Among a sea of new TVs, robovacs, and smart glasses, Yukai Engineering’s Mirumi was a unique standout at CES 2025 earlier this year. The tiny robot has no practical purpose other than looking adorable and bringing a smile to people’s faces by simulating an inquisitive personality. The company planned to release the companion bot sometime in mid-2025, but mere weeks before the year ends Mirumi is finally available for preorder through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

Yukai Engineering originally expected Mirumi to be priced at around $70, but a lot has happened around the world since January, and the tiny bot will actually cost about twice that. The earliest Kickstarter backers can preorder Mirumi with gray, pink, or ivory fur for 18,360 yen, or around $118 with discounts. If you drag your feet, the crowdfunding pricing will end up at 21,803 yen, or around $140, but that’s still discounted from the full retail pricing, which is expected to be $150.

Following the Kickstarter there will be a bit more waiting, as Mirumi isn’t expected to ship until April 2026 at the earliest, but as with any crowdfunded product, it’s not a bad idea to brace yourself for delays.

Instead of cleaning floors or mowing your lawn, Mirumi is positioned as a companion robot, but one that will benefit others more often. Using a long pair of arms the robot attaches to bag straps or handles and appears to curiously look around by turning and cocking its head from side to side.

Using a distance sensor Mirumi can also detect nearby people and appear to focus its gaze and attention on them, but will also simulate the bashful response of an infant by shaking and turning its head away when someone suddenly appears or touches it. Mirumi isn’t overpacked with functionality, and that could be its biggest appeal. It just hangs out with you and quietly watches the world go by while occasionally brightening someone’s day with just a look.

Elon Musk has shared a new, alarming video on social media that paints a world where humanoid robots slide into nearly every corner of our daily lives.

The clip features Tesla’s Optimus robot performing tasks ranging from physical labor to cooking. Musk paired the video with a sweeping promise that robots will raise global wealth and make work optional.

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THE NEW ROBOT THAT COULD MAKE CHORES A THING OF THE PAST

Inside the viral Optimus humanoid robot montage

Musk reposted the 38-second video on his X profile, which was originally created by Alex Utopia and shows Tesla’s humanoid robots doing a variety of everyday jobs. Since Musk posted the clip, it has racked up over 58.5 million views. 

The montage shows Optimus walking down the street. It then cuts to a construction site where the robot supports workers. The clip shifts to a scene of Optimus providing emergency aid during a disaster drill. Next, you see Optimus inside a judo gym, sparring with a trainer.

After that, the robot appears on an urban police patrol. The tone shifts again when Optimus lands in a casino dealing cards at a blackjack table. Then you can see it walking on the beach, and then it is shown in a restaurant kitchen where it cooks a meal with professional chefs. The final shot shows Optimus back in a casino at a roulette table.

Musk has already shown Optimus folding laundry and walking in earlier demos. He continues to frame humanoid robots as the solution for labor shortages tied to declining fertility rates.

AI VIDEO TECH FAST-TRACKS HUMANOID ROBOT TRAINING

Musk’s bold prediction for a robot-driven economy

Shortly after sharing the video, Musk spoke at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, where he argued that humanoid robots will reshape society. According to Musk, work will shift from a necessity to a hobby. He compared future jobs to gardening for fun rather than buying vegetables at a store.

Musk said he expects money to lose relevance as artificial intelligence and robotics advance. He also claimed humanoid robots will become the biggest product in history. In his view, there is one clear path to universal wealth. He said AI and robotics can eliminate poverty and allow people to choose work only when it brings joy.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang offered a more cautious perspective. He agreed that jobs will change but noted that currency will continue to matter for the foreseeable future.

What this means for you

The world Elon Musk describes raises big questions about daily life. Robots that can cook, build and respond to emergencies could reshape our communities. They may also transform what people see as valuable work. Even if full robot integration is years away, companies like Tesla are already starting to show how quickly this tech can evolve. You may not see an Optimus on your street yet, but the direction is clear, and the pace is fast.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Musk’s reposted montage video has pushed the conversation about humanoid robots into sharper focus. The video shows how close companies like Tesla want us to be to a future filled with robots that move, react and work alongside us. The reactions range from excitement to real concern, which shows how uneasy many feel about a world shaped by machines that can cook, patrol and even respond to emergencies. The speed of this progress is hard to ignore. Each new video hints at a future where robots handle more daily tasks and take on work that once needed human hands. Whether that future feels promising or unsettling will depend on how we prepare for it and how much control we keep as this technology grows.

How would you feel if a robot like Optimus began taking on tasks in your daily life? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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I love instant cameras because of how they help me slow down and be creative without the distractions of a phone. Holding a real print also feels grounding in a screen-dominated age, which is why I think a lot of people these days are drawn to them — and why models with old-school vibes like the Polaroid Flip make such great gifts. It’s usually pricey, but today you can buy the Flip for $184.99 ($35 off) directly from Polaroid, which is its best price to date. Amazon is also selling the camera with two packs of film for $212.49 ($37 off), which marks a new low too.

Polaroid cameras offer the most charming, old-fashioned instant-film experience of any I’ve tested, and the Flip is no exception. It sports a classic, retro-inspired design with a flip-up lid and prints vintage-style square I-Type photos with Polaroid’s iconic white frame. Yet at the same time it’s got the perfect amount of subtle modern conveniences baked in, like Bluetooth, USB-C charging, and a beginner-friendly companion app that lets you adjust saturation and exposure.

But what makes it really stand out is its picture quality, which outshines other Polaroid models in this price range. The Flip has the most powerful flash of any Polaroid camera, and paired with its unique sonar autofocus and four-lens hyperfocal system, it produces sharper, more consistently in-focus images than any model Polaroid offers at this price. You can manually tweak exposure, too, and the camera even sends warnings you when a shot is likely to be over- or underexposed. These are all features that go a long way toward reducing the number of wasted shots, which is helpful given I-Type film costs a whopping $18.99 for just eight prints.

That said, the instant camera’s not for everyone. Fujifilm’s cheaper Instax Mini 12 develops prints much faster and looks more true-to-life while struggling less in low light. Still, the Flip’s dreamy, vintage aesthetic has its own appeal, especially if you prefer a more artistic, old-fashioned look.