Vietnam sets Guinness world record with 10,518 drones in stunning synchronized display
Chinese firm DAMODA supplied the tech for Vietnam Liberation Day celebration
April 28 rehearsal certified as record despite later event cancellations
Vietnam has set a new Guinness World Record with a drone light show involving 10,518 synchronized drones.
The display, which took place in Ho Chi Minh City on April 28, 2025, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.
The certified record, officially recognized by Guinness as the “largest drone light show by number of drones flying simultaneously.” appears to have come from a rehearsal ahead of an official public event planned for April 30, which was later cancelled.
Celebrating Vietnam’s history
AV Magazine reports Reddit users speculated that the cancellation followed public criticism over advertising placements by digital payments firm VNPay during a national holiday.
According to reports, removing the ads may have caused issues with the drone choreography, resulting in collisions and the eventual cancellation of another scheduled show on May 1.
espite the setback, the April 28 rehearsal included detailed formations celebrating Vietnam’s history and development. The drones formed a number of images such as national emblems, historical scenes, and city skylines.
The drone performance was powered by DAMODA - a Chinese company that has become known globally for its large-scale aerial displays - and designed in close conjunction with the show's Vietnamese organizers.
This isn't DAMODA's first Guinness World Record. It previously set a 10,000-drone record at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala in 2024 and has supplied drone systems for a number of other major events, including Expo 2020 Dubai.
DAMODA said its drones performed reliably during the performance, despite heat and signal interference, and the company claims over 10,000 performances to date with no accidents and a 99.999% reliability rate.
You can watch highlights from the drone light show below.
AMD's Radeon RX 9060 XT will likely be revealed on May 21 after a teaser on its X page
This will come after Nvidia's RTX 5060 launch on May 19
The Radeon RX 9060 XT is expected to go on sale in June
It's almost the week of Computex 2025, where Nvidia and AMD will be center stage with keynotes showcasing new hardware – and Team Red looks poised to outshine its rival in the budget GPU market.
AMD confirmed via a post on X that it will reveal gaming and AI plans at Computex 2025 on May 21. Notably, the image (pictured below) shows a render of a new Radeon GPU, which is more than likely the purported Radeon RX 9060 XT. Like the RX 9070 XT counterpart, Team Red also confirms it won't sell any reference cards, which means the new GPU will only be available for consumers via board partners.
There will be two variants of the RX 9060 XT, one with 8GB of VRAM and the other with 16GB; the former is rumored to have lower availability at launch, which is expected to be in June. It's been made clear that some gamers don't desire 8GB GPUs, considering their inability to handle graphically-demanding games and their performance standards at higher resolutions.
It's worth noting that Nvidia's RTX 5060 8GB GPU launch is set for May 19, which could be mentioned at its keynote on the same date. The important matter is that the RTX 5060 won't have a separate variant (at least from what we know so far), while the rival RX 9060 XT, does. It leaves Team Red in pole position to potentially overshadow Nvidia with its May 21 unveiling.
However, pricing will be the dealbreaker for both, since consumers expect each GPU to come at affordable low costs – but the trend of the market says otherwise.
Reminder! Join AMD on May 21 as we reveal what’s next in gaming, AI PCs, and more. @JackMHuynh, SVP and GM of Computing and Graphics Group, along with industry leaders and partners showcase what is built to power the next level. 📺 https://t.co/pm4j6pSYEg pic.twitter.com/94LdU29mAzMay 14, 2025
Inflation could be another blow for AMD's new Radeon GPU
Long before recent US tariffs, third-party GPUs have been set above launch price at multiple retailers, and I'm expecting this trend to continue with AMD's new Radeon GPU.
Since it won't be selling any reference cards, consumers will have to rely on retailers selling partner cards yet again – and it's safe to say that it hasn't turned out well. The Radeon RX 9070 XT was sold to gamers at its retail price, but only for a limited time, as prices suddenly increased leaving the GPU in a less appealing position (since the $599 launch price was a strong selling point).
As much as I don't want to see 8GB GPUs anymore, there's no stopping that for now with the 8GB variant. The one way I do see it being a success is if the price is at or below $200, as it may still be a competent card for budget gamers at 1080p. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I don't think we're going to see that due to retailers consistently raising prices (regardless of AMD's price point reveal at Computex 2025).
I think it's one of the worst moments that a lower-end GPU could launch without a reference card – I just hope that consumers who are looking forward to the launch have a chance to get their hands on one before inflation takes over...
Western Digital invests in Cerabyte to advance permanent ceramic data storage
Cerabyte targets exabyte-scale storage without power or maintenance requirements
Pure Storage and In-Q-Tel previously backed Cerabyte’s long-term storage aims
We’ve written about Cerabyte a number of times previously. The startup is working to solve the problem of long-term data storage by taking a leaf from the ancient Egyptians, replacing chisels and stone with femtosecond lasers and ceramic.
Its system inscribes data in QR code-like patterns onto ceramic nanolayers, a medium that can last thousands of years without needing power to preserve the stored contents.
Cerabyte aims to establish a new tier of permanent, sustainable storage at petabyte to exabyte scale. The technology avoids issues like bit rot and silent corruption, offering an immutable record of the original data.
WD is the latest investor
Western Digital is the latest company to make a strategic investment in Cerabyte to help accelerate the technology's development.
“We are looking forward to working with Cerabyte to formulate a technology partnership for the commercialization of this technology," said Shantnu Sharma, Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Western Digital. "Our investment in Cerabyte aligns with our priority of extending the reach of our products further into long-term data storage use cases.”
Cerabyte’s prototype, built with standard parts, already delivers megabyte-per-second read and write speeds and gigabyte-scale capacity. Storage is handled via robotic cartridges inside library racks, designed for compatibility with standard data center infrastructure.
“Our ceramic data storage offers a vital, complementary long-term data storage layer that ensures rapid data retrieval - often within seconds - unlocking new revenue streams,” said Christian Pflaum, co-founder and CEO of Cerabyte. “We are excited to be working with Western Digital to define a technology partnership, fueling our ability to deliver accessible permanent storage solutions at scale.”
The company expects to grow from a 1PB rack pilot to 100PB by 2030, with access times falling below 10 seconds and throughput exceeding 1GB/s.
Folds up small, opens wide, Uperfect's Omega series is screen real estate on the go
3K OLED with 100% DCI-P3 makes this portable monitor a visual powerhouse
Uperfect’s hinge tech handles 30,000 folds with no creases, no shadows, just clean visuals
Uperfect recently announced its new Omega Series, a line of portable displays that includes the 22-inch Omega and the 17.3-inch Omega Mini.
These devices feature a foldable and flexible design, allowing them to compress into a compact 16-inch and 12.5-inch form factor, respectively, for easier storage.
The OLED panel can fold flat or bend at any angle up to 180°, thanks to a hinge system and flexible substrate capable of withstanding 30,000 folding cycles without developing creases or shadows, common issues in other foldable displays.
A good companion for mobile business
When unfolded, the device measures just 7mm thick and 14mm when folded, yet still delivers ample screen real estate with a 3K resolution.
The display supports a wide color gamut with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, a 100,000:1 contrast ratio, and a peak brightness of 500 cd/m².
It also features touchscreen functionality, supporting tap, swipe, and zoom inputs, along with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time.
Despite its slim profile, Uperfect has integrated built-in speakers, contributing to a clean, cable-free design. A magnetic stand is included, allowing users to adjust both viewing angles and height.
Targeted at business professionals, the monitor includes low blue light technology and offers a 178-degree viewing angle to reduce eye strain during extended use.
For connectivity, it includes both USB Type-C and Mini HDMI ports, enabling compatibility with a wide range of devices including laptops, game consoles, smartphones, and cameras. It is also fully compatible with macOS, making it a potential companion for Mac mini users.
This device could be ideal for mobile users looking to set up a large display on the go. However, with a price tag of $2,499.99, it’s hard to justify the cost, especially when even the most premium portable monitors are priced at less than half that amount.
For connectivity, it comes with a USB Type-C and Mini HDMI ports, enabling compatibility with a wide range of devices, including laptops, game consoles, smartphones, and cameras. It is also fully compatible with macOS devices, a potential choice for Mac mini users.
If you've ever wondered why you'd want a bezel-less display, LG Display just provided a visual and eye-opening answer.
The display technology company, which supplies panels to, among others, LG Electronics, is busy showing off a raft of screen technologies at SID Display Week in San Jose, California. Among them are a 4,000-nit, next-gen OLED (it uses Tandem RGB elements to achieve this brightness), Blue Phosphorescent OLED, stretchable displays, and this new Micro LED architecture.
Using a pair of 22-inch Micro LED screens, LG Display showed how they could operate separately or be slid together to make one, visually seamless ultra-wide display.
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(Image credit: LG Display)
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(Image credit: LG Display)
In addition to a truly bezel-free design, Micro LED technology, according to LG Display, brings several other visual benefits. This non-organic, self-emissive technology offers pixel-level control and higher color accuracy and better ("perfect") blacks than other screen technologies.
Still, it's the "Zero Bezel" tech that opens up possibilities for modular displays that could be almost any shape or size. LG Display notes that these kinds of displays are especially useful in commercial scenarios, but could also be useful for making your own ultra-large desktop monitor.
Micro LED technology is also more attractive than OLED because of its lack of burn-in and longer lifespan. But, as we reported late last year, "production costs needed to be slashed by 90% to make Micro-LED competitive in today’s TV market."
We also noted, however, that LG looked like it might be "pulling back" on Micro LED investment. If these Zeo Bezel Micro LEDs are any indication, that couldn't be further from the truth.
Airbnb has been a disruptor since it hit the scene in 2007. Now, at its annual Summer Release event, it’s redesigning its app to make navigating easier and ultimately leveling up what you might expect from a stay at one of its many properties worldwide.
For instance, while you get a bit more space with an Airbnb, you might lose out on some amenities, be it a gym, an attached restaurant, or even some self-care. The tech company's answer is dubbed Airbnb Services, essentially a way to book a service like a massage, a haircut, or even a chef to arrive at wherever you’re staying.
That aims to fill in the missing gap of what you might get from a hotel, but it also gives you, the visitor, a bit more control, with the option of looking through the available options and picking the ones that fit your needs the most.
Similarly, Airbnb Experiences aims to replace the mundane with memorable, allowing you to book activities from locals in the cities where you stay to get the most out of them. These seem especially fun, and at a launch event, Airbnb certainly brought out the talent to up this.
Then, tying this all together is a redesign app that looks a lot easier to navigate and acts more like a helpful companion. If you have a stay booked, as well as services or experiences, it can bundle them as an itinerary for you, listing important reminders.
1. Book a haircut, massage, or a catered meal with Services
(Image credit: Airbnb)
Services seem like the most approachable addition, and probably one of the most requested. Rather than finding out if the host approves of a third-party, Airbnb handles the vetting and will offer 10 categories of services at launch. Those include chefs, photographers, massages, spa treatments, personal training, hair treatments, makeup, nails, prepared meals, and catering.
It’ll launch in 260 cities across the globe at first and lives directly in the Airbnb app – there is an entire ‘services’ category at the top, and after you book a location, or are considering, you can see recommended services.
Airbnb is vetting the service providers and promises that each has around 10 years of experience in the respective industry. Additionally, each instructor or provider has to go through a verification process and list out applicable trainings or certifications.
(Image credit: Airbnb)
Services will start at $50 in the US (we’re waiting for exact starting prices to be confirmed in the UK and Australia, but that converts to around £40 / AU$80) and are rolling out now. Airbnb is also encouraging providers to apply to become hosts for services on the platform.
The real kicker here, though, and one that potentially could have TaskRabbit concerned, is that you don’t need to book an Airbnb home for a stay to use Services or Experiences (more on this in a bit).
If you need a photographer for a birthday party or a shower, you could fire up Airbnb on your iPhone or Android phone, look through reviews, and hire a professional. Same for a hibachi chef for a girls' night out – at an Airbnb or in your own home – or for a caterer specializing in soup dumplings.
2. Memorable moments dubbed Experiences
(Image credit: Airbnb)
Next to Services up-top in the Airbnb app will be ‘Experiences’ with a hot-air balloon icon. And similar to the 'Icons' homes that Airbnb lets folks enter to win a stay in – like the house from Up or the control room from Inside Out – Experiences is a bit more pie-in-the-sky, in the best way possible.
These are unique activities run by folks from where you’re staying that aim to let you really immerse yourself in the locale. It could be a cooking class or a dining experience, but rather than just a meal at a restaurant, it’s interactive and potentially led by a Michelin-star chef, or you can freshen your wardrobe with a celebrity stylist.
(Image credit: Airbnb)
Similarly, rather than just visiting a historical place, you can be led through the site with a dedicated historian or take a workout class with an expert in that specific field. The idea is to have true experts for a more compelling, well, experience.
Experiences will be launched in 650 cities worldwide, and Airbnb says that will be expanding. There will also be a higher tier dubbed Airbnb Originals, which the company promises could lead you to eating barbecue with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City or playing volleyball with an Olympian. There’s no word on pricing for these, but I suppose these might be more similar to Airbnb Icons, in that you enter for the chance to use these.
More likely, you’ll find yourself with the more standard Airbnb experiences, which aim to be more than just standard.
3. App redesign
(Image credit: Airbnb)
Helping to make all of these more appealing, and honestly more integrated into the booking of an Airbnb – maybe a beach bungalow, a fancy loft, or a classic cabin – the app is also getting smarter in some key ways. The layout aims to make this flow a bit easier, and for the app to act as a companion serving up reminders and suggestions.
The biggest change, though, is that Airbnb now allows users to search for properties worldwide alongside the best services and experiences all in one place. Under the hood, Airbnb says it’s built an entire new tech stack that adds capacity for these new offerings and sets up a large runway for the future.
And I think that hints at the broader play here – Airbnb doesn’t want to be an app you open once or twice a year for a big vacation or trip. Rather, it’s there and is an app with more tools in its chest, allowing you to book more casual everyday services but also more memorable ones, whether you’re on the go or for a staycation.
Carolina Milanesi, President and Principal Analyst at Creative Strategies, told TechRadar, “Expanding into services makes a great deal of sense as it allows for a richer experience than the stay itself and can certainly add to it by adding a more visceral component to the stay – say you are using a personal trainer while you travel or organizing a photographer for your girls reunion weekend. The option of booking even when you are not staying shows they are trying to expand and deepen the relationship with a customer by having multiple touch points through the year.”
It certainly adds up, and this could grow Airbnb’s user base as well. We’re going hands-on with the new app, and maybe even an experience or two soon, so we’ll report back with more. But if you’re keen to give it a go, update to the latest version of the Airbnb app now.
