If any husbands or boyfriends mess up Valentines Day this week, its not because of a shortage of flowers.In the run up to Feb. 14, agricultural specialists at Miami International Airport have processed about 940 million stems of cut flowers, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Around 90% of the fresh cut flowers being sold forValentines Dayin the United States come through Miami, while the other 10% pass through Los Angeles.Roses, carnations, pompons, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and gypsophila arrive on hundreds of flights, mostly from Colombia and Ecuador, to Miami on their journey to florists and supermarkets across the U.S. and Canada.Miamis largest flower importer is Avianca Cargo, based in Medelln, Colombia. In the past three weeks, the company has transported about 18,000 tons of flowers on 300 full cargo flights, senior vice president Diogo Elias said during a news conference last week in Miami.We transport flowers all year round, but specifically during the Valentines season, we more than double our capacity because theres more than double the demand, Elias said.Flowers continue to make up one of the airports largest imports, Miami-Dade chief operation officer Jimmy Morales said. The airport received more than 3 million tons of cargo last year, with flowers accounting for nearly 400,000 tons, worth more than $1.6 billion.With 1,500 tons of flowers arriving daily, that equals 90,000 tons of flower imports worth $450 million just in January and February, Morales said.Its a big job for CBP agriculture specialists, who check the bundles of flowers for potentially harmful plant, pest and foreign animal diseases from entering the country, MIA port director Daniel Alonso said.Invasive species have caused $120 billion in annual economic and environmental losses to the United States, including the yield and quality losses for the American agriculture industry, Alonso said.Colombias flower industry was recently looking at apossible 25% tariff, as President Donald Trump quarreled with the South American countrys leadership over accepting flights carrying deported immigrants. But the trade dispute came to a halt in late January, after Colombia agreed to allow the flights to land.Colombian President Gustavo Petro had previously rejected two Colombia-bound U.S. military aircrafts carrying migrants. Petro accused Trump ofnot treating immigrants with dignityduring deportation and threatened to retaliate against the U.S. by slapping a 25% increase in Colombian tariffs on U.S. goods.Officials at Fridays news conference declined to answer any questions about politics or tariffs.David Fischer, Associated Press

Tri-Fold PHANTOM Ultimate 2 Concept leads TECNOs powerful appearance at MWC Barcelona 2025 with a bold vision: Create the AI Future. The brands growing presence in global markets continues to drive its push for AI-powered innovation across multiple product categories. This years showcase will expand TECNOs AI ecosystem with a new CAMON Series smartphone, AI-integrated laptops, and AI glasses, marking a significant leap into smart wearables.TECNOs presence at MWC 2025 showcases its focus on AI-first experiences across multiple categories. The company aims to expand access to AI-powered technology in emerging markets, ensuring users benefit from cutting-edge advancements without excessive cost barriers.Attendees can expect hands-on demonstrations of the new CAMON smartphone, AI glasses, MEGABOOK laptop, and potentially possibly thePHANTOM Ultimate 2 foldable. The booth at 6B11, Hall 6, will serve as the main showcase for these innovations, reinforcing TECNOs growing influence in the global AI technology landscape.Designer: TecnoPHANTOM Ultimate 2: The Future of Tri-Fold FoldablesTECNOs PHANTOM Ultimate 2 is gearing up to be the headline stealer at MWC 2025, positioning itself as the boldest entry in the foldable smartphone category. This ultra-thin tri-fold concept smartphone challenges conventional designs, expecting to feature amassive screen experience in a device that remains effortlessly portable. With anticipation running high, MWC 2025 will be the first time the world gets to see this groundbreaking device in physical form, after only glimpses from previous concept designs.The tri-fold mechanism introduces a level of flexibility that traditional clamshells and book-style foldables cant match. This three-panel design allows for multiple configurations, adapting to users needs, whether for multitasking, media consumption, or professional productivity. TECNOs push toward an ultra-thin foldable display redefines whats possible in mobile design, proving that size and power dont have to be a trade-off.The industry has long scrutinized the challenges of durability, hinge complexity, and display longevity, and Im eager to see how TECNOs PHANTOM Ultimate 2 tackles these concerns. This device has the potential to push the boundaries of what a foldable can achieve, introducing exciting new possibilities for large-screen usability in a compact form. With MWC 2025 on the horizon, Im expecting TECNO to deliver something truly eye-catching at their showcase.A Larger AI-Powered Ecosystem Takes ShapeTECNOs emphasis on AI-driven experiences extends beyond smartphones, and the CAMON Series, long recognized for its imaging capabilities, will debut a new model that integrates the brands latest AI advancements, further pushing the boundaries of mobile photography. Known for integrating premium camera technology with sleek designs, TECNOs CAMON lineup has consistently pushed boundaries in mobile photography. This years iteration aims to further optimize computational imaging with AI-powered enhancements tailored for emerging markets.The AI glasses featured in TECNOs promotional materials hint at the companys first step into the wearable AI space. These smart glasses suggest a shift toward hands-free AI computing, potentially complementing TECNOs smartphone and laptop lineup. With mobile AI assistants and immersive augmented reality becoming more mainstream, TECNOs approach to AI-driven eyewear could introduce an entirely new way for users to interact with their devices.Alongside the glasses, a new laptop is expected to join the MEGABOOK series, TECNOs lightweight yet powerful laptop lineup. The MEGABOOK models are known for their minimalist design, robust processing power, and seamless integration with TECNOs smartphone ecosystem. AI-based productivity and performance optimizations will likely play a key role in the newest addition.Expanding on Past InnovationsAt MWC 2024, TECNO brought an impressive lineup of devices that demonstrated its forward-thinking approach to technology. The Pocket Go AR gaming handheld combined augmented reality with high-performance mobile gaming, creating a hybrid AR and Windows gaming experience. The MEGA MINI Gaming G1 PC delivered compact yet powerful gaming performance, while the Dynamic 1 robotic dog showcased TECNOs AI-driven robotics ambitions. The brand also reinforced its expertise in smartphone imaging through its flagship CAMON Series devices.Building on that foundation, TECNOs MWC 2025 showcase appears to take its AI strategy further, expanding from imaging and gaming into wearable AI and intelligent computing. The AI glasses, next-gen CAMON smartphone, and new MEGABOOK laptop reflect a more interconnected AI product ecosystem, where devices seamlessly work together to enhance user experience.Material Innovation: Starry Optical FiberBeyond hardware, TECNO has also been exploring material innovation. The brands Starry Optical Fiber technology, introduced earlier this year, integrates ultra-fine optical fibers with mini-LED lighting, creating a unique illuminated effect. While initially unveiled at CES 2025, it was not physically showcased. MWC 2025 might provide the first opportunity for attendees to experience this futuristic material firsthand. The combination of light diffusion and precision fiber optics opens up new design possibilities, particularly for smartphone aesthetics and smart wearables.TECNOs history of experimenting with materials, form factors, and AI-driven features suggests a continued effort to merge functional innovation with visually striking designs. Whether applied to smartphone casings, AI glasses, or foldable displays, Starry Optical Fiber adds an element of futuristic craftsmanship to TECNOs product identity.TECNOs Evolution Toward AI-Centric DesignOver the past few years, TECNO has expanded from a smartphone-focused brand to an AI-driven technology company, integrating its innovations into laptops, gaming devices, and wearables to create a more interconnected ecosystem. With MWC 2025 approaching, the brand is ready to unveil its latest advancements, showcasing AI-powered devices that push the boundaries of usability and design.Yanko Design will be on the ground at MWC Barcelona 2025, bringing firsthand insights into TECNOs latest innovations alongside other major brands in the industry. Expect in-depth coverage on how TECNOs AI ecosystem, next-gen tri-foldable, and wearable technology shape the future of consumer electronics. Stay tuned for exclusive updates from the show floor.The post Tri-Fold PHANTOM Ultimate 2 Concept and TECNOs AI Innovation Take Center Stage at MWC 2025 first appeared on Yanko Design.

When Im looking for a chair for my home, the first thing I think about is how comfortable I would feel if Ill be sitting on it for hours whether Im reading, scrolling through my phone, or resting. But then there are chairs that are more about their design rather than their functionality. These are pieces of furniture that are more than just what theyre meant to be and are a representation of aesthetics, culture, or even a deeper look into what the creator wants you to see.Designer: Mehdi DakhliDesigner, creative consultant, and curator Mehdi Dakhli wants to be able to celebrate North African culture through his creations. He is able to use his native Tunisian heritage and combine it with contemporary art to create furniture that has deeper meaning. His latest is the Muravey Chair, a reinterpretation of his previous design called Sidi Bou. It is also inspired by the abstract expressionist painting Loses im Rot by Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian artist that was in turn inspired by Tunisia during his visit. Another inspiration is the Ant Chair by Arne Jacobsen which was created for the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which produces the insulin that Dakhli currently uses as a diabetic. So everything about the design of this chair is a full circle moment. The material used in the chair is from Wenge, a dense hardwood that is native to Gabon and Cameroon. It is upholstered in 100% wool fabric that is sourced from the Netherlands. The Muravey Chair stands on three intricately sculpted legs that have hand-carved elements, with the backrest blending inside the seat and going down into the rear leg so you get a stable chair. The seat itself is inspired by the shape of an ants abdomen, with the legs emerging from each side. Thats where the chair gets its name from as Muravey is the Russian word for ant. Overall, the chair looks like an ant if you look closely. Just looking at its form, the chair doesnt look stable or comfortable at all. But Dakhli says that he gets great satisfaction when people realize that the chair is actually sturdy and comfortable. He says it brings him great joy when he is able to create moments of uncertainty and curiosity with his designs. And of course bringing attention to contemporary African design is also one of his main purposes in creating designs like this. The post Muravey Chair shows off Tunisian design mixed with contemporary art first appeared on Yanko Design.

Startup Canaery is partnering with a US Department of Energy lab to develop neural implants for rats and dogs that are capable of decoding what they smell.

The source code for the new Department of Government Efficiencys official US government website points to X as its primary source of authority, while sharing links to the site sends users to x.com.

MacworldAccording to the latest reports, the new M4 MacBook Air is due to arrive within weeks and for Apple, it may not be soon enough. Its not that theres anything wrong with the current M3 MacBook Airits Apples best laptop. It offers a great combination of performance, portability, and price for the customer.The issue is with the M3 chip itselfagain, theres nothing wrong with it from a user standpoint. But behind the scenes, the M3 caused major issues with Apples Mac lineup, with the shortest lifespan of any Apple silicon chip.Its expensive to produceThe A17 Pro and M3 were Apples first 3nm chips. 3nm doesnt define a chips physical size but rather the fabrication process used to create the chips. Its a general term used to refer to a chips transistor density, speed, and power efficiency, and smaller is better. 3nm was a milestone for TSMC, which manufactures Apples chips, but as a first-gen chip, there were issues with the initial process. It was costly, and yields (the number of viable chips in a semiconductor production wafer) werelowerthan those ofprevious processes.Thats not ideal for Apple, a company that needs high volume and does everything to maintain steady profit margins. When it was released, the M3 MacBook Air was priced the same as the M2 MacBook Air, so the company likely took a hit on its margins. Since then, TSMC has implemented its enhanced 3nm fabrication process, which cut costs and produced higher yields. The enhanced 3nm process is used to make Apples M4 chips, which means the M4 MacBook Air will be cheaper to makeand Apple wont have the same yield issues.Skipping a beatThe M3s cost and yield issues most certainly came into play when Apple decided how to implement the chip throughout its products. For example, the release of the iPad Pro in May 2024 wasnt a surprise, but its M4 chip was. The previous iPad Pro had an M2, and the M3 MacBook Air had arrived just a couple of months earlier, so it was easy to conclude that the M3 would succeed the M2 in the iPad Pro. Apple also upgraded the M3 iMac to an M4 after just 12 months, quicker than its usual cadence.The M4 iPad Pro serves as proof that Apple wanted to move off the M3 as soon as possible and move to a chip that has a better production value. The M3 issue was so pressing that the company was willing to disrupt its pattern of introducing new M-series chips in the MacBook Prolikely a one-time hiccup that the company was willing to accept. Making the iPad Pro the first M4 product also allows TSMC to ramp up production of the chip at a moderate pacedemand for iPads isnt as high as for MacBooks.With the release of the first M5 Macs later this year, Apple will be back on track. The M5 is a 3nm chip but will be made using a new process that TSMC started testing last year.The M4 made its debut in the iPad Pro likely because the M3 is too costly.Brady Snyder / FoundryApples remaining updatesApple still uses the base-level M2 chip in the iPad Air and the Apple Vision Pro. The iPad Air is reportedly going to be updated soon with an M4 chipanother product that skips the M3. The Vision Pro is reportedly skipping both the M3 and M4, going with an M5 upgrade that may not happen until late this year or in 2026. The Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro also all skipped the M3 entirely and we never even got an Ultra version of the chip.The M2 chip is also used in Apples cheapest laptop, the $999 M2 MacBook Air. Bloombergs Mark Gurman brought up this particular laptop in his recent report on Apples 2025 release schedule, and it appears that Apple will still offer this model for another year rather than moving to the similar M3 model. Apple moved the $999 model from the M1 to the M2, but like everything else, the M3 is chip non grata. The M2 is an enhanced 5nm chip, and since that chip is still going to be used in the Vision Pro, Apple the M2 MacBook Air justifies the M2 chips production. This also means that the $999 MacBook Air wont get upgraded until the M4 MacBook Air gets its chip upgrade to the M5 in 2026. At that time, Apple will discontinue the M2 model and move the base M4 MacBook Air to the $999 price point.What about the A17 Pro?The A17 Pro in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max was actually Apples first 3nm chip; it was released a month before the M3. The A-series and M-series chips are basically the same, with the A chips used in the iPhone and low-end iPads, and the M chips in Macs and high-end iPads.Like the M3, the A17 Pro is made using TSMCs standard 3nm process. The current iPad mini has an A17 Pro and the upcoming 11th-gen iPad is rumored to get the same chip. If the A17 Pro is made with the same 3nm process, where are the chips for these new products coming from, if Apple is moving away from 3nm?The current iPad mini uses a binned A17 Pro.Dominik Tomaszewski / FoundryThats where chip binning comes into play. Remember those low yields during the standard 3nm process? Binning is where those rejected chips are taken and made useful by disabling processing cores, slowing down speeds, and other methods. Apple is likely using binned A17 Pros for these products. For example, the iPad minis A17 Pro has a 5-core GPU, which is a binned version of the iPhone 15 Pros A17 Pro that had a 6-core GPU.Binned chips are perfectly good chips, so theres no need to worry about performance. Also, it puts them to use instead of wasting them in the trash or figuring out a way to recycle them. These binned chips will be the last remnants of a chip cycle Apple is eager to move on fromand users benefit with better performance and power efficiency from the newer processes. So expect the iPad mini and 11th-gen iPad to get updates sooner than later as Apple puts the whole M3 nightmare behind it for good.

Adobe has released a video generator in public beta in its generative AI (genAI) tool, Adobe Firefly. The company calls the tool the first commercially safe video generator on the market. It has been trained on licensed content and public domain material, meaning it should not be able to generate material that could infringe someone elses copyright.Firefly can generate clips either from text instructions or by combining a reference image with text instructions. There are also settings to customize things such as camera angles, movements, and distances.A paid subscription is required to use the video generator. Firefly Standard, which costs about $11 a month, gives access to 2000 credits; that should be enough for 20 five-second videos with a 1080p picture resolution and a frame rate of 24 frames per second.Firefly Pro, which costs three times more than the standard version, allows a user 7000 credits, which should be enough for 70 five-second clips in 1080p at 24 frames per second.Adobe plans to eventually release a model for videos with lower resolution but faster image updates, as well as a model with 4k resolution for Pro users.

Apple could make a change to its relatively small screen collection, with claims it is working on an updated Apple Studio Display for release later in 2025.Apple Studio DisplayAside from Apple's Mac models with displays, consisting of the 24-inch iMac and the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lineups, the company does offer a few external screens. That selection is rather limited at the moment, consisting of the Apple Pro Display XDR and the Apple Studio Display, both of which have yet to have any updates.If a claim from Display Supply Chain Consultants' Ross Young is correct, Apple could be upgrading the Apple Studio Display for the first time. Rumor Score: Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

While a public Wi-Fi hotspot can be convenient, it may still be a security risk. Here's why you should use one of the best VPNs for Mac while on public Wi-Fi.Coffee shops often provide free Wi-Fi hotspots - Image Credit: Pexels/Nhi LamAccess to the Internet is crucial to modern life, to a level where it's very easy to get online wherever you are in a variety of ways. One common method is through public Wi-Fi hotspots, which are offered by businesses and municipalities as a convenience to customers and visitors.You'd be hard-pressed to find a coffee shop that doesn't offer customers free Wi-Fi while they sip their drinks. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

A rush to purchase construction materials in anticipation of tariffs caused an increase in material prices last month, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors. The observation came as the ABC released its latest analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data, which found that construction material prices increased 1.4% in January.Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.9% for the month, and overall construction input prices are 1.3% higher than a year ago, the analysis also found.Januarys nonresidential construction input prices are now also 0.7% higher. In particular, prices increased in all three energy subcategories, with crude petroleum prices increasing 14.8%, natural gas increasing 13.7%, and unprocessed energy material prices increasing 13.0%.Chart credit: Associated Builders and ContractorsMaterials prices increased at the fastest monthly pace in two years in January, said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. This rapid e...