This strange-looking object is a universal vise for holding diminutive workpieces.They're used by watchmakers to hold movements in place while they're being worked on. A demonstration of how it works:I couldn't find any examples from reputable manufacturers. (These are being flogged on AliExpress for $110).

As someone who needs to go to the doctor regularly, I still find it a hassle to do so for various reasons. Of course health should be a priority but I sometimes wish there was an easier way to regularly check how Im doing without all the hassle of setting up an appointment, taking a leave from work, and going through all kinds of tests. Designer: WitingsWithings has come up with a concept for something that can give you deep health screening in case you cant go to the doctor at the moment. Omnia is still a conceptual product for now but it is an exciting development that theyre working on. It looks at the future of personal health monitoring, kind of like what we imagine when watching sci-fi movies and TV shows. The concept is that of a full-length mirror with a scale at the bottom that should be able to give you 360-deep health screening. It is able to check things like ECG, heart rate, other heart health specs, activity tracking, vitamin analysis, muscle-to-fat ration, weight trends, and even sleep quality analysis. All you have to do is step on the scale with the frequency you want, and it should be able to give you in-depth data on your health. And it comes with an AI that will talk back to you and tell you all about whats wrong with your health and your body.Of course, you would need to have connected Withings devices like watches, body scan, and BPM Connect, and 3rd party sources so the device can give you more detailed readings. This concept was tailor-fit for the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas so we may see some proof of concept there to get more details about how it will work exactly. The post Omnia concept gives you a 360 degree health analysis in a mirror-like device first appeared on Yanko Design.

Even with the ubiquity of touch screens, most of use still use keyboards and mice as the primary way to interact with computers, both desktops and even laptops. As common as these devices might be, they werent initially designed decades ago with ergonomics in mind. Of course, we now have ergonomic keyboards and ergonomic mice, but that only solves half of the problem.The other half is that our hands keep dancing back and forth between the keyboard, mouse, and sometimes a separate numeric keypad, which also causes strain. In an effort to solve this lingering issue, this automatic keyboard and mouse machine tries to keep your hands in the same position as much as possible by sliding in and out to switch between keyboards, numpad, and mouse, with some help from AI, of course.Designer: AutoKeyboImagine having a desk where, instead of your hand flying sideways between the keyboard and your mouse, those peripherals move on their own and slide under your hands when you need them. And imagine having that happen automatically, without having to manually press a button that will break your flow. Autonomous keyboards and mice are, of course, still in the realm of science fiction, but apparently, we already have the next best thing: an AI-powered tray.AutoKeybo is hard to describe in words, but once you see it in action, it immediately makes sense while also looking astonishingly odd. At first glance, you see what looks like a giant contraption with a split ergonomic keyboard at the top and a large box for your wrist rest. Once you start typing, however, you will see the magic of a device that will hopefully save your hands, wrists, and shoulders from serious and permanent injury.The device has a total of four trays in pairs, one stacked on top of the other. The bottom trays house a mouse and a numeric keypad while the top pair holds two halves of the split keyboard. The top trays slide in to give you access to the mouse and numpad below so you wont have to move your hands away just to reach them. They then slide back out to let you return to your typing without missing a beat. They can even move independently of each other, so you can slide only one tray to access the mouse or numpad quickly without losing access to some of the letters.All of these happen automatically, or at least without pushing a button. Using AI and a built-in camera, AutoKeybo can detect hand gestures, in this case, splaying out your fingers, to trigger the switching mechanism. To make this possible, this device has a built-in Linux computer that you can actually use as a standalone computer, complete with an HDMI port and USB-C ports. Its definitely an intriguing design, though it still remains to be seen whether the theory actually holds well in practice.The post AI-powered keyboard and mouse slides and retracts so you wont have to move your hands first appeared on Yanko Design.

Does the rise of artificial intelligence represent more of an opportunity for the world or a curse? Because for all the clamor about boosted productivity and enhanced human potential, theres also the rising demand for energy, processor power, memory requirements and ever more bloat on the machine.Just look at Apple Intelligence, which now demands almosttwice as much data storage on your devices than was originally advertised.I fear thats the thin end of this cursed wedge.And its not as though storage is the only demand AI makes.AI is a greedy beastApple has been forced to roll out major hardware changes to support Apple Intelligence:Memory:Apple has increased base memory across all of its machines. Macs, iPhone, and iPads all now ship with much more memory than before, boosting manufacturing costs.Processor:Apple has really pushed the boat out on processors in its latest hardware. The company effectively raised everyone up an extra grade during the last 18 months as it primed its ecosystem for Apple Intelligence with new, faster, more energy-efficient processors.Energy efficiency:Not only is Apple Silicon more energy efficient, but the company wants to give its devices more energy capacity. To do so, it is expected to shift to silicon-anode cells over the next 12 months. These hold around 15% more energy, which will be useful for the energy demands of edge AI.Server infrastructure:Reflecting its realization that not every task can be accomplished on edge devices, Apple has now re-entered the server market, introducing its own take on secure server-based cloud computing services,Private Cloud Compute.Apple isnt alone in any of this, but its actions highlight the extent of thehundreds of billions being spenton the sector today costs that extend into essential infrastructure resources such as water, rare resources, and energy supply. All of this costs enterprises money, focus, and time. The rewards? Even OpenAI, arguably the doyen of AI tech, isshedding cash faster than it makes it, even on its priciest $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan.What need does the greed feed?Right now, all we really seem to be experiencing is more targeted ads placement, email and website summaries, stupid pictures in messages, deep employment insecurity, rising energy costs, and an increasingly homogenized trade in optimized job resumes, press releases, and student exam papers. Oh, and dont forget the fake video influencers hawking their wares on heavily AI-SEOd social media.Were sold on potential, but may yet wind up with little more than a smarter search engine and a deeply intrusive invasion of privacy. Fantasia or dystopia? Even Elon Musk seems unsure, warning of theperils of AI at one point, only to introduce his own AI model later on.The hype is unavoidable at this weeksConsumer Electronic Show(CES), where AI is going to appear in some form across all the exhibit stands. Everyone and anyone who can link their product up to some form of AI service will do so.As is usual, some of the claims will turn out to be vaporware, while other combinations wont really deliver much tangible benefit. To invent an example, do we really need an AI tool to order groceries toward personalized dinner plans it builds based on what it knows about our plans that week? Or do we just need a recipe book and a takeaway menu?What about theconsequences of this kind of data being weaponized by AI? How is the information that AI gathers stored, who else can access it, and what control over it do we have? Do we really need dodgy surveillance-as-a-service firms to be able to identify information about us that they can then use to send convincingly authentic AI-targeted and developed phishing attacks to gain access to our digital lives? How well thought through are the solutions rapidly appearing on the table, and how much consideration has gone into weighing the potential consequences?Behind the hypeAm I being unfair?Im certain there are AI proponents who think the potential of what we are investing in far outweighs the risks. But there are always people prepared to make such claims. Right now, for most of us (even with Apple Intelligence), the hype, hoop-la, and costs havent yet delivered on the clamor. The rest of us watching tech bros snicker and smile on their shiny AI cavalcade remain to be convinced.With that in mind, it seems a slow and steady approach to AI deployment could end up being the Kings Gambit in the game. Rather than chasing the evangelists, the industry should focus on putting solutions together that delivergenuine benefit, rather than simply looking good in headlines, (whoever writes them). We need to see true and tangible improvements to foster trust, and if the people behind them genuinely believe AI will drive future hardware sales, theyll make sure their AI solutions do just that.Or fail.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn,Mastodon, andMeWe.

A new price drop at Amazon on Apple's upgraded M3 MacBook Air delivers the lowest price in 30 days.Grab the lowest price in 30 days on this MacBook Air.Pick up the upgraded M3 13-inch MacBook Air configuration for just $1,099 at Amazon this CES 2025 week and enjoy a $200 discount off MSRP. At press time, the Space Gray colorway is the only finish option eligible for the steep price drop and units are in stock and ready to ship with delivery as early as tomorrow for Prime members.Get 512GB Air for $1,099 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Instead of telling you what song was playing just now in the elevator, Apple's Shazam is once more looking into the future at who it calculates will be your next favorite.Shazam announces its 50 artists to watch in 2025Shazam does know its stuff in November 2024, it was announced that it had been used more than 100 billion times since it was launched in 2002. True, that figure must include all the times you get "No song found," but it's still impressive.It's also a bit like alchemy. All of those millions of songs, recognized within just a few bars. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

India's Ministry of Electronics and IT has proposed giving component makers billions in aid in an effort to boost local manufacturing of devices like the iPhone.Tim Cook in a previous visit to India image credit: AppleIndia is once more hoping to incentivize smartphone manufacturers to continue to expand into the region. This time the plan includes 230 billion rupees, or about $2.7 billion, in new subsidies to offset production costs.In addition to the subsidies, the ministry has also suggested that India reduce tariffs on certain electronic components, ultimately bringing down production costs, a source told Bloomberg. If approved, the details will likely be announced in the government's upcoming budget in February. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Microsoft seems to be gearing up to launch its next console in 2026. According to The Ghost of Hope known for their leaks about Call of Duty games the company is getting ready to launch the new Xbox next year. The leak refers to the release window as an open secret in the industry.According to The Ghost of Hope, Microsofts next console is dubbed Xbox Prime. It is worth noting that whether this is the consumer-facing name of the console or an internal development name is unknown. The leak also indicates that Microsoft is eyeing 2026s Call of Duty release to be a launch title for the console.As is the case with all leaks, these details should be taken with a grain of salt, since Microsoft is yet to make an official announcement.Im haring that the next Xbox console is still coming in 2026 and will be called Xbox Prime, said The Ghost of Hope, warning people to take this information with a grain of salt. Still unclear if its a code name or the actual name. Ive heard Infinity Wards next COD is still being considered a day one release for this.These leaks would also imply that the 2026 Call of Duty might end up being released exclusively on Xbox, skipping a PlayStation release down the line.I know people dont believe it but Xbox next console being in 2026 is pretty much an open secret within the industry, Ghost of Hope continues. Seems early but I think it makes sense with where Xbox is headed.Take this with a huge grain of salt:Im hearing that the next Xbox console is still coming in 2026 and will be called Xbox Prime. Still unclear if its a code name or the actual name. Ive heard Infinity Wards next COD is still being considered a day one release for this. https://t.co/JKGMsKU9br Hope (@TheGhostOfHope) January 6, 2025I know people dont believe it but Xbox next console being in 2026 is pretty much an open secret within the industry. Seems early but I think it makes sense with where Xbox is headed. Hope (@TheGhostOfHope) January 6, 2025

Ken Levine has been on the down-low for over a decade but returns to the directors chair with Ghost Story Games Judas later this year. While the shooter may appear akin to the BioShock series, Levine told GamesIndustry.biz that it aims to be much more hopefully reflective of players agency.Interestingly, Levine considers BioShock to be more of a corridor from a development standpoint. BioShock, if you look at it from a development standpoint and this may be a bit alienating to some readers but its basically a corridor.A very, very long corridor with a bunch of trigger points that make story elements happen. Judas is made very, very differently and that makes it much more hopefully reflective of players agency, but also much, much harder to make.Judas will seemingly differ by observing players and commenting on their actions at points. Even just characters observing a long range of player action and commenting on it. Hey, you saw this, and you did that, and then you did this, and that was interesting because that caused that were doing that kinda stuff right now.Naturally, its a huge amount of work when considering all the potential decisions. Theres also having to write in-character responses for different characters to those actions in a way that feels organic.Judas is in development for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Set in a spaceship, the story focuses on the titular protagonists attempt to escape. Of course, circumstances can change depending on your actions, especially when attempting to work alongside other crew members. Head here for more details.Though it doesnt have a release date, parent company Take-Two Interactive said its expected to launch by March 2025. Stay tuned for updates.

Team-based competitive shooters are in danger of being totally overdone. It is becoming increasingly challenging to stand out in what is an ultra-competitive domain, just look at the fate of Concord. Thus, tapping into a niche is more critical than ever.PIONER is anMMORPG FPS coming from studio GFAGames is chucking nearly every possible mechanic and system into its experience. Big lungful of air now: theres an alternate reality open world filled with Stalker and Fallout-esque anomaly; dense lore that is richly imbued in classic sci-fi; theres a story campaign; therell be both PvE missions and PvP arenas; minigames in the shape of casinos and fishing; an extraction shooter mode; factions with unique personalities; extensive weapon customisation; survival mechanics; crafting; clan-based social interaction; raids, the list feels like it should go on.We know what youre thinking: how can a game combine all these features into one unified experience? Can it possibly be good at everything? Or is there a danger Pioner will be defined as a jack of all trades master of none?To alleviate any concerns, its worth pointing out that GFAGames have been working on Pioner since its inception in 2021, so thats plenty of time for the team of 70 to get all the games ducks in a row. Furthermore, the game has probably has the finances secured too, so the budget will most certainly be there to ensure Pioner is as polished as possible come its eventual release. And finally, if you pay attention to its gameplay reveals you might notice a handful of careful design considerations thatll assist players in dividing their workload to avoid tending to numerous different game modes simultaneously.The games open world is an isolated Soviet-era island, a 50 square kilometre patch of irradiated wasteland known as Tartarus populated by wild animals, mutants, and cosmic anomalies. This setting, whilst not exactly the Chornobyl exclusion zone, is how Pioner gets its comparisons with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. although it must be pointed out that this is not a rip-off as some may infer. No, both GSC Game Worlds vision of The Zone in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and GFAGames radiation-heavy island draw inspiration from the same source: the Strugatsky brothers philosophical sci-fi novella Roadside Picnic and, by extension, Andrei Tarkovskys 1979 movie adaption. For reference, Roadside Picnic can be argued at this point to have spawned a whole genre off the back of its phantasmagorical phenomena, with VR game Into The Radius and 2024s Pacific Drive showing clear influence alongside movies such as Alex Garlands Annihilation and Amazon Prime series Tales from the Loop.This island though, its divided up into sectors whereby specific activities can be undertaken. In the developers words, the right-hand side of the island (so presumably, the east) is the territory youll find the harshest PvPvE zones and clan wars. This area, dubbed the Empty Lands, is where youll find the fiercest firefights against human opponents alongside the islands most ferocious creatures, but here is also where the most valuable loot is found. This territory is devoid of quests and, in the developers words, is much less forgiving than the islands other regions. Straight away, were seeing a risk versus reward in venturing into these most hostile of zones. The games Escape from Tarkov style extraction mode is found within the Shadowlands, a derelict wasteland nestled inside the right-hand read: the eastern side of the island too. Gameplay here comprises gathering resources alongside your clansmen before taking strategic choke points and production facilities by force, then attempting to reach a safe zone via a multitude of possible paths.GFAGames points out that there are no guides on the right-hand side of the island, meaning fast travel is impossible. However, guides will, ahem, guide you in other sectors of the island, where extraction shooter zones are eschewed in favour of raids and world bosses more akin to well-established MMO FPS titles like Destiny 2.If theres familiarity in the games activities, GFAGames are banking on the fantastical phenomenon cloaking the island to inject some unfamiliarity. No matter how often Roadside Picnics inspiration crops up in media, video games interactive nature oftentimes provides the most effective adaptations. These worlds made hostile by unfathomable forces are unwaveringly intoxicating, but video games excel over other forms of media in how this phenomenon can be interacted with and how it influences gameplay.Within Pioners island, bundles of energy known as artefacts are dotted throughout although these are stated as extremely rare, the implication being their value is sky-high. Furthermore, GFAGames advises that activation of these artefacts by the wrong hands can lead to disastrous consequences. Whilst they havent given us a precise explanation as to what these disastrous consequences entail, we are shown glimpses of anomaly-enhanced weaponry a rifle modified with bullets that can melt whatever lands in its sight and sickly green landmines which elevate out of the marshy ground before detonating. Of course, the wrong hands could lead us towards believing therell be an antagonistic force operating on the island, an army hellbent on gathering up all the powerful artefacts for themselves. GFAGames are being tight-lipped on Pioners narrative arc, but we do see a couple of cultish looking dudes stepping through a dark forest as a sinister narrator speaks of breaking free from shackles whilst the power of the tides destroys you.What this means, we dont know for sure, but it seems a safe bet that the reason behind all this inter-island conflict will be something to do with the power these artefacts bestow. The islands factions are at war, vying for possession of cosmic forces they probably dont fully understand. And speaking of factions, Tartarus is stated presently to be divided between four although details on two are all thats been shared up to now. Therere the local islanders dubbed the Source Conglomerate and a paramilitary unit operating under the moniker Brigade. What little detail we do know in Pioners story is that players will be tasked by faction leaders to complete missions, with players choosing with whom they wish to align. Completing tasks builds relationships, fosters loyalty, and yields bonuses. Alongside resources gathered, a healthy wad of cash will be integral to crafting upgrades for the games host of weapons. Anomaly scanners likely another item integral to survival can be upgraded or, as hinted in Pioners gameplay reveal, be bought outright.Survival mechanics round out the brutal experience, although were not seeing full Fallout style base building at present. These mechanics are likely going to include the need for rest, recouperation, and nourishment. Whilst weapon designs are suitably weathered to reflect the irradiated landscape they inhibit, were not seeing misfires or wayward aiming akin to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series or Far Cry 2. Thats a detail which would certainly foster a deeper immersiveness in the islands conflict although GFAGames might have already decided surviving this hostile climate is tough enough without weapons skewing awry. All equipment is rated by accuracy, rarity, and damage though, so you never know.At face value Pioner doesnt seem to have a lot of originality, but the gunplay looks great, the environments are well considered, and its lore intriguing. Should all the survivalist mechanics meld well with the plethora of game modes then Pioner looks like an online competitive shooter that has a solid chance of establishing itself for a long time.Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.