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Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Water filters, flamethrowers, idiot-proof drones

At any given moment there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the Web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find there’s no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there – alongside some real gems. We’ve cut through the Pebble clones and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting projects out there this week. Keep in mind that any crowdfunded project — even the best intentioned — can fail, so do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Naked Filter — Nanotech water filter

Naked Filter Bottle 2When you’re out in the wilderness, pretty much all of your options for water purification are horrible. Iodine tablets taste like ass, boiling your water takes forever, and reverse osmosis filters are a pain to suck water through. If none of those tickle your fancy, you could always go the SteriPen route, but UV light doesn’t filter out particulate matter. I don’t know about you, but drinking flecks of fish poop and pond scum isn’t my thing.

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But not to worry — the good folks at Liquidity Nanotech have developed a much better solution. Using a specially-engineered nano-fiber membrane, the bottle is able to trap 99.999 percent of all bacteria, protozoan cysts, and any other particles bigger than 0.2 microns. Now to be fair, this definitely isn’t the first filter-in-bottle purification system — but thanks to the composition of the nanofiber membrane, water is able to pass through freely, almost like a normal, filterless water bottle.

Ares — Uber-simplified videography drones

Ares drone 2Drones have revolutionized the way we shoot aerial video. Shots that used to require a helicopter pilot and steadycam operator can now be performed by anybody with a quadcopter. The only problem is that getting pro-level shots is still somewhat difficult. Even if you’re a seasoned drone pilot, maneuvering the drone and pointing the camera in the proper direction can be a tricky endeavor. That’s where Ares comes in. These guys have created an innovative new drone control system that makes aerial videography as easy as fingerpainting.

The Ares app allows users to draw out their flight path, adjust altitude, and choose a fixed point for the camera to focus on. Once all that’s done, you just hit “go” and let the software do its thing. It’s basically like waypoint flying on steroids. Instead of choosing a set of points for the drone to visit, the Ares software makes it possible to literally draw out where you want the drone to go, allowing for a much higher degree of customization.

The Origin — 4-axis gimbal stabilizer

Origin stabiliser 1In the past few years, stabilization technology has progressed in leaps and bounds. Gimbals are everywhere these days, allowing practically anyone with a camera to shoot super-stable, professional-looking video. But they’re not perfect. Gimbals can typically stabilize videos on three axes, but are still prone to a little bit of shakiness if the whole rig is subjected to abrupt up or down forces.

The Origin addresses this issue. To make your shots even more stable than before, it’s equipped with a dampener system that protects the rig from jerky up and down movement. Basically, this means you don’t have to worry about holding the gimbal steady or moving smoothly while you shoot — you can run, jump, and be relatively jerky in your movements without compromising the stability of the shot. And the best part? The device is currently going for about $2,400 — a fraction of what the average 3-axis gimbal setup costs.

XM42 — Handheld flamethrower

XM42 Flame thrower 1Believe it or not, there are practically no restrictions on flamethrower ownership in the United States. Unless you live in California, it’s perfectly legal to purchase, own, and use a device that spits out fire. Thing is, most flamethrowers you can easily get your hands on aren’t all that powerful. Most can only shoot flames just a few feet, and are intended for practical things like torching weeds in the cracks of your driveway. The XM42, on the other hand, is a bit more robust. This beast is capable of spitting out a 25-foot stream of fire, and because it’s handheld, it doesn’t require you to wear a backpack full of fuel. To use it, you simply load up the refillable tank with regular ol’ gasoline, flip on the pilot light, and start torching. No need to worry about pressurization or mixing any special blend — 87 octane gasoline straight from the gas station is what it’s designed for.

Aivvy Q — Headphones that learn

Aivvy QEver get sick of updating the tracks stored on your devices, updating playlists, and spending a bunch of time managing your music? Check out Aivvy Q (pronounced like “ivy”) — an upcoming pair of smart headphones. These badboys draw music from a database of over 40 million tracks, and store a cache of music locally, right inside the headphones, for offline listening.

To figure out what you like, Aivvy uses contextual awareness and machine-learning algorithms. If you dig a song, you just tap on the side of the headphones. Aivvy will automatically log the date, time, location, and song name, and then use that information to create an auto-curated playlist. Over time, it starts to nail down what you like to listen to in all the different locations you visit, so it can autonomously generate and manage playlists for places like work, the gym, or your living room. On top of all that, it’s also equipped with a battery that will (allegedly) give you 40 hours of playback time.

Drew Prindle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…
What happened to Amazon’s inaugural Project Kuiper launch?
Official Imagery for Amazon Project Kuiper.

Amazon is aiming to take on SpaceX’s Starlink internet service using thousands of its own Project Kuiper satellites in low-Earth orbit.

The first Project Kuiper satellites were suppsoed to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on April 9, but rough weather conditions forced the mission team to scrub the planned liftoff.

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EVs top gas cars in German reliability report — but one weak spot won’t quit
future electric cars 2021 volkswagen id4 official 32

Electric vehicles are quietly crushing old stereotypes about being delicate or unreliable, and the data now backs it up in a big way. According to Germany’s ADAC — Europe’s largest roadside assistance provider — EVs are actually more reliable than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. And this isn’t just a small study — it’s based on a staggering 3.6 million breakdowns in 2024 alone.
For cars registered between 2020 and 2022, EVs averaged just 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, while ICE cars saw more than double that, at 10.4 per 1,000. Even with more EVs hitting the road, they only accounted for 1.2% of total breakdowns — a big win for the battery-powered crowd.
Among standout performers, some cars delivered exceptionally low breakdown rates. The Audi A4 clocked in at just 0.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for 2022 models, with Tesla’s Model 3 right behind at 0.5. The Volkswagen ID.4, another popular EV, also impressed with a rate of 1.0 – as did the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross at 1.3. On the flip side, there were some major outliers: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 showed a surprisingly high 22.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for its 2022 models, while the hybrid Toyota RAV4 posted 18.4.
Interestingly, the most common issue for both EVs and ICE vehicles was exactly the same: the humble 12-volt battery. Despite all the futuristic tech in EVs, it’s this old-school component that causes 50% of all EV breakdowns, and 45% for gas-powered cars. Meanwhile, EVs shine in categories like engine management and electrical systems — areas where traditional engines are more complex and failure-prone.
But EVs aren’t completely flawless. They had a slightly higher rate of tire-related issues — 1.3 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles compared to 0.9 for ICE cars. That could be due to their heavier weight and high torque, which can accelerate tire wear. Still, this trend is fading in newer EVs as tire tech and vehicle calibration improve.
Now, zooming out beyond Germany: a 2024 Consumer Reports study in the U.S. painted a different picture. It found that EVs, especially newer models, had more reliability issues than gas cars, citing tech glitches and inconsistent build quality. But it’s worth noting that the American data focused more on owner-reported problems, not just roadside breakdowns.
So, while the long-term story is still developing, especially for older EVs, Germany’s data suggests that when it comes to simply keeping you on the road, EVs are pulling ahead — quietly, efficiently, and with far fewer breakdowns than you might expect.

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You can now lease a Hyundai EV on Amazon—and snag that $7,500 tax credit
amazon autos hyundai evs lease ioniq 6 n line seoul mobility show 2025 mk08

Amazon has changed how we shop for just about everything—from books to furniture to groceries. Now, it’s transforming the way we lease cars. Through Amazon Autos, you can now lease a brand-new Hyundai entirely online—and even better, you’ll qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit if you choose an electric model like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, or Kona EV.
Here’s why that matters: As of January 2025, Hyundai’s EVs no longer qualify for the tax credit if you buy them outright, due to strict federal rules about battery sourcing and final assembly. But when you lease, the vehicle is technically owned by the leasing company (Hyundai Capital), which allows it to be classified as a “commercial vehicle” under U.S. tax law—making it eligible for the credit. That savings is typically passed on to you in the form of lower lease payments.
With Amazon’s new setup, you can browse Hyundai’s EV inventory, secure financing, trade in your current vehicle, and schedule a pickup—all without leaving the Amazon ecosystem.
It’s available in 68 markets across the U.S., and pricing is fully transparent—no hidden fees or haggling. While Hyundai is so far the only automaker fully participating, more are expected to join over time.
Pioneered by the likes of Tesla, purchasing or leasing vehicles online has been a growing trend since the Covid pandemic.
A 2024 study by iVendi found that 74% of car buyers expect to use some form of online process for their next purchase. In fact, 75% said online buying met or exceeded expectations, with convenience and access to information cited as top reasons. The 2024 EY Mobility Consumer Index echoed this trend, reporting that 25% of consumers now plan to buy their next vehicle online—up from 18% in 2021. Even among those who still prefer to finalize the purchase at a dealership, 87% use online tools for research beforehand.
Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study reveals that while 86% of U.S. consumers still want to test-drive a vehicle in person, digital tools are now a critical part of the buying journey.
Bottom line? Amazon is making it easier than ever to lease an EV and claim that tax credit—without the dealership hassle. If you're ready to plug in, it might be time to add to cart.

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