XRP futures open interest drops 37% — Are altcoin traders jumping ship?XRP saw a double-digit drop in its futures open interest, but is it a sign that the altcoin’s triple-digit rally is ending?

A Twin-Lens Reflex Camera That’s Not Quite What It SeemsThe Camp Snap is a simple fixed-focus digital camera with only an optical viewfinder and a shot counter, which has become a surprise hit among photography enthusiasts for its similarity to a disposable film camera. [Snappiness] has one, and also having a liking for waist-level viewfinders as found on twin-lens reflex cameras, decided to make a new Camp Snap with a waist-level viewfinder. It’s a digital twin-lens reflex camera, of sorts.
Inside the Camp Snap is the little webcam module we’ve come to expect from these cameras, coupled with the usual microcontroller PCB that does the work of saving to SD card. It’s not an ESP32, but if you’ve ever played with an ESP32-CAM board you’re on a similar track. He creates a 3D-printed TLR-style case designed to take the PCB and mount the camera module centrally, with ribbon cable extensions taking care of placement for the other controls. The viewfinder meanwhile uses a lens, a mirror, and a Fresnel lens, and if you think this might look a little familiar it’s because he’s based it upon his previous clip-on viewfinder project.
The result, with an added “Snappiflex” logo and filter ring, is a rather nice-looking camera, and while it will preserve the dubious quality of the Camp Snap, it will certainly make the process of using the camera a lot more fun. We think these cheap cameras, and particular their even less expensive AliExpress cousins, have plenty of hacking potential as yet untapped, and we’re keen to see more work with them. The full video is below the break.

Vicious Antelope From Memories - Cherry Audio Memorymode PresetsFrom Memories delivers 30 expertly crafted retro synth presets for the Cherry Audio Memorymode synthesizer. Carefully designed with a commitment to vintage authenticity, these presets draw inspiration... Read More

Song Athletics reveal Sad Piano sample pack Named Sad Piano, Song Athletics' new sample pack contains a selection of delicately played phrases that are said to be well suited to contemporary classical music. 

Trump ends legal battle over Twitter banPresident Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the company formerly known as Twitter appears to be over. Trump sued the social media platform for banning him in the aftermath of January 6, 2021, when Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. While a federal judge dismissed the suit in 2022, the then-former president’s lawyers continued to appeal. Soon […]
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Jeff Dunham Finds A NOS 1958 Philco PredictaWhen you see a ventriloquist like [Jeff Dunham], you probably expect to see him with a puppet. This time – spoilers ahead – you won’t. Besides his fame on stage, [Dunham] is also a collector of vintage tech and a die-hard television enthusiast. In the video below, [Dunham] has gotten his hands on a rarity: an unboxed 1958 Philco Predicta TV. The original tape was still on the box. We get to follow along on his adventure to restore this sleek, retro-futuristic relic!
[Dunham]’s fascination with the Predicta stems from its historical significance and bold design. At a time when television was making its way into American homes, the Predicta dared to be different with its swivel-mounted picture tube and early printed circuit boards. Despite its brave aesthetics, the Predicta’s ambition led to notorious reliability issues. Yet, finding one in pristine condition, sealed and untouched for over six decades, is like unearthing a technological time capsule.
What makes this story unique is [Dunham]’s connection to both broadcasting and his craft. As a ventriloquist inspired by Edgar Bergen — whose radio shows captivated America — [Dunham] delights in restoring a TV from the same brand that first brought his idol’s voice to airwaves. His love for storytelling seamlessly translates into this restoration adventure.
After unboxing, [Dunham’s] team faces several challenges: navigating fragile components, securing the original shipping brace, and cautiously ramping up voltage to breathe life into the Predicta. The suspense peaks in the satisfying crackle of static, and the flicker of a 65-year-old screen finally awakened from slumber.
Have you ever come across an opportunity like this? Tell us about your favorite new old stock find in the comments. Buying these can be a risk, since components have a shelf life. We appreciate when these old TVs play period-appropriate shows. Who wants to watch Game of Thrones on a Predicta?

AngelicVibes Basshead MiniBasshead Mini is a free, no-frills plugin featuring 10 handcrafted presets: 5 hard-hitting 808s and 5 deep basses. Equipped with just the essentials—attack, release, output, pitch, and a distortion... Read More

23DSP releases four new FREE audio plugins (open beta)
23DSP has released four new FREE audio plugins (open beta stage) for macOS and Windows. 23DSP is a new developer from Italy with four forthcoming audio plugins currently in their open beta stage. Marco, the man behind 23DSP, developed the plugins to simplify the mixing process and help creators focus on being creative. The available [...]
View post: 23DSP releases four new FREE audio plugins (open beta)

DIY and Independent Musician News Last WeekLast week, our tips, advice, and independent musician news covered how to find an entertainment lawyer, to writing viral hits, and more...
The post DIY and Independent Musician News Last Week appeared first on Hypebot.

Top Music Business News Last WeekA busy week by any definition, music industry news was no exception, with indies at the Grammy Awards, big music instrument sales, and more...
The post Top Music Business News Last Week appeared first on Hypebot.

Wolff Audio announce Dante & USB-C options for ProPatch A pair of upcoming expansion modules will add 32-bit/192kHz A-D and D-A converters to the ProPatch unit, allowing it to be integrated into hybrid studios without the need for external converters.

TOM PETTY ESTATE TO DONATE $100,000 FOR WILDFIRE RELIEFThe Tom Petty Estate has partnered with GoFundMe to provide relief for those affected by the Los Angeles Wildfires, with individual donations of $15,000 going to a number of vetted residents who desperately need help rebuilding their lives. The family estate continues to amplify fundraising efforts across social media, encouraging fans to participate.  “Our hearts are with LA and all those who have been affected by the recent wildfires,” the Estate shares. “It is hard to begin to know where to help. We have strong ties to and love this community. And Tom and his family had the experience of losing everything in a fire.”To join the Estate in supporting those affected and to read more about their stories, the Tom Petty Estate set up a GoFundMe profile page, see here. Jonathan Franklin and family evacuated with very few items in hopes they would be able to return. Unfortunately Jonathan and his family lost their home and all of their possessions, with little to return to—more information/donate here. Jose Trinidad Rincon and Maria Rincon lost everything when a wildfire broke out in Eaton Canyon. Jose’s GoFundMe is organized by his daughter, Cristina, who was raised in the family home that no longer stands—more information/donate here. GT, Vikki and Tyler lost their house in the Eaton Fire. Their GoFundMe is organized by the family’s long-time neighbor and friend—more information/donate here. Jeanina Quezada lost her home and piano studio to the devastating Eaton fires. A single mom and pillar of the community, Jeanina’s passion for music brings joy to children and their families across LA—more information/donate here. The Schoettler Evtuhov Family home was destroyed by the Palisades Fire while they were out of town and unable to retrieve any important documents or their beloved cat—more information/donate here. “At GoFundMe, our mission is to help people help each other,” Margaret Richardson, GoFundMes Chief Corporate Affairs Officer says. “We are inspired by and grateful to the Tom Petty Estate for its commitment to helping Los Angeles families who lost everything in the wildfires and are seeking help on GoFundMe. During moments of crisis, GoFundMe is a lifeline to so many, and we remain committed to ensuring those affected receive help quickly and safely.”Additionally, the Petty Estate shared a number of relief efforts that will aid further organizations and causes dear to the late musician—who cherished his adopted home of Los Angeles and experienced the devastation of a fire himself. The Estate has donated $12,500 to MusiCares—a charity founded by the Recording Academy to safeguard the well-being of the music community—and their short-term disaster relief to music professionals impacted by the wildfires. An additional 10% of last week’s sales in the Tom Petty Store will also contribute to the cause—join their efforts here.In the spirit of protecting the animals and wildlife affected, the Tom Petty Estate has donated another $12,500 to Healthcare for Homeless Animals, a non-profit funding vital veterinary care for at-risk animals at Agoura Animal Care Center. Further proceeds from a limited-edition “Last Dance with Mary Jane” print signed by artist Blaze Brooks—which sold out imminently— will also benefit the mission—learn how you can get involved here. The post TOM PETTY ESTATE TO DONATE $100,000 FOR WILDFIRE RELIEF first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Anthropic CEO says DeepSeek was ‘the worst’ on a critical bioweapons data safety testAnthropic's CEO Dario Amodei claims DeepSeek generated sensitive bioweapons data in a safety test it ran.
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When Ignoring Spam Loses You an Ice Surfacer PatentBear with us for a moment for a little background. The Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa is the world’s largest natural skating rink, providing nearly 8 km of pristine ice surface during the winter. But maintaining such a large ice surface is a challenge. A regular Zamboni can’t do it; the job is just too big. So the solution is a custom machine called the Froster, conceived by Robert Taillefer and built by Sylvain Fredette.
Froster spans almost twenty meters, and carries almost 4000 L of water. There’s no other practical way to maintain almost 8 km of skating rink.
A patent was filed in 2010, granted by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, and later lost because important notifications started going to an apparently unchecked spam folder. The annual fee went unpaid, numerous emails went unanswered, an expiry date came and went, and that was that.
It’s true that emailed reminders (the agreed-upon — and only — method of contact) going unnoticed to spam was what caused Robert to not take any action until it was too late. We’d all agree that digital assistants in general need to get smarter, and that includes being better at informing the user about automatically-handled things like spam.
But what truly cost Robert Taillefer his patent was having a single point of failure for something very, very important. The lack of any sort of backup method of communication in case of failure or problem meant that this sad experience was, in a way, a disaster just waiting to happen. At least that’s how the Federal Court saw it when he took his complaint to them, and that’s how they continued to see it when he appealed the decision.
If you’ve never heard of the Rideau Canal Skateway or would like to see the Froster in action, check out this short video from the National Capital Commission of Canada, embedded just under the page break.

Aespa Brings the Drama to the Kia ForumFor one night only, aespa returned to Los Angeles for a show-stopping performance at the Kia Forum. The K-pop quartet – composed of Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning – had the entire venue roaring with cheers and howls for two and a half hours. In just a few years, aespa has become one of the most in-demand girl groups in South Korea. Last year the group was on a roll and released a lot of new music that garnered critical acclaim, including their first studio Armageddon, Whiplash (EP) and their first solo songs in Synk: Parallel Line. As a result of their success, the group earned the MAMA Award for Best Female Group at the end of 2024. The group's innovative visuals and bombastic music have made them stand out above the rest. The group is known for popularizing the metaverse concept. The group's name, aespa, combines the English initials "avatar," "experience" and "aspect" to symbolize the idea of "meeting another self and experiencing the new world." The group has been pushing the envelope of creativity by creating their own AI avatars called the æs and helping introduce Naevis – a virtual idol created by their entertainment company SM Entertainment as part of the company's SM Culture Universe. As the group’s popularity grows, so do their demands as their North American tour SYNK: PARALLEL LINE tour sold out instantly in a few cities. Lights went down at exactly 8 pm at the Kia Forum to the sounds of “Welcome To MY World” – the perfect song to hype up the crowd. Bringing the “Drama,” the group made their grand entrance appearing behind some screens wearing frilly white dresses. Their group of dancers joined next and seamlessly glided through the theatrical beats of the music. Aespa started the night strong performing some of their most popular songs right off the gate from “Black Mamba” to the bombastic hit “Supernova.” The group delighted fans with 24 songs, opting to chat less with the fans and more on delivering an entertaining show filled with all their hits. Choreography for each song was elaborate and elevated each performance - the dramatic leg drops from “Black Mamba” and the elbow raises from “Whiplash” got the biggest cheers. 

Throughout the night, Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning each took turns sharing the spotlight and showcasing their talents. The girls aren’t confined to specific roles, each being good at singing and dancing. Together the group is an unstoppable force. Yes, most K-pop groups use backtracks during live performances, especially on choreography-heavy songs but aespa used it sparingly that night. Their powerhouse vocals were easy to identify and they sounded great. Winter and Ningning have the strongest vocals, they effortlessly belted out high notes that earned loud howls from their fans. Towards the middle of their set, each member performed a solo song. Giselle started off the segment with the sultry R&B track “Dopamine,” Karina showed off her impressive dance moves with “UP,” Ningning melodic vocals for “Bored” caught everyone’s attention and Winter ended on a high note by performing “Spark” with euphoric visuals and choreography.During one of the group’s breaks Naevis made a surprise appearance and performed “Done.” It was interesting to see how they brought the AI to life through the screens, it almost felt like we were witnessing a real person perform on stage. Keeping the night interesting, the group had a few costume changes. The most memorable one being their baggy jeans and pink hoodies - an homage to their song “Pink Hoodie.” Aespa’s music is filled with witty lyrics and catchy choruses that work well in live performances. Songs like “Spicy” and “Next Level” felt like a singalong as everyone in the venue loudly sang along to each and every word. The night concluded with an encore performance of “ænergy,” “Just Another Girl” and “Life’s Too Short.”For more on aespa, visit aespa.com.Photo Credit: Andy Keilen/Kia Forum photosThe post Aespa Brings the Drama to the Kia Forum first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.