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• Hugging Face has launched HuggingSnap, an iOS app that can analyze and describe whatever your iPhone's camera sees.
• The app works offline, never sending data to the cloud.
• HuggingSnap is imperfect but demonstrates what can be done entirely on-device.

Giving eyesight to AI is becoming increasingly common as tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini roll out glasses for their AI tools. Hugging Face has just dropped its own spin on the idea with a new iOS app called HuggingSnap that offers to look at the world through your iPhone’s camera and describe what it sees without ever connecting to the cloud.

Think of it like having a personal tour guide who knows how to keep their mouth shut. HuggingSnap runs entirely offline using Hugging Face’s in-house vision model, smolVLM2, to enable instant object recognition, scene descriptions, text reading, and general observations about your surroundings without any of your data being sent off into the internet void.

That offline capability makes HuggingSnap particularly useful in situations where connectivity is spotty. If you’re hiking in the wilderness, traveling abroad without reliable internet, or simply in one of those grocery store aisles where cell service mysteriously disappears, then having the capacity on your phone is a real boon. Plus, the app claims to be super efficient, meaning it won’t drain your battery the way cloud-based AI models do.

HuggingSnap looks at my world

I decided to give the app a whirl. First, I pointed it at my laptop screen while my browser was on my TechRadar biography. At first, the app did a solid job transcribing the text and explaining what it saw. It drifted from reality when it saw the headlines and other details around my bio, however. HuggingSnap thought the references to new computer chips in a headline were an indicator of what's powering my laptop, and seemed to think some of the names in headlines indicated other people who use my laptop.

(Image credit: Hugging Snap Screenshot)

I then pointed my camera at my son's playpen full of toys I hadn't cleaned up yet. Again, the AI did a great job with the broad strokes in describing the play area and the toys inside. It got the colors and even the textures right when identifying stuffed toys versus blocks. It also fell down in some of the details. For instance, it called a bear a dog and seemed to think a stacking ring was a ball. Overall, I'd call HuggingSnap's AI great for describing a scene to a friend but not quite good enough for a police report.

(Image credit: Hugging Snap Screenshot) See the future

HuggingSnap’s on-device approach stands out from your iPhone's built-in abilities. While the device can identify plants, copy text from images, and tell you whether that spider on your wall is the kind that should make you relocate, it almost always has to send some information to the cloud.

HuggingSnap is notable in a world where most apps want to track everything short of your blood type. That said, Apple is heavily investing in on-device AI for its future iPhones. But for now, if you want privacy with your AI vision, HuggingSnap might be perfect for you.

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• Citroen boss says the future plan is to be “daring and shocking”
• As a result, the 2CV is poised to return as a modern EV
• Looking backwards is the new looking forwards

Following hot on the heels of the revived Renault 5 and its madcap R5 Turbo 3E big brother, Citroen is the latest brand to state that it is to remake more of its history.

Speaking to Autocar, Citroen's chief executive, Thierry Koskas, said the company would draw on “one of the richest histories in the world” among automakers and that the 2CV was one of the most widely recognized cars it had produced.

Stopping short of confirming a release date, Koskas claims that in the future, Citroen needs more iconic models that will “surprise.”

Earlier this year, Autocar also revealed that design work had already begun on the retro-futuristic 2CV. At the same time, Citroen’s brand chief said that we can expect a new concept car to arrive later this year - but it won’t necessarily be a preview of what we can expect from an electric Tin Snail, as the 2CV was affectionately known.

Old school is the new school of car design

(Image credit: Renault)

It is no coincidence that several European carmakers are delving into the history books for EV inspiration.

Currently, the threat from cheaper and more technologically accomplished Chinese competition is causing concern that buyers will be tempted to opt for the best value options as the cost of living continues to rise.

“But buyers still want good design,” Renault’s design chief, Laurens van de Acker, told me at the recent Dacia Bigster launch. “Design and heritage or having a story to tell,” he added.

It’s also no coincidence that the same European manufacturers are rebooting vehicles that were once regarded as practical, affordable people movers with the power to carry entire nations through hard times.

The Renault 5, for example, was born during the oil crisis of the 1970s, when people were crying out for a cheap and efficient set of wheels to use daily.

Similarly, the 2CV was designed to coax farmers away from horses, haul eggs over rough terrain, and generally act as the ultimate do-it-all vehicle. Arguably the world’s first SUV.

With combustion engine cars being phased out in many countries, customers are crying out for similarly affordable and practical options in the EV space.

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• Bloober Team has unveiled its next game I Hate This Place, launching Q4 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and PC
• I Hate This Place is a survival horror game based on Skybound's award-nominated comic book series of the same name
• The studio also shared a sneak peek at Cronos: The New Dawn's upcoming dev diary

Bloober Team, the studio behind the Silent Hill 2 remake and Layers of Fear, has unveiled its brand new horror game I Hate This Place, as well as offered a new look at its upcoming title Cronos: The New Dawn.

During the Future Games Show Spring Showcase today, Bloober Team announced that the game is inspired by Skybound Entertainment's Eisner award-nominated comic book series of the same name, created by writer Kyle Starks and artist Artyom Topilin.

I Hate This Place is launching in Q4 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and PC and will be developed by Rock Square Thunder.

The first trailer revealed the game to be an all-new isometric survival horror game with a striking visual art style inspired by the 80s retro comic book aesthetics.

In the game, you play as Elena, whose fight for survival begins when she unwittingly awakens a malevolent force, the Horned Man.

"Outmatched and hunted in a hostile world, players must think fast, manipulating their surroundings to even the odds against formidable foes," Bloober Team describes.

Players will also engage in tense gunfights and melee combat "that rewards ingenuity over brute force", as well as craft essential tools to survive the wilderness long enough to reach safehouses before nightfall. There's a day and night cycle too that impacts gameplay dynamics, but players need to beware and avoid the Horned Man at all costs.

Bloober Team is also expected to launch its next game, Cronos: The New Dawn, this year for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

To prepare for the upcoming release, the studio has also shared a sneak peek at the first episode of the game's upcoming dev diary; a behind-scenes video offering a more in-depth look at the survival horror experience with new gameplay footage.

This dev diary will explore the world of Cronos, game mechanics, as well as reveal more about the game's protagonist and the monsters players will encounter.

Cronos: The New Dawn was revealed in October 2024 and is described as a unique horror experience that blends mystery, time travel, and intense survival elements.

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• Equal1’s Bell-1 quantum computer runs on 1600W and plugs into a standard power socket
• Deploying Bell-1 is as easy as setting up workstations
• Equal1’s system offers future-proof quantum power without infrastructure changes

Equal1 has introduced the Bell-1, the first quantum computer designed for real-world deployment, integrating seamlessly into existing high-performance computing (HPC) environments without requiring specialized infrastructure or extensive cooling.

Operating on just 1600W and plugging into a standard socket, it installs easily and stands as one of the best workstations, bringing quantum computing from research labs to practical applications in AI, financial modeling, and scientific research.

It's the first fully rack-mounted system that fits into standard data centers, deploying alongside classical hardware to become one of the most powerful computers for tackling complex problems.

A quantum server ready for any data center

Built on Equal1’s silicon-based quantum processor technology, Bell-1 functions as a plug-and-play solution that delivers quantum acceleration for advanced simulations, cryptography, and optimization without requiring infrastructure modifications.

Bell-1 overcomes one of quantum computing’s biggest engineering challenges by using a self-contained cryogenic cooling system to maintain its silicon quantum processor at 0.3 Kelvin (-272.85°C) without an external dilution refrigerator, making it an engineering marvel that operates efficiently within the noisy and thermally demanding environment of an enterprise data center.

Designed to work alongside classical HPC systems, Bell-1 integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructure with its 6-qubit UnityQ processor, handling specialized workloads that classical computers struggle with, making it a compelling option for industries requiring high-performance computing and a strong contender for the best small business servers as a future-proof quantum solution.

The system fits within a standard 600mm x 1000mm x 1600mm server rack and weighs approximately 200kg, making it comparable in size to existing HPC servers.

“Bell-1 represents a paradigm shift in how quantum computing is deployed and utilized. We’ve taken quantum technology out of the lab and into real-world environments where it can drive innovation. This is the dawn of Quantum Computing 2.0—where accessibility, scalability, and practicality take center stage,” said Jason Lynch, CEO of Equal1

“By eliminating the barriers of cost, infrastructure, and complexity, Equal1 is empowering businesses to harness the exponential power of quantum computing today—not in some distant future. Bell-1 is not just an advancement—it’s a revolution in computing.”

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• GMKtec EVO-X2 PC delivers flagship performance with the Ryzen AI Max+ 395
• Lisa Su’s autograph marks a milestone as AMD backs GMKtec
• GMKtec secures its place among top vendors

While major brands dominate the mini PC market, smaller vendors like GMKtec are gaining recognition, with the EVO-X2 establishing itself as a high-performance PC distinguished by its AI capabilities.

Per GMKtec, the EVO-X2 is the first mini PC to feature AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, a 16-core, 32-thread CPU designed for advanced computing.

With a maximum clock speed of 5.1GHz and an 80MB cache, it delivers the power needed for demanding tasks.

AMD CEO Lisa Su signs the first EVO-X2 unit

Despite its small form factor, the EVO-X2 rivals some of the most powerful computers, with the integrated Radeon 8060S iGPU and 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units enhancing rendering efficiency.

Combined with the XDNA 2 architecture NPU, the system achieves 50 TOPS of AI computing power, making it well-suited for AI inference workloads and complex computational tasks.

In benchmark tests involving large-scale AI models, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 outperformed NVIDIA’s desktop GPUs, including the 5080, making the EVO-X2 a compelling choice for users seeking the best video editing computer.

With its AI-driven architecture and high-performance specifications, the EVO-X2 is more than just a mini PC, offering a strong solution for professional workflows, creative applications, and AI development, making it one of the best workstations in its category.

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• New iPhone 17 dummy units have appeared online
• They show the glass and metal outlines for the Pro and Pro Max
• A substantial redesign is expected for the top two models

The season of iPhone 17 leaks and rumors is well and truly underway, and just days after dummy units of Apple's 2025 flagship phones leaked online, we've got a different batch to pore over – which shows the iPhone 17 glass and metal redesign in a bit more detail.

These new dummy unit images come courtesy of well-known tipster @SonnyDickson, and it looks as though we've got all four models: the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max (or iPhone 17 Ultra, perhaps).

Dummy units like the ones shown here are based on schematics sourced from the supply chain and give accessory makers a chance to get their products ready for launch day. They also allow the rest of us to check out phone designs in advance.

When it comes to the redesign of the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max – with chunky rear camera bars – it's a look that's been extensively leaked already. We can also see the smaller camera bar expected to appear on the back of the iPhone 17 Air.

New metal and glass design

Here's another look at some iPhone 17 dummies, Notice on the Pro models where the glass will change. pic.twitter.com/lJDc5KXsV9March 20, 2025

What these dummy units add, that previous leaks haven't really shown us, is the way that glass and metal will be combined on these iPhone designs. You can see a faint outline on the Pro and Pro Max models, just below the camera bar.

That outlined section will apparently be glass, enabling wireless MagSafe charging. The other section is rumored to be made of aluminum. That's quite a change from the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Meanwhile, it looks like the design of the iPhone 17 will be along very similar lines to the iPhone 16, while the iPhone 17 Air is a brand new phone, replacing the iPhone 16 Plus – rumored to be super-slim – so we don't have any predecessor to compare it to.

We've also heard rumors of memory and camera upgrades for these phones, improvements in video recording, and perhaps a useful reverse wireless charging feature. The phones should make their debuts sometime in September, and we'll need to wait until then to see what actually comes to fruition when Apple fully unveils them.

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Recently a few hundred people gathered at a Damascus hotel to discuss how to jump-start Syria's tech industry. That sector was basically non-existent during Syria's long civil war. Our correspondent attended the conference and met a young man who fled Syria during the civil war and now is a graduate student at Stanford. His journey illustrates both the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead for Syria.

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• SanDisk Slim Dual Drive offers 2TB storage, dual USB ports, and fast performance
• Fast read and write speeds enable smooth file transfers and backups
• Universal compatibility makes this SSD a versatile storage solution

SanDisk, known for its high-speed storage and portable SSDs, is set to launch the new SanDisk Slim Dual Drive, offering up to 2TB of storage with a sleek, stick-like form factor that eliminates the need for cables.

Per PC Watch (originally in Japanese), this device features both USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports, making it a versatile option for easy file transfers between older and newer devices without requiring adapters or dongles.

As one of the smallest external SSDs for Mac users, it delivers read speeds of up to 1,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 900MB/s, ensuring smooth performance for large file transfers, video editing, and data backups despite its compact size.

High-speed dual-port connectivity

Measuring just 80 x 18.4 x 10.7mm and weighing only 23g, this device features supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 for fast and reliable data transfer.

Beyond performance, SanDisk has focused on durability and security by equipping the drive with a metal body for added protection and a premium feel, while dedicated encryption software ensures sensitive data remains secure.

Set to launch on the 28th, the SanDisk Slim Dual Drive 1TB model is priced at 18,480 yen (approximately $134) while the 2TB variant is at 38,000 yen (around $256).

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