Having $1 billion isnt enough these days. To be seen among the richest of the rich, you now need your own private sanctuary.For some, that means a sprawling compound. Increasingly, though, members of techs 1% are incorporating their own towns, giving them the power to set rules, issue building permits, and even influence education. Some of these modern-day land grabs are already functioning; others are still in the works.Either way, the billionaire class is busy creating its own utopias. Heres where things stand:Elon MuskMusk can lay claim to not one but two towns in Texas.In May, residents along the Gulf Coast voted to incorporate Starbase (though its worth noting that nearly all of them were SpaceX employees). Previously called Boca Chica, the 1.5-square-mile zone elected Bobby Peden, a SpaceX vice president of 12 years, as mayor. He ran unopposed.The vote stirred controversy. The South Texas Environmental Justice Network opposed the plan. The group wrote in a press release in May: Boca Chica Beach is meant for the people, not Elon Musk to control. For generations, residents have visited Boca Chica Beach for fishing, swimming, recreation, and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe has spiritual ties to the beach. They should be able to keep access.Musk also controls Snailbrook, an unincorporated town near Bastrop, about 350 miles north of Starbase. The area includes a SpaceX site that produces Starlink receiver technology, sits just 13 miles from Teslas Gigafactory, and features housing and a Montessori school that opened last year.Mark CubanIn 2021, Cuban purchased Mustang, Texas (population: 23). The 77-acre town, an hour south of Dallas, was founded in 1973 as an oasis for alcohol sales in a dry county. The former Shark Tank star told CNN he has no immediate plans beyond basic cleanup. Its how I typically deal with undeveloped land, he said. It sits there until an idea hits me.California ForeverThis project isnt tied to a single billionaire, but a collective. In 2017, venture capitalist Michael Moritz spearheaded a plan for a new city in Solano County, California, about 60 miles northeast of San Francisco. Backers included Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, Reid Hoffman, Stripes Patrick and John Collison, and Laurene Powell Jobs. Together, they spent $800 million on 60,000 acres.The plan proved unpopular. In November, California Forever withdrew its ballot measure to bypass zoning restrictions. (The land is not zoned for residential use.) It pivoted last month, unveiling Solano Foundry, a 2,100-acre project the founders say could become the nations largest, most strategically located, and best designed advanced manufacturing park.The group also envisions a walkable community with 150,000-plus homes. A Bay Area Council Economic Institute study released this week projected 517,000 permanent jobs and $4 billion in annual tax revenue if the revised plan goes forward.Larry EllisonEllison doesnt own a town, but he owns virtually all of one of the Hawaiian Islands. In 2012, he bought 98% of Lanai for about $300 million. He also owns the islands two Four Seasons hotels, most commercial properties, and serves as landlord to most residents. Lanai has become a retreat for the wealthy, hosting visitors from Elon Musk to Tom Cruise to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Peter ThielThiel doesnt own a city, per se, but he is part of a collective backing Praxis, a proposed startup city that is currently eyeing Greenland for its base of operations. Other investors include Thiels PayPal cofounder Ken Howery and Andreessen. The plan for Praxis is similar to California Forever. Founders hope to create a Libertarian-minded city that has minimal corporate regulation and focuses on AI and other emerging technologies. So far, however, no notable progress has been made on the project.Mark ZuckerbergZuckerberg owns a 2,300-acre compound on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Hes investing $270 million into Koolau Ranch, which will include a 5,000-square-foot underground bunker. Located on the islands North Shore, the property is also said to have its own energy and food supplies, Wired reports.While its not technically its own city, it will house more than a dozen buildings boasting upwards of 30 bedrooms and 30 bathrooms. There will be two mansions spanning 57,000 square feet, with elevators, offices, conference rooms, and an industrial kitchen. Those will be joined by a tunnel, which branches off into the underground bunker, which has a living space and a mechanical room as well as an escape hatch. Zuckerberg has posted on Instagram about the compound, saying he plans to raise Wagyu and Angus cattle.Bill GatesIn 2017, Gates announced plans for Belmont, a smart city on 234 square miles near Phoenix. Designed to house 180,000 people, it promised autonomous vehicles and high-speed networks. There havent been any recent updates on the status of the Arizona development, however, and the project is considered dead in the water (well, desert) at this point.

A number of older houses across the world will have penciled height marks on the wall, in what was once a child's room. These marks were simple to make, requiring just two already-owned items in the kitchen junk drawer: A tape measure and a pencil.These days, however, we're apparently running out of things to spend money on. Rather than relying on a pencil and tape measure, which most households already own, you can splash out on something far more expensive and ultimately disposable. Companies like Pottery Barn Kids will sell you a $130 piece of MDF with markings on it. (Ironically, you still need a tape measure and pencil to accurately install it; it doesn't start at 0, to accommodate for trim.) You can even order custom versions with your child's name written in Garamond. And in Japan, they have of course solved this "problem" with technology. This Digital Height Meter by Tomica is a toy bus concealing a laser measuring unit. It runs 3,850 (USD $26). But if your child prefers giraffes to buses, no worries: Admittedly I'm not a parent, so it's perhaps not my place to criticize these objects.

If youre heading to IFA 2025 in Berlin, you already know the drill. Massive exhibition halls stretch endlessly, product launches occur every hour, and back-to-back interviews with industry leaders take place, all under the constant pressure to capture everything worth covering. The worlds biggest consumer electronics show doesnt mess around, and neither should your gear. Between navigating crowded press areas and chasing breaking announcements, having the right equipment can make the difference between professional coverage and completely missed opportunities that could define your reporting.These five essential designs will keep you ahead of the chaos while everyone else is still fumbling with cables and dead batteries. From smart note-taking solutions that bridge analog comfort with digital efficiency to modular backpacks that adapt to changing coverage needs, this carefully curated toolkit ensures youre properly equipped for comprehensive event coverage that stands out from the competition.1.AlmoMost of us have tried going fully digital for note-taking, only to find ourselves missing the simple pleasure of pen on paper. The Almo gets this completely. Instead of forcing you into another app or complicated system, it lets you write naturally while adding just enough intelligence to make your life easier. Scribble down a meeting time next to your notes, and Almo spots it automatically, setting a gentle reminder without you touching a single button.The magnetic back sticks to booth frames and equipment cases, while the kickstand works perfectly on those tiny press tables everyone fights over. The pen clips magnetically to the top because losing pens at trade shows is practically a universal law. As your deadline approaches, a subtle LED color shift gives you a heads-up without the jarring beeps that make you look unprofessional during quiet interview moments.What we likeHandwriting recognition that works without making you change how you naturally write.Smart mounting options that adapt to the weird spaces you end up working in at events.What we dislikeStill a concept, so good luck buying one for this years show.A small writing surface might frustrate people used to full-size notebooks.2. Lancer300Carrying camera gear to events usually means choosing between a bag thats either too small for everything or too big for comfort. The Lancer300 solves this with a modular approach that makes sense. Start with the core pack for light days, then snap on modules when you need serious capacity. The exoskeleton frame looks a bit sci-fi, but it handles the abuse of constant movement while keeping your expensive toys protected.The power station module transforms your backpack into a mobile charging hub. Cables run cleanly through the frame, so you can juice up cameras, drones, and even laptops while you walk. No more playing outlet roulette in crowded press areas or carrying a separate arsenal of battery packs. When that perfect shot opportunity hits and your cameras at 15%, youll understand why this matters.What we likeModular design means you only carry what you need instead of lugging everything everywhere.Built-in power system eliminates the anxiety of watching battery percentages drop during critical moments.What we dislikeLearning curve for optimizing the modular setup might eat into your prep time.Premium features probably mean premium pricing thatll make your accountant wince.3. Memento Business Card LogEveryone exchanges LinkedIn details now, but theres something powerful about physically handling someones business card while jotting down notes about your conversation. The Memento Business Card Log brings back this lost art without feeling outdated. It holds 120 cards with space for handwritten context about each person you meet. Those little details about shared interests or follow-up promises turn generic contacts into actual relationships.The Japanese craftsmanship from Re+g shows in every detail. The binding system lets you reorganize pages easily, while the two-point card slots keep everything secure when youre rushing between meetings. The paper feels substantial and inviting, encouraging you to slow down and actually think about the connections youre making. In a world of digital overwhelm, taking time to write notes by hand signals true interest that people remember.Click Here to Buy Now: $35.00What we likeHandwritten context turns business cards into relationship-building tools instead of just contact info.Japanese attention to detail makes this feel special rather than like another boring organizer.What we dislikePhysical organization takes more effort than letting your phone handle everything automatically.120 cards might not last through a major networking event if youre working the floor.4. Ridge Magnetic Power BankEvent coverage means juggling multiple devices that all seem to die at the worst possible moments. The Ridge Magnetic Power Bank cuts through the usual cable chaos with a simple approach: wireless charging for your iPhone plus built-in cables for everything else. The magnetic connection holds strong enough that you can toss it in your bag without worrying about disconnection, while the 15W wireless charging keeps pace with your usage.It truly handles real-world charging scenarios instead of trying to be everything to everyone. The built-in cables mean youre never digging for the right connector when your camera battery hits red. The compact design disappears into jacket pockets, and the magnetic system works beautifully with existing MagSafe accessories. Its not trying to revolutionize portable power; its just doing the basics well.What we likeBuilt-in cables eliminate the eternal hunt for the right charging cord when you need it most.Magnetic wireless charging that stays connected even when youre moving around constantly.What we dislikeCompact size means limited capacity for power-hungry professional gear.Quality features typically come with quality pricing, so budget accordingly.5.Lenovo C55 The best gear for event coverage isnt the most expensive stuff. The Lenovo C55 proves this beautifully at just $70, offering excellent 4K video when you need a reliable backup or secondary angle. This little white camera isnt trying to impress anyone or compete with your main setup. Its just there when you need it, whether thats grabbing B-roll while your primary camera handles the main interview or catching those spontaneous moments that happen between scheduled press events.It is perfect for events and trade shows because the built-in ring light truly works. Anyone whos covered IFA knows the lighting nightmare youre walking into. One minute youre under harsh exhibition spotlights, the next youre squeezed into a dimly lit booth corner trying to get usable footage. Having that ring light built right in means you can grab clean interview shots anywhere without dragging lighting gear around. The physical dial feels solid and responsive when you need quick adjustments, and at 190 grams, it disappears into your bag until you need it.What we likeBuilt-in ring light tackles lighting challenges without hauling additional equipment around.Sub-$70 price point makes professional backup capability accessible to literally anyone.What we dislikeThe basic screen might make precise framing tricky in challenging lighting situations.The compact size could get uncomfortable during longer recording sessions.Getting Ready To Dominate IFA 2025These five innovative tools work splendidly together without getting in each others way. The Almo keeps your thoughts organized while the Lancer300 carries everything you need, powered and ready. The Memento ensures those random booth conversations turn into meaningful connections, while the Ridge keeps your devices alive when outlets are nowhere to be found. The little Lenovo sits quietly in your bag until you need that perfect secondary angle or quick interview setup.None of these will make you a better journalist or content creator overnight, but theyll remove the friction that kills good coverage. When everyone else is scrambling for power outlets, untangling cables, or missing shots because their gear failed, youll be the one getting the story. IFA 2025 is going to be massive, chaotic, and essential for anyone covering tech. Show up prepared, stay mobile, and let your coverage speak for itself.The post Top 5 Must-Have Gadgets & Gear For Effortless Event Coverage In 2025 first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Soft Apartment, designed by O l a f s B a r o n, is a thoughtfully styled space that blends sculptural forms, warm wood tones, and a calming neutral palette. From the herringbone oak floors to the organic lighting and fluted finishes, every detail invites softness into everyday living. Perfectly suited for city dwellers who crave calm without compromising on style, this apartment is a masterclass in texture.In the living space of The Soft Apartment, a cloud-like boucle sofa anchors the room. Its rounded form reflects the organic shapes found throughout the apartment. The soft texture pairs beautifully with the brushed bronze coffee table.A washed grey rug underfoot defines the seating zone while complementing the pale herringbone wood floors. Across the room, a sleek marble media unit adds a luxurious touch beneath the wall-mounted TV. Dual standing speakers and a turntable add a layer of modern nostalgia.Matte blue cabinetry stretches seamlessly across the back wall in the kitchen area. It offers generous storage while maintaining a clean, handle-less look. The backdrop? A full-height marble backsplash that brings an elegant texture.A round marble dining table sits at the heart of the space. Its fluted cylindrical base echoes the sculptural theme found throughout the apartment. Surrounding it, caramel-toned velvet chairs add warmth. A floating pendant light above the table provides a soft, ambient glow, perfect for intimate meals or quiet coffee moments.Bright, functional, and playful, the first bedroom space blends soft neutrals with earthy tones. A rust-framed bed adds warmth, while the skylight and window keep the room sunlit. The built-in study nook features a minimalist desk, floating shelves, and a comfy swivel chair.The main bedroom pairs an olive upholstered bed with layered bedding. Neutral artwork and floor-length curtains enhance the serene vibe. A sculptural chandelier adds drama, balancing simplicity with statement design.This small bathroom makes a strong impression with its deep blue fluted wall panels and terrazzo flooring. A floating sink and wall-mounted toilet keep the space feeling open, while the hexagon mosaic tile in the shower cubicle adds visual interest.

Fabulous FabricOne of the areas lacking in our texture library is fabric materials.Some years ago, Rob created some photometric stereo scans (what were starting to call light scanning which is less of a tongue twister and harder to confuse with photogrammetry) of fabric materials, which you can find here: https://polyhaven.com/textures/fabric?a=Rob%20TuytelThis is a good start, but if youve ever visited a fabric store (or taken a look inside your closet) you know there are hundreds of types of fabric that were missing.Photogrammetry is usually our primary method of capturing surface geometry and building textures, however, it has its limitations. When there is very little (relatively speaking) height variation in a surface, say for example a polished wooden tabletop, or any fabric, then you end up with a lumpy mess where the photogrammetry tool imagines height details from the image noise or simple errors in calculation.Lumpy scanned normals vs B2M faked normals. Both not great.Essentially, you have to throw away the geometry and use the photogrammetry software as a glorified panorama stitcher, and then create the normal map/height map some other way.Going with the age-old bitmap to material (B2M) technique of fudging the albedo map until you get something that looks a bit like a height map is something we want to avoid.A more accurate method is to keep the camera still and capture multiple images with different light angles, feeding them into a tool like Details Capture to compute the surface normals based on these known light angles.It, too, is an approximation, as things like material color, reflectivity, and translucency can throw it off, but the results are far better than B2M or photogrammetry.B2M (worst)Photogrammetry (eh)Light Scan (pretty great)One challenge with light scanning (photometric stereo) is that youre limited by the resolution of the camera, since the camera doesnt move around like it does in photogrammetry, rather the light moves instead.Even the highest resolution consumer cameras dont reach 8K on the vertical axis.To get around this, you can shoot multiple light scans in a grid pattern with a bit of overlap, process them as separate textures, and then stitch them together again like a panorama. Doing this in a 22 grid with our camera results in slightly more than 8K resolution.PTGui, the software we use for stitching HDRI panoramas, happens to also work amazingly well for this task too as its designed to counter distortion curvatures, blend seams dynamically along natural edges in the image, and work with many gigapixels of data. Its JSON-based project files (or templating system) also make it trivial to stitch the same panorama for both the albedo and normal maps.Side note: We played around a bit with pixel shift as well which can theoretically reach about 12K resolution without moving the camera, however, this tech is very sensitive and we couldn't reliably capture sharp images. In many of our tests, the combined pixel shift image was slightly more blurry than even a single of the lower resolution 16 brackets despite having more pixels. We should be able to solve this with more rigid setups, but then we also have to deal with inconsistencies in flash exposures as well. That could be solved with high-power video lights, but we moved on to the panorama method before investing in this.Were starting to design a workflow around this to use at scale, so we can capture dozens more fabric materials and process them as painlessly as possible. Once were happy with it, well document the workflow on our wiki (like we have all our others) and share it for you to learn from and improve upon.Well likely take the last few months of this year to plan and test things further, and then begin raiding fabric stores early next year.Wood Workshop VisitWood, one of our most popular texture categories!Wood textures are something you can never really have enough of. There are dozens of different species commonly used for furniture and construction, and a seemingly infinite number of ways to lay out planks in patterns for flooring or fences. And what about stains and finishes, roughness and polish, live edge and composites ?While more than 10% of our texture library today is made up of wood materials, Id say we havent even scratched the surface.This is actually the primary reason why we built the C-monster, and we finally got to put it to its intended use last week:We scanned a few veneer boards and piles of sawdust, and will begin processing them later this year when our to-do list is a little shorter. If those work out well, we plan to return to scan a few more types of wood.NamaqualandOur trip to the desert last month was a huge success!It was a bit more lush than we were expecting, but that also meant we could capture a lot of nice little flowers to make things more interesting.We havent yet parsed through our data completely, but Id estimate we have about 50 good assets waiting for us to process.Were also working on a behind-the-scenes video documenting the whole trip, which should be a fun watch Sadly we need to finish up our other projects before we can start work on this collection, but Im already looking forward to seeing the results.Little FallsSpeaking of other projects, Little Falls is next on our list at the moment to finish up. Progress is slow but steady, as weve been preparing for another top-secret mission you can read about on Patreon In the meantime, here are some tasty renders that Rico threw together with the assets hes working on:Hidden AlleyJamess progress on the Hidden Alley scene is coming along great! We should have some more to share soon, but for now here are some sneak peeks:Rigging StandardsYou may have noticed a number of our models have been updated with rigged versions, and affixed with a bone icon in the library:This is thanks to efforts started by Yann Kervran, who has been donating his time to help us rig existing models and come up with good standards for future rigs.A focus for the rigs is to try and be software-agnostic and unopinionated, allowing changes to control elements without needing to redo any mechanical parts of the rigs.Every animator likes their rigs to work a certain way depending on the motion they have planned, so our approach is to create a rig that is broadly useful, but still adaptable.Collection PagesFinally, I spent some time improving the layout of our collection pages, adding a nice image banner and some links for each collection.You may also notice a brand new collection: The Pine Forest.This combines several of our pine and fir tree assets, plus related textures and rocks, into a convenient bundle, also making the scene that Rob created for the project available for download.Well thats it for this Dev Log! Next time well talk more about our top-secret mission and share more progress of all our ongoing projects

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MacworldApple has officially announced its Awe Dropping special event for September 9, where well officially meet the iPhone 17 lineup. As usual, the company didnt reveal anything beyond the date and tagline, but the invitation artwork and Apples history of easter eggs give us a few strong hints about whats coming.Here are five takeaways from Apples event invite that just might confirm details about the iPhone 17 and beyond.A jaw-dropping iPhone design is comingThis years tagline, Awe Dropping, seems to tease something visually striking, jaw-dropping if you will. For months, rumors have pointed to Apple introducing a new, ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air model to replace the unpopular Plus model. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to mark the most radical change in iPhone design since the iPhone X and kick off a three-year-long iPhone overhaul.If Apple really wants to drop jaws, a radically thinner design certainly fits the bill.The Apple event invite all but confirms the iPhone 17 color options.FoundryThe iPhone 17 lineup will have bold new color optionsAs reported exclusively by Macworld, Apple has planned many new colors for the iPhone 17 models, ranging from a new iPhone 17 Pro in orange to various shades of blue. If you werent certain of the new colors before, the event invitation artwork appears to be a clear confirmation that the rumors are right.According to our sources, both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a light shade of blue. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will come in dark blue and orange. More traditional colors, such as black and white, are also expected.Well, the Apple logo shown in the event artwork essentially features all the new colors we mentioned, which is a pretty clear sign that these are indeed the new colors for the iPhone 17 lineup. So you can start figuring out which one you want now.The iPhone 17 Pro is getting new cooling systemAccording to rumors, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a new vapor chamber cooling system to keep the device at an optimal temperature even when running intensive activities such as games. This not only ensures greater comfort when holding the phone in your hand but also helps to sustain peak performance.Interestingly, if you watch the Apple logo animation in the artwork, it looks suspiciously like a heat map, with shades of intense red and cool blue swirling around the edges. Could this be Apple confirming the new cooling system for the iPhone 17 Pro models?Will the iPhone 17 get new dynamic wallpaper?FoundryNew colorful wallpapers are comingSometimes, Apples event artwork means only one thing: new wallpapers. And that may be the case this year. For instance, the stylized Apple logo created to promote the September 2023 event was based on the wallpaper shipped with the iPhone 15 Pro.Perhaps this years iPhones will feature dark wallpapers with a heat map effect, or swirling blue and orange. Or something interactive like the image on Apple.com. Go try it outmove your finger, mouse, or Apple Pencil over the Apple logo and the colors will morph and mingle with your movements.iOS 26 and Liquid Glass are a big dealSpeaking of the interactive event logo, as you drag your finger around, its hard not to see that the effect looks a lot like what happens when you swipe your finger across Liquid Glass elements in iOS 26.Apple typically releases new versions of iOS to the public the week after its September event, and this year should be no different. Perhaps the invite is nothing more than a tease for the new interface coming to everyones iPhones in a few weeks.In fact, just this week, Bloombergs Mark Gurman reported that Liquid Glass is more than just a 2025 redesign. Its the start of a 3-year iPhone supercycle that will include a new folding phone and culminate with the launch of the 20th anniversary iPhone in 2027. That phone is expected to have curved glass that mimics the evolution of the Liquid Glass interface over the next three years. So Apple would definitely want to draw attention to Liquid Glass now.AppleMark your calendarsApples invites are always carefully designed, and this one is no exception. From new colors to the heat-map-like cooling teaser, theres a lot hiding in plain sight. Well know for sure on September 9, but if history is any guide, Apple just gave us a pretty good preview of whats coming.Of course, Macworld will have full coverage leading up to the keynote as well and all through the event. So stay tuned!