odd look at news on the web
Woojer Vest 4: It's like THX for your torso
31 May 2026 @ 6:43 pm
When I first saw the Woojer vest about seven or eight years ago on Kickstarter, I remember thinking that it sounded fun, but maybe a little gimmicky. Either way, I wanted to try it. So when Woojer recently reached out and asked if I wanted to review it, I said, "Heck yeah, send it over!" Now that I have it and have spent many hours using it in various scenarios, I think I've concluded whether it's worth the ~US$350 price of admission for a vest fitted with bass-thumping transducers.Continue ReadingCategory: Compact tiny house hits sweet spot between size and features
31 May 2026 @ 3:03 pm
The Tommy is a much more capable tiny house than its compact size implies. With a length of just 7.2 m (23.6 ft), it sleeps up to six people and also has some notable features, including a space-saving folding staircase and optional off-grid operation.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: BIs SpaceX ushering in a new Space Age?
31 May 2026 @ 12:03 pm
SpaceX has once again set the record for flying the largest and most powerful rocket in history. It's also on the verge of launching more satellites than the rest of the world combined since Sputnik. Are we witnessing the beginning of a new Space Age?Continue ReadingCategory: Space Systems, EngineeringTags: SpaceX, Inside MAD’s stunning spiral-cloud science museum
31 May 2026 @ 6:03 am
Recently completed in Haikou, China, the Hainan Science Museum is an impressive 46,528-sq-m (500,823-sq-ft) cultural hub for science and technology education. Designed by lead architect Ma Yansong, from MAD architects, the museum is positioned at the edge of the Wuyuan River National Wetland Park.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, EngineeringTags: 75 years of the Fender Telecaster: 12 guitarists who defined the Tele
31 May 2026 @ 2:03 am
Despite garnering unflattering nicknames like "the snow shovel," "the boat paddle," and "the plank" for its simplicity and no-fuss design when it was introduced to the public in 1951, the Fender Telecaster has proved to be an incredibly versatile instrument that morphs depending on who is playing it.Continue ReadingCategory: Music, Consumer Tech, Lotus backtracks on EV-only future with 1,000-hp hybrid V8 supercar
30 May 2026 @ 10:03 pm
At the back end of 2021, Lotus was one of the carmakers looking to go all-electric by the end of the decade. Now, barely five years on, the Geely-owned performance marque has backtracked on those plans, instead shifting its focus to a revised roadmap.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: Lotus, Double-shell capsule camper chases more remote adventure
30 May 2026 @ 7:04 pm
After teasing its first-ever off-road/off-grid camper earlier in May, American molded-fiberglass trailer builder Oliver Travel Trailers closes out the month by giving the all-new Apex X23 its official introduction. Well, mostly. It's still finishing up the production model and spec sheet, but it has released some more photos of the prototype and a number of key details, including the base price. The new trailer looks to give campers a little more backcountry muscle and versatility combined with Oliver's tried-and-true double-hull construction.Continue ReadingCategory: Road-ready tiny house sleeps six people under one compact roof
30 May 2026 @ 3:03 pm
Though it only has a modest length of 7.8 m (25.7 ft), the Gerês tiny house manages to squeeze in sleeping space for up to six people. The tiny house also has several optional upgrades available, including running fully off-grid.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Building anSmall, flat, rooftop satellite antennas could replace big, bulky, costly dishes
30 May 2026 @ 11:03 am
"Ground Control to Major Tom," the evergreen lyrics to David Bowie’s 70s hit, Space Oddity. What’s odd is that, despite huge advances in satellites themselves, much of the physical infrastructure connecting those spacecraft to Earth still relies on large mechanically steered dishes, a model increasingly strained by the rise of massive low-Earth-orbit constellations.Continue ReadingCategory: New British single-cylinder nakeds wear their retro roots proudly
30 May 2026 @ 6:03 am
How often do we see snazzy new motorcycles pop up from relatively unknown brands, and how often do most of them seem to be missing a “soul”? Call me crazy, but I sincerely believe some motorcycles have souls. Even electrics.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: British,