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Dream: Inside the Breathtaking Conversion of the 106.5 Metre Superyacht

First published in the February 2019 edition of Boat International .

A life’s goal has been realised with Dream, a 106.5-metre conversion so massive and ambitious in its scale it would have been quicker and easier to start from scratch...

I’m doused from collar to sopping sandal in brine from a wave that has just crashed over the RIB’s bow – and the seascape before us is lively enough to whiten knuckles on grab handles. The côte may look particularly azure in the autumn sunshine but ploughing out of Monaco’s Port Hercule, tenders – and motherships – are bouncing around in an unstately fashion. Our target yacht is about the only stable point on the horizon, which is rather comforting.

As we step on to the broad swim platform and up to the aft deck, feeling a little as if we’ve just been rescued, 106.5-metre Dream towers above us, overwhelming in scale. And that’s just what you can see from the aft deck: there are also two lifts and four staircases for guests alone; a 260-square-metre master cabin, a 400-square-metre main saloon, a cinema and 22 guest cabins; a hotel-sized warren of crew and service areas (where a kindly stewardess tumble-dries my dress); six pantries and more than 270 kilometres of electrical cable powering it all. There are so many enormous decks that the GA takes up two whole pages at the end of this feature.

But then this boat has been a very long time in the making. “In 1953, at the age of seven, while dinghy sailing in the Glyfada gulf, outside my house, I came across the Onassis-owned Christina, the first real superyacht,” recalls  Dream ’s owner, George J Prokopiou. “I remember approaching the yacht’s stern on which Winston Churchill was smoking his cigar. This image has stuck with me ever since and generated the dream of a large yacht as a world cruising platform.”

Today, like Onassis, Prokopiou can properly be called a Greek shipping tycoon, having founded Dynacom Tankers, the shipping group Sea Traders and LNG transport company Dynagas. He has an engineering mind, extensive shipbuilding experience and his sea legs also extend to his leisure time, with a collection of four large motor and sailing boats – recently adding 69.5-metre Oceanfast  Nomad  to the collection. He chose to build  Dream  because “I could not find anything on the market to fulfil my needs and wishes”. He had also met naval architect Nikolas Dendrinos – “We share the same passion for sailing, yachting and the sea” – and they decided they could do something special together.

Dendrinos recalls: “He found this small passenger ship through a friend and he thought it would be a good idea for a conversion project. It was delivered in 1997 – it was doing cruises around the Mediterranean.” Dendrinos, who project-managed  Dream , works for Athens-based Olympic Yacht Services, owned by Prokopiou’s shipping company.

Established during the build, it now undertakes the operation, repairs, rebuilds and technical management of all the owner’s boats and plans to take on more clients in the 60-metre-plus range. “The other different thing about this project is that he wanted to build a boat himself,” says Dendrinos. “So this means that we hired a place in a shipyard in Greece and we organised from scratch. We designed, engineered and built everything for this project. We produced internally all the construction drawings for steel, systems, piping, integration and interior sub-constructions. We had subcontractors only for painting and the interiors.”

They also assembled a crack team of workers and designers with a wealth of experience, tapping established Greek-born, Italy-based yacht designer  Giorgio Vafiadis  to pen the new exterior and GA. Interior designers  Simone Ciarmoli and Miguel Queda  worked for years at powerhouse fashion brands, including Valentino, Prada and Armani before founding their own interior design firm, Ciarmoli Queda Studio, in Milan in 2009. Ciarmoli notes that making a success of the unorthodox set-up was one of their greatest achievements. “It was not like  Lürssen  or  Baglietto  or  Azimut . It was us: Simone and Miguel [and Vafiadis]; it was George, Nikolas and his team. And it was a big challenge,” he says.

Given the scope of the conversion this was certainly an ambitious project to tackle independently – the only original elements to remain were the hull and the engine room. So why do it this way? If you’re replacing so much, why not build from scratch? “I do know that he enjoys very much the construction at every stage,” says Vafiadis. “He was going to the yard almost every other day. And he likes to see the things coming. So once you have something existing it is easy to see what is coming – if you start from zero, you don’t see what is coming. Although you see renderings, it’s not like seeing the thing and saying here we do this, there we do that.”

As Prokopiou recalls: “Every evening we had an hour-long phone call with Nikolas reviewing all these [details]. This was a pleasure. I think as much as possible in terms of every detail, because I enjoy having such a good response; giving a small idea and then to see it in a drawing the next day – this is a huge advantage and it gives you the courage to do more things. You just say an idea, and then immediately… improved.”

In this way the mast, the swimming pool and the location of the helipad were all edited during the build. The method may ultimately have worked but he also reflects with frankness on the scope of the conversion.“In hindsight we should have started from scratch given the scale of the rebuild. [It] would have been simpler, faster and cheaper,” Prokopiou says.

The team’s efforts were aimed at some clearly defined goals. For the exterior design, says Vafiadis, “he wanted a classic style and he liked the look of something between a yacht and a ship. He didn’t want anything contemporary.” As Dendrinos puts it: “He wanted to have a classic nautical feel.” In terms of lifestyle, Prokopiou wanted plenty of cabins for family and guests, but also office space for himself and his colleagues, and excellent communications so that they could work effectively – this had to be a yacht he could live on. “The boat is made in a way that several groups of people can enjoy it without interfering one with the other,” says Vafiadis. “There can be a family group on one side of the boat and business people can be on the other.”

Another feature on the list was a quiet and vibration-free interior “even when sailing at full speed in bad weather”. To this end, Dendrinos installed huge volumes of insulation as well as floating walls and ceilings. Also requested were iPad controls (these are everywhere, even in guest cabins) and easy access to the sea for swimming, diving and watersports. For this, as well as a dive store and space to keep rugged tenders and the overhead cranes to launch them, there is a 42-square-metre, 12-tonne stern door that opens on to the sea. There’s also dynamic positioning for dives in protected areas where you can’t drop anchor.

More unusually, Prokopiou requested opening windows throughout, so that a natural breeze rather than air con could ventilate the boat in warm weather. In response, there are 66 opening portholes, 20 manually opening windows and 112 electrically opening windows, 500 kilograms each, 60 millimetres thick, custom made in Germany by Fehrmann and (the electric ones) controlled by iPads integrated to the “infotainment” system by VBH. “I think we have overdone it – in the toilet, instead of four windows opening, one would have been enough!” says the owner. To meet class safety requirements, all the windows are controlled by the Kongsberg Alarm Control and Monitoring System, which monitors them individually. Proximity switches tell it which are open, and they can be closed or locked automatically from the wheelhouse if necessary.

But first and foremost Prokopiou required a large and comfortable living space with balanced design – not too much of a problem with 4,702 gross tonnes to play with and the owner’s wife, Alexandra, on hand for decor selections. The request was for formality, but Ciarmoli and Queda steered away from dark woods. “I said, ‘OK, if you want formality why don’t we think about Marie Antoinette and Versailles.’”

Dream  is no confection: their interpretation of this style focuses on decorative wood panelling as well as delicate blue tones and acres of shagreen (invented by Jean-Claude Galluchat for Madame de Pompadour). It’s elegant and restrained – they cite minimalist master Jean-Michel Frank as an influence. But there are also nautical flights of fancy: in trompe l’oeil mosaics of sea creatures, or the insides of lifts decorated to feel as if you’ve dived into the blue.The vast array of spaces that Prokopiou and designers created are uniformly astonishing in scale and detail.

The more unusual ones include an intimate dining saloon set up around a central grill for teppanyaki and decorated in black and red lacquer like a glossy bento box; an owner’s deck that sprawls through a private dining room, office, steam bath, al fresco spa pool, cabins for immediate family and a lot more; VIP cabins in aqua tones with their own drinks cabinets and baths, and which open directly on to broad side decks; a main saloon centred with a ceiling light feature “like an oyster pearl”, says Ciarmoli, above powder-blue upholstery, which flows around to a mirrored bar and ceiling lights that recall abstract fishing nets. Further forward, the towering, multi-deck atrium in marble and glass is the architectural equivalent of a jewellery box, displaying the boat’s grand scale to spectacular effect.

Supporting all this is some serious tech. The wheelhouse has been rebuilt with an integrated bridge that allows the captain to watch and control the engine room and all systems, as well as monitor CCTV and night vision cameras. There’s also a sophisticated cruise-ship-style fire alarm system with a display to show the status of fire doors and temperature of all areas – and there are vertical escape routes from all compartments. “[Below decks] we stripped the engine room and rebuilt the engines and the generators. We have very good engines and generators,” says Dendrinos.

Aside from that, as he puts it, “everything you see on the GA is new”, and the bow, stern and all of the superstructure are new steel constructions. Under the waterline are controllable pitch propellers with independent rudders, a bow thruster and zero speed stabilisers – all super-sized, since  Dream  is one big boat.

Unusually for an owner, Prokopiou is also excited by the least glamorous kit on board. “It is interesting to see the kitchen, the refrigerators, because this is the heart of any ship. I have been to tankers, bulk carriers and LNG carriers, so I have seen a lot of the shipyards,” he says. But his favourite space on board? “The diving centre with all its toys and diving gear,” he says. “I like this space because it opens up to the sea and provides the perfect place for enjoying swimming, diving and watersports. It is the centre of the boat during the summer months.”

It’s easy to imagine Prokopiou whiling away an afternoon here, rightfully satisfied with the superyacht that he has created in his very own way. Perhaps he might even spot a small boy in a little dinghy in the distance, conceiving his own dream.

Dream won a World Superyacht Award in 2019 . Click below to register for the 2020 virtual World Superyacht Award ceremony, which will take place on Friday, November 13.

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Compass Articles

• February 17, 2024

Building Your Dream Yacht: An Insider’s Guide to Custom Boats

Introduction

Dreaming of the perfect yacht that’s all yours, from the color down to the size and special features? You’re not alone. Many people think about building a custom yacht that fits exactly what they need, whether it’s for big parties, quiet family outings, or adventurous voyages. It’s all about making something that’s perfectly suited for you.

What Does Going Custom Mean?

Starting from scratch.

Going for a custom yacht means you get to make all the decisions. You’re not picking a ready-made boat off a shelf. Instead, you’re starting with a blank page, deciding on everything from how long the yacht is to what kind of gadgets and comforts you want on board.

The Design Phase

In this stage, you work with designers to turn your dream into something that can actually be built. It’s where you figure out how to make the boat safe and keep it looking the way you want. Think of it as the step where your dream starts to look more like a real boat.

Picking the Right Team

Why expertise matters.

The team you choose to build your yacht makes a huge difference. You want folks who know what they’re doing and have built great yachts before. Their experience can help steer the project clear of problems and ensure you end up with a quality boat.

Working With Designers

Getting a good designer is like finding a translator for your ideas, turning what you’re imagining into blueprints that boat builders can follow. It’s important that you, the designer, and the builders communicate well so everyone’s on the same page about how to make your dream boat a reality.

Keeping Up With Boat Building Trends

Eco-friendly is the way to go.

Yachts today are being built with the environment in mind. Think electric engines or materials that don’t hurt the planet. It’s all about enjoying the water without making a big footprint.

Tech Upgrades

Technology is also a big deal in custom yachts. Whether it’s making the boat easier to steer or adding features that make life onboard more comfortable, tech can make a huge difference in how your boat feels and functions.

Making It Happen

At the end of the day, building your dream yacht is about getting what you want the way you want it. It’s supposed to be enjoyable and exciting. That’s where we come in. At Fly Yachts, we’re here to help make your dream come true without making it complicated. Talk to us today, and let’s start making plans for your dream yacht.

Fly Yachts offers a variety of services for yacht enthusiasts, whether you’re looking to buy a new yacht, sell your current one, or charter a yacht for a luxury experience. On their  Yachts for Sale  page, you can browse through an extensive collection of luxury yachts. If you’re interested in a yacht that fully matches your preferences, the  Build a Yacht  page provides information on how to customize a yacht to your liking. For those considering selling their yacht, the  Sell Your Yacht  page offers guidance on how to proceed with the sale. Those looking to charter a yacht for a holiday can explore their options on the  Yachts Charter  page and find inspiring locations on the  Charter Destinations  page. To learn more about Fly Yachts, their history, and what sets them apart, visit the  About Us  page. For readers interested in yachting stories and tips, the  Compass Articles  page features a variety of articles. They also offer  Aircraft for Sale  for those with an interest in aviation. Stay updated with the latest news in the yachting world by checking the  Gulfstream News  page. If you have any questions or need more information, the  Contact  page provides all the necessary contact details, or you can begin exploring all that Fly Yachts has to offer on their  Homepage .

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This New Line of Electric Catamarans Brings More Zero-Emission Cruising to the High Seas

And you won't have to wait long to test one out., rachel cormack.

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The newest entry into the booming catamaran market comes courtesy of two big industry players.

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Fountaine Pajot’s new Aura 51 Smart Electric will be the first electric cat to join the Dream Yacht Worldwide fleet. The zero-emissions 51-footer is equipped with two highly efficient electric motors and fixed or folding propellers designed specifically to optimize performance. The motors are also engineered to produce energy in a hydrogeneration mode under sail.

In addition, the multihull is fitted with solar panels that generate extra power. All the clean, green electricity is stored onboard in two battery banks. The cat can cruise sans noise and emissions for hours or stay at anchor for up to a week, according to the French yard. The Aura 51 will be available for charter in Italy at the beginning of April 2023.

The ongoing partnership is expected to see more than 22 electric yachts added to the Dream Yacht fleet by spring 2024. Of that, 10 will be sailing catamarans by Fountaine Pajot and 12 will be sailing yachts by Dufour. The French sailboat manufacturer, which was founded in 1964 by naval architect and engineer Michel Dufour, was acquired by Fountaine Pajot in 2018.

Fountaine Pajot is going even further, in fact. The yard, which was founded back in 1976, has committed to cleaner manufacturing processes, more efficient designs and greener tech. It is also aiming to be the first shipyard to integrate hydrogen as an alternative energy solution on its catamarans.

An external audit recently showed that 20 percent of Fountaine Pajot’s carbon footprint comes from production and 80 percent from the use of boats. The yard is hoping to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050, whether for the production of boats or their use, according to Motteau. Bring it on.

Rachel Cormack is a digital editor at Robb Report. She cut her teeth writing for HuffPost, Concrete Playground, and several other online publications in Australia, before moving to New York at the…

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DREAM Yacht – Dazzling $150 Million Superyacht

106 meters (347 feet) in length, the superyacht DREAM yacht was built in Turkey by Halic Tersaneleri. Originally it was a passenger’s vessel but has since been turned into a superyacht.

It was launched in 1997 and can accommodate 44 guests as well as 28 staff members in luxury.

DREAM yacht interior

To make sure the inside of the DREAM yacht met the owner’s exact needs, CQS was hired to design and build Dream’s custom interior.

There are bright and airy elements inside that match the ship’s overall style. The inside is made very well and polished to a very high standard.

DREAM yacht has an air-conditioning system that runs through the whole house. She also has a high-tech entertainment system.

The exterior design of the DREAM superyacht was carried out by Studio Vafiadis . It was Studio Vafiadis’s intention when he created the exterior of the Dream that it would appear light and airy while yet being excellent at sea.

He was successful in accomplishing his goal. An aluminum superstructure and steel hull combine to form the Dream, a boat built for love.

DREAM has a lot of water toys that guests can use to make the Mediterranean their own private playground.

She also has a water slide that allows guests to get from the sun deck to the water in a few seconds.

To keep guests busy, there is a beach club where they can relax on the edge of the water. She also has a hot tub on the deck.

Some impressive features have been seamlessly integrated to help you, such as Wi-Fi, which lets you stay connected at all times if you want to.

Also, her exteriors are made to be able to hold a lot of people and have a lot of room for outdoor lounges on the main deck. There is also a helicopter pad on the lower deck.

Specifications

The Dream has a total length of 106 meters (347 feet) She has a displacement of 4700 tonnes and can reach speeds of up to 17 knots at its top speed. Her cruising speed is around 12 knots on average.

According to the manufacturer, The DREAM yacht vessel is powered by Wärtsila engines. She can reach speeds of up to 17 knots.

The range is stated as 7200 nautical miles at 12 knots. The Dream’s annual running expenditures are projected to reach $15 million.

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• Ciarmoli Queda Studio (CQS)
• George Prokopiou
• Halic Tersaneleri
• Studio Vafiadis

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Dream (ex: Excellence III)

• Amenities & Toys
• Rates & Regions
• + Shortlist

DREAM YACHT CHARTER

60m  /  196'10   abeking & rasmussen   2001 / 2023.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

• 2 Double/Twin

Special Features:

• Newly Refitted inside & out
• Sky lounge converts into cinema with 103″ HD plasma
• Relaxation room for yoga, massage & aerobics
• Vast outdoor deck areas
• Sensational water slide
• Quantum XT Zero Speed stabilizers
• Experienced and highly professional crew

Superyacht DREAM was entirely refitted in 2023 with a brand new interior by award-winning designers Bannenberg & Rowell.

The 60m/196'10" 'Dream' (ex. Excellence III) motor yacht built by the German shipyard Abeking & Rasmussen is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 7 cabins. This multi-award winning yacht features interior styling by English designer Bannenberg & Rowell.

Offering an abundance of social and dining options, as well as a highly attentive crew, luxury charters aboard motor yacht Dream are set to be truly magical whatever the destination. She has sensational features such as beach club and gym.

Guest Accommodation

Built in 2001, Dream offers guest accommodation for up to 12 guests in 7 suites comprising a master suite, one VIP cabin, two double cabins, one twin cabin and two cabins that can operate as twins or doubles. There are 10 beds in total, including 4 king and 2 singles. She is also capable of carrying up to 15 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

A charter on Dream is comfortable and convenient thanks to the provided amenities, notably a beach club for you to relax on the edge of the water. You can visit the well-equipped gym so that you can keep up with your fitness routine at sea and in addition sit back with a glass of champagne in the deck jacuzzi.

Whatever your activities on your charter, you'll find some impressive features are seamlessly integrated to help you, notably Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to stay connected at all times, should you wish. Guests will experience complete comfort while chartering thanks to air conditioning.

Performance & Range

Dream is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. Powered by twin Caterpillar engines, she comfortably cruises at 14 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 16 knots with a range of up to 7,200 nautical miles from her 171,998 litre fuel tanks at 12 knots. An advanced stabilisation system on board reduces the side-to-side roll of the yacht and promises guests exceptional comfort levels at anchor or when underway.

Dream knows a thing or two about fun on the water, with an extensive selection of action packed water toys and accessories for you and your guests to enjoy whilst on charter. Principle among these is a waterslide for hours of fun for all ages. Guests can feel the wind in their hair and jump the waves on a Yamaha WaveRunner. In addition there are towable toys offering fun and adventure. If that isn't enough Dream also features waterskis, a seabob, wakeboards, kayaks, fishing equipment and much more. Dream features two tenders, but leading the pack is a 6.7m/22' Novurania Tender to transport you in style.

Dream and her crew are available for charter this winter for cruising within the Indian Ocean. She is already accepting bookings this summer for cruising in the Mediterranean.

With its superlative combination of luxurious styling and superb amenities, motor yacht Dream has everything you could possibly want for unforgettable yacht charter vacations.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Dream, please provide .

Dream Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Dream has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Rendez-vous diving only.

Dream is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 1 x 6.7m  /  22' Novurania Equator Tender 250 HP engine (front & back has awning)
• 1 x 9.75m  /  32' Intrepid Tender

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

Dream Awards & Nominations

• International Superyacht Society Awards 2002 Best Power Interior Winner
• The World Superyacht Awards 2014 Best Refitted / Rebuilt Yacht Finalist
• International Superyacht Society Awards 2014 Best Refit Winner
• The World Superyacht Awards 2020 Voyager’s Award Nomination
• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

'Dream' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€420,000 p/week + expenses Approx $457,500

High Season

€450,000 p/week + expenses Approx $490,000

Cruising Regions

Mediterranean France, Italy, Monaco

HOT SPOTS:   Amalfi Coast, Corsica, French Riviera, Sardinia

Winter Season

October - April

$430,000 p/week + expenses

$460,000 p/week + expenses

Indian Ocean Maldives, Seychelles

Charter Dream

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

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Specification

SEASONAL CHARTER RATES

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Dream Yacht Worldwide renews fleet with 77 new catamarans

The majority of the boats feature premium equipment such as generators for unrestricted power supply, air-conditioning systems and watermakers for freshwater production.

CLEARWATER , FL – Dream Yacht Worldwide , a leading sea-based vacation and global yacht charter company, has announced the renewal of its catamaran fleet in the South Pacific, Caribbean, and Americas regions. The French West Indies will be getting 27 new boats, 10 will go to Tahiti and 40 will be delivered to the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands.

This fleet renewal further strengthens Dream Yacht Worldwide’s position as a leading yacht charter company and pioneer in making sailing accessible for all. In total, Dream Yacht has 850 boats available from 42 bases across the globe.

“This fleet update represents a significant step forward,” shared Loïc Bonnet, founder of Dream Yacht Worldwide. “It has been several years since we have undertaken a renewal on such a scale, integrating the latest boat models with premium equipment, to guarantee our customers an exceptional experience at sea.”

The 77 new catamarans will join the Dream Yacht Worldwide fleet by the end of this year.

Among the many destinations DYW offers in the South Pacific, Caribbean and Americas, the most popular are the British Virgin Islands, French Polynesia and the Bahamas for American travelers. While Europeans are more attracted to Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Over 35,000 vacationers visit these paradise destinations between November and April, of which 85% are bareboat bookings (with or without skipper) and 15% are cabin cruises.

Theodore Koumelis

Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.

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The superyacht world is speculating that Mark Zuckerberg just bought this 118-meter boat

• The 118-meter superyacht Launchpad made her maiden voyage last week.
• The yacht world is speculating that her owner is Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
• Here's what we know about the luxury vessel.

In the world of superyachts , privacy is the most valuable asset. It can be next to impossible to discern the details of a superyacht transaction — and that's particularly true if the vessel in question is worth nine figures.

Yet some in the boat blogging world are speculating that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the new owner of Launchpad, a megayacht currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after she made her maiden voyage from Gibraltar to St Maarten last week. Launchpad clocks in at 118 meters long, about nine meters shorter than Jeff Bezos' superyacht Koru .

The transaction could not be confirmed, with yacht world insiders declining to share what they know and representatives for Zuckerberg not responding to a request for comment from Business Insider. In the past, reports about Zuckerberg owning superyacht Ulysses have proven false.

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"It is Feadship's standard policy to never divulge any information about our yachts with reference to ownership, costs, or delivery, etc," Feadship, the ship's builder, wrote to BI. "Whether it is an 18-meter Feadship from the 1960s or a 118-meter Feadship from the 21st century, we do not share private information."

But Zuckerberg's name has been connected to Launchpad for a few months now, beginning in December when reports swirled that he visited Feadship's shipyard in the Netherlands.

Then, earlier in March, yachting bloggers like eSysman SuperYachts and Autoevolution started speculating that he officially snagged the boat, originally built for a sanctioned Russian businessman, at a $300 million price tag. (While that's a seemingly huge amount, it's still less than 0.2% of Zuckerberg's $177 billion net worth.)

Another clue that might point to US ownership is that the yacht bears the flag of the Marshall Islands, a US territory and commonplace for American buyers to register their ships, according to public marine tracking.

If Zuckerberg were to have bought Launchpad, he would join a cohort of superyacht-owning tech billionaires . Along with Bezos, the likes of Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have purchased impressive boats with even more impressive amenities.

SuperYacht Times , an industry publication and intelligence platform, has some of the best images of the yacht. Photos show a swimming pool on her main deck and a large helipad.

While less is known of the interior, a vessel of her size can likely sleep dozens of guests and crew and may have amenities like an expansive gym where Zuckerberg could practice his jiu-jitsu or a spa with a massage area. We suspect there's also space for plenty of toys — which could include his viral hydrofoil foil .

Do you have any details about Launchpad or any other superyachts? Email reporter Madeline Berg at [email protected].

Watch: Walmart heiress' superyacht vandalized by activists in Ibiza

• Main content

Virginia Beach yacht, 75-foot, catches fire, 3 people on board rescued in dramatic fashion

The yacht was towed by the virginia beach fire department, assisting the coast guard, to fort story, a military base on virginia beach..

A 75-foot-yacht off the coast of Cape Henry in Virginia Beach caught fire, forcing its occupants to jump into the water, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Mayday call for "a recreational vessel on fire" came in around 3:30 a.m. Friday, a spokesperson of the U.S. Coast Guard told USA TODAY over the phone.

Motor Vessel Savage, a 75-foot-yacht, was on fire about two miles off the coast of Cape Henry.

Three adults who were on board the vessel jumped into the water and were later rescued by a pilot boat, said U.S.C.G.

Dramatic rescue: Video shows 7 people being rescued after seaplane crashes near PortMiami: Watch

Three people aboard jumped into waters, rescued from burning yacht

"All three were picked up within approximately 10 minutes by pilot boats and no injuries are recorded," said the U.S.C.G.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department, assisting the Coast Guard, towed the boat to Fort Story, a military base on Virginia Beach, where it is still smoldering.

The fire department is fighting the fire from the shore, said the spokesperson, adding that the vessel is against a rock. The U.S.C.G. is also monitoring the situation, with a boat on scene.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, said the U.S.C.G.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @saman_shafiq7.

Moscow wants to be a model smart city; this is how they plan to achieve it

The Russian capital is investing heavily in technology

The concept of smart cities is a well trodden one and has been at the core of the expansion of some of the world’s big megalopolises. 

Moscow, however, rarely comes to mind when thinking about technology, primarily because Russia is often considered to have a significant tech presence - unlike China or the US. 

Companies like Rostec and Kaspersky are changing this and so are initiatives like Moscow’s City-as-a-service. Qualcomm for example, chose the city to launch Europe’s first 5G mmWave network in partnership with Moscow’s Department for Information Technologies of Moscow. We caught up with its head, Eduard Lysenko, to find out more about what they have been doing. 

• What is a smart city and how does one plan for it?
• How businesses can unlock smart city success
• 5G and smart cities : everything you need to know

Can you tell us a little about the city-as-a-service concept and how it has benefited the citizens of Moscow?

The digitalization of Moscow started in 2011 and since then the city has become one of the leaders in providing e-services for citizens, with more than 11m citizens using city services today. 

Initially, we had to digitize the city management systems. A few years later we started to introduce e-services for citizens that became very popular. The main feature of e-services in Moscow is that they are being developed by DIT and therefore they have a similar interface, the same login system and all of the services are connected and can interact with each other. It makes it easier for citizens to use.

At the same time we provided opportunities for the development of mobile networks. Due to cheap internet access and huge coverage (99 percent of Moscow is covered by 4G) the penetration of smartphones exceeded 83 percent. So the citizens of Moscow were ready to use these services.

As for the services themselves, they seek to cover all the needs of citizens. They include the EMIAS medical portal, the Active Citizen portal that runs polls for citizens, the Moscow E-school and the portal of the mayor of Moscow, mos.ru . However, there are also services for tourists, complaints, crowdsourcing etc. I’d like to briefly introduce some of these services. 

First of all, the EMIAS service for making online appointments in Moscow public clinics, thanks to which the average waiting time to see a doctor has been reduced to five minutes and 95 percent of prescriptions are now issued in electronic form. With the Moscow E-school, we are creating a high-tech environment to improve the quality of education in Moscow schools. There is also a well-known e-polling service called Active Citizen, which allows Muscovites to make decisions on urban development. Almost 2.3m citizens participate on the platform and about 4,000 decisions have already been implemented via this service. We have recently been developing Crowd.Mos where, in contrast to Active Citizen, people can independently suggest their own initiatives for the city.

As for the possibility of interaction, we are now working on a full integration of all services. For example, in the future, when the winter flu epidemic begins in the city, EMIAS will be able to notify all schoolchildren and their parents of the need for protection and vaccination. All our services will form a single network aimed at helping citizens in a variety of situations. And finally, the mos.ru portal, which is a platform that aggregates all e-services for citizens in one place, as well as providing the latest news about the life of the capital. Mos.ru allows citizens to understand which e-services exist and how they can be received, which saves them time.

One of our aims is to save time for people and this is something that Moscow’s services can do. In our case, speed means comfort. Already, the introduction of EMIAS is saving doctors up to two million hours per year. Making life more comfortable for citizens implies that the city provides services to residents at all levels. Before the digitalization started, people had to spend a lot of time to use city services and go to different institutions but now they are all available online. Last year, we reached 170bn visits to e-government services and $ 1.5bn in payments were processed.

But for us, things don’t end with the provision of basic services. We are striving to add specific new services in accordance with the requests of citizens. For example, in summer, free sports activities with coaches and equipment are now available in Moscow parks for registered users. We are now working on responding to all relevant and adequate needs of people because this approach allows us to boost awareness and the desire to improve in people themselves. In this way, the city itself, in a sense, is becoming a service for citizens - and our aim is to make sure that this is a high-quality service.

How successful have the city’s network of CCTV cameras and facial recognition system been in preventing crime?

Moscow has one of the world's largest network of CCTV cameras, second only to London (according to 2016 PWC estimates). These cameras are now helping to solve about 70 percent of all crimes committed in the city. 

As for facial recognition, at the moment there are 1,500 cameras in Moscow connected to this system in a pilot project. Video analytics takes place in automatic mode and notifies the city services if necessary.  In automatic mode, the camera responds to gestures, movements and elements of behavior, thereby revealing suspicious activity. This year, we plan to launch the system on 105,000 cameras - that is, all cameras capable of observing human faces will be covered. The majority of the cameras are installed in courtyards, entrances and subways, where the footfall is greatest. We expect to reduce the overall number of crimes by 20 to 40 percent by next year. 

In addition to the city cameras, we are developing other technologies with facial recognition capabilities. For example, we tested augmented reality glasses with facial recognition for police. These glasses make it possible to recognize a criminal in the midst of a crowd and significantly reduce the time required to capture criminals. 

Again, many speak critically about video surveillance with a facial recognition system, believing that the government wants to establish surveillance of people. But I can tell you about a successful case - during the 2018 World Cup in Moscow, cameras with facial recognition were used to identify 98 fans banned from visiting fan zones. This helped to provide us with a decent level of security during the championship and not expose people who came to watch the game to unnecessary risk.

The global aim here is to provide a self-regulating and high-quality system, reducing any possible risks for our citizens.

What security measures have been put in place to protect the government-run storage facility that houses the data collected by the cameras?

Providing cyber security for the data was top-priority since the very beginning of the digitalization. Fault-tolerant data processing centers belonging to the Government of Moscow are used as a basis for countering attacks. So far, a data protection system has been built for the data center, which has made it possible to ensure the protection of the information systems located in the data center.

In 2018, we took measures to identify unauthorized access to the Moscow data storage and processing centers. During this year, more than 27,572  cyberattacks have been blocked. We are constantly improving our security system, conducting inspections and audits of security systems.

The correct functioning of the newly built information protection system has been confirmed by the positive results of certification tests for compliance with information security requirements and the issue of a certificate of conformity of the information facility with information security requirements. 

As for our surveillance system, access to these cameras is also limited and controlled. In 2018, we developed an automated information system called Access Control System for Information Systems and Resources of the City of Moscow, which is designed to ensure safe, reliable identification and authentication of users when accessing the information systems of Moscow. The video retention period is about five to seven days. Within five days, any citizen can apply for data from video cameras. According to the statistics, 80 percent of users contact us within three days and a further 15 percent in the remaining two days.

Moscow is known for having the best e-government services. Can you tell us about the Active Citizen app and how Muscovites are using it to participate in city government affairs?

We created the Active Citizen service in 2014 at the initiative of the Government of Moscow. This is a service of electronic polls for citizens, enabling them to make decisions on important citywide issues. Active Citizen is unique case – the service allows ordinary citizens to influence what is going on in the city. Any Moscow resident who has a Russian mobile operator SIM card can register and get involved in changing Moscow. 

To attract citizens, we use elements of gamification — for participation in polls and other activities, users are encouraged with points, which can later be exchanged for various kinds of benefits. As of July 2019, about 2.3m users have registered using the application and more than 4,000 polls have been conducted. Among the decisions made by users, it is worth noting the creation of 25 local parks, 10 new bus routes and bicycle lanes. In addition, citizens can choose names for various urban innovations. For example, this is how the name was chosen for the Moscow Metro’s Third Circle.

Active Citizen is one of our most important services and despite the fact that now it is already successfully operating, we are still devoting energy and resources to promoting and popularizing it.

This year, the service turned five years old and we organized a big celebration in one of the main parks of Moscow. We run these events not so much to attract more users but to increase loyalty among current users.

In addition to Active Citizen, I would like to talk about the launch of the My District service. In simple words, this is like a small version of Active Citizen, where residents of a particular district can make decisions on how to improve their area. We believe that decisions at all levels are important, and My District allows residents to exercise more autonomy in matters of city infrastructure.

Of course, we have been repeatedly criticized for the fact that Active Citizen offers a limited choice and range of issues for consideration. So, this year, we have launched the Crowd.Mos service, which allows people to independently propose their own urban planning initiatives. I can say that we are proudly a world leader in the implementation of ideas proposed by citizens.

I would also mention an experiment with blockchain elections to the Moscow City Parliament this year in the context of e-government. Connecting blockchain technology will not only enable online voting but also ensure the transparency of the elections and the impossibility of changing results, which will be securely encrypted.

How is AI being used in Moscow to improve healthcare?

For a start, it is important to point out that public healthcare in Moscow, as in all of Russia, is free. As you know, Moscow is a gigantic metropolis, accordingly, a huge amount of resources, including humans, are needed to serve all citizens. Currently, the city has about 244 public hospitals and 444 clinics, which employ more than 44,000 doctors.

As part of DIT’s Smart City program, city polyclinics have been connected to the artificial intelligence system. Online services are helping to reduce queues in clinics and make it easy to communicate with doctors. For example, today the majority of city clinics have implemented a patient flow control mechanism - the mechanism covers more than 60 percent of all doctors and allows you to correctly distribute the number of patients for each doctor. Thanks to this system, citizens can see a doctor as soon as possible, and the queues in most metropolitan clinics have almost been eliminated.

Accordingly, it is very difficult to manage this entire system and artificial intelligence helps us in this. In addition to facilitating the process of managing and allocating resources, citizens can now receive their analyses and test results by e-mail, which means they don’t need to go back to the clinic. This makes life easier for everyone - both patients and doctors.

The online service for registering with a clinic without a personal visit has also become very convenient for Moscow citizens. At the end of last year, more than 51,000 people registered with clinics in this way.

A key innovation in the health system is the beginning of the implementation of the Digital Vision pilot project. With the help of big data and artificial intelligence, doctors now have the opportunity to diagnose cancer in its early stages, as well as to assess stroke risks. The use of this technology has already increased diagnostic accuracy in Moscow by 15 percent.

In addition to improving the process of receiving and organizing treatment of patients in clinics, we are interested in the development of telemedicine. Of course, online consultation will never replace a full-fledged doctor's appointment, especially in difficult cases. However, it may be useful for primary symptoms and in cases where a visit to the doctor may not be necessary.

How is the Department of IT using big data to deliver insights about city residents?

DIT processes 14.3 terabytes of data daily. Big data processing technologies allow us to structure and transform the initial data file more quickly and with minimum labor costs, reducing the amount of information that people work with and thus the time spent on solving these problems. Big data helps us better understand our citizens. Thanks to big data, we can make a portrait of a Moscow citizen, understand their preferences and address whatever problems they have. For example, what changes in the infrastructure of the city they need and what is missing. Also, big data can help in predicting natural disasters or epidemics. Today, by analyzing this data, we know what problems are emerging. It is now possible to draw up a plan for the repair of roads or to build social facilities on the basis of this information. In one district, for example, you need to build a school, and in another, residents need additional parking zones.

Moreover, big data provides an opportunity for personalization. For example, there is automatic SMS notification of residents of specific areas of unplanned situations - water shutdown, snowfall, road works, and so on. Big data has long been used in the Moscow call center. First of all, our robot with artificial intelligence is connected to the call center and is trained to answers citizens' questions. At the end of the year, we are planning a pilot launch of a new robot, which can analyze the history of previous calls to predict the nature of a new call. This will significantly reduce the total call time. I notice that many companies, including public ones, consider robots with artificial intelligence to be unprofitable and expensive to develop. However, with the help of our robot, we were able to completely reassign human operators from simple questions to more complex ones, thereby saving them time and energy and reducing labor costs.

We also have separate benefits for businessmen. This year, we are planning to launch a robot that will help automate purchases and inform Moscow entrepreneurs about upcoming tenders. We plan to add more features to it in the future.

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FEIG ELECTRONIC: Moscow-City Skyscrapers Streamline Parking Access and Control with Secure RFID

Feig electronic partners with isbc group to deploy ucode dna rfid security and parking access control solution in moscow business district.

Weilburg, Germany  — December 3,  2019  —  FEIG ELECTRONIC , a leading global supplier of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers and antennas with fifty years of industry experience, announces deployment of the UCODE DNA RFID security and parking contactless identification solution in the Moscow International Business Center, known as Moscow-City, one of the world’s largest business district projects.

The management of Moscow-City not only selected long-range, passive UHF RFID to implement in its controlled parking areas, it also chose to implement UCODE DNA , the highest form of secure RAIN RFID technology, developed by NXP Semiconductors.

Panoramic view of Moscow city and Moskva River at sunset. New modern futuristic skyscrapers of Moscow-City – International Business Center, toned

“Underscoring NXP’s innovation and leadership in developing advanced RAIN RFID technologies, our UCODE DNA was chosen to be incorporated with the FEIG and ISBC implementation of the contactless identification system in the prestigious Moscow-City,” said Mahdi Mekic, marketing director for RAIN RFID with NXP Semiconductors. “This exciting project represents yet another successful deployment of NXP’s contactless portfolio, and showcases our continued ability to meet the high-security requirements of highly demanding applications without compromising user convenience.”

“UCODE DNA is considered the only identification technology to match the physical protection of a barrier with the cybersecurity necessary to truly protect entrances from unauthorized access,” said Manuel Haertlé, senior product manager for FEIG Electronic. “As a respected contactless payment technology company, FEIG applies security know-how from its payment terminals, which are fully certified according to the latest high-class security standards, into our RFID systems. FEIG vehicle access control RFID readers incorporate advanced secure key storage elements, supporting various methods for secure key injection.”

FEIG’s partner ISBC Group provided the knowledge and support for this successful implementation using  FEIG’s long-range UHF RFID . The resulting system enables authorized vehicle entry into areas reserved for private residential use or corporate tenants, while also allowing availability of temporary, fee-based visitor parking. Thanks to the cryptographic authentication of UCODE DNA, both the tag and reader must go through an authentication procedure before the reader will validate the data from the tag, which is transmitted wirelessly. This level of authentication is typically used in the most secure data communication networks.

“The system’s two-step authentication means that only authorized equipment can handle the secure protocol and the data exchange with the UCODE DNA based tag. Without the required cryptographic secrets, other readers would query the tag in vain, because the tag’s response cannot be interpreted or understood,” said Andrey Krasovskiy, director of the RFID department at ISBC Group. “On top of this, each data exchange in the authentication process is unique, so even if a malicious actor were to intercept the communication, the transmission is only good for a single exchange and the tag’s unique identity is protected from cloning.”

Established in 1992 and still growing, Moscow-City is the revitalization and transformation of an industrial riverfront into a new, modern, vibrant and upscale business and residential district. A mix of residential, hotel, office, retail and entertainment facilities, it is located about four kilometers west of Red Square along the Moscow River. Twelve of the twenty-three planned facilities have already been completed, with seven currently under construction. Six skyscrapers in Moscow-City reach a height of at least 300 meters, including Europe’s tallest building, Federation Tower, which rises more than 100 stories.

Partnering with ISBC and deploying FEIG Electronic RFID solutions, the Moscow International Business Center is delivering security and access control to its city center today, as it grows into the city of tomorrow.

About FEIG ELECTRONIC

FEIG ELECTRONIC GmbH, a leading global supplier of RFID readers and antennas is one of the few suppliers worldwide offering RFID readers and antennas for all standard operating frequencies: LF (125 kHz), HF (13.56 MHz), UHF (860-960 MHz). A trusted pioneer in RFID with more than 50 years of industry experience, FEIG ELECTRONIC delivers unrivaled data collection, authentication, and identification solutions, as well as secure contactless payment systems. Readers from FEIG ELECTRONIC, which are available for plug-in, desktop, and handheld applications, support next-generation contactless credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, NFC and access control credentials to enable fast, accurate, reliable and secure transactions. For more information, visit:  www.feig.de/en

Founded in Moscow in 2002, ISBC Group provides knowledge and support to integrators for their successful implementation of RFID and smart card-based solutions. The company specializes in the distribution of smart card equipment, contact and contactless card manufacturing, smart card and RFID personalization services, and information security.  Its Research and Design Center is focused specifically on RFID, primarily HF and UHF solutions with NXP tags, and software development for the smart card industry. For more information visit:  https://isbc-cards.com/

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Russia-related Designations, Updates and Removal; Counter Terrorism Designation Update; Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing Russia-related General License 13G , "Authorizing Certain Administrative Transactions Prohibited by Directive 4 under Executive Order 14024"; Russia-related General License 74 , "Authorizing the Wind Down and Rejection of Transactions Involving East-West United Bank"; Russia-related General License 75 , "Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to Debt or Equity of, or Derivative Contracts Involving, Certain Entities Blocked on November 2, 2023"; and Russia-related General License 76 , "Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving Certain Entities Blocked on November 2, 2023."

Additionally, OFAC has updated its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List:

The following deletions have been made to OFAC's SDN List: 

PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY ODK SATURN (a.k.a. NPO SATURN JSC; a.k.a. "SATURN NGO"), 163 Lenina Ave, Rybinsk 152903, Russia; Tax ID No. 7610052644 (Russia); Registration Number 1027601106169 (Russia) [RUSSIA-EO14024].  NPO SATURN JSC (a.k.a. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY ODK SATURN; a.k.a. "SATURN NGO"), 163 Lenina Ave, Rybinsk 152903, Russia; Tax ID No. 7610052644 (Russia); Registration Number 1027601106169 (Russia) [RUSSIA-EO14024].  "SATURN NGO" (a.k.a. NPO SATURN JSC; a.k.a. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY ODK SATURN), 163 Lenina Ave, Rybinsk 152903, Russia; Tax ID No. 7610052644 (Russia); Registration Number 1027601106169 (Russia) [RUSSIA-EO14024]. 

Unrelated Administrative List Updates:

NOLAN (f.k.a. OSLO) Oil Products Tanker Panama flag; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9179701; MMSI 354798000 (vessel) [SDGT] (Linked To: PONTUS NAVIGATION CORP.). -to- NOLAN (f.k.a. "OSLO") Oil Products Tanker Panama flag; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9179701; MMSI 354798000 (vessel) [SDGT] (Linked To: PONTUS NAVIGATION CORP.).

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Grenada Prison Escapees Are Charged With Murder of American Couple

The couple, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, went missing while sailing off the coast of Grenada.

By Aimee Ortiz

Three men who had escaped from a prison in Grenada and were accused of hijacking an American couple’s yacht to flee have been charged with their murder, the police said on Thursday.

The couple, Ralph Hendry, 66, and Kathy Brandel, 71, went missing while sailing off the coast of Grenada . They had been spending the winter cruising in the Caribbean in their catamaran called Simplicity, which was found abandoned in neighboring St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Feb. 21.

There was no indication in the latest police statement that the bodies of the couple had been recovered as of Thursday.

Trevon Robertson, 23; Atiba Stanisclaus, 25; and Ron Mitchell, 30, face two counts of “capital murder by intentionally causing the death of Ralph Hendry and Kathleen Brandel,” the Royal Grenada Police Force said.

The authorities from police forces in Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have given different ages and name spellings for the escapees.

The men were also charged with escaping lawful custody, housebreaking, robbery and two counts of kidnapping; Mr. Stanisclaus is also facing a rape charge, the police said, but no details were offered on those accusations. The three men made their first court appearance on Thursday, and are due back on March 27. The Royal Grenada Police Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The police had said in a statement released on Feb. 22 that three men who escaped from a prison in Grenada on Feb. 18 and made their way to St. Vincent using a yacht that had been docked in the St. George area of Grenada.

The prisoners were recaptured on Feb. 21, the same day that the couple’s yacht was found. At the time, the police said they were “currently working on leads that suggest that the two occupants of the yacht may have been killed in the process.”

At a news conference on Feb. 26 , Commissioner Don McKenzie of the Royal Grenada Police Force that “information suggests that, while traveling between Grenada and St. Vincent, they disposed of the occupants.”

During a Feb. 26 news conference , Junior Simmons, superintendent of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, said the joint investigation into the disappearance with Grenada police was ongoing, and he said the couple was presumed dead.

The investigation revealed that while sailing from Grenada, “the suspects committed several criminal acts including bodily harm to the couple,” he said.

The couple, who were married for 27 years, were “veteran cruisers,” according to the Salty Dawg Sailing Association , a nonprofit that brings together a community of sailors engaged in long-distance cruising on their boats. The couple were longtime members, the organization said in a statement, and “they both contributed to building the S.D.S.A.”

In a joint family statement posted on the association’s website on Feb. 27, Nick Buro, the son of Ms. Brandel, and Bryan Hendry, the son of Mr. Hendry, said that “if we have learned anything from this tragic event, it’s that we know they left this world in a better place than it was before they were born.”

“Ralph and Kathy lived a life that most of us can only dream of,” the message said. “Sailing the eastern coast of the United States, living on their home Simplicity, making friends with everyone they encountered, singing, dancing and laughing with friends and family — that’s who Ralph and Kathy were and that’s how they will be remembered in our hearts.”

Aimee Ortiz is a reporter on the Investigations desk. She was previously a general assignment reporter on the Express Desk. More about Aimee Ortiz

Don’t be shy, we don’t bite.

The M1 MacBook Air is now the laptop almost everyone should buy in 2024

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

I remember when Apple unveiled the M1 MacBook Air back in 2020. The M-Series chips were such a breakthrough that they warranted an upgrade for almost anyone with an Intel-based MacBook Air. Now, four years later, I think the M1 MacBook Air should be the default laptop for almost anyone — Windows and Mac users alike.

While $799 (or even $899) is still a heck of a deal for a laptop like this, $800+ for a laptop still puts the M1 MacBook Air in the premium category and out of the price range for many people who just couldn’t find a justification for spending that much on a laptop.

Most people only need their computers for web browsing, paying bills, and some basic use cases. If you aren’t gaming, editing photos or videos, or developing apps, why spend $899 on a laptop when you can buy a decent Chromebook or Windows laptop for $499? I get it, but things changed when Walmart announced its new partnership with Apple.

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M1 MacBook Air gets new life and a new price

Finally, you can buy a Mac through Walmart’s website. The company also says it will begin selling the Mac in its physical retail locations as well. To kick off this new partnership, both companies dropped a banger and announced that Walmart would be selling the M1 MacBook Air, which was previously discontinued by Apple and thought to be gone forever.

What was really surprising about the M1 MacBook Air coming to Walmart wasn’t even the fact that it was resurrected but rather the price: $699. Under $700 for one of the most consequential (and popular) laptops released in recent memory is such an insane deal that, for the price alone, this just became what should be the default choice for most people.

There’s more to this than the price

A lot of people would look at the M1 MacBook Air and say, “Why would I buy a 4-year-old laptop?” And you would normally be right. However, the game really changed with Apple silicon coming from the iPhone and iPad to the Mac. The M-Series chips are all incredibly fast and made such a performance jump from their Intel predecessors that, even in a 4-year-old body, the M1 MacBook Air still flies for most of the things that people need a laptop for.

The $699 (or $649 at Best Buy) Walmart MacBook Air is the base configuration, which means that you’ll get 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This might also seem like an immediate disqualification in 2024…until you factor in what the M-Series chip does with that 8GB of RAM. I’ve personally been using a base model M2 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM for the last year and haven’t noticed any slowdown, lag, or anything else. This thing screams for most use cases.

You just might run out of storage pretty quickly if you’re trying to save every single piece of footage.

This is a no-brainer for 99% of people

I’ve personally owned both the base model M1 MacBook Air and the base model M2 MacBook Air, and even though I’m a sucker for new designs and love my M2 MacBook Air, I would absolutely tell most people in my life to save the money and just get the M1 MacBook Air.

It is an absolute steal and probably the best value in consumer technology right now.

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Joe Wituschek is a Tech News Contributor for BGR.

With expertise in tech that spans over 10 years, Joe covers the technology industry's breaking news, opinion pieces and reviews.

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