Tech trend alert: High-tech Bluetooth CD players are making waves

Tech-news November 5, 2025

Gen Z and Gen Alpha trendsetters have already brought back the iPod and wired headphones. Now, another piece of retrotech is making a comeback: CD players.

But the new generation of CD players isn’t like the CD players Gen X once rocked in the ’90s to listen to Radiohead, Wu-Tang Clan, Nirvana, or Alanis Morissette, depending on their subcultural allegiance, or lack thereof. The new wave of CD players offers modern features like Bluetooth connectivity, bringing a touch of the future to the retrotech world.

I first came across these devices while researching the best tech gifts of the year. And at the MoMA Design Store, I found the Retradisc Portable Bluetooth CD Player. While you can listen to The Life of a Showgirl with your favorite wired headphones, this music player will also connect to your favorite wireless headphones. The product description states, “Watch your CDs spin as you play them with this 21st-century version of the personal player that combines old-school cool and high-tech Bluetooth compatibility. Its see-through, anti-skip design gives you the freedom to listen anywhere to anything, including rediscovering the joy of experiencing a single album without notifications, recommendations, or distractions.”

Instead of batteries, the Retradisc charges via USB-C, another modern touch. So, there’s no need to overpay for refurbished ’90s tech at retailers like Retrospekt or hunt down old Sony Walkmans in junk shops. You can listen to music like your Gen X ancestors without sacrificing modern technology.

Mashable Light Speed

The Retradisk isn’t the only high-tech CD player making the rounds right now. See also: Shanling’s EC Zero AKM portable CD player, which supports high-res audio. The EC Zero can even rip CDs (look it up, Gen Alpha readers). This device supports two 3.5mm audio lines, claims an 18-hour battery life for wireless listening, and has multiple USB-C ports.

Credit: Shanling

While the Retradisc favors a trendy transparent design, the Shanling evokes old-school HiFi record players, with a metal body, tempered glass lid, volume slider, and LCD display.

Over at Amazon, you can find plenty more high-tech CD Players for sale. The R300 CD Player looks particularly cool, but you can also invest in the FiiO DM13, the KLIM Nomad, and others.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the CD collection to support an investment like this, but now I’m wishing I had held onto my old CDs and high school mix tapes. And if you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas for a cool teen or anyone who bought The Life of a Showgirl on CD, you know what to get.

$99.89
at Amazon

$119.99
Save $20.10

Source link
#Tech #trend #alert #Hightech #Bluetooth #players #making #waves

Apple’s $999 iPad Pro Is Still the Best Deal in Tech

Nadeen Endured Islam, Demons and New Age Until a Drug Dealer Took Her to Church, and She Found Peace

Yesterday, OpenAI released its latest voice model, GPT-Live-1. The company called it “a new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction.” The full-duplex model allows ChatGPT to talk and listen at the same time, giving the back-and-forth a more conversational flow. It’s designed to be smarter, faster, and more natural.

Sounds great! Let’s see how it handles the internet’s one-man voice model red team, TikToker @huskistaken (aka Husk), when he tests out its capabilities by giving the model something simple:

Had to give the new voice model the classic test pic.twitter.com/fQYHbBRNuL

— Husk (@huskirl) July 8, 2026

Ooh, so close. Husk gave ChatGPT the straightforward request to tell him how many times the letter E appears in the number “seventeen,” and the voice model managed to get halfway there by answering “two.” It then offered a very awkward sign-off when Husk ended the conversation. Maybe that’s a query that GPT-Live-2 will be able to handle.

To be fair, Husk isn’t really testing any of the new features that OpenAI highlighted with the release of its new model, which, by most accounts, seems like it’s more capable when it comes to things like live translation than previous iterations. But he is giving the model a very simple benchmarking test that, despite being OpenAI’s flagship voice model, it still failed spectacularly.

It seems OpenAI knows just how bad this looks, too. Jason Liu, a Developer Experience Engineer on OpenAI Codex, reposted the video with a very succinct, “FUCK.”

Husk’s made a habit of terrorizing OpenAI over its voice model for some time now, making viral videos out of how poorly it handles certain prompts. One of his videos—in which he tasks ChatGPT with setting a timer and watching it fail—made it all the way to CEO Sam Altman, who tried to laugh it off in a very “I’m not mad, please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad” kinda way.

Husk is not alone in giving GPT-Live-1 the old stress test. Another user on X gave the model the “Strawberry” test, asking it to count the number of times the letter R appears in the word “strawberry.” It’s a classic, and one that most AI models can answer correctly by now (whether that’s because they really know there are 3 Rs or because they’ve been trained on how to respond to prevent embarrassment is another question), but GPT-Live-1 gets tripped up by it.

OpenAI’s brand new voice model vs counting the r’s in strawberry. I really tried to help it along. pic.twitter.com/Pm0RfLyxIA

— Himelstech (@himelstech) July 9, 2026

Another user noted a new annoyance that has arisen from the model’s full-duplex functionality: While the model now allows ChatGPT to say things like “mhm” and “yeah” while you talk to confirm it is listening, it apparently is incapable of simply shutting up and not doing that. It seems ChatGPT has built an interrupting machine. Just what we’ve all been waiting for.

The Future Is Always Listening: OpenAI Says Its New Voice Assistant Is ‘One Step Closer to a Truly Accessible AGI’

OpenAI Is Tired of Seeing All Those Videos of People Clowning on Its Voice Mode

#OpenAI #Beat #TikTokerartifical intelligence,ChatGPT,OpenAI,voice model">

mwasimuddin125 0

Yesterday, OpenAI released its latest voice model, GPT-Live-1. The company called it “a new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction.” The full-duplex model allows ChatGPT to talk and listen at the same time, giving the back-and-forth a more conversational flow. It’s designed to be smarter, faster, and more natural.

Sounds great! Let’s see how it handles the internet’s one-man voice model red team, TikToker @huskistaken (aka Husk), when he tests out its capabilities by giving the model something simple:

Had to give the new voice model the classic test pic.twitter.com/fQYHbBRNuL

— Husk (@huskirl) July 8, 2026

Ooh, so close. Husk gave ChatGPT the straightforward request to tell him how many times the letter E appears in the number “seventeen,” and the voice model managed to get halfway there by answering “two.” It then offered a very awkward sign-off when Husk ended the conversation. Maybe that’s a query that GPT-Live-2 will be able to handle.

To be fair, Husk isn’t really testing any of the new features that OpenAI highlighted with the release of its new model, which, by most accounts, seems like it’s more capable when it comes to things like live translation than previous iterations. But he is giving the model a very simple benchmarking test that, despite being OpenAI’s flagship voice model, it still failed spectacularly.

It seems OpenAI knows just how bad this looks, too. Jason Liu, a Developer Experience Engineer on OpenAI Codex, reposted the video with a very succinct, “FUCK.”

Husk’s made a habit of terrorizing OpenAI over its voice model for some time now, making viral videos out of how poorly it handles certain prompts. One of his videos—in which he tasks ChatGPT with setting a timer and watching it fail—made it all the way to CEO Sam Altman, who tried to laugh it off in a very “I’m not mad, please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad” kinda way.

Husk is not alone in giving GPT-Live-1 the old stress test. Another user on X gave the model the “Strawberry” test, asking it to count the number of times the letter R appears in the word “strawberry.” It’s a classic, and one that most AI models can answer correctly by now (whether that’s because they really know there are 3 Rs or because they’ve been trained on how to respond to prevent embarrassment is another question), but GPT-Live-1 gets tripped up by it.

OpenAI’s brand new voice model vs counting the r’s in strawberry. I really tried to help it along. pic.twitter.com/Pm0RfLyxIA

— Himelstech (@himelstech) July 9, 2026

Another user noted a new annoyance that has arisen from the model’s full-duplex functionality: While the model now allows ChatGPT to say things like “mhm” and “yeah” while you talk to confirm it is listening, it apparently is incapable of simply shutting up and not doing that. It seems ChatGPT has built an interrupting machine. Just what we’ve all been waiting for.

READ MORE:

The Future Is Always Listening: OpenAI Says Its New Voice Assistant Is ‘One Step Closer to a Truly Accessible AGI’

OpenAI Is Tired of Seeing All Those Videos of People Clowning on Its Voice Mode

#OpenAI #Beat #TikTokerartifical intelligence,ChatGPT,OpenAI,voice model">OpenAI Just Can’t Beat This TikToker

Yesterday, OpenAI released its latest voice model, GPT-Live-1. The company called it “a new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction.” The full-duplex model allows ChatGPT to talk and listen at the same time, giving the back-and-forth a more conversational flow. It’s designed to be smarter, faster, and more natural.

Sounds great! Let’s see how it handles the internet’s one-man voice model red team, TikToker @huskistaken (aka Husk), when he tests out its capabilities by giving the model something simple:

Had to give the new voice model the classic test pic.twitter.com/fQYHbBRNuL

— Husk (@huskirl) July 8, 2026

Ooh, so close. Husk gave ChatGPT the straightforward request to tell him how many times the letter E appears in the number “seventeen,” and the voice model managed to get halfway there by answering “two.” It then offered a very awkward sign-off when Husk ended the conversation. Maybe that’s a query that GPT-Live-2 will be able to handle.

To be fair, Husk isn’t really testing any of the new features that OpenAI highlighted with the release of its new model, which, by most accounts, seems like it’s more capable when it comes to things like live translation than previous iterations. But he is giving the model a very simple benchmarking test that, despite being OpenAI’s flagship voice model, it still failed spectacularly.

It seems OpenAI knows just how bad this looks, too. Jason Liu, a Developer Experience Engineer on OpenAI Codex, reposted the video with a very succinct, “FUCK.”

Husk’s made a habit of terrorizing OpenAI over its voice model for some time now, making viral videos out of how poorly it handles certain prompts. One of his videos—in which he tasks ChatGPT with setting a timer and watching it fail—made it all the way to CEO Sam Altman, who tried to laugh it off in a very “I’m not mad, please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad” kinda way.

Husk is not alone in giving GPT-Live-1 the old stress test. Another user on X gave the model the “Strawberry” test, asking it to count the number of times the letter R appears in the word “strawberry.” It’s a classic, and one that most AI models can answer correctly by now (whether that’s because they really know there are 3 Rs or because they’ve been trained on how to respond to prevent embarrassment is another question), but GPT-Live-1 gets tripped up by it.

OpenAI’s brand new voice model vs counting the r’s in strawberry. I really tried to help it along. pic.twitter.com/Pm0RfLyxIA

— Himelstech (@himelstech) July 9, 2026

Another user noted a new annoyance that has arisen from the model’s full-duplex functionality: While the model now allows ChatGPT to say things like “mhm” and “yeah” while you talk to confirm it is listening, it apparently is incapable of simply shutting up and not doing that. It seems ChatGPT has built an interrupting machine. Just what we’ve all been waiting for.

READ MORE:

The Future Is Always Listening: OpenAI Says Its New Voice Assistant Is ‘One Step Closer to a Truly Accessible AGI’

OpenAI Is Tired of Seeing All Those Videos of People Clowning on Its Voice Mode

#OpenAI #Beat #TikTokerartifical intelligence,ChatGPT,OpenAI,voice model

Friendly home robots have been the dream of sci-fi for a long time. Docile, helpful machines that do your laundry, take out the trash, maybe make dinner, and clean up afterward too. But if robots are going to do all that, they’re going to need some hands to make all that happen.

1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.

The hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons in the arms move human hands. 1X says this gives Neo’s hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement, which is just a little less than the 27 degrees of freedom human hands usually have. Cameras and AI smarts help sort out the broader context of what the fingers are trying to grab. It’s a dexterous mix that gives the Neo bot a very broad range of motion. 1X says the hands can grip odd shapes and detect when something is slipping out of its grip. The fingers can also move extremely quickly and hyperextend in directions human digits can’t. They also have an IP68 waterproof rating, meaning the robot can wash its own hands.

Courtesy of 1X

It’s a range that the engineers have aimed to dial in to align with what a human can actually do. Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, says the range of motion might even be better than a human’s, enabling it to open doors, lift heavy objects, and even plug itself in when its battery starts to die.

“You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth says. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”

Together, this is part of a growing ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics, where bots have gone from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers, able to gently carry fragile objects and become increasingly helpful for managing menial daily tasks and boring office chores.

The humanoid robot market tends to be dominated by tough, hulking Terminators meant to be paraded out for some defense industry contract or another. 1X is taking a different tack for its robot. The Neo is a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. Its design is inspired by characters like Baymax, the affable robot from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. In limited quantities, early access pricing is $20,000 or $500 per month to have it in your home, though the lump sum will prioritize delivery for 2026.

#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence">

The 1X Neo Robot Has Freaky Fast FingersFriendly home robots have been the dream of sci-fi for a long time. Docile, helpful machines that do your laundry, take out the trash, maybe make dinner, and clean up afterward too. But if robots are going to do all that, they’re going to need some hands to make all that happen.1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.The hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons in the arms move human hands. 1X says this gives Neo’s hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement, which is just a little less than the 27 degrees of freedom human hands usually have. Cameras and AI smarts help sort out the broader context of what the fingers are trying to grab. It’s a dexterous mix that gives the Neo bot a very broad range of motion. 1X says the hands can grip odd shapes and detect when something is slipping out of its grip. The fingers can also move extremely quickly and hyperextend in directions human digits can’t. They also have an IP68 waterproof rating, meaning the robot can wash its own hands.Courtesy of 1XIt’s a range that the engineers have aimed to dial in to align with what a human can actually do. Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, says the range of motion might even be better than a human’s, enabling it to open doors, lift heavy objects, and even plug itself in when its battery starts to die.“You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth says. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”Together, this is part of a growing ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics, where bots have gone from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers, able to gently carry fragile objects and become increasingly helpful for managing menial daily tasks and boring office chores.The humanoid robot market tends to be dominated by tough, hulking Terminators meant to be paraded out for some defense industry contract or another. 1X is taking a different tack for its robot. The Neo is a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. Its design is inspired by characters like Baymax, the affable robot from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. In limited quantities, early access pricing is ,000 or 0 per month to have it in your home, though the lump sum will prioritize delivery for 2026.#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence

mwasimuddin125 0

Friendly home robots have been the dream of sci-fi for a long time. Docile, helpful machines that do your laundry, take out the trash, maybe make dinner, and clean up afterward too. But if robots are going to do all that, they’re going to need some hands to make all that happen.
1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.
The hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons in the arms move human hands. 1X says this gives Neo’s hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement, which is just a little less than the 27 degrees of freedom human hands usually have. Cameras and AI smarts help sort out the broader context of what the fingers are trying to grab. It’s a dexterous mix that gives the Neo bot a very broad range of motion. 1X says the hands can grip odd shapes and detect when something is slipping out of its grip. The fingers can also move extremely quickly and hyperextend in directions human digits can’t. They also have an IP68 waterproof rating, meaning the robot can wash its own hands.
Courtesy of 1X
It’s a range that the engineers have aimed to dial in to align with what a human can actually do. Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, says the range of motion might even be better than a human’s, enabling it to open doors, lift heavy objects, and even plug itself in when its battery starts to die.
“You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth says. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”
Together, this is part of a growing ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics, where bots have gone from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers, able to gently carry fragile objects and become increasingly helpful for managing menial daily tasks and boring office chores.
The humanoid robot market tends to be dominated by tough, hulking Terminators meant to be paraded out for some defense industry contract or another. 1X is taking a different tack for its robot. The Neo is a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. Its design is inspired by characters like Baymax, the affable robot from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. In limited quantities, early access pricing is $20,000 or $500 per month to have it in your home, though the lump sum will prioritize delivery for 2026.

#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence">The 1X Neo Robot Has Freaky Fast Fingers

1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.

Courtesy of 1X

#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence

MOFT Trackable Field Wallet launches with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support
TL;DR: Just in time for summer trips, MOFT has launched its new Trackable Field Wallet for .99. It’s a MagSafe wallet with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support to help keep your cards and essentials easy to find while traveling.
If you’re the type to double-check your pockets before leaving the airport, MOFT’s latest accessory might be worth a look. The Trackable Field Wallet is a new MagSafe wallet that works with built-in tracking, making it easier to locate your wallet if it goes missing. At .99, it also packs room for up to eight cards — far more than most MagSafe wallets — while staying slim enough to snap onto the back of your iPhone.The biggest upgrade here is capacity. It also has separate compartments to keep frequently used cards apart from things like cash, coins, keys, or even a spare SIM card, while a pull-tab lets you grab your cards without digging around.

Credit: MOFT

Credit: MOFT

The wallet folds into a built-in phone stand for watching videos, taking video calls, or reading hands-free, then snaps back onto your iPhone with a strong MagSafe connection when you’re done. Built-in Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support means you can locate the wallet through your phone if you accidentally leave it behind, and MOFT says the rechargeable tracker lasts up to six months between charges.Finished in soft Movas vegan leather, it is designed to resist stains and everyday wear while keeping the wallet lightweight. The Trackable Field Wallet is available in Terracotta, Misty Cove, and Jet Black, giving you a few options beyond the usual black accessory lineup.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shop the Trackable Field Wallet now and travel with one less thing to worry about.

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support">

mwasimuddin125 0

TL;DR: Just in time for summer trips, MOFT has launched its new Trackable Field Wallet for $69.99. It’s a MagSafe wallet with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support to help keep your cards and essentials easy to find while traveling.

If you’re the type to double-check your pockets before leaving the airport, MOFT’s latest accessory might be worth a look. The Trackable Field Wallet is a new MagSafe wallet that works with built-in tracking, making it easier to locate your wallet if it goes missing. At $69.99, it also packs room for up to eight cards — far more than most MagSafe wallets — while staying slim enough to snap onto the back of your iPhone.
The biggest upgrade here is capacity. It also has separate compartments to keep frequently used cards apart from things like cash, coins, keys, or even a spare SIM card, while a pull-tab lets you grab your cards without digging around.

Credit: MOFT

Credit: MOFT

The wallet folds into a built-in phone stand for watching videos, taking video calls, or reading hands-free, then snaps back onto your iPhone with a strong MagSafe connection when you’re done. Built-in Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support means you can locate the wallet through your phone if you accidentally leave it behind, and MOFT says the rechargeable tracker lasts up to six months between charges.
Finished in soft Movas vegan leather, it is designed to resist stains and everyday wear while keeping the wallet lightweight. The Trackable Field Wallet is available in Terracotta, Misty Cove, and Jet Black, giving you a few options beyond the usual black accessory lineup.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shop the Trackable Field Wallet now and travel with one less thing to worry about.

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support">MOFT Trackable Field Wallet launches with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support

TL;DR: Just in time for summer trips, MOFT has launched its new Trackable Field Wallet for $69.99. It’s a MagSafe wallet with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support to help keep your cards and essentials easy to find while traveling.

If you’re the type to double-check your pockets before leaving the airport, MOFT’s latest accessory might be worth a look. The Trackable Field Wallet is a new MagSafe wallet that works with built-in tracking, making it easier to locate your wallet if it goes missing. At $69.99, it also packs room for up to eight cards — far more than most MagSafe wallets — while staying slim enough to snap onto the back of your iPhone.

The biggest upgrade here is capacity. It also has separate compartments to keep frequently used cards apart from things like cash, coins, keys, or even a spare SIM card, while a pull-tab lets you grab your cards without digging around.

Credit: MOFT

The wallet folds into a built-in phone stand for watching videos, taking video calls, or reading hands-free, then snaps back onto your iPhone with a strong MagSafe connection when you’re done. Built-in Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support means you can locate the wallet through your phone if you accidentally leave it behind, and MOFT says the rechargeable tracker lasts up to six months between charges.

Finished in soft Movas vegan leather, it is designed to resist stains and everyday wear while keeping the wallet lightweight. The Trackable Field Wallet is available in Terracotta, Misty Cove, and Jet Black, giving you a few options beyond the usual black accessory lineup.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shop the Trackable Field Wallet now and travel with one less thing to worry about.

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support

Apple’s $999 iPad Pro Is Still the Best Deal in Tech

Nadeen Endured Islam, Demons and New Age Until a Drug Dealer Took Her to Church, and She Found Peace

Related Posts

Post Comment Cancel reply