Smart home products have come a long way, but one area often overlooked is water management. Aqaras newly launched Valve Controller T1 is changing that by turning your existing water valves into smart components of your home. Originally announced at IFA 2024, this retrofit device pairs with water leak sensors and integrates seamlessly into HomeKitHomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apples smart home framework.One of the major features of the Valve Controller T1 is its ability to act as an automated safety net against water damage (which as a homeowner, keeps me up at night). Paired with Aqara leak sensors, it provides24/7 monitoringand automatically shuts off the water supply if a leak is detected. Whether youre out of town or simply want peace of mind during the night, this feature ensures your home is protected from costly water damage that might include new floors, cabinets, etc.Qqaras retrofit design means the Valve Controller T1 can attach to most standard home water valves without needing plumbing overhauls. It supports valve sizes from 1/2 inch to 1 inch and runs on four AA batteries, offering up to two years of battery life. The low-power Zigbee protocol ensures reliable operation without the hassle of wiring or recurring battery swaps.HomeKit and MatterFor HomeKit users, the Valve Controller T1 integrates with your existing setup, enabling automation through the Home app. Do you want your water valve to shut off if a leak sensor detects an issue? HomeKit automations make it easy. Plus, thanks to Matter compatibility via an Aqara hub, the device can work across platforms like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.Heres a quick video on how to install it.Automations allow you to remotely control or schedule your water usage, helping to conserve resources. Whether youre setting up an eco-friendly irrigation schedule or safeguarding against leaks, this device offers flexibility and reliability.Wrap upThe T1 Value Controller is the first of its kind that Ive seen with HomeKit and Matter support. Water damage is one of the fastest way to rack up home repair bills and this product could save you tens of thousands of dollars.Use code PRNAVCT1 to save 15% off the new Aqara Valve Controller T1 on Amazon.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Image by Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty / FuturismCancerPresident-elect Donald Trump hasn't yet been sworn in, but his advisor and major financial backer Elon Musk has already killed a bipartisan bill that would have provided money for pediatric cancer research.As political journalist Sam Stein reports for The Bulwark, Congressional GOP leadership has kowtowed to Musk's pressure and kiboshed the budget proposal meant to keep the government open and fund essential functions.In a barrage of posts including a4:15 AM tweet on Wednesday morning the X-formerly-Twitter owner insisted that the bill "should not pass." By that night, Republicans had shot down the budget proposal and with it any hope that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency (abbreviated, annoyingly, as DOGE) would be a mere vanity project for the billionaire.Soon after the initial bill failed to pass, Trump endorsed a revised (read: much more limited) version that also failed to pass the House of Representatives, leading to a potential government shutdown.As Stein points out, the spending bill that Musk murdered contained a veritable conservative wishlist, including money to bolster semiconductor supply chains, protections for rural consumers ripped off by the internet service providers, and restrictions on American investment in China.Eliminating those provisions as well as the whole "keeping the government open" thing is a huge deal. But a bit involving pediatric cancer research is aparticularly bad look.In its original form, the budget proposal would have extended funding for the National Institutes of Health's Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Program, which passed during a similarly gridlocked Congressional session in 2014. Named for a 10-year-old girl who died from a brain tumor the year prior, that program funded a decade of research into causes and cures for childhood cancers like the one that killed Miller and now, it's unclear what will happen to it now that it's been eliminated from the budget.In an interview withThe Bulwark, Nancy Goodman, the founder of the Kids vs. Cancer nonprofit and mother to a child who died of cancer at just 10 years old, said the exclusion of the Kids First program is a "completely heart-wrenching outcome.""We spent a lot of time putting together policies with broad bipartisan support to help kids seriously ill," Goodman said. "How can it be that our society is not thinking about the most vulnerable children and doing everything they can to help them? How can we cut this out in the name of efficiency? How does that make sense?"That kind of pained questioning seems, unfortunately, to be par for the course with this incoming administration and Trump hasn't even officially taken office yet.Share This Article

Energy startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems has announced that it will begin construction of the "world's first grid-scale" nuclear fusion power plant near Richmond, Virginia.The MIT spinout announced this week that it was "one step closer" to making fusion energy fusing atoms together inside a reactor, like the process that powers stars in the night sky a reality with a multibillion-dollar investment in the facility.The goal is to produce a considerable 400 megawatts, enough to power 150,000 homes, the company claims. The company hopes to build the Virginia plant by the "early 2030s," according to an MIT press release.Needless to say, it's a highly ambitious plan and one that warrants plenty of skepticism, since it would require many future breakthroughs to realize, even with sufficient funding.CFS has yet even to demonstrate that its facilities are capable of producing more energy than is required to kickstart the process, or net fusion energy. That's something that has proven incredibly difficult, particularly at scale despite almost a century of fusion research.The company hasn't even finished the construction of its much, much smaller reactor called SPARC near Devens, Massachusetts, designed to demonstrate such a feat.Illustrating exactly how speculative the whole thing is: a 2023 image featured in reportingby CNN about this week's announcement shows construction workers marveling at what appears to be an aspirational, full-scale mural plastered to the back wall of a cavernous and largely empty facility.Despite the countless hurdles still ahead, the company's executives didn't hold back."This will be a watershed moment for fusion," said CFS cofounder and MIT engineering professor Dennis Whyte in a statement. "It sets the pace in the race toward commercial fusion power plants. The ambition is to build thousands of these power plants and to change the world."But the technicalities haven't passed over any heads, either."Nothing occurs overnight in fusion," company CEO Bob Mumgaard told CNN, claiming that the company was "deep into" constructing a tokamak capable of demonstrating net fusion energy.Mumgaard claims the company is hoping to produce first plasma in 2026, shortly followed by producing a net amount of power using its SPARC reactor. The much larger grid-scale facility in Virginia will then be the "next act.""In the early 2030s, all eyes will be on the Richmond region... as the birthplace of commercial fusion energy," Mumgaard told CNN.The company wouldn't be the first to claim to have achieved net fusion energy. In 2022, scientists at the government-funded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California said they had achieved such a breakthrough using the"world's largest and highest energy laser system."They claimed the reactor produced 2.5 megajoules of energy, a 20 percent net gain over what they needed to start the reaction which is roughly enough power to boilabout two to three kettles.Scaling up the concept is proving even more difficult, particularly when it comes to a far more commonly-used reactor type called a tokamak, like CFS, which is a donut-shaped machine that confines super-heated and super-pressurized plasma.But with a whopping $2 billion in funding, CFS just might have a shot of taking a significant step forward, turning lofty promises into cold-hard science and actual results."There will be bumps in the road and things wont change overnight," Mumgaard told CNN. But "the designers and planners can now go from a general notion to a specific location for the next chapter in the fusion journey."Share This Article

It seems that Haliey "Hawk Tuah" Welch is finally facing the music after angry investors filed a lawsuit against her disastrous meme coin.Just a day after the new filing dropped, the "Talk Tuah" podcasterbroke her extended silence during the fiasco and took to X-formerly-Twitter to announce that she would be "fully cooperating" with the lawyers who brought the suit."I take this situation extremely seriously and want to address my fans, the investors who have been affected, and the broader community," the 22-year-old wrote. "I am fully cooperating with and am committed to assisting the legal team representing the individuals impacted, as well as to help uncover the truth, hold the responsible parties accountable, and resolve this matter."Welch then linked to Burwick Law, the firm that's working with the jilted investors, and directed anyone who has "experienced losses related to this" to contact them.The lawsuit, which does not name Welch as a defendant, claims that the team behind the $HAWK coin failed to properly register it with the Securities and Exchange Commission.As such, the token's promoters the Cayman Islands-based Tuah The Moon Foundation, a firm called overHere Ltd, and influencer "Doc Hollywood" aka Alex Larson Schultz participated in the sale of unregistered securities, the suit alleges.This missive is the first time the viral sensation has made any sort of public statement since soon after $HAWK launched, and then subsequently crashed in what critics say was an intentional pump-and-dump scam.That same night, the podcaster unexpectedly popped into an X Spaces conversation hosted by the team behind $HAWK and made some bizarre comments before dipping back out."I hate to interrupt you," Welch interjected during the animated exchange, "but anywho, I'm going to go to bed and I'll see you guys tomorrow."As it turns out, the world did not see Welch the next day.Following that strange online appearance, "Talk Tuah" stopped publishing episodes and appeared to go on an indefinite and unannounced hiatus. Though the people behind the meme coin denied that it was a scam, Welch herself was AWOL until today.As these things go, the influencer's cooperation pledge which doesn't include any apology or admission of wrongdoing at all raises just as many questions as it answers.Has the alleged crypto scammer grown a conscience? Or is she just following her lawyers' orders? Ultimately, it's too soon to tell.Share This Article

My family adopted a dog at the end of the summer. Shes a saint in the house, but she reacted to dogs on walks, so we worked with a trainer to help her behave better outside. As part of the process, the trainer asked me to read a book;Let Dogs Be Dogs: Understanding Canine Nature and Mastering the Art of Living With Your Dog.In a nutshell, that art involves understanding theessence of dogs as pack animals. In any human/canine relationship, there are power dynamics at work even when the human remains oblivious to them. Whatever a dogs bad behavior, the book argues, it likely stems from their human owner (me, in this case) not assuming an assertive enough role as pack leader.I was listening to the audiobook ofLet Dogs Be Dogsas Iwalkedinto the press screening ofBabygirl.That was fortuitous timing; power dynamics like the ones described in it wind up being at the very heart of the film. It doesnt seem like a coincidence that its two central characters Romy (Nicole Kidman) and Samuel (Harris Dickinson) meet when the former is startled by the sight of a large dog biting a pedestrian. The dog lunges at Romy, only to be instantly calmed and quieted by Samuel and his alpha energy.It turns out these two people are about to spend the rest of the film together. Samuel is headed to his first day interning at a tech company that specializes in warehouse automation. Romy is its CEO, and by most accounts she lives something like a perfect life. She runs her own successful company and lives (in multiple beautiful homes) with her warm and close-knit family, including two teenage daughters andher affectionate and attentive husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas). Romy and Jacob are both busy New York professionals hesa theater director hard at work on a new Broadway show but they still find time for what appears to be a fairly active sex life.A24A24loading...READ MORE: Sex Scenes People Thought Were RealBy all accounts..., appears to be... You see where this is going. Despite her personal and professional successes, Romy finds something lacking in her safe, comfortable existence. After she and Jacob have sex, she sneaks off to her office to watch porn on her laptop while she masturbates. And then she meets Samuel, who immediately clocks the way shestares at him in a room full of interns and senses what this powerful woman really craves is a loss of control.With the confidence only a twentysomething techbrocould muster, Samuel requests Romy the CEO of the entire company as his internship mentor, and then uses their weekly meetings to test her desire to submit to someone elses orders, even to someone so professionally subordinate to her that the very existence of a sexual relationship between them could jeopardizeevery aspect of her perfectly ordered life.Thats Babygirlssetup, and its one thatcould belifted straight out of a 90s erotic thriller witha couple key differences. Almost all of those movies were told from the perspective of the man, with the women placed in secondary roles (quite often as deranged killers or stalkers).Babygirlobserves this story from Romys point of view, and it works hard not to judgeher particular kinks. This is an interesting, modernizing twist,something the film itself acknowledges. (Thats a dated idea,Samuelfirmly tellsanother characterwho insists that female masochism is nothing but a male fantasy.)A24A24loading...Unfortunately, that same nonjudgmental impulse that makesBabygirl initially compelling eventually boomerangs back around on itself. Because the film is so clearly designednot to condemn Romy and her sexual proclivities, its surprisingly lacking in tension. Once you sense the films intentions, you also realize theres only so many placesRomys relationships with Jacob and Samuel can go. As a result,a movie that gets into some thorny issues about power, gender dynamics, and female sexuality, ultimately arrives at an ending that seems a little abrupt andanticlimactic.Writer/director Halina Reijn surrounds this tale of carnal urges with grace notes about Romys company (which is cheekily named Tensile). Glimpses of its corporate culture suggest this is a modern workplace sensitive to the needs of its employees; Samuel attends an HRworkshopwhere a video cheerfully asserts that the company is about building a healthy, safe, inclusive workplace community, while Romy herself says in a TV interview that as artificial intelligence proliferates her line work, it demands an equal increase in emotional intelligence to match it.Truth be told, Babygirl doesnt fullymerge its spoof of modern corporate culture with its tale of illicit desire; you keep waiting for a firmer subplot to emerge from the scenes at Tensile. One never quite comes together.The reason to see the film anyway are the performances by Kidman, Dickinson, and Banderas. Kidman will surely garner the most attention for the film, and thats understandable; she allows herself to be extremely vulnerable in intimate scenes with both of her male co-stars, where the camera lingers on Kidmans face as she reacts to each particular moment with arousal, disgust, or fear, and sometimes combinations of the above all at once.But both male leads are terrific too; Dickinson at exudingthe alpha dog charisma needed to make Samuel appealing to a woman like Romy,and atstill managing to make this guy read as an immature kid despite all his cocky swagger. Banderas seemsabit too suave to play Romys staid, stuffy husband, but he actually sellsthe against-type casting, and brings someunexpected energy to Babygirlslater scenes as well.In an earlier era,Babygirlmight feel less novel, and its unwillingness to push its story into truly uncomfortable territory might be a bigger issue. These days, whenHollywood haspretty much abandoned sexuality as a topic of serious discussion, the film can easily lay claim to the title oftop dog.RATING: 7/10Get our free mobile appThe Most Important Sex Scenes Ever MadeSex has been a key part of movies since their invention and these scenes are the ones that are the most important.Filed Under: Antonio Banderas, Babygirl, Harris Dickinson, Nicole KidmanCategories: Movie News, Movie Reviews

A live agent spends hours each week manually documenting routine interactions. Another combs through multiple knowledge bases to find the right solution, scrambling to piece it together while the customer waits on hold. A third types out the same response theyve written dozens of times before. These repetitive tasks can be draining, leaving less time for meaningful customer interactionsbut generative AI is changing this reality. By automating routine workflows, AI augments the efforts of live agents, freeing them to do what they do best: solving complex problems and applying human understanding and empathy to help customers during critical situations. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT Enterprises are trying to rush to figure out how to implement or incorporate generative AI into their business to gain efficiencies, says Will Fritcher, deputy chief client officer at TP. But instead of viewing AI as a way to reduce expenses, they should really be looking at it through the lens of enhancing the customer experience and driving value. Doing this requires solving two intertwined challenges: empowering live agents by automating routine tasks and ensuring AI outputs remain accurate, reliable, and precise. And the key to both these goals? Striking the right balance between technological innovation and human judgment. A key role in customer support Generative AIs potential impact on customer support is twofold: Customers stand to benefit from faster, more consistent service for simple requests, while also receiving undivided human attention for complex, emotionally charged situations. For employees, eliminating repetitive tasks boosts job satisfaction and reduces burnout.The tech can also be used to streamline customer support workflows and enhance service quality in various ways, including:Automated routine inquiries: AI systems handle straightforward customer requests, like resetting passwords or checking account balances. Real-time assistance: During interactions, AI pulls up contextually relevant resources, suggests responses, and guides live agents to solutions faster. Fritcher notes that TP is relying on many of these capabilities in its customer support solutions. For instance, AI-powered coaching marries AI-driven metrics with human expertise to provide feedback on 100% of customer interactions, rather than the traditional 2% to 4% that was monitored pre-generative AI.Call summaries: By automatically documenting customer interactions, AI saves live agents valuable time that can be reinvested in customer care. Download the full report. This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

Its a stormy holiday weekend, and youve just received the last notification you want in the busiest travel week of the year: The first leg of your flight is significantly delayed. You might expect this means youll be sitting on hold with airline customer service for half an hour. But this time, the process looks a little different: You have a brief text exchange with the airlines AI chatbot, which quickly assesses your situation and places you in a priority queue. Shortly after, a human agent takes over, confirms the details, and gets you rebooked on an earlier flight so you can make your connection. Youll be home in time to enjoy moms pot roast. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT Generative AI is becoming a key component of business operations and customer service interactions today. According to Salesforce research, three out of five workers (61%) either currently use or plan to use generative AI in their roles. A full 68% of these employees are confident that the technologywhich can churn out text, video, image, and audio content almost instantaneouslywill enable them to provide more enriching customer experiences. But the technology isnt a complete solutionor a replacement for human workers. Sixty percent of the surveyed employees believe that human oversight is indispensable for effective and trustworthy generative AI. Generative AI enables people and increases efficiencies in business operations, but using it to empower employees will make all the difference. Its full business value will only be achieved when it is used thoughtfully to blend with human empathy, ingenuity, and emotional intelligence. Generative AI pilots across industries Though the technology is still nascent, many generative AI use cases are starting to emerge. In sales and marketing, generative AI can assist with creating targeted ad content, identifying leads, upselling, cross-selling, and providing real-time sales analytics. When used for internal functions like IT, HR, and finance, generative AI can improve help-desk services, simplify recruitment processes, generate job descriptions, assist with onboarding and exit processes, and even write code. Download the full report. This content was produced by Insights, the custom content arm of MIT Technology Review. It was not written by MIT Technology Reviews editorial staff.

December 20, 20242 min readRun, Lucy, Run! Human Ancestors Could Jog but Not Very Far or Fast3D models ofAustralopithecus afarensishint at the muscular adaptations that made modern humans better runnersBy Gemma Conroy & Nature magazine A sculptor's rendering of the hominid Australopithecus afarensis is displayed as part of an exhibition that includes the 3.2 million year old fossilized remains of "Lucy", the most complete example of the species, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, August 28, 2007 in Houston, Texas. Dave Einsel/Getty ImagesAncient human relatives ran on two legs, like modern humans, but at a much slower pace, suggest 3D computer simulations of Australopithecus afarensis a small hominin that lived more than three million years ago.The analysis offers a detailed snapshot of the hominins running speed and the muscular adaptations that enabled modern humans to run long distances, says Herman Pontzer, an evolutionary anthropologist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Its a very thorough approach, he says. The findings were published this week in Current Biology.A. afarensis walked upright on two legs, making its fossils a favourite for researchers looking to unpick how bipedalism evolved in the human lineage. But few studies have explored the hominins running ability because it requires more than studying fossilized footprints and bones, says study co-author Karl Bates, an evolutionary biomechanics researcher at the University of Liverpool, UK.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.Miceking/Alamy Stock PhotoA slow apeBates and his colleagues created a 3D digital model of the Lucy skeleton a near-complete 3.2-million-year-old A. afarensis specimen discovered in Ethiopia half a century ago. They used the muscular features of modern apes and the surface area of Lucys bones to estimate the ancient hominins muscle mass. The researchers then used a simulator to make their Lucy model run and compared its performance with that of a digital model of a modern human.The simulations showed that Lucy could run on two legs, despite lacking the lengthened Achilles tendon and shortened muscle fibres that are thought to benefit endurance running in modern humans. But speed wasnt Lucys strength: she could reach a maximum of only around five metres per second, even after the researchers remodelled her with human muscles. By contrast, the human model ran at roughly 8 metres per second. Even when the researchers removed body size from their modelling, Lucys running still lagged behind that of modern humans, suggesting that her physical proportions were the main culprit. Even if you jack up all the muscles, she was still slower, says Bates.Next, the researchers assessed whether certain muscles have a role in energy expenditure during running. When they added human-like ankle muscles to the Lucy model, the energy cost was comparable to that of other animals of a similar size. But running became more taxing for Lucy when the team replaced the human ankle muscles with ape ones. This suggests that adaptations in the Achilles tendon and surrounding muscles enable modern humans to run for extended periods.Bates and his colleagues are now planning to investigate whether fatigue and bone strain also influenced Lucys running.This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on December 19, 2024.

The winter mechanical keyboard shootout: four tiny options put to the testIt's time for another roundup. Blog by Reece Bithrey Contributor Published on Dec. 20, 2024 Well, we're into the month of December, and temperatures are beginning to get close to freezing here in old England-land. What I've decided to do, in lieu of the cold weather, is take the time indoors to review some more keyboards, although this time with a focus on smaller choices that are rather interesting. Yes, I really am a nerd.Nonetheless, here are three options and a fun wildcard for you to consider, ranging from a seriously customisable 65 percent choice to a 'board with my favourite layout and some interesting changes and another 65 percent option which revives an important custom option from a decade ago.Drop CSTM65 review: An SFF option with a hot-swappable caseWhiteFox Eclipse review: Reviving one of the most important custom 'boards from a decade agoHHKB Studio review: The legendary Japanese keyboard returns, although with a different everythingWildcard: NCR-80 R2 review: A DIY keyboard kit with retro sensibilitiesDrop CSTM65 review: An SFF option with a hot-swappable case Buy: $99 at Drop (usually $129)First up is the Drop CSTM65, whose name explains pretty much exactly what this 'board is all about - a custom 65 percent choice. It offers the benefit of a smaller form factor layout for both providing more desk space and being on trend, while also coming with the fun of a hot-swappable plastic top case. That's right - the CSTM65's top housing can be replaced simply by taking the case off by lifting upwards to reveal the metal innards beneath. With my sample, Drop sent the keyboard in black, and provided the Overgrowth decorative case to go with it ($35) which can be swapped on in a matter of seconds. It completely changes the look of the keyboard, and is an ingenious and cost-effective way of giving your setup a new look without dropping a lot more on a new keyboard.You also get funky aesthetic choices elsewhere on this standard, fully-assembled model with side-printed ABS keycaps. From the top down, they are blank, meaning you've got to be a competent touch-typist at least, although they can at least be swapped out for other keycaps with more standard legend placement if you'd prefer. These are ABS keycaps, so come with a cheaper feel than the PBT I crave, but nonetheless are decent enough under finger.Connectivity here is purely wired via a USB-C to USB-A cable provided in the box, while inside the CSTM65 in pre-built form comes with either Gateron Yellow KS3 linear or Gateron Brown Pro 3.0 soft-tactile switches. My sample came with the latter. They're a reasonable clone of MX Browns, although the tactility isn't as crisp or present, and with the switches being lubricated, it has had the unfortunate side-effect of dampening the feeling a tad. With this in mind, they are comfortable switches to use for typing and the occasional piece of gaming, although if they aren't what you're after, you can soon change them to other switches with 3 or 5-pin mounting as the CSTM65 is hotswappable. The casing can be swapped out and changed with ease.Acoustics here are also solid with the lubed switches, polycarb case and innards, and the range of sound-dampening foam that lives inside the CSTM65. There isn't any case rattle or ping, and it sounds excellent. The RGB lighting on offer is bright, and with the side-printed keycaps, certainly adds to the overall aesthetic. It is addressable with the CSTM65 supporting both QMK firmware flashing and VIA, as Drop's own online configurator where you can flash firmware choices directly to the keyboard. It is a little fiddly, but makes for powerful customisation. The side-mounted legends are interesting, although a little difficult to read.In its prebuilt form, the Drop CSTM65 is going to run you $129, which for a mechanical choice with this much customisation, is rather decent value for money. Not many keyboards offer as much modularity as the CSTM65 without you paying a fair bit more, and if that's what you're after, this is an excellent keyboard.WhiteFox Eclipse review: Reviving one of the most important custom 'boards from a decade ago Buy: The WhiteFox Eclipse may not be the first keyboard that comes to mind when it comes to talking about some of the most important keyboards of all time. That discussion is usually reserved for the IBM Model F or M (and usually brought up with its mention of well-made clones). However, I'd argue, as Alpaca Keyboards (the folks behind the Whitefox Eclipse) would, that Matt3o's Brown Fox is one of the most.Allow me to explain - the WhiteFox Eclipse is a modern reproduction of one of the first custom keyboards developed from the ground up from a member of the mechanical keyboard hobbyist community - namely Matt3o on Deskthority. You might have heard of Matt3o before - he used to collaborate with Drop/Massdrop on a range of keycaps, with some of his designs still stocked. Back in 2013, he set out to build a custom keyboard from the ground up, opting to go for an laser cut acrylic case; hand-soldered, plate mounted MX switches (MX Blues for the main keys, MX Red for arrow keys and MX Green for the space bar) aluminium plate and some lovely brown keycaps, christening it the Brown Fox. Matt3o's original Brown Fox - the original behind this new keyboard.From there, the keyboard was launched in collaboration with Massdrop and Input Club in 2015 with some tweaks, known as the White Fox, which became the most-backed keyboard on Massdrop at the time, and popularised a form of the 65 percent layout that has since become a favourite for enthusiasts. The interesting part comes a couple of years later when Alpaca, the makers of the new Whitefox Eclipse, was established by former members of Massdrop's mechanical keyboards team, who then set out to make a new version of the Whitefox keyboard. After a few years of development, the WhiteFox Eclipse was brought to market.The similarities between the old WhiteFox from Massdrop and the new Eclipse model here are mostly cosmetic, with the same clean white finish, a similar 'TrueFox' 68 percent layout with a nav cluster and arrow keys on the right hand side, and the same Cherry profile dye-sub PBT keycaps. It results in a keyboard that looks gorgeous and wonderfully modern. The 'TrueFox' layout is unique here, offering a clever blend of 65 and 75 percent 'boards.My sample is the plastic case version, although you can also get it with an aluminium case, much like the Massdrop version. It's reasonably sturdy, although comes with some flex under pressure. By default, the WhiteFox Eclipse is a tall and flat keyboard with the case being quite thick and with it coming with full-size switches. This means it can be quite difficult to use without it being raised up to a more comfortable angle. To this end, I'm especially grateful for the magnetic feet that are provided in the box.On the older Massdrop version, you got a serious amount of choice with the switches inside the WhiteFox. In total, there were 11 to pick from with a range which were the most popular among users of Massdrop at the time. You had a choice of more standard options such as Cherry MX Red, Blue, and Brown, alongside their Gateron clone counterparts, as well as odder options from the MX lineup that are rare even now - MX Green, Clear and White. You also got Gateron Green and Clear options, as well as Zealios switches, which were Gateron soft tactile switches that offered a similar force to MX Clears, a higher actuation point, and a supposedly even smoother actuation. Gateron Yellows are the switch of choice here.With the Eclipse version here, things are a lot simpler. This keyboard comes with pre-lubed Gateron Yellows inside, which are a 50g linear switch that feel especially smooth under finger. Unlike other Gateron choices in the past, these have a consistent, responsive keypress which felt excellent to use when typing up plenty of words in articles and such. Their lubrication also allowed for fantastic acoustics alongside the presence of a lot of poron foam inside the case for dampening. If these switches aren't to your liking though, the WhiteFox Eclipse is hot-swappable. That's one benefit of this newer version against the Massdrop option.This keyboard is also gasket-mounted, which has become a standard feature on a lot of prebuilt mechanical choices these days, lending the typing feel to have a slightly bouncier and perceivably more responsive feel against other options. It works in the Eclipse's favour, offering a comfortable experience, all things considered. Even the underside is especially clean.Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth connectivity on up to 3 devices, with pairing on each channel handled by holding down the Fn and Q, W or E keys respectively. The WhiteFox Eclipse also plays nicely on both Windows and macOS and worked without an issue on both OSes in my testing. For macOS use, there are also Mac-specific keycaps included in the box, alongside blue-coloured and Fox accent keys to stay true to the original, a keycap and switch puller, a double-ended spudger for accessing the keyboard's innards and a fantastic quality braided USB-C to USB-A charging cable.Alpaca rates the WhiteFox Eclipse's 4000mAh battery to last for around 90 hours on a charge. This is pretty solid overall, and means you'll be able to go for a good couple of weeks before needing to charge it back up again. That 90 hour runtime is also with the RGB lighting on, which is great. Turn it off, and this extends all way to 10 days. The RGB lighting is simple, but effective.There isn't any additional software here, with customisation limited to changing the RGB lighting mode through a series of keyboard shortcuts. There are a range to choose from, with most of them displaying colours of the rainbow in a slightly different patterns, although some only do this in red and white, or a different shade of blue. You can use Fn and M to change the pattern, and Fn and K to cycle through different colours for the pattern. There is single colour backlighting contained within these settings, although isn't as easy to access as with actual software.The WhiteFox Alpaca is an interesting successor to the original choice, adding some modern functional touches to one of the most important custom keyboards of the last decade. The market may have shifted a fair bit since the original version's release, but there's no doubt that this reimagined version still holds up in 2024.HHKB Studio review: The legendary Japanese keyboard returns, although with a different everything Buy: I've been using an HHKB Professional Hybrid Type-S, which is one of our favourite small form factor keyboards, on and off for the last 18 months. On its own, the HHKB is an expensive Japanese cult sensation known for its electro-capacitive switches which are unlike anything else, and its odd layout. The HHKB Studio is the PFU Corporation's attempt to offer a first-party HHKB for the more normal mechanical keyboard enthuisast - allow me to explain.There are two big differences with this new Studio model against the normal models, the first of which is its choice of switches. As opposed to opting for the classic Topre electro-capacitive options inside, the Studio uses silent linear switches from Kalih with a 45g actuation force. They were surprisingly smooth to type on and felt responsive for day-to-day working, although I still prefer electro-capacitives in my normal HHKB. They just have a crisper keypress because of their unique tactility that you miss out on with linears such as in the HHKB Studio, but the Kalih switches inside felt excellent for office work while also being super quiet.The other big difference against the normal HHKB is the addition of a trackpoint slap bang in the middle of the alphanumeric keys. The trackpoint is recognisable for being in the sea of IBM and Lenovo ThinkPads across from the 1990s to today, as well as other laptops from that era. It was a patented tech by Lenovo in 1997, although with its expiry, it has made its way into other products, such as the HHKB Studio. In essence, it is a pointing stick that offers a way of moving your mouse cursor without the need for a mouse. Yep, that's a trackpoint.It takes some getting used to, and you do have to be precise with it, but the trackpoint is a reasonably useful addition to the HHKB Studio's arsenal. There are also gesture pads around the bottom of the Studio for making tasks such as scrolling easier, as well as dedicated mouse buttons below the space bar for left, middle and right click. That's an interesting addition, and one I did find myself using a fair bit - more than I thought I would, admittedly.Along with the trackpoint, the HHKB Studio also bundles in some interesting gesture pads, which allow you to use the sides of the board's chassis for commands such as increasing and decreasing volume, or scrolling through a web page. It's an interesting addition here, although not one I found myself using too much due to its unfamiliarity compared to a traditional rotary dial.It's worth discussing the HHKB layout just before I move on, as it looks a bit weird. It's all thanks to a collaboration between Japanese computer scientist Eiiti Wada and the PFU Corporation, the Japanese firm that makes the HHKB. Wada wanted a layout that would work with the range of different operating systems and computers he used in the mid 1990s. What resulted is a very comfortable layout with some small, but worthwhile modifications, such as moving the Ctrl key to where Caps Lock would normally be to reduce the distance your fingers need to travel for performing common functions such as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, removing the key between Backspace and Enter to make it easier to hit both of them, and moving the Function key to a row above its placement on a traditional keyboard. It's a unique layout, but one that's especially comfortable to use.The HHKB Studio also works without a hitch on Windows and macOS, although comes with macOS keycaps by default - as an aside, the dye-sub PBT keycaps here are some of the best I've used. There is multi-point Bluetooth with it being able to connect to up to four devices at once, with pairing a breeze thanks to a key combo. There isn't any USB receiver action here though, although having Bluetooth is arguably easier. I certainly had no trouble.Software comes in the form of the HHKB Studio Keymap too, which allows you to remap keys, as well as add functions to dedicated keys, such as enabling the gesture pads' functionality with a modifier key. In addition, there are also several function layers to program keys on to provide a fair amount of flexibility. It may not be as powerful as VIA, but the software is quite useful. The only issue is that it has to be used when the HHKB Studio is plugged in, which has you reaching for the cable if you want to remap any keys.Then there's the price - you might want to make sure you're sitting up for this. The HHKB Studio is yours for 325/$329, which is hilariously expensive for a niche keyboard. It's only something I'd recommend if it's what you're really after. Personally, I like the HHKB Studio, but then I am kind of the target market. For everyone else, if you want the HHKB experience in layout only with more customisation choices, this is great, but for everyone else, get a more 'standard' HHKB. You'll thank me later.Wildcard: NCR-80 R2 review: A DIY keyboard kit with retro sensibilities Buy: I usually include a wildcard, or odder, choice in these roundups if you want to consider something that's even more niche than the three choices above for small form factor keyboards. Allow me to introduce you to the NCR-80 R2.On its own, it's a TKL mechanical keyboard kit that you can purchase in barebones form with a PCB, stabilisers and case. There aren't any switches or keycaps included, so you will need to purchase these separately.In a world where mechanical keyboard design has become increasingly zany, bright and perhaps a bit wacky in some cases, the NCR-80 might seem a little boring. There is a good reason for this, though. This beige plastic case is designed to mimic the older Cherry G80 and G81-3000 models from the 1990s, and does so admirably. Having used my fair share of G80-3000s old and new (my very first mechanical 'board was one with MX Blues), I can safely say that the NCR-80 nails it, and arguably improves on those late-era versions with an injection moulded plastic frame that suffers from no flex whatsoever. It also leans into the G80-3000's look with bright green functioning lock lights in the top right corner, a lovely NCR logo in the opposing corner, and a totally-not Cherry label on the reverse. How good does this look? Seriously.Of course, as a more modern take, you get benefits such as a USB-C port for wired connectivity, while there is full QMK and VIA support for controlling key functionality and programming on different layers. The PCB inside is also hot-swappable, and you can have whichever switches you want in here, as long as they're 3 or 5 pin. You will have to supply your own though, as this is just the chassis, PCB and stabilisers.The very kind folks at MechBoards UK sent this over, and specced it out with some TTC Golden Blues. I felt like it had to be something clicky because it leans into the romanticised era of loud keyboards that the G80-3000 was born into back in 1988. These are 37g tactile switches with a total travel of 3.5mm, making them lighter and snappier than your standard MX Blues. I found them quite comfortable to use for writing up all sorts of content, and being a lighter switch, you could conceivably use them for gaming, if you're a madman. Nonetheless, the Golden Blues in here fitted well with the feel of the NCR-80, as do the lovely beige keycaps provided, which round off the look wonderfully. TTC Golden Blues for lots of clicky goodness.I may swap the switches out down the line for a spare bag of MX Black Clear Tops that I've got in storage somewhere. Those are part of the recent series of 'official' MX reissues that included proper versions of the MX Ergo Clear community mod, and the revival of the MX Orange. Clear Top Blacks, or Nixies as they're affectionately known, were initially made for a run of keyboards produced by Nixdorf in the 1980s, so I feel they'd fit well in here, but that's for another day.The thing with the NCR-80 is is that it isn't one of these kits that cost an arm and a leg. At 120/$90 online, it's one of the more 'affordable' ones I've come across, and one that blends wonderful retro charm with livable features and fantastic customisation in a lovely overall package. If you can get one, it's definitely worth it.So, there you have it. Four reviews of some small form factor keyboards I've indulged in testing over the last few months. If you've got any recommendations for other products for Will or I to test, feel free to drop them in the comments below or pester me on Twitter @RBithrey or on Bluesky @rbithrey.bsky.social.

Whether your visions of merriment are glitz and glam or more muted, these holiday decorating ideas from design tastemakers are sure to delightand inspire. This winter, Auberge Resorts Collection has partnered with leading designers and brands to infuse its portfolio of properties with some seasonal spirit. As part of Wonderland by Auberge, creatives including Bronson Van Wyck, Ken Fulk, Nathan Turner, and Lela Rose drew inspiration from each of the properties surroundings and histories while putting their own signature spin on seasonal decor. Below, find six trends and more than 20 holiday decorating ideas that emerged from their merry-makingwhich can seamlessly transfer to at-home decorating.Coastal GlamAt the Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island, Van Wyck channeled Gilded Age opulence with sumptuous Brunschwig & Fils textiles and showstopping trees. One tree is enveloped in metallic tinsel and crowned with a sparkling monogrammed topper, while the other offers a whimsical tribute to the seaside setting with lacquered coral branches, messages in bottles, shells, and glitter-encrusted crustaceans. I couldnt resist Alfred Vanderbilts story, a life brimming with drama, affairs, and infamy, says the event planner. Newports rich nautical past, combined with Vanderbilts brushes with historynarrowly escaping the Titanic, only to meet his untimely end aboard the Lusitaniaserved as inspiration for the marine-themed tree standing proudly in The Vanderbilts grand foyer. Houses & Parties founder Rebecca Gardner also took a glamorous approach to coastal decor for the tree at the Dunlin, near Charleston, South Carolina, which features sea green ornaments, faux coral branches, garlands of pearls, feathered accents, and a birds nest on top.Handicraft MomentsSeveral designers went for an artisanal feel with handcrafted trees and decorations. French firm Pierre Frey created life-size paper trees, which offered a minimalist contrast to the elegant surroundings at Domaine des Etangs in the French countryside. Presents at the base of the trees are wrapped in the companys wallpaper, perfectly matching the surrounding interiors. Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, artist Daniela Monge of Entre Nudos wove macram decorations and installations for the festivities at Hacienda Altagracia, including a towering macram tree. Lela Rose added a handcrafted touch to her tree at Bowie House in Fort Worth, Texas, incorporating paper star ornaments. The designer accented the tree with a reversible tree skirt featuring the designers Reyrosa toile (with a black gingham backside) and packages wrapped in neutral paper and tied up in black satin ribbon. The romantically draped ribbons and bows continue at Auberges Wildflower Farms in Hudson Valley, New York, and Primland in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. At Wildflower Farms, landscape designer Lily Kwong created an installation of native evergreens with cascading green and gold ribbons, evoking the custom of Wishing Trees. Leather goods company Ghurka incorporated chestnut and red leather bows in the tree, wreaths, and garlands in Primlands Great Hall.Merry and BrightWhile some designers kept it classic with red-and-green color schemes, some of the tastemakers chose less traditional palettes. Mexican art and design studio Mestiz collaborated with three of Auberges luxury resorts in MexicoChileno Bay Resort, Etreo, and Susurros del Corazncreating vibrant woven-wicker installations unique to each property. As a whole and individually, the installations celebrate the unexpected yet deeply symbiotic connection between Mexicos three seasthe Sea of Corts, the Pacific Ocean, and the Caribbean Seaand a singular native flora distinct to each property: pink bougainvillea for Chileno Bay Resort, purple trumpet for Etreo, and red tabachn for Susurros del Corazn, says Daniel Valero, founder of Mestiz. Colorful installations can also be found at Solage in Napa Valley, where Bay Area artist Angela Johal created a rainbow-hued tree of glassware by Estelle Colored Glass.All Buttoned UpCozy textiles are a focal point at properties across the country. Heather Taylor Home evoked tradition with gingham stockings and plaid chain garlands hung by the fire at The Inn at Matteis Tavern in Los Olivos, California. Bishops Lodge in Santa Fe partnered with luxury fashion house Zazi on the redesign of the propertys Valley View Suite, which showcases the companys handwoven textiles. And over on the East Coast, Turner put a Scandinavian twist on holiday style at Kennebunk, Maines White Barn Inn. The designer decked the hotels halls with whimsical table linens and stockings printed with woodland creatures.Forest FanciesTurner wasnt the only designer to draw inspiration from nature. Fulk created an eye-catching pine cone garland over the arched entrance to the Commodore Perry Estate in Austin. Inside, the AD100 designer used dried citrus in the garlands, wreaths, and trees that decorate the Mansion Living Room. And Markarian designer Alexandra O'Neill incorporated citrus, pomegranates, and dried flowers into the beautifully textured garlands that adorn the mantles at the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Connecticut. Terra-cotta pots of paperwhites and amaryllis greet guests in the lobby and the cozy Tap Room.Open-Air FestivitiesThe festive decor isnt limited to the interiors. Several collaborations brought the holiday spirit outdoors for celebrations in the snow or by the surf. Max Mara partnered with Aspens historic Hotel Jerome to devise a winter wonderland inside and out, including the Max Mara Holiday Caf in the Winter Garden. Guests can sip hot chocolate and cozy up in the seating area furnished with firepits and seating topped with the fashion labels luxe pillows and throws. After a day on the slopes, guests at Goldener Hirsch in Deer Valley, Utah, can enjoy an aprs-ski cocktail on the hotels patio, which has been outfitted by skiwear brand Perfect Moment with cozy pillows and red Adirondack chairsa nod to the resorts bright-red front door. And at Esperanza in Cabo San Lucas, design collective Onora brings the festivities to the beach with an outdoor dining and lounge area furnished with pieces by local artisans.