Author Archives: Gaurav Sood

This functional tiny camping trailer from the ’80s can be hauled by cars as small as the Mini

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Once upon a time, there was a company called Island Plastics, not many of us have heard of and chances are not many would hear about it after this either. But one person/family can take home an available footprint of this company, its standard trailer camper available for grabs in the US. Reportedly, only 200 of these campers called Romini were ever built between 1985 and 1990 and are unfortunately out of production now.

The little camper, made from fiberglass panels sandwiching foam in between for insulation, is laid out with a bed and features requisite gear inside for a good time on the road. Owing to its petit size, 9.8-foot long and gross weight of 750kgs, the little camper is designed to be hauled by cars as small as the original Mini, making it the ultimate companion for tiny camping.

Designer: The Autopian

Through the years, the American trailer market has flourished with hefty options, then the tide shifted toward teardrops and those willing to trail these little ones for a short trip on the road would love to check out the Romini. The interior of the camper is pretty similar to the Romahome C15 micro motorhome but the layout is different.

Romini has a sleeping arrangement that’s across the interior instead of in length, which is the norm. The seating arrangement by the day here can transform into a double bed for the residents. The bed is only 6 feet across, so if you’re taller, you may have to pass this trailer. Otherwise, look on for the other features and you will be awestruck how all that is really stuffed in this small form factor.

A Romini back in the day came fully equipped with a kitchenette featuring sink, stove, fridge, and storage. The dinette cum bedroom had a skylight above, while a chemical toilet stowed away from sight. The camper was even provided with an awning for sitting outside in the shade. The one for sale is a standard model from ’85, so the features are limited to seating, bed, and kitchen essentials including a grill and a porta potti under the seating.

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This pedal-powered exerciser is your portable power bank for blackouts

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We are living in a vulnerable world where a disaster can strike at any time, without the slightest warning. While power outages as a result of damage to equipment, failure at the end of the provider, or some fault at home are common; outages because of disasters are still rare. In spite of this, governments globally are advising citizens to take simple steps to prepare for power emergencies. To help you through different types of blackouts, the HR Bank is made to provide power independence at any given time and space.

This portable power bank ensures continuous energy at home with comfort and security that you can trust with your family. The versatile power storage device is imagined to store power from almost every possible – renewal or non-renewal – source. The device stores excess energy in its internal 2kWh battery from solar panels and wind turbines and then helps power your home, appliance, and more during blackouts.

Designer: Lukas Avenas

The most interesting part about thee HR Bank is its human-powered ability. When the external energy source is unavailable, the user can pedal this power bank like an exercise bike to generate clean power. With its ability to double up as an exerciser, the HR Bank promotes fitness and can also become a dynamic workstation in minutes using an optional table contraption.

The HR Bank thus functions as a large power bank that can store energy from external power sources or generate its own electricity through pedaling. Through workout, while working on your system, you can generate 50-500 Wh of energy to power your smartphones, laptops or other devices. This robust and customizable power bank cum exerciser can keep you fit and power a smartphone to full charge on 15 minutes of pedaling, while pedaling it for one hour straight can generate enough power to juice up a laptop.

The body of the HR Bank is made of aluminum (for its durability, versatility, and infinite recyclability properties) and it features an electric motor by Tukas EV. Other materials comprising the pedals, saddle, and handlebar are made from birch plywood, vegan leather, and natural leather. The entire HR Bank is highly adjustable so people of all heights can use it by adjusting the saddle, handlebar, or pedal position to their liking. With the handlebars and saddle removed, this power bank cum exerciser can pack up into a size of regular luggage for easy storage or transportation.

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A bicycle with three embedded chairs to ferry around town … wait , what!

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I’ve always been intrigued and amazed by the idea of Mamachari bicycles from Japan that can be used as grocery carriers, kid transporters, or riding to work with all your gadgets. Virtually every family in the land of the rising sun owns or has owned a Mama’s Chariot.

The unisex bicycle has proven itself as a age-old solution to city commuting and the Mama bike is not going to dwindle in popularity any time soon. Not when you see outlandish inspirations like the Homo Mobilitas pictured here. The reimagined bicycle has a chair as the saddle. Yes, a chair to either go riding on the streets or relax being parked by the side of a breezy pavement to catch some air.

Designer: Takuto Ohta

The body of this unique bicycle is the Furakazu Shushu model from Maruishi Cycle which is popular in Japan as the first kids-carrying solution in the country. While the famous ride is not safe by any stretch of the imagination, it still solves the purpose if you keep all your senses in overdrive. The axis of the front handle takes all the weight and the clever mechanism links the stand to the front fork to lower the center of gravity to stabilize the bicycle. Takuto’s idea is to debunk the safety norms and address gender biases by transforming how we look and interact with bicycles.

By fusing a chair design with a bicycle, the designer wants to reinterpret how we see our relationship with everyday objects. The motivation to create this design is to see bicycles not just as a mode of transportation but also as an important part of our living environment. Thus, a bicycle with not two chairs, but three. How practical would it be to drive a bicycle with three chairs holding the weight of adults, I’m not too sure. One thing is clear though, this creation will have eyeballs turning in Japan.

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Want to read in the dark? This ‘Illuminating Bookmark’ makes your pages light up at the right brightness

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There are two types of book readers – ones who read during the day and those who snuggle up in bed at night with a book. While the day readers get plenty of natural light, night readers sometimes struggle to find the right lumens that won’t strain their eyes and disturb the light sleeper sharing the bed while they lose themselves in the power of the written words. Numerous companies have come up with creative solutions to both these problems with night lights.

A good reading light defines your reading time; either you can enjoy a physical book or have to open up a Kindle, which will strain the eyes. There are plenty of night lights such as the Glocusent LED neck reading light or Vekkia Dual Heads Rechargeable book light that come with high recommendations, but they fall short when compared to the AwesomePre book light, which has an innovative design allowing a window into your book after dark.

Designer: BEBOP Design

Created for the LED technology development startup MemsLux, the AwesomePre is made to create an emotional connection between the reader and the story after the sun goes down. Shaped as a large window that can be placed on the page you are reading, the device uses MemsLux’s LED technology to emit comfortable light wavelength to give a private reading experience. It would be like gazing into your favorite escape world through a portal. Alas! You cannot magically cross it.

The main body has a ‘magic lighting plate’ made with a semiconductor process and contains barely visible micro-sized light emission patterns. The sophisticated design of the night light eliminates unnecessary clutter such as cords which works best for people who often toss and turn while reading. It also helps minimize clutter and distractions while you are immersed in a book. The slender frame of the device allows easy portability so you can stash the light in your bag and take it on your sleepovers or vacations.

It features control panels on the main body attached to the frame where the reader can adjust the light to their liking. The chargeable device can be used as a handheld light or placed atop the book. It can serve as a mood light when connected to the charging dock.

This reading light is particularly beneficial for people who like to read late into the night and do not want to disturb anyone in the room. Unlike its counterparts on the market, the accessory allows uniform light distribution on the page being read, so you don’t have to adjust it as you near the bottom or squint. The only downside we can think of is the lack of ergonomic comfort for readers who fancy reading in a laid-back position. Other than this, the accessory is a must-have for bookworms.

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Endgame Invisible PC desk is the ultimate gaming machine hiding in a secret hatch under the tabletop

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Having powerful desk setups can be exciting but all the wire clutter and visual chaos can overshadow the buzz. Matthew Perks is one DIYer who is keen enough to design unique rigs that are highly functional and instantly pique the interest of a geek like me. The respected YouTuber has created some impressive projects in the past including his first attempt at an invisible desk PC.

Now, he’s more mature and experienced to create an endgame PC desk that will blow you away, just as it did to me. The final result is a functional and visually calming setup that goes perfectly with any home décor or geeky theme. This project makes technology disappear in your living space and only shows up when it’s time to get productive or go a gaming marathon.

Designer: Matthew Perks

The invisible PC setup looks minimalistic, as Matthew tactfully integrates high-end PC hardware into the frame of a desk. Barely noticeable to the unassuming eye, the OLED display, water-cooled PC and peripherals hide inside a secret hatch in the tabletop when not in use. Call it the ingenuity of the man, or level of creative patience – everything about this PC desk is done so immaculately that you’ll barely realize how difficult it actually is to make one. This is a true example of what future home computing applications could be like while harmoniously integrating with the existing interior setup.

The most difficult part of the whole DIY is to mount a 45-inch Corsair Xeneon Flex ultrawide bendable OLED display on the custom-built aluminum frame that opens and closes as smooth as butter, courtesy of the hinge mechanism pneumatic struts and tension springs. The high-performance Intel Core i9-13900K processor and Zotac GeForce RTX 4090 GPU of the PC require optimum cooling, therefore, Matthew went ahead with installing custom water blocks, but to make it even better, he then upgraded the rig with bigger heatsinks and 140mm Corsair fans.

Once everything technical got sorted, the final phase of the DIY involved aesthetics and function. For this, he added wood panels to the motorized standing desk to go with the home décor. The last little detail includes adding magnetic assists for lifting the monitor with the least effort while maintaining the sleek look of the tabletop that can take a total weight of 440 lbs without breaking a sweat.

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All-in-one camping trailer has everything you need, and can even charge your e-bikes

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Compactness of a camper is defined by the multifunctionality it can stuff into a form factor that’s otherwise small to look at. Toy haulers and camping trailers – despite their size – have their own market, and are usually treated separately by the builders. There are only a few forward thinkers that have been fitting the two possibilities in the same unit, but again the distinction is pretty evident. Re: the gear storage is separate from the living area.

Now, with the interesting layout envisioned by Karoo for its new adventure camping trailer, we should be able to carry the gear in the space we live, without cramping it up for the children to tag along. That may sound an exaggeration; a statement for the heck of it! However, with the Karoo Adventure trailer this is what is apparent. It’s not only for the papers, the company has different variants in the contention that can make camping and toy hauling unified for families and obliviously the adventurer.

Designer: Karoo Camper

Overcoming the years of compromise campers have made by stuffing their bikes into little nooks, the electric-bike friendly Karoo Adventure camper is not only intriguing because of its space utilization but also because it is designed to take you on expeditions beyond the power grid courtesy its 6-kWh lithium-ion battery and rooftop solar panels.

A solution conceived for the breed that enjoys exploring nature on their own terms, the Karoo camper can juice up your e-bikes on the go, so there’s no stopping you. And so that it’s towable easily, the trailer weighs 750kgs, while its entire structure measures 16.4 feet long and 7 feet high. Within this space is that interesting layout comprising a foldaway seating area – which converts into a bed for two – and permits your bicycle, fishing gear, or snowboard to fit alongside. Just over but under the gaping skylight is a lift-up ceiling bed for children to bunk on, while right in front is the wet bathroom that hides from sight until its door slides over the entertainment/storage section.

This living section of the Karoo Adventure trailer is breezy with well-positioned windows and two large hatch and side doors. Placed within is also a pull-out kitchen, equipped with a gas stove and a faucet, for you to enjoy outdoor cooking under the integrated awning module that extends the living space further out. If you’re convinced with what you’re getting with the Karoo, you can bet $100 to prebook this $30,000 Karoo Adventure trailer now.

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Nothing Phone (2a) special edition in Super Nintendo-inspired colors is a conversation starter

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Nothing is evolving in the right direction with its lineup of phones and audio accessories. The brand wants to a wider chunk of the consumer market who want a device that’s not flagship-grade but still has a design distinction without going too heavy on gimmicks. Yes, I’m talking about the Phone (2a) smartphone that has the right set of specifications for normal users.

Now, Nothing Phone (2a) is coming in a special edition version that looks absolutely stunning. Especially, gamers and nerds will trip over this for sure. On pure looks, it closely resembles the Super Nintendo controller with the red, yellow and blue hues in immaculate form. Make no mistake the smartphone market is saturated and being distinct has its brownie points. The colors come from the brand’s use of these colors on the first earbuds and the blue on the Phone (2a).

Designer: Nothing

On the inside, the Android 14 phone has the exact same hardware as the original version. There’s an 8-core chip Dimensity 7200 Pro chip, 20 GB RAM, and a 5000 mAh battery that’s bigger than the flagship Phone 2 device. The 6.7-inch AMOLED display having 1,300 nits peak brightness and 120 Hz refresh rate should suffice your multimedia needs without any regrets. On the rear, the phone has a 50MP camera with optical image stabilization and 4K video recording capability. Even the front selfie camera can shoot at 1080p – 60 FPS.

Interested buyers can order the Phone (2a) Special Edition from Nothing’s website or the Product drop at Soho store in London on June 1, in 12GB and 256GB storage configuration. The price tag of $444 will mostly interest Gen-Z. There’s no word about the US launch but we’ll keep you updated.

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Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch pulls kids from screens to indulge in rewarding playtime

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The other day my 7-year-old nephew refused dinner until his father allowed him access to the smartphone after the meal. This was difficult for me – someone outside of parenting primary school children – to digest. I realized controlling screen time is a big issue for parents handling kids in this age group. These kids are distancing themselves from outdoor sports and playtime only means video games.

Smartwatches have very little share in this. Perhaps, the screen real estate makes them mere child trackers rather than motivators, while smartphones or game consoles enjoy the lion’s share. Even when the smartwatch has more potential to allow kids some distraction from eye-straining mobile screens. Google with Fitbit has been exploring this possibility for a couple of years; now it seems to be rolling out that potential wearable that could provide “benefits of a smartphone. Without the smartphone” in your child’s hand.

Designer: Fitbit

Enter the Fitbit Ace LTE, the first of its type wearable for kids ages 7+ that combines playtime with video games to get kids active without compromising too much on their ongoing lifestyle. By bringing immersive, interactive 3D games to the child’s wrist, Fitbit may have just crossed the line, but its interesting idea to align gametime with playtime really places the device in my good books.

The more a child plays (moves) the more games they unlock on their Ace LTE. This is a simple motivation mantra around which the entire wearable is designed. Because it’s going to be on the child’s wrist all the time, this is not the only feature it packs: privacy and parental control are the driving pillars. Powered by webOS, the Fitbit Ace using Fitbit Ace Pass and the Fitbit Ace app, allows parents to track their child’s real-time location, call or text them, send and receive voice messages, and even set trusted contacts that are permitted to interact with the child. For safety, the child’s location or activity data is deleted every 24 hours while their activity data is erased after 35 days of backup.

To recognize and reward, Fitbit Ace LTE kid’s smartwatch uses Google’s self-developed movement algorithm to accurately measure kids’ physical activity whether they’re “playing hide and seek, jumping on the bed or having a sibling dance-off,” Google notes. The idea is to encourage and motivate all types of movement – visible in ‘Noodle,’ an activity ring on the watch home screen – and reward the same with new games and more game time.

Noddle is not the only weirdo on the Fitbit Ace LTE. Kid’s get their own customizable Eejie that stays happy off the wearer’s daily physical activity. So, the more kids clock their activity goals the happier their Eejie gets. And besides customizing the Eejie, kids can also use different watch bands that clip on and unlock ‘different items, styles, rooms and Noodles’ to interact and play with. With 16 hours of playback time, 50-meter water resistance, and a scratch-resistant display, the Fitbit Ace LTE is available for preorder at $229.95.

 

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Exclusive LEGO sets depicting Ukraine’s iconic landmarks raise funds for rebuilding the nation

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Ukraine is having a long haul with the ongoing war that has changed lives, altered the city’s visual landscape and left behind scars that’ll take centuries to heal. Every effort to help the country revive and keep afloat is appreciated. In this noble effort, the United24 charity has launched a second wave of raising money to help rebuild the nation that’s dealing with the invasion by Russia.

Last year’s initiative raised nearly $375,000 and the second wave of charity should be even better. This time, United24 has launched five sets created by LEGO builders from four countries across the globe. These include Eric Law and Mark Segedie from the US, Daniel Seidl from Germany, Maciej Kocot from Poland, and Aleksander Yermolaev from Ukraine.

Designer: United24

The passionate creators of these LEGO sets were all humbled by the opportunity of this endeavor. Maciej who created The Khan Palace replica is proud of the Crimean culture, while Segedie from the USA chose the Pidhirtsi Castle for its balanced mix of Ukrainian history and his passion for building castles. According to Yaroslava Gres, UNITED24 Coordinator, “We are very grateful to these LEGO creators, who not only responded to UNITED24’s appeal but also took the initiative in choosing architectural objects. Despite the fact that some of them had never been to Ukraine, everyone managed to recreate each of the five landmarks in great detail. We will continue to keep the focus of international audiences on Ukraine.”

The hashtag fuelling this initiative is “UKRAINEinLEGOBricks. These exclusive sets are based on famous landmarks from all over Ukraine. These include Lviv in the west, the capital Kyiv in central Ukraine, and Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Crimea in the south on the Black Sea. The limited edition sets are not for sale but lucky users can win one of them by donating $24 or more towards reconstruction of a school in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Mind you, only 15 of these are in total – three of each model – slated to be raffled out through the fundraiser till June 20.

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Momo lunar habitat is a reconfigurable compact dwelling for future Moon settlements

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By 2030 we could see a rise in space tourism and most likely the human habitation of the Low Earth Orbit will trigger the shift towards living beyond Earth. Even though realizing the dream of setting foot on the red planet is some decades still to go, living on the lunar surface is not a far-fetched craving.

The challenges in colonizing planets or satellites beyond the Earth’s bounds are immense and taking them one step at a time is the key. One of the challenges is to provide a safe haven for inhabitants in inhospitable conditions. This project dubbed Momo wants to address this with a flatpack and modular option for practicality. Developed by MIT’s Department of Architecture and MIT Media Lab in association with AeroAstro, the self-assembling lunar habitat is among the best ideas so far we’ve come across.

Designer: MIT Media Lab

Keeping in mind the things that could go wrong in alien environments, the Momo habitat is completely replaceable in case there is a breach or malfunction. Rather than replacing the whole habitat, the compromised module can be swapped with a new one. This saves time and ensures the inhabitants have one less thing to worry about. The ultimate goal for developing Momo will be to support the Arthemis III mission and assist in the long-term lunar settlement mission. Oen can realize the extent of the seriousness of this undertaking by the fact that MIT Departments will be headed by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Jhonson Space Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory and SpaceX.

For the first phase, the compact habitat will have a design that flat-packs inside the Starship HLS cargo space. It’ll be developed keeping in mind at all times about the safety and efficient space utilization. The modular aspect allows for versatile functionality, for instance, realigning the aluminum frame and high-density polyethylene membrane for setting up camp depending on the terrain of the Moon. It can be anything from a safe airlock compartment, windows, work desks, or even exercise areas.

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