There is a new bundle of interest to game developers, the RPG Maker Beyond Expectations Bundle. This bundle contains a collection of Gotcha Gotcha Games game engines including RPG Maker MV, Pixel Game Maker and for the first time in a bundle, the Unity version of GameMaker, RPG Maker Unite. This bundle goes along with the 2025 RPG Maker Game Jam that is on now.The bundle is organized into the following tiers:1$ TierRPG MAKER VX Ace5$ TierPixel Game Maker MVPixel Game Maker MV Weapon assets (100 varieties) and Dot Robot SetPixel Game Maker MV 2D Side-scroller Shooting Game Sample ProjectPixel Game Maker MV Cardgame Sample10$ TierRPG MAKER UNITERPG Maker Unite Add-on 3D DungeonSingle-picture map collection of materials1Default Character Facial Expression Assets120$ TierRPG MAKER MVRPG MAKER MV SAKANRPG MAKER MV MADORPG MAKER MV GENEDefault Character Facial Expression Assets2Default Character Facial Expression Assets3Single-picture map collection of materials2 Samurai town HINOMOTOSingle-picture map collection of materials3 Southern sea solitary island GOBASingle-picture map collection of materials4 Frontline defense base ORADYou can learn more about the RPG Maker Beyond Expectations Bundle in the video below. Using links on this page help support GFS (and thanks so much if you do!)

FactoryBERT: An AI That Understands Manufacturing 0 like March 12, 2025Share this postAuthor(s): Saif Ali Kheraj Originally published on Towards AI. This member-only story is on us. Upgrade to access all of Medium.https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/manufacturing-processFactories have their own way of talking. If youve ever been inside one, you might hear things like:OEE is dropping, the CNC lathe has spindle misalignment, and we need to adjust feed rates to reduce chatter!For most people (and most AI), this sounds like another language. Regular AI models dont understand manufacturing terms. They are trained on general internet text like Wikipedia and news articles. If you ask them about root cause analysis, they might talk about tree roots instead of fixing a broken machine!Thats why some researchers are working on ways to train AI specifically for manufacturing. The idea is to create a model that understands factory language, reads technical manuals, and helps with process improvement.One approach is to train a BERT-based AI model (like ChatGPT, but focused on manufacturing). This could help factories improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and support Six Sigma projects.Six Sigma is a method for improving quality in manufacturing. It focuses on:Reducing defectsImproving processesMaking factories more efficientIt uses tools like root cause analysis, statistical control, and process mapping to fix problems. AI could help by analyzing factory data and suggesting ways to make things better.But Read the full blog for free on Medium.Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AITowards AI - Medium Share this post

Author(s): Ecem Karaman Originally published on Towards AI. Decoding LLM Pipeline Step 1: Input Processing & Tokenization From Raw Text to Model-Ready InputIn my previous post, I laid out the 8-step LLM pipeline, decoding how large language models (LLMs) process language behind the scenes. Now, lets zoom in starting with Step 1: Input Processing.In this post, Ill explore exactly how raw text transforms into structured numeric inputs that LLMs can understand, diving into text cleaning, tokenization methods, numeric encoding, and chat structuring. This step is often overlooked, but its crucial because the quality of input encoding directly affects the models output. 1. Text Cleaning & Normalization (Raw Text Pre-Processed Text)Goal: Raw user input standardized, clean text for accurate tokenization. Why Text Cleaning & Normalization?Raw input text often messy (typos, casing, punctuation, emojis) normalization ensures consistency.Essential prep step reduces tokenization errors, ensuring better downstream performance.Normalization Trade-off: GPT models preserve formatting & nuance (more token complexity); BERT aggressively cleans text simpler tokens, reduced nuance, ideal for structured tasks. Technical Details (Behind-the-Scenes)Unicode normalization (NFKC/NFC) standardizes characters ( vs. ).Case folding (lowercasing) reduces vocab size, standardizes representation.Whitespace normalization removes unnecessary spaces, tabs, line breaks.Punctuation normalization (consistent punctuation usage).Contraction handling (dont do not or kept intact based on model requirements). GPT typically preserves contractions, BERT-based models may split.Special character handling (emojis, accents, punctuation).import unicodedataimport redef clean_text(text): text = text.lower() # Lowercasing text = unicodedata.normalize("NFKC", text) # Unicode normalization text = re.sub(r"\\s+", " ", text).strip() # Remove extra spaces return textraw_text = "Hello! Hows it going? "cleaned_text = clean_text(raw_text)print(cleaned_text) # hello! hows it going? 2. Tokenization (Pre-Processed Text Tokens)Goal: Raw text tokens (subwords, words, or characters).Tokenization directly impacts model quality & efficiency. Why Tokenization?Models cant read raw text directly must convert to discrete units (tokens).Tokens: Fundamental unit that neural networks process.Example: interesting [interest, ing] Behind the ScenesTokenization involves:Mapping text tokens based on a predefined vocabulary.Whitespace and punctuation normalization (e.g., spaces special markers like ).Segmenting unknown words into known subwords.Balancing vocabulary size & computational efficiency.Can be deterministic (fixed rules) or probabilistic (adaptive segmenting) Tokenizer Types & Core Differences Subword Tokenization (BPE, WordPiece, Unigram) is most common in modern LLMs due to balanced efficiency and accuracy.Types of Subword Tokenizers:Byte Pair Encoding (BPE): Iteratively merges frequent character pairs (GPT models).Byte-Level BPE: BPE, but operates at the byte level, allowing better tokenization of non-English text (GPT-4, LLaMA-2/3)WordPiece: Optimizes splits based on likelihood in training corpus (BERT).Unigram: Removes unlikely tokens iteratively, creating an optimal set (T5, LLaMA).SentencePiece: Supports raw text directly; whitespace-aware (DeepSeek, multilingual models).Different tokenizers output different token splits based on algorithm, vocabulary size, and encoding rules.GPT-4 and GPT-3.5 use BPE good balance of vocabulary size and performance.BERT uses WordPiece more structured subword approach; slightly different handling of unknown words. The core tokenizer types are public, but specific AI Models may use fine tuned versions of them (e.g. BPE is an algorithm that decides how to split text, but GPT models use a custom version of BPE). Model-specific tokenizer customizations optimize performance.# GPT-2 (BPE) Examplefrom transformers import AutoTokenizertokenizer_gpt2 = AutoTokenizer.from_pretrained("gpt2")tokens = tokenizer_gpt2.tokenize("Let's learn about LLMs!")print(tokens)# ['Let', "'s", 'learn', 'about', 'LL', 'Ms', '!']# prefix indicates whitespace preceding token# OpenAI GPT-4 tokenizer example (via tiktoken library)import tiktokenencoding = tiktoken.encoding_for_model("gpt-4")tokens = encoding.encode("Let's learn about LLMs!")print(tokens) # Numeric IDs of tokensprint(encoding.decode(tokens)) # Decoded text 3. Numerical Encoding (Tokens Token IDs)Goal: Convert tokens into unique numerical IDs.LLMs dont process text directly they operate on numbers. Tokens are still text-based unitsEvery token has a unique integer representation in the models vocabulary.Token IDs (integers) enable efficient tensor operations and computations inside neural layers. Behind the ScenesVocabulary lookup tables efficiently map tokens unique integers (token IDs).Vocabulary size defines model constraints (memory usage & performance) (GPT-4: ~50K tokens):Small vocabulary: fewer parameters, less memory, but more token-splits.Large vocabulary: richer context, higher precision, but increased computational cost.Lookup tables are hash maps: Allow constant-time token-to-ID conversions (O(1) complexity).Special tokens (e.g., [PAD], <EOS>, [CLS]) have reserved IDs standardized input format.from transformers import AutoTokenizertokenizer = AutoTokenizer.from_pretrained("gpt2")tokens = tokenizer.tokenize("LLMs decode text.")print("Tokens:", tokens) # Tokens: ['LL', 'Ms', 'decode', 'text', '.']token_ids = tokenizer.convert_tokens_to_ids(tokens)print("Token IDs:", token_ids) # Token IDs: [28614, 12060, 35120, 1499, 13] 4. Formatting Input for LLMs (Token IDs Chat Templates)Goal: Structure tokenized input for conversational models (multi-turn chat)Why: LLMs like GPT-4, Claude, LLaMA expect input structured into roles (system, user, assistant).Behind-the-scenes: Models use specific formatting and special tokens maintain conversation context and roles. Behind the ScenesChat Templates Provide:Role Identification: Clearly separates system instructions, user inputs, and assistant responses.Context Management: Retains multi-turn conversation history better response coherence.Structured Input: Each message wrapped with special tokens or structured JSON helps model distinguish inputs clearly.Metadata (optional): May include timestamps, speaker labels, or token-counts per speaker (for advanced models).Comparison of Chat Templates: Different styles directly influence model context interpretation. 5. Model Input Encoding (Structured Text Tensors)Goal: Convert numeric token IDs structured numeric arrays (tensors) for GPU-based neural computation compatibility. Why Tensors?Neural networks expect numeric arrays (tensors) with uniform dimensions (batch size sequence length), not simple lists of integers.Token IDs alone = discrete integers; tensor arrays add structure & context (padding, masks).Proper padding, truncation, batching directly affect model efficiency & performance. Technical Details (Behind-the-Scenes)Padding: Adds special tokens [PAD] to shorter sequences uniform tensor shapes.Truncation: Removes excess tokens from long inputs ensures compatibility with fixed context windows (e.g., GPT-2: 1024 tokens).Attention Masks: Binary tensors distinguishing real tokens (1) vs. padding tokens (0) prevents model from attending padding tokens during computation.Tensor Batching: Combines multiple inputs into batches optimized parallel computation on GPU. Key Takeaways Input processing is more than just tokenization it includes text cleaning, tokenization, numerical encoding, chat structuring, and final model input formatting. Tokenizer type model trade-offs: BPE (GPT), WordPiece (BERT), Unigram (LLaMA) choice affects vocabulary size, speed, complexity. Chat-based models rely on structured formatting (chat templates) directly impacts coherence, relevance, conversation flow. Token IDs tensors critical: Ensures numeric compatibility for efficient neural processing. Next Up: Step 2 Neural Network ProcessingNow that weve covered how raw text becomes structured model input, the next post will break down how the neural network processes this input to generate meaning covering embedding layers, attention mechanisms, and more.If youve enjoyed this article: Check out my GitHub for projects on AI/ML, cybersecurity, and Python Connect with me on LinkedIn to chat about all things AI Thoughts? Questions? Lets discuss! Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming asponsor. Published via Towards AI

Lenovo has just dropped the price of the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller to slightly lower than what we saw on Black Friday. Right now you can choose Sterling Silver, Volcanic Red, or Cobalt Blue for only $54 plus free shipping after you apply coupon code "PLAY5" in cart. This is probably going to be your last chance to get a DualSense controller at this price for quite a while, especially one that's decked out in a eye-catching metallic colorway.Sony PS5 DualSense Controller for $54Sterling SilverSony PS5 DualSense ControllerVolcanic RedSony PS5 DualSense ControllerCobalt BlueSony PS5 DualSense ControllerThe original PS5 DualSense controller is decked out in the same white color scheme as the console itself and retails for $69.99. Since then, Sony has consistently released more and more colors, some of them more striking than others. In late 2023, Sony launched the Deep Earth collection, "a new metallic colorway for PS5 accessories" with aptly sounding names like Sterling Silver, Volcanic Red, and Cobalt Blue. These controllers retailed for $79.99 and were (and still are) one of the more striking color schemes. We rarely see these on sale compared to the other colors.Color aside, the Dualsense is oft regarded as the best PS5 controller under $100. It also makes for an excellent controller for your PC. The DualSense is modeled after the tried and true design and layout of previous PlayStation controllers, but it also packs in modern features such as haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone and speaker, integrated touchpad, internal gyroscope and accelerometer for motion sensing, and USB Type-C charging.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Let the demon hunting begin. Netflix is giving Devil May Cry the anime treatment and we finally have a taste of what it has in store with a brand new trailer the streamer just dropped. But what might be even more exciting is that the legendary late voice actor Kevin Conroy will posthumously star in the new game adaptation.Conroy, who is best known and celebrated as the longtime voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman in the many animated films and TV shows that have focused on the character over the years, stars in the series as VP Baines, a new character that can be heard in voiceover at the beginning of the sneak peek.PlayBack in July 2024, Conroy was praised for his posthumous voice performance in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3, so its awesome that fans will have another chance to experience his artistry after his untimely passing in November 2022 at the age of 66. Rounding out the cast alongside the late actor is Scout Taylor-Compton as Mary, Hoon Lee as White Rabbit, Chris Coppola as Enzo, and Johnny Yong Bosch as Dante himself. According to the official synopsis provided by Netflix, Sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.Kevin Conroy in 2021. Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images.Producer Adi Shankar will serve as showrunner for the series. He is known for his work as executive producer on the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot film Dredd, as well as the Brad Pitt star vehicle Killing Them Softly from the same year, and 2014s Ryan Reynolds vehicle The Voices. He is also slated to executive produce an adaptation of Assassins Creed, but considering it was announced in 2017 and still has yet to see the light of day, who knows if that series will ever actually get made? Fingers crossed, though. Studio Mir, a well-established South Korean studio known for their work on popular projects like The Legend of Korra and X-Men 97, will serve as the chief production studio on this new series. Devil May Cry will be released on Netflix on April 3, 2025.Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

Screenlife films have become a genre of their own in recent years the premise being that a story is told almost entirely through the lens of a phone, tablet, or computer screen. Weve seen screenlife horror films like Unfriended and Host, and screenlife thrillers like Searching and Missing, but LifeHack is taking the genre in a new direction by giving us what very well may be the first screenlife heist movie.LifeHack isnt your typical heist movie. Theres no forbidden jewel or vault of cash that this group of teens are after, instead they decide to steal millions of cryptocurrency from a notorious crypto billionaire. The majority of this heist takes place online from the comfort of these young hackers bedrooms, and shows just how easy it can be to have everything you have stolen in an instant.While chatting about the film with Den of Geek at SXSW, actor and YouTuber James Scholz said that before making the film he had been hacked on Roblox, and scammed and whatnot, so he knew how easy it was to fall prey to online thieves. When the rest of the cast was asked whether or not this film made them want to change all of their passwords, actor Georgie Farmer chimed in saying A hundred percent. I actually said that to [fimmaker] Ronan [Corrigan] pretty early on, I was like Wow, its actually so easy to get hacked.It does make you scared of the information you have about yourself online, and how that can be manipulated and taken advantage of, the films writer and director Ronan Corrigan said of LifeHacks premise. To which Farmer replied Yeah, change passwords regularly.

Looney Tunes is an American institution. Everybody and their motherand likely their mothers motherknows who Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martian, and Taz are. The franchise has been going strong for nearly a century, but recent events have resulted in their cache getting stuck in limbo. The heavily maligned cancellation of the Coyote vs. Acme flick and the bleak effect of LeBron James Space Jam sequel have left devotees wondering if there was even a place for these characters in the modern marketplace?Inherently, Looney Tunes is an animated franchise. However, the series has lost track of that in recent years, particularly when it comes to the characters being transferred to theaters. Ever since the unbridled success of Space Jam (1996), Warner Bros. has been seemingly hellbent on transposing the animated players to live-action environments with fleshy co-stars, including in 2003s mega-flop Looney Tunes: Back in Action. Needless to say, the series was in desperate need of a return to form. So enters The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.Zany hijinks have been the bread and butter of Looney Tunes for decades. The franchise, which first began as a series of animated shorts in the 1930s, has always focused heavily on over-the-top scenarios with ridiculously high stakes for animated animals to grapple with. Characters would regale the audience with their exaggerated voices while being chased by a hunter, pursued by a vicious predator, or trying to impress a cat whilst pretending to be one. Recurring jokes and small vignettes of ludicrous moments were a mainstay of Looney Tunes, and The Day the Earth Blew Up is the first Looney Tunes anything in ages to understand that heritage.In the new film, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig find themselves in an unfamiliar place (at least since the 1950s): as the stars of the show. The decision to shift the focus away from Bugs Bunny, a first for a theatrically released Looney Tunes film, is a bold one. In fact, only the aforementioned characters and Pentunia Pig represent the original Looney Tunes cast, with no mention or reference to Bugs, Sylvester, or the rest of the gang. This could have resulted in feeling detached from the intellectual property, but the very essence of Looney Tunes is instead captured here.Porky Pig and Daffy Duck also find themselves in an unusually tense situation, even by their standards. As a meteor hurls towards the Earth, the cartoon legends must find a way to stop it and the nefarious schemes of an alien, credited as The Invader (voiced by Peter MacNicol). The Invaders villainous ambition is as familiar as they come. It features a mind-control concept sparked by chewing gum, and anyone who has seen The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) or the Rick and Morty episode Air Force Wong will feel as if theyre experiencing deja vu. With that said, a third-act plot development from the enigmatic alien holds a genuinely unpredictable twist. Furthermore, the character journeys for our lead Looneys are commendable, if not a tad generic, providing a good message for the likely family-friendly audience this film will skew.Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, both impressively voiced by Eric Bauza, still can make magnetic leads in a story after all these years. While they arent a wise-cracking rabbit, the duo have more than enough charisma to command their own feature. An opening credits montage of their upbringing, which contains a brief origin story for Porky Pigs iconic stutter, perfectly sets the scene for the style of humor ever present throughout the 90-minute runtime. The pairs adopted father, Farmer Jim, voiced by Fred Tatasciore, works as a hilarious foil between the two all while providing an emotional, albeit brief, connection to the audience.Unfortunately, it should probably be no surprise that a film with 11 credited writers feels a bit uneven, and no component of the screenplay is more emblematic of this than the main humor. There are a few laugh out loud moments. The exception of giggles that do come include a shoutout to stimulus checks, a joke all too relatable for any parents in the workforce during the COVID lockdowns, and a recurring gag revolving around an aliens love for boba tea. On the flip side, some bits fall harder on their face than Wile E. Coyote off the side of a mesa. This is cemented by a short montage of Daffy Duck attempting to become a social media influencer. This bit and other jokes like it read as attempts by Gen-X to appeal to Gen-Z, a la the Steve Buscemi 30 Rock meme.The film plays with a few fourth-wall breaking moments, a mainstay of the Looney Tunes franchise for decades. These sequences hit when they occur, but they are few and far between, and unfortunately two of the best were spoiled in the trailer. The movie mightve benefitted from increasing their presence. The Day the Earth Blew Up is additionally littered with random montages, one dance number in particular revolving around a gum assembly line felt particularly out of place, furthering the feelings of inconsistency present with the humor of the film. We suspect the filmmakers were likely homaging the Looney Tunes shorts of old with these sequences, but their inclusion bogs down the main storyline with their increasing randomness.Finally, the animation style of the flick is somehow simultaneously fresh and underwhelming. It is theoretically nice to watch a feature-length studio production rendered with hand-drawn characters, or at least a digital approximation of them, but in this particular iteration, the aesthetic looked cheap for a theatrically released film. While hand-drawn cartoons certainly have a place in modern multiplexes, as seen beautifully in the Oscar-winning movie The Boy and the Heron (2023), The Day the Earth Blew Up feels more akin to a Saturday morning cartoon in the mid-2000s with its animation style.Perhaps the movie was better suited for a streaming release on Max, ironically where Warner Bros. sent their last finished Looney Tunes project, Space Jam: A New Legacy. While we certainly champion the theatergoing experience, nothing about this Looney Tunes movie justifies a trip to the cinema.Ultimately, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie was a breath of fresh air for a franchise plagued with inconsistent results and controversy in recent years. The animated flick by no means reinvented the wheel, but itll serve as quality entertainment for younger audiences with plenty of engaging gags for adults.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Looney Tunes: The Day the Earth Blew Up opens in theaters on Friday, March 14. Learn more about Den of Geeks review process and why you can trust our recommendationshere.

Wallpaper has a reputation of being expensive, dated, and complicated. But were here to tell you its time to rethink your frame of reference! Todays wallcoverings are fresh, happy, and easier than ever to install thanks to the proliferation of direct-to-consumer brands with designer sensibilities such as Tempaper and Chasing Paper. So, if youre ready to put down the paint brush and pick up the glue brush (although were also a fan of peel-and-stick papers!), now is the time. Below, weve gathered up the top trending types of wallpaper patterns and wallpaper application ideas that designers are most excited about in 2025. Related StoriesHistoric Botanical PrintsMatthew KisidayPetite powder rooms are primed for wallpaper thanks to their ability to maximize pattern in a more economical fashion.Sure, botanical prints, just like floral patterns, have been in style for quite some time. (Thanks, cottagecore!) But, in 2025, expect to see even more wallpapers inspired by historical botanical studies, aka, the original botanical print! These wallpapers are a dreamy blend of romance and science, says designer Kendall Rabun. In this pretty powder bath she designed, subtle blue trim adds a pop of color against the antiqued paper (Renaissance Herbier by Schumacher). Got a little extra time? DIY this look with botanical prints cut from old books (or a new book with reproduction prints!) and a bit of wallpaper adhesive. RELATED STORIES:Floor-to-Ceiling WallpaperStacy Zarin GoldbergDesigner Molly Singers primary bedroom explodes in pattern thanks to the floor-to-ceiling application.Gone are the days of accent walls. In 2025, were channeling our inner maximalist and putting wallpaper everywhereeven on the ceiling (it is considered the 5th wall in a room after all!). In this pattern-filled bedroom by designer Molly Singer, the blue-and-white floral wallpaper (Indian Arbre by Schumacher) extends up the walls to the 12-foot-high vaulted ceiling, wrapping the room in a cozy, patterned cocoon. If youre going to do something like this, you have to go all-in, says Molly. Choose a color from the wallpaper (in this case, Sloe Blue by Farrow & Ball to create a more cohesive look. RELATED STORY: Small-Scale PatternsRead McKendree for Country LivingThis cozy cottage bedroom proves pattern can be calming.On the other end of the maximalist spectrum, tonal ditsy patterns are also making a comeback this year. These small-scale designs overload the visual field, creating a wall of pattern that effectively disappears against other furnishings. This approach introduces the visual texture of pattern without making the space feel overwhelming. In this bedroom designed by Marynn Udvarhelyi, a coral-patterned wallpaper envelopes the bedroom in a relaxing texture that allows bolder colors to stand out. RELATED STORY:Painterly MuralsBrie Williams for Country LivingThe soft painterly lines of this dining room wallpaper add a relaxed flair to the traditional tableau.Playful, painterly details are going to be everywhere this year, according to Pinterests recent 2025 trend report. Gen Z and Gen X will hand-paint funky murals onto furniture, jazz up that trim, and turn grown-up spaces into playful little havens, they write. Your space is officially your canvas. While you might not be a skilled enough artist to paint your own, there are definitely wallpapers out there that fit this aesthetic. Look for papers that have less-than-straight lines and more of a handmade feel and avoid traditional, buttoned-up chinoiserie murals that look too stately. Upgraded Utilitarian SpacesRead McKendreeIn this cheery laundry room designed by Katie Rosenfeld, a graphic blue-and-white wallpaper anchors the bright color palette.Inevitably, its utilitarian spacesthink laundry or storage roomswhere you end up spending much of your time, not the dining room. In the past, it was easy to overlook them, but, in 2025, designers are going all in in beautifying these spaces as well. Dont believe us? Houzz identified wallpapered laundry rooms as one of their best design ideas for 2025. And, thanks to removable peel-and-stick wallpaper, you can easily upgrade your space without the fear of commitment. Related StoryAnna LoganSenior Homes & Style EditorAnna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything youve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When shes not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram.

With their heavy battery packs, EVs are hardly known for being lightweight. That is, perhaps, until now.British startup Longbow founded by former Tesla, Lucid, and Polestarexecs emerged from stealth today with plans for two new ultralight EVs. The company bills the cars as spiritual successors to the iconic Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type.The first of the pair is Speedster, a nimble, open-top sports car weighing just 895kg that could accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds. Speedster will have an estimated range of 275 miles and a starting price of 84,995. The first customer deliveries are slated for 2026.Longbow said it initially wants to build 150 Speedsters. Following that, it plans to put its full attention on the EVs slightly bulkier and cheaper brother the Roadster. Costing 64,995 and weighing 995kg, the Roadster will be heavier but only marginally slower, accelerating from 0 to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!Both the Speedster and the Roadster are featherweights in comparison to todays EVs, which on average weigh around 2,000kg. In the sports car class, Teslas Roadster, which tipped the scales at 1,305kg, was one of the lightest ever to enter serial production, but that was phased out in 2012.Our first two cars embody everything a modern drivers car should be: agile, balanced, electric, and exhilarating, said Longbows co-founder and CEO David Davey, whose previous accomplishments include launching Lucid Motors in Europe and claims to have driven the Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk launched into space. We are reviving an icon, the lightweight British sports car, he said.Together, the Roadster and Speedster represent a whole new class of cars and a middle finger to the auto establishment.The Speedster is a throwback to iconic British sports cars. Credit: LongbowOver the years, EVs have been getting bigger and bigger in market share, sure but also in physical size. Thats partly because batteries are getting heavier and taking up more space. But its also because automakers are catering to demand for electric equivalents of SUVs, pickup trucks, and even hummers.Astonishingly, the very segment that sparked the electric revolution the global 2 seater sports car market worth approximately $16bn, encompassing around 250,000 vehicles per year remains almost untouched by electrification, Davey wrote on LinkedIn.With most established automakers all competing in the same segment, Longbow looks to seize a gap in the market.Longbows EV credentialsThat all sounds great, but what sets this apart from all the other fancy 3D renders out there?First, Longbows CV is drenched in EV acumen. The founders Davey, Jenny Keisu, and Mark Tapscott have combined experience launching electric vehicles at Tesla, Uber, Polestar, and Lucid. Keisu was the CEO of X Shore, adding electric boating expertise into the mix. We bring experience from the heart of EV innovation, understanding intimately how to design and deliver game-changing vehicles at commercial scale, said Davey.The Longbow founders (left to right): Daniel Davey, Jenny Keisu, and Mark Tapscott. Credit: LongbowThen theres Longbows rather modest designs and specs. Instead of reinventing the wheel, the company is adopting a basic aluminium chassis,featuring reusable and configurable parts for greater durability. It also plans to source most of the cars parts from third parties. That includes a rather basic 240kW motor, readily available off-the-shelf.Yes, this all makes both the Speedster and Roadster slower than an electric hypercar and less fancy than a Porsche Taycan or Maserati Granturismo Folgore. But then again, its also a fraction of the price. Longbows pair of EVs could be the sweet spot for someone looking for a Sunday drive to replace their old Porsche Boxster or Lotus Elise.The Roadster is the bigger brother of the Speedster. Credit: LongbowThe Speedster and Roadster are already available for pre-order. And Longbow which has been operating in stealth for the last few years hopes to unveil its first prototype later this year.Were not nave about the challenges ahead, said Davey. Scaling production, navigating global supply chain complexities, and confronting competition from legacy automakers requires strategic foresight. For these reasons, the company will start with a limited edition Speedster of 150 units before moving to series production of the Roadster.The Next in Tech is one of three key themes atTNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event arenow on sale. To get 30% off, use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the check-out. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

French satellite operator Eutelsat was thrust into the spotlight last week as a potential replacement for Elon Musks Starlink in Ukraine and potentially, broader Europe.Eva Berneke, Eutelsats CEO, said the company was in advanced discussions with the EU about expanding its internet service in Ukraine. She also said Eutelsat was in very positive talks with Italy to provide an encrypted communications service for government officials. In the same week, investors rallied behind Eutelsat, sending its shares soaring over 500%.But what exactly is Eutelsat? And could it realistically replace Starlink in Ukraine and beyond?An independence missionIn 1977, 17 European countries came together to form the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation Eutelsat for short. The idea was to develop a satellite-based telecommunications infrastructure independent from the US or the Soviet Union.In 1983, Eutelsat became the first European provider of satellite TV. In 2001, the company was privatised, and in 2023 it merged with the UKs OneWeb to become the worlds third largest satellite operator.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!With the merger, Eutelsat inherited OneWebs constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites for internet communications a similar setup to its bigger rival Starlink.How do OneWebs satellites work?Eutelsat currently has 653 OneWeb satellites orbiting the Earth, each circling about 1,200km above the surface. This relative proximity results in lower latency and faster internet speeds compared to traditional geostationary satellites, which are around 30 times further out in space.Ground stations on Earth are connected to the internet and beam data to satellites orbiting above. The satellites then transmit the data to user terminals, small devices with antennas that enable internet access in places where traditional connections arent available. These user terminals are especially useful in remote areas, airplanes, ships, vehicles, or as weve seen in Ukraine conflict zones.Can Eutelsat replace Starlink in Ukraine? Eutelsat told TNW that it offers the same coverage and latency capabilities as Starlink. The firms low-Earth orbit (LEO) services are already deployed in Ukraine, where they support government and institutional communications. Additionally, Eutelsat said its geostationary orbit (GEO) systems could provide extra capacity over Ukraine, as well as stronger resilience for critical infrastructure connectivity.Currently, Eutelsat has around 2,000 user terminals on the ground in Ukraine. Thats dwarfed by Starlinks 40,000, yet Berneke said her company could reach that number in a couple of months.Ramping up capacity that quickly, though, would present some serious logistical challenges, especially as OneWeb terminals are supplied by third-party companies, unlike Starlink, which builds its in-house.Poland and the US, among others, have helped to fund Ukraines use of Starlink. Similar support would likely be needed for a rapid rollout of OneWeb terminals, particularly given Eutelsats not-so-healthy financial concerns.Then theres the tech itself. OneWebs satellites are older and less advanced than Starlinks. They lack inter-satellite laser link technology, which improves coverage. They also have far fewer satellites in orbit than Starlink, which has around 7,000.However, if the EU is serious about replacing Starlink in Ukraine, itll probably have to settle for second-best. The bloc will also have to make some serious financial commitments. Word from Poland this weekend provided positive news on that front.In a post on X on Sunday, Polands foreign minister said the country would be forced to look for other suppliers if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider. Warsaw currently funds half of the 42,000 Starlink terminals operating in the country at a cost of about $50mn a year.In the longer term, Europe has its bets placed on IRIS, a multi-orbit satellite internet constellation expected to switch on in 2030. There are also reports that a new Airbus-Leonardo-Thales Alenia Space joint venture called Project Bromo plans to challenge Starlinks global dominance.Europes technological sovereigntywill be a hot topic at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event arenow on sale. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the check-out to get 30% off the price tag. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with