Hasta La Gadget!

Google has announced a couple of big changes to its Meet app for web browsers, and one of them will go live for everyone, not just Workspace users.

Rain or shine, a new pair of solar-powered wireless headphones by Adidas has you covered. The athletic brand teamed up with Zound Industries to make the Adidas RPT-02 SOL on-ear headphones, which can be charged with either natural or artificial light. We were pleasantly surprised by Adidas’ previously-launched RPT-01, which features 40 hours of wireless playback. The newer line has a nearly identical design but promises double the playback time — 80 hours — not to mention the ability to charge at any time of day. It’s also made of a combination of recycled plastic and nylon. 

The headband of the RPT-02 SOL is made of a highly flexible light-cell material by Swedish solar tech company Exeger called Powerfoyle. The solar cell material can be screen-printed onto plastic, allowing for a wide variety of applications — everything from walls to cars to consumer electronics. Unlike older types of solar cells that need a strong and constant source of natural light, Powerfoyle can charge in various light conditions. Other companies have made solar-powered headphones before, so the RPT-02 isn’t the first with this feature, but they’re still relatively uncommon. 

The RPT-02 isn’t waterproof — but is IPX4-rated — so it can handle sweat and splashing from a nearby ocean or lake. The headphones feature built-in controls for changing songs or volume, and there’s also an indicator that helps find the best light for charging. And if all else fails, it includes a USB-C port. The RPT-02 SOL retails for $229, and will be available for purchase online on August 23rd.

Universal Studios Orlando just unveiled its full slate for Halloween Horror Nights 2022, and it’s scary good. This year includes 10 haunted houses, five scare zones, two live shows, as well as an after-hours selection of the theme park’s ride attractions (Petition to keep E.T. Adventure open during the event).

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Dodge has announced it’s launching its first-ever electrified performance vehicle, and it will come in two varieties with a wide array of features.

One of the world’s largest airlines has placed a big bet on supersonic jet startup Boom. On Tuesday, American Airlines announced that it had recently agreed to buy 20 Overture aircraft from Boom, with the option to purchase an additional 40 planes if all goes well. The deal is one of the strongest shows of support for Boom yet, surpassing the potential 50-jet commitment United Airlines made last year. That’s all for a startup that has yet to build a working passenger jet.

At the start of the year, Boom announced it would build a manufacturing facility at North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad International Airport. The company expects to begin construction on its “Overture Superfactory” later this year, with production to follow in 2024 – though the plant’s first completed jet won’t fly until sometime in 2026. Still, that hasn’t stopped Boom from being bullish about Overture’s prospects. The company envisions the Mach 1.7 jet completing flights between Newark and London in under four hours and San Francisco to Tokyo in approximately six hours. The company also claims Overture will be a “net-zero carbon” aircraft thanks to its ability to fly on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuels.