Technology
Anker’s rugged Bluetooth speaker can clean itself by shaking off dirt
Anker’s audio-focused Soundcore brand is introducing a new wireless Bluetooth speaker with rugged features designed to help it survive and thrive during a trip to the beach. The Boom 3i has an IP68 water and dustproof rating plus an additional protective coating that will keep it corrosion-free for up to two years if exposed to or even completely dunked in salt water, claims Anker.
The Boom 3i is not only completely waterproof, it also floats, but not just for the sake of making it easier to recover should it fall off a boat or dock. The Boom 3i is engineered so that its speakers are always pointing upwards and are fully functional while floating, so you can use it directly in the pool or while having a swim at the lake. If you’re using it in a river with a fast moving current you may want to consider attaching something heavy to the speaker’s detachable carrying strap to create a makeshift anchor.
Being waterproof makes the speaker easy to clean when you get back from the beach, but for dislodging dust or sand stuck in the speaker grill, the Boom 3i has a Buzz Clean mode that makes it vibrate intensely to shake off dirt. It also includes a mode that leverages its 96db of sound output to play an emergency alarm should you find yourself in need of help, and it can double as a megaphone using Soundcore’s mobile app and your phone as a mic.
Battery life is rated at up to 16 hours with the volume at 50 percent and features like boosted bass and synchronized LED accent lighting turned off. If battery life is your priority in a wireless speaker, there are better options available. But if you want a speaker you won’t have to worry about babying while you’re out on an adventure, the Boom 3i seems tougher than most.
Technology
The best robot vacuum deals available during Prime Day
If you’ve been wanting to buy a robot vacuum but have been put off by how much it can cost to get a good one, now is not a bad time to start looking. Prime Day has kicked off, though more than just Amazon is offering deals on several models we’ve tested from brands like Roborock, Dreame, and Shark. Whether you’re looking for a basic robot vacuum that can cut down on the amount of vacuuming you have to do or a high-end model that can wash and dry its own mop pads and climb over room thresholds, there are deals available across a wide range of price points.
Update, June 23rd: Adjusted prices and availability and added deals for the Narwal Flow, Narwal Flow 2, and SwitchBot K11 Plus.
Technology
Hoto’s 25-bit electric screwdriver is 40 percent off during Prime Day
You knew there’d be a Hoto deal, right? Whether you’re moving into a new apartment or tackling a growing list of small repairs around the house, a good electric screwdriver can save you time and effort. Hoto’s 3.6V Electric Screwdriver Kit Pro is one we love to recommend, especially because it’s on sale for $28.49 ($21.50 off) at Amazon and Walmart during Prime Day, which is just $5 shy of its all-time low price.
Unlike a big power drill, the Hoto is small and lightweight enough to keep in a drawer or car trunk, yet it’s powerful enough to tackle a number of common household tasks. The kit includes 25 interchangeable steel bits along with an extension bar, making it well suited to everything from assembling furniture to making small appliance repairs, or working on scooters and bikes.
The Hoto offers three torque settings, allowing you to apply less force when working with delicate electronics and more when putting together furniture. The rechargeable 1,500mAh battery charges via USB-C and can handle dozens of small projects on a single charge. As a convenience, there’s a built-in LED light that makes it easier to see what you’re doing, which is especially handy when working behind a TV stand or under a desk.
Technology
Nvidia says its AI data center design runs hotter to use a lot less water
Public pushback against data centers has emphasized their water and energy consumption, and now Nvidia is highlighting its claim that the Rubin generation reference design for a fully liquid-cooled data center has “eliminated massive amounts of power usage and pretty much all water usage.” Still, it doesn’t address all of the concerns around AI data centers, including during their construction, and for the power generation requirements of the massive facilities. Also, as Gizmodo points out, Nvidia’s blog post doesn’t mention the cost of building this style of data center vs. one using less efficient air cooling, but claims that “every cloud provider and data center operator building for [Rubin] is making the transition.”
The efficiency gains are partly due to running AI servers hotter, as high as 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius). In a recent report, Amazon similarly touted higher heat tolerances as part of making its mostly air-cooled data centers more efficient.
With Nvidia’s system, “heat is captured directly at the chip and transported through liquid loops operating at much higher temperatures, allowing outdoor dry coolers to reject heat efficiently for much of the year,” with much more flexibility when it comes to the ambient air temperature.
According to Nvidia’s head of sustainability, Josh Parker, the reference design takes water use “from roughly 2.6 million gallons per megawatt per year for conventional cooling-tower-based systems to near zero — up to a 100 percent reduction.”
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