From left, Charles Lamanna of Microsoft, Theresa Piasta of Outreach, Swami Sivasubramanian of AWS, and Kiana Ehsani of Vercept will be among the speakers at GeekWire’s Agents of Transformation summit on March 24 in Seattle.
GeekWire’s Agents of Transformation summit is a little more than a month away, and we’re announcing the first wave of speakers for the half-day event the afternoon of Tuesday, March 24, at Block 41 in Seattle, including leaders from Amazon, Microsoft, and more.
The event, presented by Accenture, focuses on questions that are top of mind for many right now: What does the rise of AI agents mean for productivity, the future of work, and the way companies and industries operate? We’re bringing together people who can speak to both the big picture and the practical realities of putting AI to work inside organizations.
Here are a few of the leaders who will be joining us, with more to be announced soon.
Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President for Agentic AI at AWS, where he leads the teams behind Bedrock, SageMaker, AgentCore, and other core AI services. He previously served on the National AI Advisory Committee, advising the White House on AI policy.
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Kiana Ehsani, co-founder and CEO of Vercept, an AI startup that automates computer tasks by watching and interacting with your screen. She was previously a senior research scientist at Ai2, with a PhD from the University of Washington focused on embodied AI and robotics.
Charles Lamanna, President of Business Applications & Agents at Microsoft, where he leads efforts to embed AI agents into enterprise workflows across Microsoft’s customer base. A former startup founder, he previously led Microsoft’s Power Platform low-code technology.
Theresa Piasta, Vice President of AI Value Strategy at Outreach, where she focuses on measuring AI’s business impact and helping organizations design effective human-and-AI teams. Her background spans enterprise tech, Wall Street, and military leadership.
The afternoon will also feature a startup zone where early-stage companies will showcase their work and pitch for a live audience, along with panel discussions, fireside chats, and interviews. The main program runs from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by a networking reception.
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This event builds on an ongoing GeekWire editorial series, underwritten by Accenture, spotlighting how startups, developers and tech giants are using intelligent agents to innovate.
Thanks to presenting sponsor Accenture and gold sponsors Nebius and AWS Marketplace for helping to make the event possible. For sponsorship opportunities, to participate in the startup zone, or any other inquiries about the event, contact events@geekwire.com.
Details
When: Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 1:30–5:30 p.m.
Where: Block 41, 115 Bell St., Seattle
Tickets: Early bird pricing is $145 through Feb. 24.
Register here or below, and see you March 24 in Seattle!
A small robot sits on your desk, its screen flickering with a cheery expression as it silently pulls in the most recent weather data. Deskbuddy does not go out of its way to get your attention with loud obnoxious noises or overly elaborate motions; instead, it just hangs out and keeps you company by doing simple animations and keeping you updated on time and weather, all wrapped up in a project that is ridiculously simple to build, even if you’re new to the hobby.
Rajesh from the Edison Science Corner YouTube channel came up with the idea for this robot, which uses everyday parts to keep prices down and choices open. At the center of it all is an ESP32-C3 Super Mini board, which Rajesh chose since it’s small and inexpensive, but you can use other ESP32 types if you wish. A 1.3-inch OLED display performs an excellent job of displaying expressive animations while also offering useful information such as the current time and local weather, which it obtains from OpenWeatherMap via WiFi.
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Deskbuddy is controlled by tapping a sensor on its body, which results in a reaction on the screen. The enclosure is a two-piece design that can be printed using any standard 3D printer in white PLA. It is shaped like a little case that fits perfectly next to your monitor or keyboard. Inside, the entire thing is powered by a rechargeable battery that connects via a charging module and a simple on/off button.
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First, gather all of the necessary components: the microcontroller, the OLED screen, the touch sensor, the battery configuration, and a few wires. Once you have those, simply wire them together using a circuit diagram and upload your firmware via the Arduino IDE. After that, all you have to do is connect to your WiFi network and enter an API key to get the weather data to operate properly, and your robot will be fully operational. The animations are all handled by libraries such as Adafruit GFX, and the hardware is still quite adaptable, allowing you to swap and replace pieces to meet your needs.
All of the files for this project are fully open-source. You can download the Arduino sketches, wiring arrangement, and 3D enclosure models and play around with them as much as you want, adding additional expressions, changing data sources, and redesigning the shell from scratch.Community involvement will be an important element of future upgrades, with ideas already circulating for things like adding motion sensors so the robot wakes up as you approach, a speaker so it can make some noise, and possibly even a color screen to give it some genuine visual pizzazz. Of course, we may obtain a dedicated circuit board to make assembly easier, as well as improved power management to extend the battery’s life.
Deskbuddy is available in two versions: fully assembled for roughly $22 or as a kit with all of the pieces for about $14, which is fantastic for this project. From what I’ve seen, it just sits there silently on your desk, updating the weather, flashing a joyful expression when you tap it, and overall reminding you that a desk can have personality while also being functional without taking up too much room. [Source]
SEGA Master System owners can finally get their hands on a playable Castlevania. Developer xfixium stunned everyone by releasing sample version 0.1 on the SMS Power forums on February 14, 2026, right in the midst of Valentine’s Day. This homebrew project ports the 1986 NES classic to the 8-bit SEGA console, retaining the majority of the original while adding visual flare drawn from the X68000 version that inspired Castlevania Chronicles.
Xfixium handles the coding and visuals, while Mondo adds some great visual elements and Louis The Sega Nerd brings the soundtrack to life. When you boot up the ROM on an emulator or your actual hardware, you will see the title screen, intro sequence, and even a sound test. From there, you may choose between traditional mode, which looks like the NES, and enhanced mode, which has finer redrawn details that expand the Master System’s limited color palette.
All six stages are available for exploration, however for the time being, Trevor Belmont’s sprite from Castlevania III serves as a temporary hero, whipping through castles that are still mostly vacant. You can climb stairs, avoid hazards, and cross dangerous platforms, but power-ups and adversaries are currently placeholders, with large empty spaces begging for your attention. There are a few problems, but the movement feels robust, and xfixium developed smooth scrolling from the start as a proof of concept.
In enhanced mode, the graphics really come to life. On the Master System display, the colors are more bright, the backgrounds have some depth, and the sprites have lovely sharp edges.Side-by-side comparisons reveal the difference, as what appeared blocky on the NES now appears much more detailed and with deeper tones. According to forum members, it appears similar to what the Mega Drive was capable of years ago and has a higher visual impact than the 8-bit NES.
The soundtrack conversions are straight from the NES but have been reworked to accommodate the Master System’s PSG chip. Louis has done an excellent job on songs such as the stage themes and boss music, and he has made the entire set available online for anyone to listen to. Right now, the early plays reveal some beautiful melodies, however a few notes fall short of the NES versions. The FM sound chips will be upgraded in the future, but the existing mix is already receiving high accolades for making the best use of the hardware.
The standard two-button control scheme makes gameplay extremely simple. The whip button is on one side and the leap button on the other, while the D-pad controls all other movements with precision. There are no fancy additions yet, only pure action that requires you to properly timing your swings and hops. The good news is that real hardware testing show it operates extremely well, even on original Master Systems and newer clones, with no slowdowns in sight. Download it here. [Source]
Michelin offers an 80,000-mile manufacturer treadwear limited warranty on two varieties of its Defender tires. These are the Defender2 and the Defender T&H MTP tires.
Michelin provides what it calls the Promise Plan to the buyers of its replacement tires, which excludes the tires that came on the vehicle as original equipment. The Promise Plan consists of three parts. The first part is a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, which lets buyers return their Michelin tires and exchange them for another new set of tires priced the same or less than the Michelins that were purchased. Next comes a roadside assistance component, which lasts for three years from the date of purchase. The roadside assistance service includes the changing of flat tires, including an up to 150-mile tow to the nearest Michelin retailer if an inflated spare is not available. It also covers battery jump starts, lockout service, and delivery of vehicle fluids. Finally, there’s the manufacturer’s limited warranty plus a treadwear warranty.
In the case of the Michelin Defender tires, the manufacturer’s warranty covers defects due to materials and workmanship, as well as a warranty for treadwear that lasts for 80,000 miles. Be aware that Michelin, which owns nine other tire brands, also puts a time limit on its warranty, which will expire six years after the date of purchase. So if you don’t put at least 13,333 miles per year on your tires, you might not be able to take full advantage of your warranty — unless the tires wear out before 80,000 miles.
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What isn’t covered by Michelin’s 80,000-mile warranty?
There are some notable exclusions that apply to the Michelin 80,000-mile warranty. Should your car require tires that are different sizes front and rear, they will be unable to be rotated. This reduces the warranty to half of the stated mileage, or 40,000 miles in the case of the specified Defender tires. If you choose the run-flat version, known as Zero Pressure or ZP in Michelin-speak, the warranty is further reduced to 30,000 miles.
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Some other things not covered by the warranty on these Michelin tires, which are made in factories located all over the world, are damage from use in racing-type events, damage as a result of a mechanical issue within the vehicle, road hazard-caused damage, and damage to tires that were taken off the car they were mounted on originally. If you are not the original owner of these tires and bought the car they are on used, the warranty does not apply.
Other reasons for non-coverage include improper maintenance, underinflation, overinflation, poor wheel alignment, flat spotting due to locking up your brakes or letting the car sit for long periods, and not rotating your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. Also disallowed are commercial use of the tires for activities such as ride-sharing, cosmetic-type cracking due to either weather or ozone exposure, and the use of any substance besides air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen being introduced into the tire for balancing or sealing purposes.
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What happens if your Michelin tires wear out before 80,000 miles?
In the event that your Michelin tires with an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty do not make it to the maximum mileage within six years, there are two different scenarios that can apply. The first kicks in if your tires are less than one year old, with less than 2/32″ or 25% of the tread depth worn away. In this situation, Michelin will replace the tire free of charge with a tire that is comparable, including the mounting and balancing costs. Taxes and other charges are your responsibility.
If the wear exceeds this amount, or the tires are past a year from the purchase date, a replacement tire will be supplied on a pro rata basis, which means that the car owner pays a share of the new tire cost. The amount you will pay depends on both the percentage of the warrantied miles that you have received and the current retail price of the replacement tire. For instance, if your Michelin tires are worn down to the wear bars after 40,000 miles, you would be entitled to a replacement for around half of the current price. Of course, items like mounting, balancing, and taxes are on you.
Michelin is considered the best major tire brand in terms of customer satisfaction. By backing up their tires with not only a mileage warranty but also a 60-day return privilege plus roadside assistance services, Michelin seems very much interested in taking car of their customers for the long haul.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s Mini Crossword is a fun one, and it’s not terribly tough. It helps if you know a certain Olympian. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
The Raspberry Pi has brought digital camera experimentation within the reach of everybody, with its combination of an accessible computing platform and some almost-decent camera sensors. If there’s a flaw in the Pi as a camera though, it lies in the software, which can be slow and frustrating to use. [Martijn Braam] is here with an interesting project that might yield some useful results in this direction, he’s making a Raspberry Pi studio camera.
His camera hardware is very straightforward, a Pi 5 and touchscreen with the HD camera module in a rough but serviceable wooden box. The interesting part comes in the software, in which he’s written a low-latency GUI over an HDMI output camera application. It’s designed to plug into video mixing hardware, and one of the HDMI outputs carries the GUI while the other carries the unadulterated video. We can see this used to great effect with for example OBS Studio. It’s for now a work in progress as you can see in the video below the break, but we expect that it can only get better.
The video below exposes the obvious flaw in many Pi camera setups, that the available lenses don’t match the quality of the sensor, in that good glass ain’t cheap. But we think it’s one to watch, and could provide competition for CinePi.
Modder Tommy Doan shows how to transform a Mac Mini M4 into a portable battery-powered machine that can function without being hooked into a wall outlet. People who stick with desktop computers are typically tempted to its sheer power and familiarity, but they miss out on the opportunity to work from anywhere.
He discovers that the Mac Mini M4 consumes relatively little power. For simple tasks like web browsing, you’ll need 10 to 20 watts, but more intensive jobs like video rendering would require 25 to 40 watts. Apple includes an internal power source that converts AC from the wall to the 12 volts the device requires. Rather than hauling along an inverter-equipped battery pack, he bypassed the internal supply entirely and is now giving the Mac a clean 12-volt DC directly.
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Tommy carefully opens the casing, locates the two tiny golden screws that designate the DC input points, and disconnects them. He then connects a barrel connector directly to those spots, ensuring proper polarity to avoid blowing anything. The power bank itself is a massive UGreen 25,000 mAh unit with high-output USB-C PD. It can’t deliver 12 volts on its own, so he devised a trigger circuit that instructs it to provide 20 volts at 5 amps instead. From there, a buck converter reduces the voltage to a consistent 12 volts. To keep things neat, everything connects to a basic junction box.
He paired the setup with a UPerfect UColor J5 portable display. This compact 17.3-inch 4K IPS panel works at a fast 120Hz, covers 100% of the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, and weighs less than two pounds. It is, however, all in one USB-C cable, which is convenient because it provides power, video, and touch input. When you have all of the pieces close at hand, it takes around 30 seconds to put everything together.
He secures the Mac Mini, power bank, converter chain, and cables inside a repurposed UPerfect monitor case with sticky tape. Why? His 3D-printer was too small to print his custom enclosure design, which means the monitor attaches independently and easily fits into a bag.
In his real-world tests, the 25,000 mAh battery lasted 3 to 3.5 hours for light labor and just slightly less, about 2 hours, when loaded. The pass-through charging feature allows you to recharge the battery from a wall charger while the Mac is operating, which is a terrific method to keep going forever if you do find an outlet. After two weeks of daily use, the system remained rock stable for browsing, administrative chores, and editing, with no major crashes in sight; nevertheless, long-term stability is dependent on ensuring proper wiring.
In a small double-blind clinical trial, a single intravenous dose of DMT produced rapid and clinically meaningful reductions in symptoms of major depressive disorder within a week, with effects lasting up to three months in some patients. “Unlike psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide ( LSD), whose effects can last for hours, intravenous DMT has a half-life of around five minutes,” notes ScienceAlert. “Its psychedelic effects are correspondingly brief, potentially making it more practical to administer in clinical settings.” From the report: “A single dose of DMT with psychotherapeutic support produced a rapid, significant reduction in depressive symptoms, sustained up to three months,” writes a team led by neuroscientists David Erritzoe and Tommaso Barba of Imperial College London. […] They recruited 34 participants with major depression and divided them into two groups of 17 for a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
In the first stage of the trial, one group received an intravenous dose of DMT, while the other received an active placebo. Neither the researchers nor the participants were informed which participants received the DMT. The doses took around 10 minutes to administer, and a therapist sat with each participant to ensure comfort and safety while the psychedelic effects were active, remaining silent throughout the treatment. The treatment was generally well tolerated. Most side effects were mild to moderate, and included nausea, temporary anxiety, and pain at the injection site. No serious adverse events related to the treatment were reported, although brief increases in heart rate and blood pressure were observed immediately after dosing.
In the second, open-label stage, two weeks after the first dose, all participants were given the opportunity to receive a dose of DMT. Participants were assessed before and at intervals after each dose using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Just a week after the first dose, participants who had received DMT had improved scores compared to the placebo group, and improvements were sustained during follow-up assessments.
Two weeks after the first dose, the participants who received DMT scored about seven points lower, on average, than those who received a placebo. On this commonly used clinical scale, a drop of that size is generally considered a meaningful reduction in symptom severity. There was no significant difference between patients who received one or two doses of DMT, suggesting a single dose may be sufficient. These effects persisted for up to three months, and some patients remained in remission for at least six months following the treatment. The findings have been published in Nature Medicine.
WordPress.com now uses AI to make site layout changes with natural language prompts
Nano Banana image generation and editing is integrated with the media library
It’s available to use now, but you need to turn it on in settings
Set against a background of other AI-powered website builders, WordPress.com has launched its own AI Assistant, and it covers more than just generating copy.
The company explains its new assistant will be able to understand a site’s content and layout, therefore users can make more complex changes with simple natural language prompts.
“No copy-pasting, no prompt engineering, and no code to figure out what to do with,” Head of AI Ronnie Burt wrote in a blog post.
WordPress.com highlighted three key areas where its AI Assistant can help: creating and editing content with context, generating and tweaking images, and colleague-style collaboration. Some of the changes handled include adjusting layouts, styles, colors, fonts and page structure, as well as other copy-related tasks like generating and translating text.
On the page editor front, WordPress.com shows examples of the AI Assistant making changes based on pretty loose, unspecific commands, such as ‘Make this section feel more modern and spacious’.
Besides generating text, AI Assistant can also generate and edit images using Google‘s Nano Banana models directly within the media library without having to use third-party platforms.
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Burt also pointed to the new block notes editor that launched with WordPress 6.9, which provides colleagues with a space to collaborate and share comments. Unsurprisingly, the AI Assistant also plays a role here, where it can do things like fact-check or make edit suggestions.
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WordPress AI Assistant is now generally available, but users must opt in via Sites > Settings > AI tools. Sites already built using the AI website builder option will have AI Assistant enabled by default.
There’s a certain joy in doing things with your hands, especially when it comes to little details that turn your house into a home. Unfortunately, there are many common mistakes people make when it comes to DIY projects, like not planning well, going over budget, or the other end of the spectrum: going too cheap and getting bad quality materials. However, one thing you can do to avoid problems is simply to invest in the right tools. Even if you’re an amateur, the right products don’t just make your DIY work feel easier, but they can also make it safer.
Although many professionals will have a collection of expensive products that match their specific job’s needs, the average person fixing up their home doesn’t necessarily need the heavy-duty stuff for occasional work. In many cases, amateur DIYers can benefit the most from gadgets that strike a balance between convenience and practicality, especially those that match their frequently used activities.
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Depending on the kind of projects you tend to work on, there are plenty of highly-recommended DIY products you can buy at Harbor Freight. To help widen your perspective on what is out there, we’ve rounded up a list of different gadgets you can snag that help optimize different DIY aspects, like measurement, viewing, or planning. For your reference, we have listed our full methodology at the end of the article.
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Ames Instruments 2.7-inch Color Compact Digital Inspection Camera
In almost any household, one of the most common problems that every DIYer tends to experience is not being able to see what they’re supposed to work on. After all, our homes are full of tight spaces, whether it’s the inside of appliances, pipes, or walls. Thankfully, you can enlist the help of gadgets like the 2.7-inch Color Compact Digital Inspection Camera from Ames Instruments.
While the camera itself is water-resistant, the image head and cable have an IP67 rating, which means it’s waterproof (to an extent) and can handle submersion up to 1 meter. It’s important to note that, like similarly rated gadgets, the protection can degrade with time. Out of the box, the cable itself runs up to 38 inches, which makes it ideal for DIY work in tight spaces. For example, you can use it to inspect the inside of walls or pipes, or for spotting mold, leaks, or water damage. It’s capable of 5x digital zoom, so you can view 320 x 240 resolution on its 2.7-inch screen.
Priced at $84.99, the Ames Instruments 2.7-inch Color Compact Digital Inspection Camera is the most expensive item on this list. On Harbor Freight, this digital inspection camera has garnered about 4.2 stars on average from more than 600 customers, with only 6% of buyers giving it a single star. As of writing, a little more than half rated it a perfect 5 stars, while 83% said they would recommend it.
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Pittsburgh 6-inch Composite Digital Caliper
If you’re the type who doesn’t want to squint every time you have to measure things, a digital caliper might be a DIY crafting gadget that will save your eyes. On Harbor Freight, you can find a lot of digital calipers of different sizes, including the Pittsburgh 6-inch Composite Digital Caliper. Priced at $9.99, this caliper features a prominent LCD screen that lets you view measurements using metric and SAE units. With just a single 1.5V button cell, the included battery is designed to last around a year. Since it’s made with plastic jaws, this particular digital caliper makes for a good option if you are planning to measure painted DIY projects that you don’t want to mess up.
A pretty popular product, more than 1,500 people rated the Pittsburgh 6-inch Composite Digital Caliper 4.4 stars on average. Aside from more than 89% rating it 5 stars, 90% of customers thought it was worth recommending. Although some people mentioned that it felt cheap, others shared that they thought it was a step up from their old-school analog ones. Despite being made of plastic, one person noted that it did not warp after six months in a hot work area. In addition, a reviewer said that it performed well when measuring 3D printed designs. But take note, 5% of users were unhappy enough to give it one star, with some lamenting battery problems, it not moving smoothly, and precision issues.
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Franklin Sensors ProSensor M150 Stud Finder
Harbor Freight offers several entry-level stud finder models from the Franklin Sensors ProSensor lineup, such as the M10, M50, and M150. Depending on the kind of DIY work you’re planning to do that involves punching holes, prices range from $14.99 to $36.99. However, if you do have the budget, the Franklin Sensors ProSensor M150 Stud Finder is likely the best bang for your buck. Between the three models, the M150 isn’t just packed with more features, but it’s also the highest-rated option of the bunch. As of February 2026, 800+ Harbor Freight customers have rated it an average of 4.6 stars, with 93% awarding it a perfect rating, while less than 4% have given it a single star.
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Retailing for just under $37, the ProSensor M150 Stud Finder has several things going for it. First, it has a 1.5-inch maximum detection depth, which is already half an inch deeper than the M10 model, as well as thrice as many sensors. Powered by two AAA batteries, it has an LED display to help you navigate your stud-finding experience. Similar to the M50 model, it can detect both the edges and centers of the stud, wood, and metal. Unlike the cheapest option, both the M50 and M150 have live electrical detection, which can help you prevent a lot of possible safety issues with your DIY projects. You’ll be able to enjoy operation without the need for calibration with both models.
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Icon 1000 Lumen Dual-Sided Rechargeable Slim Bar Light
Unfortunately, when it comes to home renovation projects, we can’t always trust our eyes. In some cases, such as when there’s a leak in our homes, we may need to enlist the help of a UV light to spot moisture or dye. To do this, you can invest in something like the $59.99 Icon 1000 Lumen Dual-Sided Rechargeable Slim Bar Light.
Designed to be used in moist environments, it boasts IP65 water resistance, magnets for hands-free operation, and an all-around hook for convenient mounting. As a light source, it has a 270-degree rotating head, a dimmable switch, and a gauge display, so you’re not caught guessing whether it needs to be charged. Apart from its UV light, it can also fulfill the functions of a regular, powerful flashlight and a wide-area light. In addition, it has a high 96+ color rendering index, which can be quite useful when you’re trying to distinguish different wires from each other.
On Harbor Freight, it has garnered an average rating of 4.7 stars from 450+ buyers, with 96% saying they would recommend it. Not to mention, less than 0.1% of owners rated it a single-star, which means it performs up to standard for the majority of people. Among satisfied customers, reviewers have mentioned using it on everything from HVAC work to vehicle repair. In particular, they praise the magnet locations, its slim form factor, and good battery life.
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Ames Instruments Noncontact Voltage Tester
When working with sockets and fixtures, it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution to avoid electricity-related injuries. Because of this, it’s best to use a tool, like the Ames Instruments Noncontact Voltage Tester, before working on any circuits. Powered by a single AAA battery, the ETL-certified gadget can detect between 50 and 600 volts of AC voltage for things like outlets or light fixtures. All you have to do is push a button.
Retailing for just under $5, over 3,800 people have rated the Ames Instruments Noncontact Voltage Tester around 4.6 stars. Aside from 94% of users claiming they would recommend it, around 77.5% have also awarded it 5 stars. In particular, buyers praised how it’s easy to use, works as intended, and is lightweight. That said, there were a few unhappy customers (about 3.3%) who gave it just one star, with some of the common complaints being inaccuracy, issues with the display after long storage, and breaking after only a few months of use.
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Should you just be concerned with your sockets, you can also get the Ames Instruments Electrical Receptacle Tester with GFCI Diagnosis for just an extra dollar. All you have to do is plug it into the outlet, and it will help diagnose what is wrong with it. Compared to the other model, this one has a slightly higher average rating of 4.7 stars from more than 1,500 reviews, with 96% of customers recommending it.
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Methodology
To make this list, we looked at the different gadgets available on Harbor Freight that can help with DIY projects. We listed products for a wide range of budgets, starting at just under $10. Next, we selected models that have been proven to perform well through their general ratings and detailed customer reviews. For general ratings, we considered gadgets that have received an average rating of at least 4 stars from more than 400 customers. Afterward, we checked the percentage of reviewers who have rated it a perfect 5 stars or given it a 1-star rating. We avoided items that had gotten a single star by more than 10% of buyers.
While it didn’t impact their placement on the list, we looked at the feedback of individual users on what they did and didn’t like about each product. To help give you an idea about what type of customer is satisfied with each gadget, we also mentioned specific DIY projects people have successfully used them on. In some cases, we also cited similar products made by the same company or in the same category, which may have unique features that are better suited to your budget or planned DIY activities.
When European tech observers talk about AI ambition, the narrative often splits neatly in two: models and infrastructure. On one side are the clever bits of code that can write, reason, and generate text or images.
On the other is the gritty reality of making those bits run reliably, at scale, and in production. Today, Mistral AImade a move that bridges that divide.
The Paris-based AI upstart confirmed its first acquisition by agreeing to buy Koyeb, another French venture focused on serverless cloud infrastructure for AI workloads. The deal, terms were not disclosed, marks a clear signal: Mistral wants to own not just cutting-edge AI models, but also the infrastructure that delivers them to developers and enterprises.
Mistral has built momentum over the past two years with large language models that have put it in close competition with U.S. players. But for all the excitement around models, real-world adoption hinges on how those models are deployed and scaled.
Koyeb’s technology is built for exactly that: a serverless platform that lets developers run AI apps without managing the underlying infrastructure.
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Think of it as giving Mistral not only the engine but also the transmission, the parts that take raw computational power and make it usable on demand. That’s a critical piece when companies want to ship AI solutions without hiring a team of DevOps experts.
This acquisition dovetails with a wider strategy playing out in Europe: build an AI stack that doesn’t depend on U.S. hyperscalers.
Mistral recently announced a €1.2 billion investment in data centers in Sweden and has been vocal about offering a homegrown alternative to cloud services from AWS, Microsoft, and Google.
By folding Koyeb’s team and platform into what they call Mistral Compute, the company is laying claim to a more complex AI offering – from model training to deployment and inference. In other words, it’s less about selling APIs and more about owning the full AI experience.
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Koyeb’s roots are in serverless computing, scalable, managed infrastructure that lets developers forget about servers and focus on code. Its platform supports AI tasks across CPUs, GPUs, and specialized accelerators, with features like autoscaling and isolated environments for complex applications.
The founders and all 13 team members are joining Mistral’s engineering ranks, where they’ll shift focus toward embedding their technology into the Mistral Compute platform. For existing users of Koyeb’s services, the transition is designed to be smooth, with the platform continuing to operate as usual while integrating deeper over time.
In a market still heavily dominated by U.S. cloud providers, owning more of the AI value chain is both a business move and a geopolitical statement. This deal isn’t just about snapping up a smaller startup; it’s about signalling a shift in how European AI companies conceive of competition and capability.
One of the early questions about the future of AI wasn’t whether Europe could produce models that compete with those from Silicon Valley, it was whether it could build the platforms and systems those models truly depend on. With the Koyeb acquisition, Mistral is making a direct answer to that question.
