However, the results posted at Companies House, which show the company's pre-tax profits plunge to 4.7 million in the year ending 31 March 2024 (from 17.7 million in 2023), had been predicted by the practice.Last year, Thomas Heatherwicks practice said its 2023 boom when turnover reached a record 49.6 million had been caused by a resurgence of major jobs that been on hold during the Covid pandemic. It anticipated a return to a more normalised set of figures this year. In 2022 the company's pre-tax profits were 3.2 million.Despite the drops in the headline figures, Heatherwicks staff numbers actually rose from an average of 218 in 2023 to an all-time high of 234 in the latest accounts. The practice said this reflected an uptick in new projects in particular in Thailand, where the practice said it had opened a new associated company, and South Korea.AdvertisementThis is the largest workforce ever employed by the company and marks a doubling of employees since 2014 when it had 116 people on its books.Heatherwicks total fee income in Asia swelled from 16.1 million to 19.6 million over the trading period. In August the company won a competition to overhaul Hanwha Galleria, a department store in the south-east of Seoul. Source:DevisualHeatherwick Studio's proposals for Hanwha Galleria, SeoulIts workload continues to grow in the Middle East too. The practice reported a 16.5 million in turnover in the region, up from 13 million in 2023.Meanwhile, income in the USA, where its controversial Vessel installation in New York reopened late last year, tanked from 14.4 million to just 1.9 million.Commenting on the figures, practice partner and group leader Stuart Wood said: The studios portfolio continues to grow both in terms of geography and the amazing range and scale of our projects.AdvertisementTurnover is now on a level with previous yearsWe are also bigger than ever as a team. Following a strong year after the pandemic, turnover is now on a level with previous years, as anticipated, and we expect it to continue on a gradual upward trend.The studio is preparing for an exciting year ahead. We have two major projects completing soon in our home city of London: the legendary cultural venue at Olympia and the Google building in Kings Cross, and a host of projects across East Asia, including our very first biennale in Seoul.All of this is grounded in our core mission to help make the world more joyful, engaging and human.

At CES 2025, I took a ride in an electric car that you'd almost never have to plug in. The Aptera Solar EV is so laden with solar panels and so efficient in operation, the manufacturer claims it can harvest up to 40 miles of free range every day from that giant nuclear reactor in the sky: the sun. As the oddly shaped EV approaches production later this year, I ducked under its wing-like doors of a prototype example for an early peek.Though the Aptera's coolest party trick is its solar power, the first thing you notice on approach is how alien the EV coupe's design is. The automaker designed the three-wheeler to be as aerodynamic and lightweight as possible. So, its carbon fiber body has a shape inspired by a dolphin with a bottle nose and long tapering tail to cut through the air with around 70% less drag than a conventional small EV. The design limits the EV to just two passengers, but there's space for 32.5 cubic feet of cargo in the long tail.Meanwhile, the separate wheel pods house narrow, high-aspect wheels and tires with low rolling-resistance tires to reduce road friction. And the entire vehicle is about half as light as a regular car. The Aptera is front-wheel drive, which I'm told helps the weight of the 150 kW (201 hp) electric motor over the wider front end of the trike for stability and a more predictable driving character.Look closer and you'll see that nearly every horizontal surface is covered with the brand's custom-engineered solar cells -- including the curved glass hood, the roof, the rear hatch and even the dashboard. All in, there's around 700 watts of solar generation capacity, which thanks to the EV's impressively low weight, drag and friction, capture enough energy to power the EV for up to 40 miles per day under optimal, sunny Southern California conditions. If your commute is around 30 miles, you could handle daily driving indefinitely without ever plugging in. Enlarge Image CNETOf course, if you park in a cloudier climate, have shorter days or get less than excellent direct sunlight, solar generation will be reduced, but the Aptera can also be plugged in for Level 1, 2 or DC fast charging. Full up, the automaker expects the EV will cruise for up to 400 miles before needing to recharge. Even more impressive is that it does this with just a 45 kilowatt-hour battery. A nice bonus of having such a small battery is that the EV could be reliably charged from a regular wall outlet and DC fast charging to the full 400-miles should take less than an hour. CES 2025: The 15 New Products and Ideas Grabbing Our Attention So Far See all photos On my test ride around the streets of Las Vegas, traffic kept us from experiencing the full sub-6-second 0-60 sprint, but the Aptera shoved off with satisfying zip. Ride quality was also quite good thanks to the four-link rear suspension on the single rear wheel, though the full experience wasn't exactly representative of the final product due to the prototype's lack of an interior and more conventional wide front tires.Eventually, the brand plans to add an even less expensive Aptera configuration to the lineup with a smaller battery and less total range (but the same 40-mile per day solar capacity), followed by a variant with more cargo space. For now, Aptera Motors is accepting preorders for the $40,000 Aptera Solar EV and expects production to ramp up in earnest later this year.

Shokz OpenFit 2 earbuds $180 at Amazon Govee Mini Panel Lights: $65 Save up to $50 $65 at Amazon Xreal One Pro smart glasses $599 at Xreal Anker retractable portable charger See at Anker LeafyPod smart planter: $148 Save $49 $148 at LeafyPod Anker 140W 4-port charger: $80 Save $10 $80 at Amazon TCL QM6K TV: $800 $800 at TCL Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler See at Anker Roam SodaTop bottle: $50 $50 at Roam Displace wireless TV Save $1,000 See at Displace It's our favorite time of the year. No, it's not the holidays -- it's CES 2025, the annual tech show in Las Vegas. Tons of new products will be showcased during this event in dozens of categories, including AI, transportation, laptops, TVs, smart home tech and so much more. Companies come together to show out and show off the new and cool things they're working on, and as always CNET is covering all the action, highlighting the best of the best of CES.Some concepts at CES won't be available for a long time to come (and in some cases not at all), but others are already available to purchase or preorder, with many products being released in the first quarter of the year. We'll continue to update this list with even more options as that info comes in.We want to hear from you as well. We're choosing the top dogs at CES 2025 and we want you to vote on which products you think are worthy of an award from us. Shokz/CNET Shokz OpenFit 2 earbuds When Shokz released the first OpenFit earbuds, we loved them. And now the OpenFit 2 earbuds have debuted at CES. These second-gen earbuds have an upgraded design and drivers that noticeably improve the sound quality. They also have an improved battery life and a new physical control button. What are you waiting for? It's already available for you to buy for $180 at Amazon, the same price as the original OpenFit buds. $180 at Amazon Govee/CNET Smart light maker Govee introduced AI-fueled hardware at CES 2025 to brighten your home. The Smart Mini Panel Lights caught our eye because of its seamless setup process to pair together 120 pieces, allowing you to create patterns with bright and vivid colors to bring life to your living room, office or gaming nook.A set of 10 with the main hub and power cord costs $100, and a similar set with 20 lights costs $150. If you buy just 10, you can buy an expansion kit later for $60.If you purchase these from Amazon right now, you can save $35 on the 10 pack and $50 on the 20 pack, respectively. $65 at Amazon Scott Stein/CNET Xreal One Pro smart glasses Smart glasses are all the rage these days and it's only getting better. Xreal's latest glasses are still tethered, but their displays can fix in space now. Xreal's newest glasses can cast larger displays and pin them in space, and they work with any device like a laptop, phone or game console via USB-C. If that's not enough they also have enhanced audio by Bose, a 50- or 57-degree field of view and optional AI-ready snap-in cameras.Preorders have already started, with shipping starting in March. $599 at Xreal Anker/CNET Anker retractable portable charger Anker debuted a pair of handy chargers at CES 2025. They include a power bank that has built-in retractable USB-C cables and a new four-port, 140-watt PD 3.1 wall charger. Both are easy to fit in your bag anywhere you go. Best of all, Anker is releasing them on Jan. 7, so you can get your hands on one immediately. See at Anker Leafy This new planter will let you know whenever it needs light or it needs water. After the first few waterings, the smart planter will create an ideal watering routine for the plant and alert you if it needs more light or to be moved due to temperature or humidity changes.It's already available for preorder and if you preorder now you can save $49. $148 at LeafyPod Anker/CNET This Anker charger is the first of its kind with a digital display featured on the charger. The digital display allows you to monitor temperature and even shows the power output for each port so you can easily track the charging status of the devices. It also has three USB-C ports and one USB-A port so you can charge up to four devices at once.This product is already available to purchase. Don't forget to clip the on-page coupon to receive the discount. $80 at Amazon James Martin/CNET TCL QM6K TV: $800 The new affordable premium TV is here. This TCL QM6K TV combines a new Mini-LED panel, upgraded processing, betterquantum dotsand other enhancements that give you excellent quality image and sound. Prices are set to start at $750 for the 50-inch model and it will have screens up to 85 inches.TCL is offering the 65-inch model as part of a bundle deal for $800 currently. If you preorder now, TCL will throw in a free Q75H soundbar valued at a hefty $600. $800 at TCL Anker Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler This isn't just any cooler but it's an electric cooler that has a detachable 288Wh LFP battery to give you air-cooled refrigeration on the go. The battery lasts for 52 hours of cooling time, and if you add a second battery you'll get 104 hours of cooling time between 4F to 68F. The cooler comes in three sizes-- 23L, 40L and 58L. The 58L version features two separate compartments.Preorder will begin at the end of February and retail availability will start at the beginning of March. See at Anker Jon Reed/CNET Roam SodaTop bottle: $50 Calling all fizzy-water fans: What if you couldcarbonate the water in your water bottle? The Roam bottle's cap has a special lid that you can insert a CO2 cartridge into. Each cartridge is good for 1 liter of water. The bottle itself is made of stainless steel, keeping your beverage cold for up to 12 hours. Keep in mind you can only carbonate unadulterated water, but flavored syrups or other drink mixes can be added after the CO2 does its thing. This bottle is on track to be released early in 2025. $50 at Roam Displace Yes, you read that right. Displace is coming out with a wireless TV. This one-of-a-kind TV runs on batteries and has Wi-Fi streaming. The company says it uses an AI agent to do tasks like streaming, productivity features (like sending emails) and more. The TV comes in two sizes: 27 and 55 inches; and in two models: basic and pro. The pro version has large, built-in suction cups on its back that allow you to stick the TV to the wall.It's already available to preorder with shipping starting in March. And as extra incentive to order ahead, you'll score $1,000 off both sizes of the basic and pro models. See at Displace James Martin/CNET Nkojita FuFu: $25 How often do you catch yourself blowing on a cup of coffee to cool it down enough for you to drink? Now you won't have to. This tiny, adorable robot cat blows on your drink to cool it down for you. The Nkojita FuFu simply sits on the rim of your coffee or soup cup and gently blows cool air onto whatever it contains, taking it down to a more consumption-friendly temp. It's expected to hit Kickstarter later this year. For all of our CES 2025 coverage, fromnew software on Google devices to sending text messages via satellite, be sure to check out our fullCES 2025roundup. CES 2025: The 15 New Products and Ideas Grabbing Our Attention So Far See all photos

Samsung: From $555 Save up to $445 with trade-in See at Samsung Best Buy: From $550 Up to $450 off with trade-in See at Best Buy Samsung recently announced that its new generation of Galaxy S25 phones will be hitting shelves shortly, which means that its Galaxy S23 series is about to be two generations old. However, there are still a few places where you can find these 2023 models available in new condition. And if you're hoping to get your hands on one before they're gone for good, we've rounded up some of the best deals out there below. Hey, did you know?CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products. You won't find any straightforward discounts, but you can still save hundreds of dollars if you've got an older phone to trade in. Just be aware that some of the models featured below can only be activated on a specific carrier, so be sure to double-check that it's compatible with your service plan before you buy. Watch this: Samsung's Galaxy S23 Lineup Is Here With Big Camera Upgrades 06:08 How much does the Galaxy S23 cost?The four models of the Galaxy S23 are available in various storage configurations. Regular US pricing for each model starts at:Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: $600Samsung Galaxy S23: $800Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus: $1,000Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: $1,200The Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 Ultra models both have a base storage of 256GB, while the base-spec Galaxy S23 and S23 FE models come with only 128GB. The Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, S23 and Galaxy S23 Plus offer 8GB of RAM, and the step-up Galaxy S23 Ultra boasts 12GB of RAM.What colors does the Galaxy S23 come in? SamsungAs always, Samsung's phones come in an array of attractive colors. There's a selection ofnature-inspired colorsfor the Galaxy S23, S23 Plus and S23 Ultra, including phantom black, cream, green and lavender. Plus, Samsung is also offering an exclusive lime green color inits own online store. The Galaxy S23 FE is available only in graphite, cream, mint and purple.However, you'll have a pretty difficult time if you're looking for a specific color, as most carriers and retailers only have a slim selection still in stock. Best Galaxy S23 deals You can save a bit of cash if you buy one of these previous-gen Samsung phones straight from the source. The basic Galaxy S23 and the advanced Galaxy S23 Ultra are no longer available, but you can save a few hundred bucks on the Galaxy S23 Plus with an eligible trade-in. The absolute most you can save is $559, but that's only if you're looking to downgrade from a newer model. The most you'll get for older phones is $445, which is what you'd get in exchange for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. See at Samsung Best Buy doesn't have any unlocked models available, but AT&T customers can still grab the Galaxy S23 Plus and S23 Ultra in new condition, which is getting a lot more difficult these days. They still list for full price, but the tech retailer does have its own trade-in program that can help save up to $450 -- which is what you'll get in exchange for a maxed-out iPhone 14 Pro Max. See at Best Buy These Impulse Buys Under $25 Actually Make Great Gifts See all photos

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League developer Rocksteady has quietly suffered another round of layoffs, this time just before the end of 2024. Read more

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In BriefPosted:12:23 PM PST January 7, 2025Image Credits:MustafaU / Getty ImagesChinese VCs are hounding failed founders to claw back their investmentsIn the US, its accepted that most startups fail and when that happens, VCs (generally) accept their losses and move on. But thats not the case in China, where VCs are trying to claw back their investments in failed startups by pursuing the personal assets of their founders in court, The Financial Times reports.As Chinas economy stalls, the countrys VCs are enforcing redemption clauses written into funding terms that were previously rarely enforced, according to the FT. This is resulting in some Chinese founders owing millions of dollars to their investors and ending up on debtor blacklists, blocking them from booking hotels, taking planes, or leaving China.The trend is raising concerns about Chinas startup ecosystem being irreparably harmed, since this strongly discourages founders from raising capital in the first place. Chinas startups are already struggling amid a government tech crackdown and tense U.S.-China relations, TechCrunch has reported.Topics

Instagram Threads is developing new features that would bring its user experience more in line with that of X (formerly Twitter) and the social network Bluesky. The Meta-owned company is internally prototyping the ability to set a display name and add a cover image to profiles.A spokesperson for the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Tuesday that the two features are not currently available to the public. The new additions were first spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who often finds unreleased features while theyre still under development.Since Threads is integrated with Instagram, users arent able to change their display names, as the social network automatically pulls them from Instagram. If Meta gives users the ability to modify their Threads display name, it would give users more freedom over their identity on the platform.If someone leaves X for Threads, they may want to have the same username on Threads so their X followers can easily find them on Metas app. Today, users dont have a way of doing that and would have to change their name on Instagram to do so on Threads, which is less than ideal.This situation depicts one of the downsides of Threads link to Instagram. However, it seems that Meta may now be ready to allow Threads to operate a bit more independently. This would make sense for the platform, especially since it has found its footing with more than 100 million daily active users and 300 million monthly active users.According to screenshots posted on X by Paluzzi, a users display name would be shown on their Threads profile and posts. Plus, users would have the option to change their display name twice within 14 days. In terms of the ability to add cover photos to profiles, this functionality would give users a new way to personalize their profiles on the platform like they would on X or Bluesky. The option would allow you to add more character to your account and grab the attention of viewers. As with any other internal prototype, its unknown if or when Meta plans to roll out these features.Topics

In BriefPosted:11:57 AM PST January 7, 2025Image Credits:Anthropic co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei speaking at Viva Technology in Paris / Getty ImagesAnthropic reportedly in talks to raise $2B at $60B valuation, led by LightspeedOpenAI rival Anthropic is in talks to raise $2 billion in new capital in a funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, according to The Wall Street Journal. The round, which The Journal reports would value Anthropic at $60 billion, would bring Anthropics total raised to $15.7 billion, going by Crunchbases data. It would also make the company the fifth-most valuable U.S. startup after SpaceX, OpenAI, Stripe, and Databricks.AI companies have been forced to raise enormous sums of money to fund the development and scaling of their technologies, which tend to be incredibly compute-intensive. OpenAI raised $6.6 billion in a funding round last October, and Elon Musks AI startup, xAI, raised $6 billion in November. Anthropics new round, should it close successfully, would add to the $4 billion the company raised from Amazon in November 2024. As part of that deal, Anthropic agreed to make Amazon Web Services, Amazons cloud computing division, its primary AI model training partner and help optimize Amazons AI accelerator chips.Topics

Movie & Games TrailersThe Last of Us Season 2By Vincent Frei - 07/01/2025 Prepare for heartbreak, survival, and unforgettable moments. The Last of Us returns this April with Season 2 on HBO. Watch the gripping new trailer now!The Production VFX Supervisor is Alex Wang.The Production VFX Producer is Fiona Campbell Westgate.Release Date: April 2025 (HBO)WATCH IT ON Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2024