Designator

How Roomba started a robot revolution

The Roomba's development by iRobot, its unexpected market success, and the subsequent growth of the robot vacuum industry are explored, tracing the device's impact on home automation.

David Ahl's Basic Computer Games Ported to C

David Ahl's classic Basic Computer Games collection has been ported to C, offering a modern rendition of these foundational programs for contemporary systems.

21 Jun6 min read

Electric air taxis are stuck in the courtroom

Legal disputes between leading electric air taxi companies like Joby, Archer, and Vertical are hindering the industry's progress and increasing investor apprehension amid already delayed certification timelines.

Beyond All Reason (Free Total Annihilation Inspired RTS)

Beyond All Reason is a free real-time strategy game inspired by Total Annihilation.

The case against geometric algebra (2024)

Geometric algebra has significant flaws and cultural issues that hinder its potential and acceptance in mainstream mathematics.

21 Jun54 min read

Wooting 60HE v2: Peak Keyboard Perfection

Wooting's 60HE v2 keyboard offers smooth switches, 8,000 Hz polling, and in-depth software.

21 Jun6 min read

Sony’s Xperia 1 VIII is still a phone for the fans

Sony's Xperia 1 VIII features a new design and upgraded telephoto camera.

21 Jun10 min read

The Best NAS Devices for Your Home After Months of Testing

Synology's DiskStation DS225+ is a top NAS device for home use, offering fast performance and a user-friendly interface.

21 Jun11 min read

28 Tips to Take Your ChatGPT Prompts to the Next Level

Prompt engineering helps users get more interesting and useful results from chatbots like ChatGPT.

21 Jun14 min read

If You’re Searching for a New Skillet, Consider Stainless Steel

Stainless-steel pans offer durability and good searing, making them a viable option for home cooks.

'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots

Delivery robots face increasing public backlash and regulatory scrutiny in cities worldwide due to pedestrian safety concerns, sidewalk obstruction, and a lack of clear operational guidelines.

Epoll vs. io_uring in Linux

Linux's io_uring system offers a significant performance advantage over epoll for asynchronous I/O by reducing syscall overhead through a completion-based model and shared memory ring buffers.

Renting a sewing machine from the library

Finnish libraries are transforming into publicly funded community service centers, offering diverse resources like sewing machines and 3D printers, fostering social inclusion and community engagement.

Slow breathing modulates brain function and risk behavior

Slow breathing techniques can modulate brain function, impacting risk-taking behaviors and decision-making processes, according to recent research findings.

Alice is impatient

Customers experience service latency and outage durations differently than service metrics report due to the inspection paradox, where longer events are disproportionately weighted in human perception.

20 Jun6 min read

TechCrunch

Signal’s Meredith Whittaker wants you to remember that AI chatbots ‘are not your friends’

Signal President Meredith Whittaker cautions that AI chatbots are not conscious beings and pose significant privacy risks by demanding pervasive access to personal data and communications.

Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil

An unauthorized "extreme alert" displaying "misantropi4" was sent to cell phones across Brazil, prompting the government to temporarily take its National Civil Defense warning platform offline due to a suspected hacker attack.

20 Jun3 min read

TechCrunch

In the Weights is your new AI-centric vanity search

In the Weights measures how well AI models recall individuals without using web search, assigning a strength score based on model responses.

20 Jun4 min read

The Atlantic created a searchable database of the music used to train AI

The Atlantic created a searchable database of music used to train AI models.

20 Jun3 min read

TechCrunch