LG placed battery in a television set and the StanbyMe was born. The portable, touchscreen display, Korean tech giant sells for $1,000, is completely wireless and comes on a height-adjustable stand so it can swivel in landscape and portrait orientation to facilitate viewing angle depending on the content you are watching. Adding to the versatility of this battery-powered TV, LG has launched StanbyMe Speaker. A soundbar that works standalone or can hook up to the StandbyMe stand using its own mounting cradle.
The cylindrical portable Bluetooth speaker wirelessly syncs with the StanbyMe display offering it a powerful sound without compromising the quality of the internal volume. The speaker weighs roughly 2.2 pounds making it extremely lightweight and portable to take anywhere you like. It comes with an IPX5 rating, so you can carry it to the poolside, but don’t take it further from there. An accidental splash is doable but it won’t survive being submerged in water.
Connected to the StanbyMe, and using LG’s Wow Orchestra feature, the audio is delivered in harmony through the StanbyMe Speaker and the display’s internal speaker. When the two are linked, the display’s remote can be used to control the onboard speakers and the immersive audio output of the external speaker.
LG claims, the StanbyMe Speaker can provide 16 hours of playtime under normal usage. The Bluetooth speaker can be recharged using USB-C. The impressive run-time means you can use the speaker for viewing a series on OTT, game for hours without a stop, to join friends at home for a house party playing music all night. For the latter, the speaker has LED lights customizable (via app) to the vibe of the music you’re playing and create the desired atmosphere.
Taking care of the most integral aspects, the stereo sound of the StanbyMe Speaker is two 20mm tweeters paired with a single woofer. The dual passive radiator on the speaker helps deliver a deeper and more compelling bass, LG notes. LG StanbyME Speaker is now available in the U.S. and Korea. Through the website, LG.com the speaker is retailing for $200 in the US. The company has a plan to roll out the speaker in other markets globally, but when, is not clear at the time of writing.
Ming watches exist for a clock enthusiast like me. No wonder then, I knew a thing or two about the lead founder and designer Ming Thein. I was aware that he is an avid photographer and a horologist, but honestly, I didn’t know he is also big enough a cycling buff to get Firefly to customize him an everyday bike that could fold to fit into his Rimowa luggage for easy travel.
Firefly Bicycles needs no introductions. It is known for customizing bikes to order whether you need a racer, a durable one for off-roading, or something “totally different,” in the case of Ming, a truly foldable commuter with all the bells and whistles.
Tailored to Ming Thein, is the pictured Firefly MiniVelo travel bike. It is by virtue a titanium bicycle designed to fit perfectly inside a Rimowa travel case. The custom-made bike has been specially designed to disassemble and assemble like a puzzle to fit into a briefcase and back to ride without a flinch.
The MiniVelo thrives on its lightweight and durable chassis that can be unfastened into two halves, with other parts following suit, disassembling to fit into a piece of compact luggage. The main highlight here, which makes the entire assembly and disassembly routine interesting, is the hydraulic line couplers built into the bike frame.
The innovation of this bike design extends to the 3D printed forks, SMC Govan tri-spoke wheels, and seat post made of carbon fiber, which together contribute to the lightweight of the MiniVelo travel bike. Furthering the idea of unique travel customized to user style, Firefly allows the titanium frame to be a canvas for anodizing.
The MiniVelo, as mentioned, is made to order for a horologist with a love for travel and cycling. Firefly is not likely to, at least at the time of writing, replicate the idea for mass production. But if you are fascinated by the idea of a titanium mini bicycle, you can fit in Rimowa luggage, head over to Firefly Bicycles, and request a customized option right away.
Overlanding adventures demand fully ruggedized camping trailers that can take whatever the dusty and bumpy roads have to throw at them. SylvanSport did the most spectacular, for the purpose, in the Go Camper, which won numerous accolades, including the title of the “Coolest. Camper. Ever,” by National Geographic. Now, to build on the Go Camper’s off-road capabilities, the outdoor adventure goods company from North Carolina has launched the all-new GOAT.
GOAT, the Go All Terrain trailer, is a lightweight, rugged off-roader that can haul your gear, bikes, and more alongside, giving you an on-site option to pitch your tent and sleep four in comfort. If you have been on the hunt for a compact trailer for camping and hauling, your search will end at the really impactful GOAT, which is towable by anything between a Subaru Wilderness, JEEP, or a Toyota Tacoma and the like.
GO All-Terrain with 1,200 lbs dry weight is designed for carrying up to 950lb payload. Its custom exterior powder-coated aluminum frame makes the lightweight trailer a more refined living space with greater versatility than the Go Camper. The GOAT has a 7-foot long, 4-foot wide, and 1.4-foot high versatile cargo area, which can double as a toy hauler for your motorbike or an ATV, if you may. Additionally, the rack system allows you to carry rooftop baskets, kayak carriers, and cargo containers safely.
When you are on the unbeaten path, you want your trailer to perform without a hiccup. To that end, the new SylvanSport’s trailer comes with all-terrain tires cushioned by Timbren HD Axle-Less suspension system, a comfortable 18 inches underbody clearance (with a spare tire hooked on the side to the aluminum body), and a very impressive 42 degrees departure angle. An optional off-read hitch makes it ready for any terrain, while the storage box on the front of the trailer gives 9 cubic feet of additional waterproof storage space.
The real magic of the GOAT is not its hauling capacity, it’s the living quarters it offers for on-the-go comfort. The canopy – ripstop nylon waterproof tent – pulls down from the trailer’s roof, attaches to the frame securely, and can be set up in under 10 minutes by two people, as seen in the promo video.
The roomy trailer is pretty impressive with 6 foot 5 inches of headroom in the center. You have a pull-down table, hooked to the front, for dining and working, while two separate (80 x 30 inch) beds flank it on both (left and right) sides. You have windows on the sides with see-through and privacy layers, and by using two table panels attached to the side beds, you get a king and a half size bed. The GOAT is available for preorder in Stealth Grey and Venture Green colorways. Its base price starts at $18,495. You can prebook now and delivery is expected to begin in April 2024.
The Charger Daytona electric version has been in my crosshair for quite some time now, and Dodge has finally pulled the drapes off. Yes, the production version of an equally potent Daytona with a dual-motor powertrain is finally official. The quiet beast can deliver the same performance as its big brother powered by the Hemi V8 engine.
This highly anticipated electric muscle car is slated to be available for buyers later this year in two variants – R/T and Scat Pack. Both these versions will further have a two-door coupe and a four-door sedan options. Securing the future for such drivetrains, Dodge has already revealed plans for a Banshee performance version of the electric Charger Daytona next year. As and when that one will be released, boy… it’s going to tickle the fancies of the most avid speed demons!
Talking of the technical specifications the electric Charger will be built on the STLA Large platform, the company’s top-of-the-line electric architecture designed for SUVs and heavy cars. There’s a bigger 100.5 kWh battery to provide all the performance-oriented power to the drivetrain. This will be accompanied by the 400V propulsion system for DC fast charging – enabling an 80 percent charge level in just 52 minutes. But we know what all you motorheads are interested in – that’s the acceleration and top speeds. The R/T churns out 456 horsepower, and 404Lb-ft of torque for shooting from 0-60mph in 4.7 seconds. The Scat Pack has more under its belly with 630 horsepower and 627lb-ft of torque to go from 60mph in just 3.3 seconds.
Having a drag race at those speeds requires massive stopping power, hence, the electric Dodge Charger is fitted with huge 16-inch Brembo brakes and red six-piston front/four-piston rear fixed calipers. This is paired with the “Brake by Wire” intelligent braking system that uses a central module to control vehicle deceleration for “optimum braking force and pedal feedback.” Performance in different sets of conditions should also be a cakewalk given the electric Charger is loaded with Auto, Eco, Sport, and Wet / Snow on the R/T version. The Scat Pack variant will get two additional modes – Track and Drag. As clear from the names, the track mode will optimize the car for “maximum vehicle performance capability on smooth, dry surfaces; while the Drag mode is tailored for “optimal dragstrip launch and straight-line acceleration.”
Of course, a muscle car should not only look (with a faux exhaust) and perform like a beast but also need to have that heavy grunt to impart an impact on onlookers. Dodge has that sorted with the low-speed hum that turns into a growl as the car accelerates. Coming on to the interiors, the electric muscle car will have pretty much the same cabin build as the recent Charger models. However, there will be a tad more gadgets and technology to match the electric vehicle theme. On the front there are dual free-standing displays, one is a 10.3- or 16-inch gauge cluster and the other is a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The steering wheel is more squared-off and the pistol-grip gear shifter is placed on the center console.
When you pair your iPhone with the new Apple TV, you are been able to bring your family and friends – bigger and more life-like – into your living room. Thanks to the Continuity Camera feature of the latest tvOS, you can have FaceTime calls from the iPhone synced with the TV to enhance your video calling experience.
Now to help take this experience a ‘mount higher,’ Apple is making available a Belkin MagSafe-compatible mount that makes using the iPhone-enabled feature more convenient. The new Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe seamlessly converts the iPhone into a webcam for the Apple 4K TV.
According to the information on Belkin’s website, the versatile mount can be fixed directly to your TV (with a thickness of up to 40mm without wires or tools) to help you use your iPhone’s rear camera for FaceTime or Zoom calls. When you don’t want to use it as a TV mount, you can fold it up to use as an iPhone stand in landscape or portrait mode on a table or wall (via magnetic attachment).
This is not Belkin’s first mount of this kind in any way, it has previously provided a similar mount for iMac and Apple’s external displays. This Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Apple TV 4K is a versatile option that offers negative-20 and 30-degree tilt to place the iPhone at a perfect angle during calls.
The new mount/stand, offered in durable metal construction and premium finish, is now available online from the Belkin website for $49.95. The MagSafe-compatible mount comes with a 2-year warranty and makes for an effective way to let your iPhone and TV work in harmony to make the video calling experience larger than life for you.
Superyacht concepts, well, we’ve seen them all, right from the luxury-laden vessels to the ones that rarely crossed noblemen’s imagination. Lazzarini Design Studio has always surprised us with its unique concept yachts just when we think nothing could be better, and this one is right up there with the best.
This megayacht by the design studio reimagines what a multibillionaire would want in a luxury vessel and betters it. The idea is to make water adventures fun, and not let the owner and guests onboard get bored on long adventure trips. So, why not have a huge blimp that would be exponentially better than a helicopter parked on the deck?
Christened Colossea, the airship expands the possibility of travel and exploration by a couple of notches. It’s difficult to phantom the sheer size of this vessel and the fact that it has a detachable airship that draws inspiration from the Norge blimp. An eye-popping structure for onlookers way back a century ago in Rome, the airship was colossal. Lazzarini reimagines it with design tweaks, material upgrades, and propulsion technologies of current times. To keep the overall weight to a minimum, the airship is crafted out of carbon fiber for the external surface, as well as the internal structure.
All that power to smoothly lift the detachable blimp off the deck of the megayacht comes courtesy of the 8 electric engines. Completely capable of taking a flight between Europe and America, just like the Norge, this modern avatar of the airship houses 22 compartments and LH2 tanks for the liquid hydrogen batteries. The lift is provided by the H2 gas release into the 30,000 mc gas compartments and also the energy needs are sufficed by this system along with the solar panels on top. The advanced propulsion system gives the flying vessel measuring 106 meters, a top speed of 165 km/h. The yacht is powered by the HTS engines for a maximum speed of 22 knots.
A flying vessel so huge can haul a payload of 10,000 kg and the luxurious seating area is good enough for 24 passengers and 10 crew members. On the other hand, the 204-meter megayacht has 22 guest suites, a garage loaded with exploration gear, open-air lounges, and multiple decks with large waterfall swimming pools on the rear. All this ensures the perfect getaway ride for 44 guests and 20 crew members.
I don’t publicly endorse snacking in bed, but having a robot vacuum clean up those crumbs before you sleep is an absolute game-changer…
We spend so much time cleaning our floors and tables with robots and handheld vacuums, it’s funny that we don’t give our beds and sofas the same treatment. Dust gathers on your floor, sure, but practically, it would collect on your mattress too, right? Besides, brushing away those Doritos crumbs off your bed isn’t really the most effective way of cleaning… so here’s my question. We clean our floors with some of the most cutting-edge gadgets on the market. What about our beds and sofas – places we actually spend hours laying/resting on?
Especially for people with allergies, dust mites and other particles can trigger larger problems like asthma, skin reactions, or rhinitis. So, it becomes a prerogative to keep your bed or even your fabric sofa clean and sanitized at all times. And sure, you could just bust out your vacuum cleaner every time… but let’s face it, using a robot cleaner is so much more effective and easy. Besides, your vacuum cleaner won’t sanitize those crevasses or corners, and gaps in the fabric. The X1 Robot Bed Vacuum, on the other hand, will…
Much like a robot floor cleaner, the X1 smartly plans its path, ensuring every corner of your bed gets vacuumed and sanitized. All it takes is the push of a button.
According to research, an average human sheds approximately 28 grams of skin every week. Combine this with the body head released when deep in slumber, and the dust mites have the ideal conditions to thrive and grow their population to around 2 million in a single mattress. Isn’t that fact startling and scary at the same time? As a fun experiment, just go to your sofa in the afternoon sun and whack it with your hands. As expected, you’ll probably see a dust cloud emerge from them. Sure, you probably use Roombas and disinfectants to take care of the floor you walk on, but nobody gives much of a damn about the bedsheet and pillow covers you sleep on, or the sofa they sit on beyond just the occasional weekly wash. The X1 tackles those microparticles on a much deeper level, ensuring that none of the fabric surfaces you rest on become breeding grounds for bacteria, or collection zones for dust.
This advanced robot bed vacuum cleaner loaded with intelligent self-navigation technology takes up the task of cleaning without much hassle. All you’ve got to do is sit back and binge-watch as X1 banishes dust mites and allergens with the touch of a button It vibrates and vacuums simultaneously, dislodging particles that then get sucked into the cylindrical dust chamber located on top of the X1, along with a UVC lamp that sanitizes your surfaces, killing bacteria, bedbugs, and mites that may cause rashes/infections. The appliance can also be used to clean rugs/mats, couches, pillows, baby play mats, or any fabric surfaces that could trap dust/dirt/particulate matter.
What sets apart X1 from other handheld vacuum cleaners is the in-built technology. It comes with 9 proximity sensors and a smart obstacle avoidance algorithm that identifies objects measuring 5cm or more and also detects edges of the bed to avoid falling off while cleaning. The intelligent Path Planning system navigates the designated bed to create a map from precise cleaning in blind spots without scouting the same section more than once. The cleaner comes with three modes – soft, powerful, and precision for daily, weekly, or damp weather cleaning needs respectively. To get more control over uneven surfaces like pillows or bed contours you can use it in the manual mode too.
The compact device is completely hands-free as it can be controlled with voice commands. Another set of features making it a winning proposition is the triple-headed cleaning power of vibration (15,000 oscillations/minute for lifting dust particles), vacuum (15Air Watt suction power) and UV-C sanitization courtesy of the 270nm LED UV-C light that obliterates bacteria and can even kill bedbugs with a stunning 95% efficacy rate. As a failsafe, to prevent any chances of unintended human exposure to UV-C light, the robot vacuum cleaner comes with an advanced auto-sensor that turns off the X1 as soon as it is picked off the cleaning surface.
The buck doesn’t stop there, as the vacuum cleaner boasts an impressive 1-hour battery life on a single charge. Makers are also mindful of secondary pollution woes, hence they’ve fitted the device with a HEPA filtration system that separates dust and hair. The dust mites are separated from the larger particles for easy cleaning. To that end, it has an easy-twist open mechanism with a magnetic design. With these countless features and modern lifestyle-focused design, the XI robot vacuum cleaner is a winning household gadget that is worth every penny spent!
The dust chamber on top lets you see how effective the X1 is at cleaning your bed and sofa. You can then pop it out and empty the dust after a cleaning cycle.
The X1 Robot Bed Vacuum starts at an exceedingly affordable $149 and comes with a Type-C charging cable, a cleaning brush, a user manual, and global shipping. Additional HEPA filters and brush rollers can be bought as an add-on package for just $15.
There are different kinds of people with varied adventure/recreation demands. Trailer builders have been trying to cater to all the distinct needs through teardrops – compact trailers – for Overlanding expeditions, beaches, and campsites. Now leaping onto ice, Minnesota-based Eveland’s Inc has built the IcePro, a compact, lightweight toy hauling mobile house that you can take ice fishing.
Designed for ice anglers with the will to own a toy hauling fish house, the IcePro features a boxy profile that is based on an aluminum frame. A neon blue line divides the top white and bottom black color fiberglass exterior that renders the tiny trailer lightweight to tow behind an ATV. And to our surprise, the ATV is parked within the IcePro itself, when you’re not occupying it over a frozen lake.
Inside the winterized fiberglass exterior, the IcePro has a well-insulated molded plastic interior that is comfortable and remains warm throughout your adventure on ice. This convenience is provided in 17 feet by 6.5 feet boxy structure, which is 6.8 feet high and apt to haul up to 1,200 lbs payload.
Envisioned to keep you comfy in harsh weather, the IcePro is priced at $24,995. With a dedicated garage – behind its double rear doors – for storing your ATV, the trailer can be easily towed by the ATV when you are ready to venture out. Once you reach the frozen ice, you can use the winch tire system to lower the IcePro down to the ice level so the occupant(s) can drill a hole in the ice from one of the (several) Catch Cover fishing holes and lower the fishing rods to begin with the business.
Since the IcePro isn’t meant to be a house on wheels; it has a minimalistic layout with overhead storage, large cabinets, and four Bluetooth speakers. It can be customized with an optional pair of swivel captain’s chairs, a generator, a fish finder system from Garmin, certain portable kitchen appliances, and an inflatable mattress. If you want to be on the ice, angling your heart’s content, the IcePro is a toy hauler you need. And I wish the ATV came complimentary with it!
MagSafe – magnetic charging and accessory attachment technology- is arguably a big transition for smartphones. It’s an Apple prerogative and has been part of every gadget the Cupertino giant has rolled out since 2020. It is no surprise then, that there’s been an unrelenting outflow of accessories for the MagSafe-compatible iPhones, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Doing this very attractively is Leon’s Electric Trout Co., which has been designing MagSafe charger stands that are a total game changer.
In the list of metallic and plasticky MagSafe accessories, David Stychno’s Electric Trout charging docks made from acrylic are confident newcomers. They outshine the old-school docks for all things Apple with productive and sleek silhouettes that are bound to redefine convenience and efficacy. Since Electric Trout wishes to tap a large spectrum of users, it has MagSafe-compatible charging solutions for one, two, or an entire range of Apple’s handheld and wearables.
As mentioned, the stands are designed to add more character than the traditional iterations. Case in point, the $39 Expo Apple Watch charging stand with watch band storage that arrives in an ‘X’ shape. The charging dock comes flat-packed and can assemble in seconds, without the use of tools or gum. You can set the watch to charge on this acrylic stand while the extra watch bands can hang by the elastic strap, so you don’t need additional place to keep your watch accessory.
If you want a more productive accessory that does more than hold and charge your Apple Watch, David’s design house has you covered with the interestingly styled upright clip NS-3 that charges a watch and iPhone and stores a pair of AirPods for you in the base. NS-3 Clip, and the previous options in the category, can be used on the nightstand or kitchen counter. It is handmade from a single piece of laser-cut acrylic.
In line with the idea is the MagSafe 3-in-1 charging stand that can help charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods on a seamless sheet of acrylic. It comes flat-packed for travel, and can become your nightstand essentially with the assembly of a kickstand. The latter allows this charging stand to be used in portrait or landscape orientations to browse or take calls while charging.
The most intriguing yet is the 3D-printed Ezl-02. It is an all-in-one dock created to let you juice up your devices with the chargers you already own. Shipped with a black Mophie wireless charging pad in the box, the Ezl-02 charges and helps organize your iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods, and extra watch bands in one place. If you have been waiting to get home a sleep charging stand for your Apple device, which won’t add clutter, but instead would look fancy, the buck stops at the Electric Trout shop!
Post-pandemic, the return of the workforce to offices means the environment is stressful and tensions are high. The tolerance levels are at a new low for most, and the smallest things like an inconsistent Wi-Fi or unannounced email from the boss can get the blood pressure rising. Stress ball with its form factor helps in physical and emotional relief therapy, and now a designer believes a wireless mouse can take over and help the working professional ease their anger with a mouse press.
Negativity is not a post-pandemic symptom anyway. Amid negative emotions and intolerance, anger has always reigned supreme in humans. Anger is closely related to the development of illness and only a few remedies can help. One over-the-counter option is a stress ball that doctors and therapists advise for easy and quick anger release, and borrowing an idea from it, the Vent wireless mouse is a functional option for stressed and enraged employees.
If I remember correctly, research a few years back disclosed that a mouse (through the way a person moves the cursor at different speeds) can predict anger and frustration. But what do you do when you know you’re angry? Of course, you don’t need a mouse to predict that for you, but a wireless mouse to help you release that without breaking the screen down is a handy option.
To that end, the Vent wireless mouse has been made from a silicone cover, that is made thick on the sides and back. These are parts that one holds in the palm when working. The designers believe, that when angry, the user can clinch the palm around the mouse and its soft touch can absorb the anger like the stress ball. Definitely not so much softly, but almost enough to calm you down.
With the use of silicone as its construction material, the Vent wireless mouse should be waterproof and hygienic peripheral. It can – like some previously made silicone mice – be cleaned without the risk of damaging the innards. This makes it a viable option in two ways (as an anger manager and hygienic peripheral) in this post-COVID lifestyle that we are embracing.
