We’re wrapping up the week with the top tech news headlines from across the web. From an EV Cadillac to Dyson Headphones and more, we have you covered. Read on for this week’s tech news blog!
Dyson Introduces Highly Customizable OnTrac Headphones
Dyson has launched its second pair of headphones, the $499.99 OnTrac, following its unique Dyson Zone. The OnTrac headphones focus on extreme customization, offering replaceable ear cushions and ear cups, allowing for over 2,000 color combinations. The headband features three lumps for battery cells and cushioning, while the outer caps and ear cushions are available in various colors and styles. The OnTrac headphones boast best-in-class noise cancellation, 55-hour battery life, and 40-millimeter drivers for superior sound quality. With support for SBC, AAC, and LDHC Bluetooth codecs, the OnTrac aims to compete with top headphone brands, emphasizing both style and performance.
NASA Cancels VIPER Moon Rover Project
NASA has canceled its VIPER program, which aimed to deploy a rover on the Moon’s far side to search for water. The project faced cost increases and delays, pushing the launch from 2023 to 2025. Despite spending $450 million on VIPER, NASA decided to disassemble the rover and repurpose its instruments for future missions. Astrobotic, the company initially tasked with launching VIPER, will continue to deliver the Griffin lander to the Moon without the rover by fall 2025. NASA plans to use the technology from VIPER in other lunar missions over the next five years.
Fei-Fei Li’s Startup World Labs Valued at Over $1 Billion
Fei-Fei Li, the prominent computer scientist known as the “godmother of AI,” has launched World Labs, a startup now valued at over $1 billion in just four months. World Labs aims to develop AI capable of advanced reasoning through human-like visual data processing. Known for her work in computer vision and developing ImageNet, Li previously led AI at Google Cloud and advises the White House on AI. World Labs focuses on creating AI models that understand three-dimensional environments, supported by significant funding from Andreessen Horowitz and Radical Ventures. The technology could revolutionize fields like robotics, AR, VR, and healthcare.
RMS Titanic, Inc. Conducts New 3D Scans of Titanic Wreckage
RMS Titanic, Inc. is sending remote-operated submersibles (ROVs) to the Titanic wreckage for the first time since 2010 to perform digital 3D scans and capture high-resolution images. The seven-person crew reached the Titanic’s location recently and aims to compare new scans with those from 2010 to assess deterioration and the impact of the ocean and previous expeditions. Equipped with advanced 65K resolution cameras, the ROVs will also search for new marine life and areas of debris. RMS Titanic, Inc. plans to use the findings for public exhibits in Las Vegas, Orlando, and touring displays worldwide.
Cadillac Reveals 2025 Escalade with Enhanced Tech and Design
Cadillac is updating its gas-powered Escalade with features inspired by its electric counterparts, ahead of the release of the electric Escalade IQ later this year. The 2025 Escalade will showcase new vertically positioned headlights, an illuminated grille, and a badge reminiscent of the Cadillac Lyriq and Celestiq EVs. Inside, the SUV boasts a 55-inch pillar-to-pillar display, split into a 35-inch screen for the driver and a 20-inch screen for the passenger, continuing the trend of screen maximalism. New features also include power doors that open automatically with the key fob and close with a brake pedal press. Pricing details are yet to be announced, but the tech upgrades suggest it may exceed six figures.