Retro Film Rolls Hide a Tiny Digital Camera!

Chinese AI startup MiniMax has disrupted the artificial intelligence industry with the release of its new M2.5 language model, available in two variants, promising high-end AI at a fraction of the cost of competitors. The model, which is open-source, is being offered through its API and partners, making powerful AI more accessible, according to VentureBeat.

The M2.5 model, headquartered in Shanghai, aims to make high-end artificial intelligence so cheap that users might not worry about the cost. The model is available in two variants and was made open source on Hugging Face under a modified MIT License. This license requires that those using the model for commercial purposes "prominently display 'MiniMax M2.5' on the user interface of such product or service," according to VentureBeat.

While the cost of the model is significantly lower than competitors, the exact pricing details were not provided in the source material. However, VentureBeat noted that the model costs 1/20th of Claude Opus 4.6.

In other tech news, the OPT100 Neo Film camera, inspired by retro designs, is entering the market. The camera, similar to the Kodak Charmera, features a tiny digital camera inside a 35mm film roll design, according to The Verge. The camera comes in three retro designs.

Additionally, the market for travel chargers continues to evolve. According to Wired, a 3-in-1 travel charger is essential for keeping gadgets charged on work trips or vacations. These chargers can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, and many can also charge Qi2 Android phones and other devices that support wireless charging.

In the realm of personal technology, Elehear released its new Delight hearing aids. While the hearing aids are comfortable and discreet, they have some drawbacks. According to Wired, the hearing aids are not tunable and can lead to distorted amplification. However, the hearing aids do feature interesting add-ons, including a language translator and background sound generator.