2 New Drops From MAAP x HOKA & Nike Bring Bold Colours & Fuzzy Vibes
From a sleek HOKA collab with cycling flair, to Nike's fuzzy twist on the classic Panda, these sneakers are built to turn heads. Here's why you'll want them in your rotation.
MAAP x HOKA Tecton X2
HOKA joins forces with Australian cycling brand MAAP to unveil a new take on the Tecton X2, a high-performance running shoe now reimagined with a cyclist's edge.
The collaboration blends the best of both worlds, combining HOKA's reputation for comfort and propulsion with MAAP's aerodynamic design sensibilities.
The Tecton X2 arrives in a striking Limeade colourway, built on HOKA's signature dual carbon plate sole for maximum propulsion.
The off-white base is accented with pops of aqua, lime green, and deep green, while the reflective stripe on the side nods to MAAP's cycling apparel. Every detail is designed to enhance visibility, speed, and style.
MAAP's influence is clear throughout the design, from the custom purple strip above the toe box to the bold logo placement on the insoles and laces.
This is a shoe made for more than just running. It stands as a crossover statement for those who live for movement and appreciate good design.
The MAAP x HOKA Tecton X2 will retail for US$230 (~RM1,080) and will be available starting 11th July at MAAP stores. A wider release will follow on 15th July at MAAP.cc and HOKA.com.
Nike Dunk Low Panda 'Blue and Gold'
The iconic Dunk Low series continues its 40th anniversary celebration with a new 'Blue and Gold' Panda edition.
Fresh off the recent 'Picante Red' drop, this version swaps fiery tones for vibrant University Gold and electric blue, blending nostalgic charm with a bold burst of colour.
This edition ditches the clean leather in favour of shaggy suede uppers and overlays that capture the tactile feel of panda fur. The fuzzy laces, paired with panda logos on tongue and heel and an embroidered 'Est. 1985' stamp, amplify the playful nod to Dunk's heritage.
A crisp white midsole grounds the exaggerated textures, while a striking blue outsole seals the look. It's an eye-catching combo that's equal parts streetwear statement and collectible sneakerhead must‑have.
Beyond looking cute and quirky, this Dunk reflects how Nike continues reinventing classics by merging rich texture with collegiate energy.
It's a perfect grab for anyone wanting a playful twist on the beloved Panda theme, and it's sure to ignite hype wherever it drops.
The Nike Dunk Low Panda 'Blue and Gold' will retail for US$130 (~RM 550) and will be available this Fall 2025 at select Nike Sportswear stores and online.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Humanoid robot says not aiming to 'replace human artists'
GENEVA: When successful artist Ai-Da unveiled a new portrait of King Charles this week, the humanoid robot described what inspired the layered and complex piece, and insisted it had no plans to "replace" humans. The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with an expressive, life-like face, large hazel eyes and brown hair cut in a bob. The arms though are unmistakably robotic, with exposed metal, and can be swapped out depending on the art form it is practicing. Late last year, Ai-Da's portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching over US$1 million (RM4.25 million). But as Ai-Da unveiled its latest creation – an oil painting entitled "Algorithm King", conceived using artificial intelligence – the humanoid insisted the work's importance could not be measured in money. "The value of my artwork is to serve as a catalyst for discussions that explore ethical dimensions to new technologies," the robot told AFP at Britain's diplomatic mission in Geneva, where the new portrait of King Charles will be housed. The idea, Ai-Da insisted in a slow, deliberate cadence, was to "foster critical thinking and encourage responsible innovation for more equitable and sustainable futures." Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations' AI for Good summit, Ai-Da, who has done sketches, paintings and sculptures, detailed the methods and inspiration behind the work. "When creating my art, I use a variety of AI algorithms," the robot said. "I start with a basic idea or concept that I want to explore, and I think about the purpose of the art. What will it say?" The humanoid pointed out that "King Charles has used his platform to raise awareness on environmental conservation and interfaith dialog. I have aimed this portrait to celebrate" that, it said, adding that "I hope King Charles will be appreciative of my efforts." Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern and contemporary art, led the team that created Ai-Da in 2019 with artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and Birmingham. He told AFP that he had conceived the humanoid robot – named after the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace – as an ethical arts project, and not "to replace the painters." Ai-Da agreed. There is "no doubt that AI is changing our world, (including) the art world and forms of human creative expression", the robot acknowledged. But "I do not believe AI or my artwork will replace human artists." Instead, Ai-Da said, the aim was "to inspire viewers to think about how we use AI positively, while remaining conscious of its risks and limitations." Asked if a painting made by a machine could really be considered art, the robot insisted that "my artwork is unique and creative."
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
YouTube pirates are cashing in on Hollywood's summer blockbusters
SAN FRANCISCO: After spending about US$100mil on Lilo & Stitch, a live-action remake of a 2002 animated film, Disney had plenty to celebrate. The film pulled in US$361mil (RM1.53bil) worldwide on its opening weekend in May and bested Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning at the box office. But the company also had cause to be concerned. In the days after the Disney film's opening, a pirated version of Lilo & Stitch proved to be a hit on YouTube, where more than 200,000 people viewed it, potentially costing Disney millions of dollars in additional sales, according to research from Adalytics, a firm that analyses advertising campaigns for brands. The findings of the research shed new light on the copyright issues that once threatened to upend YouTube's business. They also show how advertisers have unwittingly supported illicit content on YouTube, and they provide rare data about piracy on the platform. YouTube has long tried to tamp down piracy, but users who upload stolen films and television shows have employed new tactics to evade the platform's detection tools, the research showed, including cropping films and manipulating footage. YouTube then recommended the uploaded videos to users on its homepage, promoting pirated streaming of box office releases like Lilo & Stitch, or movies exclusively available on streaming platforms, like Captain America: Brave New World, according to screen recordings compiled by Adalytics and an analysis by The New York Times. YouTube, which is owned by Google, may also have generated revenue from some stolen videos, though it's unclear how much money it may have made. The company has a program known as Content ID to identify videos protected by copyright. It allows copyright holders to block the videos, share in advertising sales of the videos or receive data about who views the videos. Over the years, YouTube has paid billions of dollars to rights holders. YouTube reported flagging 2.2 billion videos last year and said rights holders permitted about 90% of those videos to stay on the platform. Jack Malon, a spokesperson for YouTube, said the company does not analyze the less than 10% of videos it removes at the request of copyright holders and does not track how many of those videos may be recently released, full-length movies. The channels that uploaded the videos of Lilo & Stitch and Captain America: Brave New World were terminated for violating YouTube's policies on spam, Malon said. He declined to say whether the company had profited from commercials shown in copyrighted videos that evaded detection by Content ID or racked up views before rights holders asked that they be taken down. At YouTube's request, Adalytics and the Times provided 200 videos for YouTube to review, most of them full-length films. YouTube analysed the videos but declined to provide insight into what percentage of the films their rights holders had permitted to stay up or had required to be removed. 'To frame these videos as 'illicit' without first reviewing the specific choices made by each rights holder misunderstands how the media landscape on YouTube works today,' Malon said. While 'mistakes do occur' on YouTube, he said, he dismissed the Adalytics report as an effort to get companies to sign up for the firm's services. Holders of copyrights for the videos, including all the major film studios, did not respond when asked for comment by the Times. The founder of Adalytics, Krzysztof Franaszek, who conducted the research, said he had observed 9,000 examples of possible copyright violations, 'including full-length movies that were in theatrical release, Netflix exclusives such as Extraction 2, TV shows such as Family Guy and live NCAA college football games.' The videos collectively had more than 250 million views. More than 100 of these uploads were also reviewed by the Times. Movies from every major film studio were found on YouTube in unofficial streams uploaded from last July to May, Adalytics found. When briefed on the research findings, Larissa Knapp, the chief content protection officer of the Motion Picture Association, a trade group for movie studios, said she found them concerning. At one point, the anti-piracy work between the studios and YouTube 'did work', Knapp said. 'But now it seems like some of the stuff may have gone off the rails if illegal content is being placed with ads.' The research recalled a time in YouTube's history when Hollywood accused the platform of profiting from its stolen content. In 2007, Viacom sued YouTube, claiming it engaged in 'brazen' copyright infringement by allowing uploads of the media company's material without its permission. In 2012, YouTube won the suit by arguing it was shielded from liability by the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which exempted YouTube from liability for hosting copyrighted work. The law shifted the burden for protecting a copyright from the platform and video creators to rights holders, said Eric Goldman, a law professor at Santa Clara University. Without the rule, he said, 'the Internet would not be able to exist in its existing format.' YouTube has tried to work with film studios, television networks and streaming services to combat piracy. Google, YouTube's parent company, developed its Content ID technology to recognise copyrighted videos, and YouTube became more aggressive at policing its platform for piracy. Copyright holders gained the right to either have the content removed or collect a share of the advertising revenue the videos generated. The box office in the United States and Canada routinely loses US$1bil (RM4.25bil) each year to piracy, which is roughly 15% of its annual haul, according to the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment, a trade group of 50 entertainment companies that tries to reduce piracy. Franaszek began the research after his advertising clients noticed that as much as 60% of their ad spending on YouTube went to videos or channels that were labelled 'no longer available'. After digging deeper, he found that his clients had paid to support content that YouTube later removed because it violated company policies against nudity, violence or hate speech, or because of other offenses. When videos are removed from the platform, YouTube scrubs advertisers' records so that they can no longer see the name of the video. Advertisers have to go to the link for the removed video to see if it was removed for a copyright violation, Franaszek said. He added that the platform did not fully reimburse the advertisers for the cost of commercials in those videos. Erich Garcia, a senior vice president at which lets consumers compare insurance offerings, said his company's ads routinely ran with videos that had disappeared, limiting his insight into the effectiveness of his promotions. Malon said YouTube advertisers could get more insight into those videos by asking their account representatives for more information. Representatives can provide advertising credits. Ads from Disney, Hulu, HBO Max, Focus Features and dozens of other companies from various industries were found alongside unauthorised film and television uploads, Adalytics said. Pirates deployed a range of deceptive tactics to evade YouTube's anti-piracy algorithms. Some uploaded and voluntarily removed copyrighted videos on the same day, racking up viewers before being caught. Other pirates mirrored the videos to reverse the images, or cropped the frames in an effort to trick the Content ID system. Still others placed clips of regular people at the end of a Hollywood blockbuster video to further cover their tracks, Adalytics and the Times found. Franaszek said Adalytics clients who paid for advertising in videos that were removed over copyright issues had a simple request: 'to have visibility into what content their YouTube ad dollars are funding, and where their ads appear.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Malaysian Reserve
11 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
The best women's sunglasses of summer 2025
As in all things, it's important not to sacrifice function to form by KATHY LEE NOTHING makes you feel quite as if summer has arrived like a new pair of sunglasses. In theory, finding the perfect pair shouldn't be too difficult. In reality, choosing frames that complement your features and reflect a bit of personality can be a frustrating task. In honour of National Sunglasses Day, which marks the Vision Council's effort to encourage people to protect their eyes from the sun's ultraviolet light, we've prepared a cheat sheet of this season's biggest trends. But in this, as in all things, it's important not to sacrifice function to form. So, choose a width and shape that flatters your face and feels effortless. A quick rule of thumb: Anyone with round and soft features should look for strong, angular frames; those with a square- or heart-shaped face should seek a softer, rounder shape. And if you're prone to headaches after a few hours of wear, make sure you choose a pair with nose pads. — Bloomberg Quay's Aura Points Sunglasses (Source: Quay) Saint Laurent's SL 737 Mica Thin Sunglasses (Source: Saint Laurent) Rose-coloured Frames While pink sunglasses might sound a little 'out there,' the muted tone and translucent material of frames such as Quay's Aura Points (US$75) is surprisingly flattering to almost all skin tones. Some skew more sepia, in fact, which can pass as neutral, like Saint Laurent's SL 737 Mica Thin (€270/RM1,338, or US$316/RM1,331). Bottega Veneta Turn cat-eye sunglasses (Source: Bottega Veneta) Chimi X17 sunglasses (Source: Chimi) The Updated Cat-eye This angular shape makes a comeback every few years, and this time around it's interpreted in unusual ways, either with exaggerated frames or unexpected colours and materials. Bottega Veneta's gold-toned wire-framed pair (US$600) are anything but retro. For those who find this silhouette too bold, look for the style that's a hybrid with the classic Wayfarer, like this Chimi style (US$180). Miu Miu Regard sunglasses (Source: Miu Miu) Johann Wolff Gatsby sunglasses (Source: Johann Wolff) A Bookish Upgrade Perhaps inspired by BookTok and the rise of celebrity book clubs, looking a little bookish is definitely a thing these days. If this is your vibe, look for frames that have tortoiseshell details or round lenses. Miu Miu's sweet rectangles (US$505) have a '90s feel to them, while this round Johann Wolff style is, appropriately enough, called the Gatsby (US$230). Phoebe Philo Bombé oversize frame sunglasses (Source: Phoebe Philo) A Daily Shield We all have those moments when we fantasise about shutting out the world, even if in practice we have to trudge on. Arm yourself with a shield-like pair of shades, such as these from Phoebe Philo (US$750) or the Akila pair (US$160), to buffer harsh lights and harsher realities — and look fabulous doing it. Warby Parker Rachel sunglasses (Source: Warby Parker) Tom Ford Jerry sunglasses (Source: Tom Ford) Bohemian Flair Channel the easy, breezy spirit of summer with oversize translucent sunglasses paired with a flowy dress (these are the Warby Parker Rachel sunglasses, US$95). If your summer days have you hitting the pavement rather than sandy beaches, try stronger black frames for your commute to the office, such as these Tom Ford Jerry sunglasses (US$505). This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
