Physical media is about ownership. You buy the record, you keep the record, and it lives in your space as something tangible; not a license that can disappear overnight. But once a collection grows beyond a neat stack on a shelf, storage becomes a real issue. Milk crates are a temporary fix, not a long-term solution, and not everyone wants their listening room to look like it was assembled from IKEA leftovers or rescued from behind the local Publix. In 2024, we covered Toneoptic’s RPM Rotating Vinyl Record Storage Unit, a design-driven statement piece built for collectors with the space and commitment to match.

For 2026, Toneoptic is expanding the concept with the new CAN record storage system. It’s a modular, stackable, rollable crate solution for vinyl collectors who want their storage to look intentional, work without drama, and actually belong in a serious listening space.

The Toneoptic CAN is designed for real-world use. Stackable crates with cleverly embedded handles are designed to be easy to grab, and the optional eze dolly lets you roll your vinyl collection instead of deadlifting it. Plus there’s open access from both sides so flipping records doesn’t feel like work. You can even display what’s currently spinning, because if you’ve gone to the trouble of buying physical media, hiding it behind a slab of particle board would be missing the point.

Toneoptic CAN & eze Dolly

The Toneoptic CAN is available directly from Toneoptic, with pricing starting at $195 per unit. The optional eze dolly, which lets you roll your records instead of herniating a disc, is also sold direct for $85. Importantly and increasingly rare in this category—the CAN is made and assembled in Los Angeles, not pulled off a container ship and rebranded.

Dimensions & Weight

• 18.7 in / 475 mm (length)
• 13.25 in / 337 mm depth (aluminum version)
• 14 in / 376 mm depth (wood versions)
• 14.8 in / 376 mm (height)
• 12 lb / 5.4 kg per unit

Materials

The CAN isn’t pretending to be premium—it actually is. Construction includes post-consumer recycled aluminum, stainless steel fasteners, photopolymer components, and hardwoods where applicable, specifically American black walnut and North American white oak.

Record Capacity (Because This Actually Matters)

• Up to 80 records if your collection leans toward original pressings (12-inch or 10-inch)
• Around 60 records if you’re dealing with reissues and the occasional box set
• An additional 1-4 records can be placed in the record showcase sides, which is perfect for what’s currently playing or what you want people to notice first

The Bottom Line

The Toneoptic CAN is for vinyl collectors who want practical modular record storage that looks intentional not improvised. Made and assembled in Los Angeles, it delivers smart capacity, real materials, and thoughtful design without drifting into furniture theater. The $195 starting price is aimed at early adopters and likely won’t stay there once demand catches up.

The CAN is available for $195 at Toneoptic and the eze dolly is an extra $85 in white or $110 in black or silver.

Related Reading:

If you want to buy or sell a used EV right now, what’s the first step you’d take?

A startup called Ever wants to be the answer to that question. The company, which bills itself as the first “AI-native, full-stack auto retail business” for electric vehicles, already has thousands of customers buying and selling their EVs on the platform.

Now it’s looking to scale with help from a $31 million Series A funding round led by Eclipse, with Ibex Investors, Lifeline Ventures, and JIMCO — the investment arm of the Saudi Arabian Jameel family (an early investor in Rivian) — as co-investors.

Over the last decade, companies like Carvana and Carmax helped usher in the digital car-buying experience. More recently, myriad startups have tried to improve the car-buying experience with AI, pitching ideas like voice agents or smarter scheduling software. Eclipse’s Jiten Behl thinks this is the wrong approach if you want to really modernize the automotive retail experience, though.

“These bolt-on AI tools are band-aids,” he said in an interview with TechCrunch. He likened it to how many major automakers’ first EVs were essentially combustion vehicles that were repackaged to fit electric drivetrains. That approach came with major tradeoffs compared to designing a new EV from the ground up, which was the approach companies like Tesla and Rivian took.

“Auto retail is a perfect candidate for disrupting with AI, you know? It’s a lot of process, lot of labor, [very] rules-based,” he said.

Lasse-Mathias Nyberg, Ever co-founder and CEO, said in an interview that buying or selling a car typically triggers “hundreds or thousands of different actions” that a retailer needs to perform in order to complete the transaction. “There’s massive complexities or frictions on both sides.”

In 2022, he and his team set out to reduce or remove those complexities. What they settled on after a year of research was a digital-first auto retailer. The core tech is an orchestration layer or “operating system” that can handle all the different workflows behind a transaction, whether it’s processing information submitted by a prospective buyer or seller, or managing the vehicle inventory.

“When you do appraisals, or pricing, or titling, it’s very deterministic in terms of what steps need to be taken. And today, there are lots of single point solution tools that are used,” he said. Most companies “use these tools together in a very inefficient manner, and you think that you are on a digital journey — but if you actually could clean-sheet it, and if you actually could use the power of agentic AI, and you can create one unified customer experience and remove all these micro-frictions.”

Nyberg claimed that building the company this way has allowed Ever’s sales team to be two to three times more productive than they would be otherwise, and he expects that to scale as the company grows. He said this extra efficiency and productivity beefs up their margins, which can be booked as profit or passed along to the customer by offering lower prices.

Ever applies this fresh approach to both its online marketplace and physical locations. Nyberg said the hybrid model is important because seeing and trying a car in person remains crucial to the shopping experience for a lot of buyers — especially those who might be assessing EVs for the first time.

Early reviews of Ever’s product have been mixed. Users on one particular Reddit thread from last year were split, with some drawn to how Ever is making EVs easier to buy, while others detailed struggles getting in touch with the startup’s team. Ever was just getting off the ground and was more or less operating in stealth, and so Nyberg chalks that up to a learning experience. He said his team is working hard to make sure its system can be flexible enough to accomplish everything the company has set out to do.

The bigger challenge may be overall interest in EVs, which has cooled a bit in the United States. Nyberg said he hasn’t ruled out Ever buying or selling used combustion cars in the future, but wants to stick to EVs in the near-term since there isn’t a retailer that is laser-focused on these vehicles.

Behl, who spent eight years on Rivian’s leadership team, admitted he’s a “hopeless romantic when it comes to EVs,” and said he still believes the industry is moving towards electric propulsion because of the inherent benefits. And he said his “first thought” when started doing diligence on Ever was: “I wish Rivian was doing this.”

More broadly, Behl said, companies like Carvana are still in the single digits of market share when it comes to automotive retail. That’s why he sees so much upside in Ever.

“Customers are going to continue to gravitate towards better experience when it comes to buying cars, which means it is going to be a digitally-led customer experience which takes away all the friction of buying and selling a car,” he said.

Modal Labs, a startup specializing in AI inference infrastructure, is talking to VCs about a new round at a valuation of about $2.5 billion, according to four people with knowledge of the deal. Should the deal close at these terms, the funding round would more than double the company’s valuation of $1.1 billion announced less than five months ago, when it announced an $87 million Series B round.

General Catalyst is in talks to lead the round, the people told TechCrunch. Modal’s annualized revenue run rate (ARR) is approximately $50 million, our sources said. The discussions are early, and terms could still change.  

Modal Labs co-founder and CEO Erik Bernhardsson denied that his company was actively fundraising and characterized his recent interactions with VCs as general conversations. General Catalyst did not respond to our requests for comment.

Modal is focused on optimizing inference, the process of running trained AI models to generate answers from user requests. Improving inference efficiency reduces compute costs and cuts down the lag time between a user’s prompt and the AI’s response.

Modal is one of the handful of inference-focused companies attracting intense investor attention now. Last week, its competitor Baseten announced a $300 million raise at a $5 billion valuation, more than doubling the $2.1 billion valuation it reached just months prior in September. Similarly, Fireworks AI, an inference cloud provider, secured $250 million at a $4 billion valuation in October.

In January, the creators of the open source inference project vLLM announced they had transitioned the tool into a VC-backed startup, Inferact, raising $150 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz at an $800 million valuation. Meanwhile, TechCrunch reported that the team behind SGLang has commercialized as RadixArk, which sources told us secured seed funding at a $400 million valuation led by Accel.

Modal was co-founded by CEO Erik Bernhardsson in 2021 after he spent more than 15 years building and leading data teams at companies including Spotify and Better.com, where he was CTO.

The startup counts Lux Capital and Redpoint Ventures among its earlier backers.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to include a comment from Modal.

Other MagSafe Power Banks to Consider

We like a few other MagSafe power banks that didn’t make it into our top picks.

Apple MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Apple’s MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air for $99: The super svelte iPhone Air doesn’t have room for a big battery, so Apple offers this perfectly sized MagSafe add-on, capable of charging wirelessly at 12 watts. But, with just 3,149 mAh of power (it charged the iPhone Air to 68 percent), it’s awfully pricey. Still, it’s one of the few perfectly designed for the iPhone Air. You can technically use it with other iPhones, but you’ll have to rotate the power bank so that it hangs horizontally.

Statik State Power Bank for $60: This pack uses semisolid battery tech, meaning there’s less liquid inside, so it’s safer (won’t catch fire, even if damaged), and it should last longer. Statik suggests double the lifespan. It certainly keeps its cool, offering 5,000 mAh at up to 15 watts or 20-watt USB-C charging. I like it, but the similar Kuxiu power bank recommended above is slightly more compact and cheaper.

Ecoflow Rapid Qi2 Power Bank for $90: Slim and speedy, this power bank is an impressive gadget for a company we usually associate with portable power stations. It is Qi2 certified for up to 15-watt wireless charging, but there’s also a USB-C port that can deliver up to 36 watts, and it supports a bunch of charging protocols (PD 3.0, PPS, and QC 3.0). To sweeten the deal further, it has a wee kickstand.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Anker Nano Power Bank for $55: Anker has almost managed to match the slimmest power bank above with its new Nano Qi2 power bank, measuring just 0.34 inches thick. It keeps its cool, charges at up to 15 watts, and fills most compatible phones to just over the 50-percent mark. If you want a slim Qi2-certified power bank, pick this.

Mous MagSafe Compatible Wireless Power Bank for $40: I don’t have any major complaints about this MagSafe power bank. The 6,000-mAh capacity is good for a 70-to-80 percent refill for most iPhones, and the design is rounded with a soft finish, though it is a little thick. It maxes out at 15 watts for charging, with a USB-C port that can hit 20 watts.

Vonmählen Evergreen Mag Magnetic Power Bank for £60: The real attraction of this magnetic wireless power bank is Vonmählen’s eco credentials. The German manufacturer uses recycled cobalt (27 percent), aluminum (90 percent), and plastics (100 percent) in its power banks. There are no compromises on design or functionality. This MagSafe battery pack is sleek and slim (8.6 mm), boasts Qi2 certification, and offers 15-watt wireless and 20-watt wired charging via USB-C. It’s only available in the UK and Europe now, but it will hopefully land in the US soon.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Scosche PBQ5MS2 Portable MagSafe Phone Charger for $40: Slim, decent magnets, four LEDs to show remaining power, and a wee USB-C cable in the box—so far, so familiar. There’s nothing really wrong with this 5,000-mAh MagSafe power bank, but charging (wireless and wired) maxes out at 10 watts, and you can get better performers for the same money above.

Burga Magnetic Power Bank for $100: If you are appalled at the idea of attaching an ugly limpet to your iPhone, consider splashing out for one of Burga’s stylish MagSafe power banks. A mix of tempered glass and anodized steel, these pretty power banks come in a wide range of eye-catching designs. The camo model I tested had strong magnets and charged my iPhone 14 Pro wirelessly (7.5 watts) to around 70 percent from dead. The USB-C port can also supply 20 watts. The catch is the relatively high price for the relatively low 5,000-mAh capacity.

Groov-e Power Bank for £29: This affordable MagSafe charger is only available in the UK, but it offers a decent 10,000-mAh capacity with a display that shows the precise percentage remaining. You can get 15-watt wireless charging (7.5 watts for iPhones), and the USB-C port can charge devices at up to 20 watts. It’s a little bulky, but the magnets are strong, and it worked well when tested, offering a full charge for my iPhone 14 Pro with around 30 percent left.

Belkin BoostCharge Wireless Power Bank for $33: With a 5,000-mAh capacity and a handy kickstand, this MagSafe power bank is decent. I like the choice of colors (especially purple), but the magnets feel a bit weak, and the kickstand works best in landscape (it feels unstable in portrait). It fell well short of a full charge for my iPhone 14 Pro.

Bezalel Prelude XR Wireless Power Bank for $120: The clever X-range from Bezalel includes two MagSafe power banks and a wireless charging plug. The XR, which I tested, has a 10,000-mAh capacity, while the smaller X ($80) makes do with 5,000 mAh. The XR is bulky, and the kickstand feels flimsy, but it offers more than enough power to fully charge an iPhone 14 Pro. Both power banks charge iPhones at 7.5 watts, and other Qi wireless phones at up to 15 watts, plus you can pop your AirPods on the other side to charge at 3 watts. They also have USB-C ports that can deliver 20 watts.

Mophie Snap+ Juice Pack Mini for $45: This 5,000-mAh-capacity power bank works well, but it’s a little bigger than it should be. It works with MagSafe iPhones but comes with an optional attachment for non-MagSafe phones. Mophie’s Snap+ Powerstation Stand ($70) offers double the capacity and a kickstand, but it’s chunky.

Avoid These MagSafe Power Banks

Photograph: Simon Hill

Some of the MagSafe portable chargers we tested aren’t worth your time.

Alogic Matrix Universal Magnetic Power Bank: This lightweight, 5,000-mAh-capacity magnetic power bank has an awkward angular look, but that’s because it’s designed to slide into a 2-in-1 dock, a 3-in-1 dock, and a couple of car docks, much like Anker’s 633 above. Unfortunately, one of the Alogic batteries I tested failed and refused to charge. The one that worked managed to add 74 percent to my iPhone 14 Pro’s battery.

HyperJuice Magnetic Wireless Battery Pack: Yet another 5,000-mAh MagSafe power bank, the HyperJuice looks quite nice with four LEDs and a round power button on the back, but the USB-C port is limited to 12 watts, and it only managed to take my iPhone 14 Pro up to 71 percent.

UAG Lucent Power Kickstand: This MagSafe power bank has a curved design with a soft-touch coating and a tough metal kickstand. Unfortunately, the capacity is only 4,000 mAh, yet it’s as big as some higher-capacity options—or even bigger. It added just shy of 60 percent to my iPhone 14 Pro, charging wirelessly at 7.5 watts. The USB-C goes up to 18 watts, but you can get better power and performance for the money.

Moft Snap Stand Power Set: I like the soft faux-leather finish, and this power bank is comfy in the hand and looks great, but the 3,400-mAh capacity only added 41 percent to my iPhone 14 Pro. It comes with a magnetically attached folding stand and wallet, with perhaps enough room for a couple of cards or emergency cash. I like that it attaches separately so you can ditch the power bank when it’s dead, but keep the stand; it just doesn’t offer enough power.

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Uber Eats is testing a new feature that tries to remove the most annoying part of ordering groceries, the endless searching and tapping. It’s called Cart Assistant, and it can take a typed list or an image and draft a basket for you inside the app.

It’s rolling out as a beta. You’ll see it as a purple icon on a grocery store storefront after you search for the store from the home screen.

Uber hasn’t said exactly which stores and cities get it first, or whether any devices are excluded. It frames the launch as a US release and an early step toward more agent-style help in Uber Eats, where the app handles setup and you handle decisions.

It turns notes into a basket

Cart Assistant is built for the moment you already know what you need. Paste in your grocery notes, or upload an image, including a photo of handwritten items or a screenshot of recipe ingredients, and the app translates that into shoppable picks.

As it drafts the basket, Uber says it checks store availability and surfaces store-level details like pricing and promotions. Then you can edit normally. Swap brands, adjust sizes, remove extras, or keep browsing before checkout.

Repeat orders get smarter

Uber says Cart Assistant uses your past orders to prioritize familiar staples, which should cut down the time it takes to restock the same basics each week. That’s the kind of AI that earns its keep, because it saves effort without changing how you shop.

It also hints at where Uber wants to go next. The company positions this beta as part of a broader move toward agentic AI, meaning the app can take on multi-step tasks and hand you a result you can still tweak.

Where it helps, and where it may not

You’ll notice Cart Assistant most on routine grocery runs, when you want a solid first draft and you’re happy to fine-tune the last details. It’s less about discovery and more about getting the boring part done.

There’s one catch Uber hasn’t addressed yet, image accuracy. How well it handles low light, cramped handwriting, or very specific branded ingredients will decide whether it feels like magic or like extra cleanup.

Treat it like a draft, not autopilot. If you spot the purple icon, try a short list first, then scale up once you trust its picks on sizes and brands.

Nothing has begun teasing the upcoming Phone 4a with its colour options as a standout feature.

A recent post on X showed coloured dots forming the ‘a’ logo in Nothing’s signature dot‑matrix style. The dots appeared in blue, yellow, pink, white, and black, strongly suggesting these will be the launch colours.

The ‘a’ series remains Nothing’s best‑selling line, so expanding its finishes makes sense. Offering multiple colours could broaden appeal, especially as the Phone 4a edges closer to the flagship experience.

Co‑founder Carl Pei has already confirmed plans to push the device toward higher‑end territory, while still keeping the ‘a’ line affordable compared to the main flagship.

On Wednesday, former OpenAI researcher Zoë Hitzig published a guest essay in The New York Times announcing that she resigned from the company on Monday, the same day OpenAI began testing advertisements inside ChatGPT. Hitzig, an economist and published poet who holds a junior fellowship at the Harvard Society of Fellows, spent two years at OpenAI helping shape how its AI models were built and priced. She wrote that OpenAI’s advertising strategy risks repeating the same mistakes that Facebook made a decade ago.

“I once believed I could help the people building A.I. get ahead of the problems it would create,” Hitzig wrote. “This week confirmed my slow realization that OpenAI seems to have stopped asking the questions I’d joined to help answer.”

Hitzig did not call advertising itself immoral. Instead, she argued that the nature of the data at stake makes ChatGPT ads especially risky. Users have shared medical fears, relationship problems, and religious beliefs with the chatbot, she wrote, often “because people believed they were talking to something that had no ulterior agenda.” She called this accumulated record of personal disclosures “an archive of human candor that has no precedent.”

She also drew a direct parallel to Facebook’s early history, noting that the social media company once promised users control over their data and the ability to vote on policy changes. Those pledges eroded over time, Hitzig wrote, and the Federal Trade Commission found that privacy changes Facebook marketed as giving users more control actually did the opposite.

She warned that a similar trajectory could play out with ChatGPT: “I believe the first iteration of ads will probably follow those principles. But I’m worried subsequent iterations won’t, because the company is building an economic engine that creates strong incentives to override its own rules.”

Ads arrive after a week of AI industry sparring

Hitzig’s resignation adds another voice to a growing debate over advertising in AI chatbots. OpenAI announced in January that it would begin testing ads in the US for users on its free and $8-per-month “Go” subscription tiers, while paid Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education subscribers would not see ads. The company said ads would appear at the bottom of ChatGPT responses, be clearly labeled, and would not influence the chatbot’s answers.