Headliner

AI isn’t getting smarter. We are getting dumber
by Rich Haridy
Use AI long enough and eventually you lose the ability to communicate your inner thoughts. You think in terms of LLM prompts. And if our inner thoughts then resemble LLM outputs does that mean the computer is getting smarter, or we are getting dumber?
Highlights

Dark Vader tiny house crosses to the dark side of small living
by Adam Williams
No prizes for guessing where the Dark Vader draws its inspiration from. The tiny house certainly makes a forceful impression and combines its sleek black looks with a compact but storage-packed interior layout.
Review: GMC Hummer EV is a really, really fun electric toy
by Aaron Turpen
Imagine you’re eight years old and it’s your birthday. You open a big box. Inside is a huge, off-road, remote-controlled truck. Now, as a grownup, you realize why the Hummer EV exists.
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Funky lens-swappin' Fuji projector puts out 4K at 12,000 lumens
by Stefan Ionescu
Fujifilm has unveiled a more advanced version of its flexible rotating-lens business projector. The ZUH12000 is the brightest member of the company's Z-series and becomes its second 4K model. But it's the first to have an interchangeable lens system.

You can now make fish-free omega-3s from whisky waste
by Shirl Leigh
Omega-3 fatty acids sourced from wild-caught fish stocks are valued for their studied health benefits, but this has resulted in a reduction in fish stocks. A Scottish firm is working on a solution, in the form of omega-3s made from whisky waste.

Florida hosts the biggest car auction in history ... and points the way to future
by Mike Hanlon
Mecum's Kissimmee auction always kicks the year away with a bang, but this year it smashed a laundry list of world records: the biggest car auction in history ($441 million), the highest single day in history ($259 million), plus world record prices for the Ferrari Enzo, F40, F50, La Ferrari, La Ferrari Aperta, 288 GTO, FXX, 275 GTB/4 Alloy, 599 GTO, 250 GT/L Lusso, F12tdf, 458 Speciale A, 599 SA Aperta, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale A plus the Pagani Huayra and Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach.

Compact-but-capable tiny house fits a bedroom downstairs, another up top
by Adam Williams
There's only so much you can realistically fit into a tiny house with a length of 20 ft. Despite this, the Tiny Rubik does a good job of squeezing in a well-designed layout, including a downstairs sleeping space and another up top.

JBL's all-in-one practice amp lets your whole band jam together
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
You might already know JBL doesn't just do wireless speakers and earbuds; they're also a big name in live audio. The brand is now trying its hand somewhere in between with a novel product designed for the jam room: the BandBox Trio practice amp.

Low vitamin D means high hospitalization rate for lung infections
by Michael Franco
Not getting enough vitamin D can weaken bones, teeth, and muscles by interfering with calcium absorption. Now there's another reason to avoid a serious D deficiency: it can make respiratory tract infections much worse, according to a new study.

Pocket Taco turns your phone into a Game Boy-style console
by Bronwyn Thompson
You can start 2026 like it's 1990 with GameSir's Pocket Taco, a cute compact controller that transforms your phone into a handheld gaming device. It's a bold design move, considering how litigious the original Game Boy maker Nintendo is known to be.

Toyota’s US-bound e-SUV is almost here, and it might just be a bargain
by Utkarsh Sood
It’s been a while since Toyota revealed plans to launch the new electric C-HR, which is set to become the company's smallest battery-powered crossover. Not just that, it will also become Toyota’s most affordable e-SUV. And it's coming soon!

Sony's making turntables again for vinyl nerds and newbies
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
If you've been getting back into vinyl records lately, or need to upgrade your basic setup, I've got good news. Sony's returning to the turntable business with its first new models since 2019, and they do high-res wireless audio.
Elsewhere
A look at the human species we once shared the planet with, competed with and interbred with.
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