Pros Easy to installMulti-gig WAN/LANSupports Matter, Thread, and ZigbeeDecent performance Cons Lacks 6GHz bandDoes not support 320MHz channelsNo USB portsParental control and network security software cost extra eero 7 Specs Anti-Malware Tools Coverage Area for Hardware as Tested 6000 IPv6 Compatible MU-MIMO Number of Antennas 3 Number of Bands 2 Number of Nodes 3 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 1 on router, 2 on node Parental Controls Quality of Service (QoS) Security WPA2 Security WPA3 Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) BE5000 Wired Backhaul Wireless Specification 802.11be All Specs The latest addition to Amazon’s eero family of whole-home mesh systems, the eero 7, is the company’s most affordable Wi-Fi 7 offering to date. For $349.99, you get a three-piece system that offers 6,000 square feet of coverage, two 2.5GbE networking ports per node, and support for the latest smart home technologies, including Matter, Thread, and Zigbee. It delivered good (but not great) throughput in testing and is very easy to install, but it lacks 6GHz transmissions, and parental control and network security tools are locked behind a paywall. You’ll get much better performance, 6GHz transmissions, free basic parental control and network security software, and USB connectivity with our Editors’ Choice winner for Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems, the significantly more expensive Asus ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro.Design and Specs: Three Nodes Are Enough for Large HomesThe eero 7 nodes are identical and have the same curvy shape and white finish as the eero 6+ nodes, but at 5.1 by 5.1 by 2.5 inches (HWD), they are slightly larger. (The eero 6+ nodes measure 2.6 by 3.9 by 3.8 inches.) The three-pack reviewed here provides 6,000 square feet of coverage, but if you have a smaller dwelling, you can order a two-pack for $279.99, which gives you 4,000 square feet of coverage, or a single node for $169.99, which gives you 2,000 square feet of coverage.A small LED indicator on the front of each node glows white when everything is connected and working properly, flashes white during setup, flashes blue when connecting to the app via Bluetooth, flashes green during a firmware update, and is solid red when the node has gone offline.Around back are two 2.5GbE networking ports (one serves as a WAN port for the router node) and a USB-C power port. Wired backhaul is supported. Missing are the USB data ports that you’ll find on the TP-Link Deco BE63.(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)The eero 7 has a 1.1 GHz A53 ARM processor, 1GB of RAM, and 4GB of flash memory. It’s a dual-band BE5000 system capable of speeds of up to 688Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 4,324Mbps on the 5GHz band. As with the TP-Link Deco BE25 and the MSI Roamii BE Lite systems, the eero 7 does not offer a 6GHz radio band and therefore does not support 320MHz channels. It does, however, support 240MHz channels as well as other Wi-Fi 7 technologies, including direct-to-client beamforming, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) transmissions, and WPA3 encryption. Additionally, this system contains a Zigbee radio and serves as a Thread border router and a Matter controller, making it ideal for controlling home automation devices. It also supports Alexa voice commands.You manage the eero 7 with the same user-friendly mobile app as the eero Max 7 and eero Outdoor 7. The Home screen displays the name of the network and contains an Internet tab and tabs for each node. Tap the Internet tab to run an internet speed test and tap any node to see the node’s IP address, which clients are connected to it, which band each client is using, and if it is a wired or wireless connection. Below the node tabs are tabs for each client device. When you tap a client tab, you come to a screen where you can pause internet access, completely block it, configure IPv4 reservation and Port Forwarding rules, enable Client Steering, and enable MLO connections. Here you can also create user profiles, but if you want to assign parental controls to any profile, you’ll have to subscribe to an eero Plus plan, which unlocks age-based content filters, malware protection, VPN services, password management, and more. New users currently get a free two-month trial, but once it expires, it’ll cost you $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.Recommended by Our Editors(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)At the very bottom of the screen are Activity, Devices, Home, and Settings buttons. The Home button brings you back to the Home screen, and the Devices button opens a screen where you can view information about connected and recently connected clients. The Activity button opens a screen with upload and download speeds and uploaded and downloaded data statistics. Finally, tap the Settings button to open a screen where you can manage your account, view and share login information, enable guest networking, and configure network settings and network notifications.Setup and Performance: Decent Speed, User-Friendly AppInstalling the eero 7 is a breeze. You’ll have to download the mobile app and create an account to get started. I started by tapping Setup on the Welcome screen and followed the instructions to power down my modem. I connected an eero node to the modem, powered up both devices, and allowed Bluetooth communications. Once the eero node was found, I gave it a location, a name, and a password. The network was up and running within seconds. I tapped Next and followed the instructions to add another node. I placed the satellite nodes in their respective locations, plugged them in, gave them names, and tapped Finish Setup. After a firmware update, the installation was complete.The eero 7 delivered fairly good throughput performance in testing, but it’s certainly not the fastest mesh system out there. The router node’s score of 1,101Mbps on the close proximity test was faster than the MSI Roamii BE Lite router (937Mbps) but significantly slower than the TP-Link Deco BE5000 router (1,959Mbps). The TP-Link Deco BE63, which employs the 6GHz band with 320MHz channels, led the pack with a score of 2,288Mbps. At a distance of 30 feet, the eero 7 router delivered 586Mbps, once again besting the Roamii BE Lite router (524Mbps) but not the Deco BE5000 (628Mbps) or Deco 63 (780Mbps) routers.The eero 7 satellite node managed 745Mbps on the close proximity test and 513Mbps on the 30-foot test. In comparison, the Roamii BE Lite node scored 561Mbps and 441Mbps, respectively; the Deco BE5000 node scored 982Mbps and 630Mbps, respectively; and the Deco 63 node scored 1,688Mbps and 950Mbps, respectively.We test wireless signal strength using an Ekahau Sidekick 2 diagnostic device paired with the company's Survey software. (Disclosure: Ekahau is owned by PCMag.com's parent company, Ziff Davis. For more, read about our ethics policy in the Editorial Mission Statement.) This combination generates a heat map that displays Wi-Fi signal strength throughout our test home. The circles on the heat map represent the router and node locations, and the colors represent signal strength, with dark green representing the strongest signal, lighter yellow a weaker one, and gray representing a very weak or no measurable signal. (Credit: Ekahau)As illustrated on the map, the eero 7 had no trouble broadcasting a strong Wi-Fi signal to all corners of our test home.

In this clip, we dive into the process of setting up a Niagara particle system with custom alignment and fixing material issues. Watch as we align particles to mesh orientation and troubleshoot common problems!#Niagara #ParticleSystem #GameDev #MaterialFix #VFX

Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni robot vacuum review: superior mopping skills MSRP $1,600.00 Score Details “The Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni features one of the best mopping systems ever used in a robot vacuum.” Pros Innovative mopping system Retractable brushes and mops Self-cleaning dock Anti-tangle vacuuming Cons Expensive Too tall to fit under furniture Ecovacs launched the Deebot X8 Pro Omni earlier this year. Featuring a unique roller mop system, it offered one of the best mopping performances we’d ever seen in a robot vacuum. Now, a few months later, the company has already launched its successor — the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni. It takes everything we love about the X8 and makes it better, including a new mop-lifting system, enhanced vacuuming system, and a fantastic anti-tangle design that eliminates hair and string from clogging up its brushes. Recommended Videos If you’re looking for a robot vacuum to thoroughly clean hard floors, you can’t go wrong with the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni. It’s not perfect, but aside from a few minor complaints, the expensive X9 Pro Omni should make a premium addition to any smart home. One of the best mopping systems ever Jon Bitner / Digital Trends I’ve tested dozens of robot vacuums over the years, and I can say without a doubt that the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni offers one of the best mopping experiences on the market. Known as “OZMO Roller Mopping Technology,” it’s essentially a giant roller brush on the bottom of the robot. A series of sprayers are constantly rewetting the mop to ensure a consistent clean across your floors, while a scraper is used to pull dirty water off its surface. The end result is remarkably shiny floors. Combined with its ability to apply 3,700 Pa of pressure and roll at speeds up to 220 rpm, it eliminates just about any stain or spill it encounters. Ecovacs also outfitted the X9 Pro Omni with some cool bonus features. The first is a triple-lift system, allowing the mop, main brush, and side brush to retract depending on the task at hand. When a spill is detected, both mops will retract, ensuring they stay clean. When carpet is detected, the mop will retract, ensuring your floors stay dry. Better yet, the robot offers a “Carpet First” function — meaning it’ll zip around your home and vacuum with a dry mop before starting the wetting and mopping process. When all of this is taken together, the end result is a robot vacuum perfect for cleaning hard floors. It’s also great that it can traverse carpets with dry mops — though it would be even better if it could automatically detach its mop and leave it in the base station when vacuuming. It’s a feature some competitors are starting to use to great effect, as it ensures your mops aren’t touching carpet at all. Vacuuming and self-cleaning Jon Bitner / Digital Trends Oddly enough, the X9 Pro Omni offers less suction than the older X8 Pro Omni. The previous robot packed in 18,000 Pa — the X9 Pro Omni shifts it down to just 16,600. However, its vacuuming performance remains about the same (if not better), thanks to the inclusion of BLAST technology. BLAST is shorthand for “Boosted Large-Airflow Suction Technology,” and it works via a combination of suction and maximized airflow. The idea revolves around using additional airflow to knock loose dust particles and other debris, which can then be suctioned up without requiring as much force. In practice, we’ve found the system to work incredibly well. Along with handling dust and small particles, it picks up clumps of dirt and larger objects without much trouble. It also leaves fantastic lines on plush carpet — giving your home a “just cleaned” appearance most shoppers will appreciate. The side brush doesn’t swing out like some competitors, but it still did a great job of tackling corners and tight spaces, thanks to its impressive navigation skills. Best of all, you can use onboard AI to allow the robot to determine all the best settings for a superior cleaning. There are dozens of ways to manually customize its performance via the mobile app, but I’ve found letting the robot do its own thing often results in the best clean. Jon Bitner / Digital Trends Once a cleaning cycle is complete, the robot heads back to its dock to recharge and clean itself. The docking station washes the mop with hot water, dries it with hot air, and can even dispense a cleaning solution into the robot’s water tank for a better mopping experience. The onboard dustbin will also be siphoned off into a larger dustbag in the docking station, allowing you to go 90 days before needing a replacement. Finally, the docking station will clean itself, washing away any gunk removed from the robot during the cleaning cycle. Pretty much all of the maintenance tasks are taken care of for you. You’ll just need to monitor the clean and dirty water tanks, and perform a more thorough washing tray cleaning every 150 days. As far as robot vacuums are concerned, that’s a huge win for autonomy. Verdict There’s a lot to love about the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni, and it’s an easy recommendation for most shoppers. If your home is largely composed of hard floors, it’s an even easier choice. However, there are a few limitations to consider. For one, it can’t leave its mop behind in its docking station. Yes, it will raise it while traveling on carpet, but most shoppers will likely find the auto-detachable mops of the Roborock Saros 10 to be a more elegant solution. The robot is also quite large. At 3.8 inches tall, it’s almost a full inch taller than some competitors. So while it’s small enough to clean under most furniture, smaller nooks and crannies will be too tight for the X9 Pro Omni to fit underneath. These are minor complaints on an otherwise stellar device. The Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni proves the brand has what it takes to stick with the leaders of the segment, offering a superior mopping experience matched by few rivals. Add in the effective BLAST vacuuming system, self-cleaning dock, and impressive onboard AI, and you’ve got one of the best robot vacuums of 2025.

ZDNET's key takeaways The Aurzen Zip is currently available for $339 on Amazon. Its design and construction give it a premium feel, and the ability to project at various angles. Connection issues and limitations on what you can view with it are areas of improvement. $339.99 at Amazon When Aurzen sent me its new Zip Tri-fold Projector, it arrived in a dense, well-designed 5" x 6.5" x 1.75" box. I said aloud to no one, "Wow, this is the smallest projector I've ever seen." But when I opened the box, I was blown away by its actual size -- because it literally fits in the palm of my hand. "OK then," I asked myself, "Is this the world's first true pocket projector?"Also: I replaced my TV with a 4K UST projector - and the visual upgrade was worth itAs it turns out, it isn't. Kodak makes a smaller one for almost half the price of the Zip. But comparing the quality of that model with the Zip will have to wait for a future review.  details View at Amazon Initial impressions and setupThe Zip is 3" x 3" x 1" and weighs less than 10 ounces. Shapewise, it reminds me of a small-bite artisanal hamburger, although much heavier (and less tasty). I can literally fit it easily inside the pocket of my jeans.I already mentioned the delightfully smart packaging, which includes two stylish, magnetic box top flaps for storing the Aurzen Zip, should you need to. You don't need to keep the original housing box, though, because the Zip also comes with a zippable clamshell carrying case that is about the size of a regular sandwich. Also: The best outdoor projectors: Expert tested and reviewedThe carrying case measures only 5.75" x 5" x 1.5", has a plush, velvety interior, and is equipped with a carabiner -- you know, in case you want to clip a mini-projector to your backpack on a 20-mile hiking trip. The Aurzen Zip projector in its carrying case. Adam Breeden/ZDNETOut of the box, the waxpaper sleeve surrounding the unit warns not to "fully flatten the ZIP, as exceeding these angles or forcing it into a flat position may result in irreversible damage." This becomes evident as you tug on the top component to unfold the projector. It's also evident how strong the high-quality hinges are, which jibes with the projector's overall sturdiness.The Zip comes in two colorways: Gold (which actually looks more titanium) and Grey (which I'd call more like Carbon). A row of five pinhole white lights indicates the charge status, and a solid green light indicates fast charging. The onboard controls are minimal, having only five illuminated touch buttons that you'll rarely use after initially checking the settings on its extremely condensed home menu.Its only USB-C port supports 24W power delivery, and its 5,000mAh battery capacity is about the same as most high-end smartphones. The problem is that this battery is running moving parts (internal fans), generating 100 ANSI lumens (and thereby a good deal of heat), and projecting a large image, unlike any smartphone. Well, most smartphones.Also: This Android phone that doubles as a projector will make any tech enthusiast smileAs light as it is (0.62 pounds), the bottom of the unit is coated with a silicon-based texture that gives the base enough grip to prevent it from scooting across high-varnish furniture -- another thoughtful touch that adds to the Zip's premium appeal.By the way, the Aurzen "Zip" is named for its Z-shaped, tri-fold design, but is also meant to evoke a ZIP file, which can be compressed and decompressed. Smart.How does it perform?The Zip is a short-throw projector. At two feet from a screen, it can project a 25-inch image, and at 6.33 feet, it can project an 80-inch image.The Zip only supports vertical keystone correction, but the keystone adjustment is automatic -- and impressively so. As soon as I pointed it at a wall, the trapezoidal projection straightened itself out symmetrically.While this 1280 x 720p projector will never display crisp, highly detailed images, its autofocus feature went to work instantaneously. Whatever surface I targeted, the on-screen text was legible even when protracting its image by moving back as far as seven feet. Also: Finally, a portable 4K projector worthy of replacing my TV - and it gets plenty brightThe Zip also won't deliver high contrast, true blacks, or any of those lofty measures of image quality we look for in LED TVs -- that's asking too much of any projector. But I have to say, the colors were rich enough, and overall, the videos I played looked pretty good.In a dark room, the Zip's brightness level was plenty adequate. A small amount of ambient light creeping into the room, however, will wash out the screen. The only switch on the unit is for a brightness booster, which, when turned on, ostensibly makes the image maybe 10% brighter. So I wondered why bother with this option? Why not always make the image as bright as possible? Yet, the booster does make a noticeable difference in a very dark area. Adam Breeden/ZDNETThe brightness booster is an option because it saps the Zip's battery. In fact, the feature is available only when the projector is at a certain battery level (above 50%). Turning the brightness boost switch on affected power use so significantly that I could hear the poor unit straining. Normally, the little fan inside the Zip emits a subtle white noise, a consistent low-decibel fuzz that could lull you to sleep. With the brightness booster turned on, those decibels triple as the cooling fan accelerates like a tiny jet engine. Turning it off to the dimmer setting, you can hear the engine decelerate and wind down to a glide. I should say that the "engine noise" isn't a problem when videos are playing at any level of volume.Also: One of my favorite smart home accessories turns any room into an aurora showTaking advantage of its folding design, I wanted to see how the Zip would work if I aimed it at the ceiling above my bed. I put it on the nightstand, but this offset the 16:9 projection to the right, placing it above my nightstand, not me. So I set the unit on my chest and watched its image on my popcorn-textured ceiling swell and unswell from my breathing and shake slightly with each heartbeat.I realize this does not paint the picture of an ideal viewing scenario. But, if you have spinal or shoulder injuries that require you to fall asleep on your back with no craning of your neck, and if another "requirement" is that you must be watching TV to fall asleep, then the Aurzen Zip is the only projector I've found that makes that possible. And from five feet away, the image on my ceiling looked just fine for sleepy nighttime viewing.The Zip's middle component houses two 1-watt speakers on opposite sides. They're as powerful as you'd expect for the size; not too much. But what can we expect from such a diminutive device? The volume is certainly adequate for one or two people positioned a few feet away from it, perhaps in a bedroom or inside a tent. Areas of improvementI didn't mean to bury the lede here, but a major shortcoming of the Zip is that it has no built-in operating system. Thereby, it has no streaming capability and zero apps. It operates solely through the command of your phone, tablet, or laptop. I was surprised to open the instruction booklet and read, "Copyrighted content from Netflix, Hulu, and other similar streaming services cannot be wirelessly mirrored or cast due to copyright restrictions."Since you can only screen-mirror content from another device -- and apps like Disney+ or Apple TV won't play because it is illegal --your viewing options become severely limited. I was only able to tune into YouTube to sample videos with a 16:9 layout. Otherwise, I could watch things like TikTok or Instagram in a vertical format, meaning the Zip indeed produced a larger 2D version of my phone on the wall. To access more content, Aurzen claims you can purchase a USB-C-to-HDMI video adapter and an HDMI dongle that streams material through your phone. These supplements could set you back another $50 to $100, and I'm honestly not sure that this will circumvent the copyright issue.I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I had trouble connecting the Zip to my phone. When trying to screen-mirror using AirPlay, my iPhone 16 could detect its presence, but I would repeatedly get the message, "Unable to connect to ZIP-287544D4." Thinking my phone's Defender Otterbox might be jamming the transmission, I borrowed an iPhone 16 Plus (wearing no protective case) and, sadly, got the same result. At just over half a pound, the Zip is one of the smallest, most portable projectors on the market. Adam Breeden/ZDNETBesides the deluxe carrying case, the only accessory that comes with the Zip is a 3.5-foot USB-C cord. Out of desperation, I used it to connect the Zip to my laptop so I could finally play some videos. Yet, in another attempt to screen mirror, I used that cable to hardwire the Zip to my phone. Not only did that not work, but the Zip projected a warning message that dumbfoundingly said: "(!) Please insert the standard adapter." This is the cable it came with!Then I noticed the solid green light on the Zip, indicating that it was fast-charging. It was fast-charging by leaching off my phone's battery to juice itself up, like a cute little robotic parasite. If you want to fast-charge a Zip the right way, you'll need to supply your own USB-C wall adapter.Also: Tariff-proof tech? Back Market's refurbished devices keep prices downThe Zip's max battery life is only about one and a half hours, and that is with the brightness booster turned off. This is certainly problematic if you plan to watch a football game or most feature films. After unboxing, I charged it overnight and was surprised to see how quickly the battery light indicators diminished once I got it up and running.You can always get a power bank, but then you have another device and another cable to deal with. And as I mentioned before, the Zip only has one USB-C port. Assuming you can get the Zip to screen mirror with your phone wirelessly, you'll be able to change it and watch content at the same time.ZDNET's buying adviceThis is my first encounter with Aurzen Zip, and I like what the company is trying to achieve with this projector. Holding it in my hand, the Zip's heft makes it feel solid and durable, while the sleek elegance of its metallic outer package betrays a premium device. I really love the way it looks and feels.The ideal scenario for using the Zip would be in a very dark, quiet space with only one or two people watching. For professional purposes like showing a PowerPoint in a boardroom, it might do in a pinch, but I wouldn't recommend it. The boardroom would have to be pitch black, and you'd need an external Bluetooth speaker. Also: Your TV's USB port is seriously underutilized: 5 features you're not using enoughAnd if you want more power or more (make that ANY) streaming capabilities, you'll need peripheral devices like a power bank and a dongle, not to mention a heartier sound system. This formula would detract from the true portability of the Zip in that now you're carting around three or four things instead of one.As future iterations and copycat designs emerge, the price of the Zip will go down, so I'd consider waiting it out. Incidentally, it is available on Amazon now for 15% off (at $339), and also on the Aurzen website for an equivalent discount if you use code ZIP15 at checkout.With loads of potential, I believe the Zip represents a promising example of what future mini projectors will look like, except they'll be smarter, brighter, and commensurate with their price tag.Featured reviews

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Mobile Apple Vision Pro Owners Are Expressing Immense Buyer’s Remorse Over Spending A Massive Sum On A Headset And Still Experiencing Comfort Issues, Along With Other Problems Omar Sohail • May 17, 2025 at 02:02am EDT The $3,499 starting price of the Apple Vision Pro could have been worth it for a handful of customers if it did not ship with a plethora of problems, other than the ludicrous sum of money that needed to be paid to become the owner of one. With the passage of time, the company has introduced more features under the visionOS umbrella, but that does not change the fact that the poor impressions will retain an everlasting image and will probably play a paramount role whenever the next headset launches. As for those who currently own an Apple Vision Pro, a new report states that they are regretting their purchase, and it is not just because they had to fork over massive amounts of money. Those already owning the Apple Vision Pro also had trouble reselling it due to the lack of demand Based on a previous estimate, the Apple Vision Pro garnered less than 500,000 shipments, with a paywalled report from The Wall Street Journal spotted by MacRumors talking about how they are experiencing buyer’s remorse. Even if owners could get around the fact that they paid a minimum of $3,499 for the head-mounted wearable, there are other areas where the Apple Vision Pro fell way below expectations. For instance, it was not comfortable to wear for extended periods due to its sheer weight. At 600 to 650 grams, the Apple Vision Pro is much heavier than competing headsets, and can introduce fatigue after wearing the headset for an hour, which does not translate into a positive user experience. Tovia Goldstein, a 24-year-old based in New York City, says that viewing content became limited due to the lack of expanded app ecosystem coupled with the discomfort that the Apple Vision Pro brought to the table. Other complaints include the lengthy startup time to access the visionOS App Store and waiting for a few minutes to use the device after the external battery puck has been connected. Last year, TF International Securities Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the starting price was not going to be the only deterrent that prevented the Apple Vision Pro’s success, and this element would also prevent the low-cost version from picking up steam. He mentions that limited use cases paired with the lack of apps will increase the return rate of the Cupertino giant’s headsets. The latest report also dives into the resale value of the Apple Vision Pro, which is considerably worse than the company’s other products. Anthony Racaniello, a media studio operator from Philadelphia, had sold his headset for $1,900, absorbing a 46 percent loss, but he says that he did not miss the product. You can check out the detailed report by clicking on the source link below to find out more about why Apple Vision Pro owners are regretting their purchase. News Source: The Wall Street Journal Deal of the Day Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Remember the pure joy of homemade ice cream? That creamy, fresh-from-the-kitchen delight that store-bought versions can never quite match? For many of us, those memories are tinged with the reality of tedious hand-cranking, messy rock salt, or the frustration of pre-freezing bowls overnight only to end up with icy, inconsistent results. Traditional ice cream makers have long required either exhausting manual effort or extensive planning, turning what should be a simple pleasure into a complicated project that hardly seems worth the trouble. The iCreamlab smart compressor ice cream maker changes everything about homemade frozen treats, making professional-quality ice cream accessible to everyone regardless of culinary skill. This revolutionary appliance combines industrial-grade cooling technology with user-friendly design to deliver smooth, perfectly churned ice cream in just 30 minutes without any pre-freezing or complex preparation. Finally, homemade ice cream can be spontaneous again, ready whenever your cravings strike, rather than requiring hours of advance planning and preparation that traditional machines demand. Designer: iCreamlab Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $372 ($173 off). Hurry, 140/1800 left! Raised over $371,000. The secret behind iCreamlab’s exceptional performance lies in its powerful built-in compressor that rapidly cools your ingredients while the precision churning system constantly aerates the mixture. This dual-action approach prevents large ice crystals from forming while incorporating just the right amount of air, resulting in that smooth, creamy texture that distinguishes premium ice cream. The difference is immediately noticeable in both taste and mouthfeel, with none of the grainy texture or inconsistent freezing that plagues ice cream made in pre-freeze bowl machines. Health-conscious dessert lovers will particularly appreciate the complete control iCreamlab offers over every ingredient that goes into their frozen treats. Want to reduce sugar for dietary reasons? Substitute alternative sweeteners? Create dairy-free options for lactose intolerance or vegan lifestyles? With iCreamlab, you can customize every aspect of your ice cream, from sugar and fat content to flavors and mix-ins, without compromising on texture or taste. This level of customization makes it possible to enjoy delicious frozen desserts that align perfectly with specific dietary needs or fitness goals. The generous capacity allows you to make 6-10 servings in a single batch, making iCreamlab perfect for family gatherings or entertaining friends. Even more impressive is the ability to make multiple batches consecutively without waiting, thanks to the continuous cooling capability of the compressor system. This feature proves invaluable during parties or when experimenting with different flavors, allowing you to create several varieties in quick succession without the long recovery time required by freezer-bowl machines that need to be refrozen between uses. Convenience extends to every aspect of the iCreamlab experience, from operation to cleanup. The fully automated settings mean you simply add your ingredients, press a button, select your preferred consistency, and walk away; no monitoring or manual intervention required. When you’re finished, the removable inner bowl lifts out for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe, eliminating the tedious scrubbing often associated with ice cream makers. The double-layer stainless steel vacuum insulation keeps your freshly made ice cream at the perfect serving temperature for hours, maintaining that ideal creamy consistency without melting or over-hardening. Make your dessert well ahead of serving time without sacrificing quality, adding another layer of convenience for entertaining or simply preparing treats in advance for your family to enjoy whenever they’re ready. And with over 100 free recipes included, iCreamlab opens up a world of frozen possibilities that will not only delight your taste buds but also give you a healthy treat when you need a sweet pick-me-up. Click Here to Buy Now: $199 $372 ($173 off). Hurry, 140/1800 left! Raised over $371,000.The post The Most Affordable Ice Cream Maker That Puts Health in Your Hands first appeared on Yanko Design.

In the beginning, building Machine Learning models was a skill only data scientists with knowledge of Python could master. However, low-code AI platforms have made things much easier now. Anyone can now directly make a model, link it to data, and publish it as a web service with just a few clicks. Marketers can now develop customer segmentation models, user support teams can implement chatbots, and product managers can automate the process of predicting sales without having to write code. Even so, this simplicity has its downsides. A False Start at Scale When a mid-sized e-commerce company introduced its first machine learning model, it went for the quickest route: a low-code platform. The data team quickly built a product recommendation model with Microsoft Azure ML Designer. There was no need for coding or a complicated setup, and the model was up and running in only a few days. When staged, it did well, recommending relevant products and maintaining user interest. However, when 100,000 people used the app, it faced problems. Response times tripled. Recommendations were only shown twice, or they did not appear at all. Eventually, the system crashed. The issue wasn’t the model that was being used. It was the platform. Azure ML Designer and AWS SageMaker Canvas are designed to operate fast. Thanks to their easy-to-use drag-and-drop tools, anyone can use machine learning. However, the simplicity that makes them easy to work with also covers their weaknesses. Tools that start as simple prototypes fail when they are put into high-traffic production, and this happens due to their structure. The Illusion of Simplicity Low-code AI tools are promoted to people who are not technology experts. They take care of the complex parts of data preparation, feature creation, training the model, and using it. Azure ML Designer makes it very quickly possible for users to import data, build a model pipeline, and deploy the pipeline as a web service. However, having an abstract idea is both positive and negative. Resource Management: Limited and Invisible Most low-code platforms run models on pre-set compute environments. The amount of CPU, GPU, and memory that users can access is not adjustable. These limits work well in most cases, but they become a problem when there is a surge in traffic. An educational technology platform using AWS SageMaker Canvas created a model that could classify student responses as they were submitted. During testing, it performed perfectly. Yet, as the number of users reached 50,000, the model’s API endpoint failed. It was found that the model was being run on a basic compute instance, and the only solution to upgrade it was to rebuild all the workflows. State Management: Hidden but Dangerous Because low-code platforms keep the model state between sessions, they are fast for testing but can be risky in real-life use. A chatbot for retail was created in Azure ML Designer so that user data would be maintained during each session. While testing, I felt that the experience was made just for me. However, in the production environment, users started receiving messages that were meant for someone else. The issue? It stored information about the user’s session, so each user would be treated as a continuation of the one before. Limited Monitoring: Blindfolded at Scale Low-code systems give basic results, such as accuracy, AUC, or F1 score, but these are measures for testing, not for running the system. It is only after incidents that teams discover that they cannot track what is essential in the production environment. A logistics startup implemented a demand forecasting model using Azure ML Designer to help with route optimization. All was good until the holidays arrived, and the requests increased. Customers complained of slow responses, but the team could not see how long the API took to respond or find the cause of the errors. The model could not be opened up to see how it worked. Scalable vs. Non-Scalable Low-Code Pipeline (Image by author) Why Low-Code Models Have Trouble Handling Large Projects Low-code AI systems cannot be scaled, as they lack the key components of strong machine learning systems. They are popular because they are fast, but this comes with a price: the loss of control. 1. Resource Limits Become Bottlenecks Low-code models are used in environments that have set limits on computing resources. As time passes and more people use them, the system slows down or even crashes. If a model has to deal with a lot of traffic, these constraints will likely cause significant problems. 2. Hidden State Creates Unpredictability State management is usually not something you must consider in low-code platforms. The values of variables are not lost from one session to another for the user. It is suitable for testing, but it becomes disorganised once multiple users employ the system simultaneously. 3. Poor Observability Blocks Debugging Low-code platforms give basic information (such as accuracy and F1 score) but do not support monitoring the production environment. Teams cannot see API latency, how resources are used, or how the data is input. It is not possible to detect the issues that arise. Low-Code AI Scaling Risks – A Layered View (Image by author) A list of factors to consider when making low-code models scalable Low-code does not automatically mean the work is easy, especially if you want to grow. It is essential to remember Scalability from the beginning when making an ML system with low-code tools. 1. Think about scalability when you first start designing the system. You can use services that provide auto-scaling, such as Azure Kubernetes Service in Azure ML and SageMaker Pipelines in AWS. Avoid default compute environments. Go for instances that can handle more memory and CPU as needed. 2. Isolate State Management To use session-based models like chatbots, ensure user data is cleared after every session. Ensure that web services handle each request independently, so they do not pass on information accidentally. 3. Watch production numbers as well as model numbers. Monitor your API’s response time, the number of requests that fail, and the resources the application uses. Use PSI and KS-Score to find out when the inputs to your system are not standard. Focus on the business’s results, not only on the technical numbers (conversion rates and sales impact). 4. Implement Load Balancing and Auto-Scaling Place your models as managed endpoints with the help of load balancers (Azure Kubernetes or AWS ELB). You can set auto-scaling guidelines depending on CPU load, number of requests, or latency. 5. Version and Test Models Continuously Make sure that every model is given a new version every time it is changed. Before releasing a new version to the public, it should be checked in staging. Perform A/B testing to check how the model works without upsetting the users. When Low-Code Models Work Well Low-code tools do not have any significant flaws. They are powerful for: Rapid prototyping means giving priority to speed over stable results. Analytics that are done inside the system, where the potential for failure is minimal. Simple software is valuable in schools since it speeds up the learning process. A group of people at a healthcare startup built a model using AWS SageMaker Canvas to catch medical billing errors. The model was created just for internal reporting, so it didn’t need to scale up and could easily be used. It was a perfect case for using low-code. Conclusion Low-code AI platforms provide instant intelligence, as they do not require any coding. However, when the business grows, its faults are revealed. Some issues are insufficient resources, information seeping out, and limited visibility. These issues cannot be solved just by making a few clicks. They are architectural issues. When beginning a low-code AI project, consider whether it will be used as a prototype or a marketable product. If the latter, low-code should only be your initial tool, not the final solution. The post The Automation Trap: Why Low-Code AI Models Fail When You Scale appeared first on Towards Data Science.

"My Adderall Store" Spotify caught hosting hundreds of fake podcasts that advertise selling drugs Fake 10-second podcasts are easily found fronts for black markets, reports say. Ashley Belanger – May 16, 2025 4:03 pm | 28 Credit: Andy Teo aka Photocillin | Moment Credit: Andy Teo aka Photocillin | Moment Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more This week, Spotify rushed to remove hundreds of obviously fake podcasts found to be marketing prescription drugs in violation of Spotify's policies and, likely, federal law. On Thursday, Business Insider (BI) reported that Spotify removed 200 podcasts advertising the sale of opioids and other drugs, but that wasn't the end of the scandal. Today, CNN revealed that it easily uncovered dozens more fake podcasts peddling drugs. Some of the podcasts may have raised a red flag for a human moderator—with titles like "My Adderall Store" or "Xtrapharma.com" and episodes titled "Order Codeine Online Safe Pharmacy Louisiana" or "Order Xanax 2 mg Online Big Deal On Christmas Season," CNN reported. But Spotify's auto-detection did not flag the fake podcasts for removal. Some of them remained up for months, CNN reported, which could create trouble for the music streamer at a time when the US government is cracking down on illegal drug sales online. "Multiple teens have died of overdoses from pills bought online," CNN noted, sparking backlash against tech companies. And Donald Trump's aggressive tariffs were specifically raised to stop deadly drugs from bombarding the US, which the president declared a national emergency. BI found that many podcast episodes featured a computerized voice and were under a minute long, while CNN noted some episodes were as short as 10 seconds. Some of them didn't contain any audio at all, BI reported. CNN noted that developments in artificial intelligence have simplified audio and voice generation, as well as the "proliferation of text-to-speech tools,"which have made it easier than ever to quickly create these phony podcasts linking out to scam websites or perhaps legitimate black markets. Neither CNN nor BI could verify if drugs could actually be purchased on the sites linked. Sometimes Spotify's content moderation seemed to work to catch these podcasts, CNN suggested. But Spotify may not be hugely motivated to hunt them all down, the director of the non-profit Tech Transparency Project, Katie Paul, told CNN. Most platforms lack accountability for user-generated content like these fake podcasts, she said, shielded by Section 230. Even if Spotify did pursue a platform-wide crackdown, Paul thinks Spotify may still struggle to stay ahead of the trend, since podcasts seemingly have a "bigger blind spot," as "voice makes it much more difficult for moderation." It's unclear how many Spotify users interacted with the fake podcasts, CNN reported. However, the podcasts were promoted in top results for searches for various prescription drugs that some users may have conducted on the platform in search of legitimate health-related podcasts. Spotify's spokesperson told Ars that all fake podcasts flagged by the outlets were removed—considered violative as either illegal or spam content—but remained vague on whether there was any risk they might pop back up. As the service continues to play whack-a-mole, the spokesperson said, "we are constantly working to detect and remove violating content across our service." Ashley Belanger Senior Policy Reporter Ashley Belanger Senior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 28 Comments

We currently have a career opportunity for an AWS Senior Solutions Architect with Pre-Sales experience. This is a 100% remote role working CT and ET zones.At Perficient you'll deliver mission-critical technology and business solutions to Fortune 500 companies and some of the most recognized brands on the planet. And you'll do it with cutting-edge technologies, thanks to our close partnerships with the world's biggest vendors. Our network of offices across North America, as well as locations in India and China, will give you the opportunity to spread your wings, too. We're proud to be publicly recognized as a "Top Workplace" year after year. This is due, in no small part, to our entrepreneurial attitude and collaborative spirit that sets us apart and keeps our colleagues impassioned, driven, and fulfilled.Perficient is always looking for the best and brightest talent and we need you! We're a quickly-growing, global digital consulting leader, and we're transforming the world's largest enterprises and biggest brands. You'll work with the latest technologies, expand your skills, and become a part of our global community of talented, diverse, and knowledgeable colleagues.Job Overview:As an AWS pre-sales solution architect you will be the primary subject matter expert on everything AWS and assist our sales teams with client's pursuits and drive revenue growth. With your expertise in cloud computing, you will architect and build cloud-native systems, wrangle cloud systems' complexity, and ensure that best practices are followed when utilizing a wide variety of cloud service offerings.You will provide best-fit architectural solutions for one or more projects; you will assist in defining scope and sizing of work; and anchor Proof of Concept developments. You will provide solution architecture for the business problem, platform integration with third party services, designing and developing complex features for clients' business needs. You will collaborate with some of the best talent in the industry to create and implement innovative high quality solutions, participate in Sales and various pursuits focused on our clients' business needs.You will also contribute in a variety of roles in thought leadership, mentorship, systems analysis, architecture, design, configuration, testing, debugging, and documentation. You will challenge your leading edge solutions, consultative and business skills through the diversity of work in multiple industry domains. Perficient is always looking for the best and brightest talent and we need you! We're a quickly-growing, global digital consulting leader, and we're transforming the world's largest enterprises and biggest brands. You'll work with the latest technologies, expand your skills, and become a part of our global community of talented, diverse, and knowledgeable colleagues.RESPONSIBILITIESYou are expected to be a subject matter expert on AWS services, tools and best practices. You will answer questions on various cloud-native technologies and AWS services, and you will provide recommendations on what service to use and when. As such, you should have extensive hands-on experience with a variety of AWS services, their limitations and alternate (non-AWS) solutions that might serve better in particular situations. You will be participating in pre-sales activities, helping with RFPs and you will be heavy client facing.Engage with clients to gather requirements and understand their visionRecommend solutions around AWS technologiesCreate roadmaps and estimatesLead technical discussions during sales callCreate new service offerings based on innovative solutionsOwn and aggressively drive forward specific areas of technology architecture. Provide architectural solutions/designs to project execution teams for implementation.Provide architectural assessments, strategies, and roadmaps for one or more technology domains.Lead projects within architecture. Work with Product Owner/Business Analysts to understand functional requirements and interact with other cross-functional teams to architect, design, develop, test, and release features.Mentor and provide architectural guidance to multiple teams building innovative applications.Drive common vision, practices and capabilities across teams.Engage with business stakeholders to understand required capabilities, integrating business knowledge with technical solutionsEngage with Technical Architects and technical staff to determine the most appropriate technical strategy and designs to meet business needsDemonstrate broad solutions technical leadership, impacting significant technical direction, exerting influence outside of the immediate team and driving changeQUALIFICATIONSIn this role, we are looking for someone with:Proven track record of leadership roles delivering solutions within defined timeframes - required.Demonstrated success in performing work and managing complex and/or large consulting projects - required.Fluent and current on architecture trends with an eye on market/technical conditions and future direction - required.Deep Cloud-Native Services Experience - required.End-to-end solution expertise across various tiers of enterprise architecture - required.Deep experience of AWS services related to compute, networking, storage, security and database - required.Demonstrated experience working with the C-level/Senior leadership at medium or large enterprises - required.Extensive experience with writing scripts-terraform/cloudformation - required.Developing applications utilizing programming languages like Java, Node, Python, etc. - required.AWS native toolsFamiliarity with AWS products including compute, storage, database, analytics, networking, developer tools, management tools, security, and enterprise applications.Tools:EC2, EKS, ECS, FargateRDS, DynamoDB, RedshiftAmazon EMR KafkaAWS Directory ServiceAWS IAM Identity CenterAWS Certificate and Key ManagementAWS NetworkingAdvanced technical skills and experience designing and implementing AWS and hybrid IT network architectures at scale. As a networking specialist, candidate will design a secure, scalable, and highly available network infrastructure on AWS while addressing requirements like network security, hybrid IT connectivity, network integration with other AWS services, routing techniques, and network troubleshooting.Tools:AWS-VPC, Transit Gateway, PrivateLinkRoute 53, CloudFront, ELB/ALBSecurity/ComplianceAWS Securing data + workloadsTools:Alert Logic managed detection and response offeringsSplunk logging and monitoringAWS-CloudTrail, S3, EC2, IAM, AWS-deployed containersAWS foundation componentsAWS Foundation ComponentsAbility to design and develop foundational components on AWS using Terraform and/or CloudformationPreferred Skills and Education:Master's degree in Computer Science or related fieldAWS Certifications The salary range for this position takes into consideration a variety of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, level of experience, applicable office location, training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The new hire salary range displays the minimum and maximum salary targets for this position across all US locations, and the range has not been adjusted for any specific state differentials. It is not typical for a candidate to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent on the unique facts and circumstances regarding each candidate. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range for this position is $92,118 to $202,730. Please note that the salary range posted reflects the base salary only and does not include benefits or any potential equity or variable bonus programs. Information regarding the benefits available for this position are in our benefits overview.WHO WE AREPerficient is a leading global digital consultancy. We imagine, create, engineer, and run digital transformation solutions that help our clients exceed customers' expectations, outpace competition, and grow their business. With unparalleled strategy, creative, and technology capabilities, our colleagues bring big thinking and innovative ideas, along with a practical approach to help our clients - the world's largest enterprises and biggest brands succeed.WHAT WE BELIEVEAt Perficient, we promise to challenge, champion, and celebrate our people. You will experience a unique and collaborative culture that values every voice. Join our team, and you'll become part of something truly special.We believe in developing a workforce that is as diverse and inclusive as the clients we work with. We're committed to actively listening, learning, and acting to further advance our organization, our communities, and our future leaders and we're not done yet.Perficient, Inc. proudly provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Perficient, Inc . click apply for full job detailsApply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Full-Stack Programming JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot