Chipolo has launched a new Bluetooth tracker that works with both Apple Find My and Google Find My Device networks. The Chipolo Pop comes in the same form factor and colors as the Chipolo One, which is one of Engadget's best Bluetooth trackers for 2025. But unlike One that only works with the Chipolo app, the company's Spot line that only works with Apple Find My and its Point-branded trackers that only work with Google's network, Pop is compatible with all three.  The Chipolo Pop has a range of 90 meters or 300 feet, longer than the older Chipolo models' 200-feet range. It's dust and water-resistant (IP55) and is powered by a replaceable CR2032 battery that can keep the tracker running for up to a year. Pop works with Apple's Find My network on iPhones installed with iOS 14.5 or later and iPads with iPadOS 14.5. Android phones and tablets must be running Android 9 or later with Google Play Services if you want to link them with the Pop tracker. Even if you technically don't need the Chipolo app, installing it will give you access to extra features like the ability to call your phone by double-pressing the tracker, as well as the ability to change its ring volume to up to 120 dB and to change its ring tone.  A single Pop tracker will set you back $29, but you can get a four-pack in various colors for $89 instead of $116. If you order straight from Chipolo's website, you could get your order as soon as April 20. You can also pre-order the tracker from Amazon, though the model will be released on the e-commerce website on April 30.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/chipolos-pop-bluetooth-tracker-works-with-both-apples-and-googles-find-my-networks-120014022.html?src=rss

Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.7 drops next week with a new story chapter and two S-rank agents to try.

Elon Musk is a visionary genius to some, unpredictable and dangerous to others. Love him or loathe him, Musk’s personality looms as large as his net worth. This is consistent with decades of scientific research highlighting a strong connection between personality and entrepreneurial talent.  There is a range of character traits and dispositions that make entrepreneurs different from others, especially when they succeed in their ventures. Psychologists often describe personality in terms of the Big Five traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism) and also warn about the “Dark Triad” of darker traits (Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy). Musk, unsurprisingly, scores off the charts in some areas and off the rails in others. He’s the poster child for innovative vision (high Openness) and relentless drive (high Achievement Motivation, which is a facet of Conscientiousness). But he’s also known for a combative, “my-way-or-the-highway” streak, suggesting rock-bottom Agreeableness and a solid dose of Narcissism. The latter is particularly noticeable in his reactions to criticism and negative feedback, which are typically unempathetic escalations intended to belittle and denigrate his critics. The Elon Musk Personality Checklist Below is a simple checklist to compare your personality against Elon Musk’s. Tally your Musk-score, and see where you stand—brilliance, flaws and all. Scoring high might be both a compliment and a warning, in the sense of predisposing you to both entrepreneurship and being dispositionally unemployable, as he is. Unbridled Imagination (High Openness to Experience) Do you constantly churn out big, crazy-sounding ideas that just might change the world? Musk’s visionary imagination is arguably his greatest strength. He dreams up electric cars, reusable rockets, hyperloops, AI interfaces—you name it. High “Openness” means loving novelty, innovation, and big-picture thinking. Musk exemplifies this trait: He’s curious, inventive, and not afraid to venture into the unknown.If you’re the type who has 10 new ideas before breakfast and gets bored with routine, check this box. It means you share Musk’s creative spirit—a key ingredient in entrepreneurial success. Just remember: Wild ideas are great, but execution matters most. Musk’s Openness works because he pairs it with intense drive, including an obsession for building and inspiring high-performing teams: Behind each of his ideas there is a leadership team pushing for successful implementation and execution. Obsessive Drive (High Conscientiousness and Ambition) Are you relentlessly hard-working, perhaps to the point of being an incurable workaholic, and someone who is perfectly comfortable with the notion of burnout or death-by-overwork? Do you set outrageous goals and refuse to quit until they’re achieved? Musk’s ambition and work ethic are the stuff of legend. He reportedly works 80 to 100-hour weeks, fueled by a mission.High Conscientiousness—especially the facets of industriousness, achievement striving, and grit—is a hallmark of many successful entrepreneurs. If you find yourself emailing the team at 2 a.m. and optimizing your schedule for maximum productivity, this is you. Flattering implication: You have the stamina and determination to achieve big things. Concerning implication: Work-life balance? What’s that? Remember that burnout is real—even Musk has described running a startup as “chewing glass and staring into the abyss.” Not something most people want to put up with, especially when they have the skills and talents to be employed by organizations that promote work-life balance. Fearless Risk-Taking (Boldness vs. Neuroticism)Do you embrace risk and chaos while others run for cover? Elon Musk famously thrives on tackling high-risk, high-reward challenges. He’ll pour his last dollar into a venture (he nearly went broke keeping SpaceX and Tesla alive in 2008) and boldly go where no CEO has gone before. This hints at a personality low in anxiety—Musk seems unusually calm under extreme pressure (low Neuroticism) and even finds thrill in it.That fearless attitude is a double-edged sword. If you stay cool in crises and take big swings, you share Musk’s bold resilience. But be careful: Low Neuroticism can veer into impulsivity or reckless optimism—a trait related to the psychopathic side of the Dark Triad. In fact, research finds over 1 in 10 corporate leaders show psychopathic traits (like fearlessness and thrill-seeking), far higher than in the general population. It can lead to innovation—or disaster. Ask yourself: Are you being brave, or just reckless? Charismatic Communication (High Assertiveness, Mixed Extraversion, and Attention Seeking)Are you able to rally others to your vision, or at least talk a big game? Musk is an interesting case: By many accounts he’s socially awkward and introverted (preferring engineering to small talk), yet he’s also a bold public figure when needed. He’ll take the stage to unveil new tech, charm audiences on podcasts, and wage war on X daily. This suggests Musk is high in the assertiveness and attention-seeking facets of Extraversion (he will make himself heard) even if he isn’t a classic people-person.If you’re someone who doesn’t shy from the spotlight when it’s time to promote your ideas—or you find yourself dominating discussions because you believe you’re right—check this trait. Flattering side: You can inspire others and hold court confidently. Caution: You might also steamroll others in conversation. Musk’s Twitter proclamations, for example, often show zero regard for social niceties. Speaking of which . . . “My Way or the Highway” (Low Agreeableness) Do people ever tell you that you’re, well, a bit harsh or insensitive? Do you find empathy and politeness overrated when it comes to getting things done? If so, you might share Musk’s notorious low Agreeableness. Musk is highly competitive, blunt, and sometimes abrasive—traits common in many high achievers. He has been known to fire employees (or cut off friends) who don’t meet his standards, and he’s not exactly the poster boy for tactful communication.Low Agreeableness can manifest as tough-minded leadership: You make hard decisions without losing sleep, and you won’t win any “Most Pleasant Boss” awards. You are so focused on getting ahead that you disregard the importance of getting along. If you checked this, you likely share Musk’s take-no-prisoners style. Upside: You won’t let personal feelings interfere with objective decisions—useful when tough calls are needed. Downside: You risk alienating others. Musk’s own successes often come despite his brusque demeanor, not because of it. Teams put up with tough leaders only if they truly deliver a great vision. Tread carefully: A little compassion goes a long way, even for a would-be world changer.Sky-High Self-Confidence (High Narcissism) Do you secretly (or openly) believe you’re destined for greatness? Perhaps you’re convinced you have the answers when everyone else is wrong. So do most narcissists, and Elon Musk’s self-confidence borders on classic narcissism—a belief in his own exceptionalism. To his credit, at least in his case, there is a clear argument for exceptionalism, but let’s not forget that most cases of sky-rocketing competence are more likely to signal delusional overconfidence and incompetence than brilliant or exceptional talents.He doesn’t just dream big; he believes deeply in his ability to bend reality to his will. Indeed, psychologists warn that narcissism is a double-edged sword. Yes, it often helps people emerge as leaders (we’re oddly drawn to confident, charismatic personalities), but narcissistic leaders tend to underperform in the long run. So if you tick this trait, keep your ego in check. As it turns out, self-belief can be useful for impressing others but self-knowledge is generally more important to improve your actual performance. Master Strategist or Manipulator? (Machiavellianism) Do you consider yourself shrewd and strategic, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals? Machiavellianism is the art of being a mastermind—focused on self-interest, sometimes at the expense of others. Elon Musk certainly plays high-stakes chess in business. He outmaneuvers competitors, leverages tweets to sway markets, and isn’t above a bit of showmanship or cunning negotiation. For example, his on-again/off-again antics with the Twitter acquisition (now X) showed a flair for strategic posturing.If you’re checking this, you might share Musk’s ends-justify-the-means mindset. Positive spin: You excel at big-picture strategy and don’t get bogged down by sentiment when making decisions. Negative spin: You might veer into manipulative or unethical territory if you’re not careful. High Machiavellianism can erode trust and morale on your team—no one likes feeling like a pawn. Musk’s own machinations have earned him as many detractors as admirers. Use your strategic smarts for good, and pair them with a moral compass. As the saying (almost) goes: With great power, comes great responsibility—not just great manipulation. Count up your checks—how many Musk-like traits did you tally? Elon Musk’s personality is a study in contrasts—brilliantly innovative yet deeply controversial. If our checklist shows you share some traits with him, there’s both cause for excitement and caution. Emulate Musk’s best qualities: his boundless curiosity, tireless work ethic, and courage to defy the odds. But learn from the darker side of Muskiness too: temper your ego, practice empathy, and remember that being a successful leader is not just about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about bringing out the best in others while chasing audacious goals. Importantly, even if Musk manages to mitigate the negative impact of his dark side on success, it is important to avoid getting carried away with generalizations that are based on extrapolating from a single individual to the overall population, not least when we have thousands of studies and decades of research suggesting the opposite: namely, more often than not, paying attention to other people’s feelings, caring about them and displaying empathy, and managing your dark side to the point of controlling your antisocial outbursts and making an effort to portray a positive image and prosocial reputation, will more likely help you to advance your career and increase your success levels. If you don’t believe this, then you’d better have the brilliance of Musk so that you don’t need to rely on being employed by others—for with his personality, you would not last more than one day.

In a world where technology is constantly evolving, there’s a growing appreciation for the charm and simplicity of the past. Retro-inspired products offer a unique blend of nostalgia and modern functionality, allowing us to relive cherished memories while enjoying the conveniences of today’s innovations. Whether it’s the tactile pleasure of a vintage typewriter, the aesthetic appeal of a classic handheld gaming console, or the timeless design of a retro camera, these products provide a delightful fusion of old and new. Here we have curated a collection of the top eight retro-inspired products that seamlessly integrate nostalgic design with contemporary features, bringing a touch of retro charm into your modern life. From audio devices to gaming consoles and beyond, each product offers a unique way to experience the past, while catering to the demands of the present. 1. SYITREN R300 The SYITREN R300 is a perfect blend of retro aesthetics and modern technology. Its vintage design, featuring clean lines and finishes in wood, white, and a playful fruit green, takes you back to the nostalgia of classic audio equipment. Recognized with a MUSE Design Gold Award, this CD player isn’t just about looks—it’s packed with features suited for today’s digital age. Supporting standard CD, CD-R, and CD-RW formats, it also plays digital audio files like MP3, WAV, and WMA. The Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity allows seamless integration with wireless headphones or speakers, offering flexibility in how you enjoy your music. The tactile dynamic area button enhances the retro experience, providing an intuitive way to control your music. What we like Seamless integration of retro design with modern functionality. Versatile connectivity options including Bluetooth and wired connections. What we dislike Limited battery life may not suffice for extended use without recharging. The retro design may not appeal to those with minimalist modern tastes. 2. Retro Handheld Gadgets Inspired by Winamp and Windows Media Player In an alternate universe, imagine if popular digital services like Winamp and Windows Media Player had their own standalone devices. These retro-style handheld gadgets evoke a sense of nostalgia, taking you back to the days when exposed screws and flat surfaces ruled the tech world. Designed with influences from iconic media players, these devices offer a tactile experience that contrasts sharply with today’s touchscreens. With their bold design choices, these gadgets are a tribute to the glory days of digital media, offering a unique way to engage with your favorite tunes while reminiscing. Sadly, these are just conceptual designs, because it would truly be delightful and quite exciting to get our hands on these super cool devices! What we like The nostalgic design brings back memories of early digital media experiences. The unique form factor offers a tactile user experience. What we dislike May lack the versatility and features of modern media devices. Not suitable for users who prefer sleek, touchscreen interfaces. 3. DIY WriterDeck The DIY WriterDeck is a digital typewriter that combines old-school charm with modern functionality. Built around a Raspberry Pi, it features a mechanical keyboard and a 7.9-inch LCD screen housed in a black wooden box designed like a vintage suitcase. With brass-like decorations, metal barrel hinges, and swing locks, it captures the essence of classic typewriters. This device is perfect for those who appreciate the tactile feel of mechanical keys and want to focus on writing without digital distractions. It’s a unique blend of retro aesthetics and modern technology, offering a creative outlet for writers and DIY enthusiasts. What we like Provides a distraction-free writing experience. The customizable design allows for personalized touches. What we dislike DIY assembly may be challenging for those unfamiliar with electronics. Durability concerns due to glue-based construction. 4. Instax Mini 41 The Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 camera combines vintage aesthetics with modern functionality, making it a perfect addition for photography enthusiasts. Building on the success of its predecessor, the Mini 40, this camera features a metallic finish and textured grip for a classic look. It introduces a new close-up mode with parallax correction and automatic exposure settings, ensuring better selfies and close-up shots. Whether capturing moments in bright outdoor settings or low-light conditions, the Mini 41 adapts to the environment for optimal photo quality. It’s a stylish throwback to instant photography with enhancements that cater to today’s needs. It is the perfect combination of the past and the present – offering the best of both worlds. What we like Improved selfie and close-up photography with modern features. Retains classic instant photo aesthetics with a vintage design. What we dislike Instant film costs may add up over time. Limited to physical prints without digital copies. 5. Songbook Max Tivoli Audio’s retro-modern speaker, crafted in collaboration with Soundwave’s creative studio new.ordinary, is a stunning fusion of art and audio technology that transcends the typical speaker design. This limited edition speaker, inspired by the timeless elegance of Porsche, is a rare collector’s item with only 60 units produced. It features rounded speaker grills that evoke the classic Porsche headlights, a cream color contrasted with a bespoke brown leather strap, and a sparkling chrome finish, all of which contribute to its sophisticated retro charm. The speaker represents more than just an audio device – it embodies a harmonious blend of creativity and craftsmanship that appeals to both audiophiles and design enthusiasts. Tivoli Audio’s CEO, Paul DePasquale, describes this collaboration as a celebration of music and style, capturing the essence of artistic expression in a functional yet aesthetically pleasing form. What we like Unique design combines retro aesthetics with modern sound quality. Limited edition status increases its desirability. What we dislike High cost due to limited production. May prioritize design over advanced audio features. 6. RETROVISION ’85 The Hautlence RETROVISION ’85 watch is a mesmerizing tribute to the nostalgic era of the 1980s, when pixelated graphics and robot toys captured the imagination of both children and adults. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Takara Kronoform toys, this limited edition timepiece transports wearers back to the golden age of skateboarding, arcade games, and futuristic fantasies. Its titanium base with a frosted finish serves as a canvas for the striking blue and purple PVD accents, which exude 1980s futurism while maintaining a sleek and sophisticated edge. The watch’s star feature is the Vagabonde Tourbillon movement, renowned for its hypnotic “wandering” time display that creates a captivating dance across the dial. The sapphire minute disc, adorned with applied numerals and Globolight rings that glow in the dark, ensures time-telling precision while showcasing the artistic brilliance of the design. What we like Unique design inspired by 1980s nostalgia. High-quality Swiss craftsmanship with impressive movement. What we dislike The complex design may not appeal to minimalist tastes. 7. Retroid Pocket Classic The Retroid Pocket Classic is a delightful homage to the classic Nintendo Game Boy, evoking the spirit of retro gaming with its thoughtfully crafted design. Embracing the aesthetics of old-school handhelds and consoles, this device is a nostalgic journey back to the golden era of gaming, offering younger generations a glimpse into the past while meeting the demands of modern gaming. The design features curves and colors reminiscent of the 80s and 90s, with a slight ergonomic grip for improved comfort. Although it doesn’t utilize cartridges, the Retroid Pocket Classic is equipped to support modern emulators, granting access to a vast library of both classic and contemporary games. What we like Retro design appeals to fans of classic gaming consoles. Supports modern emulators for a wide game library. What we dislike Limited by the absence of cartridge support. The ergonomic design may not suit all users. 8. The AYANEO AM01S The AYANEO AM01S is a retro gaming console that creatively reimagines the iconic Macintosh design, offering a unique blend of nostalgia and modern gaming capabilities. Initially introduced as a “Fake Mac,” the AM01S has undergone a thoughtful re-launch to enhance its functionality while preserving its vintage appeal. The most exciting upgrade is the addition of a 4-inch touch screen, which transforms the once-static black panel into a functional display. Users can flip the screen up to utilize it as a secondary or primary display, adding versatility to the console’s capabilities. This innovative feature allows the AM01S to serve as an independent and somewhat portable mini console, ideal for gamers who appreciate retro aesthetics but desire contemporary functionality. What we like Combines retro design with modern gaming features. Dual-display functionality enhances user experience. What we dislike May not offer the same performance as high-end gaming consoles. The design may not appeal to users seeking sleek, modern aesthetics. 9. Portable CD Cover Player Rediscover the joy of music with the Portable CD Cover Player, a unique media device that combines audio playback with visual artistry. This innovative player not only plays audio CDs but also includes a convenient pocket to showcase the album’s jacket art, allowing you to enjoy the visual elements while listening to your favorite tunes. Equipped with a built-in speaker and rechargeable battery, the CD Cover Player lets you enjoy your beloved albums wherever you are. Its minimalist design and wall-mountable feature make it an attractive and versatile addition to any home decor. It serves as a lovely nod to the past, bringing back the precious memories of mixtapes and record stores. Click Here to Buy Now: $199 What we like The rechargeable battery and compact design make it easy to enjoy music on the go. Displaying CD cover art enhances the visual appeal of your music collection. What we dislike Limited to audio CDs, which may not suit digital music libraries. 10. Retro 35W GaN Charger Called the Retro 35W GaN Charger, a charging brick that nostalgically pays homage to the original Macintosh computer. This charming device features the classic MacOS ‘smiling’ logo displayed on its miniature screen, instantly evoking a sense of nostalgia and tech history. For those who enjoy a bit of customization, the screen allows for a personal touch—swap out the MacOS logo with DIY stickers to add a unique flair to your charger. Powered by advanced GaN semiconductor technology, this compact charger delivers a robust maximum output of 35W. This ensures your iPhone or other devices receive a fast and efficient charge. The charger’s functionality goes beyond its primary purpose; when plugged in, the Mac-inspired screen lights up in a vibrant array of white, yellow, blue, and green hues. These colors provide a dynamic visual cue to indicate your device’s charging status, making the charging process both informative and visually engaging. What we like Provides up to 35W of fast charging power. Can be upgraded to a Travel Set compatible with UK, EU, and AU plugs for global use. What we dislike The matching retro cable must be purchased separately. The post Top 10 Retro-Inspired Products Designed To Bring Nostalgia and Modernity Together In Your Life first appeared on Yanko Design.

Rugged tech seems to be a hot trend right now, but who's buying it?

Up your home espresso-making game with these WIRED-tested foam makers.

Macworld The Macalope doesn’t like to complain (LOL). Really, when it comes down to it, being an Apple pundit isn’t a bad gig. Well, the hours are pretty good, anyway. Lately, however, it seems there are only two big topics in the Apple world and both of them suck. The first is AI. The Macalope agrees (albeit a little grudgingly because of its other, numerous faults) that AI can be a very useful tool, in certain well-defined use cases (like programming). It just has two real problems: companies trying to shove it into literally everything and the fact that it’s simply unreliable. You might get a correct answer out it, but you might not. Last month, The Verge’s David Pierce lamented that the current hype around AI was “wreaking a whole generation of gadgets”. Companies (cough, Apple, cough) are spinning their wheels trying to AI-ify all their products, adding “features” that no one asked for using a technology no one trusts, rather than working on new features. A plurality of Americans surveyed by Pew Research (PDF) believe that AI will have a negative effect on the U.S. over the next 20 years. If you ever wonder why AI continues to be pushed relentlessly despite customer indifference or outright disdain, take this example by Shopify’s CEO. AI is seen by CEOs and venture capitalists as a way to lay people off. They would rather burn the Amazon rainforest to the ground, pave it, and put up the world’s biggest Arby’s than hire one more of you ungrateful, needy meat sacks. Wah-wah, I want health care. Wah-wah, I want a 401k. What about the CEO’s fifth yacht? Did you ever stop to think of that? If you read the news, you have probably seen reports of how Apple has been burning cycles trying to get AI to improve Siri. The Information provided a behind-the-scenes look at “How Apple Fumbled Siri’s AI Makeover” based on accounts of former Apple employees, who may or may not be gruntled. The New York Times’s Trip Mickle just went with “What’s Wrong With Apple?”. Possibly Mickle was thinking he was cleverly dodging Betteridge’s Law there but, as it turns out, the answer to any Trip Mickle article about Apple is “NO.”, whether the headline is phrased as a question or not. Well, if you don’t like AI, fear not! There’s another crappy topic hogging the Apple headlines: tariffs. Fun. The past couple of weeks have been a real rollercoaster of tariff news. Or maybe the tilt-a-whirl is a more accurate ride, where everyone inside the tilt-a-whirl had state fair sushi for lunch and are, uh-oh, suddenly not feelin’ so good. IDG First, tariffs were announced, sending markets plummeting because, spoiler alert, they’re a garbage policy that just antagonizes trading partners as well as citizens who suddenly have to pay more for goods. The Trump administration responded quickly, however… by raising said tariffs by, and the Macalope believes this is a direct quote, “Eleventy umpteen percent”. Pretty sure that’s a direct quote. Maybe someone can check that. Then, late Friday, good news! Looks like Tim Cook’s $1 million donation did pay off because, oh, did we say tariffs on everything? No, no, not on smartphones. Or laptops. Or hard drives. Processors. Chips. What have you. Well, that seems like a weirdly specific carve-out designed solely for the benefit of certain CEOs who shoveled money into Trump’s inauguration fund but…okay, good, at least Apple can… “Tariffs on chips, phones, laptops still coming, commerce secretary warns” OH, COME ON. The Macalope didn’t even get through the sentence. Gotta start using shorter sentences. It’s almost like no one knows what they’re doing. Almost. The Macalope’s point here is that neither of these topics is fun to cover. The horny one got into tech writing because it was fun to speculation about upcoming products or talk about things that were currently shipping. A technology that’s largely driven by a desire to lay people off and policies that are driven by a meagre understanding of global economic forces are just… sad. But right now these are the elephants in the room. They’re unavoidable. And that stinks.

Proponents of Web3 — what’s been called the next-gen internet — believe it could go mainstream this year by merging AI agents with blockchain to create secure, decentralized, and user-friendly digital experiences. Agentic AI holds out the promise of simplifying complex tasks such as crypto trading or managing digital assets by automating decisions, enhancing accessibility, and masking technical complexity. Web3 (or Web 3.0) envisions an internet where control and data shift from centralized companies to users through decentralized apps (dApps), cryptocurrency, smart contracts, and direct ownership of digital assets, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). AI agents promise to transform Web3 by increasing efficiency in trading, and by working alongside blockchain’s trusted security create advanced, self-governing applications. It’s a combination that could revolutionize industries from finance to governance, art, and gaming, while also accelerating a shift to a user-empowered internet and Web3 apps. And by providing intuitive user interfaces and intelligent decision-making tools, those applications could become more widely accessible to users who won’t even need to understandithe underlying blockchain technology. The two could, for example, simplify DeFi (decentralized finance) and smart contracts by automating functions — effectively opening the door to new users who may not have the technical chops to handle those tasks now. AI agents on blockchain can act independently to buy, sell, negotiate, or provide services on behalf of users. Imagine a online wallet with an embedded AI agent that scouts out the best DeFi yields, makes swaps, or participates in Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) — no human input needed. Or imagine insurance payouts triggered not just by oracles (rules-based embedded code) but by AI risk analysis in real time. Developers could share or rent their AI tools, and users can access decentralized AI without relying on Big Tech companies. Think of it like an “App Store” for AI but Web3-native, peer-to-peer, and without intermediaries. Blockchain also brings auditability to black-box models, especially important in fields like healthcare, finance, or law.A user could verify if an AI made a loan decision fairly, because all steps are traceable on a public ledger. Tools for Humanity and its World project One effort under way for the past two years involves the non-profit Tools for Humanity’s World project, which has features like the World App and biometric identity verification that purports to offer users secure, human-verified access to financial services and decentralized dApps. While some experts see the integration as a potential breakthrough, others remain skeptical, citing privacy concerns, immature AI autonomy, and limited real-world utility as barriers to mass adoption. At the moment, cryptocurrency power users have skillsets that allow them to easily swap tokens and understand slippages, liquidity, and pool dynamics — they know how their trades affect the market. But an AI agent could open the door to non-experts, giving them access to these kinds of financial opportunities by simplifying the process, allowing them to make time-sensitive trades when the time is right. “So, [agentic AI] being able to act on your behalf, can make a trade on your behalf, for example. It’s another kind of a use case for reducing complexity, as well as empowering Web3 apps to do more,” said Steven Smith, head of protocol and applied research at Tools for Humanity, the nonprofit co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Tools for Humanity develops Web3 technology and is working to empower individuals with secure, private, and decentralized digital identity and transaction solutions. But if AI agents are to be added to the mix of blockchain-based applications, solutions will be needed to ensure fairness and human control. In 2022, the organization launched its World project (previously known as Worldcoin), creating a global identity and financial network to enhance online trust and provide equitable access to the digital economy. Key components of the project include: World App: A digital wallet for identity authentication and financial transactions. World ID: A digital passport to verify humanness and uniqueness online, distinguishing humans from AI tools. Orb: An Iris-scanning device for secure, private identity verification. Once the iris image is on the blockchain ledger, it can verify a human being from a bot. In particular, blockchain combined with AI tools could help ensure Web3 transactions are more secure from “Syble attacks” — the ability of one person to impersonate many others, in some cases thousands of people, through duplicative online accounts. The World App is a mobile application developed by World, a global project that aims to create a new economic system based on a decentralized, global currency. Tools for Humanity The World Project already uses blockchain in the World Chain network it relies on to link its app and other tools in several ways, including: Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Enabling access to financial services without traditional banks. Digital Identity: Creating secure, verifiable identities to access services like education and healthcare. Social Impact Projects: Supporting transparent funding and tracking for global challenges. Community Building: Connecting people globally to collaborate and share resources. Over the past two years, the project has expanded globally. This year, it announced it has over 10 million users across 160 countries conducting more than 115 million transactions. It has also faced greater regulatory scrutiny concerning biometric data processing, leading to commitments to allow users to delete their data permanently in light of privacy concerns. “We’re the second largest consumer of theory of L1 resources from a data storage perspective. So it’s an incredibly active chain,” Smith said. Agentic AI and proof of humanity However, like many online systems, “it could also be very, very abused. But by integrating a proof of humanity function in there, you can ensure that you know that agent is operating on behalf of a specific person who has empowered it.” Using AI agents is key, Smith said. In October, Tools for Humanity conducted a successful beta test of its AI-enabled Web3 network with blockchain platform provider Polygon. It then migrated its World ID and World App to Polygon’s mainnet and launched a “Mini App” store within the World project. “That allows users to come in and easily develop applications that run in this environment that can take advantage of a proof of human [technology],” Smith said. “We’ve got multiple mini apps…and we’ve developed a very simple interface that allow a user to make trades if they want to trade one token for another token.” The World App offers Mini Apps as savings vehicles where users can earn interest on token deposits, games that reward players with in-game tokens, and a popular app called World Chat, an encrypted messaging service similar to Signal — all within World App, Smith said. The World project also recently partnered with Razor to help fight third-party bots in online games amid the rise of AI gaming by verifying user IDs. Adrian Leow, a Gartner vice president analyst and lead author of the “Hype Cycle for Blockchain and Web3,” said the intersection of advanced technologies like agentic AI, quantum computing services and blockchain will be the required catalyst to drive blockchain forward into mainstream scalable adoption. World Orb is a device used by World, the Web3 project. It\’s a key component in their biometric identity verification process. The World Orb is designed to scan a person\’s iris (eye) to uniquely identify individuals without collecting other personal information. This biometric scanning helps Worldcoin ensure that each participant is unique, preventing multiple sign-ups by the same person. Tools for Humanity Blockchain, Leow said, has gone through many ups and downs – “crypto winters, resurgences like NFTs, and then declines. “It’s been a roller coaster…that hasn’t yielded long term scalable benefits for enterprises on its own,” he said. “When you combine both [blockchain and agentic AI], you could get automated agents operating on decentralized infrastructure. This combo potentially unlocks several efficiency and trust benefits.” While use cases, such as cryptocurrency, DeFi, NFTs, and dApps show blockchain’s potential, the core technology itself still holds “revolutionary promise.” It’s important to focus on the technology, not just “the hype,” Leow said. In Web3, Leow siad, agentic AI could be used to: Automate dApp interactions: Instead of manually interacting with DeFi, NFTs, or DAOs, AI agents could handle transactions, monitor opportunities, rebalance portfolios, or vote on proposals. Serve as autonomous economic actors: They could earn, spend, or stake tokens based on pre-programmed goals or learned strategies. Act as user proxies: Represent users across the decentralized web, negotiating, buying, and selling digital goods (NFTs, services, etc.) on their behalf. Blockchain, in turn, brings transparency, immutability, and decentralization, which makes it ideal for trustless environments, according to Leow. In Web3 it can be used to track transactions publicly and securely; allows for smart contracts that let parties exchange value without intermediaries; and it enables ownership and provenance of digital assets. A powerful tech combo that still needs to mature Not everyone is bullish on the intersection of Web3, agentic AI and blockchain. Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst Martha Bennett is among those who are skeptical. In 2023, she co-authored an online post critical of Worldcoin, now the World project, and her opinion hasn’t changed in several regards. World project still faces major challenges, including privacy issues and concerns about its iris biometric technology, she said. And Agentic AI is still in its early stages and not yet capable of supporting Web3 transactions. Most current generative AI (genAI) tools, including LLMs, lack the autonomy defined as “agentic AI.” “There’s no AI technology today that would be able automate Web3 transactions in a reliable and secure manner,” she said. Given the risks and the potential for exploitation, it’s too soon to rely on AI systems with high autonomy for Web3 transactions. She did note, however, that Web3 already uses automation through smart contracts — self-executing electronic contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. “Will Web3 go mainstream in 2025? My overall answer is no, but there are nuances,” she said. “If mainstream means mass consumer adoption, it’s a definite no. There’s simply not enough utility there for consumers.” Web3, Bennett said, is largely a self-contained financial ecosystem, and efforts to boost adoption through Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), such as Tools for Humanity’s, haven’t led to major breakthroughs. Even so there has been a shift in how the financial sector views public blockchain networks, with increased exploration under way, she said. Jack Gold, principal analyst with tech industry research firm J. Gold Associates, said the first issue around transactions, “AI or not,” is that they must be completely secure. “While many believe that blockchain is a secure method of doing transactions, it has been broken for some time – it’s how many malware/ransomware transactions were retrieved by government agencies after companies paid the ransom,” he said. “So while AI agents may make the mechanics of transactions easier, blockchain may only be sufficient for non-really critical transactions.” And, Gold said, AI can also be turned into a “bad actor” by playing with the training parameters to include things that should not be able to happen. (If you train it properly, an AI agent might think it perfectly normal to inform someone else of a user’s secure transactions, as an example.) Smith argued that the World project’s ability to prove a Web3 user is human thwarts deepfakes, scams, misinformation and agent swarms. “We just ensure that [Web3 is] able to be used in an efficient and safe manner. So, when you look at like AI, it is very powerful in general, everyone knows that,” Smith said. “Then, when you look at agentic AI, you’re able to operate in a Web3 environment. It could potentially be very powerful.”

Arnhildur Pálmadóttir was around three years old when she saw a red sky from her living room window. A volcano was erupting about 25 miles away from where she lived on the northeastern coast of Iceland. Though it posed no immediate threat, its ominous presence seeped into her subconscious, populating her dreams with streaks of light in the night sky. Fifty years later, these “gloomy, strange dreams,” as Pálmadóttir now describes them, have led to a career as an architect with an extraordinary mission: to harness molten lava and build cities out of it. Pálmadóttir today lives in Reykjavik, where she runs her own architecture studio, S.AP Arkitektar, and the Icelandic branch of the Danish architecture company Lendager, which specializes in reusing building materials. The architect believes the lava that flows from a single eruption could yield enough building material to lay the foundations of an entire city. She has been researching this possibility for more than five years as part of a project she calls Lavaforming. Together with her son and colleague Arnar Skarphéðinsson, she has identified three potential techniques: drill straight into magma pockets and extract the lava; channel molten lava into pre-dug trenches that could form a city’s foundations; or 3D-print bricks from molten lava in a technique similar to the way objects can be printed out of molten glass. Pálmadóttir and Skarphéðinsson first presented the concept during a talk at Reykjavik’s DesignMarch festival in 2022. This year they are producing a speculative film set in 2150, in an imaginary city called Eldborg. Their film, titled Lavaforming, follows the lives of Eldborg’s residents and looks back on how they learned to use molten lava as a building material. It will be presented at the Venice Biennale, a leading architecture festival, in May.  Set in 2150, her speculative film Lavaforming presents a fictional city built from molten lava.COURTESY OF S.AP ARKITEKTAR Buildings and construction materials like concrete and steel currently contribute a staggering 37% of the world’s annual carbon dioxide emissions. Many architects are advocating for the use of natural or preexisting materials, but mixing earth and water into a mold is one thing; tinkering with 2,000 °F lava is another.  Still, Pálmadóttir is piggybacking on research already being done in Iceland, which has 30 active volcanoes. Since 2021, eruptions have intensified in the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is close to the capital and to tourist hot spots like the Blue Lagoon. In 2024 alone, there were six volcanic eruptions in that area. This frequency has given volcanologists opportunities to study how lava behaves after a volcano erupts. “We try to follow this beast,” says Gro Birkefeldt M. Pedersen, a volcanologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), who has consulted with Pálmadóttir on a few occasions. “There is so much going on, and we’re just trying to catch up and be prepared.” Pálmadóttir’s concept assumes that many years from now, volcanologists will be able to forecast lava flow accurately enough for cities to plan on using it in building. They will know when and where to dig trenches so that when a volcano erupts, the lava will flow into them and solidify into either walls or foundations. Today, forecasting lava flows is a complex science that requires remote sensing technology and tremendous amounts of computational power to run simulations on supercomputers. The IMO typically runs two simulations for every new eruption—one based on data from previous eruptions, and another based on additional data acquired shortly after the eruption (from various sources like specially outfitted planes). With every event, the team accumulates more data, which makes the simulations of lava flow more accurate. Pedersen says there is much research yet to be done, but she expects “a lot of advancement” in the next 10 years or so.  To design the speculative city of Eldborg for their film, Pálmadóttir and Skarphéðinsson used 3D-modeling software similar to what Pedersen uses for her simulations. The city is primarily built on a network of trenches that were filled with lava over the course of several eruptions, while buildings are constructed out of lava bricks. “We’re going to let nature design the buildings that will pop up,” says Pálmadóttir.  The aesthetic of the city they envision will be less modernist and more fantastical—a bit “like [Gaudi’s] Sagrada Familia,” says Pálmadóttir. But the aesthetic output is not really the point; the architects’ goal is to galvanize architects today and spark an urgent discussion about the impact of climate change on our cities. She stresses the value of what can only be described as moonshot thinking. “I think it is important for architects not to be only in the present,” she told me. “Because if we are only in the present, working inside the system, we won’t change anything.” Pálmadóttir was born in 1972 in Húsavik, a town known as the whale-watching capital of Iceland. But she was more interested in space and technology and spent a lot of time flying with her father, a construction engineer who owned a small plane. She credits his job for the curiosity she developed about science and “how things were put together”—an inclination that proved useful later, when she started researching volcanoes. So was the fact that Icelanders “learn to live with volcanoes from birth.” At 21, she moved to Norway, where she spent seven years working in 3D visualization before returning to Reykjavik and enrolling in an architecture program at the Iceland University of the Arts. But things didn’t click until she moved to Barcelona for a master’s degree at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia. “I remember being there and feeling, finally, like I was in the exact right place,” she says.  Before, architecture had seemed like a commodity and architects like “slaves to investment companies,” she says. Now, it felt like a path with potential.  Lava has proved to be a strong, durable building material, at least in its solid state. To explore its potential, Pálmadóttir and Skarphéðinsson envision a city built on a network of trenches that have filled with lava over the course of several eruptions, while buildings are constructed with lava bricks. She returned to Reykjavik in 2009 and worked as an architect until she founded S.AP (for “studio Arnhildur Pálmadóttir”) Arkitektar in 2018; her son started working with her in 2019 and officially joined her as an architect this year, after graduating from the Southern California Institute of Architecture.  In 2021, the pair witnessed their first eruption up close, near the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It was there that Pálmadóttir became aware of the sheer quantity of material coursing through the planet’s veins, and the potential to divert it into channels.  Lava has already proved to be a strong, long-lasting building material—at least in its solid state. When it cools, it solidifies into volcanic rock like basalt or rhyolite. The type of rock depends on the composition of the lava, but basaltic lava—like the kind found in Iceland and Hawaii—forms one of the hardest rocks on Earth, which means that structures built from this type of lava would be durable and resilient.  For years, architects in Mexico, Iceland, and Hawaii (where lava is widely available) have built structures out of volcanic rock. But quarrying that rock is an energy-intensive process that requires heavy machines to extract, cut, and haul it, often across long distances, leaving a big carbon footprint. Harnessing lava in its molten state, however, could unlock new methods for sustainable construction. Jeffrey Karson, a professor emeritus at Syracuse University who specializes in volcanic activity and who cofounded the Syracuse University Lava Project, agrees that lava is abundant enough to warrant interest as a building material. To understand how it behaves, Karson has spent the past 15 years performing over a thousand controlled lava pours from giant furnaces. If we figure out how to build up its strength as it cools, he says, “that stuff has a lot of potential.”  In his research, Karson found that inserting metal rods into the lava flow helps reduce the kind of uneven cooling that would lead to thermal cracking—and therefore makes the material stronger (a bit like rebar in concrete). Like glass and other molten materials, lava behaves differently depending on how fast it cools. When glass or lava cools slowly, crystals start forming, strengthening the material. Replicating this process—perhaps in a kiln—could slow down the rate of cooling and let the lava become stronger. This kind of controlled cooling is “easy to do on small things like bricks,” says Karson, so “it’s not impossible to make a wall.”  Pálmadóttir is clear-eyed about the challenges before her. She knows the techniques she and Skarphéðinsson are exploring may not lead to anything tangible in their lifetimes, but they still believe that the ripple effect the projects could create in the architecture community is worth pursuing. Both Karson and Pedersen caution that more experiments are necessary to study this material’s potential. For Skarphéðinsson, that potential transcends the building industry. More than 12 years ago, Icelanders voted that the island’s natural resources, like its volcanoes and fishing waters, should be declared national property. That means any city built from lava flowing out of these volcanoes would be controlled not by deep-pocketed individuals or companies, but by the nation itself. (The referendum was considered illegal almost as soon as it was approved by voters and has since stalled.)  For Skarphéðinsson, the Lavaforming project is less about the material than about the “political implications that get brought to the surface with this material.” “That is the change I want to see in the world,” he says. “It could force us to make radical changes and be a catalyst for something”—perhaps a social megalopolis where citizens have more say in how resources are used and profits are shared more evenly. Cynics might dismiss the idea of harnessing lava as pure folly. But the more I spoke with Pálmadóttir, the more convinced I became. It wouldn’t be the first time in modern history that a seemingly dangerous idea (for example, drilling into scalding pockets of underground hot springs) proved revolutionary. Once entirely dependent on oil, Iceland today obtains 85% of its electricity and heat from renewable sources. “[My friends] probably think I’m pretty crazy, but they think maybe we could be clever geniuses,” she told me with a laugh. Maybe she is a little bit of both. Elissaveta M. Brandon is a regular contributor to Fast Company and Wired.

In its attempts to make the iPhone Fold a reality, Apple has reportedly decided to use Samsung Display to produce the foldable OLED screens for the project.Renders of an iPhone Fold - Image Credit: AppleInsiderThe screen is arguably the most important part of the iPhone Fold, as a component that practically defines how the device functions. It seems that Apple has narrowed down the source of the screen to Samsung Display for its first foldable release.According to sources of Business Korea, Apple has finally made the decision to go with Samsung Display as its foldable screen supplier. While Apple does work with other suppliers for its products, including LG Display and BOE, it will only be using Samsung for its folding device screens for the moment. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums