Category: 4. Technology

July’s gadget lineup spotlights tools that sharpen performance and elevate everyday well-being. This month’s releases blend precision engineering with compact convenience, catering to both gaming setups and personal spaces.

The Lemokey L1 HE wireless keyboard uses magnetic Gateron switches and Hall effect sensors for actuation points adjustable between 0.2 mm and 3.8 mm. Rapid Trigger tech boosts response times, and QMK firmware lets you map up to four commands per key on its durable metal frame.

Coway’s Airmega 50 air purifier cleans rooms up to 500 sq ft in an hour with 360° intake vents that capture dust and allergens. It runs whisper-quiet at 18.4 dB in Sleep Mode and offers a gentle nightlight that can be switched off for total darkness.

These gadgets prove that smart design can enhance both your hardware precision and home comfort—demonstrating how focused innovation improves the way we play and breathe.

Amazon has the AirPods Pro 2 for $169.99 ahead of Prime Day, down from $249.00. Free delivery options provide an estimated delivery date of around July 11, while Prime members should get the headphones sooner in most cases.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Compared to past sales, this is a match of the best price we’ve tracked so far in 2025 and it’s an overall solid second-best price on the AirPods Pro 2. Amazon also has the AirPods 4 available for $99.99 during this sale, an all-time low price.

We’ve begun tracking all of the best early Prime Day deals in our dedicated post, and it also includes every color of the USB-C AirPods Max on sale at $479.99, down from $549.00. If you’re on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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At the best of times, manufacturer participation in motorsport remains a fickle thing. Companies dip in and out of racing categories on a whim, citing vague and incredulous excuses such as “objectives reached” or “changes in corporate strategy”, which is really just corporate code for “after years of trying and billions spent, our empty trophy cabinet has forced a shareholder-pleasing retreat from factory-level racing”.

There was a time, though, that the flipside also rang true. In Formula One’s pre-ban-hammer days of the 1970s, when innovation was still revered as opposed to being reviled today – and technology was still in its infancy – nearly anything went and everyone wanted in. Think back to the Tyrell P34 six-wheeler, the first ground effect cars and, indeed, turbocharging.

Renault pioneered forced induction into the sport in 1977, followed by Ferrari in 1981, BMW in 1982 and TAG-Porsche the next year.

To balance performance against the benchmark and naturally aspirated 3-liter Cosworth DFV V8 used by nearly all on the grid, the turbo cars were restricted in capacity to 1.5-liters. Renault and Ferrari both opted for a V6 configuration for their engines, yet BMW chose to go an entirely different direction with not just four cylinders, but a production-based block whose roots hail as far back as the mid 1960s.

Using road car engine blocks is a common, cost-efficient occurrence in grassroots motorsport. Further up the competitive ladder, it’s less likely: such engines are bespoke and designed from scratch to deliver ultimate performance and reliability. That BMW looked towards such an unlikely source to serve in racing’s highest tier is already unusual. That this production-based engine evolved to the highest-powered F1 engine in history almost defies belief.

The BMW 1500 Engine Developed Just 80 hp, But In F1 Spec Had 17 Times That

The BMW 1500 Neue Klasse was produced between 1961 and 1965. As a keystone entrant in its history, apart from saving BMW from financial ruin, it’s the car that took post-war BMW into a new era and established the brand as a pre-eminent manufacturer of luxury sports sedans.

The 1500’s engine capacity was just that: 1.5 liters, distributed between four cylinders in a bulletproof cast-iron block and producing 80 hp; the former being strong, cheap and bearing excellent resistance against wear.

​​​​​​Over time, the engine – codenamed M10 – would undergo several upgrades and be featured in successive models such as the 1600, 2002 and E21-gen 3 Series, as well as being homologated for racing in up to Formula 3 and Formula 2.

Paul Rosche, BMW’s engine doyenne for more than 40 years and responsible for the piston power of all M-branded models up until 1999, including that of the McLaren F1 supercar, chose this engine for its familiarity, lightness, compactness, simplicity and durability.

A more compact engine would also deliver secondary benefits in F1, such as less weight and better weight distribution, ease of packaging, cooling and installation, the latter assisting the rear aerodynamics to work harder. Durability was enforced with titanium conrods and gear-driven camshafts.

With a KKK turbocharger fitted and fuel injection controlled by electronic management as an F1-first, in debut form the engine – now christened M12/13 – first appeared in 1982 with the Brabham F1 team, with a peak capability of 800 hp. It was naturally disposed to high-revving, being well oversquare. The latter is a preferable trait in racing engines where long, low-rev torque-producing strokes are undesirable. The downside was ridiculous turbo lag demanding a change of driving style and perfect throttle timing between corner entry and exit, to have the steering wheel straight just at the moment the turbine unleashed its tar-tearing terror.

It is alleged that Rosche had a preference for using engine blocks from the 1500 roadcars that had already covered 100 000 kilometers (62 000 miles) for the F1 application, as it was reasoned these would have been proven not to have suffered from any casting imperfections.

By 1982, the M12/13’s power could be reliably upped to 640 hp for races – a number set to skyrocket in the coming years. In fact, that was nothing against its full destructive capability when set to qualifying mode, where it developed a still-standing record 1,400 hp.

Or more.

Because nobody knows precisely how much.

Boosted Beyond Breaking Point

Paul Rosche’s timeless quote is a perfect postcard of that era’s mechanical mayhem: “It must have been 1,400 bhp, but we don’t know the exact figure since the engine didn’t go beyond 1,280 hp.”

The only way to achieve such monstrous power, was for BMW to have wound the boost up to 80 PSI and revving the engine beyond its 11,500 rpm limit, at the cost of already-laughable reliability.

Understandably, F1’s special qualifying-only engines of that period were called “grenade” engines.

These were F1’s true days of thunder, as mechanics regularly suffered constant burns from contact with red-hot exhausts and fatigue from an incessant number of engine changes over each race weekend. Spare a thought for the cars, too, that regularly suffered bent chassis tubing from wrestling the engines’ twisting forces.

It was not in vain, though, as Nelson Piquet powered to the 1983 F1 crown in the Gordon Murray-designed BT52, with BMW becoming F1’s first-ever championship-winning turbo engine just 630 days after the company entered the sport as an engine supplier. As a bonus, they’d beat Renault at their own game despite the French company enjoying a five-year head start.

The BMW M12/13 Engine Was Far More Than Just The Sum Of Its Parts

It’s easy to look back and reduce the M12/13 and its successor, the M12/13/1’s esteem to the sole value of its admittedly ludicrous four-digit power output.

Beyond that, though, the creation of the Brabham BT52 necessitated innovation. The car’s arrow shape originated as a result of moving all the available mass to the rear to aid traction, just weeks after a ban on ground effect cars for the 1983 season was instituted and rendering the convention of mounting the radiators alongside the driver useless.

Furthermore, gearbox internals would have had to be significantly beefed up, and aerodynamics adapted accordingly around optimized engine packaging. So, too, were the drivers, who had to man-handle the 1,000-hp beasts without the aid of power steering with nothing but anticipatory alertness and gladiatorial bravery to deal with the sudden onslaught of boost.

BMW Quit F1 While It Was Still Ahead

To prevent dominance by turbocharged cars, from 1984 onwards, F1’s governing body, the FIA, implemented a gradually increasing fuel capacity limit. Along with a mandated reduction in boost pressure that would start in 1987, the resultant need to save fuel hampered the turbo cars’ performance as intended.

All too aware of the M12/13/1’s vicious power resulting from a ferocious appetite for octane, BMW foresaw that these interventions would curtail future success, and withdrew from the sport at the end of 1986.

By that time, the humble 1500 sedan would have turned a full 21 years old, its creators blissfully unaware of the stratospheric heights the offspring of its M10 engine would reach in F1 – and later leaving the sport with not a whimper, but an indelible bang that still continues to inspire awe today.

no excerpt – fix

Sources: Autoevolution.com, BMW, BMWBlog.com, Enginelabs.com, Formula1.com

After the initial setup, most people rarely engage directly with their smart TV. With wireless connectivity, phone apps, and remote controls, there’s little need to. Tucked next to the essential HDMI ports, a USB 2.0 port — likely sitting unnoticed on the back or side panel — offers more potential than you might expect.   

Also: Don’t cancel Netflix yet: I used these secret codes to unlock the full catalog of shows

USB ports are easy to overlook, but they’re a standard feature on most TVs — and more useful than you might think. Here are five clever ways to make the most of them.

1. Turn your TV into a slideshow or media player

Most new TV models come with a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and often a 3.0 port for faster data transfer. Your TV screen is likely bigger than your computer monitor, so why not use it to carousel a gallery of images or play videos? 

Also: CNET survey shows Americans spend over $1,000 a year on subscriptions, and they’re sick of it

I attended a family gathering recently, and the host used a 65-inch TV to do that very thing. The scanned pictures and videos looked and sounded great — all accessed by simply plugging in a USB flash drive. 

Just about any type of external hard drive, thumb drive, or data stick will function as if you plugged it into a laptop. Your TV will immediately recognize a connected device and offer you a means for accessing and navigating your media files.

If you want to program your TV to play a slideshow when idle, there’s a major benefit to keeping a flash drive attached just for that purpose. That benefit? Your media will not be automatically transferred to the TV’s cache or internal storage because it will read files directly from the flash drive. 

Also: How to clear your TV cache (and why you shouldn’t wait to do it)

By keeping the files stored only on the drive, you won’t need to spend time duplicating and uploading them to the TV. Moreover, your TV will thank you for performing better since you’re not clogging up its cache.

2. Transform your TV into a workstation

Ever find yourself with spreadsheets, documents, vector graphics, videos, and web pages crowding your computer monitor? That makes two of us.

The most common monitor size for creatives and professionals is 27 inches. Purchasing multiple high-quality monitors (or oversized 32-inch panels) can be extremely expensive. But if you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of color accuracy and resolution for more real estate on, say, a 55-inch TV screen, you can employ a Bluetooth adapter to connect wireless peripherals like a mouse or keyboard.

Also: This TCL Mini LED is the TV deal I recommend to most – especially at up to $1,000 off

A larger display allows for more space to multitask, work on complex designs, and view your discombobulating number of open windows simultaneously. You’ll need those peripheral tools to be connected by USB to get the work done.

3. Make your aging TV stream-worthy

The seven-year-old TCL TV in my bedroom requires a streaming device to access Prime Video, HBO Max, and other platforms. Many streaming devices, especially newer ones, require a connection to an A/C outlet for power. But some, such as earlier-generation Amazon Fire Sticks and Google Chromecasts, can be powered by the TV while making it smarter.

Also: 5 Chromecast features you’re not using enough on your TV (including a smart home buff)

All streaming devices connect directly to TVs via HDMI ports to function, but some can be powered by USB. My TCL, for example, has a Roku Streaming Stick attached by a short HDMI cable for data transfer and a short USB 2.0 cable for power. The streaming gadget that allows me to access the internet and watch Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone at night is not plugged into the wall at all. It is being fed by — and feeding — the TV all at once.

I should note that this is a less-than-ideal scenario because powering a device with its own CPU and quad-core processor can lead to issues like overheating, interruptions, and underperformance. But it does work.

4. Charge USB devices if you’re in a pinch

In fact, you can charge just about any device through your TV’s USB port with the appropriate cable. Have you ever had to charge your phone by plugging it into a USB port on your laptop? I’ve been there, too. You can do the same with your TV.

Also: I didn’t expect to love Amazon’s flagship soundbar this much – but it’s the real deal

The downside is that most TV USB ports are designed for data transfer and powering low-energy devices, so they don’t pull a lot of juice. This means using a TV as a charging hub will be relatively slow, even for something like a console gaming controller. But again, if you’re in a real bind, it’s an option.

So try to remember that your TV’s USB ports are back there for a reason. You might as well use them to access media, increase the utility of your TV, and supply power to external devices.

5. Bonus: Updating software

It doesn’t sound as flashy as the other benefits on this list, but if your smart TV doesn’t have internet or you’re on a non-smart TV, it’s critical that you keep the software updated via a USB upload. 

Also: Your TV’s USB port has a forgotten benefit that can make an old system feel new again

Manufacturers often introduce upgraded features and functionality, improved performance, and bug fixes with the occasional update, and you can download the latest software through dedicated support pages. Here’s Samsung’s, for example.

Search for your model or product name, download the latest software file onto your USB drive, and plug the drive into your TV to upload it. You may need to restart your TV when all is said and done.

Companies have struggled to adopt the right AI tools as the technology evolves at a far faster pace than their slow sales cycles.

Corporate credit card company Brex is no different. The startup found itself facing the same issue as its enterprise counterparts. The upshot: Brex completely changed its approach to software procurement to ensure it wouldn’t get left behind.

At the HumanX AI conference in March, Brex CTO James Reggio told TechCrunch that the company initially tried to assess these software tools through its usual procurement strategy. The startup quickly discovered its months-long piloting process was just not going to work.

“In the first year following ChatGPT, when all these new tools were coming on the scene, the procurement process itself would actually run so long that the teams that were asking to procure a tool lost interest in the tool by the time that we actually got through all of the necessary internal controls,” Reggio said.

That’s when Brex realized it had to completely rethink its procurement process.

The company started by coming up with a new framework for data processing agreements and legal validations for bringing on AI tools, Reggio said. This allowed Brex to vet potential AI tools more quickly and get them into the hands of testers faster.

Reggio said the company uses a “superhuman product-market-fit test” to figure out what tools are worth investing in beyond the pilot program. This approach gives employees a much larger role in deciding what tools the company should adopt based on where they are finding value, he added.

“We go deep with the folks who are getting the most value out of the tool to figure out whether it is actually unique enough to retain,” Reggio said. “We’re basically, I would say, about two years into this new era where there’s 1,000 AI tools within our company. And we’ve definitely canceled and not renewed maybe five to 10 different larger deployments.”

Brex gives its engineers a monthly budget of $50 to license whichever software tools they want from an approved list.

“By delegating that spending authority to the individuals who are going to be leveraging this, they make the optimal decisions for optimizing their workflows,” Reggio said. “It’s actually really interesting and we haven’t seen a convergence. I think that that has also validated the decision to make it easy to try a bunch of different tools, is that we haven’t seen everybody just rush in and say, ‘I want Cursor.’”

This approach has helped the company figure out where it needs broader licensing deals for software too based on a more accurate headcount of how many engineers are using what.

Overall, Reggio said the best way for enterprises to approach the current AI innovation cycle, in his opinion, is to “embrace the messiness” and accept that figuring out which tools to adopt will be a bumpy process and that’s okay.

“Knowing that you’re not going to always make the right decision out of the gate is just like paramount to making sure that you don’t get left behind,” Reggio said. “I think the one mistake that we could make is to overthink this and spend six to nine months evaluating everything very carefully before we deploy it. And you don’t know what the world is going to look like nine months from now.”

What you need to know

• The latest firmware for the OnePlus 13 enables remote control support for Windows PCs, allowing users to access files and control their computer from their OnePlus 13.
• The handset users also gain a Game Camera for live screenshots and flashback recording during gameplay.
• The update also includes a Speaker Cleaner for optimal audio performance, and a Drag & drop feature for images and text in third-party apps, along with a “reduce white points” option for color sensitivity.

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With a new OnePlus event just around the corner, the company, on the other hand, has started rolling out updates to its prominent flagship, the OnePlus 13. It is a sizable update that has begun rolling out in the U.S.

The latest firmware bears the CPH2655_15.0.0.832(EX01) build number, which includes the latest June Android security patch. As mentioned, it is a notable update that features 7.47GB and brings some new features, numerous bug fixes, and improvements.

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The July 2025 branding list spotlights a series of design-forward and celebrity-boosted campaigns that showcase product functionalities and other sensibilities.

By tapping into pop culture and celebrity endorsements, brands immediately generate visibility. Jean Paul Gaultier, for example, tapped global music artist Jennie for the debut of its Pre-Fall 2025 collection. JINRO, on the other hand, debuted a soju collection in partnership with Netflix and its globally acclaimed series Squid Game. Glenfiddich and Aston Martin also tap the world-renowned Formula One® event to share their commitment to precision, craftsmanship, and innovation through strategic marketing opportunities.

The July 2025 branding list also calls attention to diverse business representation by spotlighting Indigenous-designed haircare sets like the Wella Professionals’ exclusive packaging, which features artwork by Alanah Jewell, an Indigenous artist from the Oneida Nation of the Thames.