Author Archives: Gaurav Sood

ASUS ROG Raikiri II Pro adapts to every game with switchable triggers and 8,000Hz input speed

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When the ROG Raikiri Pro controller burst onto the scene at CES 2023, the gamepad was ahead of its time courtesy of a dedicated 1.3-inch mini OLED display. Now, after nearly three years, Asus has revealed the next version of the controller with improved features and upgrades to entice gamers who are always on the lookout for the endgame accessories.

This comes on the back of Asus ROG’s 20th anniversary celebration, wherein other products, including the triple-mode gaming monitor and Gjallar Gaming soundbar, were also announced by the brand.

Designer: Asus

Unlike its predecessor, the new ROG Raikiri II Pro shifts its focus from flashy extras to competitive performance and precision. Built primarily for PC gamers, the controller delivers an impressive 8,000Hz polling rate in wired mode for ultra-low input latency, while ASUS’ SpeedNova wireless technology is designed to provide a fast and stable 2.4GHz connection with improved power efficiency. The controller also supports Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity, allowing players to switch between multiple gaming setups with ease.

ASUS has also redesigned the controls to improve responsiveness during long gaming sessions. Every primary input, including the D-pad, ABXY buttons, shoulder buttons, and rear paddles, now uses micro switches that deliver crisp tactile feedback with faster actuation. The controller also introduces dual-mode triggers, letting users instantly swap between short-travel micro-switch triggers for competitive shooters and full-range TMR sensor triggers for racing titles or games that benefit from precise analog control. Combined with anti-drift TMR thumbsticks, the Raikiri II Pro controller offers consistent accuracy and longer durability than traditional analog sticks.

Customization remains one of the controller’s biggest strengths. Through ASUS Gear Link software, users can remap buttons, adjust stick sensitivity, fine-tune trigger dead zones, modify vibration levels, and create multiple profiles for different genres. RGB lighting, onboard profile storage, and interchangeable thumbstick caps further allow players to personalize both the aesthetics and feel of the controller. ASUS also bundles a charging dock and a protective carrying case that can recharge the controller while stored, making it easier to keep the accessory ready for travel or daily gaming.

Alongside the controller, ASUS also introduced the ROG Gjallar Gaming Soundbar as another premium addition to its gaming ecosystem. The 2.1.2-channel setup supports Dolby Atmos and combines front-facing speakers, dedicated tweeters, upward-firing drivers, and a 65W wireless 6.5-inch subwoofer to create a more immersive soundstage. The company says the system is tuned to improve positional audio, helping players better identify in-game movement and environmental cues.

Like the Raikiri II Pro, the Gjallar supports ASUS Gear Link software, allowing users to customize audio settings and integrate it into a broader ROG gaming setup. The two new accessories showcase ASUS’s emphasis on high-performance gaming peripherals that prioritize responsiveness, customization, and immersion, while marking another milestone in the company’s two-decade journey as the Republic of Gamers brand!

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Son transforms a Unitree robot dog into an all-terrain mobility chair for his disabled father

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Some inventions are meant to push the boundaries of technology, while others are built to break the barriers people face every day. This remarkable all-terrain robotic mobility chair belongs to the latter category. Designed by YouTuber Jake Laser for his father, who has lived with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 20 years, the project is a powerful reminder that engineering can be an act of love as much as innovation.

Living with MS had gradually taken away many of the experiences Jake’s father once enjoyed. Simple obstacles such as stairs, rocky trails, steep hills, or uneven paths became impossible to cross in a conventional wheelchair. Rather than accepting those limitations, Jake set out to create a machine capable of taking his father where ordinary mobility aids simply could not.

Designer: Jake Laser

Instead of designing a robotic platform from scratch, Jake modified a sophisticated industrial quadruped robot from Unitree. The robot already featured an unusual hybrid design, combining powered wheels with articulated legs. On smooth ground, it rolls efficiently like a wheeled vehicle, while on rough terrain it engages its walking capabilities, allowing it to climb stairs, step over obstacles, and navigate rocky landscapes with impressive stability.

Transforming the industrial robot into a rideable mobility device required extensive engineering. After experimenting with multiple seating positions, Jake mounted a racing bucket seat directly over the robot’s spine, positioning the rider’s legs forward to ensure the robotic legs could move freely underneath. A heavy-duty safety harness was added to keep the rider secure, while the software controlling the robot’s balance system had to be recalibrated to compensate for the constantly shifting weight of a human passenger. This allowed the robot’s sensors and motors to maintain stability even while walking across difficult terrain. A wireless dual-joystick controller gives the rider full control over movement, including driving, rotating, strafing, and adjusting the robot’s height for easier entry and exit.

Jake also wanted the machine to feel something his father could proudly call his own. Inspired by elegant 1940s Bugatti automobiles, he added curved body panels, carbon-fiber accents, chrome-style headlights, LED underbody lighting, and custom spinner wheel covers. The result is a futuristic personal vehicle that blends cutting-edge robotics with timeless automotive styling. Before allowing his father to ride it, Jake subjected the robot to demanding tests. It climbed tall ledges, crossed ladders, navigated full flights of stairs, and traversed rocky riverbeds without losing balance. Only after proving its reliability did his father climb aboard. The experience was deeply emotional. For the first time in more than two decades, he was able to visit places that had long been inaccessible, exploring trails and landscapes that had become distant memories. Jake did far more than build a remarkable robot; he gave his father the freedom to make new memories where wheelchairs had once reached their limit!

 

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New Aboard T4 self-propelled electric travel trailer is built for extended off-grid living

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Off-grid travel is not only a buzzword lately. It’s become a way of life. Perpetuated largely by tiny houses on wheels and RVs. Amid the latter, travel trailers have an edge. They live separately from their towing vehicle and tout independent proficiency. Thus, the new form factor of trailers is smarter and more capable than ever before. Such is the case with the recently launched T4 trailer developed by California-based Aboard RV. It is an off-grid rig with an appealing aerodynamic design and a size that neatly places it between a van home and a large motorhome.

The Aboard T4 electric trailer is anything but a traditional trailer. It features more glass in construction than others would dare to go with and combines automotive engineering with a hybrid electric drivetrain to leave us with a capable RV that none of us would want to miss a chance to get on board.

Designer: Aboard RV

Besides its aerodynamic form factor, the T4 is designed for off-grid adventures. It sits on a reinforced integrated chassis and has a built-in Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) powertrain. The powered axle system allows enough energy to steer the rig while climbing without creating additional load on the towing vehicle. This is because it is engineered as a fully integrated vehicle, allowing it to self-propel, straining the tow vehicle less to increase range and reduce drag.

The trailer is designed to be about 24 feet long, and it tips the scales at 6,500 lbs. Interestingly, the T4’s hybrid platform has more than 200kWh of onboard power. It features a 41 kWh LFP battery and a 60 kW range-extending generator. Together, extending the off-grid living capability of the trailer for more than a long weekend. The generator can recharge in under 30 minutes, substantially enough to keep your devices and equipment powered during time off the grid. The trailer can, if needed, power the electric tow vehicle as well.

The Aboard T4 electric travel trailer has a metal-paneled body and features car-like secure doors that ensure improved durability, while providing weather protection. The smoothly glazed exterior of this trailer seems completely fashioned with glass, but it’s when you enter that you realize the panoramic windows span only 270 degrees. It may not be as much as you believe it is from the outside, but windows are still enough to fill the interiors with natural light and surrounding views.

The interior space is centered around the kitchen and bathroom of the trailer, with two convertible lounges – on either side – transforming into bedrooms by night. The bathroom doubles as a mudroom accessible through two separate entries. The kitchen is equipped with an induction cooktop, refrigerator, microwave, and a lot of storage. Interestingly, the trailer is equipped with a 52-gallon fresh water tank and a 35-gallon grey water tank. Also, with a 30-gallon black water tank onboard, the trailer is fully prepared for off-grid stays. Designed to accommodate four people easily, the Aboard T4 travel trailer will be available starting at $80,000. There is no definite release date in sight, but the trailer can be reserved now for a fully refundable deposit of $100.

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HS 640 is the most lightweight and accessible Alaskan Campers ever built

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If you’re a serious overlander, there’s no chance you don’t know about Alaskan Campers. Since 1957, the hard-sided Alaskan truck campers have been a dream for every adventurer. Sidestepping its image of creating heavy-duty rigs for the first time, the company has engineered a hard-sided pop-up camper with reduced weight. Called the HS 640, the rig is designed from the ground up with smarter construction materials, while maintaining the durability and performance assured by an Alaskan model.

The Alaskan Campers HS 640 is a new-generation camper designed with the idea of reducing weight and creating a fit compatible with a wider range of trucks. Since it’s built from the ground up, the HS 640 does share a similar Alaskan design language, but it isn’t based on any existing model from the company. It is an entirely new platform made to be “lighter, more efficient. It’s the “most accessible Alaskan ever built, designed to fit more trucks and reach more people,” the company notes.

Designer: Alaskan Campers

For its lightweight form factor, Alaskan Campers has constructed the HS 640 using non-organic materials. The shell comprises 1.5-inch structural insulated panels paired with high-density PIR foam sandwiched between fiberglass skin, creating a robust yet lightweight body that is, of course, rot-proof and certified R-11 thermal insulation. With the integration of this new construction format, the company has managed to curtail excess mass across the entire camper structure, reducing the weight without compromising strength.

Designed for broader compatibility with a larger range of trucks, the HS 640 has a dry weight of 1,500 lbs. and measures about 6.3 feet (1.9 m) in length. The lightweight camper’s size allows the tailgate to close on most standard 6.5-foot truck beds from Ram, Ford, Toyota and more. The reduced weight of the pickup camper puts less strain on your truck, improving its drivability, while providing a comfortable living space inside.

The yacht-like interior fashioned by Alaskan for the HS 640 includes aluminum cabinetry, which can be customized to the buyer’s choice of color. The interior otherwise features bamboo trim throughout. The kitchen alongside the entry is provided with an induction cooktop, a sink, and a 90L fridge. Adjacent is the living space equipped with an L-shaped sofa paired with a detachable Lagun table in the center, transforming the space from entertainment to dining in a jiffy. The sleeping section, located behind and above the dinette, features a RoamRest 6-inch queen mattress and is finished with overhead storage and a wardrobe. HS 640, the company notes, offers campers an indoor and outdoor shower and a Trelino Evo S portable composting toilet.

On the outside, the interestingly designed camper provides for an optional 180-degree awning and a solar panel. The buyer can opt for 400 watts of rooftop solar panels and an electrical system with 324-Ah Expion 360 battery. The backup can be managed off the grid by 3,000-W inverter on board, while a 57-liter fresh water tank suffices for the water needs. Alaskan Campers is selling the HS 640 starting at $47,495.

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BYD Seal 08 is a $29K flagship EV with 905 km range that already secured 65,000 orders

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Six days after its official debut in China, the BYD Seal 08 is already making headlines for reasons beyond its specifications. The flagship sedan entered one of the industry’s most competitive segments with a starting price of 196,900 yuan (around $29,000). Interestingly, it offers the kind of technology typically associated with luxury electric sedans costing significantly more.

Available in three battery-electric (BEV) variants and three plug-in hybrid (DM-i) models, Seal 08 EV also recorded around 65,000 locked orders within its first 30 hours. A very strong signal that BYD’s strategy of combining premium engineering with mass-market pricing is resonating with buyers. The automaker is headstrong with its strategy for the future, aiming to dominate the commercial market segment and also having ambitions to be the first Chinese automaker to occupy the Formula-1 paddock spot by 2027. Of course, how can one forget their ambition to surprise the hypercar dreams with the marque offshoot Fang Cheng Bao.

Designer: BYD

Flagship Sedan With Mass-Market Pricing

At 5,150 mm long with a 3,030 mm wheelbase, the Seal 08 is flush in the large sedan category, placing it alongside executive cars rather than mainstream family sedans. It adopts BYD’s latest Ocean Aesthetics 2.0 design language, characterized by clean surfaces, flowing proportions, flush door handles, and slim lighting elements that give the four-wheeler an understated yet premium appearance.

The interior follows the same philosophy. A floating central infotainment display anchors a clean dashboard layout, while the spacious cabin emphasizes comfort without overwhelming occupants with an excess of controls. The long wheelbase translates into generous rear-seat room, reinforcing the Seal 08’s positioning as a flagship designed for both daily commuting and long-distance travel.

Pricing of the EV is perhaps the biggest surprise. Starting below $30,000, the sedan undercuts many rivals while delivering dimensions, technology, and equipment usually reserved for vehicles in a much higher price bracket, like the Hyundai IONIQ 5. That value proposition helps explain why dealerships reported tens of thousands of orders shortly after sales opened.

Premium Hardware Usually Reserved for Luxury Cars

Beyond its size and styling, the Seal 08 showcases BYD’s latest engineering advancements. The battery-electric models are built on an 800V high-voltage architecture, enabling ultra-fast flash charging that significantly reduces charging times compared to conventional EV platforms. The sedan also debuts BYD’s Blade 2.0 battery, an evolution of the company’s well-known Blade battery technology. The new pack is designed to improve charging efficiency, energy density, and safety while supporting the vehicle’s long-range capabilities.

Higher trims introduce features that remain uncommon at this price point. DiSus-A intelligent air suspension continuously adjusts ride height and damping to improve comfort and stability, while rear-wheel steering enhances maneuverability in tight spaces and increases stability at highway speeds. Together, these systems give the Seal 08 a technology package more commonly associated with premium European luxury sedans. BYD also offers impressive driving range figures. The top BEV variant claims up to 905 km on the Chinese CLTC testing cycle, while the plug-in hybrid version combines electric power with a fuel engine for a claimed total range of 1,660 km. Although real-world driving distances are typically lower than CLTC ratings, both figures position the Seal 08 among the longest-range vehicles in its segment.

Why Seal 08 Matters Beyond China

The much hyped EV arrives at a pivotal moment for BYD. During the same week as the launch, reports indicated that the company had reclaimed the global battery-electric vehicle sales crown from Tesla after delivering roughly 557,000 BEVs in the second quarter of 2026. That context makes the Seal 08 more than just another product launch. It shows how BYD’s vertically integrated business model of designing its own batteries, electric drivetrains, semiconductors, and vehicle platforms allows it to deliver flagship-level technology at prices competitors struggle to match.

Rather than treating the battery as just another component sourced from a supplier, BYD has built an entire vehicle ecosystem around its battery expertise. The result is a sedan that combines advanced charging technology, sophisticated chassis systems, generous range, and premium comfort without carrying the premium price tag traditionally attached to such features. For global automakers, the electric vehicle raises an important question: if a flagship electric sedan with air suspension, rear-wheel steering, an 800V architecture, and a next-generation battery can start at around $29,000, how long can premium pricing remain the industry’s default? Judging by the first 65,000 orders, consumers may have already begun answering that question.

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Nothing Ear (3a) boasts built-in audio recording, smarter ANC, and 42-hour battery life for just $99

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Most wireless earbuds are designed to disappear into your daily routine. The Nothing Ear (3a) does the opposite. While the pair of buds brings the expected upgrades in sound quality, active noise cancellation, and battery life, the most compelling feature isn’t about listening at all. Instead, it’s about capturing the moments you want to remember. Whether that’s a brilliant idea during a meeting, an important takeaway from a lecture, or a favorite quote from a podcast.

Priced at $99, the Ear (3a) is sandwiched right between the budget-focused Ear (a) and the flagship Ear (3), bringing several premium features to the affordable segment without losing the transparent design language that has become Nothing’s signature. From improved ANC and Hi-Res audio support to thoughtful software additions, the Ear (3a) feels less like an incremental refresh and more like a pair of earbuds designed to be genuinely useful throughout the day.

Designer: Nothing

The biggest addition is Audio Snapshot, a feature powered by 32MB of onboard flash storage built into the earbuds. By pinching both earbuds simultaneously, users can instantly save short audio clips. These recordings automatically sync with the Nothing X app, where they can be edited, shared, and transcribed. The earbuds also support up to two hours of native phone calls and meeting recording, complete with audible notifications that let everyone know when recording begins. This is an uncommon capability in this price range and one that extends the earbuds’ usefulness well beyond music playback.

Nothing has also refined the listening experience with new 12mm dynamic drivers that deliver deeper bass while maintaining clarity across the frequency range. Support for Hi-Res Audio Wireless and LDAC allows compatible Android devices to stream higher-quality audio, while an expanded eight-band equalizer offers greater control for users who prefer to fine-tune their sound profile. Whether the preference is bass-heavy tracks or a more balanced signature, the earbuds provide enough flexibility to suit different listening styles.

Active noise cancellation has also received a noticeable boost. The Ear (3a) delivers up to 45dB of ANC across a wider frequency range, with Nothing claiming roughly 17 percent better performance than its predecessor. Clear Voice technology improves call quality by making speech easier to understand in noisy surroundings, while the inclusion of an extra-small ear tip size helps accommodate a wider range of users and enhances passive noise isolation. The IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance also makes the earbuds suitable for commuting and workouts.

Battery life remains one of the Ear (3a)’s strongest selling points. The earbuds offer up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC turned off, while the charging case extends total listening time to as much as 42 hours. Even with noise cancellation enabled, users can expect up to 25 hours of combined playback. A quick five-minute charge delivers approximately an hour of listening time, and Bluetooth 6.0 with dual-device connectivity makes switching between a phone, tablet, and laptop effortless.

The earbuds arrive in attractive pink and yellow, along with the standard black or white colorway. In the package there’s a new XS ear tip size for users with very small ears. Rather than relying solely on incremental hardware improvements, Nothing Ear (3a) introduces features that make wireless earbuds more practical throughout the day. That’s an undeniable USP at a price tag under $100. Nothing has also released the highly anticipated Phone (4b), which we’ll cover shortly, so stay tuned!

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adidas BB.01 is first 3D-printed basketball shoe built to improve stability and flexibility on court

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While the world is fixated on who’s making it to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup. adidas thinks it’s done enough for the love of the game with the Trionda, and now it’s time to shift focus to basketball. To do that, the sportswear giant is bringing 3D-printed footwear innovation to the hardwood with the launch of adidas BB.01. It is the first 3D-printed basketball shoe to hit the market, in an eye-catching combination of Solar Red and Orbit Grey.

The 3D printed basketball shoe from adidas is a definite head-turner. It’s called the adidas BB.01 “Solar Red/Orbit Grey,” and it’s nothing like the traditional canvas, textile, and foam silhouettes. While most shoe midsoles are molded in factories, the BB.01 is printed entirely from resin in layers instead.

Designer: adidas

The basketball shoe is part of adidas’ Project R.A.P (Radical Athlete Perception). The program ensures that adaptive manufacturing is not just an experimental category but an actual way to create functional, court-worthy footwear. Based on this ideology, adidas BB.01 has been a long time coming.

The much-anticipated footwear finally has a release date and a price. Fans should be able to get their feet into the 3D-printed marvel starting July 14, when it will be available through the adidas Confirmed app for $250. Meticulously combining “cutting-edge digital manufacturing with elite on-court performance,” the shoe features Orbit Grey in the base, which, in contrast, is highlighted by the Solar Red upper cage. The Three Stripes logo is present on the heel, from where it extends upward toward the collar.

Since the footwear is designed to complement the wearer’s performance on the court, its 3D printed midsole is designed to handle the impact and keep the player “stable through cuts and landings.” The footwear weighs only 15.13 oz (428 g) and comes with its most striking resin outer shell on top of the engineered midsole, which utilizes a lattice design across the sidewalls. This form factor allows the shoe to flex with the twisting nature of the foot. Higher-density printing is also carried out around the toes and heels for stability.

adidas BB.01 is not an attractive shoe on the outside alone. On the inside, it also features a soft textile bootie that locks the foot in place, ensuring support and comfort. A flagbearer of the future of 3D printing in the footwear industry, adidas BB.01 will release on July 14, but you can start registering for it as early as July 9 through the company website.

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Godox C100 camera lets you frame shots naturally without filters or preview screen

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With a smartphone in their pocket, everyone is a photographer. But clicking a good picture is still a creativity reserved for the trained. Unless you are from the Instagram generation and you know how to use filters. Clicking and then post-editing with filters and everything is so time-consuming. To give your Instagram frenzy an instant photography impetus, Godox in China has created the C100 camera with a unique transparent viewfinder screen that lets you capture the real thing by looking at it in the real-life environment, no filters required.

Godox is globally recognized for its lighting products for photography; therefore, a distinctive camera from the company can be considered more than a gimmick. The camera tabs on the interesting resurgence of point and shoot-style cameras, whether in the form of this action camera that pops-off to become a wearable or a Polaroid camera with a burst mode, we have seen in the recent past. The C100, however, makes a special case. The camera eliminates the color preview screen and replaces it with a transparent LCD that functions as an optical viewfinder.

Designer: Godox

Designed to be your simplistic filming companion on the go, the device is created to be lightweight. Weighing only 65g, the camera lets you “look directly at the real scene when composing your shot, press the shutter, and capture the beautiful moment,” Godox explains. Unlike a digital camera, you don’t see the view through a display. There is no display, so you create the composition through its transparent screen. “No complicated operations are required. Take photos or record videos anytime, anywhere,” the company claims.

The device is basically a two-part unit, akin to handheld games we had growing up in the nineties. The top half features a transparent screen inside a thickish bezel comprising a camera in the center (like the selfie camera on a smartphone). Below it, in the other half, are the battery, SD card, and charging slot, toggle buttons for left and right adjustment, and the click-to-capture shutter. The lower half is also where you grip the camera to take pictures.

Godox points out on its product page that the C100 camera features metering capabilities. It can read the brightness of the central area (you’re trying to capture) and can automatically calculate the optimal exposure settings. This information can also be used to click with a separate camera, if you may. According to the company, the transparent screen on the C100 has about 50% light transmittance. The display shows information like active exposure, current frame, and battery life while clicking.

For stress-free shooting in all types of environments, the C100 camera is said to feature four creative aspect ratios. You can shoot in either 6:9, 4:3, 3:2, or 1:1. The camera doesn’t have built-in storage but is compatible with up to a 128GB microSD card. You can transfer your media from the C100 to your phone or laptop via USB-C, which can also be used to recharge its built-in battery that lasts 1.5 hours.

Godox hasn’t shared information regarding the camera sensor used or the image formats and video quality it supports, but has specified the retail price of the C100 at $44.90 in the official release video of the camera.

 

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8849’s Tank 5 phone built for the harshest of conditions has a 2K DLP projector

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Smartphones have brought the smarts of the tech world to our pockets, but there’s still scope for more. Rugged phones like Blackview XPLORE 2 and the 8849 Tank Pad Ultra have already demonstrated what smart devices built like a tank are capable of beyond their stellar protective shell. It serves as the perfect housing for securing a small projector inside.

Rugged smartphones are typically known for their larger batteries, night-vision cameras, and even thermal cameras, targeted at users who spend a considerable amount of time in the great outdoors. 8849 wants to have more than a slice of that niche market with the new Tank 5 phone, which comes with a DLP projector so you never get bored on those lonely nights camping out in the wild.

Designer: 8849

Although the mobile device is also targeted towards users who work in industrial sectors where other phones won’t survive the hardcore conditions, this phone is the ideal companion for someone who’s downright clumsy. Sure, the device is quite thick at 33.8mm and heavy at 715 grams, for being a daily driver, but the utility it packs should appeal to hardcore users who want a bit extra from their smartphone. For that reason, Tank 5 comes with an IP68 and IP69K water and dust resistance rating, making it better than most mainstream flagship devices.

Take it into the wild, and you’re most certainly guaranteed weeks of battery backup courtesy of its 17,600mAh battery. With the accompanying 120W charging setup, this tank-like device juices up in 90 minutes. It also doubles as a reverse charging unit for your other gadgets. The battery cell is rated to survive ambient extremes from -28 °C to 56 °C. On the back, the phone gets a 1200-lumen camping light with an RGB function to send SOS signals, look deep into the woods, or light up the camping ground. The highlight of this rugged phone is the built-in 2K DLP projector (resolution of 2048 x 1080 pixels) that comes with laser-based auto-focus and automatic keystone correction for enjoyable late-night entertainment. The small yet power-packed projector delivers 220 lumens of brightness, which is respectable enough for a quick session of binge-watching on any flat projection surface.

Still, at the end of the day, it is a 6.73-inch AMOLED display phone boasting a 3200×1400 pixel resolution with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The 3,000 nits of peak brightness ensure the content being displayed is clearly visible in direct sunlight outdoors. Under the hood, the phone packs a lot of power thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e processor mated to 18GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512 GB internal storage (UFS 4.0), which can be extended to 2GB via the microSD card slot. You can click good photos with the phone thanks to the 50 MP primary shooter, 50 MP night vision camera, and a 50MP telephoto lens on the rear. For selfies and video calls, Tank 5 gets an impressive 32MP shooter. Of course, there’s a 3.5 mm jack, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and two programmable keys to assign your favorite functions.

8849 takes device connectivity and security seriously; that’s why this phone gets WiFi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, and eSIM support. Tank 5 carries a price tag of $900 during the initial pre-order phase, which will later rise to the regular $999 price.

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LIV’s new E-Leaf Offroad thermoplastic travel trailer is woodless and all-electric

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Interestingly, every other manufacturer in the industry is changing the way trailers used to be. Not just the wooden construction, even woodwork indoors is being replaced with composite fiberglass construction for weight management and longevity. LIV Trailers, based in the US is trying a different approach altogether.

Famous for its no-wood, no-fiberglass rigs made of welded thermoplastic bodies, the relatively young company is changing the RV landscape one release at a time. Latest to make its presence felt is the new E-Leaf Offroad trailer, which thrives on its image of being the first all-electric thermoplastic travel trailer. We cannot verify it on a global scale, but it definitely is the first such RV from the company itself.

Designer: LIV Trailers

E-Leaf Offroad trailer has officially been announced, though information regarding most of its specs and features remains undisclosed at the time of writing. However, the all-electric nuance of the travel trailer is brilliantly highlighted along with the inherent construction that it borrows from its predecessors. All LIV trailers feature a single-piece plastic shell. The company says it is formed by welding the roof, walls, and wheel wells into one continuous structure, leaving no seams for water to seep in and eliminating the risk of corrosion altogether.

The E-Leaf Offroad also shares a similar thermoplastic unibody. As the name suggests, it is made for off-roading and to run off-the-grid. LIV has announced that the E-Leaf Offroad will start under $25,000 and feature a 300Ah lithium battery drawing power from a 400-W rooftop solar system (comprising a pair of 200W panels). The trailer features a 3,000-W inverter onboard to keep the electric appliances and lighting running and also comes with a 20-A DC-to-DC charger to power the towing EV.

There is no official word on the size of the trailer, but going by the previous models from LIV and the supposed design at hand, it could reportedly measure slightly above 17 foot overall. Despite the trailer’s compact size, its unibody construction in addition to rendering it rugged, would also make the rig lightweight yet spacious to accommodate up to four people.

The E-Leaf Offroad, for such a sleeping arrangement, features a foldaway bed on one side of the side entry and a convertible gaucho sofa elsewhere. Most interesting here is the L-shaped corner kitchen comprising electric appliances, including a single-burner cooktop, a door fridge/freezer, and a microwave. It’s worth noting that while the sofa extends to become a bed, the Murphy bed folds up to reveal a bar-style dining table underneath, which can be used with a set of folding stools for dining. Much to my bewilderment, E-Leaf Offroad is also reported to house a full bathroom with a toilet and shower. The shower is fed with warm water by a 30-L electric water heater. The trailer is also likely to get a 32-in TV and an air conditioner with a heat pump when it’s launched.

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