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From flying cars to jetpacks: How close are humans to commuting in the sky?
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Hunter Kowald's flying skateboard buzzes through the air at 40 mph, carrying 500 pounds and looking like something straight out of a superhero movie. His Sky Surfer has become a viral sensation, representing the closest homemade aviation has come to commercial reality.
The personal flight revolution is finally here, powered by EVTOLs—Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing aircraft that are essentially large, human-carrying drones. From garage tinkerers to major companies like Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, engineers worldwide are building functioning flying machines.
The technology exists. Joby recently completed a 523-mile hydrogen-powered flight, while Archer's Midnight can carry four passengers at 150 mph. Even jetpack companies like Gravity Industries have working Iron Man-style prototypes.
The remaining hurdles aren't technical—they're regulatory and practical. Battery weight limits flight time, aviation laws struggle to adapt, and safety protocols need refinement. But smaller ultralight vehicles like flying skateboards could legally take to American skies today.
The age of personal flight isn't coming—it's already landing.
[Read More]
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DJI Drones
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Why DJI drones might be banned in the US
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China's DJI, which dominates 77% of the US drone market, faces an imminent ban starting December 23 after being placed on government security lists since 2020 over spying concerns. The FCC recently granted itself power to retroactively block DJI drones from US radio frequencies, potentially making existing consumer drones unusable.
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DJI Avata 360 to rival Insta360's first 360° drone as DJI Avata 3 alternative
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DJI is reportedly developing the Avata 360 drone instead of a straightforward Avata 3, marking a strategic shift to compete directly with Insta360's upcoming A1 drone. The new model features a flatter design compared to the current Avata 2 and is expected to launch for around $1,099. This move positions DJI to challenge Insta360's entry into the drone market, with the A1 set for release in January 2026.
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DJI launches Zenmuse L3 with LiDAR and RGB sensors
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DJI launched the Zenmuse L3 sensor module targeting commercial drone operations, combining LiDAR technology with dual 100MP RGB cameras to create detailed 3D terrain models and capture geodata for applications like road planning. Priced at €8,000, the system achieves ±10mm accuracy and can map 100 km² daily.
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Tech Gadgets
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Hobbyist builds lo-fi camera using a disassembled optical mouse
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A Reddit user transformed an old computer mouse into a functional digital camera by repurposing its optical sensor, which captures 30x30 pixel images in grayscale. The custom-built device features multiple shooting modes, stores 48 photos, and took 65 hours to complete.
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WhatsApp launches long-awaited Apple Watch app
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Featured
WhatsApp launched its long-awaited Apple Watch app, allowing users to receive call notifications, read messages, and record voice messages directly from their wrist. The companion app supports message reactions, displays more chat history, and shows clearer images while maintaining end-to-end encryption. Users need an Apple Watch Series 4 or later with watchOS 10, and WhatsApp promises additional functionality updates ahead.
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iPhone Chip-Powered MacBook That Costs Less Than a PS5 Might be Launching in 2026
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Apple is reportedly developing a budget MacBook launching in spring 2026, priced under $1,000 to compete with Chromebooks and budget Windows laptops in schools. This new laptop will feature an iPhone A18 Pro chip, 12.5-inch LCD screen, and colorful plastic design while delivering performance comparable to older MacBook Airs. The move targets students currently using cheaper alternatives, with the laptop expected to cost $599-$799.
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🤖
Future Tech
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Spotify now has half a million video podcasts, which nearly 400M users have watched
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Spotify's video podcast catalog has surged to nearly half a million shows, with over 390 million users streaming video podcasts—a 54% jump year-over-year. The company is expanding creator monetization through its Partner Program and announced a 2026 Netflix partnership to distribute content, positioning itself as a creator-focused distribution hub.
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Deepnote, a ‘Successor to Jupyter Notebook,’ Goes Open Source
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Deepnote, a team-focused data science notebook platform that positions itself as a successor to Jupyter Notebook, has made its code open source after gaining significant traction. Since launching in 2019, the platform has attracted over 500,000 data professionals who use it as their primary notebook tool.
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Neuralink Head of Surgery Says Robot-Human Interface Happening “Very Soon”
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Featured
Neuralink's Head of Surgery, Danish Hussain, announced that robot-human brain interfaces will happen "very soon" after sharing a video showing a man controlling a robotic arm through thought alone. Hussain suggested combining Neuralink's brain implant technology with Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots, though Tesla's robots currently struggle with basic functions like walking and speaking coherently. While Neuralink has implanted devices in 12 patients, results have been mixed, with some experiencing technical failures.
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Miscellaneous
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'Interstellar visitor' 3I/ATLAS may have just changed color — for the third time
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Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS unexpectedly brightened while passing behind the sun and may now appear blue, marking its third potential color change since July. The ancient comet previously showed red and green hues before reverting, with researchers attributing the shifting colors to different gases leaking from its surface.
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Bite-Size Stories
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