A year and a half ago, Threads was but a twinkle in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye.

Now, the rival to Elon Musk’s X has reached more than 175 million monthly active users, the Meta CEO announced on Wednesday.

As with any social network, and especially for Threads, monthly users only tell part of the growth story. It’s telling that, unlike Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, Meta hasn’t shared daily user numbers yet. That omission suggests Threads is still getting a lot of flyby traffic from people who have yet to become regular users.

I’ve heard from Meta employees in recent months that much of the app’s growth is still coming from it being promoted inside Instagram. Both apps share the same account system, which isn’t expected to change.

Even still, 175 million monthly users for a one-year app is nothing to turn your nose up at, especially given Meta’s spotty track record of launching standalone app experiments over the years. Zuckerberg has been open to me and others that he thinks Threads has a real shot at being the company’s next billion-user app. To keep the growth story going, I’m told, Meta is focused on markets where it thinks there’s an opening to take more market share from X — Japan, for example.

For now, Threads is still a loss leader for Meta financially, though it can certainly afford to fund it indefinitely. Internally, I’m told execs are thinking about turning on ads in Threads sometime next year, though the exact plan is still up in the air. It’s easy to see how Threads could plug into Instagram’s existing ads system. And given Meta’s intentional decision to deprioritize politics and encourage lighthearted content, it could be a compelling place for advertisers looking for a more brand-safe alternative to X.

“It would be great if it gets really, really big, but I’m actually more interested in if it becomes culturally relevant and if it gets hundreds of millions of users,” the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, told me when Threads first launched. A year later, the app definitely has more progress to make on the cultural front. But the fact that it’s still growing means Meta has the runway to make that happen.

You may have seen renderings of an eye-catching wall covered in vertical wind turbines making the rounds online. That bold concept is finally spinning into reality with a product called Airiva from designer Joe Doucet.

The initial vision was ambitious: a mesmerizing array of 25 vertical-axis turbines each connected to a generator for a combined peak output of 10 kilowatts.

While that’s an attractive figure on paper, the intermittent nature of wind means actual daily energy production could be significantly lower.

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Years of refinement and testing

But Doucet didn’t just run with that initial concept. Over the past few years, his team has tweaked and tested 16 different blade configurations before settling on a helical design. They’ve refined Airiva into a modular system made up of sizable turbine units.

Each unit houses eight turbines and is expected to produce around 2,200 kWh annually. Not a massive amount on its own, but it’s enough to put a dent in domestic energy bills. In fact, an average U.S. home would need around five units to meet all its electricity needs, though that’s quite a large footprint.

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Wind turbine wall (Airiva)

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Targeting urban infrastructure

While residential is a potential market, Airiva seems aimed more at urban infrastructure projects. Multiple units could line highways, span bridges or be installed at company campuses, airports, harbors and transport hubs.

“Airiva integrates within the architecture and infrastructure of our urban and suburban landscapes to bring clean energy closer to where we live and work,” Doucet said on the company’s website.

Wind turbine wall (Airiva)

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Sustainable, smart and competitive

Beyond its unique design, Airiva touts five impressive eco-friendly and technological credentials:

1. At least 80% recycled materials in manufacturing

2. Modular and scalable for diverse installation needs

3. Compatible with other distributed energy systems

4. Remote monitoring for smart control

5. Competitive energy costs compared to similar solutions

The company is still prototyping but plans customer pilots in late 2024 before opening orders in 2025. The upcoming tests will reveal if Airiva’s performance and pricing can live up to its bold promises.

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Wind turbine wall (Airiva)

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Powering the future: Sustainable tech solutions for today’s home

Innovations similar to Joe Doucet’s Airiva are making waves in the realm of residential energy efficiency. Here are some technologies that are also being used to reduce domestic energy bills:

1. Solar panels: Rooftop solar panels are a popular choice for homeowners looking to harness renewable energy. They can significantly reduce electricity bills and even generate excess power that can be sold back to the grid.

2. Smart home devices: Smart thermostats, lighting systems and appliances can optimize energy use, leading to lower energy consumption and costs.

3. Ultra-efficient heat pumps: Next-generation heat pumps can warm and cool homes more efficiently than traditional systems, reducing primary energy consumption by up to 30%.

4. Energy-efficient windows: Advanced window controls and materials can minimize heat loss during winter and reduce heat gain during summer, improving overall energy efficiency.

5. Reflective roofing materials: These materials can reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat, leading to lower cooling costs.

6. LED lighting: LED bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. They also produce less heat, which can help keep your home cooler in the summer. By replacing the most-used bulbs in your home with LEDs, you can save about $75 per year.

Also, consider using smart light bulbs, which are LED light bulbs that connect to the internet through Wi-Fi or a hub. When connected to the internet, you can control when, how long, how often and how brightly (and even what color) your bulb shines from the comfort of your cellphone, tablet, smartwatch or voice assistant. Smart light bulbs use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Be sure to check out my top smart bulb picks here.

7. Geothermal systems: Geothermal heat pumps use the stable temperature of the ground to provide heating, cooling and hot water at high efficiencies.

8. Wind turbines: Residential wind turbines can be installed on properties to generate electricity, though they require a suitable location with enough wind.

9. Hydropower systems: Microhydropower systems can be a viable option for homes near flowing water, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity.

These technologies, along with Airiva’s wind turbines, represent a growing trend towards greener, more sustainable living. They not only help in reducing energy bills but also contribute to a lower carbon footprint, aligning with global efforts to combat climate change.

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Unexpected ways to lower your energy bills

Be sure to check out some unexpected ways to lower your energy bills that I’ve discovered. You’ll learn about new and traditional products that can help create a cooling strategy that gives you more control and saves you money. To see my list of recommendations, click here.

Pro tip: Best gear to keep you cool during a hot summer

Beat the heat this summer with some great fans, coolers and sleeping solutions to help you stay chill this summer. You can check out my picks here.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

As we look towards the future, it’s clear that a combination of these technologies will be necessary to meet our energy needs in a sustainable way. From the integration of wind turbines into urban landscapes, as seen with Airiva, to the adoption of smart home technologies and the continued improvement of solar power systems, each innovation brings us closer to a more energy-efficient world. The walls that once stood as mere structures are increasingly becoming canvases for sustainable energy production, transforming the way we live and work.

What are your thoughts on the future of domestic energy production and the role of technologies like Airiva in reducing our carbon footprint? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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DJI is expanding into electric bikes in a big way with its new Avinox drive system and Amflow e-bike brand. The company best known for its drones is launching its first e-bike — the carbon fiber Amflow PL electric mountain bike — before the end of the year, complete with the mid-drive Avinox motor and fast-charging battery. It has so many smart and powerful features packed into a relatively lightweight e-bike that it should catch the attention of competitors like Bosch and Specialized.

As a showcase for DJI’s new Avinox drive system, the Amflow PL e-bike features a very impressive 120Nm of max torque and 1000W of on-demand boost power to overcome even the steepest inclines. Otherwise, its “remarkably quiet” mid-drive motor is rated for 250W of nominal output with an 850W peak. Its removable 800Wh battery can fast-charge from zero to 75 percent in a speedy 1.5 hours when using Amflow’s 2A/508W GaN charger.

Despite all that power and battery capacity, the Amflow PL weighs just 19.2kg (just over 42 pounds), thanks in part to a 2.27kg carbon fiber frame and 2.52kg Avinox drive system.

The bike features a two-inch color OLED touchscreen display integrated into the frame and an Avinox app for wireless access to the bike and all the riding data. The bike will sound an alarm in case of trouble and alert you of its location in the app. It has four pedal-assist modes, including an auto mode that adapts power delivery based on riding resistance. Rounding out the highlights is a USB charging port for your phone or bike computer, a full suspension system from Fox, and a frame that can accommodate both 27.5-inch and 29-inch rear wheels.

“Our expertise in battery and motor technology accumulated in drones and camera stabilization systems, have led us to the creation of Avinox,” says Christina Zhang, senior director of corporate strategy at DJI. “It is a natural move for DJI to expand into this field as we have been mastering the technologies essential to an electric bike system, in terms of reliable motor development, battery management, mechanical design and engineering.”

The company has also been developing intelligent driving solutions for automobiles in China over the last few years, some of which can already be found in several car models. More recently, the company expanded into the large consumer battery market with the launch of its first power stations.

The Amflow PL is expected to ship in Q4. DJI tells me to expect a pricing somewhere between €7,000 and €12,000 ($7,500 and $12,850), which puts it into direct competition with premium electric sport bikes like Specialized’s Turbo series. DJI says the Amflow PL will be available from authorized dealers in Germany, the UK, and Australia “amongst others.”