While some people yearn for wide-open floor plans that boast over 2,000 square feet, others don’t care for all that space and prefer smaller footprints. While living full-time in a tiny home isn’t for everybody, there are some good reasons why people do choose to downsize their material lives and move into the spatial equivalent of a backyard shed. From reducing one's environmental footprint to saving money on a guesthouse, there’s plenty to love about living in a small home. Still on the fence? Check out the tiny house ideas below for some examples—you can even book a stay in them to test-drive the small-scale lifestyle.Whether you start from a floor plan or you purchase a prefab structure, the tiny home rentals below will allow you to reimagine your entire living setup. There’s a reason designers love decorating small spaces, such as powder rooms: These jewel box spaces allow one’s creativity to run wild. Typically, with these houses, function comes before beauty, but that doesn't mean there can't be strategically stylistic flourishes throughout. You can still find beautiful ways to decorate a tiny home, and the 58 options below will show you how. Keep reading for the best tiny home ideas that are endlessly inspiring.Additional copy by Kate McGregor.For more tiny home inspiration:1Lofty DreamsAirbnbNestled among the trees just outside the town of Woodstock in upstate New York, this treehouse-like tiny home is elevated to create sweeping views of the swimmable pond and surrounding forest. Its most enviable features include a sleeping loft, full walls of windows, a breakfast bar, a wood-burning fireplace, and a barrel-style hot tub.BOOK NOW Related Story: 33 Amazing Treehouses You Can Rent for Vacation2Slanted Exteriorbe tkBeAsk any architect: Walls don't have to be straight. The off-kilter style of this pro-built tiny house in the Catskills adds visual interest and makes space for a lofted bedroom, built-in shelves and cabinets, and a breakfast nook with a window seat. It also illustrates how much you can do without electricity or running water.BOOK NOW Related Story: 8 Tiny House Resorts for a One-of-a-Kind GetawayAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below3Baby Bluebe tkBeThis New Paltz, New York, tiny home's interior design is fairly standard, but its showstopping two-tone exterior paint job makes it a standout. The platform it's built on creates a wide deck for eating and hanging out—a simple way to sneak in a few extra square feet.BOOK NOW 4Coastal ViewsAirbnbSet directly on the coastline of Quebec, Canada, this '70s-inspired tiny house has vast square windows along the front for assessing the surf conditions and taking in the views each morning. Don't miss the natural wood built-in storage (including the queen beds' headboards) and ceilings and clever recessed lighting throughout.Book Now Related Story: 22 Hotels With Breathtaking ViewsAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Quaint Cottagebe tkBeTucked away in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, this no-frills cottage, named for its fairy-lights lined porch, can sleep up to three. Its latticed porch, rocking chairs, and weather vane dial up its charm.Book Now Related Story: How to Capture the Cottagecore Aesthetic at Home6Architectural Wonderbe tkBeDesigned by Austin-based architect Nicole Blair, this AIA Award–winning tiny house called the Beehive plays with angles to maximize sunlight and square footage. You'll want to bookmark the open-concept kitchen, spacious shower, and efficient staircase for your next trip to SXSW—or your own backyard project. Book Now Advertisement - Continue Reading Below7Best All Aroundbe tkBeSoft canvas walls give this tiny house in the West Texas hill country a tent-like feel; all the comforts of home, like HVAC and plumbing, elevate its luxury level. Outside, a cedar soaking tub is for unwinding after a day of winery hopping and antiquing. The rustic privacy fencing, elevated deck, and private fire pit, and beautiful landscaping belong on your mood board too.Book Now 8Scenic Cabinbe tkBeWith sweeping views of Iceland's Kirkjufell Mountain, bay, and even the northern lights, this cabin and its deck are stained green to blend into its awe-inspiring natural surroundings. Book Now Advertisement - Continue Reading Below9Hillside A-Framebe tkBeThe Malbec Cabin, nestled in the mountains of Brazil, is in-ground A-frame structure with expansive windows and a working wood-burning fireplace. If they're not enough to grab your attention (or would-be renters'), the rope swing and cozy fire pit definitely are.Book Now 10Essentials Onlybe tkBeThe Shepard's Hut on England's Cornish coast is no-nonsense in the best way possible. There's a quaint kitchen, fireplace, and Murphy bed, with double doors and farmhouse-style lighting adding to its friendly vibe. Its selling point, however, is the lakefront view and outdoor dining setup. You might want to copy their clever rope-and-post fencing and graveled terrace ideas.Book Now Advertisement - Continue Reading Below11Bold A-Framebe tkBeJust 12 miles from Breckenridge, Colorado, you can't miss this creekside A-frame, painted fire truck red to stand out among the evergreens. Inside, a wood burning fireplace wards off the mountain chill and custom built-ins offer kitchen and bathroom storage. You don't want to miss its cozy loft, either.Book Now12Festive Containerbe tkBeYour tiny house's interior isn't the only place you can express your design personality. This wagon-style spot on England's North Cornish coast has a cheerful two-tone exterior and sports party bunting year round. You'll love the brilliant under-bed storage, floral curtains, and green-painted trim inside, too. Book Now Related Story: 25 Shipping Container Homes You Need to SeeAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below13Urban Windmillbe tkBeNo structure is too small or off-limits for a tiny house, as evidenced by this windmill turned living quarters near Lisbon. The bedroom even features the original mechanisms in the ceiling. Because everything inside is rounded (even the shower and cabinets), it's full of helpful ideas for other challenging small spaces.Book Now 14The Greenhousebe tkBeThose not opposed to a lack of privacy can opt for glass walls like this greenhouse-esque home's in South Africa. Not traveling soon? Head over for inspiration from its luxury tile, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and sleek, modern deck. It shows how much life and beauty plants can bring to any tiny house too. Book Now Advertisement - Continue Reading Below15Looking GlassGetty ImagesTucked away in the middle of the Catskills forest, this storybook-ready A-frame home is a small but mighty fortress. The view feels twice as special thanks to a full glass front wall.BOOK NOW 16The BubbleAirbnbDesigned by Roderick James, this Scottish insulated aluminum pod offers breathtaking views from dragonfly windows. The futuristic interior is warmed up by wood accents and cozy textiles.BOOK NOWAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below17French CottageAirbnbThe stone exterior and interior details of this French cottage make it look like it came straight out of a fairytale. While the overall design of the interior isn't much, the architecture serves as major inspo if you're looking to build your own dreamy tiny home.BOOK NOW 18The Family HomeNew Frontier DesignWith two bedrooms (including a walk-in closet!), this tiny home is just right for a small family. The fully-equipped chef's kitchen can whip up alfresco meals for warm summer nights. Not to mention, the industrial-meets-cabin aesthetic is sleek and inviting.BUY NOW Advertisement - Continue Reading Below19Lava FieldAirbnbAt the foot of a volcano in Hawaii, this tiny house—called the Phoenix House—will make you feel as though you've stepped onto another planet as you explore the lava fields and black sand beaches that surround it.BOOK NOW 20Container CabinAirbnbLive out your mountain getaway dreams in this tiny Catskills home, which is one of four shipping container cabins on the owner's New York property. It boasts a sleek exterior and contrasting cozy, rustic interior.BOOK NOW Source: https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/house-tours/g2370/tiny-houses/ #adorable #tiny #house #ideas #you039ll #instantly #fall #love #with

Code::Blocks C/C++ IDE 25.03 Released / News / May 13, 2025 / Code::Blocks is an open source (GPL v3 licensed) cross-platform (Windows, Linux and MacOS) C, C++ and Fortran IDE. You could be forgiven for thinking the project was dead as the last binary release was in 2020! Thankfully this is not the case as a little over a month back Code::Blocks 25.03 was released. Features of Code::Blocks include: Highlights: Open Source! GPLv3, no hidden costs. Cross-platform. Runs on Linux, Mac, Windows (uses wxWidgets). Written in C++. No interpreted languages or proprietary libs needed. Extensible through plugins Compiler: Multiple compiler support: GCC (MingW / GNU GCC) MSVC++ clang Digital Mars Borland C++ 5.5 Open Watcom …and more Very fast custom build system (no makefiles needed) Support for parallel builds (utilizing your CPU’s extra cores) Multi-target projects Workspaces to combine multiple projects Inter-project dependencies inside workspace Imports MSVC projects and workspaces (NOTE: assembly code not supported yet) Imports Dev-C++ projects Debugger: Interfaces GNU GDB Also supports MS CDB (not fully featured) Full breakpoints support: Code breakpoints Data breakpoints (read, write and read/write) Breakpoint conditions (break only when an expression is true) Breakpoint ignore counts (break only after certain number of hits) Display local function symbols and arguments User-defined watches (support for watching user-defined types through scripting) Call stack Disassembly Custom memory dump Switch between threads View CPU registers Interface: Syntax highlighting, customizable and extensible Code folding for C, C++, Fortran, XML and many more files. Tabbed interface Code completion Class Browser Smart indent One-key swap between .h and .c/.cpp files Open files list for quick switching between files (optional) External customizable “Tools” To-do list management with different users Key Links Code::Blocks Homepage Code::Blocks 25.03 Release Notes You can learn more about the Code::Blocks C/C++ IDE and about the 25.03 release in the video below. If you are looking for another C/C++ IDE, JetBrains recently made a free version of their CLion IDE available. Source: https://gamefromscratch.com/codeblocks-c-c-ide-25-03-released/ #codeblocks #ide #released

The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today. NYCxDESIGN returns this year, running from May 15 to 23. As ever, the schedule is broad and ambitious. More than 280 events, exhibitions, product launches, gallery shows, open studios, guided tours and more will unfold across the city over the course of the week. Usually, NYCxDESIGN is an event revered for spectacle and scale; however, this year, the exhibitors have taken a considered approach. Among the ambitious schedule, brands, designers, artists and studios are opening their spaces and sharing work in a way that is far less ostentatious display and more inhabitation of design. Some exhibits invite visitors into studios, kitchens, or furnished interiors. Others walk guests through the production and process of their pieces. In many cases, the materials and mechanisms are on show to be used and experienced. The idea has become not to simply view design, but to step inside it. Ilene Shaw, Executive Director of NYCxDESIGN said of the 2025 production, “This year’s NYCxDESIGN Festival feels especially energetic — full of new ways to connect, learn, and meet first-time participants. We’ll experience parks, revitalization and new infrastructure projects, and connect with the great minds that actually shaped them. You can walk through MADE’s Building A with nARCHITECTS and see adaptive reuse in action. Go behind the scenes at the transformed Davis Center at Harlem Meer in Central Park. Tour the stunning public art program at the new Grand Central Madison Terminal — 17 stories below ground. One of the most meaningful experiences we have organized is a high school student tour to the end-of-year design school exhibitions at a number of NYC design schools.  Throughout the city, the festival opens doors — quite literally— inviting you into studios, exhibitions, tours and installations that celebrate the full spectrum of New York’s creative energy. It’s design up close, in context, and in conversation.” The shift feels timely. While design culture and discourse are dominated by hyper-realistic rendered imagery and immaculately staged press photography, the type of intimate encounter offered at NYCxDESIGN is something tangible and explicitly needed. It prioritizes access over image and tactility over narrative. For architects and designers, it provides the chance to experience work as it is intended to be used, alongside the opportunity to speak directly with the minds behind the work. Architizer is proud to celebrate the creative forces shaping this year’s festival, and the following selection highlights just a few of the many events we think are worth taking the time to visit. Each invites a kind of closeness and intimacy, not as a concept, nor as a curated atmosphere, but as a way to showcase something real and meaningful. Tour of Building A at the MADE Bush Terminal Campus MADE Bush Terminal, 13 42nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Free with registration via Eventbrite Hosted by nArchitects and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), this exclusive tour explores the newly completed Building A and sections of the public campus at the adaptive-reuse MADE Bush Terminal waterfront site in Sunset Park. The tour highlights modern manufacturing, artisan workshops and entrepreneurial spaces within one of New York City’s most ambitious industrial transformations. Espasso presents: Take A Seat by Carlos Motta Espasso New York, 38 N Moore Street Opening: Thursday, May 15, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM (cocktail and book launch) Exhibition: May 15 – June 9, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Espasso hosts a major retrospective on Brazilian designer and master woodworker Carlos Motta, tracing four decades of his work in furniture and architecture. The show centres on Motta’s celebrated seating designs — including the Rio Manso, CJ and Asturias collections — and launches a new edition of the Asturias chair, now with armrests. Grand Central Madison – A New Landmark and Cultural Corridor Grand Central Madison LIRR Terminal,Madison Avenue from 42nd to 48th Streets,New York, Tour date and time: May 18, 1:00 – 3:00 PM Spanning five city blocks beneath Midtown, Grand Central Madison is the largest transit terminal built in the U.S. in decades. Beyond its scale, it serves as a cultural corridor featuring permanent works by Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith, large-scale digital commissions, and public poetry displays. This guided tour with MTA Arts & Design offers insight into how art and architecture converge in one of the city’s most complex public spaces. Design Pavilion by Lexus at Hudson Yards Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens, 11th Avenue and Hudson Blvd East May 10–19, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily Returning to NYCxDesign for the first time in years, Design Pavilion presents “Lexus Ambiance,” an interactive installation by artist Nick Thomm. Set beside the Vessel, the piece invites visitors to shape a personalized light environment through movement and presence, offering a glimpse into future modes of responsive, experience-led design. Davis Center at the Harlem Meer Tour Central Park, enter at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue Tour date and time: May 16, 3:00 – 4:30 PM Designed by the Central Park Conservancy with Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture · Design and Mitchell Giurgola, the Davis Center redefines the northern edge of Central Park as both civic landmark and ecological restoration. This guided tour offers an early look at the new year-round facility, green roof, and reconnected watercourse, exploring how architecture and landscape come together to support access, biodiversity and public use. Design Legacy: The Poul Kjærholm Collection Fritz Hansen New York Showroom, 22 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013 May 15–21, 2025, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Free, open to the public Fritz Hansen presents a focused survey of Poul Kjærholm’s work, marking the first exhibition in the Americas dedicated to the Danish modernist’s legacy. Known for refining cabinetmaking traditions through steel and precision joinery, Kjærholm’s designs are positioned here not just as furniture, but as studies in proportion, restraint, and material structure. HUNDŌ by Emily Thurman Studio 86 Walker Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013 Opening Reception: May 14, 2025, 7:00 – 10:00 PM On view May 15–21, by appointment, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Salt Lake City–based Emily Thurman presents HUNDŌ, her debut furniture and lighting collection, in a multi-sensory installation at 86 Walker Street. The show features works made in collaboration with StudioDanielK, Alexis Mazin, and Camille Tan, using cast bronze, glass, stone, and salvaged wood, all framed within an environment of scenography and sound. TM Italia NYC Showroom First Look 20 West 20th Street, Floor 5, Suite 502, New York, NY 10011 Opening: Friday, May 16, 2025, 5:30 – 8:30 PM (by invitation only) Open Hours: May 17–18, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM TM Italia’s first New York showroom invites guests into a fully realized domestic interior, where each zone is designed around a different style of kitchen use. From a compact working setup to a larger family configuration, the layout reflects the brand’s approach to bespoke cabinetry as both spatial system and crafted object. Materials, finishes and functional elements are on full display, offering an unusually tactile insight into how the Italian atelier works at 1:1 scale. Known Work Multiple locations including Love House, ZAROLAT, Host on Howard, Luisaviaroma, and Simple Flair Apartment May 9–30, 2025 (dates vary by venue) Design studio Known Work presents new and site-specific pieces across five exhibitions citywide, from Dimes Square to Dumbo. With new editions from its Perceptions Collection, designed by Parts and Labour founders Danu Kennedy and Jeremy Levitt. At Love House, the studio debuts The Mother, a dramatic metal mesh pendant that reframes the domestic light fixture as an heirloom. Other showings include sculptural seating at Host on Howard, a capsule at Luisaviaroma, and immersive staging at Simple Flair Apartment. Each show places collectable furniture and lighting in context-rich, spatially intimate settings. Oui Design! Festival 2025 Various locations across New York City Pop-up at Payne Whitney Mansion May 15, 11 AM – 5 PM  (Registration via villa-albertine.org) Similarly, Villa Albertine’s annual festival of French craftsmanship returns with open studios, exhibitions, and talks across the city. The programme begins with a daylong pop-up at the Payne Whitney Mansion, featuring live craft demonstrations and immersive scenography by Aurore Vullierme. Visitors can engage directly with master artisans working in ceramics, featherwork, jewellery and painted marble. This year’s edition expands spatial access across dozens of venues, from heritage galleries to contemporary showrooms. Birth of the Polar at Royère Gallery 315 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013 On view: May 7–30, 2025 Open House: Friday, May 16, 2:00 – 5:00 PM (as part of Oui Design!) Jean Royère’s Ours Polaire sofa is so familiar that it’s easy to forget how strange it once must have been when it first launched— all curves and no corners. This exhibition puts the piece back in context, not as an icon but as an object. The original frame, shaped like a boat hull and built in solid beech, is still assembled by hand in Lyon using the same layered construction Royère specified in the 1940s. Visitors are invited into the process to witness the immense craftsmanship of the famous piece. Cornell Tech and FDR Four Freedoms State Park Bloomberg Center Lobby, Cornell Tech, 2 West Loop Road, Roosevelt Island Tour date and time: May 20, 4:00 – 6:00 PM Cornell Tech, photograph by Max Touhey. This two-part walking tour explores the architectural and civic ambitions of Roosevelt Island, beginning with Cornell Tech’s high-performance campus and concluding at Louis Kahn’s Four Freedoms Park. Highlights include the Bloomberg Center, the Tata Innovation Hub and The House — one of the world’s largest Passive House residential buildings — followed by a guided discussion of Kahn’s axial granite memorial and its role as a site of political reflection and urban poise. School of Constructed Environments: End of Year Exhibition 2025 Parsons, The New School, Starr Foundation Hall, 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 Opening: Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM On view through May 19, 2025 Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments presents its annual graduate showcase across architecture, interior, lighting and product design. The exhibition offers a direct look at how the next generation is responding to contemporary spatial challenges through new formats, tools and ways of thinking — all displayed in one collective environment. The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today. The post NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go appeared first on Journal. Source: https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/industry/nycxdesign-2025-schedule-what-to-see/ #nycxdesign #curated #schedule #what #see #and #when

We may earn a commission from links on this page.When I bought my first robot vacuum, I thought my floors would thereafter be effortlessly spotless—endlessly patrolled by a 24/7 custodian, with absolutely no work required on my part. Today, there are never less than three robot vacuum cleaners installed in my small home at any given time. And yet I am definitely not doing nothing to keep my floors clean. While I’m certainly doing less daily upkeep, I would not say my floors are spotless, nor that I have been alleviated of all floor-related housework. Here’s what I wish I’d known about what robot vacuums can and can't do, and how much human effort they require. Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop $1,799.98 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $1,799.98 at Amazon Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop $1,499.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $1,499.99 at Amazon 3i S10 Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop $1,399.99 at Amazon $1,899.99 Save $500.00 Shop Now Shop Now $1,399.99 at Amazon $1,899.99 Save $500.00 Saros 10 Robot Vacuum and Mop $1,599.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $1,599.99 at Amazon Saros 10R Robot Vacuum and Mop $1,618.98 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $1,618.98 at Amazon Narwal S20 Stick Mop $499.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $499.99 at Amazon SEE 3 MORE You'll have to rearrange your furniture The Freo Z navigating around an air purifier on the floor Credit: Amanda Blum When you hire someone to clean your home, you typically don’t move furniture around yourself to make their job easier,. For your robot vacuum, you might have to. While these robots have gotten much better at navigation, the less there is on the floor, the easier it will be for them to clean. Each table leg, chair and floor lamp is another obstacle to be worked around, and it’s worth knowing that most robots can’t get as close to table legs and floor lamps as you would be able to with a stick vacuum. Nor can they move a piece of furniture aside to get under it. As such, you will have to make some changes to your floor plan if you want to make the most of your new robot friend. More important than furniture relocation is the trend of having less on the floor, generally. If you like to let a laundry pile accumulate, have potted plants or a stack of books, you’ll end up relocating those items to give your robot better access. Corded items are particularly tricky, so the less cords on the floor, the better. Over time, I’ve learned to suspend the cords from the wall, and keep them wound as much as possible so nothing trails on the floor. I was recently quite impressed with the Roborock 10R, which relied solely on AI assisted cameras. The navigation skills of the robot were great, allowing it to venture into tight and low spaces that other robots hadn't. Robot vacuums can't clean near their docks the robot can't navigate around the Eureka tower, so debris accumulates around it Credit: Amanda Blum It's an unsurprising fact that robot vacuums can only clean where they can reach. Where they can’t reach, you’ll still see dirt and debris. All robot cleaners have a dock of some sort, and many now come with self emptying towers, which usually work exceptionally well at emptying the robots of dirt so you don’t have to do it manually. Given all of this automation, it's a bit ironic that the dirtiest place in your home might well be right around the tower or dock itself. As these towers are usually tucked into a corner or small space, detritus can easily accumulate around them, but the robot can’t move around the tower to clean it up. As the robot returns to the dock, it sweeps dirt with it, and it all eventually winds up at the foot of the tower.  This Roomba can't navigate into the small space underneath this plant stand, so instead it just kicks debris into the space. Credit: Amanda Blum Only the latest robots (like the 3i S10 Ultra) are at all good at cleaning around the base of pieces of furniture and thresholds between rooms. With most robots, you'll usually still find a band of dust and grime against the wall and around any items that the robot can’t easily clean. And then there are all the spaces too narrow or too low for the robot to slide into. While a few robots, like the Narwal Freo Z, have a fluffy pad that’ll occasionally rub against the base board to dust it, they don't do any real cleaning, so you’ll need to clean your baseboards manually, too. Again, you can rearrange your space to allow the robot more autonomy by making sure any spaces you want to be cleaned allow clearance of at least 1.5 times the width of the robot, and enough vertical height that the robot can reach it.This is always going to be a bit of a losing game, however, which is why I still have a stick vacuum I use to quickly suck up debris from narrow spots the robot can’t reach, the corners and edges that the robot can get close enough to, and against the wall and thresholds. Robots are best at vacuuming up only certain types of debrisThe same way you might organize before a visit from a cleaning professional, you’ll find yourself pre-sweeping for your robot. While robots are reliable at getting up dust and small detritus like rice or cereal, they’re not great at large debris, which means anything larger than a standard dice cube. Pieces of mulch, pet toy fluff, kitchen scraps, bobby pins, and pocket change will all get caught in a robot's rollers and need to be fished out. Pre-sweeping is a way to avoid that annoying task by getting up larger items of debris and leaving the rest for the bot. (But once again allow me to praise the 3i S10 Ultra, which has excelled at vacuuming up larger debris than any other robot vacuum I'd ever tested.)Even if your robot vacuum has a mop, you'll need to mop manually This Roborock is starting to get up the muddy pawprints, but it takes many passes Credit: Amanda Blum Most robot vacuums are now combo vacuums and mops.Some models are great at mopping—sometimes even better than they are at vacuuming. The docking tower empties the mop of dirty water, fills it with clean water, and sanitizes everything afterward. With the combined functions of vacuuming and mopping your floors will surely be clean, right? Not necessarily. Robot mops are great at cleaning up surface spills. What they’re less good at is scrubbing away stains and compound floor messes like mud or spilled food. While most robots can mostly get muddy paw prints up after a number of passes, doing so requires a lot of water, battery life, and time, and I’ve yet to find a single robot mop that is good at getting grime out of tile or wood floors. The robot simply can’t put enough pressure on the mop to really scrub the floor. For these reasons, you’ll need to keep an old-fashioned mop around, and you should expect to have to give the floor a good, hardy mop every few days and use real elbow grease to get out grime. Once the floor is clean, repeated patrols by the robot mop can help stave off new grime deposits, but they’re inevitable, so don’t assume your mopping days are over. If mopping is your priority, I recommend highly Roborock models that have a singular vibrating mop pad, versus twin spinning mops. The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra remains one of my top recommendations. Robot vacuums are slowWith most robot vacuums working with voice assistants like Google, Alexa, or Apple, its well within the realm of possibility to simply ask the robot to “clean up around the high chair” after dinner (presuming you’ve set up a zone around the high chair, and it is always in the same approximate spot). If you’ve got such a routine set up, the robot will begin whatever pre-deployment practices it has, whether that’s filling the water resivior or orienting or cleaning the mop head, and eventually will amble over to the intended spot and proceed to take its time cleaning. Though still not particularly fast in getting to the spot you pin, Roborock's Pin and Go feature allows you to quickly place a pin on your floor map and the robot will proceed immediately to that spot to clean. This feature is available on all premium Roborock models, including the latest Saros 10 and 10R. Roborock lets you put a pin on the map for the robot to proceed to Credit: Amanda Blum If you’ve got the time to spare, great. But if your kid spills a cup of orange juice on the floor, you might not be willing to wait the five to 10 minutes it will take the robot to get to the spot in question and start cleaning when you could grab a mop or towel and be done in under a minute. For that reason, I'm still happy to have a Narwal S20, a newer model stick mop I can quickly grab, mop as needed, and then put back on the dock, all without having to get my hands dirty.  Robot vacuums occasionally require human interventionRobot vacuums can range wildly in price (from $200 to $2,500) and quality, and they are getting more intelligent and feature-rich all the time. Robots that have AI on board can actually learn about your home and get better at cleaning it over time. Despite all of that, however, your robot will need your intervention more than you’d like. Depending on how good a model you own, you will likely need to routinely unclog the rollers (the most common robot vacuum maintenance task). Your robot will also get stuck—sometimes because there is a new obstacle for it to navigate around, like a waylaid toy or sock, or a loose cord under the couch the robot gets stuck on it. Sometimes, it will simply gets lost. The bottom line is, even the best robots can’t be left on their own for weeks at a time. Most will require a human around eventually to get them back to the dock, clear the rollers, unclog it any clogs in the mopping system, and/or change the water in the dock. If all of this hasn't scared you away from getting one, your goal should be to choose a robot that matches your home and needs, and that enough features that you won't be following it around every day, making sure it does its job. Source: https://lifehacker.com/tech/what-robot-vacuums-can-and-cant-do?utm_medium=RSS #ive #tested #robot #vacuums #for #years #and #heres #what #they #can #cant

At Salone del Mobile 2025, a new lighting collection stands out, with concentric geometries radiating out of a handblown glass orb. De Castelli presents the Caleide collection by Federica Cammarota, shedding light on multiple different metals and finishing techniques, creating distinctive patterning across the lamp’s surface. With a direct yet approachable glow, light is thrown on to the textured metal, creating delicate divots that add character and personality, each one unique by nature. These radiating patterns, glowing with diffused light, can stand alone as a centerpiece, or can be combined in varying arrangements for an even grander look. Caleide Eon The artful combination of the distinct materials is fascinating, inlays of metal creating multiple levels of depth. This is heightened by the light emanating from the middle, a sun-like figure sitting in the center – perhaps a portrait of the cosmos. Four distinctive designs offer multiple options to display personality, ranging from simple circuitous motifs to complex concentric patterns. Caleide Eon Caleide Eos Oxidation and brushing of steel, brass and copper, creates a polychromatic mosaic, extending along the plate as it rests gently away from the wall, offering a feeling of depth. As the plate is angled slightly, less light will reach the edge and create an elegant gradient. As light hits the surrounding wall, a shadow is created surrounding the plate, highlighting the metal plate even more. A shining centerpiece to any interior, the Caleide collection, which includes three motifs – Caleide Eon, Caleide Eos, and Caleide Èto – offers a visually interesting yet wholly sophisticated take on the possibilities of metal. Caleide Eos Each piece is unique, oxidation patterns creating their natural paths along the surface of the metal, hand-burnished and organic. Retaining a satin finish, the oxidation patterns flow over the metal like oil, leaving a pearlescent sheen that is quite attractive with or without the light. Caleide Eos The Caleide lamps are available in three diameters – 30, 60, and 90 cm – and can be mounted on the wall or ceiling. Caleide Èto Working as a lighting designer in London for four years set the stage for Federica Cammarota’s work, eventually establishing her own furniture pieces in 2019. Exhibiting at Salone del Mobile in Milan, Maison et Objet in Paris, Istituto Marangoni in London through Rossana Orlandi Gallery, and in Rome at Palazzo Brancaccio, the Rome-based designer explores furniture through exploration and and conceptual installations, expanding our notions of what lighting can be. Caleide Èto De Castelli is a fourth-generation Italian company dedicated to providing the highest quality metal in a vast array of finishes. Nestled in the wide spaces of Crocetta del Montello, order, cleanliness, and safety are a priority for all, a shared respect for the people clear within their ethical code. They carefully select each component, ensuring a long-lasting, reliable, and expertly tailored finish. To learn more about the Caleide collection, please visit the De Castelli at decastelli.com. Photography courtesy of De Castelli. Source: https://design-milk.com/caleide-lamps-fuse-light-and-metal-in-geometric-patterns/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=caleide-lamps-fuse-light-and-metal-in-geometric-patterns #caleide #lamps #fuse #light #and #metal #geometric #patterns

Credit: Spotify Spotify is turning up the volume on personalization with a new feature that lets Premium users make real-time music requests using just their voice. The music streamer has officially launched DJ requests, an interactive update to its AI-powered DJ feature, now available in over 60 markets worldwide.According to Spotify, this upgrade comes in response to growing user demand for more control and interactivity during listening sessions. Now, instead of passively enjoying a curated mix created by AI, listeners can shape the vibe on the fly, asking for anything from a specific genre or artist to a soundtrack that fits their current mood or activity.How DJ requests workTo try it out, Premium users can simply go to the Search tab in the Spotify app and type in "DJ." After pressing play, the AI DJ kicks off a personalized mix complete with commentary. When it's time to switch things up, users can press and hold the DJ button in the lower right corner until a beep sounds. That’s the cue to speak a request, such as:"Play me some electronic beats for a midday run.""Surprise me with some indie tracks I’ve never heard before.""Play modern country songs for my cowboy era.""Play something chill for a rainy afternoon.""Give me K-pop hits with strong choreography vibes." If you’re not sure what you want, Spotify has you covered: a quick tap of the DJ button skips to the next section for a fresh vibe without needing a specific command. Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! As audio platforms race to deepen engagement, Spotify’s voice-interactive DJ could redefine how users experience music on demand. By merging personalization, ease of use, and interactivity, the company aims to keep Premium users tuned in and tuned up, wherever they go.Sure, voice recognition in a music app isn’t groundbreaking tech, and early users may find that the novelty wears off if the feature doesn’t consistently understand or deliver on more nuanced requests. Still, Spotify's move into voice interactivity signals a larger trend in streaming: shifting away from passive listening toward more dynamic, AI-driven engagement. For Premium users, it’s another tool in an increasingly complex listening toolkit, one that aims to turn Spotify from a simple music streaming platform into a more conversational, almost companion-like experience.So whether you're heading out for a run, hosting a dinner party, chasing a vibe, or just need the perfect track for your "main character moment," your Spotify DJ is now ready to take your requests, no searching required. Just say it, and let the DJ handle the rest. Crystal Bell Digital Culture Editor Crystal Bell is the Culture Editor at Mashable. She oversees the site's coverage of the creator economy, digital spaces, and internet trends, focusing on how young people engage with others and themselves online. She is particularly interested in how social media platforms shape our online and offline identities. She was formerly the entertainment director at MTV News, where she helped the brand expand its coverage of extremely online fan culture and K-pop across its platforms. You can find her work in Teen Vogue, PAPER, NYLON, ELLE, Glamour, NME, W, The FADER, and elsewhere on the internet. She's exceptionally fluent in fandom and will gladly make you a K-pop playlist and/or provide anime recommendations upon request. Crystal lives in New York City with her two black cats, Howl and Sophie. Source: https://mashable.com/article/spotify-ai-dj-now-takes-requests #spotifys #now #takes #requests