A hot potato: Thousands of popular mobile apps across Android and iOS are allegedly being exploited to harvest sensitive location data on an unprecedented scale. This data collection, occurring through the advertising ecosystem, is likely happening without the knowledge of users or even app developers themselves. The information comes from hacked files belonging to Gravy Analytics, a location data company whose subsidiary, Venntel, has previously sold global location data to US law enforcement agencies. This information was reported by Wired, which collaborated with 404 Media to produce the story.The data breach has exposed a sprawling network of apps, ranging from popular games like Candy Crush to dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr. It also includes sensitive categories such as pregnancy tracking and religious prayer apps."For the first time publicly, we seem to have proof that one of the largest data brokers selling to both commercial and government clients appears to be acquiring their data from the online advertising 'bid stream,' rather than code embedded into the apps themselves," Zach Edwards, senior threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Silent Push, told 404 Media.This revelation sheds light on the world of real-time bidding (RTB), a process where companies bid to place ads inside apps. However, this system has a dangerous side effect: data brokers can intercept this process and harvest the location data of mobile phone users.Edwards described this as "a nightmare scenario for privacy," adding that "there's some company out there acting like a global honey badger, doing whatever it pleases with every piece of data that comes its way."The scale of this data collection is staggering. The hacked Gravy data includes tens of millions of mobile phone coordinates from devices in the United States, Russia, and Europe. The list of affected apps is extensive, covering a wide range of categories including social networks, fitness trackers, email clients, and even VPN apps that users may have downloaded in an attempt to protect their privacy.Although the data breach appears to involve Gravy Analytics, it remains unclear whether Gravy collected this location data itself or obtained it from another source. The dataset, which dates to 2024, offers a rare glimpse into the opaque world of the location data industry. // Related StoriesGravy Analytics plays a pivotal role in this ecosystem, aggregating mobile phone location data from various sources and selling it to commercial entities or government agencies via its subsidiary, Venntel. Previous investigations revealed that Venntel's clients include several U.S. government agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the IRS, the FBI, and the DEA.The implications of this data collection are far-reaching, raising serious privacy concerns and highlighting the potential for this data to be used in ways that users never intended or consented to. For instance, 404 Media and other outlets previously demonstrated how a tool called Locate X, powered by Venntel's data, could be used to monitor visitors to out-of-state abortion clinics.Most app developers and companies included in the list did not respond to requests for comment. However, Flightradar24 stated in an email that it had never heard of Gravy but acknowledged displaying ads to "help keep Flightradar24 free."Tinder denied any relationship with Gravy Analytics, while Muslim Pro, one of the affected prayer apps, claimed it does not authorize ad networks to collect location data of its users.The discovery that this data appears to originate from real-time bidding is particularly significant. It shifts accountability toward rogue actors in the advertising industry and the tech giants that facilitate it. It also suggests that many major app publishers may be unaware their users' data is being harvested, making it difficult for them to take preventive measures.Krzysztof Franaszek, founder of digital forensics firm Adalytics, reviewed the leaked data and observed that "at least some of this data would likely have been sourced from advertising-related real-time bidding." He noted evidence that Google's advertising platform is serving some of the ads that enable this tracking by outside companies, including potential government contractors.The FTC has recently taken action against similar practices. In December, the agency banned location data company Mobilewalla from collecting consumer data "from online advertising auctions for purposes other than participating in those auctions." The FTC also ordered Venntel and Gravy Analytics to delete historical location data and barred them from selling data related to sensitive areas, such as health clinics and places of worship, except under limited circumstances.

Mark Zuckerberg appeared on Joe Rogans podcast earlier this week, and he had a lot of words to say about Apple. In particular, the Meta chief targeted the companys innovative streak and the cumbersome ecosystem weaved around it.They havent invented anything great in a while. Its like Steve Jobs invented the iPhone, and now theyre just kind of sitting on it 20 years later, Zuckerberg told Rogan.Recommended VideosHeres the fun part. Meta which went by the name Facebook not too long ago tried to get a foothold in the phone market. And were not just talking about social media apps, here, but actual hardware.HTCIn 2011, the company partnered with HTC and launched two phones. The ChaCha was a QWERTY phone with a dedicated Facebook button at the button. The idea was to offer one-tap access to the Facebook social-verse.Please enable Javascript to view this contentThen there was the HTC Salsa, which kept the f button, but went for a regular full-screen slab format. Neither phone got a successor. Poor build, uninspiring internal hardware, and sub-par camera experience were some of the issues that adopters faced.Two years later, Zuckerberg again knocked at HTCs doors and created a custom Android experience called Facebook Home. The software even received praise for its thoughtful design and clean looks on the HTC First smartphone.Unfortunately, smartphone enthusiasts didnt buy too much into the idea of a phone tied deeply into the social media fabric. Mind you, this was long before Facebook was deemed a ticking privacy bomb.HTCSetting aside the reasons for failure, Facebook simply wasnt deemed charming or competent enough to beat the rising tide of iPhones, or even gain a foothold in the Android market.Alright, maybe Zuckerberg is not salty about those failures. It seems he is genuinely concerned about Apple losing its innovation mojo. And in his opinion, that is taking a toll on the sales figures, as well.I am not even sure they are selling more iPhones at this point, he told Rogan. I think part of it is that each generation doesnt get that much better, so people are just taking longer to upgrade than they would before.The Meta chief is not entirely off the mark here. Apple has indeed lost its competitive edge to Chinese brands when it comes to smartphone innovations. But that hasnt stopped the company from selling more phones.Or even tablets, watches, or computers. Zuckerberg cant quite claim that Facebook excelled in those categories, either. Metas best win in the XR hardware segment materialized only after it acquired Oculus for a couple of billion dollars.John Velasco / Digital TrendsIn 2022, Meta reportedly canceled its ambitious smartwatch project, according to Bloomberg. The same year, Reutersreported that the short-lived Portal smart display line was also put on cold ice.During the nearly three-hour-long interview with Rogan, Zuckerberg also touched upon Apples platform restrictions, using the AirPods as an example.Theyve just thoroughly hamstrung the ability for anyone else to build something that can connect to the iPhone in the same way, he said.Zuckerberg also broached the issue of Apples App Store fee structure, which has attracted its own fair share of criticism and antitrust concerns.So, how are they making more money as a company? Well, they do it by basically, like, squeezing people, referring to the 30% fee Apple charges for apps and in-app purchases distributed via the App Store.Joe Rogan Experience #2255 - Mark ZuckerbergApple has loosened some of the restrictions which include allowing external payment pipelines following multiple investigations and Europes landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA) reforms.The interview is worth a watch, especially in the wake of dramatic changes at Meta in the past few days. The company has ended its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.Meta has also ended its independent fact-checker system for Facebook and Instagram, aside from some questionable moderation changes, all of which have raised serious concerns.Editors Recommendations

The 2002 RPGNeverwinter Nights is a masterclass in game design. Now 23 years old, the community behind Neverwinter Nights has kept the game alive and active all this time and it has been given a new, unofficial update by unpaid software engineers from the NWN community. This patch includes several quality of life improvements, graphical fixes, and performance boosts to keep the game running smoothly on modern hardware. For reference, roughly a year after Neverwinter Nights is when BioWare released the cult-classicKnights of the Old Republic. BioWare was at the height of its prowesswith regard to storytelling and gameplay.Despite the games age,it still has a long-standing community of fans and creators that giveNeverwinter Nights nearly unlimited replayability. In addition to The Wailing Death campaign that comes with the original release of the game, Neverwinter Nights also has two other campaigns: Horde of the Underdark and Shadows of the Undrentide. If none of those tickle your fancy, then the fan-made campaigns might be the place to look. Think about it like a homebrew DnD campaign, except that its all programmed for you to play through at your leisure. There are dozens of fan-made campaigns to choose from, many of which are on-par with original Wizards of the Coast content in terms of quality.Recommended VideosAs for what the major performance improvements listed in the update notes actually are, it isnt clear. There are several persistent, ongoing fan servers running multiplayer modules that continue to grow and change, even if players arent actively involved at the time. The original game was not designed for multi-core processors, so there has always been a risk of bottlenecking during more demanding segments. If this patch allowsNeverwinter Nights to make the most of modern hardware, then the modding scene could explode even further.Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition was released on Steam in 2018 by Beamdog, and now that same studio has given its blessing to this latest patch. TheEnhanced Edition brought several graphical improvements and compatibility for more modern hardware, but dont worry; you dont need a new version to experience the game. The original version ofNeverwinter Nights is still a great experience, but be warned: its a lot more difficult than you might expect.Editors RecommendationsMass Effect: Legendary Edition gets May release date and new details

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsI Capture the Castle (2003)Boy Kills World (2024)Holiday (1938)January is often considered a dead month for entertainment. Few major movies come out, if any, to the point where the month is often called Dumpuary because studios literally dump their least exciting projects during these otherwise dull and unimportant 30 days. Chances are, you wont find much entertainment at the movie theater, although streaming might actually offer some interesting movies this January.What better time to check out some underrated movie gems than now, especially since no other major movie will be competing for your attention? From rom-coms produced during Hollywoods Golden Age to blood-soaked action fests, these streaming gems are begging for you to watch them. They might be well hidden, but they are certainly worthy of your time, especially in a month where truly not much else is happening.Recommended VideosImage via IDP DistributionI Capture the Castle has everything one could ask for in a romantic period drama. Two sisters searching for love? Check. Lush production values? Check. Cold and rainy English countryside scenery? Check. A tale of woe, love, and longing set amidst the struggles of genteel poverty in the 1930s? Check!RelatedA brilliant cast, led by the unjustly underappreciated Romola Garai and a baby-faced Rose Byrne and including an against-type Henry Thomas and the ever-scene-stealing Billy Nighy brings this lovely tale to life with all the dry wit and charm that only the English can muster.I Capture the Castle trailerI Capture the Castle is devastatingly sweet, witty, and utterly irresistible, a classic period drama that will have everyone wiggling their feet in excitement. And yes, that is a very young Henry Cavill as Garais love interest.I Capture the Castle is available to stream on Peacock.LionsgateThe talented Bill Skarsgrd had a very interesting 2024. He starred in one of his careers biggest box office and critical disappointments, the much-derided remake of The Crow, but ended on a high note by bringing the sinister Count Orlok to life in Robert Eggers acclaimed remake of Nosferatu. However, he also starred inBoy Kills World, possibly 2024s most underrated action movie.The film sees Skarsgrd as the titular Boy, a mute young man who goes on a bloody rampage against the family who controls his city and is seemingly responsible for the deaths of his mother and sister. Thrilling, wacky, blood-spattered, and with a biting and absurd sense of humor, Boy Kills Worldis an electrifying action extravaganza thats perfect to inject some adrenaline into this otherwise lethargic month.Skarsgrd anchors the film on his broad shoulders, joined by an ensemble cast of scene-stealers, including a particularly sassy Michelle Dockery and a hilariously ridiculous Sharlto Copley.Boy Kills World is available to stream on Hulu.Columbia PicturesCary Grant and Katharine Hepburn are two of Classic Hollywoods best and most recognizable stars. They worked together in several movies, perhaps most notablyThe Philadelphia Story. However, one of their most underappreciated efforts in the 1938 romantic comedyHoliday, directed by the equally iconic George Cukor.In the movie, Grant plays Johnny, a free-thinking and spirited man who develops feelings for his fiances younger and outspoken sister (Hepburn). Holiday doesnt really reinvent the rom-com, but it doesnt need to. Grant and Hepburn are so good together, and the script gives them enough to do that the film is elevated by their sheer presence.The pair plays wonderfully off each other, playing variations of the tropes that would cement them as cinematic icons while still finding new ways to charm and entertain.Holiday is a wonderful post-New Year movie and a sure bet for those looking for an old-fashioned rom-com.Holidayis available to stream on Philo.Editors Recommendations

Monitors worth monitoring The 8 most interesting PC monitors from CES 2025 Here are upcoming computer screens with features that weren't around last year. Scharon Harding Jan 12, 2025 8:00 am | 16 Yes, that's two monitors in a suitcase. Yes, that's two monitors in a suitcase. Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn morePlenty of computer monitors made debuts at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year, but many of the updates at this year's event were pretty minor. Many could have easily been a part of 2024's show.But some brought new and interesting features to the table for 2025in this article, we'll tell you all about them.LGs 6K monitorPixel addicts are always right at home at CES, and the most interesting high-resolution computer monitor to come out of this year's show is the LG UltraFine 6K Monitor (model 32U990A).People seeking more than 38402160 resolution have limited options, and theyre all rather expensive (looking at you, Apple Pro Display XDR). LG's 6K monitor means there's another option for professionals needing extra pixels for things like developing, engineering, and creative work. And LGs 61443456, 32-inch display has extra oomph thanks to something no other 6K monitor has: Thunderbolt 5. This is the only image LG provided for the monitor. Credit: LG LG hasn't confirmed the refresh rate of its 6K monitor, so we don't know how much bandwidth it needs. But it's possible that pairing the UltraFine with a Thunderbolt 5 PC could trigger Bandwidth Boost, a Thunderbolt 5 feature that automatically increases bandwidth from 80Gbps to 120Gbps. For comparison, Thunderbolt 4 maxes out at 40Gbps. Thunderbolt 5 also requires 140 W power delivery and maxes out at 240 W. That's a notable bump from Thunderbolt 4's 100140 W.Considering that Apples only 6K monitor has Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 5 is a differentiator. With this capability, the LG UltraFine is ironically better equipped in this regard for use with the new MacBook Pros and Mac Mini (which all have Thunderbolt 5) compared to Apples own monitors. LG may be aware of this, as the 32U990As aesthetic could be considered very Apple-like.Inside the 32U990As silver chassis is a Nano IPS panel. In recent years, LG has advertised its Nano IPS panels as having nanometer-sized particles applied to their LED backlight to absorb excess, unnecessary light wavelengths for richer color expression. LGs 6K monitor claims to cover 98 percent of DCI-P3 and 99.5 percent of Adobe RGB. IPS Black monitors, meanwhile, have higher contrast ratios (up to 3,000:1) than standard IPS panels. However, LG has released Nano IPS monitors with 2,000:1 contrast, the same contrast ratio as Dells 6K, IPS Black monitor.LG hasnt shared other details, like price or a release date. But the monitor may cost more than Dells Thunderbolt 4-equipped monitor, which is currently $2,480.Brelyons multi-depth monitor Someone from CNET using the Ultra Reality Extend. Credit: CNET/YouTube Brelyon is headquartered in San Mateo, California, and was founded by scientists and executives from MIT, IMAX, UCF, and DARPA. Its been selling display technology for commercial and defense applications since 2022. At CES, the company unveiled the Ultra Reality Extend, describing it as an immersive display line that renders virtual images in multiple depths.As the first commercial multi-focal monitor, the Extend model offers multi-depth programmability for information overlay, allowing users to see images from 0.7 m to as far as 2.5 m of depth virtually rendered behind the monitor; organizing various data streams at different depth layers, or triggering focal cues to induce an ultra immersive experience akin to looking out through a window," Brelyon's announcement said.Brelyon says the monitor runs 4K at 60 Hz with 1 bit of monocular depth for an 8K effect. The monitor includes OLED-based curved 2D virtual images, with the largest stretching to 122 inches and extending 2.5 meters deep, viewable through a 30-inch frame, according to the firms announcement. The closer you sit, the greater the field of view you get.The Extend leverages "new GPU capabilities to process light and video signals inside our display platforms," Brelyon CEO Barmak Heshmat said in a statement this week. He added: We are thinking beyond headsets and glasses, where we can leverage GPU capabilities to do real-time driving of higher-bandwidth display interfaces." Brelyon says this was captured from the Extend, with its camera lens focus changing from 70 cm to 2,500 cm. Credit: Brelyon Advancements in AI-based video processing, as well as other software advancements and hardware improvements, purportedly enable the Extend to upscale lower-dimension streams to multiple, higher-dimension ones. Brelyon describes its product as a generative display system that uses AI computation and optics to assign different depth values to content in real time for rendering images and information overlays.The idea of a virtual monitor that surpasses the field of view of typical desktop monitors while allowing users to see the real world isnt new. Tech firms (including many at CES) usually try to accomplish this through AR glasses. But head-mounted displays still struggle with problems like heat, weight, computing resources, battery, and aesthetics.Brelyon's monitor seemingly demoed well at CES. Sam Rutherford, a senior writer at Engadget, watched a clip from the Marvel's Spider-Man video game on the Extend and said that trees and light poles whipping past in my face felt so real I started to flinch subconsciously. He added that the monitor separated different layers of the content to make snow in the foreground look blurry as it whipped across the screen, while characters in the distance" still looked sharp.The monitor costs $5,000 to $8,000 depending on how you'll use it and whether you have other business with Brelyon, per Engadget, and CES is one of the few places where people could actually see the display in action.Samsungs 3D monitor Samsung's depiction of the 3D effect of its 3D PC monitor. Credit: Samsung Its 2025, and tech companies are still trying to convince people to bring a 3D display into their homes. This week, Samsung took its first swing since 2009 at 3D screens with the Odyssey 3D monitor.In lieu of 3D glasses. the Odyssey 3D achieves its 3D effect with a lenticular lens attached to the front of the panel and its front stereo camera, Samsung says, as well eye tracking and view mapping. Differing from other recent 3D monitors, the Odyssey 3D claims to be able to make 2D content look three-dimensional even if that content doesnt officially support 3D.You can find more information in our initial coverage of Samsung's Odyssey 3D, but dont bet on finding 3D monitors in many peoples homes soon. The technology for quality 3D displays that work without glasses has been around for years but still has never taken off.Dells OLED productivity monitorWith improvements in burn-in, availability, and brightness, finding OLED monitors today is much easier than it was two years ago. But a lot of the OLED monitors released recently target gamers with features like high refresh rates, ultrawide panels, and RGB. These features are unneeded or unwanted by non-gamers but contribute to OLED monitors already high pricing. Numerous smaller OLED monitors were announced at CES, with 27-inch, 4K models being a popular addition. Most of them are still high-refresh gaming monitors, though.The Dell 32-inch QD-OLED, on the other hand, targets play, school, and work, Dell's announcement says. And its naming (based on a new naming convention Dell announced this week that kills XPS and other longstanding branding) signals that this is a mid-tier monitor from Dells entry-level lineup. OLED for normies. Credit: Dell The monitors specs, which include a 120 Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium, and USB-C power delivery at up to 90 W, make it a good fit for pairing with many mainstream laptops.Dell also says this is the first QD-OLED with spatial audio, which uses head tracking to alter audio coming from the monitor's five 5 W speakers. This is a feature weve seen before, but not on an OLED monitor.For professionals and/or Mac users that prefer the sleek looks, reputation, higher power delivery and I/O hubs associated with Dells popular UltraSharp line, Dell made two more notable announcements at CES: an UltraSharp 32 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U3225QE) coming out in February 25 for $950 and an UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor (U2725QE) coming out that same day for $700.The suitcase monitors From suitcase... Base CaseFrom suitcase...Base Case ...to screens. Base Case...to screens.Base CaseFrom suitcase...Base Case...to screens.Base CaseBefore we get into the Base Case, please note that this product has no release date because its creators plan to go to market via crowdfunding. Base Case says it will launch its Indiegogo campaign next month, but even then, we dont know if the project will be funded, if any final product will work as advertised, or if customers will receive orders in a timely fashion. Still, this is one of the most unusual monitors at CES, and it's worth discussing.The Base Case is shaped like a 24x14x16.5-inch rolling suitcase, but when you open it up, youll find two 24-inch monitors for connecting to a laptop. Each screen reportedly has a 19201080 resolution, a 75 Hz refresh rate, and a max brightness claim of 350 nits. Base Case is also advertising PC and Mac support (through DisplayLink), as well as HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, Thunderbolt, and Ethernet ports. Telescoping legs allow the case to rise 10 inches so the display can sit closer to eye level.Ultimately, the Base Case would see owners lug around a 20-pound product for the ability to quickly create a dual-monitor setup equipped with a healthy amount of I/O. Toms Guide demoed a prototype at CES and reported that the monitors took seconds to set up.In case youre worried that the Base Case prioritizes displays over storage, note that its makers plan on adding a front pocket to the suitcase that can fit a laptop. The pocket wasn't on the prototype Toms Guide saw, though.Again, this is far from a finalized product, but Base Case has alluded to a $2,400 starting price. For comparison to other briefcase-locked displaysand yes, doing this is possibleLGs StanbyME Go (27LX5QKNA) tablet in a briefcase currently has a $1,200 MSRP.Corsairs PC-mountable touchscreen A promotional image of the touchscreen. If the Base Case is on the heftier side of portable monitors, Corsairs Xeneon Edge is certainly on the minute side. The 14.5-inch LCD touchscreen isnt meant to be a primary display, though. Corsair built it as a secondary screen for providing quick information, like the song your computer is playing, the weather, the time, and calendar events. You could also use the 2560x720 pixels to display system information, like component usage and temperatures.Corsair says its iCue software will be able to provide system information on the Xeneon, but because the Xeneon Edge works like a regular monitor, you could (and likely would prefer to) use your own methods. Still, the Xeneon Edge stands out from other small, touchscreen PC monitors with its clean UI that can succinctly communicate a lot of information on the tiny display at once.Specs-wise, this is a 60 Hz IPS panel with 5-point capacitive touch. Corsair says the monitor can hit 350 nits of brightness.You can connect the Xeneon Edge to a computer via USB-C (DisplayPort Alt mode) or HDMI. There are also screw holes, so PC builders could install it via a 360 mm radiator mounting point inside their PC case.Alternatively, Corsair recommends attaching the touchscreen to the outside of a PC case through the monitors 14 integrated magnets. Corsair said in a blog post that the magnets are underneath the plastic casing so the metal surface you stick it to wont get scratched. Or, in traditional portable monitor style, the Xeneon Edge could also just sit on a desk with its included stand. Corsair demos different ways the screen could attach to a case. Credit: TechPowerUp/YouTube Corsair plans to release the Xeneon Edge in Q2. Expected pricing is around $249," Tom's Hardware reported.MSIs side panel display panelWhy attach a monitor to your PC case when you can turn your PC case into a monitor instead?MSI says that the touchscreen embedded into this year's MEG Vision X AI 2nd gaming desktop's side panel can work like a regular computer monitor. Similar to Corsairs monitor, the MSI's display has a corresponding app that can show system information and other customizations, which you can toggle with controls on the front of the case, PCMag reported.MSI used an IPS panel with 1920x1080 resolution for the display, which also has an integrated mic and speaker. MSI says electric vehicle control centers" inspired the design. We've seen similar PC cases, like iBuyPower's more translucent side panel display and the touchscreen on Hyte's pentagonal PC case, before. But MSI is bringing the design to a more mainstream form factor by including it in a prebuilt desktop, potentially opening the door for future touchscreen-equipped desktops.Considering the various locations people place their desktops and the different angles at which they may try to look at this screen, Im curious about the monitor's viewing angles and brightness. IPS seems like a good choice since it tends to have strong image quality when viewed from different angles. A video PC Mag shot from the show floor shows images on the monitor appearing visible and lively: Hands on with MSI's MEG Vision X AI Desktop: Now, your PC tower's a monitor, too. Worlds fastest monitorThere's a competitive air at CES that lends to tech brands trying to one-up each other on spec sheets. Some of the most heated competition concerns monitor refresh rates; for years, we've been meeting the new world's fastest monitor at CES. This year is no different.The brand behind the monitor is Koorui, a three-year-old Chinese firm whose website currently lists monitors and keyboards. Koorui hasn't confirmed when it will make its 750 Hz display available, where it will sell it, or what it will cost. That should bring some skepticism about this product actually arriving for purchase in the US. However, Koorui did bring the display to the CES show floor.The speedy display had a refresh rate test running at CES, and according to several videos we've seen from attendees, the monitor appeared to consistently hit the 750 Hz mark. World's first 750Hz monitor??? For those keeping track, high-end gaming monitorsnamely ones targeting professional gamershit 360 Hz in 2020. Koorui's announcement means max monitor speeds have increased 108.3 percent in four years.One CES attendee noticed, however, that the monitor wasn't showing any gameplay. This could be due to the graphical and computing prowess needed to demonstrate the benefits of a 750 Hz monitor. A system capable of 750 frames per second would give people a chance to see if they could detect improved motion resolution but would also be very expensive. It's also possible that the monitor Koorui had on display wasn't ready for that level of scrutiny yet.Like many eSports monitors, the Koorui is 24.5 inches, with a resolution of 19201080. Perhaps more interesting than Koorui taking the lead in the perennial race for higher refresh rates is the TN monitor's claimed color capabilities. TN monitors arent as popular as they were years ago, but OEMs still employ them sometimes for speed.They tend to be less colorful than IPS and VA monitors, though. Most offer sRGB color gamuts instead of covering the larger DCI-P3 color space. Asus 540 Hz ROG Swift Pro PG248QP, for example, is a TN monitor claiming 125 percent sRGB coverage. Kooruis monitor claims to cover 95 percent of DCI-P3, due to the use of a quantum dot film. Again, theres a lot that prospective shoppers should confirm about this monitor if it becomes available.For those seeking the fastest monitors with more concrete release plans, several companies announced 600 Hz monitors coming out this year. Acer, for example, has a 600 Hz Nitro XV240 F6 (also a TN monitor) that it plans to release in North America this quarter at a starting price of $600.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 16 Comments

Wildfires are ravaging the Los Angeles area, spreading rapidly due to dry and windy conditions.The fires have burned through more than 39,000 acres. Officials report that at least 16 people have died.Analysts estimate damages caused by the fires may top $50 billion breaking previous state records.Across Los Angeles, a series of wildfires fanned by the powerful Santa Ana winds have been leveling homes in the area for nearly a week, leaving a path of record-breaking destruction in their wake.The largest of the fires, ripping through the wealthy enclave of the Pacific Palisades, is just 11% contained as of early Sunday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). It is moving toward the densely populated neighborhood of Encino in the San Fernando Valley. About 30 miles northeast, the Eaton Fire, which is 15% contained, is threatening the city of Altadena.Nearly 40,000 acres have burned in four separate blazes, and the LA County Medical Examiner has reported 16 deaths related to the fires so far.At least 153,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate the area and another 166,000 have been warned to be ready to evacuate, Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said during a Saturday morning press conference."Critical fire weather conditions are predicted to continue through Wednesday," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during the Saturday morning conference. "Moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will affect Los Angeles County today, tomorrow, and then again on Monday through Wednesday."The winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County high through at least the middle of next week, Marrone added.A representative for the electric services company Southern California Edison said on Saturday afternoon that more than 50,000 residences were without power.Local water districts have also issued numerous water advisories, warning residents not to drink or use the water, which may be contaminated with debris from the fire. Air pollution levels have also remained high in many parts of the city. Helicopter aerial view of the Palisades fire burning near Mountain Gate Country Club with Brentwood and Pacific Palisades visible in the background on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Amid the chaos, residents have also faced opportunistic looters burglarizing empty properties, inaccurate evacuation orders sent out in error through the county's emergency alert system, and rapidly spreading misinformation online regarding evacuation zones and the causes of the fire.Analysts from JPMorgan have estimated that the blazes tearing through the region may lead to about $50 billion in total economic losses including over $20 billion in insured losses, Business Insider previously reported. If the estimates prove to be accurate, the damage caused by the current fires would be significantly more severe than the 2018 Camp Fires, which racked up $10 billion in insured losses.The state has, in recent years, been subject to a mass exodus of major insurers, including State Farm. The company announced in 2023 that it would stop accepting new home insurance policies in California, citing risks from catastrophes.Palisades FireThe Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area north of Santa Monica has burned through over 23,000 acres and is 11% contained as of Sunday morning, according to Cal Fire.The cause of the fire, which started on Tuesday morning, is still under investigation.Over 5,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed. Officials have confirmed that more than 420 homes in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades have been incinerated. A home burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 8, 2025. AGUSTIN PAULLIER/AFP/Getty Images The wealthy enclave houses many celebrities who have now lost their homes, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Milo Ventimiglia.The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has reported five deaths related to the Palisades fire so far.Eaton FireThe Eaton Fire, which has impacted the Pasadena-Altadena area since it began on Tuesday, has now swept through more than 14,000 acres, according to Cal Fire. The blaze is 15% contained.The fire's cause is still under investigation, but the flames have damaged over 160 structures and destroyed over 1,200 more, Cal Fire reported. Firefighters battle the Eaton Fire in strong winds as many homes burn on January 7, 2025, in Pasadena, California David McNew/Getty Images Eleven deaths have so far been attributed to the Eaton Fire, according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office report.Other firesWhile the Palisades and Eaton fires have grown to be the largest in size, additional smaller fires have been reported throughout the region.The Hurst Fire, impacting the northern part of the San Fernando Valley, started late Tuesday night and has spread to around 800 acres. According to Cal Fire, it is 76% contained. The evacuation order for the area was lifted on Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said on Thursday.The Kenneth Fire, now 90% contained, has covered just over 1,050 acres across Los Angeles and Ventura counties after starting on Thursday, per Cal Fire. The evacuation orders related to the blaze have been lifted.Further North, the Lidia Fire broke out Wednesday in the Angeles National Forest and burned 395 acres in three days before being 100% contained, Cal Fire reported.

My daughter graduated from college and moved by herself. Still, as her mom, I can only think of the worst-case scenarios. As an empty nester, I feel a bit pushed to the side by her, and at the same time, I get it. This past year, my now 22-year-old daughter graduated from college, moved out, and (in not so many words) told me she was fine on her own; thank you very much. Of course, we all want our kids to fly the nest. We pray that they are strong, independent, and self-sufficient. Mine is all of the above and more; I marvel at her strength, determination, and resiliency not to mention her ability to navigate the New York City subway system.Still, my worry when she was a child and prone to skinned knees is nothing compared to how much I worry today. I jump to worst-case scenariosMy mind imagines only the worst-case scenarios whenever she fails to answer a call or text. I send her cautionary news on Instagram and cringe when she and her boyfriend fly at odd hours into odd airports, seemingly to save money but also to give me a bleeding ulcer. As she outlines their trip to Iceland, I bite my tongue and zone out somewhere between "climbing glaciers" and "exploring ice caves." For her 21st birthday, she went skydiving. I called my therapist, begging for her to prescribe me Valium. Instead, we agreed it was OK if I simply did some day drinking until I heard that she was back on solid ground. Did I mention she also recently scaled the side of a skyscraper and went axe-throwing?I know my born-and-bred New York offspring has street smarts and can balance her own checkbook. Another bit of reassurance I have is that her boyfriend is skilled in martial arts and would hurl himself in front of a Marvel villain to protect her. I just need to trust that she will Google what she doesn't know if she won't ask me. But resisting the urge to interfere takes nerves of steel. I freak out or offer advice a bit too emphatically: "No! You can't eat week-old salmon! No! You can't microwave tin foil! Yes! You need to wash your sheets once a week!" I weigh in when not asked for my viewpoint it's a force of habit. I have to let her growI know her better than she knows herself. I know what items she would order on a menu, what shoes would go with that dress, and what Netflix shows she would love. I want to spare her the pain of making mistakes and missing out, but I realize that will not allow her to grow.So, instead, I resort to sending my suggestions in texts or DMs that way, she can ignore them if she chooses. But I secretly rejoice every time she responds or "hearts" one. I feel appreciated and acknowledged as a member of her inner circle, though I am clearly on the outside looking in. To be left "unopened" is brutal, a crushing blow to my mom heart. But I know I need to get over it or at least pretend not to be hurt. My husband is much more hands-off, saying things like, "If she misses her flight because she leaves only an hour to get to the airport, she'll learn." But will she? Will she actually self-correct without me there to whisper in her ear? When, of course, she does, part of me wants to jump for joy, while the other part is a little sad. Does that mean I'm no longer needed?As empty nesters, this next part of parenthood is tricky and treacherous. I feel a little bit like nearly-expired milk pushed to the back of the supermarket shelf. But I know this is how it's supposed to go. You raise them to let them go. All of this is new and scary and fraught with emotion (and often, tears), not unlike her baby and toddler years. Sometimes, my heart aches like someone has torn a piece out of it. But I have adjusted these past 12 months, trying to give my daughter space and grace and myself the same. Like my now all-grown-up child, I will find my strength and balance one small baby step at a time.

By Margherita Bassi Published January 12, 2025 | Comments (0) | A map of Dmanisis Gora detailing ancient human-made structures. N. Erb-Satullo When archaeologists in Georgia conducted test excavations at a 3,000-year-old fortress, they worked in tall summer grass. When they returned in the fall, however, they discovered that the flora had previously concealed something shocking. Using drone technology, researchers in the U.K., Georgia, and the U.S. mapped the sprawl of Dmanisis Gora, a Bronze Age mega-fortress in the Caucasus mountains, and discovered that the complex is 40 times larger than previously suggested. Their research, detailed in a January 8 study published in the journal Antiquity, could provide insight into the growth and urbanization patterns of ancient settlements worldwide. The use of drones has allowed us to understand the significance of the site and document it in a way that simply wouldnt be possible on the ground, said Nathaniel Erb-Satullo of the Cranfield Forensic Institute, who participated in the study, in a Cranfield University statement. Dmanisis Gora isnt just a significant find for the Southern Caucasus region, but has a broader significance for the diversity in the structure of large scale settlements and their formation processes. The Caucasus is a geographical region encompassing parts of Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, and an ancient crossroads of many different cultures, including local populations. Large fortress settlements began to develop in the Southern Caucasus region between 1500 and 500 BCE, according to the study.Erb-Satullo and his co-director, Dimitri Jachvliani from the Georgian National Museum and a participant in the study, began investigating Dmanisis Gora in 2018. After initial test excavations, the team returned to discover that the autumnal landscape had revealed additional fortification walls and stone structures far beyond the inner fortress theyd previously detected. The complex was evidently much larger than theyd thoughtbut they found it impossible to document just how big from the ground.That was what sparked the idea of using a drone to assess the site from the air, Erb-Satullo said. The researchers used a drone to take almost 11,000 pictures of the site, which they then pieced together to create digital elevation models and orthophotos: aerial photographs corrected to account for elements such as the angle from which the photo was taken. These datasets enabled us to identify subtle topographic features and create accurate maps of all the fortification walls, graves, field systems, and other stone structures within the outer settlement, Erb-Satullo added. The results of this survey showed that the site was more than 40 times larger than originally thought, including a large outer settlement defended by a 1km long fortification wall. One kilometer is approximately 0.62 miles.Erb-Satullo and his colleagues then compared the orthophotos to Cold War-era spy satellite imagery declassified in 2013 to analyze how the site had evolved in the last five decades, highlighting the encroachment of modern agriculture.Though modern expansion threatens the site, the researchers hypothesize that thousands of years ago, Dmanisis Gora itself underwent impressive urban growth because of its interactions with mobile pastoral groups, Erb-Satullo explained. Its large outer settlement may have expanded and contracted seasonally, he added. Now, the team hopes to use the newly collected data to further investigate elements such as population density and intensity, livestock movements, and agricultural practices.Ultimately, the drone mapping of Dmanisis Gora sheds light on the mega-fortress, as well as on broader patterns of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age societies as a whole. Its also another example of declassified spy satellite imagery lending archaeologists a hand decades after the photographs were taken.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published January 10, 2025 By Thomas Maxwell Published January 9, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published January 9, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published December 23, 2024 By Margherita Bassi Published December 22, 2024 By Margherita Bassi Published December 20, 2024

Milada Cottage / ADRSave this picture! BoysPlayNiceHousesMal pa, Czech RepublicArchitects: ADRAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:221 mYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2023 PhotographsPhotographs:BoysPlayNice Lead Architects: Ale Lapka, Petr Kol More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. The cottage is situated on a beautiful plot on a hillside at the edge of an area called Nov domky (New Houses) in the Krkonoe Mountains. It follows the scattered development of the surrounding cottages both urbanistically and visually. The shape of the building is simple, based on the classic form of a mountain cottage a rectangular floor plan horizontally set into the slope. The volume of the building consists of a lower floor cube complemented by a gable roof with upper floors.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!The cottage is designed as a short-term rental property. The layout is divided into two main units per floor. The lower floor, besides the entrance and necessary facilities, contains the main living area with a kitchen and dining room. The upper floor features bedrooms for rest and sleep with necessary sanitary facilities. The uppermost part of the roof accommodates a sleeping floor, each connected by a separate staircase from the main bedrooms. In winter, you can directly go to the adjacent ski slope from the lower floor.Save this picture!Save this picture!For the construction of the building, a classic method was chosen a brick wall structure with a wooden roof and a beamed ceiling. The outdoor extension with covered access is made of exposed concrete.Save this picture!Save this picture!Save this picture!Concrete is partially incorporated into the interiors, where an internal concrete pillar separates the living area from the dining room. The interior is complemented by wooden cladding and furniture made of lightly bleached spruce wood, black armchairs, brown chairs, and a stainless-steel kitchen. The lower part has a wooden floor with localized use of screed and carpets. The sleeping floor is mostly carpeted. The furniture upstairs, like downstairs, is made of bleached spruce wood.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessAbout this officePublished on January 12, 2025Cite: "Milada Cottage / ADR" 12 Jan 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025511/milada-cottage-adr&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

LG, Nvidia, SamsungShareWe may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Every January, the biggest technology brands in the world descend upon Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. Its our first chance to see a ton of new products that will debut this year (and some concepts that wont). They include everything from TVs and audio gear to full-fledged robots. The sheer volume of products can be overwhelming, but weve chased down all the cool new stuff at this years show and highlighted inventions here for you to scroll (with more coverage to come in the next week). Our main takeaway: 2025 is going to be a great year for gadgets.Samsung Frame Pro TVSamsungs Frame TV has long been a favorite of interior designers and people who dont want a giant black void in their room whenever the TV isnt in use. Youll find two big upgrades in Samsungs new versions. First, it now uses a MiniLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate and Quantum Dot technology, which should make it much brighter and more colorful when youre actually watching content. Secondly, it now relies on Samsungs Wireless One Connect box, which contains all of the TVs ports (like HDMI from your PlayStation 5 or Apple TV) and uses a dedicated Wi-Fi 7 channel to beam content to the panel. No more precarious plugging in dangling cables.LG evo AI OLED G5 TVWhile CES often exalts huge technological leaps, we also appreciate when a company makes a great product even better. Thats the case with LGs new OLED TVs. Available in six sizes, this series has perennially found itself at the top of best TV lists, and now it features a brightness boost thanks to a unique four-stack structure and AIpha 11 Gen. 2 4K processor. Brightness can be a sticking point for OLEDs, so levels that respond to and compensate for ambient light are a big promise from a company that leads the OLED TV space by a wide margin.In addition, there is a 165Hz refresh rate with support for Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium VRR, plus multiple profiles that can recognize users voices and change to their preferred settings automatically. Halliday smart glassesSmart glasses have been slowly progressing at CES over recent years, but Hallidays upcoming pair looks very promising. The glasses connect wirelessly to a smartphone and a motion-sensing ring. A tiny 3.6mm display above the right eye projects a green light screen to your eye that allows the wearer to see and navigate notifications and other crucial information in a way that looks relatively natural. Plus, there are tiny speakers in the arms.Not only are they inconspicuous, but theyre also lightweight at 35 grams. (And AR smart glasses like this could become even more svelte if all-silicon full-range speakers like the xMEMS Sycamore we saw bring micro-fidelity to them.)Urtopia Titanium ZeroRiding a good e-bike can make you feel superhuman. But lifting an e-bike can make you feel physically subpar. Thats because many e-bikes are an awkward 50-60 pounds. So were excited by the prospect of the Titanium Zero. Currently just a concept by Hong Kongs carbon fiber-focused Urtopia, but hopefully in production sooner than later, this 3D-printed titanium road bike weighs just 23 poundsincluding carbon fiber components, a 300Wh/kg -state battery, SRAM 12-speed groupset, and the custom torque-dense Quark DM1.2 mid-drive motor. Its a puck tucked inside the bottom bracket that outputs 65Nmpowerful enough to help you ride out while lite enough that you dont need help loading up.SwippettIt may look like the classiest toaster youve ever seen, but this is actually a power station for smartphones. A special phone case holds a built-in battery that doubles a phones typical life. When power is running down, simply put the phone into the slot, and the device automatically swaps the battery for a full one. The station holds up to five batteries, so multiples are always charged. Is it practical? Maybe, if you have a family or small office where everyone uses the same phones. Is it cool? Definitely.Kirin Electric Salt SpoonAre you salty because of a low-sodium diet? This powered $125 utensil lets you forego actual salt while delivering that missing intensity, and the way it maintains umami will shock you. Literally. A mild electric current from the detachable, rechargeable handle goes through the spoon to collect and direct ions that create the illusion of saltiness. Four levels of experience are selectable, and the difference is noticeable. It does require positioning food on the spoons sensor for activation. But when used correctly, it could keep the blood pressure low and flavor high. Currently, it is only in Japan, but its coming to the States at some point in 2025.UGREEN Nexode 500W chargerThis is the worlds first 500-watt charger. It spreads all that power over six USB-C ports. This may not be exciting for you, but its a big deal for people who charge a lot of high-draw devices at once. For reference, the iPhone charging brick is a 20-watt charger. The most powerful MacBook Pros come with a 140-watt brick. The UGREEN is an absolute beast. It will be out later this year.MSI 27-inch QD-OLED gaming monitorsOnce a neon playground, Las Vegas has become the kingdom of statement LED displaysfrom the Sphere to Spiegelworlds DiscoShow to almost anywhere you look. A screen that caught our eye this year, however, is not one we would file in the more is more category (though there was plenty of that, such as bendable 5K displays, etc.). In a way, the MSI MPG 272URX monitor is less is more: Its only 27 inches and 240Hz but its 4K and DisplayPort 2.1aall worlds first in the form factor. The 5-layer tandem OLED panel offers 166 PPI for text clarity and reduced color fringing. Its also G-SYNC compatible for all those new Nvidia GeForce video cards (see below), with reduced lag and tear-free gaming. All those lesses mean more enjoyable play and productivity. (Or, if youd prefer, you can opt for the MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50, which is QHD but 500Hz.)Nvidia RTX 5000 series graphics cardsNvidia refreshes its RTX series graphics cards every year, and 2025 is no exception. The new 5000-series cards are based on the new Blackwell architecture, and we wont know what that means for performance until the cards hit the street and people start benchmarking them. Its safe to assume, however, that they will be faster and more powerful than their predecessors, and they have already been adopted in many flagship gaming rigs previewed at CES (such as the MSI Titan HX AI laptop we reported on). The low- and mid-level cards will actually be slightly cheaper than the previous models, while the top-end 5090 will be more expensive than the previous flagship. If none of this makes any sense to you, ask your nephew who carries around that Fortnite backpack. Hell explain.Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuumEvery house has one (or two): the habitual sock dropper, poor crumpled-up paper tosser, bad sandals slinger. Thats why Roborock built an arm into its latest robot vacuum. Extending from a retractable roof panel, this foldable five-axis OmniGrip claw can pick up small obstacles under 10.5 oz. and take them to a trash bin, laundry basket, etc. Sensors, a camera, and LED lights help identify up to 50 stray objects that have specific homes, and then it cleans the area with 22,000Pa of suction without fear of tangling up the roller brush. Plus, there are pet and child safeguards built in. A lot of other robot vacuums showcased at CES 2025 had tricks (Dreame also had a step-climbing chunky-armed prototype, and Eureka had spill detection, for example). But the Roborock is close to production and might do enough chores to earn an allowance.Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 RollableLenovo loves a weird laptop, and so do we. This machine looks like a typical 14-inch laptop when you take it out of the box. But a single button press sets the screen in motion. The OLED display literally unrolls into a 16.7-inch screen with a taller aspect ratio. Weve seen rolling OLED screens before, but they typically exist on the fringe of vaporware territory. This laptop, however, will actually go on sale this summer. Sure, itll cost you $3,599, but no one said being an early-adopting gadget nerd is cheap.The Wonder Petal bug cam with solar leafWere big fans of the Bird Buddy smart feeder, as are many Audubon enthusiasts. But maybe its been buggin you that theres not something similar for butterflies and other insects. Well, now there is: The Wonder Petal garden camera. The Bird Buddy creators have developed an adorable 4K 12MP connected camera on a bendable stem you can clip or coil around the yard to watch pollinators and plants alike. You can even add a solar panel leaf to power this biomorphic beauty. Livestream or take pictures, and theres even an AI that can dig up the dirt on whats happening in the soil if youre away and the dandelions and daisies are buzzing with activity.Belkin Stage PowerGripApple added a Camera Control button to the iPhone 16 Pro lineup, but its still no substitute for an actual grip. Belkins upcoming Stage Power Grip integrates an external 10,000 mAh battery into an ergonomic grip with a camera shutter button, 7.5W magnetic wireless charging, USB-C output ports, a retractable USB-C charging cable, and LED screen to show battery percentage. As a result, you can hold a phone just like you would a typical camera. Ive tried grips like this before with some success, but this one has a built-in battery, which makes it doubly useful for creators who shoot a lot of content on their phones. Capturing those TikToks really taxes an iPhone battery.Plantaform Smart Indoor GardenSomewhere between a xenomorph egg and a pod-shaped 3-D printer, the $500 Plantaform is compact as smart gardens go. Like a Keurig, the 26-inch-tall enclosure uses pods (lettuces, tomatoes, and cocktail herbs) plus nutrient-enriched water to produce its end product, with no soil required. However, the water is dispersed in the form of fog, and that humidifying vapor is easier for plants to absorb and requires less resources than standard hydroponics systems. Plus, it gives an extra sci-fi vibe. Backup by BioLiteProfessional installation can add huge costs to a home generator, but BioLites plug-and-play solution takes that out of the equation. Thin panels full of 1.5 kWh LiFePO4 batteries hide in your home behind appliances, under counters, or in other out-of-the-way areas. They draw power from a typical outlet and kick into action when the power goes out. The system is expandable up to 9kWh and can keep critical devices running for hours. Its a clever system that were looking forward to testing this year.CES isnt the audio show it once was, but we never turn down the chance to audition speakers, and a trio of opportunities all made an impression whether your budget is $200 or $40,000. Canadian bookshelf speaker specialists Kanto showcased the UKI (the small white speaker in the first slide above), which packs a punch for something so petiteand theres a subwoofer output if you want to augment the 3-inch concave cone drivers and 1/4-inch silk dome tweeters. Theres also a headphone output if you need a personal audio personal moment. American heritage brand Klipsch and refreshed Japanese brand Onkyo (both with roots dating back to 1946) showcased very different lines: New portable party speakers in the Klipsch City Series and plug-and-play desktop solutions, respectively (some of each shown in slide two). The Las Vegas, Miami, and New York party speakers feature a signature horn-loaded compression tweeter for high-efficiency high output. The Creator Series powered monitors maximize minimalism with plentiful I/O and bespoke DSP. Finally, the Focal Diva Utopia (teased in slide three) is a statement piece well, two high-end streaming music-friendly statement pieces, technically. A pair of these active three-way wireless towers combine the finesse of trademark French drivers and the amplification authority of UK-based Naim into tonally balanced, rhythmically expressive, punchy and poised playback but capable of rendering rumble if thats what youre into. And the sound optimization setup lets you compensate easily and effectively for imperfect room arrangments, aligning frequency ranges and imaging.Technics EAH-AZ100 Bluetooth earbudsWhile long known for its turntables, Japanese brand Technics has entered its 60th year with a bid for best true wireless earbuds of 2025. Its done this with trickle-down technology from its $1K earphones and a focus on accuracy that doesnt forsake energy. With magnetic particle-injected oil surrounding the voice coil in each housing, the lateral motion of a typical driverthe cause of sound-degrading distortionis impeded. This controlled motion allows for a thinner surround, which means the 10mm diaphragm can move farther faster without warping. TL;DR With the new EAH-AZ100, every note hits harder, extends deeper, and delivers reference-grade resolution supported by top-notch noise cancellationable to impress even on a raucous show floor.