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Thomas Ricker

Thomas Ricker

Deputy Editor

Deputy Editor

    More From Thomas Ricker

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    A quick review of the Sitpack Campster 2.

    Not every chair is a gadget, but this one sure is. Its lightweight, one-piece, collapsible design packs down small but still feels rock solid when sitting on uneven ground. The Campster 2 costs $110 before adding accessories like an insulated beer holster and a cozy quilted cover.

    Click through the gallery for details and more impressions.

    The Sitpack Campster 2 chair on grass near a table that’s next to a pair of shoes and a dog that wants you to throw his ball.
    <em>It takes about 20 seconds to set up but does require a few dry runs to loosen everything up and build some muscle memory. I could probably get that time down to 10 seconds if a bear suddenly appeared and ordered me to sit.</em>
    <em>It’s pretty wide at 19 inches (48cm) across. It weighs 3.23 pounds (1.5kg), which is very light but heavy compared to something like a </em><a href="https://helinox.com/products/chair-zero-l?variant=43734336864430"><em>Helinox Chair Zero</em></a>,<em> which is half the weight but costs $50 more.</em>
    <em>It is ventilated to keep cool in the summer with two integrated side pockets.</em>
    <em>Relaxed sitting position.</em>
    <em>Packed down into its carrying bag </em>— s<em>hoes of regular-sized humans for scale. Good for car camping or a day hike but too big / heavy for ultralight backpacking or bikepacking.</em>
    <em>Yes, there’s an optional insulated beer holster.</em>
    <em>From the front: Fitted with a $9.95 optional insulated bottle / can holder, a $25 optional ground sheet (to prevent sinking in sand), and a $49 optional quilted cover to help fend off a cold wind.</em>
    <em>From the back.</em>
    <em>The mechanical base of the single-piece chair.</em>
    <em>Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) feet for use on less durable surfaces. You will 100 percent lose these in time.</em>
    <em>I’m 180 pounds (82kg), and the only flex I felt assisted with comfort without the base ever feeling unstable. It’s rated for 300 pounds (120kg) in case my dog wants to jump on my lap — which he did without issue.</em>
    <em>Orange means camping in 2024.</em>
    <em>Sitpack Campster 2 is finally on general sale and shipping to all. Production woes slowed down deliveries to the original Kickstarter backers based on </em><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rest/sitpack-campster-2/comments"><em>feedback in comments</em></a><em> — but that’s crowdfunding for ya.</em>
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    It’s tall for a camp chair, which makes it suitable for taller tables. The seat is 12 inches (30cm) off the ground, with the back measuring 28 inches (71cm) at its highest point.
    Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Poop balloons.

    While you might think that the balloon war between North and South Korea has reached a new low, remember that activists once floated 80,000 copies of Seth Rogen’s The Interview over the northern border — and that film wasn’t worth a shit.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Christie’s auction house under ransom threat.

    RansomHub is claiming responsibility for an attack earlier this month that forced Christie’s to take its website offline for over a week, according to the New York Times. Hackers are now threatening to release details on the auction house’s wealthy clients in the next few days if it doesn’t comply with demands. A sample has already been released.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Elon Musk’s xAI raises $6 billion.

    Proof once again that it’s easier to make money when you already have it, especially at the peak of the AI hype cycle.

    Four months ago Musk posted the following after the Financial Times said xAI was seeking investments up to $6 billion:

    xAI is not raising capital and I have had no conversations with anyone in this regard

    Update 5:08AM ET: Added Musk quote.

    Ventje turns VW’s ID Buzz into a very charming e-camper

    The eVentje custom buildout is a worthy all-electric successor to the iconic VW Camper.

    Thomas Ricker
    EcoFlow’s $200 PowerStream is so clever, you might buy a $4,000 solar generator

    8

    Verge Score

    A mini power plant that turns a standard power outlet into a solar power inlet.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Starlink succumbs to Russian electronic warfare.

    Wait, you’re telling me that consumer tech can be foiled by a determined and well-funded military?

    The new outages appeared to be the first time the Russians have caused widespread disruptions of Starlink. If they continue to succeed, it could mark a tactical shift in the conflict, highlighting Ukraine’s vulnerability and dependence on the service provided by Mr. Musk’s company.

    Time for Musk to deploy the Starshield! Or, did he?

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    Samsung Unpacked rumored for July 10th in Paris.

    The date, first reported by Sammobile back in March, is now being reported as fact by Chosun. It also makes sense given Samsung’s sponsorship of the Paris Olympics which kicks off on July 26th — oh, the advertising possibilities!

    Expect to hear more on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 and wearables like the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Watch 7, and Galaxy Buds 3.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    First demo of T-Mobile’s Direct to Cell service.

    The video call works, barely, and that’s before fighting other LTE-compatible phones for access to the T-Mo service first announced in 2022.

    But when the choice is no coverage versus this, well, I’d call that a win. And it’ll only be available for texting later this year in the US, with data coming in 2025 as SpaceX launches more D2C Starlink satellites.

    Thomas Ricker
    Thomas Ricker
    TikTok plans ‘significant layoffs’ this week.

    According to current employees who spoke to The Information after being told of the cuts:

    “The layoff will affect a large percentage of the roughly 1,000 people working in TikTok’s global user operations, content and marketing.”

    TikTok cut about 60 workers from its sales and advertising teams back in January.