Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News
I asked ChatGPT to build me a $1,000 effects pedal. Here's what it did
October 12, 2026
| Howard Armitage
What started as a search for an expensive effects pedal turned into something far more interesting. With one sentence, I sat back with my feet up and watched AI turn a spare Raspberry Pi into the effects pedal I almost spent a grand on.
The 2026 CFMOTO SR-S750: Riding China's attempt at a Japanese sportsbike
October 10, 2026
| Boris Mihailovic
I was set to hate it. I felt I had to. It was made in China, and while I think CFMoto, on general principles, makes pretty good bikes, what business does it have attempting an in-line four?
Biped bot uses your old, dusty phone for brains
October 12, 2026
| Omar Kardoudi
That old phone gathering dust in a drawer could have a second life far more entertaining than being a paperweight. UCLA researchers have created PhoneBot, a little humanoid that puts your smartphone to work as the brains of a tiny robot companion.
Top Stories
The Nordic Nook is a not-so-tiny house designed for a comfortable full-time life on wheels. It features a single-level layout for two and includes a well-equipped kitchen, an open living area, and not just one but two porches.
Based on timeless, inalterable physics, the Aerohart Aviator's Ember fire piston sparks a flame with nothing more than tinder, air and a quick smack of the hand. Now the tool has been fully redesigned and improved to work even better.
The new Wild Land Pickupmate Trunk is an impressive piece of truck camping kit that fuses several different products into one. It's not quite a rooftop tent, not quite a pickup camping topper and not quite a basic truck cap. It's all three.
This recent example of shipping container-based architecture is a lot more comfortable than most. It involved transforming three of them into a spacious home complete with a rooftop terrace and even a sauna.
In the near future, a building's emergency lighting, fire alarms, sensors and other items could be powered not by generators or batteries, but by the actual structural material. That's because scientists have developed a cement-based supercapacitor.
For decades, the original Honda NSX has stolen hearts and captured the imagination of sportscar enthusiasts worldwide. More than 35 years since its debut, the iconic two-door is making a comeback – but only for a lucky (and loaded) few.
Latest News
-
October 12, 2026Picking between ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude usually means pasting the same prompt into three tabs. ChatPlayground AI shows their answers side by side, and an Unlimited Plan lifetime subscription is $59.97 (reg. $619). -
October 12, 2026 | C.C. WeissOutdoor gear startup FLFQ-Aloner is pushing into the ultralight backpacking market with a modestly priced solo tent that shrinks down as small as possible. It aims to create the sweet spot in affordable, featherlight, roomy and convenient solo tents. -
October 12, 2026 | Simon HeptinstallOne of motor history’s most revered icons was radically reborn this week… as a minimalist EV. The Citroen 2 CV Concept unveiled at the 2026 Paris Motor Show resurrects a famous 90-year-old design to create an minimalist ultra-affordable electric car. -
October 12, 2026 | Maryna HolovnovaResearchers have invented a new material that is as thin as a film, extremely stiff, and also an excellent thermal insulator – a combination not found in nature. This could change many industries, from electronics to space exploration. -
October 12, 2026 | Bronwyn ThompsonWe've become increasingly aware of how critical sleep is to our health, which has made many of us focused on the best ways to go about it. Now, experts have some advice for those trying to "optimize" sleep – and it doesn't involve any effort at all. -
October 12, 2026 | Utkarsh SoodThe Hyundai Tucson has traditionally been classified as a compact SUV. However, the next-gen model is packed with cutting-edge tech, and is noticeably longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor. So much so it hardly feels like a "compact" car anymore. -
October 11, 2026 | David SzondyA new mine detector technology has been tested in Brisbane, Australia, that puts a new spin on hunting things that go boom. The MineReader RDX uses a new principle for mine detection that emphasises seeking the explosive instead of the mine. -
October 11, 2026 | Maryna HolovnovaA giant robotic worm can crawl over rocks, climb stairs and steep slopes, and swim through the water – and it does it all by shifting its own weight via a clever new water-pumping mechanism. -
October 11, 2026Windows 11 Home does the basics well, but three of the most useful tools in the operating system are locked behind the Pro tier. And with the upgrade at only $15 right now, those three tools alone justify the upgrade. -
October 11, 2026 | Abhimanyu GhoshalAbxylute has come up with two products to enhance your mobile gaming sessions wherever you play. Its M5 and M6 controllers are designed to offer proper-sized buttons and joysticks, while attaching securely to your phone and fitting in your pocket.
Load More
Editor's Picks
The Mysa 400 by Irontown Modular is an extra-wide tiny house that features an apartment-style interior with a spacious living area, two bedrooms, and an open design that's suited to full-time living.
Nobody really enjoys seeing power lines, but maybe they could be turned from an eyesore into a local point of pride. Such is the thinking behind this creative project that transforms power line pylons into huge animal sculptures.
The Artemis II mission, which will return US astronauts to lunar space, has run into problems that have critics demanding NASA remove the crew from the flight for safety reasons. The bigger question is, why do we have astronauts at all?
Toyota's Kayoibako van concept won over the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. Toyota is now talking up a Kayoibako family and showing the Daihatsu Kayoibako-K, a kei transporter that's a tiny delivery van, micro-camper, automated adventure shuttle and more.
Small camping trailers are great for a lot of reasons, but they usually fall very short on one highly critical spec: a bathroom. The latest Encore ROG trailer solves the bathroom issue in a rather bold way, and it's a much better small camper for it.
Precision milling used to mean giant, pricey shop machines out of reach for most makers. You could design the "next big thing," but could you actually build it? Now you can.
This week, talk of the AI bubble bursting has intensified with Google top executive Demis Hassabis throwing some fuel on the fire while discussing the release of the tech company's Gemini 3 model. He also thinks some players will weather the storm.
I spent a few nights with the Akaso Sight-300 and came away fairly impressed. My previous experiences with night vision have been with very high-end scopes, so I wasn't sure what to expect on something that costs several thousand dollars less.