odd look at news on the web
Mini Roomba robovac cleans and mops where others can't
16 March 2026 @ 3:33 pm
Just weeks after announcing its restructuring and a new ownership deal with China-based manufacturer Picea, iRobot has announced the launch of a new compact robot vacuum and mop – the Roomba Mini Robot Vacuum and Mop and AutoEmpty Dock (Let's just go with the Roomba Mini from here). This small robot vacuum cleaner has now hit the UK and European markets, demonstrating that iRobot has renewed its focus on the core Roomba business amid its financial woes.Continue ReadingCategoryRippling glass facade adds drama to Queensland's new cultural center
16 March 2026 @ 1:49 pm
There's a whole giant structure with remarkable details behind the glass, but we're all really here for this building's striking facade, first and foremost. This is the Glasshouse Theatre, the performance venue unveiled last week by the Queensland Performing Arts Center in the Australian state's capital of Brisbane.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, Review: The Bear 650 is the one Royal Enfield everyone is sleeping on
16 March 2026 @ 10:47 am
So why did I travel 400 miles (~650 km) to the Himalayan foothills from Delhi just to ride and share my thoughts on a motorcycle? Well, you can’t really review a Scrambler by simply riding around town on flat tarmac, can you? So I scrambled.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Royal Enfield, Amazing architecture images from the Sony World Photography Awards 2026
16 March 2026 @ 6:32 am
Architecture is a bit of an underrated photo competition category but it is one that can simultaneously capture design, engineering and human experience. Here, we pick our 2026 Sony World Photography Awards’ Professional finalist and shortlist standouts that manage to say so much with a single image.Continue ReadingCategory: Photography, Aprilia's new crossover scooter: Part adventure, part sports bike
16 March 2026 @ 12:53 am
There aren’t a lot of motorcycle manufacturers that do sportbikes like Aprilia. In recent years, the Italian bikemaker has expanded into other segments, most notably the adventure motorcycle category with the Tuareg 660. Now, its new crossover scooter looks like it carries a bit of both those styles.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Space-age photo frame displays your family pictures as holograms
16 March 2026 @ 12:03 am
Looking Glass has been in the holographic display business for years now, perfecting its tech for magically bringing images to life in commercial settings. Its latest product is designed to grace your living room – and it doesn't cost the earth.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyOff-grid tiny office has two separate workspaces and even a bed
15 March 2026 @ 4:03 pm
This interesting "tiny house" isn't actually a house at all. Instead, it's a mobile off-grid office that squeezes two separate workspaces, plus a sleeping area, into its compact frame.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Yashica's $100 'Tank' pays homage to early digital cameras
15 March 2026 @ 1:03 pm
Yashica's turned back time to get inspiration for its latest camera, the Tank. It's a pocketable little shooter that's all about keeping things simple and letting you engage with your craft behind the lens.Continue ReadingCategory: Photography, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTiny threads stand in for major metal coils in heating breakthrough
15 March 2026 @ 11:03 am
Could tiny threads of carbon fiber do the same job as big metal industrial heating coils? A new breakthrough from researchers at Rice University says yes, and the finding could go a long way toward electrifying many manufacturing processes.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, Engineering, Futuristic mouse snaps in half to transform into a gamepad
15 March 2026 @ 8:03 am
A Bangalore, India-based hardware upstart is rethinking what the mouse on your desk can do – by splitting it in two.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Mouse, Gaming, C