For two decades Swedish brand Zilenzio has developed solutions that reduce noise and visual distractions in corporate environments. From acoustic wall treatments to screens, the company offers users products that promote productivity while seamlessly blending with any interior. Focus Spaces is an extension of Zilenzio’s popular Focus family of room dividers, which was introduced in 2016. For this iteration, Zilenzio once again teamed up with the Stockholm-based Note Design Studio to produce seating and tables that allow users to maintain privacy but also collaborate with colleagues. Focus was launched when employees were concerned about the lack of individual private spaces in open-plan hubs, which can inhibit focus. Now, in the era of hybrid schedules, there’s an emphasis on connection when staff is together in the workplace. “The original Focus came about during the early days of co-working spaces, and so we came up with a table screen, which could be placed on a desk as a mini personal zone,” says Kristoffer Fagerström, product designer and partner at Note. “The office environment changed post-pandemic, and people wanted to meet and have real conversations again.” For the Note team, Focus Spaces is a new typology, a hybrid that pairs the comfort of home with the functionality of the office. Unlike most options on the market that have hundreds of pieces that can take hours to assemble, this updated version was made as simple as possible. “It’s a modular, multifunctional system that we formed organically based on our earlier concepts,” notes Jenny Helldén, co-founder of Zilenzio. A room-in-room, it consists of 17-seating modules plus two table types, a rectangular top and a square (an armrest is also available). Focus Spaces serves as an alternative to conference rooms or phone booths. Various arrangements suitable for small group sessions, and booking in advance is not required. Units can also be changed and moved as needed. Elements can be upholstered in 26 fabrics in an array of colors. Different textiles and hues can be combined on the inside and out of the panels and cushions for customized styles. The designers spent almost a year perfecting the folds in the material, a contrast to the typical rigid contract furnishings that are uncomfortable. This added softness brings with it a warmth that makes spaces more inviting. With the collection, individuals can easily build a natural gathering place where conversations flow and ideas can effortlessly take shape. “Focus Spaces is not tied to a single task or efficiency, but it becomes the center of the office where all types of interactions take place,” adds Fagerström. For more information on Focus Spaces designed by Note Design Studio for Zilenzio, visit zilenzio.com. Photography by Erik Lefvander.

Most people still rely on banks for most of their financial needs: In fact, 96 percent of the country has at least one bank or credit union account. (And if you use a bank to deposit your salary and pay your bills, you should even consider having a second bank, just in case something goes wrong.)But what happens if your bank fails? Bank failures aren’t common, but they do happen—two failed just last year, and 2025 has already seen one bank failure back in January. While your money is probably generally safe even if your bank fails, a bank failure can still cause you a lot of trouble because your funds may be unavailable for days (or longer) as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) sorts out the mess, and any loans or mortgages you have with your bank will be sold to other creditors without your input. So being able to spot the signs of bank failure early can enable you to make smart decisions that can save you a lot of stress down the line. Signs your bank is about to fail “Bank failures almost always follow a similar pattern,” says Cory Frank, founder and CEO of Robora Financial. “Actual or expected losses lead to questions about capital adequacy, which then spark concerns about solvency. Fears around solvency often prompt customers to take self-preserving actions, such as pulling deposits. These actions, in turn, can cause a liquidity crisis. Liquidity risk is unique among risk types in that the perception of a problem can create a real problem—customer behavior itself can drive a bank or credit union to fail.”Some of the key signs of a failing bank are easy to spot if you’re paying attention:Branch closures. An obvious sign of distress in any business is shutting down locations, which often implies a need to cut costs and concentrate resources.Layoffs. If your bank starts cutting staff, it’s time to at least start researching its financial situation.Frozen HELOCs. If you have an old home equity line of credit that you haven’t used in a while and your bank suddenly freezes it, it could indicate the bank is trying to claw back enough funds to stay afloat.Raising rates. If the interest rates your bank charges on loans suddenly soar, it’s a sign that the bank is looking to boost income fast.Not renewing loans. If the bank suddenly begins letting existing loans with local businesses expire, it might mean a liquidity crisis is brewing there.Delays in payment processing. If your bank starts dragging its feet on paying interest or processing other payments, it might indicate the bank is struggling to maintain its cash reserves.Frank notes that banks also often activate what’s called a “Recovery Playbook” when failure is imminent, including cutting or delaying stock dividends, selling off assets, and launching aggressive deposit campaigns with above-market rates in hopes of slowing down withdrawal rates.What to do if you suspect your bank is going to failThere are a few basic things people can do to protect themselves against bank failure. “Stay informed,” Frank says. “Search for recent news about your bank or credit union for any of the red flags mentioned. Analyze financials, if you can: Download and review the institution’s Call Report (for banks) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) 5300 report (for credit unions) to spot negative trends.”But even if you’re paying attention, bank failure can still surprise you. “There doesn’t need to be a deep recession or collapse of the economy if there are internal problems at the bank that the public is simply unaware of,” says Adem Selita, co-founder of The Debt Relief Company. “However, banks do undergo stress tests and are checked for these issues quite often in order to minimize the risk of this happening. But that doesn't mean the system is foolproof.”Both Frank and Selita stress the simplest way you can protect yourself: Make sure your deposits are within FDIC (for banks) or NCUSIF (for credit unions) insured limits, which are both currently $250,000. “Even if your bank goes belly up, you will still hopefully be made solvent to that amount,” notes Selita.If you have several accounts with the bank and you’re not sure that your deposits are covered in full, you can use the FDIC's insurance estimator to estimate how much of your money will be protected in the event of a bank failure. If you don’t think 100% of your funds are insured, you should consider moving some of that money elsewhere before the worst happens.

There are some cool games coming to PlayStation Plus in May, including one modern classic. This month’s titles include the universally-beloved Balatro, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and Ark: Survival Ascended. All three games will be available to PS Plus members beginning on May 6. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard of Balatro. It’s sort of a sequel to poker and sort of a roguelike. It’s also utterly hypnotic and addictive. I’ve yet to find a human who didn’t become entranced by its simple and captivating gameplay. We have given this game lots of love, and with good reason. To play Balatro is to love Balatro and, over time, to start dreaming about insane combos. This is an absolute must-play for subscribers. It’ll be available for both PS4 and PS5. Ark: Survival Ascended is a remake of 2015’s Ark: Survival Evolved that has been "reimagined from the ground-up with Unreal Engine 5." There’s new graphics, a new physics system and tons of quality-of-life upgrades. This version includes access to all DLC, like Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ark Genesis Part 1 and Ark Genesis Part 2. It also allows for public online multiplayer for up to 70 players and local split-screen for two players. This one’s only for PS5. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a FPS set in the popular Warhammer universe. It boasts visuals inspired by classic shooters from the 1990s, with an eclectic arsenal of weapons to match. The levels are huge, the enemies are fun to mow down and the gameplay is speedy. What’s not to like? It’ll be playable on PS4 and PS5. Now for some bad news. As new stuff comes to PS Plus, old games get shuttled to that farm upstate. Subscribers only have until May 5 to download titles like RoboCop: Rogue City and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory to their game libraries.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-may-include-balatro-and-ark-survival-ascended-172617683.html?src=rss

YouTube is rolling out a new "quarterly update" for its app on smart TVs and games consoles – and it mostly looks like a usability improvement.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spoke about China's position in artificial intelligence at a tech conference in Washington, D.C.

Are you ready to hand over your wallet to AI and let it do your shopping for you? Maybe not—but the technology to do it is hitting the market. On Wednesday, Visa announced Visa Intelligent Commerce, which effectively allows AI agents to find and buy goods or services on behalf of consumers. While Visa itself doesn’t create the AI agents, what it’s done is create the e-commerce backbone to allow it to happen. Consumers could use AI tools to track down potential purchases, but then those platforms would hand control back over to the human to complete the transaction. The big change with Visa’s technology is that, with the proper permissions enabled, AI agents can complete the purchase without going back to their human handler. The value-add, Visa’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer Jack Forestell tells Fast Company, is that it “frees up the cognitive load and time, delivering massively better outcomes, and more value—it’s going to deliver better shopping experiences.” For example, a shopper can now request that an AI agent buy a bouquet for their mom as a Mother’s Day gift, and the entire process requires little, if any additional input from the shopper. The AI may be able to find the particular flowers the consumer’s mother likes, at a desired price point, and have them delivered on or before Mother’s Day. The shopper can breathe easy, and not put too much thought or effort into the transaction—something that their mother’s probably wouldn’t want to know. As for the tech itself, Forestell says that getting AI agents set up to make payments involves “getting a payment card credential to an agent,” which he says is “tech that’s similar to Apple Pay or Google Pay—the agent gets a token that can only be used by that agent.” From there, and from Visa’s standpoint, two things need to occur: Visa needs to get a “buy signal” from a merchant that indicates an agent is making a purchase, and “the confirmation” that the transaction has completed.  While there will be some lag between users adopting agentic payments en masse, as merchants, consumers, and financial institutions learn to trust them and use them efficiently. But Forestell says “APIs will be available on Wednesday,” so people and companies can begin to work with the technology. 

The build quality on this product looks like a sophomore ID student project, but that hasn't stopped it from being funded on Kickstarter. This Versa Air Sprayer from China is an airbrush that requires no external compressor—and never needs to be cleaned (at an environmental cost). The rechargeable-battery-powered tool can generate up to 30 PSI. It features a somewhat gimmicky laser that shows you where the paint will land. Color changes are achieved by swapping paint bottles.As mentioned earlier, you don't need to clean the nozzles, because "Instead of washing, we have introduced disposable nozzles in all sizes, so you can just put on a new one next time," which may not sit well with some. "It turns out a new nozzle costs less than the thinner required to wash it," the company writes. "Biodegradable plastic is used to minimize environmental burden." Sounds like a suspiciously breezy solution.Four nozzle sizes are offered.While you can buy your own paint, the obvious downside to this tool is that the bottles and nozzles are proprietary, and can only be purchased for the company. So you'd be spending $80 (Kickstarter price) or $140 (retail price) on the tool, then keeping your fingers crossed that the company stays in business long enough to resupply you. As usual, these concerns have not stopped eager backers from reaching the funding target. At press time there were 10 days left to pledge.

There is no casual encounter with a Frank Lloyd Wright home. Each one invites you to inhabit a living philosophy shaped through form, light, and movement. These are not façades meant to be admired from a distance, but environments that reward attention and presence. Designer: Frank Lloyd Wright Much of the appeal lies in Wright’s unique ability to align structure with human experience. Every gesture, from material selection to spatial rhythm, becomes part of a coherent architectural language. Instead of referencing European traditions, he created something distinctly American with horizontal emphasis, open layout, and a sense of permanence rooted in place. Wright’s development of the Prairie style captured this ethos in built form. He didn’t merely build on land; he composed with it. Rooflines stretched wide, windows formed ribbons of glass, and every element supported a grounded, expansive presence. At the Robie House, for instance, planes extend outward in dramatic layers, while interior zones are defined not by walls but by shifting heights, finishes, and built-in elements. The fusion of furnishings with architecture was central to Wright’s thinking. Interior architecture extended into seating, shelving, and lighting, all designed to maintain unity across each space. It became a total composition, where comfort emerged from proportion, materiality, and intention. Frank Lloyd Wright Bachman-Wilson House Main Living Area Such architectural logic allowed Prairie homes to feel connected and enduring. Their transparency, daylight, and clarity of circulation reflect a design sensibility still echoed in contemporary homes. For Wright, these choices were rooted in a belief that people thrive in spaces that mirror the natural flow of life. Usonian Ideals and the Democratization of Design As economic hardship reshaped the country in the 1930s, Wright responded by distilling his architectural approach into a more accessible form. His Usonian homes prioritized thoughtful construction over ornament, focusing on the needs of working families while maintaining design integrity. Rather than rely on expansive layouts or expensive materials, Usonian homes embraced tight, efficient footprints resting on radiant-heated slabs. The Jacobs House in Wisconsin set this precedent with its flowing spaces, private outdoor courtyards, and generous light managed through careful window placement. Design innovations in these homes came from practical constraints. Wright eliminated garages in favor of open carports, reduced visual clutter with integrated cabinetry, and replaced traditional room separations with fluid transitions. He sourced local materials whenever possible to tie each structure to its setting. Every space within a Usonian plan responded to a specific function. Kitchens, labeled workspaces, opened directly to social areas. Built-in solutions replaced excess furniture, creating interiors defined by clarity and usefulness rather than minimalism alone. The appeal of Usonian homes was never about finishes. Wright emphasized proportion, texture, and the subtle relationships between space and light. Many suburban developers borrowed from the formula but missed the nuance that gave these homes their lasting resonance. Efforts to mass-produce similar designs often lost the context-driven thinking that made Usonians distinct. Yet the idea that design could improve daily life without extravagance remains embedded in American housing culture. Organic Architecture and the Challenge of Preservation Fallingwater demonstrates Wright’s organic philosophy at its most complete. Perched above a Pennsylvania stream, it blurs the line between building and landscape. Terraces extend into forest, floors flow between inside and out, and natural stone becomes part of the living room itself. What Wright proposed through organic architecture was more than a style. It was an argument for integration between place and structure. These homes do not rise in opposition to nature. They respond to it. Preserving that idea is difficult. Flat roofs, cantilevers, and handmade materials present complex restoration challenges. These homes weren’t designed for replacement parts; they require ongoing engagement and understanding. Homeowners who live with Wright’s architecture often balance modernization with sensitivity. Restoring windows, upgrading systems, or addressing structural wear demands discretion and respect for the original composition. The reward for such care is deeply personal. A Wright home is not merely a place to live. It becomes a framework that choreographs everyday rituals. From the angle of morning light to the echo of water below a cantilever, these details reshape how people experience shelter. Each of these homes stands as more than a symbol. They remain livable reflections of design principles that value continuity between form, function, and the environment. They remind us of what can be achieved when architecture follows a deeper logic. Wright’s real contribution wasn’t a catalog of forms but a philosophy of living. Through careful material choices and considered proportions, he showed how architecture could support daily life by aligning with human needs and natural rhythms.The post Living Architecture: How Frank Lloyd Wright Reimagined the American Home first appeared on Yanko Design.

Emily Chapman shares advice for inspired, functional fashion

This no-nonsense all-mesh office chair isn't much to look at, but you'll be hard-pressed to find something better for under $200.