The average price of a hearing aid in the US is upwards of $2,000. The average price of a pair of TWS Earbuds, on the other hand, is $150. Doesn’t that sound a little wrong to you? It would be like pricing prescription spectacles at thousands of dollars but selling sunglasses for a mere hundred bucks. There’s a pretty sizeable gap in price between hearing aids and TWS earbuds, but functionally, the two of them share a major overlap… so the folks at Olive Union just decided to bridge the massive price gap by designing the Olive Air, a set of AI-powered OTC (over the counter) hearing aids that look fashionable, bring ANC to the hearing-disabled community, and are priced in the sub-$250 category so that you don’t go bankrupt just to be able to regain the power of hearing.

Designer: Owen Song

Click Here to Buy Now: $229 $399 (42% off). Hurry, only 6/100 left! Raised over $100,000.

Styled to look exactly like a pair of TWS earbuds, the Olive Air shatters the notion that hearing aids need to look like medical devices. Instead of a design that often is associated with awkwardness and stigma, the Olive Air comes with a stylish aesthetic that makes them look like your average pair of earbuds. They’re designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss and are classified as FDA Class II aids that can be sold over the counter. Wear them and select one of the AI-powered preset hearing modes to start using them for everything from hearing the world around you to having conversations, listening to music, or even taking calls from your smartphone.

Built-in microphones pick up the soundscape of your environment, and Olive Air processes the signal to create “anti noise” — an opposite soundwave that effectively cancels out the noise of your surroundings.

This design bridge between the hearing aid and the TWS Earbud isn’t just a visual one, it manifests in the Olive Air’s features too. The earbuds come with active noise cancelation that helps tune outside noise out so you can focus on your music and media. ANC is a staple feature in earbuds but is unheard of in hearing aids. The Olive Air’s ANC feature puts it in lock-step with current technologies and then goes beyond with the inclusion of AI presets. Olive Union’s custom My Olive app lets you access the hearing presets as well as tinker with your earpiece’s performance. Aside from simply adjusting the volume and EQ in each earpiece, the app’s AI-powered hearing modes allow the hearing aids to intuitively focus on certain sounds. A preset for Television focuses on directional audio coming from a TV or playback device, a Restaurant preset cuts out the chatter of everyone around you, and a Meeting Room preset accentuates the voices of active speakers.

AI supported hearing presets let you swap between different hearing settings to best match your environment. Plus, customize volume and specific frequency bands with Hearing EQ and Music EQ for a personalized listening journey.

This isn’t Olive Union’s first rodeo, the Olive Air is their third iteration of affordable, attractive, and accessible hearing aids. Founded in 2016, the company has focused on eliminating hearing aid stigma by designing hearing aids that are at par with consumer-grade earphones. To that end, the Olive Air comes with a slick design and an all-day battery life. Buttons on each earpiece help you manually adjust volume/gain, while the smartphone app gives you access to the ANC and AI presets, along with EQ adjustment. Setting up the hearing aids is a breeze too, and doesn’t require you to go to a hospital or medical professional. Once you’ve set the Olive Air up, it serves its triple purpose well, as aids to boost hearing, as hands-free earbuds for music/calls/videos, and as stylish earbuds that empower you rather than perpetuating the stigma around disability-friendly medical devices.

The Olive Air starts at a discounted $229, which includes the earbuds and charging case, 8 pairs of replaceable ear-tips (of different sizes, materials, and colors), a user manual, and a USB charging cable.

Click Here to Buy Now: $229 $399 (42% off). Hurry, only 6/100 left! Raised over $100,000.

The post Olive Union’s AI-Powered Hearing Aids with ANC: Affordable, Stylish, and Feature-Rich first appeared on Yanko Design.

Multitool meets a la carte dining – say hello to ZEN, an EDC multitool that lets you choose which tools you want to have on you. Unlike a Swiss Knife or any other multitool where you don’t really get to choose which tools get included, ZEN focuses on versatility and customization. It comes with an ’empty’ holder that lets you add the tools of your choice, giving you a Swiss Knife that feels truly DIY. Carry the tools you need, and swap them out at any time if you find yourself wanting a change. You shouldn’t be stuck with a multitool that is only 30% usable because you don’t use or need 70% of the tools included in the design… right?

Designer: Ant Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $49 $69 (29% off) Hurry! Only 4 of 70 left.

There’s a distinct appeal to ZEN’s a la carte approach. It gives you the freedom of being able to design your own EDC like you would a desktop. A lot like picking a motherboard, CPU, GPU, and storage based on your choice, ZEN lets you add the tools of your choice to its open framework. The design offers 7 tools to choose from, and you can either add all of them to the ZEN’s holder, or stick to just the basics and keep the tools you find yourself using the most often.

The 7 tools that come with the ZEN cater to a variety of needs and requirements. You’ve got a bottle-opener, a rope cutter (which also works as a flathead screwdriver), a wood/metal file, an awl or pry-tool, a jagged toothed saw, a drop-point knife, and a screwdriver that lets you load hex-bits of your choice into its design. There’s probably never a time when you’re going to need all these tools at once, so you can choose exactly the tools you may end up requiring and carry just them instead of having a bulky heavy EDC on you all the time.

In fact, the creators of ZEN have even more tools in the works that you can buy as add-ons and attach them to your multitool. Available as separate accessories, you’ve got a ruler, comb, diamond file, scalpel blade, scissor, fish hook, bicycle spoke wrench, can opener, or box cutter, with many more tools in the works. Attaching them is as easy as hooking them into the ZEN, where they secure firmly until you need to remove them. You can build your own multitool to serve a precise scenario or series of scenarios – a camping-specific multitool would have a rope-cutter, knife, and bottle opener, while a tinkerer would require the bike spokes, screwdriver, file, and pry tool. The possibilities are as endless as your needs and requirements.

Using the ZEN is just about as simple as a Swiss Knife. The tools fold open when you need them, and slide shut into their holder when they’re done. The tools sit inside the holder in a stacked fashion, and the topmost tool can be opened with a single hand, which means it’s best to have the drop-point knife or the rope-cutter at the top, letting you singlehandedly flip it open like you would any EDC.

The ZEN’s holder or outer shell comes in one standard size that fits multiple tools inside it, but offers 3 different materials to choose from. The most obvious (and budget-friendly) is stainless steel, but right after that is G10 fiber, which most EDC enthusiasts will love for its grippy tactile feel. You can also opt for a titanium holder, which makes your ZEN virtually indestructible, although the tools on the inside are all 440C high-carbon stainless steel.

The ZEN is entirely CNC machined, from the holder down to the tools themselves. The entire multitool measures 3.54 inches in length when closed, and comes with a sturdy yet lightweight design (the weight depends on how many tools you add to your ZEN). Finally, a pocket clip on the side lets you attach your custom multitool to the lining of your pocket for easy access. The ZEN DIY Multitool ships globally and starts at $49 for the stainless steel variant, while the G10 and Titanium versions start at $55 and $69 respectively.

Click Here to Buy Now: $49 $69 (29% off) Hurry! Only 4 of 70 left.

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It may not have the mechanical joy that the Lofree EDGE offered as the world’s slimmest mechanical keyboard, but the Keychron B1 Pro does offer an incredibly slim design that’s portable enough to slide right into your backpack. Boasting a minimal aesthetic bundled within a portable design, the B1 Pro is an ultra-slim wireless keyboard that comes with a whopping 1200 battery life and a rather commendable $39.99 price tag.

Designer: Keychron

The B1 Pro deviates from Keychron’s usual mechanical keyboards by opting for scissor-switch keys, similar to those found on laptops. This design keeps the profile incredibly thin, measuring just 5.2mm at the front and reaching a maximum height of 14.5mm. It’s incredibly lightweight too, at only 425g, making it a perfect companion for tossing in your bag and working from anywhere.

Despite its slim profile, the B1 Pro doesn’t compromise on performance. With a 1000Hz polling rate on the 2.4GHz wireless connection, you can expect smooth and responsive typing. It also offers Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, allowing you to seamlessly pair it with multiple devices. This is also accompanied by a battery life of a staggering 1200 hours on a single charge. Translated to real-world use, that translates to roughly 8 months of typing for 5 hours a day – a near elimination of charging woes.

The keyboard has a Mac layout while remaining functional with Windows and Linux. It even features the same multimedia and function key functions as Apple keyboards, providing a familiar experience for Mac users with the added benefit of a more comfortable typing experience thanks to the scissor-switch keys. For added comfort during extended typing sessions, the B1 Pro features a 3.2-degree tilt angle and concave keycaps designed to improve accuracy. It even comes with a dedicated emoji shortcut key and a protective silicone keycap cover for increased durability.

The B1 Pro supports ZMK firmware, allowing users to program keys, macros, and shortcuts directly through a web interface. This eliminates the need for complex software installations and provides a user-friendly way to tailor the keyboard to your specific needs.

At an affordable price point of $39.99, the Keychron B1 Pro offers a compelling combination of portability, functionality, and battery life. Whether you’re a minimalist on the go, a student juggling classes, or someone who simply prefers a low-profile keyboard, the B1 Pro is definitely worth considering.

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The problem with the Vision Pro, aside from its shocking price tag, is it claims to replace the laptop – a device that has been perfected over decades to be the perfect productivity machine for on-the-go workers. Laptops didn’t need replacing (nobody I know has had a complaint that their laptop wasn’t spatial enough), and honestly, they’re the perfect form factor for the job they do, which is why the Vision Pro may not be the ideal device to replace them… but that doesn’t mean a spatial laptop isn’t a good idea. Meet the Spacetop, a hybrid ‘laptop’ that fills the gap between the conventional Laptop and the Vision Pro. It’s slim, light, affordable, and gives you a traditional laptop experience with an augmented reality twist.

Designer: Sightful

The Spacetop G1 comes from the minds of the folks at Sightful, who believe AR/VR may be the future of work, but current headsets aren’t. The Spacetop G1 is a unique AR laptop that ditches the display for a set of AR glasses. Pop them in and you’ve got yourself a screen that’s wider than your FoV, and the fact that the Spacetop G1 still packs a keyboard and a trackpad means being able to work on a laptop, but just in AR.

The format is very unique, but isn’t surprising. Most AR/VR headsets come with remotes, and are targeted towards entertainment and immersion. The fact that the Spacetop G1 opts for a close-to-laptop-style format means there’s less of a learning curve. Pop the glasses in, have multiple virtual screens unfold in front of you, and begin working. The Spacetop G1 boasts a massive 100-inch virtual workspace, shattering the limitations of traditional laptops. Imagine working on documents, browsing the web, or editing videos on a virtual canvas that feels like a home theater screen. This expansive workspace allows for effortless multitasking and a truly immersive computing experience.

Given its spiritual closeness to a laptop, the Spacetop G1 is designed to be slim enough to fit right into backpacks without any problem. The keyboard and trackpad are as thin as the kind you’d find on most conventional laptops, while the ‘lid’ houses a pair of AR glasses that fold down to a slick format. They aren’t as bulky and cumbersome as the Vision Pro, Hololens, or any of Meta’s headsets, making it less clunky to wear and making you less awkward around other people. Your eyes still perceive the environment around you too, so you’re not completely blocked out of the outer world.

Under the hood, the Spacetop G1 packs a powerful punch. A Qualcomm chipset delivers a 70% performance boost over previous models, ensuring smooth operation even with demanding tasks. With a commendable 8-hour battery life, you can work uninterrupted throughout your workday, or even work in AR while on a train or flight without missing your multi-display setup. The 90Hz refresh rate of the optics translates to crisp and responsive visuals, further enhancing the user experience.

The presence of a 100-inch workspace just means being able to do more with less. You can multitask effortlessly, having various windows within your periphery that you can move around, bring forward, or push backward. Important tasks can occupy the center of your attention. Other windows can lounge in the back or in the corners, still letting you see them if/when you need them.

That being said, the AR laptop doesn’t come cheap. It’s available for pre-order at $1900, which is significantly higher than your conventional laptop, but factoring in the AR aspect makes the price more palatable. After all, you’d spend a lot more on a laptop along with a widescreen/multiscreen layout. The fact that the Vision Pro costs a whopping $3499 is also something that makes the case for the Spacetop G1. Shipments of the Spacetop G1 start as soon as October 2024. Early adopters can secure their unit with a $100 reservation.

The post Meet the world’s first Augmented Reality Laptop – the Spacetop G1 first appeared on Yanko Design.

To celebrate 8 years of cutting-edge devices that have helped the creative community build like never before, Snapmaker announces a Premium version of their flagship Artisan all-in-one making device. The Artisan, which debuted in 2022, is a multipurpose desktop device that laser cuts, 3D prints, and even CNC machines all thanks to a compact form factor and a brilliant modular design that lets you swap out 3D printing, CNC, and laser modules whenever you need. A whopping 400x400x400mm work area means you can create, prototype, or set up a factory line right on your table, and the Artisan Premium now features an upgraded 40W laser module that’s 4x more powerful than the one on its 2022 model. Along with this, the company is also ushering in its 8th anniversary with a 48-hour Makerathon event that fans can watch online, coupled with offers, gifts, and a referral program that gets you rewards!

Designer: The Snapmaker Design Team

Click Here to Buy Now: $2,599 $2999 ($400 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

The Artisan Premium is Snapmaker’s top-of-the-line creating tool. A 3-in-1 device that prints, engraves/etches, and CNC machines, the Artisan Premium offers a large work area and still saves space by offering so many functions in one workstation. An all-metal design ensures factory-grade precision, an enclosure contains the dust and protects your eyes from laser damage, and a control unit with a 7″ touchscreen allows you to easily operate the Artisan with ease. On the inside, a modular interface lets you plug in any of Snapmaker’s variousmodules, giving the Artisan its functions.

3D Printing: Thanks to the optimized transmission system and motion control algorithm, Artisan features a high dimensional accuracy when printing at a high speed.

Laser: Coming with the 10W Laser Module, Artisan is capable of faster and deeper cutting on more materials, and delivering refined laser engraving.

CNC: The high-rigidity linear modules and high-speed spindle empower the CNC module to carve or cut smoothly on various materials with a high dimensional accuracy.

The new 40W laser module is now more powerful than ever, allowing you to cut through thicker and tougher materials faster, giving you mastery over paper, fabric, leather, wood, plastic, metal, brick, glass, and many more materials. The 3D printer features a dual-extruder design that lets you print in multiple colors or add different material supports, and the 200W CNC machine is perfect for subtractive prototyping from wood, or even soft metal and stone. The 400x400x400 working area gives you the ability to build large-scale models, and the inclusion of an air pump in the Premium variant helps clear the working area while the Artisan is doing its job.

Along with the reveal of the Artisan Premium, which goes on sale on May 28th with an MSRP of $2999 USD, or €3299 EUR (vat included) if you’re in Europe, Snapmaker is even holding a 48-hour Makerathon with the theme “Play Well” that reflects the company’s roots in fun and exploration and its ongoing commitment to innovation and creativity. Held on 31st May and 1st June, the Makerathon will see Snapmaker’s entire company divided into 10 teams that will then participate in a series of challenges where they’re required to “Make Something Wonderful”. The event will stream on Snapmaker’s Facebook page, and will also coincide with Snapmaker’s Print & Play Challenge, a video contest that all Snapmaker users can participate in.. All you need to do is print anything you can play with (toys, games, music instruments, etc.) and film a video of yourself playing with it. The first five submissions will be screened at the Makerathon, and the Print & Play Challenge will continue all the way up until the 16th of June or Father’s Day. You can participate in the Print & Play Challenge, or even visit Snapmaker’s website to explore tonnes of new content, including printable 3D models of Snapmaker’s 3-in-1 machines, massive discounts on all products, and a referral program that offers a FREE 1064nm IR Laser Module to anyone whose friend buys an Artisan Premium.

Click Here to Buy Now: $2,599 $2999 ($400 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

The post Snapmaker unveils a powerful all-in-one desktop device for 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC, for its 8th anniversary first appeared on Yanko Design.

Legendary Italian design house Pininfarina, famed for its historic decades-long collaboration with Ferrari, has unveiled its debut piece of collectible furniture – the Oksýs chaise longue. This unique creation seamlessly blends the company’s automotive design heritage with the functionality of a high-end chaise lounge. The Oksýs is a limited-edition statement piece designed to complement Pininfarina’s recent foray into branded residential projects. The chaise longue embodies the studio’s core design principles, which center on the harmonious marriage of aesthetics and technical innovation.

Designer: Pininfarina

The Oksýs is a striking visual interplay of contrasting elements. The upper section features smooth, ergonomic lines reminiscent of a Pininfarina sports car. This section is crafted for comfort and boasts a reflective finish that invites touch. In stark contrast, the lower portion resembles a rough, crystal-like rock, creating a sense of groundedness.

“Seen from above, Oksýs is smooth and reflects light with no aggressive angles,” explains Marco Becucci, the in-house architect who designed the chaise longue. “This upper part invites the user to touch it, while the lower section offers a textural counterpoint, left coarse and milled to resemble an untouched rock.”

The design and development process for the Oksýs mirrored Pininfarina’s approach to creating high-performance automobiles. The project began with sketches, followed by ergonomic testing, computer-aided modeling, and finally, the creation of physical models using CNC milling to achieve the complex form.

The prototype showcased at Milan Design Week was crafted from polyurethane and finished with a gleaming epoxy resin, creating a captivating metallic effect. Pininfarina envisions future iterations cast entirely in steel or aluminum, further solidifying the connection to its automotive roots. Only three Oksýs chaise longues will be produced, each sold exclusively through the Rossana Orlandi gallery.

The post Pininfarina Unveils Limited Edition Oksýs Chaise Longue: Merging Automotive Design with Luxury Furniture first appeared on Yanko Design.

Picture this, it’s summer, you’ve packed your bags and you’re heading on a Eurotrip (maybe for a nice holiday on the Amalfi coast or to see Taylor Swift perform). In true holiday fashion, you intend on spending the entire day out and about, exploring the city, but you realize an hour in that your phone’s already on 15% battery. You might have a charging cable in your pocket, but there isn’t a power socket in sight. Here’s where a MagSafe power bank just makes things much easier. Designed to simply snap onto the back of your phone and give it a battery boost, the TORRAS MiniMag is a compact power bank that’s no larger than a credit card. With its compact size, 0.3 inches thickness, and MagSafe compatibility, the MiniMag merely attaches onto your phone, giving it an extra 5000mAh battery so you can go about your day without worrying about being perpetually on ‘Battery Saver’, or worse, a completely drained battery.

Designer: TORRAS

Click Here to Buy Now: $37.9 $49.99 ($12 off with coupon code “summer527”). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

TORRAS MiniMag Power Bank & Ostand R

Convenience seems to define the MiniMag’s entire design approach. It’s compact enough to slide right into your pocket or laptop bag when not in use, with a form factor no larger than your average payments card. At 0.3-inches or 7.6 millimeters thick, it might not be slim enough to fit into your wallet, but it attaches to your phone without making it too bulky the way other power banks would. It weighs a minimal 4 ounces (113 grams) and has curved edges running throughout that lets you slide your phone into your pocket without the power bank snagging anywhere.

Card-sized Power Bank, Snap and Go!

Long-lasting Battery Life

The TORRAS MiniMag packs a 5000mAh battery, which practically doubles your iPhone’s battery capacity. Wireless MagSafe charging occurs at a standard 7.5W, and if you’re looking to go faster, plug it into your phone using a USB cable to get 18W of wired charging speeds. The MiniMag supports pass-through charging too, allowing you to basically charge the power bank as it wirelessly charges your phone, keeping your iPhone’s own charging port free for accessories or dongles.

Ostand R case: 360 Magnetic Rotatable Stand

The MiniMag comes with a matte anodized aluminum outer body, in either silver or pink. Although designed to be used independently, it pairs exceptionally well with TORRAS’ Ostand R case, which also gives your phone its own dedicated rotating kickstand. The Ostand R is practically a marvel of engineering, with a stand that sits flush against the case when closed, but opens to prop your phone up. It relies on a specially engineered hinge that’s 1.2mm (0.04 inches) thick, but can resist tens of thousands of folds, and can even hold its angle like a laptop hinge (while taking the weight of your phone). The ring even rotates independently to let you place your phone in either landscape or portait, and it does so with super-slim magnets inside that extend your phone’s MagSafe compatibility, whether it’s attaching accessories or mounts, or snapping on a wireless charger or power bank like the TORRAS MiniMag.

Click Here to Buy Now: $37.9 $49.99 ($12 off with coupon code “summer527”). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

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You can see up to 20% of muscle loss in just 11 days of being in space. Astronauts have to exercise nearly two and a half hours each and every day to prevent muscular atrophy. Sounds pretty scary, doesn’t it? Exposure to zero gravity causes muscle fibers to shrink, making astronauts much weaker and less coordinated. Whoever thought that the lack of gravity could affect our health THIS much??

Designed to help astronauts stay fit through regular movements, the Cosmofit Exosuit was imagined for astronauts making their way to the moon with SpaceX’s upcoming mission that aims to set up a lunar base to replace the ISS in 2030. Created by Minwoo Lee, a student at Hongik University, the Cosmofit is designed to be worn indoors, and uses resistance-based training to turn simple activities like walking or reaching out for something into a micro-workout. Astronauts therefore exert more to perform basic activities, and can retain their muscle mass while in a zero gravity environment.

Designer: Minwoo Lee

The Cosmofit bodysuit is made of two distinct parts – the suit itself, and the mechanical augmentations that attach onto the back and around your waist, or the ‘exo’ part of the suit. The suit features electrode pads laid out around different muscle groups, providing electrical stimulation to different muscles in the body to keep them active and healthy, while also helping with muscle recovery after stressful workouts. By providing electrical pulses, the suit can help rebuild muscle tissue and help with recuperation.

Meanwhile, the exoskeleton on the outside uses a series of motors to provide mechanical resistance to help you exert more pressure while moving around. This turns regular activities into mini workouts (sort of like jogging or exercising with weights strapped to your ankles) that prevent muscles from atrophying or growing weak.

The EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) suit can be worn for long periods of time, with the exoskeleton only strapped on for certain hours in the day. There’s even a potential for the exoskeleton to track vitals and fitness levels through activity, giving astronauts a comprehensive look at how healthy they are. Two and a half hours of exercise a day sounds like quite a task… turning just daily movements into a fitness regimen sounds like a much easier way to stay healthy in zero gravity, doesn’t it??

The post SpaceX Exosuit Concept Helps Astronauts Retain Muscle Mass in Space using Resistance Training first appeared on Yanko Design.

Orange juice is great for you. It’s packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, citric acid, and anti-inflammatory compounds. The problem is that juicing an orange is a little more annoying than it should be. You need to cut the oranges, manually juice each cut half, strain the pulp, and then wash your hands because you got juice all over them. It takes way too long to get one glass of OJ and you end up smelling like oranges in the process. It’s much more convenient to buy a carton of orange juice, and that’s quite a shame… Which is why a Barcelona-based startup Citring designed the Citring One, a citrus juicer that works about as fast as a Keurig or a Nespresso takes to make coffee. Just add the oranges, press a button, and you’ve got yourself a glass of fresh juice. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Designer: Citring

Click Here to Buy Now: $289 $409 (30% off). Hurry, only 42/150 left! Raised over $100,000.

Well, if you think of how Nespresso and Keurig made coffee-brewing as simple as inserting a pod and hitting a button, the Citring One does the same for all citrus-based fruits. About the size of a coffee maker, the Citring One squeezes and juices 3 fruits at a time, eliminating the need for elbow grease, straining pulp, and cleaning yourself up after. Just open the lid and insert up to 3 whole citrus fruits in the silicon container. Shut the lid, place a glass under the dispenser, and hit the button on the Citring One. Once you do, something rather interesting happens. A slicer ascends upwards, guillotining the fruit into two halves, before using compressed air to press into the cut fruit and squeeze its juice out. Juice is dispensed to your glass through the same silicone container, so there is no need to clean any additional parts.

1) Put up to 3 whole oranges in the machine. No need to cut them. 2) In about a minute, your juice will be ready. 3) Citring will automatically squeeze the oranges and pour the juice into your glass.

The entire process is absolutely foolproof because you don’t need to do anything at all. The Citring One cuts and juices your fruit for you, giving you empty hemispheres of squeezed fruit that you can then throw away. The interface has all but one button, so you don’t need to worry about any settings, modes, or a smartphone app that tells you how much Vitamin C intake you’ve had all day. Drinking juice is good for you and the simpler the process the better. Every few uses, the BPA-free food-grade silicone containers inside the Citring One can be removed and rinsed under running water or in your dishwasher. The technology under its hood is impressive, and the overall product even secured an iF Design Award this year for how simple and foolproof it is.

Aside from being a little larger than your citrus juicer or even your blender, the Citring One does sport a $289 price tag which would make anyone reconsider… But think about a few things. You’d pay the same amount for a coffee machine, so why not a juicer? After all, juice is great for you. Secondly, those cartons of juice are filled with more sugar than fruit, and the costs add up when you end up buying a carton every week. Fresh fruit (especially from a farmer’s market) is a lot cheaper, and actually helps you regulate how much added sugar you consume in a day. Moreover, the Citring One works with other citrus fruits too, from lemons and limes to grapefruits, tangerines, mandarins, blood oranges, etc. It’s perfect for people who love consuming fruit, and just personally, makes for a great addition at juice cafes or restaurants/canteens wanting to offer juice that doesn’t get fresher than this. The Citring One comes in 2 colors, an all-black version and a stormtrooper black + white variant, and ships globally.

Click Here to Buy Now: $289 $409 (30% off). Hurry, only 42/150 left! Raised over $100,000.

The post This Juicer gives you Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice in Less Time than it takes to Brew Coffee first appeared on Yanko Design.

Meet the Wooask TransBuds A8 – a pair of TWS earbuds that are so unique you’ll want to ditch your AirPods for them. Built with ChatGPT integration in the earbuds themselves, these wearables put the power of AI in your ear, actively translating 147 languages and accents in real-time, without an app. What’s better, if you do need to navigate through the TransBuds A8’s functionalities, you don’t even need to look at your smartphone, the earbuds case comes with a nifty 2-inch screen for both online or offline translation, as well as the ability to simply chat with ChatGPT the way Iron Man chats with JARVIS. Oh, and you can listen to music too.

Designer: Wooask Technology

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $299 (40% off). Hurry, only 63/200 left!

The A8 translation earbuds facilitate real-time bidirectional translation, allowing two people to wear one earbud each for instant simultaneous interpretation.

The TransBuds A8 has a familiar design, albeit with a few VERY clever upgrades. Sure, you’ve got the white case with a flip-top lid that reveals two white earbuds… but on both hardware and software fronts, the TransBuds A8 are much more advanced than any regular TWS earbuds you’ll find on the market. For starters, the entire wearable has ChatGPT integration, giving you a voice assistant that is far more advanced than Google, Siri, or Alexa. You can simply tap the earphones to talk to ChatGPT, or access the AI through the unique interface built into the case. The case with a touchscreen is a welcome feature too – it eliminates the need for an app, and gives you a perfect standalone device that works without draining your phone’s battery or piggy-backing off your phone’s cellular network.

By leveraging ChatGPT’s vast knowledge base and natural language processing capabilities, users can enjoy more than just translation assistance.

The presence of AI isn’t just a bandwagon feature, it helps aid the TransBuds A8’s core value proposition – the ability to actively translate 77 languages and 70 accents in real-time, giving you the ability to pretty much travel anywhere in the world without a language barrier. The interaction is swift and seamless, either share an earbud with someone and have bi-directional conversations in two separate languages, and the earbuds will actively translate both of them simultaneously, or use the earbuds and case together to have a conversation with a local. The earbud-sharing method is perfect for in-person meetings and other long conversations. Each person wears one earbud like a Bluetooth earpiece of sorts, and the TransBuds A8 listens to what the opposite person is saying, and translates it for you right in your ear. A transcript of your entire conversation gets captured as a text thread on the TransBuds A8’s screen, and can be saved for later, allowing you to quickly and easily transcribe an entire meeting using the power of AI.

Alternatively, the case itself comes with a microphone and powerful speakers, allowing you to use just the case as a translator device. Hold it up and speak into it, and the TransBuds A8 lets you have a conversation with a local or a stranger without needing to share an earpiece. A powerful mic and speaker system allow you to easily converse with people even around ambient noise, while the display on the case does a good job of allowing people to read the translated text if they can’t hear the translated audio.

The case, frankly, is more of a smartphone that houses earbuds than just your average charging case. It runs on a Qualcomm Quad-Core Processor and earbuds use a Qualcomm 3040 chipset that allows it to translate 147 languages and accents with a latency of 0.5 seconds and an impressive 98% accuracy. The 2-inch screen has an app drawer that lets you access the TransBuds A8’s different features, even letting you tap into the offline translation feature that works with 16 popular languages. Buttons on the side of the case let you increase or decrease the case’s volume, or even go back to the home screen while navigating the interface.

The earbuds are remarkable too, with an ergonomic design, and a dual-mic setup that powers the ENC (Environment Noise Cancelation) feature to help you speak and hear clearly even if you’re in a noisy environment. The earbuds have a translation time of 5 hours, and a regular battery life of 35 hours along with the case that doubles as a charging dock for the buds. 16 gigabytes of in-built memory means you can even load your favorite MP3 files right onto the case, turning it into a makeshift iPod Touch that plays music directly without a streaming app or pairing with your phone. You can, however, pair the earbuds with your phone to listen to music, watch movies, or take calls too.

Quite the all-round device, the TransBuds A8 are for any and everyone. They work independently without your phone, translating over a hundred languages, transcribing conversations, and giving you the power of ChatGPT right in your ears. They also work as your standard TWS buds when you’re looking for something traditional, pairing with your phone via Bluetooth for answering calls, watching TikTok, or listening to music and podcasts. The buds are ideal for avid travelers, students, digital nomads, expats, and people working in multicultural companies and teams. The TransBuds A8 starts at a discounted $179 (an absolute steal considering the features it packs), which also includes one year of free ChatGPT integration. Subsequently, you’ll either be required to pay $9.9 per month or $40 annually for the AI features – online and offline translation remains free forever.

Click Here to Buy Now: $179 $299 (40% off). Hurry, only 63/200 left!

The post What if AirPods had ChatGPT, could translate languages, and came with a touchscreen case? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Earlier this year, Dutch Drone Gods, in partnership with Red Bull, unveiled the World’s Fastest Drone that went head-to-head with Max Verstappen behind the wheel of an F1 car. With a top speed of 350km/h, that drone held the title for barely a few months before YouTuber Luke Maximo Bell decided to challenge it.

Taking on the entire design and R&D team of Red Bull Racing, Bell managed to 3D-print a drone that was nearly 50% faster, hitting high speeds of 500km/h (310mph) and setting a new record, verified by the team at Guinness Book of World Records. The video above captures Bell’s entire journey, from prototype to building to tuning, and finally FPV footage of the world’s fastest drone. To think that one YouTuber with a BambuLabs printer managed to outpace a drone built out of carbon fiber by the elites at Red Bull Racing known for manufacturing the world’s leading F1 cars…

Designer: Luke Maximo Bell

Bell’s design process was a reiteration of one of his older drones named Peregreen, which could hit speeds of up to 400km/h. If you look at the shape of the drone you’ll quickly realise how even Red Bull and DDG opted for a similar format. The drone isn’t your average quadcopter or even FPV racer. Instead, it has a missile-style design with propellers at the bottom that give it an eVTOL style ability to vertically take off, tilt forward to race ahead, and then land vertically too.

The backbone of Peregreen 2’s success lies in its meticulous design and the use of high-quality materials. The frame, constructed from carbon fiber, was chosen for its exceptional strength and wide availability. Custom frames were precision-cut using a CNC machine at Flying Robot in Cape Town. Despite initial setbacks with incorrect mounting hole dimensions, which required manual adjustments, the final product was a high-precision, robust frame capable of withstanding the rigors of high-speed flight. Building on data from the original Peregreen, Bell and his father (who helped build the original Peregreen) selected larger motors, propellers, and batteries. However, this brought a new set of challenges. The initial batteries overheated, reaching temperatures above 130°C, leading to failures. Additionally, the motor wires were not thick enough, causing them to overheat and even catch fire during bench tests. After extensive testing and adjustments, the team switched to thicker wires and sourced new batteries that maintained a stable temperature below 80°C. These changes were crucial in ensuring the drone could operate at high speeds without the risk of overheating or component failure.

A cheap reliable way to test aerodynamics, simply hold it outside a car’s window!

Aerodynamics played a pivotal role in the drone’s performance. Initial designs faced stability issues at high speeds, necessitating extensive experimentation with tail lengths and fin sizes. The goal was to achieve a stable flight profile with a low drag coefficient. By creating and testing various models (often by simply 3D printing them and holding them out of a car window at high speeds), the team eventually found a configuration that provided the necessary stability. This iterative process of refinement led to a design that not only looked sleek but also performed exceptionally well in high-speed conditions. The final aerodynamic model was a testament to the team’s dedication to optimizing every aspect of the drone’s performance.

Once a drone’s built, its performance needs to be tuned by programming all its components to work in sync so that there isn’t a malfunction in the sky. Despite several initial failures during test flights, the team sought the expertise of Chris Raser, a renowned FPV drone specialist. His insights and detailed tuning guides were instrumental in resolving stability issues and fine-tuning the drone’s flight characteristics. This collaborative approach underscored the importance of seeking specialized knowledge and continuously learning from each phase of the project. The resulting improvements were significant, allowing the drone to perform high-speed maneuvers with precision and reliability.

The testing phase was rigorous and demanding, marked by numerous iterations and rebuilds. The drone was 3D printed using the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon printer, which proved to be an excellent tool for creating precise and durable components. Through a series of high-speed runs, the Peregreen 2 eventually achieved speeds of 500 km/h, a milestone that underscored the success of the design and engineering efforts. This achievement was officially recognized by Guinness, solidifying the team’s place in the record books.

Beyond setting a world record, the Peregreen 2 project also focused on capturing stunning cinematic footage. By incorporating a new open canopy for the camera (shown below), the team was able to obtain clear, distortion-free shots. The Insta360 Go 3 camera, known for its small size and lightweight, was integral in capturing high-speed footage. The drone’s performance in endurance tests was equally impressive, managing a flight of 7.5 km at an average speed of 180 km/h. These accomplishments highlight the drone’s versatility and potential for various applications.

The post Record-breaking Drone hit 510km/h speeds, dethroning Red Bull for the World’s Fastest Drone first appeared on Yanko Design.

The beauty of baking your own bread lies in its simplicity, and the fact that the yeast and bacteria does most of the job for you. You don’t need fancy equipment or ingredients, just a big container to proof your bread, and an oven to bake a perfectly rustic loaf of sourdough that you can then top up with avocado or ricotta and honey. However, what most bakers don’t tell you is that your loaf of bread is actually a living being. The yeast, whether natural or the instant kind you buy at the market, is a living creature that transforms your ball of dough into a fluffy, airy, mildly tart slice of bread that tastes so good with anything you put on top. This yeast needs just 3 things to perform this transformation – flour, water (hydration), and the right temperature. Most home bakers ignore that last metric, and if you’ve made a loaf of bread that just lacked that oomph or the right texture, chances are you followed your recipe correctly, but missed out on ensuring the yeast could grow under the right temperature. The DoughBed, however, takes care of that part of the breadmaking journey for you. Designed to be a perfectly optimal proofing tray for your dough, the Doughbed is a wide glass tray with a cork lid and a heating bed that creates exactly the right temperature for your loaf. Keep your dough to proof in the DoughBed and you’ll be consistently rewarded with the perfect proofing every time, whether it’s for sourdough loaves, pizzas, baguettes, focaccias, brioche buns, or any other kind of leavened bread you desire to bake!

Designers: Sourhouse (Erik Fabian & Jennifer Yoko Olson)

Click Here to Buy Now: $175 $225 ($50 off). Hurry, deal ends in 72-hours! Raised over $220,000.

Designed by home-baker Erik Fabian and industrial designer Jennifer Yoko Olson, the DoughBed is basically an incubation chamber for bread microbes that creates the perfect thermal conditions for yeast (and sourdough bacteria) to feed and grow. “The problem is not your dough, it’s your kitchen. Kitchen temperatures are often too cold for bread dough, and more importantly, always changing,” say the duo behind the DoughBed. The yeast in your dough thrives at temperatures of 75-82°F (24-28°C), but that might just be a tad too warm for humans, who set their thermostats or air conditioners to slightly lower temperatures. This mild temperature difference (of a mere 4-5°F) can be the difference between a perfect loaf, and a loaf that just doesn’t have the right open crumb. The solution? A mini habitat for your doughball, allowing it to do its job flawlessly well, every single time.

Mat + Bowl + Lid = The Perfect Proofing Solution

DoughBed combines a warming mat, a glass dough bowl, and a cork lid to create an efficient warming solution. The dough bowl has a wide bottom so your dough is gently and evenly warmed to 75-82°F (24-28°C) by the mat below.

Each DoughBed is made of 3 parts – an oval-shaped glass bowl, a cork lid, and a warming base that gives your bread microbes the ideal temperature to do its job. The wide oval tray is big enough to hold 3 loaves worth of dough at one time, and is perfectly shaped and sized for mixing your dough in, resting and proofing, and pouring your dough out for shaping before baking. As a bonus, it’s even designed to be oven safe, although baking a loaf that big would be overkill!

The warming mat is made with cork to prevent heat loss into your cold counter.

Once your dough’s ready for proofing, simply cover the glass tray with the DoughBed’s cork lid and place the tray and lid on the DoughBed’s electric base, which heats up to just the right temperature for your bread microbes to thrive. The bowl’s wide base helps the bread dough heat evenly and quickly, and the DoughBed’s single temperature target works with remarkable consistency all throughout the year, giving you perfect loaves even in autumn or winter months.

Oval = the Best Shape for Dough Handling

The DoughBed is perfect for home bakers looking to upgrade their bread game. The oblong oval shape of the glass bowl is ideal for mixing, kneading, and folding with both your hands, and the cork lid and base don’t just give the DoughBed its rustic aesthetic, they’re key to helping your dough maintain its temperature efficiently, and the cork base prevents heat-loss into your kitchen counter.

The DoughBed’s base operates with just 10W of power (that’s 75% less than an oven light), relying on a USB cable that can be wound up and tucked into the underside of the base when not in use. The cork lid comes with a removable, food-safe polypropylene liner, and both the glass bowl and polypropylene liner are dishwasher safe. We’d recommend not washing the cork to ensure it lasts longer. The DoughBed starts at a discounted $175 for backers – that’s a lot cheaper than the Le Creuset you’d mix and proof your sourdough loaf in.

Click Here to Buy Now: $175 $225 ($50 off). Hurry, deal ends in 72-hours! Raised over $220,000.

The post Want Perfect Sourdough Bread every single time? This Kitchen Tool gives you foolproof results first appeared on Yanko Design.

Wacom was once an industry leader in the sketching tablet PC market. However, it’s no match for the deadly combo of the new iPad Pro M4 and the Apple Pencil Pro. Announced at the iPad keynote yesterday, the new Pencil Pro packs features so unique, it makes regular capacitive styluses look like tools from the Stone Age. The new Pencil Pro has a new squeeze gesture to activate quick menus, can track rotation to have objects and brushes rotate in real-time (known as barrel roll), and even has a haptic motor for feedback – while still packing features from previous models like the hover feature, pressure and tilt sensitivity, and low-latency. If all that wasn’t enough, the Pencil Pro even has Find My support, allowing you to locate your stylus if it ever gets lost. The Wacom Pro Pen 3 on the other hand, has buttons.

Styluses have existed for decades at this point, and if you asked anyone ten years back which was the most well-designed stylus and tablet combo for creatives, the answer would invariably be something from Wacom’s lineup. The company had three options back in the day, the budget Wacom Bamboo, the mid-range Wacom Intuos, and the flagship Wacom Cintiq. Apart from the Cintiq, none of the other tablets had screens – they were just massive trackpads that you could only draw on with styluses. The Cintiq was the closest thing to an iPad – it had a screen, allowed multi-touch gestures, and came with controls galore… the only problem was that it didn’t work independently, it needed to be tethered to a desktop or laptop to work. The Cintiq, along with the Intuos and Bamboo, came with a stylus that featured a pressure and tilt-sensitive tip, along with programable buttons that let you undo or redo tasks, and a stylus tip on the back of the pen also that activated the eraser, mimicking how most pencils come with erasers on their reverse tip. The styluses also operated without batteries, allowing for hours of sketching without needing to charge the pen periodically.

The Wacom Cintiq Pro is anywhere between 5-8 times thicker than the 2024 iPad Pro

Cut to yesterday when Apple dropped the iPad Pro M4 and the comparison is incredibly stark. For starters, whenever anyone asks me whether they should buy an iPad or a Wacom, the answer is almost always the former… because when you’re not sketching on the Wacom, it’s useless, but when you’re not sketching on the iPad, it’s still an iPad. The difference seems even greater with the new iPad Pro being Apple’s thinnest device yet at just 5.1mm thick, while the 16-inch Wacom Cintiq is a whopping 25mm thick – 5 times thicker than its competitor. Cut to the larger 22-inch Cintiq and it’s a staggering 40mm thick, or the equivalent of 8 iPad Pros stacked one on top of the other.

However, a hardware comparison between a trillion-dollar electronics giant and Wacom, that’s valued at just half a billion dollars doesn’t seem fair. What does seem fair, however, is to just look at one singular product to see how far Apple’s outpaced its competition – the humble stylus. Wacom played a critical role in perfecting its EMR stylus technology, which was game-changing a decade or so ago. The pens ran without batteries, could sense pressure and tilt with stunning accuracy, and an eraser on the rear, becoming the creative industry’s go-to for digital sketching. When Apple debuted the Pencil, it had the same features except without any buttons. The Pencil 2, on the other hand, got a tap feature that let you swap between brush and eraser, and a unique charging mechanism that allowed you to charge your stylus simply by snapping it to the side of an iPad (it subsequently also got a hover function with newer iPad models). Apple’s newly announced Pencil Pro, which dropped yesterday, however, is an entirely different beast.

The new Pencil Pro has the hover function, lets you squeeze to activate a quick menu, and even supports barrel rolls that allow you to rotate brushes or objects simply by rotating your stylus. In true Apple fashion, it doesn’t have any buttons on it, but you can still tap to alternate between brush and eraser, and you even get a brush preview when your stylus is near the screen, letting you know how your brush is oriented. If all that wasn’t enough, the new Pencil Pro even packs Apple’s Find My feature, letting you locate a lost pencil through your iPad or iPhone.

The Pencil Pro can be squeezed to activate a quick menu

A great stylus on the iPad Pro, which already comes with an industry-leading chip, laptop-grade performance, a brilliant camera setup and LiDAR sensor, and an app store, basically makes the iPad or Wacom question moot. The only true advantage Wacom’s tablets have at this point is that they’re bigger than iPads, starting at 16 inches and maxing out at 27 inches diagonally. They also cost MUCH more than the iPad Pros, with the Cintiq Pro 16″ starting at $1599, and the Cintiq Pro 27″ having an eye-watering $3499 price tag. That’s Vision Pro territory for a sketching tablet.

The haptic motor gives you feedback when you squeeze the Pencil Pro

There still is a market for Wacom products. They’re massive, preferred by the hardcore animation and visual industries, and are platform-agnostic, which means you can easily run Windows or Linux programs on them, which most power users will appreciate over being limited to the iPadOS. But for the most part, the iPad Pro and Pencil Pro are so far ahead of their competition at this point, that they’ve made Wacom’s tablets (an already niche creative-focused gadget) even more niche… almost to the point of obscure.

The post The new Apple Pencil Pro is a death-sentence for Wacom first appeared on Yanko Design.

It’s the year 2024 and if you’re still manually rotating your screwdrivers, you’re doing something wrong. Meet the SES Nano, a ridiculously compact electric screwdriver that’s no larger than a pencil and weighs a paltry 2 ounces or 58 grams. Arrowmax, the folks behind the SES Nano, has practically perfected the art of electric screwdrivers, and the SES NANO builds on the backs of all that research and development. This tiny screwdriver packs 5 torque settings, peaking at 5 kgf.cm that’s powerful enough to work with even the tightest screws. A simple two-button interface lets you easily choose whether you want to rotate the screwdriver clockwise or counter-clockwise, letting you tighten or loosen screws without any elbow grease. Just load one of the SES NANO’s 52 bits, hold the driver in place, press the button, and watch the magic happen. The SES NANO’s tiny design makes it a no-brainer against most conventional electric drivers that are much larger, and is perfect for your workshop or DIY kit whether you’re working with watches or phones, laptops, computers, drones, tiny models, or even your spectacles.

Designer: Arrowmax

Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $89 (34% off) Hurry! Only 6 days left.

Despite its compact size and measuring just over 5 inches in length and weighing a mere 58 grams, the SES NANO boasts an impressive torque output of up to 5.0 kgf.cm at 250 RPM. This translates to tackling various projects, from repairing delicate electronics like smartphones and glasses with precision control to confidently assembling flat-pack furniture. The lightweight design, crafted from a single piece of high-grade CNC aluminum alloy, ensures durability while making it easy to maneuver and reducing fatigue during use. Simple one-button operation with clear forward and reverse controls ensures user-friendliness for anyone, regardless of DIY experience.

The SES NANO goes beyond just being small and convenient. With its ingenious design that integrates a robust output circuit board, a precision gearbox, and a secure bit-locking mechanism seamlessly into a single unit, it prioritizes both efficiency and precision. This innovative design minimizes the overall volume of the power unit while maximizing its effectiveness. An LED display keeps you informed about critical details like the current battery level (displayed as a percentage), the selected torque mode (out of 5 available modes), and charging status. Strategically placed 4 LED lights on the chuck illuminate the work area, providing a shadowless light source for focused operation, especially in tight or poorly lit environments.

The SES NANO comes with a comprehensive set of 59 S2 steel screwdriver bits, including commonly used Phillips, star, and nut driver heads, all featuring a standard 4mm hex shank for secure fitment within the driver. This wide variety of bits ensures you’re equipped to handle most screw types you might encounter during various DIY tasks. The inclusion of a handy 58mm extension tip further enhances the SES NANO’s versatility, allowing you to reach and tackle screws in tight spaces or deep recesses that may otherwise be inaccessible with a standard screwdriver. The universal Type-C charging port, a common connector found in most modern devices, ensures convenient and hassle-free power top-ups using a power bank, laptop, or any USB-C wall charger. The best part, you can access the SES Nano’s charging port right through the case, allowing you to juice your screwdriver without even taking it out!

Each SES NANO ships with its all-encompassing case that contains the driver itself along with 52 well-arranged driver bits to choose from, ranging from common to specialty bits. The case also contains an extender tool that lets you extend the reach of your SES NANO to access hard-to-reach spots or sunken screws, a magnetizer that helps you re-magnetize bits, and finally a USB-C charging cable for your device. The SES NANO starts at a discounted $59, and ships globally starting June 2024.

Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $89 (34% off) Hurry! Only 6 days left.

The post This $59 Electric Screwdriver is the size of a pencil but packs 52 bits and a powerful battery first appeared on Yanko Design.

Why do cars have air-filled tires? And why do spring suspensions exist as separate entities? What if someone just made tires out of springs, wouldn’t that kill two birds with the same stone? Moreover, spring tires would be more durable, wouldn’t require air, and could therefore never get punctured. All of these questions make a lot of sense, and to be honest, Germans even experimented with spring tires in the 1900s during rubber shortages, but soon reverted back to good-old air-filled rubber tires soon thereafter, sticking to it when they developed the autobahn too.

A YouTuber by the name of Garage54 decided to put this experiment to the test, just to see how things would play out. Instead of rubber treads, G54’s car was outfitted with wheels made of springs in the hopes of being able to travel well on snowy roads and off-road trails. Hate to give you spoilers, but the experiment almost instantly failed, in part because metal doesn’t make a good rubber substitute, and also because G54 quite literally welded springs to his tire. However, it was a great starting point for what I personally think is a pretty unique theory. The design could be optimized, material considerations could be made, and if there’s anyone I trust with getting things right, it’s The Q, who designed the Wheelless Bicycle we saw last year!

Designer: Garage 54

The project started, as most do, with seeing an image on the internet of a spring tire from the early 20th century – designed to boost off-roadability. Of course, good ideas have a certain sticky nature to them, so the fact that nobody uses spring tires anymore was a warning sign to begin with… but then again, I bet you’re just as curious as I am. What if you replaced bouncy rubber tires with bouncy spring tires? How much of a difference could it really make?!

The process of attaching springs to the wheel was quite literally as simple as sanding down the wheel, bending a few massive springs, and welding them in place. To make sure the springs don’t make direct contact with the ground (and potentially destroy the roads), an extra metal strip was then welded around the rim.

A look at the springs that were going to be attached to the wheel

Bending and spot-welding the springs in place

Attaching the rim

Finally, the new tires got a spray of red paint to increase their visibility. Even in their new avatar, they were just about as thick as the original wheels, making the modification incredibly easy.

G54 then attached the tires to his Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The tires, however, ran into a few snags as G54 drove the car on sludgy snowy roads. For starters, metal doesn’t provide much friction, so even though the spring shape promised to easily conquer off-road paths, the tires tended to either rotate in place or slip in all four directions. Secondly, rubber and air are infinitely lighter than steel springs, so the new wheels added immense weight to the car, causing it to literally sink in the snow – this happened especially when the car was stationary. What also didn’t help the weight problem was the fact that snow managed to fill right up inside the hollow spring tires, adding to the vehicle’s bulk. The springs also managed to catch stray twigs and branches, creating more problems than they solved. And as far as suspension was concerned, the new wheels hardly offered any improvements.

Although an instant flop, the experiment had a few areas of improvement. For starters, manually welding together a metal wheel will result in imperfections that then affect the car’s performance. However, before we dismiss metal tires entirely, it’s worth noting that NASA has been extensively testing airless metal mesh wheels for its Mars rover, allowing the vehicle to quite literally drive on the most off-road terrain mankind has ever witnessed! If NASA can do it, I’m sure us normies could figure something out too!

The post With Springs for Tires, this SUV is Breaking All the Rules to Test a Simple Theory first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hot on the heels of the new Beats Solo 4 headphones and Solo Buds earbuds, eagle-eyed fans spotted F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo and basketball star LeBron James carrying what appears to be a brand new Beats Pill speaker. This has ignited speculation about a potential revival of the popular portable speaker line, discontinued in early 2022.

The original Beats Pill, launched in 2012, quickly gained a loyal following for its compact size, bold design, and surprisingly good sound quality. After Apple acquired Beats in 2014, they introduced the slightly larger Pill+ in 2015, addressing some sound quality concerns and adding a Lightning port for charging (likely to be replaced with USB-C in the new iteration).

These celebrity sightings with the new Pill come across as a calculated marketing strategy, similar to how the Beats Pill gained traction in the past. The new Beats Pill maintains the familiar pill-shaped design of its predecessors, measuring roughly 8 inches long and 2.5 inches wide. It retains the clean look with just the Beats logo adorning the front grille. A continuous rubberized strip separates the front and back speaker grilles, and rubber feet on the bottom keep it from rolling around.

For reference, the discontinued Pill+ earned praise for its significantly improved sound quality thanks to an internal redesign. It also sported a Lightning port for charging, which will likely be swapped for USB-C in this new iteration. The Pill+ offered a respectable battery life of 12 hours. While details remain scarce, the leaked images show a design that stays true to the classic Beats Pill silhouette. A lanyard attachment hints at portability remaining a key feature.

The post Unreleased Beats Pill Speaker spotted with LeBron could be announced at the Apple Keynote first appeared on Yanko Design.

At first glance, it’s entirely possible to think that the NEO SPIN is just a fidget spinner… Take a second or third look and you’ll realize that it’s so much more. Building on the craze of fidget toys, designers Sundeep Rajula and Pratapa Sanaga created a Minimalist, Multi-functional EDC gadget not just to fidget, but one that doubles as a gaming apparatus as well as a measuring device. Precision machined out of premium-grade brass and 304 stainless steel, the gadget is haute EDC at its finest, with a touch of fun. It takes equal inspiration from regular fidget spinners as well as roulette wheels and other spin games, combining the tactile joy of one, along with the suspense of the other. What’s more, the NEO SPIN’s also designed to be modular, allowing you to swap out the spinning disc inside and replace it with something different to serve an altogether new purpose. Each disc bestows its own function to the NEO SPIN, turning it into either a roulette wheel, a gaming die, or even a measuring device.

Designers: Sundeep Rajula & Pratapa Sanaga

Click Here to Buy Now: $49 $79 ($30 off). Hurry, only 25/225 left!

The NEO SPIN is designed to be perfectly handy, fitting right into your palm and practically begging to be fidgeted with. Two machined brass caps sit on either side, with a centrally-located gorgeous knurled Stainless Steel Disc that makes it easy to spin. A window in the brass cap lets you see the results of the spinning disc when it comes to a stop.

Load the Disc of your choice. Choose a Particular game you wish to play. Spin the Disc and Stop after a few seconds. Align the result with the arrow on the case.

The joy of using the NEO SPIN is compounded by the the presence of different discs, like the one with multi-game graphics or the roulette wheel, or even the special Dungeons & Dragons disc. Alternatively, swap out the fun for function with the measuring disc that lets you accurately chart distances. A ball-bearing at the center of each disc makes the spinning effortless, and the disc can randomly be stopped simply by pressing you thumb or finger on the knurled disc to ‘brake’ the movement. It’s a brilliantly fun fidget activity that also turns into a decision-making interaction. An arrow etched under the window tells you where you’ve landed on the disc, preventing ambiguity and cheating.

An easy-to-open design lets you access and swap out the discs, choosing from a wide range of pre-designed discs or even having your own custom-engraved disc of choice. The standard discs allow the NEO SPIN to transform into a gaming device, a decision-making aid, or even measuring. The measuring disc comes in both imperial as well as metric measurements, and simply rolling the NEO SPIN on a linear or non-linear surface allows you to measure distances with remarkable accuracy.

Each NEO SPIN measures 40mm wide (1.5 inches) and 10mm thick (0.03 inches), weighing just 70 grams (2.4 ounces), making it perfectly palm-sized for fidgeting throughout the day. The $49 Standard Pack of the NEO SPIN ships with three discs – one for roulette or gaming, one specifically for DND, and a third for measuring. Upgrading to $69 lets you get a custom disc of your own made, perhaps with names of friends/colleagues so you can decide who pays the bill at a restaurant after dinner! After all, tossing coins is so old-school!

Click Here to Buy Now: $49 $79 ($30 off). Hurry, only 25/225 left!

The post This Precision-machined EDC Spinner works as a Fidget Toy, Multi-Gaming Dice, and even a Measuring Ruler first appeared on Yanko Design.

There’s a massive missing link between tech companies and tech reviewers… and instead of fixing it, we’re playing the blame game.

The backlash following bad reviews from MKBHD and other tech outlets like The Verge, Engadget, and CNET has been swift from the AI community. The internet is ablaze, either blaming Marques Brownlee for being too harshly critical in his review of the Humane AI Pin and the Rabbit R1 device… or shaming Humane and Rabbit for not delivering on what they promised. The blame, however, lies on the inherent relationship between the two parties. Like two people who aren’t emotionally ready to date, these AI companies shouldn’t have even shipped their products to tech reviewers.

The job of a tech reviewer, as its name rather simply suggests, is to provide an objective (or sometimes even a subjective) analysis of a product for their consumers/viewers. Tech Reviewers highlight technology through the lens of ‘Is this worth the money or not’… The problem, however, is that Humane and Rabbit needed beta testers, not tech reviewers.

Who’s to blame?

Let’s look at every single stakeholder in this AI charade and you’ll see that there’s some blame to go around for everyone. The first reaction, and justifiably so, is to blame Humane and Rabbit. They overpromised, underdelivered, hyped the product, raked in tonnes of VC and preorder money, but couldn’t stick the landing. Companies all across the world have been rushing to develop the ‘next iPhone’, and while Samsung has hedged all its bets on folding devices, and Apple on a $3400 headset, Humane and Rabbit happened to be at the right place at the right time with the right buzzwords. Imagine this, an AI assistant powerful enough to do anything you ask – it’s literally something out of a sci-fi movie, and that’s precisely what these companies hoped we’d think. They weren’t wrong. However, they committed the cardinal sin of the entrepreneur – they pitched something that didn’t exist. Sure, this wasn’t as detrimental as the stunts Elizabeth Holmes or Sam Bankman-Fried pulled, but in essence, it was still a far-fetched lie or rather a very convenient truth. An AI that does everything you ask doesn’t exist and probably won’t for a while… but a cute design or a body-mounted projector was more than enough to deceive us… and for the sake of this argument, let’s operate under the good-faith assumption that Humane and Rabbit didn’t know they were pushing a bad product.

Why the hardware trickery though? Why did Humane and Rabbit NEED to build hardware devices that looked fancy/quirky/cool? Here’s where the blame shifts to the powers that be – Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta. For every reviewer that said the Humane AI Pin or Rabbit R1 “could’ve been a smartphone app”, there are thousands of engineers at these companies building JUST THAT. It’s no coincidence that Humane and Rabbit BOTH had their products publicly reviewed well before Google I/O and Apple’s WWDC. Rumor has it that Apple and Google are just waiting to launch AI assistants with similar features, tying into all the smartphone-related services. These large companies have repositories of consumer data, and they have a powerful influence, putting them miles ahead of the starting line when it comes to the AI race. The only way Humane and Rabbit could escape the clutches of these companies was to isolate themselves completely from them. Not to mention, there’s absolutely no way Apple would allow a third-party smartphone app to have Humane or Rabbit’s level of control over your entire device. Sure, Humane and Rabbit could have made all-powerful AI assistant apps, but they A. wouldn’t be as impressive or attractive, and B. they’d be doomed to fail because of the goliath forces that are Apple and Google.

A snippet of the Twitter outrage following MKBHD’s review. Ironically, Sam Sheffer (new media head for Humane) admits the software is bad, while the product sells for $700

A venture capitalist’s job, in Shark Tank parlance, is to “pour gasoline on a fire”, so there’s definitely some blame to share here too. AI became a buzzword in the second half of 2022 and it’s been on the top of everyone’s mind ever since. I don’t blame VCs for seeing potential in the ideas that Humane and Rabbit came up with, but if there’s one thing that absolutely pisses me off, it’s the fact that they took the criticism of Humane and Rabbit’s devices a little too personally. After all, a VC thrives on value creation – take that away and you have a very angry person who’s poured millions into a project that now doesn’t have anywhere to go. However, bad products and bad companies are all too common in the VC world. What they didn’t expect, however, was their golden goose (AI) to lay a rotten egg.

It’s easy to say that tech reviewers were simply doing their job and deserve no blame (after all, I’m a tech reviewer too), but the truth is that the reviewers also share a bit of blame in this entire cycle of events. However, not for the reason you think. Arguably, Marques Brownlee deserves praise for being forthright with his review – some reviewers would probably hesitate to say something bad about a company if there was sponsorship money involved – and although MKBHD didn’t have any financial stake in this product, they spoke their mind (as did every other reviewer). But that isn’t where the problem lies. The problem lies with the hype train that tech reviewers both create and ride. These reviewers are, by nature of their profession, enthusiasts when it comes to technology – so it’s no surprise that they were the biggest cheerleaders of Humane and Rabbit 5-6 months back when the products were first teased. If anything, the media should have balanced their enthusiasm with a pinch of real-world salt. Had that been the case, these disastrous reviews would’ve stung less under the pretext of the age-old “I told you so”…

Dave2D’s review of the Rabbit R1 device may just be the most sensible, erudite take on the internet.

So what’s the solution?

If the last few years have proven anything, it’s that designers and companies operate in such secrecy, they often don’t put themselves in the shoes of the consumer to begin with. With Tesla pushing the steering yoke over a wheel even though consumers have been begging for the latter, with Apple needing EU regulators to force them into adopting USB-C, with Google cancelling products left right and center against the wishes of their consumers, or firing employees who object to their technology being used for warfare (whoops, I went there), there’s a massive disconnect between what companies do and what consumers want. Even though at a smaller scale, Humane and Rabbit seem to find themselves in a similar soup. Whether it’s the holier-than-thou attitude that’s hard-coded into being an entrepreneur, or whether it’s a bunch of VCs deciding what’s good for the public, the one voice that seems to constantly be left out of the room is that of consumers… and their only representative for now is the humble tech reviewer, who actually is incentivized to see things from their points of view. Sadly, that also means Marques Brownlee ends up being in the line of fire when he has to call an AI gadget ‘the worst product he’s ever reviewed’…

The solution lies in reimagining how products are developed and promoted. Humane and Rabbit needed beta testers, not reviewers, who would’ve helped them swallow the hard pill that is the realization that their product isn’t ready for the real world. After all, it’s better to hear that bitter truth behind closed doors instead of an influencer saying it on YouTube… right?

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I guess the exploding Death Star metaphor works well here considering it also explodes kernels of corn.

Meet the Death Star Popcorn Maker, an intergalactic-themed appliance that gets you ready for any movie night in minutes. Designed to look like Darth Vader’s cosmic headquarters, this contraption whips up a bowl of popcorn without relying on a drop of oil or butter. It uses a clever vortex of hot air that super-heats the corn kernels up, making them pop. The air then carries the popped kernels out of the heat chamber, giving you popcorn that’s perfectly cooked without getting burnt… and without any unpopped kernels.

Designer: Uncanny Brands

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Created by the folks at Uncanny Brands, this popcorn maker is perfect for your May 4th ritual of watching every Star Wars movie made (you may require the entire weekend for that program if you commit to it). The Death Star Popcorn Maker comes in two parts, the base of the planet is where the action happens – corn is popped without oil or butter, using pure heated air. Once it’s popped, the corn rises to the top where it collects in a transparent cloche, getting dispensed in the upper half of the Death Star, which conveniently becomes your popcorn bowl!

The air vortex technology is clever for a bunch of reasons. From just a health point of view, the idea of having popcorn without copious amounts of butter or oil just feels less sinful – sure, you can absolutely add butter to your corn after it’s popped. The lack of grease means the Popcorn Maker doesn’t need cleaning up after either – all you need to do is empty out any unpopped kernels. Popcorn pops evenly with a nearly 98% success rate, and the air vortex automatically pushes the popped corn upwards and out into the bowl, so you’re never left with any burnt flavor. You can then easily season your corn with powders and spices of your choice.

When all’s said and done, simply lift the transparent cover and place the popcorn bowl back on top and your popcorn maker magically transforms back into a Death Star replica, looking less like a kitchen appliance and more like fan memorabilia!

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