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Charge your Apple Watch on Spigen’s tiny iMac G3 replica
Gaming Gear

Charge your Apple Watch on Spigen’s tiny iMac G3 replica

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Previous additions to Spigen’s Classic C1 series of Apple accessories include iPhone and AirPods cases inspired by the iMac G3’s bright colors. Its new Apple Watch stand goes one step further and recreates the entire design of the iconic computer in miniature so it can fit on your bedside table and charge your smartwatch overnight.

That’s cheap enough to be an impulse purchase, but it’s important to note that the stand doesn’t come with its own magnetic Apple Watch charger. You’ll need to use your own by inserting the charging puck into a slot on the front of the stand and threading the rest of the USB cable through it and out the back.

The base of the stand is covered in a non-slip silicone finish to prevent it from sliding off a table, and it’s wrapped in a transparent colored plastic on the back. Spigen says the charging stand is compatible with Apple Watches going all the way back to the Series 4, both SE versions, and both Apple Watch Ultra 1 and 2.



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Big Brains, Tiny Models: Spain’s Multiverse Computing Bags $215M to Shrink AI for Smartphones
Crypto Trends

Big Brains, Tiny Models: Spain’s Multiverse Computing Bags $215M to Shrink AI for Smartphones

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In brief

  • Multiverse’s CompactifAI tech reportedly slashed parameter count by 70% and model memory by 93%, while preserving 97–98% accuracy.
  • The company just closed a $215M Series B round backed by Bullhound Capital, HP Tech Ventures, and Toshiba.
  • The method uses tensor networks from quantum physics to compress models and “heals” them with fast retraining, claiming 50% faster performance at inference.

A Spanish AI startup has just convinced investors to hand over $215 million based on a bold claim: they can shrink large language models by 95% without compromising their performance.

Multiverse Computing’s innovation hinges on its CompactifAI technology, a compression method that borrows mathematical concepts from quantum physics to shrink AI models down to smartphone size.

The San Sebastian company says that their compressed Llama-2 7B model runs 25% faster at inference while using 70% fewer parameters, with accuracy dropping just 2-3%.

If validated at scale, this could address AI’s elephant-sized problem: models so massive they require specialized data centers just to operate.

“For the first time in history, we are able to profile the inner workings of a neural network to eliminate billions of spurious correlations to truly optimize all sorts of AI models,” Román Orús, Multiverse’s chief scientific officer, said in a blog post on Thursday.

Bullhound Capital led the $215 million Series B round with backing from HP Tech Ventures and Toshiba.

The Physics Behind the Compression

Applying quantum-inspired concepts to tackle one of AI’s most pressing issues sounds improbable—but if the research holds up, it’s real.

Unlike traditional compression that simply cuts neurons or reduces numerical precision, CompactifAI uses tensor networks—mathematical structures that physicists developed to track particle interactions without drowning in data.

The process works like an origami for AI models: weight matrices get folded into smaller, interconnected structures called Matrix Product Operators.

Instead of storing every connection between neurons, the system preserves only meaningful correlations while discarding redundant patterns, like information or relationships that are repeated over and over again.

Multiverse discovered that AI models aren’t uniformly compressible. Early layers prove fragile, while deeper layers—recently shown to be less critical for performance—can withstand aggressive compression.

This selective approach lets them achieve dramatic size reductions where other methods fail.

After compression, models undergo brief “healing”—retraining that takes less than one epoch thanks to the reduced parameter count. The company claims this restoration process runs 50% faster than training original models due to decreased GPU-CPU transfer loads.

Long story short—per the company’s own offers—you start with a model, run the Compactify magic, and end up with a compressed version that has less than 50% of its parameters, can run at twice the inference speed, costs a lot less, and is just as capable as the original.

In its research, the team shows you can reduce the Llama-2 7B model’s memory needs by 93%, cut the number of parameters by 70%, speed up training by 50%, and speed up answering (inference) by 25%—while only losing 2–3% accuracy.

Traditional shrinking methods like quantization (reducing the precision like using fewer decimal places), pruning (cutting out less important neurons entirely, like trimming dead branches from a tree), or distillation techniques (training a smaller model to mimic a larger one’s behavior) are not even close to achieving these numbers.



Multiverse already serves over 100 clients including Bosch and Bank of Canada, applying their quantum-inspired algorithms beyond AI to energy optimization and financial modeling.

The Spanish government co-invested €67 million in March, pushing total funding above $250 million.

Currently offering compressed versions of open-source models like Llama and Mistral through AWS, the company plans to expand to DeepSeek R1 and other reasoning models.

Proprietary systems from OpenAI or Claude remain obviously off-limits since they are not available for tinkering or study.

The technology’s promise extends beyond cost savings measures. HP Tech Ventures’ involvement signals interest in edge AI deployment—running sophisticated models locally rather than cloud servers.

“Multiverse’s innovative approach has the potential to bring AI benefits of enhanced performance, personalization, privacy and cost efficiency to life for companies of any size,” Tuan Tran, HP’s President of Technology and Innovation, said.

So, if you find yourself running DeepSeek R1 on your smartphone someday, these dudes may be the ones to thank.

Edited by Josh Quittner and Sebastian Sinclair

Generally Intelligent Newsletter

A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model.



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Hollyland Lark M2S wireless mic kit
Product Reviews

Hollyland Lark M2S review: a lightweight and tiny wireless mic kit for content creators

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Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: two-minute review

Understatement isn’t a common characteristic among content creators, but it’s a winning feature for this wireless mic kit. With two tiny receivers weighing just 7g apiece, the Hollyland Lark M2S is designed to fly under the radar. Hooked over your collar, only a small part of each pick-up is visible. The result is an audio solution that doesn’t distract your audience.

It’s also a versatile one. Available in several variations, the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo kit on test here includes two transmitters, a USB-C mobile receiver and a cold-shoe unit that connects to cameras via USB-C or 3.5mm. There’s also a Lightning cable in the box for connecting to legacy Apple devices. That makes it a pretty complete kit, whatever you choose to shoot with.

Each transmitter is held in place by a rubberized clip, with grips at the tips for extra security. Many of the best wireless mics used magnetic backs to give you more flexibility when positioning. In practise, most users will want the mic on their lapel anyway – and even with the hook on show, the M2S is as subtle as they come.


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Despite their discreet size, the omnidirectional pick-ups do a better job than any built-in mic, whether you’re shooting with a smartphone or one of the best video cameras. How the 24-bit audio signal is processed depends on the pre-amp inside your recording device, but voice clips are generally clear and rich enough for the casual listener.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

  • Hollyland LARK M2S at Amazon for $39

Blustery conditions can be an issue. The bundled windshields do a good job of buffering against buffeting, though attaching them raises the profile of the mics. You also have the option of enabling noise reduction. This tends to flatten and crisp up the sound slightly, but it’s an effective solution where background noise would otherwise be too intrusive.

Noise cancellation can be activated by pressing the single button found on each transmitter, the button on the USB-C receiver or the dial on the camera receiver. The latter is also used to adjust the output volume, while a long-press switches between mono and stereo recording. That makes the interface sound more complicated than it is. There is a slight learning curve, but once you’ve got your head around the meaning of each indicator light, it’s intuitive enough.

Battery life is far from featherweight, with each transmitter rated for up to nine hours on a single charge. Returning them to the charging case yields a further 18, giving the whole package some serious longevity. Together with its neat proportions, that makes it an attractive solution for creators who need to shoot on the go – even though the case itself feels quite plasticky and the components are prone to rattling inside.

Other wireless mics feel more premium, while the DJI Mic Mini uses a neater single receiver. But if you want a compact and cost-effective way to upgrade your audio quality, the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo kit offers solid value.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Today’s best Hollyland LARK M2S deals

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: price and release date

  • $149 / £140 / AU$269 for the Combo kit
  • Includes 2x mics, 2x receivers, Lightning cable and charging case
  • Several kit versions available for different devices

Launched in January 2025 as a follow-up to the Lark M2, the Hollyland Lark M2S wireless mic is available to buy now in one of several bundle variations. On test here is the Combo kit ($149 / £140 / AU$269), which includes the following:

  • Transmitters x2
  • Receiver (camera)
  • Receiver (USB-C)
  • Charging case
  • Windshields x2
  • 3.5mm cable
  • USB-C to Lightning cable
  • USB-A to USB-C cable

The Combo kit is designed to give content creators the flexibility to work with both smartphones and cameras. The Lightning cable allows you to connect the camera receiver to older Apple devices. The Combo kit offers good value for what’s included, but other options will be better suited to specific creator requirements.

The cheapest Hollyland Lark M2S option is the barebones USB-C kit ($119 / £110 / AU$219). This includes two transmitters and a USB-C receiver for use with a smartphone. With no option to connect to a camera, it’s the best choice for mobile-only recording.

The next step up is the Mini Combo ($139 / £130 / AU$249), which is the same as the Combo kit, except it doesn’t include a Lightning adapter cable. It’s the best choice if you want the flexibility to connect to a camera and USB-C smartphone.

Top of the pile is the Ultimate Combo ($159 / £150 / AU$289). In addition to the USB-C and camera receivers, this adds a dedicated Lightning receiver to the mix. Given that the Combo kit includes a Lightning cable, there are few people for who this will be a necessity. Unless you absolutely need a physical Lightning receiver, this version is best seen as a legacy option.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Dimensions

24 × 9mm (transmitter), 40 × 16.7 × 9mm (mobile receiver), 40.5 × 25.5 × 13mm (camera receiver), 86 × 39 × 60.5mm (case)

Weight

7g (transmitter), 6g (mobile receiver), 12g (camera receiver), 110g (case)

Range

300m

Connectivity

USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm

Battery

9 hours, plus 18 hours from the charging case

Audio

24-bit

On-board recording

No

Noise cancelling

Yes

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: Design

  • Lightweight transmitters with built-in rubber clips
  • USB-C receiver with two indicator lights
  • Camera receiver with indicator lights and control dial

Dinky is the order of the day with the Lark M2S. From the tiny transmitters (7g each) to the compact camera receiver (12g), everything in the bundle is ultra-light. The components weigh less than almost every other kit in our list of the best wireless mics, including the DJI Mic Mini and the Rode Wireless Micro.

Despite being housed in plastic, the transmitters and receivers feel well-built and sturdy enough for long-term use. The little orange buttons on each device give satisfying feedback, as does the click-scroll of the control dial on the cold-shoe adapter. It’s only the charging case that lets the side down: the hinge for the lid creaks and moves, while the parts rattle around while charging inside.

Still, for a low-weight, low-cost kit, the Lark M2S feels like it’s been assembled with thought. Effort has certainly gone into the design of the transmitters. Most wireless mic kits have rectangular units held in place by a magnetic back. This gives you versatility when mounting, but means the pick-up is quite visible in video footage.

Hollyland has taken a different approach with the Lark M2S. The transmitters are attached by a U-shaped hook with a titanium arm inside. This clips over a collar, with rubber ridges on either side for extra grip. It’s a foolproof solution: it has enough flexibility to fit over different fabrics, with sufficient resistance to hold firm. No magnets means one less piece to lose – and most users will place the mic on a hem anyway.

The added benefit is that the larger side of the transmitter unit is hidden beneath your clothing. Only part of the arm and the smaller puck sits on the outside. The result is a very subtle setup. With mini dimensions and no branding, the mic could easily go unnoticed in interview footage. It’s a lot less distracting than larger alternatives.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

That design does mean the button and indicator light on the transmitter are hard to access when you’re wearing it, particularly as the little LED is obscured beneath the hook arm. Helpfully, there are corresponding lights on the receiver units which indicate the mode and connection status.

The user experience differs slightly depending on which receiver you’re using, but the setup is the definition of plug-and-play. Recording on mobile couldn’t be simpler: remove the transmitters and mobile receiver from the case, insert the USB-C unit into your smartphone and the two LEDs will turn solid to show that everything is connected. The single orange button on the receiver toggles noise cancelling on (green light) or off (blue light). You’re good to go.

Connecting to a camera is no more complicated. Take the cold-shoe receiver and transmitters out of the case and they’ll pair automatically. Then simply hook it up to your camera via 3.5mm or USB-C (or both at the same time) and you’ll get an audio signal. You can also use the bundled USB-C to Lightning cable to connect the camera receiver to an older Apple device.

The camera receiver’s interface is a touch more complicated than the mobile one. You get the same LEDs for connection and noise cancelling status, plus an orange button for power. Then there’s an arc of three additional lights to indicate the output volume, which can be adjusted by turning the dial. Pressing the dial changes the noise reduction setting, while a long-press switches between mono and stereo.

There’s a slight learning curve when it comes to the meaning of each LED, but it’s intuitive enough to get your head around after a few minutes. What you don’t get is any kind of display for real-time audio monitoring. That’s a luxury reserved for premium mics that cost and weigh more. It’s also one that’s absent from the DJI Mic Mini and Rode Wireless Micro.

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: Performance

  • Omnidirectional audio with optional noise cancelling
  • 9 hours battery life (transmitter), 18 hours battery life (case)
  • Up to 300m range

Rating audio quality is a tricky thing, because it depends on your expectations. If you’re a professional sound engineer, you’ll find things to fault with what the Hollyland Lark M2S produces. But if you’re comparing it to the built-in mic on your smartphone or camera, the M2S is leagues ahead.

The additional caveat here is that results are influenced by the device you’re using and its built-in pre-amp. Send the same signal from the Lark M2S to an iPhone and a DSLR camera, as I did, and you’ll notice differences which result from how each device processes the audio.

The Hollyland Lark M2S has strong foundations. It records 24-bit audio at 48khz, which sets it up well for capturing detail. You can also set the output level to high, giving your device more to work with. Serious users will balk at the lack of 32-bit float recording or on-board storage, but that reflects the target market of the M2S. There’s enough detail and depth here to satisfy content creators and anyone who wants to improve the quality of their voiceovers.

The omnidirectional pick-ups do a decent job of isolating speech against background hubbub. As with many wireless mics, though, wind noise is an issue. The bundled fluffy windshields help to tackle this, but also make the mics more visible.

Your other option is to enable Environmental Noise Cancellation. This is highly effective at limiting the impact of blustery conditions on your recordings. It also works well at reducing traffic noise to a barely audible level. The trade-off is that noise cancelling tends to make vocals sound slightly flatter and more processed – although not as significantly as some wireless mics.

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

You can adjust the level of noise cancelling through the LarkSound app, with high and low options. Usefully, the app can also be used to monitor the audio level from each mic in real time, giving you a visual indication of whether the gain setting needs to be changed to avoid clipping. This can be controlled in the app, as can the channel mode, which allows you to switch from mono to stereo recording when using the camera receiver.

Transmission range is rated at 300m. Unless you’re working at telephoto distances, there are few occasions when you’d need to be that far from your recording device. Still, with a clear line of sight from transmitter to receiver, I didn’t encounter any signal drop-out at a distance of about 100 paces. That changed as soon as something came between the two. In reality, most users will work at close range, where clear transmission won’t be an issue.

Longevity is also assured. Despite the miniature dimensions of the Lark M2S, battery life comes in at a competitive nine hours. The case can also recharge the components twice over, giving you a total recording time of close to 30 hours before you’ll need to use a wall charger. The case itself needs around 90 minutes to go from flat to full.

It’s unlikely that most users will encounter a shoot where they have to record for 9 hours straight, but it’s reassuring to know that the Lark M2S can live through a lot of takes before it needs returning to the case. Using it as many content creators would – on the move, taking out the components to record clips on location, then storing them back in the case – the M2S simply ran and ran. For such a compact kit, the battery life is seriously impressive. This is a wireless mic that’s easy to live with.

Should I buy the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Hollyland Lark M2S Combo: also consider

Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

Hollyland Lark M2S

Rode Wireless Micro

DJI Mic Mini

Dimensions

Transmitter: 24 × 9mm (transmitter)Mobile receiver: 40 × 16.7 × 9mmCamera receiver: 40.5 × 25.5 × 13mm

Transmitter: 40 x 27 x 17mmReceiver: 44 x 24 x 9mm

26.55 x 26.06 x 15.96mm

Weight

7g (transmitter), 6g (mobile receiver), 12g (camera receiver), 110g (case)

12g (transmitter, without magnet), 102g for the whole kit

10g (transmitter, without magnet)

Transmission range

300m

100m

400m

Connectivity

USB-C, Lightning, 3.5mm

USB-C or Lightning

USB-C / Lightning, 3.5mm

Battery

9 hours, plus 18 hours from the charging case

7 hours, plus two additional charges from the fully charged case for a total of 21 hours

11.5 hours (transmitter), 10.5 hours (receiver), up to 48 hours with fully charged case

Audio

24-bit

24-bit

24-bit

Noise cancelling

Yes

No

Yes

Bluetooth

No

No

Yes

(Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

How I tested the Hollyland Lark M2S Combo

  • Tested extensively over several weeks
  • Paired with both the camera and USB-C receivers
  • Recorded audio in a range of indoor and outdoor settings

Given that the Hollyland Lark M2S is a wireless mic kit that’s designed to let content creators capture quality audio on the go, that’s how I approached this review. I packed the kit in my backpack every time I headed out of the house, then recorded voiceover content wherever the day took me.

That meant I captured audio clips in a whole range of settings and scenarios, from noisy cafes to windy walks along busy roads. I tested the transmitters at all three volume levels, with and without the windshields installed, and with noise reduction enabled and disabled. This gave me a catalog of recordings with which to make comparisons on clarity and quality.

Because the Lark M2S Combo is pitched as a full kit for creators, I tested it with both the USB-C mobile receiver and the cold-shoe camera adapter. With the latter, I wired up to a Nikon D7100 using a 3.5mm cable, as well as using the bundled Lightning cable to connect an iPhone 12.

During my time with the Lark M2S, I tried to use it as someone might do in the real world. That meant clipping the transmitters to different items of clothing. I also purposefully interacted with interface before consulting the instructions in detail, to get a realistic idea of how accessible the system is for beginners.

Hollyland LARK M2S: Price Comparison



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This gaming mouse has a tiny fan inside to keep sweaty palms at bay
Gaming Gear

This gaming mouse has a tiny fan inside to keep sweaty palms at bay

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Pulsar’s latest competitive gaming mouse will literally help you keep your cool during intense matches. The gaming gear company joined forces with Noctua, known for its quiet fans in its signature earthy-brown tones, for a remix of its lightweight Feinmann mouse. The two brands wanted a solution for gamers whose hands get especially sweaty, leading them to jam a 4×4 cm Noctua fan inside a Pulsar mouse.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen a computer fan inside a gaming mouse, but it will be the first one to house Noctua’s premium fans that keep noise to a minimum. Looking at the updated Feinmann mouse’s design, it’s a match made in heaven. Pulsar’s mouse already has large gaps in its shell to make for a lightweight build, but also a perfect opening for Noctua to squeeze its fans inside. Buying this mouse won’t magically boost you to Radiant in Valorant, but it won’t be sweaty hands holding you back.

Don’t forget this is a mouse made for competitive gaming, so it will share the specs from the original Feinmann that has a 32,00 DPI sensor and an ultra-fast 8,000 Hz polling rate. Considering the extra element, the Noctua collaboration will be heavier than the original at 65 grams and have a battery life of 10 to 11 hours, according to Pulsar. The mouse is still a prototype that was available to demo at Computex 2025, but it’s expected to hit the market later this year. With the Feinmann retailing for $179.95, don’t be surprised if the Noctua collab is more expensive than that.



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TeamGroup T-Create Expert P35S Destroyed Portable SSD
Gaming Gear

This tiny SSD lets you delete your data forever with one click, but can you trust yourself not to misuse it?

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  • TeamGroup P35S SSD can wipe your data permanently and irreversibly with a few clicks
  • Designed for spies, journalists, and execs, this SSD values secrecy over raw performance numbers
  • Accidental erasure is a real concern with hardware that erases data in two simple motions

In a tech landscape where external drives often blur into a sea of similar features and designs, TeamGroup’s new portable SSD takes a sharp detour into espionage territory.

The T-Create Expert P35S Destroyed Portable SSD introduces something previously unheard of in the mainstream consumer market: a one-click data destruction mechanism.

While the concept may sound like something pulled straight from a spy thriller, TeamGroup says the device is intended for professionals who handle sensitive or classified information.


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A self-destruct SSD that promises true data erasure

This external SSD stands out thanks to its patented “physical chip destruction circuit.”

Unlike standard data wipes, this feature claims to electrically destroy the data stored on the drive, making it completely irretrievable.

Triggered by a two-step process TeamGroup calls an “anti-mistouch” system, users must both click and slide to activate the wipe.

It’s not exactly a big red button, but the dramatic undertone is part of the appeal.

The P35S, which weighs just 42 grams and measures 90 x 40 x 18 mm, offers 1,000MB/s transfer speeds via a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port.

This led to the bold “transfer 10GB in just 10 seconds – ready for anything” slogan on TeamGroup’s display at Computex 2025.

While it won’t top charts for the best SSD in terms of performance alone, it offers enough throughput for on-the-go file handling.

What’s most notable is the P35S’s target audience. TeamGroup references users such as journalists, corporate executives, and government officials, people who might need to dispose of confidential data instantly.

“Designed for end-users who carry highly confidential documents, the SSD prevents data breaches and ensures that personal and confidential information remains protected under all circumstances,” the company says.

There’s even a nod toward “defense use,” which, depending on your level of cynicism, could either suggest genuine intent or feel like a PR stretch, especially in light of recent high-profile data mishandling cases.

The SSD’s compact size and data wipe feature make it easy to picture in the hands of an undercover agent or whistleblower.

But in practical terms, it may also raise concerns about accidental erasure, especially for users prone to fidgeting. That’s one reason I’d love to test this device myself.

This isn’t likely to be a top choice for gamers or media creators, but for users who prioritize security over speed, it may offer real value.

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