberg $)+ Four Chinese AI startups to watch beyond DeepSeek. (MIT Technology Review)5 Reddit has become a lifeline for US federal workersUnpaid moderators are working around the clock to help answer urgent questions. (NYT $)+ The only two democrats on the board of the FTC have been fired. (Vox)+ Elon Musk, DOGE, and the Evil Housekeeper Problem. (MIT Technology Review)6 The European Commission is targeting Apple and GoogleIts proceeding with regulatory action, despite the risk of retaliation from Trump. (FT $)+ It has accused Alphabet of favoring its own services in search results. (The Information $)+ Metas AI chatbot is finally launching in Europe after all. (The Verge)7 AI agents could spell bad news for shopping appsDoorDash and Uber could suffer if humans outsource their ordering to bots. (The Information $)+ Dunzo was a major delivery success story in India. So what happened? (Rest of World)+ Your most important customer may be AI. (MIT Technology Review)8 This startup is making concrete using CO2It combines the gas with a byproduct from coal power plants to make lower carbon concrete. (Fast Company $)+ How electricity could help tackle a surprising climate villain. (MIT Technology Review)9 This robot dog has a functional digital nervous systemAnd will be taught to walk by a real human dog trainer, not an algorithm. (Reuters)10 Dark matter could be getting weakerIf its true, it holds major implications for our understanding of the universe. (Quanta Magazine)+ Are we alone in the universe? (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the dayThe corrupting influence of billionaires in law enforcement is an issue that affects all of us.Alvaro Bedoya, a former commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission, speaks out after being fired by Donald Trump, the Verge reports.The big storyThe arrhythmia of our current ageOctober 2025Arrhythmia means the heart beats, but not in proper timea critical rhythm of life suddenly going rogue and unpredictable. Its frightening to experience, but what if its also a good metaphor for our current times? That a pulse once seemingly so steady is now less sure.Perhaps this wobbliness might be extrapolated into a broader sense of life in the 2020s.Maybe you feel it, toothat the world seems to have skipped more than a beat or two as demagogues rant and democracy shudders, hurricanes rage, and glaciers dissolve. We cant stop watching tiny screens where influencers pitch products we dont need alongside news about senseless wars that destroy, murder, and maim tens-of-thousands.All the resulting anxiety has been hard on our heartsliterally and metaphorically. Read the full story.David Ewing DuncanWe can still have nice thingsA place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet em at me.)+ Now that David Lynch is no longer with us, who is the flagbearer for transcendental meditation?+ Who doesnt love a little mindless comedyespecially when Leslie Nielsen is involved.+ Chinas pets are seriously pampered ($)+ The worlds oldest known cerapodan dinosaur, which were massive herbivores, has been discovered in Morocco.

New dummies practically demonstrate how the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will have a different rear casing, with a mix of metal and glass.Renders of what the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could look like: Render source - AppleInsiderMultiple dummies representing designs in the iPhone 17 family of smartphones have surfaced in recent weeks, giving an idea of what to expect from the new models. However, while the bulk of the attention has been on the new camera bump designs, a new set offers an idea about the rest of the rear's design.New dummies shared by Sonny Dickson on Thursday via X shows a collection of eight dummies for the iPhone 17 collection. The set prominently shows off the variety of camera bumps that have appeared in previous image leaks and models. Rumor Score: Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums