Deep in the untouched, mossy forests and ancient swamps of Polesia, a mystical spirit named Grun comes alive not through folklore, but through the imaginative designs of Victoria Yakusha. As the founder of Faina Design, the Ukrainian designer unveiled her latest collection at Design Miami 2024, seamlessly weaving her connection to nature, Ukrainian roots, and love for animistic design. The Grun collection features two hand-carved tables, two sculptural floor lamps, a bench, an upholstered bed, a chair, and an armchair each piece a testament to Yakushas poetic vision, with special editions of the chair and armchair that are particularly captivating.To envision the future, we must draw upon the knowledge and wisdom of the past. There are still places on this planet that carry the memories of centuries living, breathing spaces that appear timeless while continually evolving, says Victoria Yakusha. These sites embody the essence of the land and reflect a time when people were profoundly rooted in their surroundings, deeply connected to the world around them.The Grun collection embodies Yakushas signature design philosophy: live minimalism. This approach marries minimalist aesthetics with a profound connection to nature, reflecting her heritage and belief that every object possesses a soul a central tenet of animism. Like seedlings emerging from the earth, the collections forms exhibit wide, grounding bases that seem to draw energy from below the ground, extending upwards in a symbolic nod to ancient wisdom, growth, and renewal.Perhaps the headliners of the collection are the special edition Dewlit chair and armchair. While the original versions are just as striking with their whimsical forms and elongated, ear-like accents, the Dewlit versions elevate their allure with hand-embroidered beaded accents that glisten like dewdrops clinging to mossy forest floors. These intricate embellishments create a mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow, enhancing the tranquil, nature-inspired narrative.The Grun bed and bench continue the collections expressive forms, with wide legs that channel the earths energy up and through their antennae. Like the chair and armchair, the dark green upholstery is reminiscent of lush moss covering the grounds of the forest, deepening the collections connection to nature and to the mystic creature that inspired it.In a limited edition of 12 pieces, the Grun tables further channel the magic of the first. Their hand-carved wooden tabletops evoke the rays of sunlight streaming through a forest clearing, while their textured bases echo the rugged elegance of tree trunks. The Grun lamps, crafted from Ztista an eco-friendly blend of clay, natural fibers, and organic biopolymers take this organic aesthetic even further. Their conical forms and blown-glass bulbs, made using the traditional Ukrainian technique of gutnitstvo, resemble trees softly illuminated by their own glow.Yakushas Grun collection is an invitation for us to reconnect with the earth and embrace the harmony of living with nature. By transforming the essence of Polesias ancient forests into functional art, she reminds us that even in a fast-changing technologically-advanced world, the roots of history and nature remain steadfast and evergreen.To learn more about the Grun collection, visit victoriayakusha.com.Photography by Lera Levanova.

The new year is a good time to get yourself in shape: your finances, your body, your mind. But while everyone is running around with weights strapped to their ankles figuring out a budget or trying to start a gratitude journal, you might be thinking about starting a new relationship or strengthening the one youre in. Here are ten podcasts that can help you with that.Dates & Mates Credit: Podcast logo Dates & Mates, hosted by Damona Hoffmancelebrity dating coach, author of the bestselling F the Fairy Tale, and the Official Love Expert on The Drew Barrymore Showis one of the most realistic podcasts about modern dating youll find, and I guarantee that if you listen, your app game will get sharper. Damona brings in a variety of interesting points of views from dating coaches and experts to give not just tips but inspiration. Whether youre single and ready to mingle or in a happy relationship, Damona can help with her direct, thoughtful, and relevant advice on everything from finding a partner online and offline to mastering your attachment styles. Multiamory Credit: Podcast logo Multiamory is a show dedicated to offering guidance and insight on modern relationships in any form, be it monogamy, polyamory, casual dating, and anything in between. The beauty of Multiamory lies in its trio of hostsDedeker Winston, Emily Matlack, and Jase Lindgren. Each is an expert in their respective fields and brings a unique perspective and understanding of relationships. Their combined experiences ensure relatable discussions for audiences, blending personal advice with actionable insights. If you are tired of conventional advice and are looking to think outside the box, this is your jam. I find a lot of their advice can help with my friendships and family relationships, too. Savage Lovecast Credit: Podcast logo Dan Savage is an author, journalist, and activist and advocate for queer rights known for co-founding the It Gets Better Project in 2010. But he might be best known for his podcast Savage Lovecast. Its been running since 2006! At this point hes solved (hundreds of?) thousands of your horniest conundrums on everything from pegging to mapping out the logistics of an equitable threesome. If you have a sex-related question, chances are good Dan has answered it at some point over the years. (And if not, I want to hear that question.)Modern Love Credit: Podcast logo The Modern Love column from the New York Times has been giving readers a look into the love lives of real people for more than 20 years, and for the podcast, Modern Love, host Anna Martin brings those stories to life in a new way. Every essay is about the very real, often messy and complicated things that are happening in our relationships all over the world. Its amazing what we can learn about ourselves by listening to them. Each one is a springboard into endless topics of discussion. The essays are superb and guests pop on all the time, like Joel Kim Booster, Emrata, and Gillian Anderson.Where Should We Begin? Credit: Podcast logo On Where Should We Begin?, renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel lets you be a fly on the wall inside her office to eavesdrop on a real couples counseling session. Youll hear everything about their relationshipsevery raw and intimate detail. Esther's advice is both philosophical and reflective, dynamic and engaging, and direct but gentle. Shes also very solution-oriented, focused on helping these couples, who come to her for help with infidelity (thats a big one!), desire, and being happily divorced. She helps them strengthen their relationships, move past seemingly insurmountable conflict, and reconnect. Just Break Up Credit: Podcast logo Sam and Sierra arent therapistsbut on Just Break Up, they will answer listeners' questions with a wealth of knowledge about everything from unhealthy relationships that need to go to pretty healthy ones that could use some TLC. Their advice is always super compassionate, kind, and wise. I have found myself, more than once, writing down things theyve said. Youll love their friendship vibes, which will make you feel less alone on even the darkest days, and their willingness to put so much thought into a single letter for one person, that might just help you, too. Again, theyre not therapists. But listening to this plus therapy? Youll be unstoppable.Two Dykes And A Mic Credit: Podcast logo Every week on Two Dykes And A Mic, best friends Rachel Scanlon and McKenzie Goodwin keep listeners entertained with segments like Gay News, Ask a Dyke, and Bumble Fumbles, plus they dish out tons of dating queer dating advice. The best thing youll get from this podcast is laughterRachel and McKenzie are hilarious. But what they share about their own relationships might help you decide what you want to happen in yours. If you get the chance, dont miss their live shows. We Can Do Hard Things Credit: Podcast logo On We Can Do Hard Things, Glennon Doyle (author of Untamed), Abby Wambach (yes, the soccer player) and Amanda Doyle get really honest and ask guests about really hard thingseverything from people pleasing, and building boundaries to depression and bulimia. If youre looking for a podcast to mainline dating advice into your veins, this might not be it. This is for people curious about how to build a good foundation for all the relationships in their lives. Glennon is married to Abby and sisters with Amandathe three have a whole lot to share about their own experiences and they do not hold back. More than once I have had an epiphany while listening, and theyve helped me navigate stuff with my husband, my mom, and my whole family.Lovers and Friends with Shan Boodram Credit: Podcast logo Shan Boodram is a certified intimacy educator and relationship expert who gained a large following on YouTube and brings her great advice, every week, to her podcast Lovers and Friends. Known for her candid, inclusive, and deeply insightful approach, Shan addresses topics related to love, relationships, dating, sex, and self-discovery. She strikes a brilliant balance of relatability and expertise. Shan picks the brains of her guests and is an open book when it comes to her own experiences. She doesnt shy away from anything and will make you feel comfortable exploring new things in your dating, sex, and love life.We Met at Acme Credit: Podcast logo We Met at Acme is one of the OG dating podcasts, and although host Lindsey Metselaar is married and has a child, the heart of the show is the sameLindsey dishes up advice (about everything from setting boundaries to improving communication in relationships) that youll want to steal. Her candid conversations with dating experts, licensed professionals, celebrities, and influencers mixed with personal insights and real-life dating experiences will help you navigate the world of dating.

Folks who are in the market for a good deal on a dedicated machine for playing Balatro tablet might be interested in taking a peek at Apple's iPad mini 7. The company's latest compact tablet has dropped to its lowest price to date at $399. That's a cool $100 discount. Apple refreshed the iPad mini last October with upgraded internals and support for the Apple Pencil Pro. This configuration has 128GB of storage and Apple's A17 Pro chip. It also boasts 8GB of RAM, which is enough to support Apple Intelligence features The iPad mini 7 is our pick for the best compact iPad in part because it's the only one. We gave it a score of 83 in our review. The device has an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display which is, sadly, limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. The lack of a Face ID sensor and one of the M-series chips that are present in Apple's flagship iPads are our other major drawbacks with this one. But it's a solid tablet otherwise. The iPad mini 7 runs on the same chipset as the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple doubled the base storage from the previous generation. It weighs 0.65 pounds, so you may not have too much trouble holding it in one hand. The Touch ID sensor is encased in the power button, and there are stereo speakers and decent cameras (12MP on each side). Like pretty much all of Apple's other devices these days, the iPad mini 7 has a USB-C port rather than a Lightning one. Speaking of which, the tablet should run for up to 10 hours before you need to recharge it. And although there's no cellular connectivity here, the iPad mini 7 supports Wi-Fi 6E. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-ipad-mini-7-is-100-off-right-now-155549086.html?src=rss

Four hackers claim to have broken into the Spanish telco giant.

Waystar announced a new generative AI feature that aims to help hospitals quickly fight insurance denials.

David Morin from the Academy Software Foundation on the VFX software packages the ASWF encompasses.Today on the befores & afters podcast, were chatting to David Morin, who is the Executive Director at the Academy Software Foundation. I wanted to talk to David to do almost a back to basics about the Academy Software Foundation how it started, what its all about, and what software projects it now encompasses.Well, in our conversation, David lays all that out. We also talk about, of course, all the big projects the ASWF now covers, including OpenEXR, OpenVDB and MaterialX for instance, plus new projects that are part of the stable. If youve heard a little about the Foundation, and want to know more, I think this is a great listen.This episode is sponsored by Suite Studios. Ready to accelerate your creative workflow? Suites cloud storage is designed for teams to store, share, and edit media in real-time from anywhere. The best part? With Suite, you can stream your full-resolution files directly from the cloud without the need to download or sync media locally before working. Learn more about why the best creative teams are switching to Suite at suitestudios.ioThe post How the Academy Software Foundation works appeared first on befores & afters.

The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of This Is Us star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-bes newly installed crib.CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. Your heart just breaks.He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.Theres a kind of shock moment where youre going, Oh, this is real. This is happening. What good is it to continue watching? And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like What good is it to continue watching?'Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.More stars learn their homes are goneWhile seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his This Is Us character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. Its not lost on me life imitating art.Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglias wife on This Is Us, nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.Mel Gibsons home is completely gone, his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogans podcast.Numerous stars have confirmed their homes were lost or sustained damage in devastating wildfires burning in and around Los Angeles. At least 10 people have died, thousands of structures and vehicles have been destroyed, and more than 150,000 people remain under evacuation orders.The home that Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh, shared was a pile of dust and debris, with only the fall shrubbery and a gate surrounding the lot still standing. Keleigh posted photos of the home on Instagram of before the wildfire and after, urging people to get out of the neighborhood and thanks to first responders.We will come back stronger than ever, she wrote. She added that she wished shed taken her wedding dress.Billy Crystal and his wife lost their home of 45 years. Paris Hilton, Jeff Bridges, and Cary Elwes and R&B star Jhen Aiko have also said their homes are gone. Haley Joel Osment says he lost everything in Altadena.I am so sorry for the losses that thousands of people are suffering and Im trying to etch in my mind the unique details of this lovely town that are gone foreverthank you to everyone who has reached out and who has helped as we lose our home, the actor wrote on Instagram.Disney pledges $15 million to fire relief effortsDisney says it will donate $15 million to respond to the fires and help rebuild.The company announced the donations Friday afternoon. It said the money would be spread across several groups, including the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.Walt Disney came to Los Angeles with little more than his limitless imagination, and it was here that he chose to make his home, pursue his dreams, and create extraordinary storytelling that means so much to so many people around the world. We are proud to provide assistance to this resilient and vibrant community in this moment of need, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.FIREAID benefit concert plannedA concert to aid wildfire victims will be held at Intuit Dome on Jan. 30, organizers announced Friday.No lineup or ticket info has been released yet, but the event is being planned by music heavyweights: Shelli, Irving, and the Azoff family in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents.Organizers say money raised will help those affected by the first and support efforts to prevent future fire disasters.The Intuit Dome is home to the Los Angeles Clippers.

This experimental Modern Weave 3.0 chair is by KEM Studio, an industrial design and architecture firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. The idea was to produce a non-molded outdoor chair with a modicum of cushioning, using rope. Modern Weave is a continued exploration of reinterpreting a traditional technique (weaving) in a modern way. The original exploration (1.0), done on an Eames Side Chair, was entered in and won the Eames Good Design Challenge and was then auctioned off to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. From there we took this concept of modern weaving and refined it, still using an Eames Side Chair, creating a simplified linear pattern that provided tailored comfort in the seat of the chair (2.0). After this second exploration we asked the question, "how do you design an outdoor chair that doesn't require tooling, incorporates elevated ergonomics and can utilize this 'modern weave' as the method of providing extra cushioning?" Modern Weave 3.0 addresses those opportunities. Made out of bent rods that are welded together at points of interaction, each individual segment has a place and a purpose ergonomically. The grid system that is created from these interactions presents a natural canvas to add the weave and explore from a sense of material, comfort and aesthetics. Traditional techniques are highlighted with this chair (bending rod, welding + weaving) creating a robust, comfortable and beautiful chair that can have its place indoors just as well as outdoors. This chair breaks the mold of outdoor chairs legitimately there is no molding required. With this chair, comfort is tunable. It doesn't rely on foam for a pad but instead allows for a human-centered and user-specific comfort as well as encouraging their own creativity and artistry. Any material that can be woven can be used which allows the user to swap out the weave at any time, whether for wear, comfort or aesthetic reasons, change the pattern or even remove the weave material altogether. You can see more of KEM Studio's work here.

PROS: Beautiful and bright display Decent mid-range performance Improved durability and reliability Large battery with super-fast 120W chargingCONS: No telephoto camera, disappointing ultra-wide camera No wireless charging Slightly dated designRATINGS:AESTHETICSERGONOMICSPERFORMANCESUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITYVALUE FOR MONEYEDITOR'S QUOTE:The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G tries to offer a well-rounded set of features wrapped in a sleek design and an affordable price point.The mid-range smartphone market is honestly more exciting than the flagship segment, at least in recent years. With more expensive flagships, you can almost accurately predict where theyre headed, but lower tiers can catch you off-guard with surprising upstarts and unexpected disappointments. There seems to be more wiggle room for experimentation here, giving brands the freedom to test out different combinations of features and designs.Sometimes you get astounding mid-range flagships that make you question why youd even bother with premium models when you can get nearly the same for so much less. Sometimes, however, you also get head-scratching disappointments that make you wonder what went wrong during that decisive board meeting. With the global launch of the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G, we get to revisit those questions to see on which side of the fence Xiaomis mid-range champ falls.Designer: XiaomiAestheticsThey say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5Gs design embodies that perfectly. Depending on where you stand, its either a bold and modern upstart or a tried and tired veteran. Compared to previous generations of Redmi Notes, the current flagship is admittedly the most stylish, the most modern, and the most elegant. Its a design that finally catches up with more luxurious and more expensive devices in the market, finally giving Xiaomi a head-turning mid-range phone.The slight problem with that is that the flagship market has also moved on from the sexy curves that once defined that category, curves that the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G flaunt so boldly. Both the back glass panel and the front display curve sharply at the side to meet the very thin mid-frame edge, definitely a classic aesthetic. Then again, there is no shortage of people who denounce the new flatness of todays smartphones, so they might find some recourse in this design.The camera design is just as ambiguous on more than one level. The squircle or porthole shape feels like its caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between square and camera designs. It does give it a bit of distinction, visually separating it from other designs. Despite the four circles in that large bump, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G only has three cameras in reality, a deception thats really the least of its offenses in this matter.ErgonomicsThere are benefits to this classic flagship design, thankfully. Some people find it more comfortable to hold a slab whose curves gently rest inside their hands. It makes reaching far edges a little easier, though the screen size is still an obstacle. The matte glass back tries to add a bit of grippiness, but only ever so slightly. Those who find the smooth and curved phone slipping frequently from their hands will appreciate the color-matching silicone case included in the box.The large camera design also has an advantage because of how its placed in the middle of the phones back. It distributes the weight evenly across the width, giving it a bit more stability in your hand. It also prevents the phone from wobbling when you place it on a table and tap on the screen. It might seem like a minor annoyance, but it all adds up to a more pleasurable user experience.PerformanceThe Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G is by no means a premium flagship phone, and it shows in the silicon that runs everything. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, an incremental upgrade from the previous-gen Qualcomm mid-range chip, performs quite well for many everyday tasks, including some light mobile gaming. It isnt, however, going to give great results in more graphics-extensive applications and more resource-hungry processes like photo manipulation or on-device video editing. To put it into context, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 would be on par with a Snapdragon 870 or 888 from 2021.A bit ironically, the bottleneck isnt exactly the CPU but Xiaomis odd choice for memory and storage, LPDDR4X and UFS2.2, respectively. These are many generations behind the latest technologies, and even if you were considering cost-cutting reasons, its still too steep a performance drop to make, at least on paper. Thankfully, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G does remain responsive under moderate load, despite the somewhat bloated design of its custom Android skin.Fortunately, content looks gorgeous on the phones 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen with a maximum 120Hz resolution. Not only does it support 100% of the industry-standard DCI-P3 color gamut, it also has an incredible 3000 nits of peak brightness, making short work of sunny days. Paired with impressively decent audio, this makes the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ a great device for watching videos and playing games. The latter, however, might sometimes prove to be a bit tricky at times because of how content and controls could get a little distorted at the edges because of the curvature.Another thing that makes this mid-range phone a great content consumption machine is the generous, 5110mAh battery, enough to last you a full day before plugging it in. When it comes time to do so, the 120W HyperCharge technology zooms from zero to full in less than forty minutes, presuming youre using the included 120W charger. This story would have had a good ending if Xiaomi finally gave its mid-range flagship wireless charging support, but alas, that is still not the case.Next to raw performance and battery life, cameras are the most critical features of a smartphone these days. One would presume that this is true across all market tiers, and for the most part, it is. Thats why its rather surprising and puzzling that Xiaomi seems to be shooting itself in the foot with the Redmi Note 14 Pro+, or at least its global version.Make no mistake, the 200MP f/1.65 main camera is quite formidable, especially when theres enough light around. Whatever it lacks at night or in dim environments, post-processing and a bit of AI are enough to compensate, leading to rather good shots with plenty of sharpness and details. That, however, is where the good news stops, and things take a sharp nosedive.An 8MP ultra-wide camera in this day and age is more than disappointing. Its almost unforgivable. The photos it takes are borderline decent, at least until you try taking shots in darker situations. Instead of a telephoto camera that its Chinese sibling has, the global Redmi Note 14 Pro+ only has a 2MP macro shooter that doesnt even properly do what its supposed to.Perhaps adding insult to injury is how this trio of sensors is the exact same group that Xiaomi has been using since the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ in late 2022. Sure, you can still squeeze out some more performance with software and AI tricks, but the flaws start to show quite easily. Even the 20MP front-facing camera seems to be stuck in the past, unable to record in the 4K resolution it should technically be capable of.SustainabilityWhen compared to its predecessors, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ design is a well-deserved upgrade, both in looks as well as durability. Not only does it look more stylish, it also boasts an upgrade to Gorilla Victus 2 for the screen and Gorilla Glass 7i for the back. Throw in the IP68 rating, and youve got a formula for a phone that should, at least in theory, last you years.The same cant be said for software support, though, with Xiaomis old bad behavior rearing its ugly head again. The phone is promised three years of Android version upgrades, which is the bare minimum, but with a rather big caveat. The Xiaomi HyperOS custom experience it ships with is based on Android 14, which launched in 2023. In reality, the first upgrade owners will get will be last years Android 15, so its practically good for only two major software updates until 2027.ValueThe mid-tier smartphone market is a land thriving in innumerable choices, some of which can be surprisingly delightful, while others are downright disappointing. Theres a rich variety of designs and features, but that also makes choosing even more difficult. The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ makes that decision even harder because it stands too close to its own past.For around $450, you are getting the latest mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a fast-charging battery paired with specs from two years ago. The design might seem fresh for the Redmi Note line, but it is a style that is growing less popular among the upper echelons of the smartphone industry. The cameras, while serviceable, dont pack quite the same punch as its contemporaries, making the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ a hard sell unless youre upgrading from an even older or lower Redmi model.VerdictThe Redmi Note continues to be Xiaomis mid-range king, and the current-gen model definitely shows it. Its a well-balanced smartphone with plenty of features to satisfy most users, with a price tag that wont make them sweat too much. And it looks good to boot, finally worthy of the flagship moniker.In the grander scheme of things, however, this king might be found a bit lacking. The use of older memory technologies and the reuse of older camera sensors wont sit well with many people, at least those who like to dig deep into specs and comparisons. Truth be told, the average buyer might not care so much and only see a sleek smartphone with decent chops, and in that regard, the Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G definitely doesnt disappoint.The post Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G Review: Finding Balance in the Old and the New first appeared on Yanko Design.

With a focus on AI, the narrative felt all too familiar this year.