Latest news with #SwissArmyKnife
CNET
28-05-2025
- General
- CNET
Dust Off Your Swiss Army Knife: Here Are 7 Ways To Use the Multi-Tool Around the House
You don't need to be a Scout to get daily use out of your Swiss Army Knife. The handy, multipurpose tool was designed to aid in a slew of chores in addition to all those hiking, camping and outdoor tasks. There are a lot of ways to employ a Swiss Army Knife to make everyday tasks easier, from pruning houseplants to popping a wine cork. "Blending expert artisanship with intelligent functionality, the Swiss-made knives offer up to 73 functions and provide smart solutions to master everyday life situations," says Franziska Hoffmann-Fröde, head of the product category at Victorinox, the product's primary manufacturer. If you've acquired your very own Swiss Army knife -- or a comparable small multitool -- and are searching for inspiration, look no further than these eight tips to take full advantage of your purchase. It may even replace some of your go-to cooking gadgets or household tools. 1. Peeling fruits and vegetables Your Swiss Army Knife is a capable vegetable peeler. David Watsky/CNET Avocado-cutting hand injuries, be gone! Many knives and multitools contain both small and large blades to safely peel fruits and veggies. The small blade is ideal for peeling practically any type of produce while the large blade is "precise and handy" for other tasks such as slicing apples and bananas, Hoffmann-Fröde says. 2. Scaling fish Whether you're enjoying the fruits of your fishing trip or preparing a fresh cut from the supermarket, a fish scaler works astonishingly well at -- you guessed it -- scaling fish. Now your filets will be free of the scales and skin that can overpower a dish. 3. Pruning plants and flowers The big blade is perfect for pruning neglected houstplants. David Watsky/CNET Plants and fresh-cut flowers can brighten an otherwise dull and sterile kitchen space. Use your Swiss Army knife to prune these living things so they remain colorful and vibrant. "First, sanitize the blade with alcohol or soap and water, then cut any damaged leaves or leggy stems," says Hoffman-Fröde. 4. Opening shellfish Shucking fresh clams, oysters and mussels is no longer a chore with the flathead screwdriver, designed to be inserted into the shells' hinge so that they pop open easily. 5. Removing gunk and grime The small utility blade is great for cleaning grime out of small grooves and other tight spots. David Watsky The flathead screwdriver can also assist with kitchen clean-up in hard-to-reach places, especially in the space between your countertop and stove. "Gently push or scrape to dislodge crumbs, grease or other sticky substances," says Hoffmann-Fröde. 6. Deciphering fine print Labels, expiration dates and cookbook text can be aggravatingly tiny and challenging to read. Luckily, your Swiss Army knife has a magnifying glass to make out the fine print and ensure that you use the right amount of (unexpired!) ingredients. 7. Cutting seals and opening wine If this is the only thing you use your SAK for, it'd still be worth it. David Watsky/CNET Cheers to the Swiss Army knife's ability to not only cut through the seal of any liquor bottle but also uncork wine. The small blade and corkscrew work in tandem to open your favorite libations so that less energy is spent hassling with packaging and you can move on to enjoying your beverage with a favorite appetizer or meal. Swiss Army knife tools The fish scaler tool is the piece with the jagged edge on a Swiss Army knife. Getty Images Before you partake in the aforementioned kitchen activities, becoming more familiar with the Swiss Army knife's features is important. The standard Huntsman model from Victorinox touts a whopping 15 tools, including large and small blades, corkscrew, reamer, punch and sewing awl, scissors, wood saw, multipurpose hook, key ring, tweezers, toothpick, can opener, bottle opener, wire stripper and two screwdrivers.
National Post
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- National Post
5 Father's Day gift ideas that are thoughtful and useful
Article content Article content Okay, maybe your dad is more like MacGruber, but there's really nothing that can bring the MacGyver out in men of a certain age better than a Swiss Army knife. Armed with the Ranger from Victorinox (one of the two companies licensed to make knives for the Swiss military — and essentially anyone else who wants to buy one), he'll be prepared for anything. Article content Sure, he'll probably just use it to open bottles and pick corn out of his teeth, but he will also do so with full confidence that in the event of calamity, he'll be fully equipped to spring into action and save the world. Article content The Ranger has 21 built-in tools. Are we going to list them all? Yes, we are. Article content Blade, small Nail file Nail cleaner Metal saw Metal file Corkscrew Multipurpose hook Screwdriver 2.5 mm Toothpick Can opener Screwdriver 3 mm Scissors Blade, large Tweezers Chisel 4 mm Bottle opener Screwdriver 6 mm Wire stripper Wood saw Keyring Reamer, punch and sewing awl Article content Article content Article content How long does it take for an album to be considered a classic? Ten years is a nice round number, so let's go with that. By that measure, Vampire Weekend's third LP, Modern Vampires of the City, certainly qualifies. Article content In a retrospective essay marking the album's 10th anniversary in 2023, Stereogum's Chris DeVille described Modern Vampires as both a 'masterpiece' and 'one of history's sunnier death-obsessed records'. That's because it strikes the right balance between darkness and levity and between experimentalism and accessibility. Article content By 2013, Vampire Weekend had managed to divide the music-critic blogosphere, with many finding the Brooklyn band led by singer Ezra Koenig too preoccupied with the minute tribulations of the privileged, too indebted to African pop, and entirely too precious by half. With Modern Vampires of the City, the group won over the naysayers by shrugging off all preconceived notions and focusing on genuinely brilliant songwriting and innovative production. Article content Article content Article content Depending on your budget, this one might be a bit of a splurge, but it's actually a great deal when you consider that a regular Deluxe Reverb amplifier could run you anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 depending on the from the price, the major difference between the Tone Master and other Fender Deluxe Reverb amps is that the Tone Master is all-digital, designed to re-create that classic amp sound without tubes. What does this mean for the player? For one thing, it means that the Tone Master models the circuitry and 22-watt power output of an original Deluxe tube amp — but with the added oomph of a high-performance 100-watt digital power amp.
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Minidiscs: is the '00s format due a comeback or has it been lost as a millennium relic?
Don't throw those MiniDiscs away just yet - there might be a revival on the horizon Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It was once considered the cutting edge of audio technology and an essential piece of kit for journalists. However, one Apple product later and the format was left in the dust. However, the humble MiniDisc is making a small comeback - but what is the format and who is releasing on it in 2025? Since writing about vinyl, cassette, and video tapes over the past 12 months, there's one format I'm constantly asked about: MiniDiscs . Now, for those who went to university in the early 2000s , you might already be familiar with the format. It was once considered the 'future' of journalism due to its portability, 'easy' editing functions, and ubiquity across radio newsrooms nationwide. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, another format was already making waves just as the MiniDisc was reaching its prime: the old, sometimes infamous MP3 . While MiniDisc was a technological advancement—especially those versatile recorders you could do a lot more than just record music onto—it never quite gained the widespread adoption that its initial hype suggested. But what if I told you it could be the next format on the rise? Or would you just look at those hand-labelled diskettes piled up and think, 'Why bother?' As Generation Z starts to pick up on millennial formats, including the MiniDisc, it might be worth paying attention to it ahead of a potential rebirth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So, what was/is a MiniDisc, why was it the journalist's 'Swiss Army Knife,' and is anyone still releasing on the format today? What is a MiniDisc? Is the Minidisc the next format to undergo a comeback, or was it's timing during the advent of MP3 players to cause for it's lack of widespread appeal? | Canva So, what even was a MiniDisc, you ask? Well, it was an erasable magneto-optical disc format cooked up by Sony , first hitting the scene in 1992. Think of it as Sony trying to get the best of both worlds: the digital quality and instant track access of a CD, combined with the record-anything freedom of a cassette tape. It was this neat little 2.5-inch (64mm) disc tucked into a tough plastic case, kind of like a tiny, super-fancy floppy disk. These MiniDiscs could hold 60, 74, or even 80 minutes of digital audio. And get this – Sony actually claimed you could re-record onto them up to a million times. For audio, it used Sony's own special compression called ATRAC , which was a way to shrink a CD's massive data down while still trying to sound good. Later versions, like Hi-MD , even let you record uncompressed, CD-quality sound. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Honestly, it was essentially a wild mix of a floppy disk and a CD-R – if you're trying to picture it. Why were MiniDiscs considered the 'future' of journalism? Little bit of a nostalgia trip for me here - as I was one of those who went to University 'all in' with the MiniDisc's functionality. Studying radio journalism as part of a module at University, we were shown the wonder of the MiniDisc editing suite ; imagine those hi-fi stacks with a CD player, a radio tuner and a turntable - now imagine one of the stacks played home to two MiniDiscs. We would record on our personal recorders and edit on them 'on the fly,' or head into the newsroom in order to edit on the larger editing suites with a copy of Audacity or one of the numerous audio editing programmes available. Then we'd record the finished, edited audio back onto a MiniDisc to hand over to the producers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Needless to say, everything done with cloud storage and various file formats made the process a lot easier - not too shortly after the MiniDisc became the attempted format du jour at the time. The ability to split, combine, move, or delete tracks directly on the portable player was revolutionary for on-the-go editing, allowing for quick assembly of soundbites or cleaning up interviews in the field, and unlike cassettes that could wear out or be eaten by players , MiniDiscs offered a more stable and long-lasting recording medium. Some recorders even allowed you to store data on the discs, becoming (with the correct software) a sort of USB stick or a zip drive , allowing not just audio but crucial information to share the same disc space as your System of a Down recording from their most recent show. How popular was the format upon release? Upon its release in 1992, MiniDisc aimed to be a digital successor to the cassette tape, offering a recordable, portable, and high-quality audio experience. It gained a strong foothold in Japan, where it became quite popular, especially due to CDs being more expensive there and teenagers embracing MD singles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, its popularity was more limited in Western markets like the US and Europe during its initial years. Initial hardware was relatively expensive (original recorders costing around £400), and it faced immediate competition from established formats like CDs and the rapidly emerging digital alternatives. While appreciated by audiophiles, musicians for demo recording, and certainly journalists, it struggled to achieve widespread mainstream consumer adoption compared to the burgeoning CD format for pre-recorded music. It was in the late 1990s and particularly the early 2000s that Sony made a significant push to normalize and broaden the format's appeal. This period saw crucial price drops on MiniDisc players, making them far more accessible to average consumers. Key technological advancements like MDLP (MiniDisc Long Play) , introduced around 2000, allowed discs to hold twice or even four times the recording time. This dramatically increased the format's efficiency and value proposition. Further efforts to integrate MiniDisc into the digital age came with NetMD (late 2001) , enabling faster music transfers from computers via USB, essentially positioning MiniDisc players as early, physical-media-based "MP3 players." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad These '00s innovations and pricing strategies led to MiniDisc achieving its highest level of visibility and moderate mainstream acceptance in Western markets, even if its ultimate decline was already on the horizon due to the upcoming digital revolution. What led to the downfall of the MiniDisc player? Though the format was trying to make waves in Western markets during the '00s, the advent of the iPod left the MiniDisc almost dead-in-the-water. | Canva The MiniDisc player's decline can be attributed to a perfect storm of converging technologies and market forces. Arguably the biggest killer was the rise of MP3s and digital downloads, with devices like the Apple iPod (launched in 2001) offering unparalleled convenience by removing the need for physical media entirely, while file-sharing platforms like Napster further popularized digital audio. At the same time, as CD-R drives became common and blank CD-Rs incredibly cheap, consumers could easily burn their own compilations with uncompressed CD-quality audio using widely available technology. MiniDisc's proprietary nature and DRM (Digital Rights Management) also played a part, with Sony's reliance on its ATRAC codec and the often clunky SonicStage software creating a less user-friendly walled garden experience compared to the simplicity of MP3s. Despite price reductions, MiniDisc players and blank media remained more expensive than CD-Rs and the burgeoning digital alternatives. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Finally, a lack of mainstream record label support for pre-recorded MiniDiscs further limited its appeal to average consumers, preventing it from truly competing with the ubiquitous CD format - though I recall Robbie Williams and Bombfunk MC's both giving the format a go back in the day in HMV. Behind the counter at HMV owing to its price, might I add, but still in the retail store. Are any artists releasing on MiniDisc in 2025? While MiniDisc is no longer a mainstream format, it has found a niche cult following, similar to how cassettes are embraced by certain genres - especially among the noise rock and EDM circles, I can attest . In 2025, you can still find artists releasing music on MiniDisc, though it's typically independent artists or those in genres like vaporwave who appreciate the format's aesthetic and unique physical presence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For example, Sam Fender released his album "People Watching" on MiniDisc on February 21, 2025, via Polydor. This shows a continued, albeit limited, interest from some mainstream artists or their labels in offering niche physical formats to collectors and dedicated fans. Beyond mainstream acts, independent artists and small labels often use platforms like Bandcamp to sell limited-edition MiniDisc releases, particularly for genres that lean into retro aesthetics or lo-fi sounds. So, while it's not a widespread phenomenon like vinyl's comeback, the format is certainly not entirely dead for new music releases. Did you ever own a MiniDisc player or recorder, or were you a University student who learned how to edit audio on the format? Share your memories before the bandwagon start speeding off by leaving a comment down below.
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Minidiscs: is the '00s format due a comeback or has it been lost as a millennium relic?
Don't throw those MiniDiscs away just yet - there might be a revival on the horizon Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It was once considered the cutting edge of audio technology and an essential piece of kit for journalists. However, one Apple product later and the format was left in the dust. However, the humble MiniDisc is making a small comeback - but what is the format and who is releasing on it in 2025? Since writing about vinyl, cassette, and video tapes over the past 12 months, there's one format I'm constantly asked about: MiniDiscs . Now, for those who went to university in the early 2000s , you might already be familiar with the format. It was once considered the 'future' of journalism due to its portability, 'easy' editing functions, and ubiquity across radio newsrooms nationwide. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, another format was already making waves just as the MiniDisc was reaching its prime: the old, sometimes infamous MP3 . While MiniDisc was a technological advancement—especially those versatile recorders you could do a lot more than just record music onto—it never quite gained the widespread adoption that its initial hype suggested. But what if I told you it could be the next format on the rise? Or would you just look at those hand-labelled diskettes piled up and think, 'Why bother?' As Generation Z starts to pick up on millennial formats, including the MiniDisc, it might be worth paying attention to it ahead of a potential rebirth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So, what was/is a MiniDisc, why was it the journalist's 'Swiss Army Knife,' and is anyone still releasing on the format today? What is a MiniDisc? Is the Minidisc the next format to undergo a comeback, or was it's timing during the advent of MP3 players to cause for it's lack of widespread appeal? | Canva So, what even was a MiniDisc, you ask? Well, it was an erasable magneto-optical disc format cooked up by Sony , first hitting the scene in 1992. Think of it as Sony trying to get the best of both worlds: the digital quality and instant track access of a CD, combined with the record-anything freedom of a cassette tape. It was this neat little 2.5-inch (64mm) disc tucked into a tough plastic case, kind of like a tiny, super-fancy floppy disk. These MiniDiscs could hold 60, 74, or even 80 minutes of digital audio. And get this – Sony actually claimed you could re-record onto them up to a million times. For audio, it used Sony's own special compression called ATRAC , which was a way to shrink a CD's massive data down while still trying to sound good. Later versions, like Hi-MD , even let you record uncompressed, CD-quality sound. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Honestly, it was essentially a wild mix of a floppy disk and a CD-R – if you're trying to picture it. Why were MiniDiscs considered the 'future' of journalism? Little bit of a nostalgia trip for me here - as I was one of those who went to University 'all in' with the MiniDisc's functionality. Studying radio journalism as part of a module at University, we were shown the wonder of the MiniDisc editing suite ; imagine those hi-fi stacks with a CD player, a radio tuner and a turntable - now imagine one of the stacks played home to two MiniDiscs. We would record on our personal recorders and edit on them 'on the fly,' or head into the newsroom in order to edit on the larger editing suites with a copy of Audacity or one of the numerous audio editing programmes available. Then we'd record the finished, edited audio back onto a MiniDisc to hand over to the producers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Needless to say, everything done with cloud storage and various file formats made the process a lot easier - not too shortly after the MiniDisc became the attempted format du jour at the time. The ability to split, combine, move, or delete tracks directly on the portable player was revolutionary for on-the-go editing, allowing for quick assembly of soundbites or cleaning up interviews in the field, and unlike cassettes that could wear out or be eaten by players , MiniDiscs offered a more stable and long-lasting recording medium. Some recorders even allowed you to store data on the discs, becoming (with the correct software) a sort of USB stick or a zip drive , allowing not just audio but crucial information to share the same disc space as your System of a Down recording from their most recent show. How popular was the format upon release? Upon its release in 1992, MiniDisc aimed to be a digital successor to the cassette tape, offering a recordable, portable, and high-quality audio experience. It gained a strong foothold in Japan, where it became quite popular, especially due to CDs being more expensive there and teenagers embracing MD singles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, its popularity was more limited in Western markets like the US and Europe during its initial years. Initial hardware was relatively expensive (original recorders costing around £400), and it faced immediate competition from established formats like CDs and the rapidly emerging digital alternatives. While appreciated by audiophiles, musicians for demo recording, and certainly journalists, it struggled to achieve widespread mainstream consumer adoption compared to the burgeoning CD format for pre-recorded music. It was in the late 1990s and particularly the early 2000s that Sony made a significant push to normalize and broaden the format's appeal. This period saw crucial price drops on MiniDisc players, making them far more accessible to average consumers. Key technological advancements like MDLP (MiniDisc Long Play) , introduced around 2000, allowed discs to hold twice or even four times the recording time. This dramatically increased the format's efficiency and value proposition. Further efforts to integrate MiniDisc into the digital age came with NetMD (late 2001) , enabling faster music transfers from computers via USB, essentially positioning MiniDisc players as early, physical-media-based "MP3 players." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad These '00s innovations and pricing strategies led to MiniDisc achieving its highest level of visibility and moderate mainstream acceptance in Western markets, even if its ultimate decline was already on the horizon due to the upcoming digital revolution. What led to the downfall of the MiniDisc player? Though the format was trying to make waves in Western markets during the '00s, the advent of the iPod left the MiniDisc almost dead-in-the-water. | Canva The MiniDisc player's decline can be attributed to a perfect storm of converging technologies and market forces. Arguably the biggest killer was the rise of MP3s and digital downloads, with devices like the Apple iPod (launched in 2001) offering unparalleled convenience by removing the need for physical media entirely, while file-sharing platforms like Napster further popularized digital audio. At the same time, as CD-R drives became common and blank CD-Rs incredibly cheap, consumers could easily burn their own compilations with uncompressed CD-quality audio using widely available technology. MiniDisc's proprietary nature and DRM (Digital Rights Management) also played a part, with Sony's reliance on its ATRAC codec and the often clunky SonicStage software creating a less user-friendly walled garden experience compared to the simplicity of MP3s. Despite price reductions, MiniDisc players and blank media remained more expensive than CD-Rs and the burgeoning digital alternatives. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Finally, a lack of mainstream record label support for pre-recorded MiniDiscs further limited its appeal to average consumers, preventing it from truly competing with the ubiquitous CD format - though I recall Robbie Williams and Bombfunk MC's both giving the format a go back in the day in HMV. Behind the counter at HMV owing to its price, might I add, but still in the retail store. Are any artists releasing on MiniDisc in 2025? While MiniDisc is no longer a mainstream format, it has found a niche cult following, similar to how cassettes are embraced by certain genres - especially among the noise rock and EDM circles, I can attest . In 2025, you can still find artists releasing music on MiniDisc, though it's typically independent artists or those in genres like vaporwave who appreciate the format's aesthetic and unique physical presence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For example, Sam Fender released his album "People Watching" on MiniDisc on February 21, 2025, via Polydor. This shows a continued, albeit limited, interest from some mainstream artists or their labels in offering niche physical formats to collectors and dedicated fans. Beyond mainstream acts, independent artists and small labels often use platforms like Bandcamp to sell limited-edition MiniDisc releases, particularly for genres that lean into retro aesthetics or lo-fi sounds. So, while it's not a widespread phenomenon like vinyl's comeback, the format is certainly not entirely dead for new music releases.
Evening Standard
19-05-2025
- Health
- Evening Standard
I'm the office pharmacist: these are the best pouches and containers for storing meds
This is the Swiss Army Knife of home first-aid kits: compact, yes, but bursting with well-organised essentials including bandages, antiseptic wipes, scissors, tweezers and even a digital thermometer. It's a godsend for anyone who wants to be properly prepped without schlepping an entire Boots aisle around in their bag. It's also great for mixing and matching – swap out the bandages and tweezers you don't need on the daily for Imodium and Nurofen instead.
