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Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Chain-free bikes and a spherical Segway

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion crowdfunding campaigns on the web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there — alongside some real gems. In this column, we cut through all the worthless wearables and Oculus Rift ripoffs to round up the week’s most unusual, ambitious, and exciting projects. But don’t grab your wallet just yet. Keep in mind that any crowdfunded project can fail — even the most well-intentioned. So do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Chainless — chain-free, direct-drive bicycle

 

Ever wished your bike didn’t have chains? No, that’s ridiculous, you say? Well whether you wanted it or not, the chain-free bicycle is finally here. So how exactly does the chainless technology work? As its creator explains, the Chainless bike replaces the traditional mechanism with a series of tungsten gears, which won’t rust or ever need to be oiled.

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But just because there are no chains doesn’t mean this bike can’t compete with the best of them — the wheels are constructed from a high density magnesium alloy, and come in three sizes: 20-inch, 24-inch, and 26-inch. And thanks to both front and rear disc brakes, the Chainless is allegedly able to stop on a dime.

Then there’s that RTS stuff, which is activated via a Shimano lever. In the company’s words, “RTS activates the back wheel to turn freely allowing rider access to unparalleled maneuverability. Tight corners are no longer a problem.”

Finally, with the Lock-N-Go mechanism, you can fold your bike in half for storage in just 15 seconds, so you can take it anywhere you need to go.

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Eva — lightweight foam snowshoes

Since its inception in 1997, Crescent Moon has been on the cutting edge of snowshoe technology, designing shoes that feel like an extension of your feet. Now, the Colorado-based company is pushing the boundaries again with its Eva All-Foam Snowshoes, a new style that the company claims will make snowshoeing better than ever before.

The footwear is designed to look and feel like a running shoe that travels on the snow, and because it’s made of foam, it is extremely light — more so than any competing molded plastic or aluminum rail snowshoes on the market.

The snowshoe has two distinct foam layers — a soft upper layer that moves with your foot, and solid bottom layer with a specialized spike plate for traction in the snow. It also features a unique rocker shape that flexes with your foot as you step. This innovative design allowed Crescent Moon to produce a snowshoe that doesn’t have the standard foot plate or rotational hinge that usually accommodates your foot.

Because of the flexibility of the foam construction, the Eva All-Foam snowshoe moves naturally with every step, allowing you to go further with less exertion, so you can just enjoy being outside.

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SnowBob — tilt-to-steer snow sled

Sledding (if you’re doing it properly) is by nature a mildly sketchy activity. You’re basically hurling yourself down a snowy hillside while loosely situated atop a vehicle that has little to no steering capabilities. Usually, the sled stays in a relatively straight line, and if you happen to head toward an obstacle of some sort, your only option is to bail — honestly, that’s half the fun. But what if you had a sled that could actually steer and change directions? What kind of fun would that be?

That’s exactly what Norwegian startup Onefoot wanted to find out — so founders Simen Fornes and Mathias Hansson set out to build a steerable sled. After years of development, it’s finally here and it looks awesome. The SnowBob, as it’s called, is basically a more refined version of the sleds you’re probably used to. Instead of just a slab of plastic, SnowBob boasts a raised platform that allows you to tilt while you ride. This transfers your weight from one side to the other and initiates a turn, thereby giving you highly intuitive control over where you go.

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MicroMill — affordable desktop CNC machine

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, gets all the attention these days. But despite the feverish pace at which the technology is advancing, traditional manufacturing processes still carry certain advantages; namely, the ability to work with materials other than plastic. They’re coming along, but 3D printers that print anything other than PLA or ABS are ridiculously expensive at the moment, so if you want to make something out of metal or wood, your best bet is to go with a traditional CNC mill.

MicroMill is basically a miniaturized version of the mills you’d find in a full-fledged machine shop, but with a much simpler interface, a far more compact form factor, and a drastically reduced price tag. Thanks to uber-simplified software controls, MicroMill essentially combines the simplicity of 3D printing with the precision, speed, and versatility of a CNC mill. It can mill your raw material along three different axes, and sports a number of interchangeable toolheads, so it can make parts that would otherwise require multiple machines.

At roughly $800, it’s also one of the first desktop CNC mills you can get your hands on for about the same price as a mid-level 3D printer, which is pretty incredible.

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Uo — spherical mono-wheel rideable device

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: humanity is living in the golden age of rideable technology right now. In the past few years, electric motors have become smaller and more powerful, and batteries are lasting longer than ever — two trends that have coalesced and kicked off a renaissance in personal mobility devices. There are almost too many rideables to keep track of anymore, and they seem to get crazier and more advanced with each passing month. Case in point? This ridiculous new gizmo called Uo.

Broadly speaking, it’s basically like a Segway with one wheel — and that wheel is a sphere that can rotate in any direction. So essentially, you don’t need to master any kind of turning maneuver to get around on it — you just tell it where to go with the joystick, and it goes, regardless of what direction you might be facing.

Uo does a bit of self-balancing to help you stay upright, but since standing on a sphere isn’t the easiest thing to do, the machine also sports a handle, which can be used for both balance and steering.

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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…
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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Humanoid robots race against humans at unique half-marathon in China
A humanoid robot running in a half marathon.

You may have seen robots dancing like the music icon Mick Jagger, doing parkour, or even painting on a canvas. Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot is eagerly anticipated, while Google and Meta are also planning to enter the field. The competition in the East, however, is on a different level altogether.

China just put humanoid robots to the test in the world’s first race of its kind, where they ran alongside humans in a half-marathon. A total of 21 robots lined up for the event in the Yizhuang half-marathon, following a long spell of supervised learning on roads. 

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