President Donald Trump said on Friday that he’s spoken to AI companies about striking deals “where the American people can benefit from the success of AI.”

Trump does not seem to have mentioned specific companies in his comments, but OpenAI is a likely candidate, especially after CNBC reported that the Trump administration has indeed been discussing an equity stake with the AI company.

CNBC said some of that equity could be used to seed a “Public Wealth Fund” recently proposed by OpenAI. As outlined by the company, proceeds from the fund “could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital.”

According to Bloomberg, when reporters on Air Force One asked Trump about the idea, he replied that he’s been talking to AI executives about “concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies.”

Bloomberg also reports that CEO Sam Altman has been discussing the idea of a government stake in major AI companies since early 2025.

This seems to align with Trump’s broader interest in government ownership of for-profit companies — most notably, with the government taking a 10% stake in struggling chipmaker Intel last year.

The idea has also found some traction on the left, with Senator Bernie Sanders this week proposing a one-time, 50% tax that companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI (which is part of SpaceX) would pay in the form of stock.

With all of those businesses potentially going public this year, Sanders argued this tax would “give the public a direct role in determining the future of this technology” and “guarantee that the trillions of dollars potentially generated by A.I. are used to improve the lives of all of us.”

David Sacks, an investor who recently stepped down from his role as Trump’s AI and crypto czar, posted that he can see why Sanders’ idea resonates, “including with many on the right,” but warned it would actually “accelerate the corporate-government fusion we’re already sliding toward.”

Elsewhere on social media, former Microsoft employee Dare Obasanjo suggested, “The groundwork is already being laid for a government bailout of OpenAI.”

Chinese electric vehicles face 125% cumulative tariffs, a proposed Senate ban, and fierce opposition from lawmakers and the US auto industry. But there is a growing possibility that Chinese EVs will be sold in the US within the next few years. The routes in are multiplying: through Canada, Mexico, and partnerships with the very automakers that publicly oppose them.

China captured nearly 75% of global EV manufacturing and 40% of global EV trade in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency. Production of 16 million electric cars outstripped domestic demand by 20%, pushing exports to a record 2.5 million. “The only market in the world they have not yet penetrated is the United States,” said Michael Dunne, CEO of Dunne Insights.

The Big Three are in an awkward position. Ford, GM, and Stellantis have retreated from aggressive EV plans while most experts agree electrification is the future. “U.S. companies have stepped back from a lot of their electric vehicle campaigns, because they haven’t been able to develop, in an inexpensive way, a compelling value proposition,” said Stephen Dyer of AlixPartners. “You can’t be competitive if you’re not in the game.”

Yet all three are quietly deepening ties with Chinese automakers. Ford is in talks with Geely to create a European partnership and, according to The Wall Street Journal, “appears to be opening the door to allowing Chinese cars in the U.S. at some point.” GM imports CATL battery cells for its Chevy Bolt. Stellantis owns 21% of Leapmotor and a 51% majority of a joint venture that its CEO said could expand into Mexico and Canada.

Geely is already using Volvo’s plants rather than building new factories, giving it manufacturing bases in both Europe and the US without greenfield investment. The Volvo factory near Charleston, South Carolina, could be adapted for other Geely platforms, including Zeekr, the brand Waymo uses for its robotaxi fleet.

Chinese EVs are already arriving in Canada, where Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a deal in January permitting up to 49,000 Chinese-built EVs annually at a 6.1% tariff rate. In Mexico, Chinese vehicles account for a quarter of total sales. BYD and Geely are among finalists vying to purchase a Nissan-Mercedes plant there. GAC announced plans to begin assembly in Mexico this year.

Trump expressed support in January for letting Chinese companies manufacture in the US, provided they employ American workers. But hurdles remain. A Senate bill to permanently ban Chinese automakers has bipartisan backing. Regulations restrict Chinese-developed software in connected vehicles. And the USMCA trade deal is up for renewal, with the Trump administration pushing for a new US-content requirement in vehicles.

Even the border is becoming porous. Chinese EVs from BYD, Geely, and Xpeng are showing up along the US-Mexico border, purchased at Mexican dealerships for under $20,000 by citizens who commute to US border cities. Registration in the US is nearly impossible, but the demand signal is clear. According to Kelley Blue Book, 38% of Americans would consider buying a Chinese vehicle.

China’s domestic market is also pushing companies outward. EV and hybrid sales in China fell 6.8% year-over-year in April. Overall vehicle sales dropped 21.5%. Overcapacity and intensifying competition mean Chinese automakers must export to survive.

“By 2030, we will see some form of Chinese cars on American roads,” Dunne said. “One way or another, they’ll find their way in.” The question is whether Detroit will be a partner or a bystander when they do.

Electricity has split water into hydrogen and oxygen for generations in classrooms and labs. Bubbles form at two electrodes, gases rise, and the show ends there for most observers. A closer look at what actually happens during the process, combined with one key addition, changes the outcome entirely.

A pH indicator dye produces an unexpected reaction in a basic water cell containing water and a trace of sodium sulfate. The solution at the + electrode turns bright red because acid begins to form, but it is the wrong sort, whereas the solution around the electrode turns a beautiful blue as a base forms. Oxygen begins to bubble from one side, while hydrogen does the same on the other. When the two sides are blended, the colors fade, the solution returns to neutral, and the process must be repeated. The reactions do not just split water molecules in two, as one might expect; rather, they create two distinct chemical environments that generally balance each other out and sit there doing nothing.

It simply required a thin barrier to transform everything. Makers are increasingly creating their own ion-exchange membranes from components widely available at hardware stores and water-treatment companies. You can grind up the resin beads from the water softeners, mix them half and half with some PVC cement, and place the mixture on a sheet of fabric or silicone. Once dried, the sheet allows only positive or negative ions through, depending on the resin you use. The two sides of the cell are cleanly segregated, so acid stays acid and base stays base, because each compartment can just go off and do its own thing without interruption.

The separation of iron is one of the most evident examples of this. Take a load of crushed magnetite ore, a type of iron oxide that can be found everywhere, and place it on the acid side of the cell. The acid dissolves the ore and begins to transfer iron ions into the solution. The liquid then moves to the cathode compartment. Next thing you know, electricity is zapping those iron ions out of solution and depositing them as solid metal on the electrode surface, resulting in a clean layer of pure iron. At the same time, chloride ions or whatever carrier you’re using start filtering back through the membrane, regenerating fresh acid on the original side. The acid simply cycles, so you only need to add new ore. If the iron coating becomes too thick, the electrodes may need to be replaced. A tiny cell, on the other hand, may produce useable metal using just about a third of a watt and does not require an oven or high-temperature carbon reduction.

The same concept can be used to produce a far more practical energy storage system. A flow battery consists of an iron sulfate solution in water that has been stabilized with citric acid. Its main components are carbon felt electrodes, which are simply cut from normal welding blankets that have been burnt and cleaned to a nearly pure state before having their surface area blown up with microwaves. These electrodes are on either side of a single membrane. During charging, electricity is used to boost the chemistry’s energy level. When discharged, the ions penetrate the membrane and the cell generates electricity, approximately 1.2 volts and up to half an amp in a simple design using a bucket as the container. Because the active chemicals are floating in liquid tanks rather than fixed inside solid plates, the capacity simply grows with tank size, allowing you to add more solution or larger reservoirs as needed. To increase voltage, simply stack many cells, and because the liquids are in a movable solution, pumps may be employed to move them around and keep the system running longer. Crucially, the architecture allows for extension in ways that standard batteries cannot.

When you employ this simple method, hydrogen generation improves dramatically. With the membrane in place, hydrogen forms at the cathode in a sodium hydroxide solution and simply escapes via a tube via its own steam. The oxygen remains on the other side of the cell. There is no need for an additional compressor, and the gases do not mix within the cell. You can even increase the pressure to a suitable level simply by stiffening the vessel. The efficiency also improves because the reactions are no longer competing for a common place.
[Source]

Best 2-in-1 Chargers

With a weighty base, an adjustable Qi2/MagSafe charging pad, and a fold-out Apple Watch charger around the back, this Zens 2-in-1 is ideal for folks with an iPhone and Apple Watch. The Apple Watch pad folds out of the back, tucking your watch out of sight and allowing room for the strap to droop. The pad works great with StandBy mode. You can also fold the pad flat and charge AirPods or other phones if you need to, just not at the same time as your iPhone. Sadly, this has a barrel port for the provided cable and charger (USB-C would be better), the Apple Watch charger can be a little stiff and tricky to fold out, and it’s pricey, but I love the quality, look, and feel.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Belkin

Advertisement

UltraCharge 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger (Qi2 25W)

Belkin’s UltraCharge 2-in-1 unseats our previous favorite, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1, which is still a great option. However, the latest model features Qi2 25W charging support to charge compatible devices even faster. It also has a folding design, allowing you to take it with you on the go, but it also works great as a permanent charger for your desk or nightstand. Over on the back, there’s a spot to place AirPods or any wireless earbuds with wireless charging. What’s also great is the spare USB-C port—you can pop in a cable to charge your Apple Watch at 5 watts (or another device); it just won’t charge very fast. (Belkin also has a 3-in-1 version of this model if you want a dedicated spot for the Apple Watch.) Best of all, Belkin includes a very compact 45-watt power adapter and a USB-C to USB-C cable, which is better than many other wireless chargers that cost more. It’s a nifty little thing, and looks great in blue. —Julian Chokkattu

iOttie Velox Duo for $33: This was our 2-in-1 pick for a while. The black-and-gold combo looks great, the magnet is strong, and there’s a weighted base. On the downside, it only charges iPhones at up to 7.5 watts. The permanently attached USB-C cable is a good length, but you do have to provide a wall adapter.

More 3-in-1 Chargers to Consider

We have tested several other 3-in-1 Apple charging stations. Here are a few we liked:

Photograph: Simon Hill

Noco X Grid XDS3 for $130: Well-made, with an eye-catching design, this 3-in-1 charger has a wide base that’s great for stability. It’s easy to remove your iPhone one-handed too, though it does have a relatively large footprint. It’s a bit bulky to travel with. You can stick your Qi2 phone to the pad in portrait or landscape, and the large bottom 5W pad is suitable for AirPods or even a second phone. It supports Apple Watch fast charging, but I didn’t like the way my Apple Watch tended to tilt to one side, and the charging pad positions are fixed (you can’t change the angle). You get the adapter, generous 6.5-foot braided USB-C cable, though, and plug adapters for different countries in the box.

Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe for $100: Twelve South’s 3-in-1 is an elegant wireless charger for the nightstand and gives the iPhone plenty of breathing room to rotate it to landscape mode and take advantage of StandBy. I like that the iPhone charger can swivel up and down. On the base is a fast charger for the Apple Watch that you can flip up, and the back has a spot for the AirPods or another wireless earbuds case. It’s nice and weighty and doesn’t slide around easily. It comes with a proprietary, removable charging cable, along with a charging brick, and international plug adapters for the US, UK, EU, and AU.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Anker Prime 3-in-1 Charging Station for $150: Sporting a tree design similar to our top pick from Belkin, the very latest Qi2 25W charging, fast Apple Watch charging, active cooling, and an interactive display, this is perhaps the most feature-packed 3-in-1 charger on the market. You can connect via Bluetooth and configure in the app to set wallpapers for the clock, schedule night mode to dim the display and turn off the cooling, and track your charging stats in a table. I’m just not sure it’s worth the premium. The finicky touch display is flat, so you have to sit up to see it, and it looks a bit cheap to me. It also feels superfluous when your iPhone already offers Standby mode.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe for $112: This was our old 2-in-1 pick for iPhone and Apple Watch. I like the soft-touch finish, the pad on top can move through 70 degrees, and the shelf for your Apple Watch works with any strap. The braided USB-C cable is permanently attached, but you get a 30-watt wall charger in the box. I don’t remember having issues when I first tested, but using it again, I found the weight of the camera end of my iPhone 14 Pro caused it to slowly droop when in StandBy mode. It’s also kinda pricey.

Zens Office Charger Pro 3

Photograph: Simon Hill

Zens Office Charger Pro 3 for $85: I’m a fan of some of the interesting, out-of-the-box designs that Zens turns out, but this 3-in-1, while well-made and perfectly functional, doesn’t really stand out. It’s Qi2 certified (15W for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, 5W for AirPods), looks nice, and comes with the cable and charger, though it has a barrel port.

Lululook 3-in-1 Charging Station for $60: This is a perfectly competent 3-in-1 with Qi2 certification (15W for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, 5W for AirPods). It’s compact, you can angle the iPhone pad, and I like the gold finish of my review unit, but I prefer the Twelve South above, or the ESR if you don’t want to spend as much.

Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Wireless Charging Pad for $80: Qi2 support provides magnetic alignment for your iPhone and delivers 15 watts of charging, and there’s a spot for AirPods on this compact dual pad. A USB-C port allows you to charge something else, such as an Apple Watch, and you get a 5-foot USB-C cable and 30W power supply in the box. There is also a 3-in-1 pad ($110) that adds an Apple Watch charger on the right side.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Nomad Base One Max for $150: This was our 3-in-1 pad pick, but stock is running low, and it is being discontinued. The MagSafe charger keeps your iPhone out of sight and supports 15-watt charging, the Apple Watch charging puck sticks up for Nightstand mode, but it’s not a fast charger. I tried it with a loop band and a normal strap, and I could fit the AirPods Pro case in the spot behind the Apple Watch puck to recharge it just fine. The metal chassis is heavy and, paired with the anti-slip rubber base, this thing stays put. It comes with a 2-meter USB-C to USB-C cable, which is great if you want to plug it into your new iPhone 16 to juice it up faster, but I wish it came with a 30-watt charging adapter. Nomad sells this one that we’ve tested and like.

QDOS SnapStand 3-in-1 for £80: This clever design feels sturdy and comes flat, and you can fold out and angle a magnetic pad for charging your iPhone (StandBy mode works fine). There’s a pop-out Apple Watch charger around the back, and the base has a pad for your AirPods. You get a black USB-C cable, but you’ll need a charger (at least 25W). I like that it’s partly made from recycled materials, and it folds away very neatly, but the charging speeds are relatively slow (7.5 watts for the iPhone and 2.5 watts for the Apple Watch).

Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station Stand for $90: This good-looking 3-in-1 charging tree is more affordable than our top pick, boasts Qi2 certification for 15-watt charging, and comes with a charger and cable. It just misses out on a place above because of the offset pad for the Apple Watch. It is slippery, so your Apple Watch may tilt, though I never had an issue with it not charging. Anker included stickers to combat this, but they are a fiddly and inelegant solution. It’s also a shame that the main pad for your iPhone is fixed, so you can’t adjust the angle. But these are minor gripes.

Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe for $90: This dinky, dense, 2.5-inch cube from Anker was our previous compact pick. It has a MagSafe pad on top (15 watts), and the top section hinges to a 60-degree angle, revealing a charging surface for your AirPods. The wee pop-out shelf on the side has a built-in Apple Watch fast charger. You get a 5-foot cable and a 30-watt charger in the box.

Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand for $130: This compact, attractive 3-in-1 is a little smaller than the Belkin, so it doesn’t take up too much room, and it folds down compactly for travel. The aluminum build is attractive and sturdy (the iPhone mount is made of stainless steel). This is on reviews editor Adrienne So’s bedside table, and it recharges her Apple Watch Ultra 2 from 70 percent to full in around 30 minutes.

Case-Mate Fuel 3-in-1 Foldable for $50: Finished in a classy gray material, this 3-in-1 charges an iPhone in a case or any Qi smartphone, and it’s easy to fold flat and pack in a bag. It also has a built-in Apple Watch charger and a spot for AirPods. A cable and a 45-watt charger are included. I also tested the solid Case-Mate Fuel 4-in-1 ($150), which is quite good, but the unnecessary LEDs and Fuel logo put me off.

Best 4-in-1 Chargers

Zens 4-in-1 Modular Wireless Charger with iPad Charging Stand for $78: If you also own an iPad, why not a 4-in-1 charging station? Zens’ modular design has a main stand for your iPad, a MagSafe pad in front to float your iPhone, and a slight indentation to charge AirPods below. The Apple Watch charger is a separate section that attaches magnetically (on either side) and holds your Watch in horizontal Nightstand mode. It feels durable with a grippy, rubbery, flecked black finish made from recycled plastic. You get a 65-watt power adapter, power cable, and adapter plugs for the US, UK, and EU, which is quite handy. The main drawback with this is the large size, and you have to connect a cable to the USB-C port on the side to charge your iPad.

Journey Glyde 4-in-1 Portable Charger for $170: Former reviews editor Adrienne So almost voted for this multidevice MagSafe power bank to get a separate recommendation until she noticed the price. It’s a 10,000-mAh-capacity power bank that can charge up to four devices at a time and uses the Qi2 charging standard. However, our pick for this spot is so much cheaper, and the Glyde does not have a kickstand.

Scosche Baselynx 2.0 Modular Charging Station for $90: What if three spots are not enough? Scosche has you covered with this modular charging station. The basic stand is a 2-in-1 for your iPhone and AirPods, but you can add an Apple Watch charger, a toast rack-style vertical station with USB-C ports, or even an AC outlet with USB-C port, for a big combined charger ($220). The trouble is, it gets quite big and expensive as you add modules, and I don’t love the way it looks, but it’s a neat idea.

Avoid These Chargers

Photograph: Simon Hill

Not every charger will be a winner. Here are the ones we didn’t like.

Infinacore T3 Pro: The T3 Pro is a 3-in-1 stand that looks and feels very cheap, and it got warm when charging my iPhone. Its saving grace is that it is cheap. It also has Qi2 certification and works with StandBy mode. I also tried the fold-out triple pad Infinacore T3 Wireless Charging Station. Aside from the ugly plastic design, the weak magnets meant it did not work well when folded into the triangular configuration (this also blocks a pad).

Groov-e Asteria Wireless Charging Station with Alarm Clock: There’s a wee clock on the front of this charging station, which can accommodate an iPhone, AirPods on a pad around back, and an Apple Watch up top. It feels and looks very cheap, slides around a little too easily, the magnet is weak, and the clock seems redundant when you can set your iPhone in StandBy mode. I also tried the Triton 3-in-1 folding pad, and it was okay. They are very affordable, but you must provide your own power adapter.

Zike 3-in-1 Z557C Stand: This 3-in-1 charger works perfectly well, but there are several better options above. The iPhone pad allows for StandBy mode but is not adjustable. The Apple Watch pad flips up or can be laid flat, and there’s a spot for AirPods on the gray felt pad. It has a barrel port, so you must use the supplied power adapter. What I really dislike about this charger is the ridiculously bright, utterly pointless white LED on the front that stays on the entire time.

Alogic Matrix Ultimate: This 3-in-1 charger has a folding design, supports fast charging, includes a detachable 5,000-mAh power bank, and comes with a nice pouch, but it is kinda bulky, and the white finish picks up dust and smudges very easily. I have also had issues with other Alogic batteries failing and not supplying the stated capacity.

STM Goods ChargeTree Go: This charging tree station folds flat and can charge a trio of Apple gadgets. But there’s no quick-charge support, my Apple Watch kept sliding out of place during the night, and there’s no adapter included. It’s not cheap either.

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Photo credit: NASA / Lori Losey
Lifting off from Edwards Air Force Base at 11:08 a.m. PDT on June 5, NASA test pilot Jim “Clue” Less guided the X-59 into the skies above the Mojave Desert. Eighty-one minutes later the aircraft returned to the runway after crossing the speed of sound for the first time.

At 43,400 feet, the aircraft briefly broke through the sound barrier, hitting Mach 1.077 and nearly Mach 1.1, or approximately 713 mph. An F-15 chase plane flew beside the X-59 throughout the mission, keeping an eye on things and gathering data for NASA. Unfortunately, the sonic boom it generated along the way completely drowned out any sound from the X-59, thus they were unable to get the vital acoustic profile during this inaugural flight. The flight effectively marked the conclusion of the subsonic stage and the start of some serious supersonic testing. We’d conducted 16 test flights since the X-59’s debut in October, and as a result, we’d been slowly pushing the flying envelope at lower speeds, but today’s mission verified what engineers had suspected: the X-59 handles itself fairly well once it reaches speeds sufficient to break the sound barrier.

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Engineers designed the X-59 with a long, streamlined fuselage and a distinctive sharp nose. The goal of this design was to spread out the shock waves generated when a plane flew faster than sound. When an airplane reaches supersonic speeds, the waves begin to converge and eventually contact the ground as a big pressure spike that sounds like a loud boom. However, with the X-59, the waves are spread out over a longer length of time. So, instead of hearing a loud bang, you’ll hear a mild thud, similar to closing a car door in a calm neighborhood several houses away.

The Quesst mission’s ultimate goal is to collect flight data and community feedback to help engineers establish new noise limits. We’re talking about obsolete laws that were last modified in 1973 and state that commercial supersonic flights over land in the United States are prohibited due to sonic boom disturbances. If you can build something substantially quieter than a normal sonic boom, you might be able to get the faster passenger routes we all desire without the loud blast.

NASA was highly involved with this project, but they also collaborated closely with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, which designed and produced the X-59. The aircraft incorporates an external vision system that helps the pilot maintain a clear forward view despite the towering nose that blocks a straight line of sight. Every time they fly the X-59, they collect a little more data and gain a better understanding of aerodynamics and performance. This knowledge will be used to develop innovative aircraft designs in the future. The next flight is likely to be within a few days. And that one will drive the plane to Mach 1.4 at about 55,000 feet. That is closer to what you want for potential commercial routes. As a result of a shock-sensing probe on the pursuit and ground microphones, we’ll be able to witness the X-59’s own acoustic signature.

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Google has set new browser performance records for Chrome following a year of improvements, with the latest results made using an M5 MacBook Pro.

As one of the main browsers in use today, Google Chrome has engineers working to improve its performance, so it can maintain its position in the market. That work can sometimes lead to massive improvements, even for Mac users.

In a Chromium blog post on June 4, Google declares that its optimizations to Chrome have resulted in it setting records in some industry-standard benchmarks. They are said to be records across all browsers.

For the JetStream 3 benchmark, it managed a score of 469, a new record and a 10% improvement from the start of 2026. At the same time, a test of Speedmeter 3.1 resulted in another score of 61, a 5% year-over-year bump.

The blog post explains that the results were measured using a MacBook Pro M5 with macOS 26.0.1 installed.

Project improvements

Google outlines three areas where work was carried out to improve performance.

The first, JavaScript, adjusted an optimizing compiler to inline “fast paths,” common paths used regularly, helping the engine skip some time-consuming tasks. Inlining async operations like microtask dispatch and await resolution also had a big impact.

Work was also made to improve Google’s heuristics of what JavaScript code to optimize, as well as to implement some missing optimizations in BigInt handling.

For WebAssembly, Google looked into how V8 managed internal data structures. Code generation optimizations helped improve performance for AI, cryptography, and interpreter use cases.

Changes were also made to reuse temporary memory in the compiler more efficiently. There was also work to reduce the overhead of function calls from JavaScript to WebAssembly.

On the rendering engine, Blink, there were optimizations to style resolution and DOM operations using smarter caching and reducing redundant DOM lookups. A fast bailout path reducing checks was introduced for element attribute tracking, while style recalculation delays were minimized and CCSS selector caching was simplified.

Foundational page-loading and text-processing performance was addressed, including making string copying more efficient. Critical performance bottlenecks were also identified in typography and vector graphics rendering.

The team also completed Apple Advanced Typography shaping optimizations and fixed font fallback issues. At the same time, it eliminated heap allocations for glyph width calculations and added a cache to speed up SVG processing for graphics.

A well-timed release

Google’s decision to publish a blog post on optimizations in early June, as well as bringing up the use of the M5 MacBook Pro and Apple Advanced Typography, is quite apt. Especially considering the week ahead.

Apple’s WWDC event is set to start on June 8, with the keynote address happening on the first day. That keynote will focus on software changes coming up in Apple’s operating systems, and will almost certainly touch upon Safari improvements at some point.

As a developer-focused event, a cynic may view Google’s article as trying to spoil Apple’s party and to try to diminish Safari in advance of the keynote. However, since the article is very much a web developer-focused piece, it is doubtful that it will make any real impact in the eyes of consumers.

These days, we take it for granted that a video game console will have multiple USB ports. There’s even an expectation that basic peripherals such as storage devices will “Just Work” when plugged into the system — a far cry from the days when each system had its own proprietary memory card.

The original Xbox from 2001 actually had USB ports as well, it’s just that they were used for the controllers and had non-standard connectors that kept you from plugging in other devices. But a simple adapter gets you a standard USB-A port, and after that it’s just a matter of software. Like this homebrew project to get generic USB webcams working on Microsoft’s first foray into console gaming.

Well, “generic” may be pushing it a bit, as the project by [Darkone83] currently lists only two compatible cameras. The first is the Xbox Live Vision Camera, which was never intended to be used on the original Xbox and was instead an accessory for Microsoft’s follow-up console, the Xbox 360. Interestingly, the other supported camera happens to be Sony’s PS2 EyeToy. Claiming that you plugged a PS2 camera into your Xbox would have been fighting words back on the playground circa 2003, but now it’s a reality thanks to the power of open source.

Now there technically was a camera for the original Xbox, but it was only released in Japan and is quite rare. Perhaps unsurprisingly it used the same OV519 chipset as the EyeToy and later Vision Camera, and reverse engineering how the console communicated with it was critical to the development of this project.

As of right now, there’s not much practical application for this webcam driver. It just shows the image from the camera on your TV in glorious 320×240 resolution. But now that the code to make it work is out in the wild, hopefully other Xbox homebrew projects will add support for it.

Although things aren’t quite as active these days as they once were, the hacking scene for the original Xbox is the stuff of legend. If you ever see one of this gargantuan consoles at a flea market for cheap, there’s still plenty of fun to be had pushing the system outside of its comfort zone.