Oh God.SingedThis morning, a crew of six women — including pop star Katy Perry, CBS News broadcast journalist and TV personality Gayle King, and Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos' fiancé Lauren Sánchez — rocketed to an altitude of 66 miles, just past the internationally agreed-upon edge of space.The 11-minute journey on board Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket appeared to have left a lasting impression on Perry, who was emotionally stirred by the experience.During the trip, she reportedly broke into song, singing "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, which was originally conceived in the 1960s to bring a fractured nation together following the Kennedy assassination, the beginning of the Vietnam War, and widespread racial injustice.The other passengers, though? They encouraged Perry to sing one of her own hits instead.After all, what better time to advertise your own work than during an ultra-expensive and vacuous PR stunt that nobody but the participants have anything to gain from?Making SpacePerry said that the choice was inspired by some new-age mumbo jumbo."I’ve covered that song in the past and obviously my higher self is always steering the ship," she rambled, "because I had no idea that one day I’d be singing that song in space."After touching down, Perry got on her knees to kiss the dirt below her in a symbolic gesture.Not long after, the performer had an eye-roll-inducing answer when prompted why she chose to sing Armstrong's classic instead, arguing that wealthy one-percenters going for a thrill ride to space was somehow about female empowerment."It's not about singing my songs," she said during an interview following the launch. "It's about a collective energy and making space for future women. It's about this wonderful world that we see right out there and appreciating it.""This is all for the benefit of Earth," she added.But how exactly a brief trip to the edge of space is of any benefit to the planet remains to be seen.Unfortunately, while she didn't opt for her own work during the launch, Perry did promise to write an entire song inspired by her seemingly life-changing trip — an homage we could probably do without.More on the launch: Chat Relentlessly Mocks Katy Perry's "Space Trip"Share This Article

Shane Snider, Senior Writer, InformationWeekApril 14, 20254 Min ReadIvan Marc Sanchez via Alamy Stock President Donald Trump’s trade policies -- particularly with major tech exporter China -- stand to have a big impact on IT department budgets. While the saga of back-and-forth tariffs seems far from over, experts say there are ways CIOs can manage budgets to brace for outcomes.CIOs are under tremendous pressure with digital transformation needs rising with demand for GenAI at a fever pitch. With a volatile geopolitical and economic landscape, IT leaders face a real headache when it comes to planning.The ongoing trade saga has many economists warning of a coming recession. Last week, JP Morgan increased their prediction on the likelihood of recession from 40% to 60%, while S&P Global pegged recession probability at 35%.The Trump administration tariff saga began in February, starting with new tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China -- those tariffs were paused for 30 days and reinstated with some exemptions. Earlier this month, the administration announced a new package of “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of nations, which tariffs on China’s goods rocketing to 34%. After a severe US stock market rout, Trump paused the new tariffs (except) for those on China, sending stocks soaring back.The back-and-forth saw China retaliate, with Trump raising the total import levy for China’s goods to 145%; China shot back with 125% retaliatory tariffs on US imports. Late last week, Trump announced that certain electronics, semiconductors, phones, computers and flat screens would be exempted. However, on Sunday he wavered on semiconductor exemptions, and said that semiconductor tariffs would come soon. It’s unclear how long any exemptions would apply.Related:The trade war seems far from over, as China has so far refused direct negotiations with US leaders.Tech leaders are forced to try to keep up with a fluid situation with budgets that were already tight.The Cost of Trade Chaos“IT infrastructure will likely see significant price increases as major manufacturing nations face high tariff rates, especially in the US,” says Mark Moccia, vice president and research director for Forrester’s CIO practice. “The rising costs could balloon budgets and force CIOs to delay or prioritize the most important projects.”But with uncertainty about where the tariffs will land, IT leaders face a difficult task in adapting for increased costs. “Nobody has a clue where this is going to go,” Moccia tells InformationWeek in a live chat. “And it will change day-to-day. It’s really hard for CIOs to have to adjust in real time like that.”Related:According to Deloitte, IT budgets for companies average 5.49% of revenue. With new AI projects taking a bite out of that spend, increasing hardware costs could be a significant drain on tight budgets. In March, China’s exports jumped 12.4% from a year earlier as businesses stockpile tech and other goods to get ahead of tariff increases, according to Reuters.Large businesses with more cash on hand were in a better position to stock up, Moccia says.What Can CIOs Do?Jim DuBois, consultant, author and former Microsoft CIO, thinks there may be a silver lining.“The willingness to pause tariffs seems to indicate that the tariffs are more a negotiating tactic than something planned to continue,” he tells InformationWeek in an email interview. “CIOs should be opportunistic about needed purchases in the current uncertainty, thoughtful about how they can influence their own company’s pricing, and double down on using AI to drive efficiency and cost savings.”Forrester’s Moccia, co-author of the firm’s report, “Technology Leaders: How to Thrive Through Volatility,” cautions against knee-jerk cuts that could impact the company’s prospects.“CIOs and other tech leaders will need to proactively analyze costs, diversify sourcing, optimize inventory and prioritize the projects that don’t sacrifice critical AI ambitions,” Moccia says, adding that staff reduction should be the last resort. “We urge CIOs to lean more heavily into other methods of spend optimization before drastically reducing labor expenses. Minimizing cuts to IT staff will allow for existing personnel to buy down more technical debt [and] improve data management capabilities to set up AI deployments for success.”Related:Moccia says IT leaders can use lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.“We were in kind of a similar situation where we just didn’t really know where it was going -- with economic chaos in the markets and supply chain constraints,” he says. “And those persisted for a while. So, you did see some similar behaviors where organizations that were thinking ahead and had the capital went out and bought a ton immediately and brought it in-house. They had what they needed to execute. And others just sort of paused, or maybe they didn’t have the capital to take advantage. It’s a similar scenario.”About the AuthorShane SniderSenior Writer, InformationWeekShane Snider is a veteran journalist with more than 20 years of industry experience. He started his career as a general assignment reporter and has covered government, business, education, technology and much more. He was a reporter for the Triangle Business Journal, Raleigh News and Observer and most recently a tech reporter for CRN. He was also a top wedding photographer for many years, traveling across the country and around the world. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and two children.See more from Shane SniderWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

People like hot honey, right? That combo of sweet and savory has become huge in food in recent years. So why not hot ... salted caramel?One international chain is putting this thinking to the test, with KFC’s Philippines outlets currently offering what it describes on Instagram as “Salted Caramel Chicken.” (The Instagram caption reads: “Salted caramel on KFC Hot & Spicy Chicken? Crazyyyy…BUT CRAZY GOOOOD!”)READ MORE: The Craziest Fast Food Items EverFor now we’ll all have to take their word for it, as this item is available (at least for now?) in the Philippines, not in the United States.You can also get the salted caramel fried chicken as a sandwich as well.There’s even a video where you can watch chicken of various shapes and sizes get absolutely drenched in caramel sauce...I love a fried chicken sandwich. And I’m a big fan of salted caramel as a component in a dessert. (Salted caramel sauce on a cinnamon roll? Sign me up.) But salted caramel as a condiment on a sandwich? I don’t know about that.Okay, let’s face it; I would eat it. But I am a sick person. I’ll eat almost anything at least once. Whether I would eat it multiple times is another story. Then again ... is chicken with salted caramel all that different from something like sweet & sour chicken? Or fried chicken and waffles slathered in maple syrup? Those are both delicious. So perhaps this isn’t as outrageous as it first sounds.Even in the U.S., KFC is no stranger to experimental, even borderline avant-garde fast food items. After all, they were the chain that gave the world the “Double Down,” a “sandwich” that replaced the bread with two fried chicken patties, which were wrapped around a filling of cheese, bacon, and sauce. (Look, carbs are bad for you, right? So it only makes sense to ditch the bread in a sandwich. That makes it much healthier!)Again, this chicken is only available at the moment overseas. At the moment ... [ominous music swells]Get our free mobile appOnce-Beloved Fast Food Items That No Longer ExistThese defunct fast food items have gone down in history. Wouldn’t you love to eat them again?Filed Under: Chain Restaurants, Fast Food, Food, KFCCategories: Original Features

Sales Manager (Base salary of $1,500 + bonuses (earnings up to $3,000), Remote, Inbound Leads Only)About UsWe are a leading company in several states with 12 years of experience in the industry. We pride ourselves on professionalism, results, and providing a great work environment for our team.Who We're Looking ForAn experienced and ambitious sales manager with at least 1 year of experience. If you excel at handling inbound leads and closing deals, this opportunity is for you!What You'll DoWork exclusively with inbound leads – no cold calling!Consult with clients and help them find the best solutionNegotiate and close dealsMaintain CRM records🕘 Work Schedule: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM PST (Los Angeles Time)What We OfferBase salary of $1,500 + bonuses (earnings up to $3,000)Fully remote positionOfficial contract-based employmentComprehensive training and team supportWhat We Expect1+ years of sales experienceStrong communication and negotiation skillsAbility to manage and convert inbound leads effectivelyIf you're ready to grow your career and work with warm leads only, apply now!Send your resume or reach out to us directly!

One UI 7 was designed to showcase Samsung's AI ambitions, but a bug now appears to be getting in the way of momentum.

April 14, 20254 min readGoogle Is Training AI to Speak DolphinGoogle is developing an LLM that couldBy Melissa Hobson edited by Andrea ThompsonA pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) swims below the ocean surface in Bimini, Bahamas. Brent Durand/Getty ImagesDolphins are renowned for their intelligence and social skills. These large-brained marine mammals communicate using individualized signature clicks and whistles and even seem to recognize their own “names.” Big advances in artificial intelligence have renewed some scientists’ dream of eventually understanding what dolphins are saying. But what if we humans could also respond?Now a few researchers think a form of two-way communication with dolphins could be on the horizon. In collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology and the nonprofit Wild Dolphin Project (WDP), Google has announced progress on what the team has as the first large language model (LLM) for dolphin vocalizations, called DolphinGemma.WDP, whose scientists have studied Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) for 40 years, provided acoustic data from the species to train the LLM. Teams at Georgia Tech and Google then asked the model to generate “dolphinlike” sequences of sounds. “Half of it was background noise stuff that you expect from the ocean,” says computer scientist Thad Starner, of Georgia Tech and Google DeepMind. But the rest had authentic-sounding clicks, whistles and burst pulses—rapid sequences of clicks that dolphins often utter during fighting and other close-proximity behavior.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.“When I first heard it played back..., I was dancing around the room,” Starner says. He hadn’t yet been able to reproduce burst pulses using his conventional computer programs. Generating sound programmatically requires a human to write code, but LLMs create instructions for making new sounds independently, based on what they’ve learned from data.The team now wants to project how AI completes vocalization sequences—like “when I’m typing into Google and it’s finishing my sentence,” says WDP founder Denise Herzing. Manually, “it would take some 150 years to go through all the data and try to pull out those patterns.”Using AI analysis isn’t just quicker. It “could give us the opportunity to see patterns that, from a human perspective, we may not look at,” says Thea Taylor, managing director ofSussex Dolphin Project, who is not involved in the new project.If the LLM consistently returns the same answers, it might reveal a pattern. Reviewing WDP’s video data could then show researchers what the dolphins are doing when they make a specific sound: Are they, for example, playing with friends or fighting with a rival?The team also wants to explore how dolphins react when researchers present them with novel vocalizations—dolphinlike “words” made up by AI—to refer to items such as seagrass or a toy.To do this, the team plans to use technology called CHAT (cetacean hearing augmented telemetry). Developed by Starner’s team at Georgia Tech, CHAT involves something that looks a little like a Ghostbusters costume: a pack worn on a harness on a diver’s chest recognizes audio while a unit strapped to the forearm plays sounds. Two researchers play one of the LLM’s made-up dolphinlike sounds while holding or passing an object (essentially, naming it in “dolphin”), and then they observe what the dolphins do in apparent response. For example, might the animals mimic the noise to ask for the object?This is an interesting approach, but researchers must take care that they aren’t unintentionally training the dolphins, Taylor says. If the dolphins repeat the sound, “we have to think whether that’s actually an understanding of language—or whether it’s the same as teaching a dog to sit because they get a reward.”And it’s still unclear whether dolphins technically even have language. Arik Kershenbaum, a zoologist who studies animal communication at Girton College in England and isn’t involved in the project, thinks they do not. “Language is infinitely complex,” he says. “If you have a separate word for every object in your environment, that’s not a language.” There are limits, Kershenbaum says, to what dolphins can convey through their vocalizations.Dolphin whistles have variations in them, and we don’t know if these mean different things. “It’s not immediately clear that dolphins have words,” he notes. This is a potential concern; for LLMs to conduct their analysis, they rely on a wordlike sequence of symbols. This “big question mark” over whether two similar—but not identical—symbols (whistles) mean the same thing could make it difficult for AI to interpret the sequence, he says.It’s also worth remembering that this is just one population within one species, Taylor says. “Individual networks can have their own vocalization differences,” she adds.Kershenbaum compares the project to the film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: when the crew of the starship Enterprise tries to communicate with humpback whales, they can simulate whale song but not its meaning. “This is not about translation,” he says.So we aren’t going to have a what we usually call a “conversation” with dolphins anytime soon. If the animals do appear to recognise complex AI sequences as having meaning, however, “that still gives us a window into their cognitive abilities,” Kershenbaum says.Other groups, such as the Earth Species Project and the Project CETI (Project Cetacean Translation Initiative), are pursuing similar projects to decipher the vocalizations of crows and sperm whales.Humans often see language as the thing that sets us apart from animals. Herzing wonders if we’d have more empathy for dolphins if we could confirm that they use language. “Maybe [understanding them] would make us connect differently—and realize that these species have the right to a healthy existence,” she says.

Digital Foundry: hands-on with Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 - can the new Nintendo console handle it? It certainly looks the part - but an optimisation push is required before launch. Feature by Richard Leadbetter Technology Editor, Digital Foundry Published on April 14, 2025 Cyberpunk 2077 is a once-in-a-generation kind of game - perhaps the Crysis of its day, the ultimate benchmark title. Yes, you can play it on PS4 or Xbox One with varying levels of effectiveness, but it scales up to challenge even the most powerful PC hardware of the era, up to and including the mighty RTX 5090 - which makes its debut on Switch 2 absolutely fascinating. We've known it was coming for some time and it was great to see it feature (albeit somewhat briefly) in Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct, but now we've been hands-on. It's early days for the port, the version we played is already seven weeks old, but the experience is absolutely fascinating. And yes, we should clarify that reports that the version on display in Nintendo's event is the result of seven weeks' work is a misunderstanding. The game has been in the works for far longer than that. However, the code we saw is indeed a snapshot of the game as it looked almost two months ago - with the game set to release in parallel with Switch 2 itself in seven weeks' time. The other major topic of debate - whether the game is using Nvidia DLSS - also remains unknown. On site at the Nintendo showcase, a CD Projekt RED representative could neither confirm nor deny. What I found interesting about the reports from the New York and Paris events (which Digital Foundry did not attend) is how variable reports on Cyberpunk 2077 were. Some say it's impressive, others were not so kind. The truth is that the mixed response is based entirely on a mixed experience based on the build as it stands. There are times where it is truly impressive, but equally, it's clear that a good degree of optimisation is required to get a consistent experience - and it may well be that for a launch title at least, Cyberpunk 2077 may simply be 'too big' for Switch 2. Rich shares his hands-on impressions of Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2 as lead story in the latest episode of DF Direct Weekly.Watch on YouTube 0:00:00 Introduction 0:01:11 News 1: Cyberpunk 2077 tested on Switch 2! 0:16:54 News 2: Metal Eden PC demo has issues 0:31:04 News 3: Asus teases Xbox PC handheld 0:37:59 News 4: RTX 5060 Ti prices allegedly leak 0:51:46 News 5: Microsoft launches Muse AI Quake 2 experience 1:04:53 News 6: Switch 2 portable mode simulated! 1:20:42 Supporter Q1: What will future Nvidia and AMD handhelds look like? 1:27:37 Supporter Q2: What will PhysX development look like after being made open source? 1:32:00 Supporter Q3: Why doesn’t Switch 2 support 4K120? 1:36:16 Supporter Q4: Should Nintendo unlock higher Switch 1 clocks? 1:40:43 Supporter Q5: Will Switch 2 run Switch 1 games in their docked configurations in portable mode? I had access to the build running on both mobile and docked configurations and played with both performance and quality modes. The quality mode targets 1080p resolution, capped at 30fps, while the performance mode apparently targets 1080p at 40fps while docked, while the mobile performance mode attempts 720p at 40fps. What is beyond a shadow of doubt is that we are not talking about native resolution in any case: dynamic resolution is in play. Based on the asset released with Nintendo Direct, a minimum 540p looks likely for mobile play, while docked seems to operate from around 720p to 1080p. Those are highly provisional figures based on the very, very limited footage that has been shared. On-site pixel counting at an event isn't possible. Also interesting is that HDR10 is supported - and you're able to toggle it on and off on the video settings screen. HDR is something that the Nintendo Direct didn't showcase but it looks great with Switch 2 - the neon highlights on Night City, Dogtown and even on vehicle lights looking very impressive on the mobile screen. But let's talk about performance, because this is interesting. Our contention right now is that in terms of rasterisation performance from the GPU, Switch 2 offers capabilities broadly in line with a PS4 when docked - and notoriously, the last-gen versions of the game didn't perform particularly well. However, CD Projekt RED never released the Phantom Liberty expansion on last-gen systems and yet that's exactly what the firm showcased at the Nintendo event - it was the only save position provided. The Phantom Liberty expansion represents a step-up in terms of detail compared to the base game - and it's here that Switch 2 struggles. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Based on the current build, open world traversal in Dogtown hitches and stutters, while big firefights within that open world see frame-rate lurch and stagger. Traversal and open world gunplay posed big challenges for the last-gen consoles and so it is here, with the added complication of more onerous graphical content. The exact same problems manifest in portable play too, perhaps to a greater degree. However, indoor scenes fare better and I did play some of the base game's introduction sequence (the Street Kid variant, which kicks off in the bar used for the PC version's benchmark run) which did seem to suggest that the content was lighter and ran better overall. I can't help but wonder whether supplying a game save based in a less strenuous area of the game may have improved overall impressions - but at least the Phantom Liberty expansion does give us some idea of the challenges facing the developers as they move into the final weeks of the project. Those challenges appear to come from two fronts based on what we saw and our knowledge of the existing game running on PC and current-gen consoles. First of all, let's discuss the frame-rate issues with fast traversal through Dogtown. The same thing happens on consoles and PCs with less capable CPUs and I'd venture to suggest that Switch 2's CPU limitations are being brought to the forefront. Secondly, combat within the open world with numerous AI entities taxes both CPU and GPU in this game. Take a look at the off-screen footage in this week's DF Direct and you'll be able to see this in action. First-gen third-party games are rarely indicative of full system performance, but in terms of GPU rasterisation performance at least, Switch 2 seems to be in the PS4 ballpark.Watch on YouTube Elsewhere - for example in the Dogtown black market - there are some performance drops and I'd expect this to be related to GPU limitations, just as it is in the PC version of the game. My take on this is that CDPR is having to navigate twin challenges: maintaining the target 30fps frame-rate in quality mode, while at the same time keeping the lowest bounds of the dynamic resolution scaler reasonably high. One thing of interest is that the dip in performance seen in the Nintendo Direct footage when leaving the black market (a 23fps minimum) was not present when I visited the same area in the demo - which may be down to further optimisation or else different time of day and gameplay conditions. Something else about the choice of Dogtown as the gameplay venue for the demo is that I honestly couldn't tell the difference between the quality and performance modes. Both could drop frames quite heavily. Next up, is Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 using DLSS? The on-site CDPR rep didn't have that information and I've put in an email to hopefully find out, but viewers of the new DF Direct may find some of the Switch 2 mobile mode simulation tests I ran on a massively downclocked RTX 2050 interesting. The RTX 2050 is essentially a laptop 3050 with a 64-bit memory interface. Combined with a 750MHz core clock, you get theoretical performance in the ballpark of Switch 2 both in terms of compute and memory bandwidth. By lowering memory clocks and core clocks (I chose 420MHz) you should get very approximate Switch 2 mobile performance. Yes, I could improve on Cyberpunk 2077 performance using the PC version compared to what I saw on Switch 2, but that was with a 720p resolution limit, dynamic resolution scaling from 360p up to full 720p and with the DLSS CNN or Transformer models. But it looked rough: definitely worse than the Switch 2 experience. What's clear is that DLSS's computational hit with such a modest GPU is so large that it means that developers will need to carefully balance using the upscaler up against using those resources for a higher base resolution. Increasing 'real' resolution gives a crisper image, while DLSS running from low resolutions only has a certain amount of information to work with: enough for a good-looking image in relatively static scenes, but not enough in faster motion. You can see my results in this week's DF Direct but an approximate 9.2ms for DLSS processing to 720p with the transformer model in DLSS 4 is way too high for the results you get. The older CNN model looks much the same but with a more palatable 5.6ms of processing time - but that's still very high for the quality you get. Do bear in mind that for 30fps, there's a total of 33.3ms of time to produce per frame, dropping to just 25ms for the 40fps quality mode. A simpler TAA-based upscaler would likely offer a much reduced cost, enabling much higher base resolution. One of the biggest Switch 2 questions of the moment - and here's what we think about this particularly hot topic.Watch on YouTube Those results are with the RTX 2050 clocked to be broadly in line with mobile Switch 2 GPU graphics performance, but what about docked? The numbers - based on the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark on PC with the 2050 clocked to 750MHz - look more interesting. A 6.35ms computational cost for the transformer model looks unviable but a mere 2.95ms for the CNN model, based on a 1080p output look more compelling. 540p upscaling to 1080p with DLSS's CNN model sees a 29.54fps result rise to 47.72fps - that kind of scaling factor may be too high, but it's certainly worth thinking about, especially when Nintendo's own DLSS-inspired patents are discussing exactly that kind of amplification. Of course, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that my tests on the RTX 2050 are the most approximate of ballpark and the CP2077 PC benchmark sequence is far from an actual stress test, but the point is that it highlights that DLSS is not a free lunch and what may be viable for docked play may not be for the highly resource-constrained mobile mode. Nintendo patents have hinted at the idea of some kind of lightweight version of DLSS which can't be ruled out, so it'll be interesting to see how the final game plays out and whether any form is DLSS is used at all. In terms of the Switch 2 port of Cyberpunk 2077 itself, it's clearly far from complete and I'm looking forward for the final game - but if the path forward is to dramatically optimise streaming, AI and environmental art in order to get consistent performance, that's a lot of work facing CDPR in what is a relatively limited amount of available remaining time - and even the best of the original Switch's 'impossible ports', including CDPR's The Witcher 3 conversion, there were some obvious performance challenges. However, Cyberpunk 2077 really is the benchmark game for testing a system's capabilities - and putting aside the frame-rate issues, even with the visual cutbacks, it's still a looker. Unlike Nintendo, CDPR doesn't have the luxury of building a complete game from the ground up for one specific system, so the challenge here is significant - and I can't wait to see how well the final product looks and plays.

From the major installations, showroom presentations, and, of course, the Salone del Mobile fair itself, here are the takeaways and top trends from Milan Design Week 2025 that have editors from AD’s global editions swooning.Heart of glassAt Milan Design Week 2025, glass emerged from the background—and not as invisible as one may think. These varieties were colorful and expressive, demonstrating exciting material mixes, vibrant surfaces, tiered levels and transparency that added both delicacy and delight. The glass of right now is not fragile, but rather confident that it can be the focal point of the room. Furniture and lighting in chunky, colorful, and glamorous designs exude main character energy.Striche gives glass a gummy-like allure with vibrant Murano pieces designed to light up any space. Photography courtesy of Matteo ZorzenoniMini-forms abounded too, like the Striche table, which means “to make large” in the Venetian dialect. Indeed, the small side table makes a big impression; its top, made of fused Murano glass, has a sugary, lustrous look. Made from mouth-blown Murano glass, Studio Urquiola’s modular Quadrato lights for 6:AM featured myriad surfaces with grooves, air bubbles, and a play of transparency and opacity that adds a tactile dimension to cold glass. –Katharina Schwarze, AD Germany6:AM’s Quadrato 36 chandelier in the basement of Milan’s Piscina Cozzi. Photo: Melania Dalle Grave6:AM presented Two-Fold Silence, its first solo show, set in the historic former public baths of Milan’s Piscina Cozzi. Photo: Melania Dalle GraveLighting pieces, including the Quadrato wall lamp, were installed throughout the space. Photo: Melania Dalle GraveTime for some funFrom left: Kyoto-based Suna Fujita’s tea set in the shape of a bird; Dan McCarthy’s watering can-like designs with egg-shaped faces. Photography courtesy of LoeweThis year, Milan Design Week seriously leaned into whimsy. Childlike wonder elevated everyday objects into something joyful and worth looking forward to using. Case in point, Loewe transformed the humble teapot into a fantastical piece via a global raft of artists, designers and architects. Spanish talent Laia Arqueros created a teapot inspired by the feminine form, blending Surrealism with sharp-tongued political commentary, whilst Dan McCarthy’s pieces were festooned with egg-shaped faces.Laila Gohar’s giant bed for Marimekko in the brand’s archival candy cane textiles. Photo: Sean DavidsonThe immersive setting dedicated to “all the things we do in bed” served as a launchpad for Gohar’s capsule collection with Marimekko. Photo: Sean DavidsonTeasing her upcoming collection with Finnish design brand Marimekko, New York-based conceptual artist Laila Gohar invited loungers into a giant-sized bed decorated in the brand’s archival chunky stripes by Maija Isola. Visitors could read or eat french fries in bed. Certain sections were actually cake, which was eventually sliced up and passed around.Richard Hutten has layered Jaipur Rugs’ traditional designs with blobs of vibrant colors. Photo: Neville SukhiaOne of the new Jaipur Rug creations features banana skins. These playful motifs are part of the woven design (and not applied or embroidered on top). Photo: Neville SukhiaFor a more somber take on childhood pursuits, try Michael Anastassiades’s sculptural Cygnet lights informed by the shape of flying kites or invest in a Richard Hutten design for Jaipur Rugs: Inspired by Holi, the Hindu festival of color, he has layered traditional rug designs with blobs of vibrant hues and even banana skins. (Hello, Maurizio Cattelan’s Taped Banana!) –Pratyush Sarup, AD Middle EastThe Surrealist resurgence continuesMarcin Rusak presented his exhibition “Ghost Orchid” in the former Pasino greenhouses. Photo: Piergiorgio SorgettiIn 2020, Surrealism experienced a new moment in time for its 100th anniversary. Opinions are still divided when it comes to the art movement, but the writing’s on the Milanese walls: Absurdly beautiful references are making a comeback, albeit in subtler ways than in Dalí’s days. This year’s Milan Design Week offered it an opportunity to break free from conventions to explore new creative directions. In the Pasino greenhouses, Marcin Rusak’s 3D-printed PLA sculptures, called Ghost Orchids, transported visitors to entirely different realms.Dimoremilano designed furniture for Loro Piana that was shown in the setting of the production La Prima Notte di Quiete. Photo: Andrea FerrariLoro Piana and Dimoremilano showcased theatricality at its finest: For their collaborative performance, titled La Prima Notte di Quiete, red velvet curtains (from the foyer of an imaginary vintage cinema) peeled back to a set resembling a fully-furnished house inspired by an apartment from the 1970s and 1980s. Here, Dimoremilano unveiled its expressive furniture for Loro Piana Interiors—the Quarona poufs and coffee tables included. Broken shards of dinner plates and glasses, clothes scattered on the floor, unfinished drinks made for beautiful chaos, set to an immersive light and sound show. And it is precisely in this setting that Surrealism staged a thunderous comeback. –Anna-Lena Reith, AD GermanyGolden weaveAllegra Hicks’s new collection, Napoli Future Nostalgia, features intricate frames made from brass cast into crochet-inspired designs. Photo: Filippo PincoliniFrom lace that women needled for their daughters’ trousseau to museum-hung tapestries with depictions of victory and folklore, a woven piece is an intricate assemblage of personal and collective memories. The act of weaving is both a skill and a ritual, one that transcends time to remain traditional yet cutting-edge, everyday yet precious. Allegra Hicks’ new collection, Napoli Future Nostalgia, presented at Nilufar Depot during Milan Design Week 2025, is an ode to that sense of duality. It’s a quietly radical capsule—eight pieces in total—featuring intricate bronze frames, crocheted into shape by artisans in Naples using the centuries-old lost-wax casting process. “I love the contrast between something that feels masculine and strong and something that’s delicate and traditionally feminine,” Hicks says. “It’s about transformation—of material, of meaning.”A close-up of the woven brass edge from one of the coffee tables by Hicks. Photo: Filippo PincoliniIn their traditional form, weaves don’t get more ethereal—or luxurious—than Hermès’s new H Partition cashmere throw featuring delicate hand-woven chevron patterns, interwoven with 24-carat gold powder. “The natural ivory cashmere, combined with gold, represents the lightness we always aim for at Hermès, but with a rarefied elegance that feels both timeless and modern,” says Florence Lafarge, the maison’s creative director for home textiles. –Talib Choudhry, AD Middle EastNovel embroideryA detail of the embroidery on the wood for the Nullus Locus project. Photo: Luca RotondoWith “Nullus Locus,” Massimiliano Locatelli, together with fashion expert Fabio Zambernardi, welcomed a new challenge: embroidery on wood. As a result, metallic stitches adorn vases, boiseries, cupboards, chairs, tables, and an entire room. Clay also became a new form of textile thanks to the genius of the Diego Olivero Studio; all the way from Guatemala to Alcova, the atelier creates tapestries out of clay and rope. At Nilufar Gallery, a beautiful work by Bogotá-based Jorge Lizarazo unfolded in a Tatami weave of natural and metallic fibers. And in Sonora, Luce Couillet with JAD at Labò created a textile from wood and cotton. Ancient techniques are indeed finding newer ways of expression. –Valentina Raggi, AD Italia“Nullus Locus,” a collaboration between Massimiliano Locatelli and Fabio Zambernardi. Photography courtesy of Massimiliano LocatelliThe case for overhead lightingBrian Sironi’s Multidot for Martinelli Luce redefines the chandelier as a constellation of glowing orbs on cascading cables. Photography courtesy of Martinelli LuceMariah Carey may have sounded the death knell for overhead lighting, but just like Christmas jingles, not all overhead lights are created equal. At Milan Design Week 2025, ceiling fixtures took back their power from TikTok influencers. Think of this new generation as jewelry for your room—sculptural, customizable, and surprisingly warm. Brian Sironi’s Multidot for Martinelli Luce reimagines the chandelier as a constellation of glowing orbs, suspended on fine cascading cables, like strings of pearls.Cycad, Joe Armitage’s new nature-inspired ceiling lamp for Nilufar. Photography courtesy of NilufarJoe Armitage’s Cycad collection for Nilufar takes cues from tropical plants at London’s Kew Gardens—its sculptural brass and walnut form glows like a hothouse after dark. Foscarini’s Asteria fixture by Alberto and Francesco Meda pares back the chandelier to curved aluminum arms and warm, integrated LEDs. And Map, a ceiling mounted track light system designed by Geckler Michels for Lodes, is all about innovation: It uses a single electrical connection and a conductive tape system that powers every module, bringing a new kind of freedom to tailoring your space. Overhead lighting isn’t over—it just needed a glow-up. –Mona Basharat, AD Middle EastLighting, elongatedLight Knit by Cecile Feilchenfeldt and Karla Huff. Photography courtesy of Cecile FeilchenfeldtWhen it came to shape, lighting fixtures were also elongated and delicate. Cecile Feilchenfeldt and Karla Huff’s latest designs, exhibited at the Swiss Pavilion, featured lamps with knitted coverings. At 5Vie, Dutch studio Rive Roshan presented its version of the floor lamp: a geometric and minimalist (but no less colorful) object reaching for the Moon. –Annabelle Dufraigne, AD FranceA stoic floor lamp by Dutch studio Rive Roshan. Photography courtesy of Rive RoshanBack to the ’60sThe Bibliothèque Rio de Janeiro bookcase (1962), one of the unseen Charlotte Perriand designs presented by Saint Laurent at Milan Design Week 2025 Photography courtesy of Saint LaurentBaxter has unveiled its new West Coast Aesthetics collection. A tribute to 1960s Californian design, the pieces blend modernist elegance and material experimentation. Combining tables with worked bases, fine leather, chromed metal seating, and sculptural lamps, the new line is inspired by midcentury-modern style, reinterpreted for 2025 and beyond. Midcentury-modern was also very much in evidence at Minotti, in the designs of Hannes Peer and Giampiero Tagliaferri. At Pedrali, the ’60s roared again, with inspiration drawn from the Case Study Houses Program, an American research movement created to explore innovative, functional, and sustainable housing solutions. Not to mention the Charlotte Perriand showcase by Saint Laurent, which included 1962’s Rio de Janeiro bookcase in wood and rattan. –Marina Hemonet, AD France…and a ’70s revivalYes, you knew it. We knew it. But now, Salone del Mobile 2025 has confirmed it: Marset is reissuing a beautiful lamp from the 1970s; Edra is doing the same with its iconic models, featuring new fabrics; and Roche Bobois is reimagining the first version of its famous Mah Jong sofa, too.Roche Bobois’ limited-run reissue of the iconic Mah Jong sofa featuring prints and stills from Pedro Almodóvar movies. Photography courtesy of Roche BoboisLet’s break it down: The lamp in question is Lauro, designed by P. Aragay and J. Pérez Mateo in 1973. As for Edra, the spirit of the ’70s can be seen in the new finishes and fabrics—more shine and more color—coming to its most iconic models, like Standard and BOA. And finally, the Pedro Almodóvar collaboration is indeed something to shout about: The director, known for his explosive use of color, has teamed up with Roche Bobois for his new collection, Cromática. In it, we find a special edition of the 1971 Mah Jong sofa, reissued with images and posters from his films, with only 50 signed pieces to be sold. The series also includes other pieces co-developed by the director and the French brand, including a capsule collection in collaboration with one of Almodóvar’s muses, multifaceted artist Rossy de Palma. –Marta Sader and Marina Peñalver, AD SpainSo fauxFosbury Architecture’s “Silver Lining” exhibition at Nilufar Depot furry floors, columns, and seats, all reflected by a mirrored roof above. Photo: Alejandro Ramirez OrozcoIn collaboration with Marcel Wanders, Fischbacher 1819’s Ancient Memories capsule collection is a textile archaeology that journeys through time. Photography courtesy of FischbacherAfter making a mark at all the major fashion shows of the winter just past, faux furs are conquering the world of interior design. From furniture collections (such as the 1973 Botolo dining chair by Cini Boeri, now available in a fur version, or the Me-Time sofa by Garcia Cumini for Moroso) to fabrics for upholstery and curtains (like the new Ancient Memories collection by Marcel Wanders for Fischbacher 1819 or Dedar’s Thank You For Sending Me An Angel range), faux fur surfaces promise a nostalgic gaze to the 1970s, whilst embracing a very current desire for softness and visual sensations.Garcia Cumini’s Me-Time sofa for Moroso invites you into their richly imaginative world. Photo: Studio EyeAmong the 2025 Milan Design Week installations, one that will leave a lasting impression is the immersive “Silver Lining” by Fosbury Architecture at the Nilufar Depot. Transforming the atrium into a sensory experience, pink and burgundy fur wrapped a maze-like space, setting the scene for a 1970s style display. The showcase explored the infinite expressive possibilities of metal, the absolute protagonist of a monochromatic landscape of fluid geometries and shifting reflections. Here, work by contemporary creators including Supaform, Studioutte and Flavie Audi, Destroyers/Builders, Wendy Andreu and Bram Vanderbeke, Odd Matter, Irene Goldberg, and Michael Schoner rubbed shoulders with creations by past masters such as Gio Ponti, Marzio Cecchi, Pietro Chiesa, Gabriella Crespi, Mario Bellini, and Nanda Vigo. –Elena Dallorso, AD ItaliaDedar’s new collection strikes a lively rhythm through bold material and technique variations. Photo: Andrea FerrariBuccellati presented a broad range of intricately decorated wild creatures in silver. Photo Courtesy of BuccellatiAt Buccellati, life-like creatures from the air, land, and sea—all intricately crafted in silver—were presented in a layered, immersive setting. Elsewhere, L’ Appartamento by Artemest showcased Piero Manara’s Lizzy Ostrich cabinet, featuring a belly that houses a cocktail set, and the 5Vie festival welcomed visitors with a giant mobile fish sculpture created by Sagarminaga Atelier from straw fibers. –Annabelle Dufraigne, AD FrancePiero Manara’s Lizzy Ostrich at L’Appartamento by Artemest opens to reveal a bright red drinks cabinet. Photo: Fratelli BoffiCoveting CubismLemon’s A Room with a View collection channels the romance of Italian villas, where past and present meet. Photo: Inge PrinsThe cube is in. All around Milan Design Week, furniture took thick, blocky forms. In Apollo, Studioutte’s monochromatic presentation, the up-and-coming design duo took cues from minimalist master Jean-Michel Frank, creating a poplar-paneled boiserie surround for their sleek, cubist dining furniture. Knoll also reissued slick, glass, and steel box-tables by ’80s design icon Joe D’Urso. Around town, boxy chairs—think arms that rise to the height of the back—were everywhere, from Lemon’s Alcova presentation as a loose tribute to Josef Hoffmann, to Fendi Casa, where one chair was assembled from wood scraps by Lewis Kemmenoe, to artist Garance Valle’s debut furniture collection in collaboration with Monde Singular. And at the always-experimental Drop City, architect Sam Chermayeff pushed the idea furthest with a show of literal boxes that include everything from Sabine Marcelis’ iconic resin candy cube to shipping crates. –Hannah Martin, AD USAt Fendi Casa, a steel and leather armchair by Lewis Kemmenoe featuring paneling assembled from wood scraps. Photograhy courtesy of FendiAsymmetric curvesDesigned by Monica Armani, Lago’s Chapeau table featuring an off-centered, curved cantilevered top. Photography courtesy of LagoCurves have been in charge for the past five years. What we hadn’t noticed so obviously, until now, is a growing love for the irregular, asymmetrical curve. Tribù, for example, has launched two outdoor sofas in sinuous lines, while Lago expresses its pursuit of dynamism through the Chapeau table, the result of a collaboration that began in 2024 with Monica Armani.Italian designer Roberto Lazzeroni’s Meridies outdoor table for Expormim. Photo: Maria MiraExpormim is embracing the trend with its Mediterranean-inspired outdoor furniture. “Meridies is a summer dream come true,” shares a brand rep. “Inspired by Expormim’s signature material, rattan, but crafted from FSC-certified sapele wood, Meridies is a journey back in time to our childhood—when after spending the morning at the beach, we’d return home and look for a shady spot to nap while waiting for the Levant breeze to cool down the afternoon.” This evocative memory takes the shape of natural elements like petals, seeds, or leaves, allowing the designer to delve into a sense of lightness that defines the asymmetrical curve. –Marta Sader and Marina Peñalver, AD SpainBack to natureA floral silhouette takes shape in studio 11(Eleven)’s filigree lamp. Photo: Piergiorgio SorgettiIn a fast-paced world with rapidly advancing technologies that make the impossible possible, some designers and brands this year are reflecting on what has always been there, what is becoming ever more precious: in these fluid times, nature always brings us back to the here and now. Whether in subtle reference or as a grand floral flourish, organically-inspired references overflowed at this year’s Salone. At Alcova, for example, studio 11(Eleven) presented a filigree lamp whose shade imitates a delicate blossom, while studio Touch with Eyes used shimmering shells for its Frutti di Mare collection. For “Bamboo Encounters,” Gucci commissioned artists and designers to reinterpret its iconic material for sculptural furniture and striking art. Bamboo, delicate blossoms, and ornaments also adorn the fabrics of the Hemispheres collection, which Hosoo realized with Dimorestudio. Combining Japanese and Italian styles, the fabrics were presented via the Magnolia collection by Osanna Visconti—a dream-like furniture series made of bronze in which delicate blossoms and stems wind their way onto screens, mirrors, and consoles. –Mailin Sophie Zieser, AD GermanyOsanna Visconti’s pieces featured in Dimorestudio’s latest collaboration with historic Kyoto textile atelier Hosoo, established in 1688. Photo: Silvia Rivoltella

The FTC called Mark Zuckerberg to the witness stand in its antitrust case against Meta. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 2025-04-14T20:45:20Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark antitrust trial brought by the FTC against Meta. The FTC claims Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp violated competition laws. Zuckerberg was the first witness to take the stand. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg had a "crazy idea" in 2022 for Facebook — purge all users' friends.This came to light on Monday after the US government put Zuckerberg on the witness stand as it faced off against Meta in a landmark antitrust trial that could result in the break up of the social media empire.In an internal 2022 email to the social network's top brass, Zuckerberg — fearful that Facebook was losing cultural relevance — proposed his big idea."Option 1. Double down on Friending," Zuckerberg wrote in the message that the government revealed during his testimony. "One potentially crazy idea is to consider wiping everyone's graphs and having them start again."By "graphs" Zuckerberg meant Facebook users' friends connections.Tom Alison, the head of Facebook, responded with some hesitancy."I'm not sure Option #1 in your proposal (Double-down on Friending) would be viable given my understanding of how vital the friend use case is to IG," Alison wrote, referring to Instagram.Zuckerberg replied that he didn't follow Alison's concerns. He also raised another thought."Do you have a sense of how much work it would be to convert profiles to a follow model?" Zuckerberg asked in his reply.Reminded of his idea while under questioning by a Federal Trade Commission attorney during day one of the trial, Zuckerberg said that Facebook never followed through with his most drastic plan."As far as I can tell, we never did that," the Meta CEO and founder, who wore a suit and tie, said.During his hours of testimony in a Washington, DC, federal courtroom on Monday, Zuckerberg said that Facebook has greatly evolved since he launched the platform more than 20 years ago and that its main purpose isn't really to connect with friends anymore.The FTC argues that Meta monopolizes apps that share content with friends and family."The friend part has gone down quite a bit," Zuckerberg testified.The Facebook feed, Zuckerberg said, "has turned into more of a broad discovery and entertainment space."Zuckerberg, who was the first witness called after the trial opened on Monday, is expected to be questioned for as long as seven hours.The FTC argues in its case that Meta, then called Facebook, violated US competition laws when it acquired Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.Meta's $1 billion acquisition of Instagram and $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp were intended to box out competition and dominate the social media sphere, the FTC says. The government argues these acquisitions were part of Meta's "buy or bury" strategy to maintain market dominance.The FTC said in court papers that Meta has maintained its monopoly position "in significant part" by pursuing Zuckerberg's strategy outlined in an internal 2008 email in which the CEO wrote, "It is better to buy than compete.""Meta has for many years reaped massive economic profits beyond what you would expect to see in a competitive environment," FTC attorney Daniel Matheson said in his opening statement earlier Monday.Mark Hansen, an attorney for Meta, argued in his opening statement that the government's case amounts to a "grab bag of FTC theories at war with the facts and at war with the law."Hansen slammed the FTC's lawsuit against Meta as "misguided" as he said that the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were not unlawful. There is no monopoly, Hansen argued, saying that Meta faces massive competition from rivals TikTok and YouTube.The case could be one of the most consequential antitrust trials in years. If FTC regulators have their way, Meta could be forced to sell off WhatsApp and Instagram.The antitrust trial is expected to last up to eight weeks. Judge James Boasberg will be the sole decider on whether Meta violated competition laws as there is no jury. Recommended video

Sage advice.Nintendo has revealed so much in the last two weeks that we're sure the odd announcement or two will have passed you by. So, just in case you missed it, amiibo is still alive!Yes, alongside the announcement that Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will be getting enhanced 'Nintendo Switch 2 Editions' on the new console, Nintendo revealed a fresh batch of Zelda amiibo to add to the ever-growing collection.Read the full article on nintendolife.com