Code in the latest iOS 27 developer beta describes handling images from a pair of cameras, and hints that these are surely the expected AirPods with cameras.

AirPods with cameras may have long been expected, but the most recent leak claimed that Apple has “suspended” the whole project. Whether it has or not, the device got far enough that there are references to it in the latest iOS 27 developer beta.

That social media posting from coder Sam Henri Gold posits that the code in the screenshot hints at “smart glasses codenamed B790.”

However, the code segment, called a response template, contains instructions for processing a very specific type of image. It concerns, and only concerns, “two images from cameras on either side of user’s head (left first, right second).”

If it weren’t for that, it could be for some future pair of smart glasses. Or it could as easily be code referring to the Apple Vision Pro.

However, specifying that there are two cameras and they are on either side of the wearer’s head must surely mean that AirPods are more likely. The expected update to the AirPods Pro is believed to contain cameras in the stems of the earbud, arranged to face forward of the wearer.

There are all sorts of issues with this, starting with how these stems would surely need to be at least a little elongated. The stems on the current AirPods Pro are angled so that they only slightly protrude from the ear.

Then there are also concerns about privacy, and how Apple will indicate to people that an AirPods wearer is filming or photographing them.

Nonetheless, there are no other Apple devices that currently exist, or have been rumored. That includes the various future iterations of the Apple Vision Pro or its successors that have been mooted.

There could well be a device that hasn’t leaked yet, or perhaps it’s for a version of AirPods Max with cameras. But it seems certain that this code means AirPods Pro with cameras, which does not mean they are launching soon, but does bolster another recent claim that the devices have been in an advanced stage of testing.

Audio Group Denmark has introduced the Aavik U-301 Unity Amplifier, an all-in-one high-end component that combines a streamer, DAC, preamplifier, and power amplifier in a single chassis. Building on the original U-300 Integrated Amplifier from 2015, the U-301 is designed for listeners who want fewer boxes, fewer cables, and a far cleaner installation without accepting the sonic shortcuts that often come with conventional systems.

That is an increasingly relevant proposition at the upper end of the market. Plenty of high-end buyers still want exceptional sound, but not necessarily a rack full of separates, costly power cords, and enough interconnects to keep a small cable manufacturer in business. The U-301 is intended to preserve signal integrity, timing, low noise, and musical coherence by keeping the critical stages of the signal path under one roof.

Aavik is not a brand built around affordable entry-level products, and the U-301 makes the most sense within Audio Group Denmark’s tightly controlled ecosystem of amplification, streaming, cabling, power management, and loudspeaker partners. For the right buyer, however, that ecosystem approach may be the point: a genuinely high-end system with far less visual clutter and fewer opportunities for the weak link to announce itself.

A Complete High End System in One Chassis

The U-301’s preamp stage gives the one-box design a useful expansion path. Its single RCA preamp output delivers up to 7.5Vrms, with 76 volume steps in 1dB increments and quoted line-stage distortion below 0.005 percent, allowing the U-301 to drive an external power amplifier when more scale or a different amplifier pairing is desired. 

U-301 DAC: High Resolution PCM, MQA and Native DSD Support

Aavik’s proprietary DSD-upscaling DAC is not merely a digital convenience feature. The U-301 accepts PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz through BNC S/PDIF and optical inputs, while its USB UAC 2.0 connection supports PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz, MQA, DSD64, and DSD128. That gives the U-301 the format support expected of a serious high-end digital hub, while avoiding the usual pile of external boxes.

U-301 Streaming: A Wired Network First Approach

The U-301’s streaming platform follows Audio Group Denmark’s established ecosystem, using a wired Ethernet connection and the AGD Streaming App for iPad control. Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are not listed, and Android compatibility has not been indicated, so this is a deliberately focused rather than platform-agnostic approach.

Through the AGD app, users can access TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, vTuner internet radio, local music servers, NAS storage, USB hard drives, and USB sticks. Multi-room playback is also supported, allowing compatible AGD devices to be grouped together. It is a capable feature set, but one aimed at buyers comfortable with a wired network and Apple’s iPad ecosystem.

U-301 Amplification: 300 Watts Per Channel from Pascal Class D

The U-301 uses an amplifier stage derived from Aavik’s I-x88 series, built around Pascal Class D technology with high-speed UMAC modulation. Rated at 300 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 600 watts into 4 ohms, it is designed to provide the efficiency, low output impedance, and peak-current capability needed to maintain control over a wide range of loudspeakers. 

Mechanical Grounding

To address vibration-related noise, Aavik equips the U-301 with Ansuz Darkz feet, designed to limit the transfer of structure-borne vibration into the chassis. The company also offers optional Darkz resonance-control devices for owners who want to take that approach further.

These accessories use precision mechanical assemblies and hard materials to manage vibration and resonance around the component. It is a distinctly Audio Group Denmark solution: the U-301 is not treated as an isolated amplifier, but as part of a larger ecosystem where mechanical grounding is considered alongside power supply design and electrical noise reduction.

U-301 Design: Scandinavian Minimalism With a Purpose

The U-301 continues Aavik’s restrained Scandinavian design language, combining an aluminum frame, integrated cooling elements, large LCD display, substantial front-mounted control knob, and three integrated pushbuttons. Thick wood-based laminate top and bottom panels add warmth to what could otherwise be a very industrial-looking component.

The design, created by Flemming Erik Rasmussen, is intended to do more than look expensive on a rack. Aavik says the enclosure also supports resonance control and helps protect the audio circuitry from mechanically induced noise. As Michael Børresen, Audio Group Denmark co-founder and CTO, explains: “The design process of the U-301 felt like a return to Aavik’s origins and our first unity amplifier. With Flemming’s input, the U-301 pays homage to that heritage while clearly pointing toward the future.”

Aavik U-301 Specifications

The Bottom Line 

The Aavik U-301 is not attempting to make $17,000 sound sensible to everyone. It is a serious one-box solution for buyers who want high-end streaming, digital conversion, preamplification, and 300 watts per channel without a rack full of components, cable clutter, and the usual matching exercise that accompanies separates.

Its real advancement over the original U-300 is not greater amplifier output, but a more streaming-focused architecture built around Aavik’s newer I-x88-derived Class D platform, resonant-mode power supply, and the broader Audio Group Denmark approach to electrical and mechanical noise control. The U-301 is a tightly integrated high-end system rather than a conventional integrated amplifier with a DAC bolted onto the side.

The glaring omission is the lack of a built-in phono stage. The U-300 offered one, while vinyl listeners considering the U-301 will need an external phono preamp, another cable, and another box. That rather undermines the “just add speakers” pitch for anyone with a turntable, although it does create an obvious path toward Aavik’s dedicated R-Series phono stages.

The U-301 will make the most sense for a streaming-first, two-channel listener who wants fewer boxes without stepping down into lifestyle-audio territory. It is not the connectivity equivalent of a Swiss Army knife, and the published materials do not position it as one. But for buyers committed to the Audio Group Denmark ecosystem and willing to pay for Danish engineering, design, and a very specific approach to system integration, the U-301 looks like one of the more ambitious all-in-one amplifiers available.

Price & Availability

The Aavik U-301 Unity Amplifier will be available for $17,000 (€15,000) beginning October 2026 through Authorized Audio Group Denmark Dealers.

For more information: audiogroupdenmark.com

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Adrian Hill’s highly effective vaccine exceeded the World Health Organization’s protection targets of 75pc to 80pc in clinical trials.

Ireland’s Adrian Hill has received the European Patent Office’s European Inventor Award 2026 in the research category for his work developing the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine.

The highly effective vaccine achieved roughly 80pc protection in clinical trials, exceeding even World Health Organization (WHO) targets of 75pc. 

Designed for large-scale deployment in lower-income countries, the awarding body noted, the vaccine created by Hill and his team presents more of the malaria-specific protein regions needed to trigger a strong immune response, which offers significantly more protection against the disease than traditional vaccines. 

It costs less than €3 to make per dose and can remain stable for up to two years under standard refrigeration conditions, helping make vaccination programmes more accessible in regions where malaria remains endemic, according to the European Patent Office. 

Commenting on the win, Hill said, “I am delighted to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the many hundreds of people who have contributed to the discovery, development and licensure of our malaria vaccine over the past 12 years.”

Hill’s commitment to malaria research began in Gambia in 1988 when he witnessed the impact the illness can have, particularly on young children. According to the WHO, in 2024 there were 282m cases of malaria causing roughly 610,000 deaths globally. Three-quarters of those reported deaths were in Africa-based children under five. 

The project brought together partners including the University of Oxford, the Serum Institute of India, Novavax, and leading African research centres in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania. 

The awards show was held in Berlin; other inventors competing with Hill included Portuguese research finalist Paula Videira and her team, who were nominated for a high-precision antibody that distinguishes cancer cells from healthy tissue.

Finnish physicist Mikko Möttönen was considered for his work developing an ultrasensitive cryogenic microwave sensor that aims to improve quantum computing hardware.

Don’t miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Focal has expanded its Utopia loudspeaker range with the Scala Utopia Evo M, a French-built loudspeaker that introduces the brand’s newest PRISM tweeter and M-profile midrange technology to the model line.

That model line retains the three-way architecture that made the original Scala Utopia successful, with Focal integrating engineering advances from its most recent speaker developments across the entire updated design.

science

There might also be a downside

For those growing sick of Earth’s geopolitics, NASA is looking for volunteers to spend a year living and working in isolated conditions in preparation for a journey to some other celestial orb.

The US space agency is set to carry out a simulated deep space mission from no earlier than August 2027 to understand what might happen to its human lab rats during planned crewed missions to the Moon or Mars.

Johnson Space Center in Houston will be home to the willing participants who are set for a yearlong Moon and Mars Exploration Analog experience designed to help keep potential space travelers safe and mission-ready during future stays on the Red Planet or Earth’s natural satellite. The simulation could also inform plans for a sustained lunar presence through the agency’s Moon Base and future Artemis missions.

The “experience” will take place in two confined habitats. The NASA notice does not say whether there will be outside comms, but specifies physical and educational requirements, as well as a willingness to take part in a multi-day selection process and pass a psychological assessment.

“Candidates also should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding experiences, and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for extended stays on the lunar surface and the first crewed mission to Mars,” the notice says.

Given the state of affairs, there may well be a flood of applicants who feel skipping a year would be well worth the inevitable curbs on their freedoms.

Nonetheless, they may wonder about the world they will emerge to find when the experiment ends. Will WWE star Cody Rhodes be running for president, given the recent showcase on the White House lawn? Anything is possible in a world that shows an unnerving resemblance to Mike Judge’s 2006 Idiocracy.

Then again, given the perilous state of NASA’s funding under the Trump regime, it is always possible volunteers could fall victim to cuts while they were in isolation, leaving no one to tell them the experiment had reached its end. ®

Amazon Leo is ready to begin limited internet service later this year, but it’s far behind Starlink — several thousand satellites behind.

Amazon launched 29 more satellites into low-Earth orbit on Thursday, bringing its total to 396 and positioning the company to begin offering internet service to a relatively small customer base. Leo business and product VP Chris Weber posted on X that the company will be able “to support continuous service across initial latitudes.”  

Still lots of work ahead — including raising all these new satellites to their assigned altitude — but we’ve completed enough launches for initial service this yr, and future missions just add coverage and capacity,” he added.

More from CNET: Best Satellite Internet Providers for 2026

But Leo is starting a marathon that Starlink began in 2019 with its first launch. Trillionaire Elon Musk’s company has about 10,000 satellites in orbit and offers internet coverage to more than 150 countries. Starlink also either has or will have internet service on more than 200 airlines, including United Airlines, Air France, Alaska Airlines and British Airways.

In comparison Leo will only have limited service available to US customers later this year — coverage and price to be determined later — and is contracted by two airlines, JetBlue Airways in 2027 and Delta Air Lines in 2028. It will take several years and thousands more satellites launched for Leo to be able to offer widespread coverage in the US and elsewhere.

Of course, underestimate Jeff Bezos and his ability to compete and dominate at your peril.

Satellite internet is a big pie. Grand View Research estimates that the market will grow at a 15% rate from now until 2033, from $13.3 billion in 2026 to $35.7 billion by 2033. 

Hans Geerdes, a strategist at R&D firm CableLabs, said Starlink and its rivals pose a major threat to fixed internet service providers such as Xfinity, Verizon Home Internet and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. “I think every fixed broadband operator should be very worried,” Geerdes said earlier this year. “It’s basically the second coming of fixed wireless, but at much better economics and with very, very aggressive competitive behavior.”

Leo eyes faster satellite deployment

Thursday’s Leo launch was the last of eight with its Atlas V rocket, which had a 100% success rate. Leo will conduct future launches with its heavier Vulcan rocket, which can carry more satellites at a faster deployment rate.

Melissa Wuerl, director of launch systems for Leo, said in a statement that the company has “hundreds of flight-ready satellites standing by” at Cape Canaveral in Florida. The company reportedly has nearly 100 launches scheduled at a cost of $82 billion. The goal is to have 7,727 satellites up by 2035.

Leo and Starlink’s satellites operate roughly 350 to 500 miles above the Earth’s surface, in the region known as low earth orbit (hence Amazon’s name for them, taken from the acronym LEO). This lower altitude allows satellites to deliver faster internet speed and also keeps it more affordable to install satellites into orbit.

Amazon is also hoping to capture a large share of the direct-to-device internet market. Direct-to-device internet basically means that a person’s cell phone or other device connects directly to a satellite. Key to that strategy was the company’s $11.6 billion purchase in April of Globalstar, whose low-earth-orbit satellites provide coverage in over 120 countries.

Predator. Omen. Legion, Asus. Imposing gaming PC sub-brands signal the power that elevates them over web-and-Word workhorses. But even before AI model training became the new killer app, gaming wasn’t the only application where performance, even GPU performance, commanded a premium.

Workstations such as Lenovo’s ThinkPad P series and HP’s Z series, optimized for applications like advanced data science, computer-aided design and 3D model rendering, have long boasted specs similar to leading gaming PCs. However, they ship in more conservative exteriors, offer greater durability, and traverse different distribution channels en route to the desks of enterprise users.

Rowing machines are a great way to get a low-impact cardio workout in. However, it’s easy to use this machine improperly, which is why it’s helpful to know what the right technique looks like. Whether you’re new to rowing machines or have little experience with them, it doesn’t hurt to learn how to row properly. It may take some practice, but once you nail the technique, you’ll understand why this is one of the best ways to do cardio in a short period.

We spoke with a personal trainer to understand the common mistakes people make with a rowing machine and how to fix them with simple cues.

1. You’re mainly using your arms instead of your legs 

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One of the mistakes most people make when using a rowing machine is focusing too much on their arms rather than their legs. 

“Most people sit down and immediately pull with their biceps like it’s a cable row,” says Gerard Washack, personal trainer and owner of Strong Republic Personal Training. The problem with this approach is that rowing mainly requires leg strength. 

“About 60% of the power should come from your legs driving against the foot plate, 30% from the hips and back opening up and only 10% from the arms pulling the handle in at the very end,” Washack explains.

To help people improve their rowing technique, Washack says he changes how the handle is held: “I have people row with their hands off the handle and tuck the handle into your hip crease and just push with legs, then hips, then arms in that order.”

2. You’re not postured correctly

Poor posture is another mistake rowing machine users tend to make. If you have rounded shoulders and a hunched back, you’re not getting the most out of your rowing.  

“The spine has to stay long and the chest open during the whole move,” says Washack. He cues clients by telling them to imagine they’re sitting on a barstool with their chest up. 

Proper rowing should look long and smooth, with the legs pushing first. Then, the back opens, and the arms pull last. On the way back, the arms go away from the body first, the body hinges forward and then the knees bend last. By following these cues, it should feel like your legs are doing most of the work.

3. The damper is on the wrong setting

The damper, the dial found on the side of a rowing machine, controls how much air flows into the fan. This is what you use to adjust the resistance of the rowing machine, and it influences how heavy the stroke feels. 

“Beginners usually move it to 10 because they think harder is better,” Washack explains, adding, “The damper isn’t a resistance setting like a weight stack; instead, it’s more like a gear on a bike.” Depending on your fitness level, he recommends the following:

• Beginners should keep the damper settings between three and five.
• Intermediate users who have their form down can set the damper between four and six.
• Advanced rowers who focus on interval training or power can aim for seven or eight, and sometimes 10, on the damper. 

Ultimately, though, it’s more about the effort you put into the row. “Elite competitive rowers usually train at four or five,” Washack says, but they’re focusing on their output versus the number on the damper.  

4. Your rower lacks maintenance

The damper, the dial found on the side of a rowing machine, controls how much air flows into the fan. This is what you use to adjust the resistance of the rowing machine, and it influences how heavy the stroke feels. Although a rowing machine doesn’t require as much maintenance as other types of fitness equipment, you should still do your best to keep it clean and replace any worn-down parts. 

Washack recommends inspecting your rowing machine every month. “Inspect the chain or belt for wear, the seat rollers for dirt and the foot straps for fraying.” You should wipe down the seat and handle after every use, as sweat that falls onto the seat track can wear down the machine. 

Depending on the type of rower you own, you may need to focus on different parts for maintenance: 

Air rowers: If you own an air rower like the Concept2, these are the easiest rowing machines to take care of. The chain will need occasional oiling, and the flywheel cage (the enclosure where the fan sits) needs to be kept dust-free. 

Magnetic rowers: These are rowers that have the most electronic parts and mechanical complexity — similar to some of CNET’s favorite rowing machine picks. “The magnetic resistance system can wear or shift over time, and the cables connecting the resistance to the console can fray,” Washack explains. “I recommend checking those connections every couple of months.”

5. You’re using the rower for the wrong workouts

Unlike a treadmill or an exercise bike, where you can do long, steady workouts, a rowing machine is best used in short bursts. 

Washack likes prescribing intervals to clients who use the rowing machine. “Programs like four rounds of 500 meters with two minutes rest between are my go-to,” he says. “Another day, I do a longer, steady aerobic piece, 30 to 45 minutes at a conversational pace where your legs are working but you could still talk.” 

For clients looking to improve their power and speed, Washack focuses on eight rounds of 250 meters with a minute rest. 

6. It’s your primary workout

Unlike a treadmill or an exercise bike, where you can do long, steady workouts, a rowing machine is best used in short bursts. While rowing machines are great cardio machines, they shouldn’t be your main form of exercise. You should be following a strength-training program in addition to your rowing workouts. 

“Combine rowing with two days of traditional strength training, and you’ve got a complete program,” recommends Washack. 

Overall, finding a form of cardio you enjoy is important, since it will keep you consistent, and including strength training and mobility exercises will help you remain fit and strong.