Author Archives: Gaurav Sood

Hunting blind specialist designs HitchHiker, an affordable way to go camping around the year

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Pickup campers, trailers, and pop-up tents all have one thing in common; they persuade an enthusiast to step out of their driving seat over into the camper of choice filled with most essential amenities for a few days on the road. In the list of exceptional options popping up by the day, a hunting blind manufacturer is putting the tried and tested high density EPE foam material into creating the HitchHiker.

HitchHiker is what its name portrays; a tiny camping solution that rides on the back of your truck or trailer to give you a well-insulated, ultra-lightweight sleeping pod to curl into when the sun goes down. This pick-up camper, as you would have realized, is not the usual one to hitch behind your truck, in fact, the 190-pound fully insulated, hard-walled bare-bones sleeper camper is made to be carried along for an overlanding experience.

Designer: Tusca Outdoors

Pennsylvania-based mobile shelter manufacturer, Tusca Outdoors, has designed the simple HitchHiker with one motive: to let the enthusiasts retire in it after a long day’s drive. The camper doesn’t intend to include a kitchen or a washing setup or a pop-out skylight – it ideally is an all-weather enclosed camper with a lockable single entry. Owning to its bare-bone construction and single-point simplicity, it is very affordably priced at $2,750.

The construction is ultra-insulated. The company notes it can be heated with body heat even in sub-zero temperatures. Even though it has an electric port on the outside, you can use it to connect an electric or propane heater. For the adventurer, the HitchHiker then does function as a teardrop camper in all four seasons. Measuring 90-inch by 58-inch, the camper is ultra-compact and can fit onto the bed of a 5×8 utility trailer. It can be secured on the pick-up bed with accompanying 2-inch ratchet straps.

As far as features of the HitchHiker interior go, it is made to accommodate a full-size bed (available separately), which can sleep up to two adults comfortably. To ensure the interior is fresh and lighted, the HitchHiker has been fashioned with screened windows on both sides and even has small vents to maintain ventilation when the windows are closed.

What really makes this portable camping pod a good company is the convenience with which you can haul it. With two people, you can pick and set it up on the truck bed or trailer. And when you want to use it as a toy hauler, HitchHiker can be used on a larger trailer (larger than a 5×8). You can station the camper right in front and have the ATV or a bike behind it. IF the HitchHiker gets you excited, Tusca is showing it at the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Plan a trip this week!

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Lightweight and sleek Gocycle cargo e-bike fold down for hassle-free transportation

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Gocycle is pretty adept at making electric bikes showcasing a sleek, exotic design. Taking their innovation further, they’ve revealed the lightweight Gocycle CXI Family Cargo Bicycle that carries forward the core values of lightweight and portability for people who were always turned off by cumbersome cargo bikes.

The company has added the CXi lineup of cargo e-bikes that come with core patented innovations including side-mounted Pitstopwheels, F1-inspired monocoque chassis, internal cabling and Cleandrive drivetrain. There are two e-bikes, CXi and CX+ which are more or less the same, with the differentiator being the newly designed FloFit Handlebar in the latter.

Designer: Gocycle

The CXi’s patent-pending handlebar permits adjustments for reach height, multiple hand positioning, fingertip controls and grip angle to toggle the upright or forward stance. Other than that the signature Gocycle styling is evident with an appealing design that has no visual presence of chains, spokes, wires or gears. Some are engineered into oblivion, while others are cleverly hidden behind engineered shrouds and custom-built frames. The 51 lb bike folds down to a transportable size of 46.5 x 15.75 x 30.75 inches which makes it highly practical for diverse needs.

Combining the performance front, the cargo bikes are built on the hydro-formed 6061 T6 front frame and carbon fiber rear frame. This time around Gocycle is calling it the WingPillar Frame which can haul a load of up to 480 lb. The MIK-compatible rear rack does all the heavy lifting with space for accessories and seating. There’s the 500-W front hub motor that provides smooth pedal assistance of 20 mph courtesy of the five-speed Shimano Nexus geared hub. On a single charge, the 375-Wh battery is good for a range of 50 miles.

The two models will arrive in a choice of six colors with the CXi priced at $6,999 and the CX+ coming in at $7,999. Deliveries are scheduled for September and pre-orders are live now for a refundable deposit of $499.

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Apple Vision Pro iFixit teardown reveals what’s inside and how it works

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Apple has entered a new product category with the Vision Pro. The expensive eyewear, positioned to transport us into the future of VR, is an expensive deal to begin with at $3,499. So, ripping something of that value apart to just reveal how repairable it is and to what it packs within that makes it worthy of making Apple a new category giant may seem obnoxious to us.

But that’s little of a deterrent for the folks at iFixit, who pride in tearing down the latest gadgets to see how easy or difficult it is to repair them and examine what makes it a favorite. In that scheme of things, iFixit has put its heating guns and prying tools to use to tear open Apple’s new tech marvel. What they see is pretty straightforward: a few easy-to-remove parts and then complicated screws, connectors, and seals to get past before fully revealing the impressive cameras and more.

Designer: iFixit

Between the easy take offs and the intricate connectors, the Vision Pro – iFixit teardown reveals – has some unbelievable tech crammed. Some of this is never seen before, especially the advanced EyeSight display which it is discovered uses several videos of the wearer’s eyes simultaneously.

As the iFixit video runs through the teardown it shows Apple’s new AR/VR headset is similarly detailed and intriguing as the other Apple devices. So, the process of tearing it down is not easy and required a heat gun, screwdrivers, prying tools, and lots of effort. But as you’ll see, the effort is worth appreciating.

First up, the video suggests the customizable face cushion, light seals are easy to pull off, while the power chord has to be turned to unlock. The device’s knit band pops easily off the headgear stems, from the integrated latch. Stem with speakers disassemble the eye housing swiftly as well leaving the cameras, sensors, battery, R1 chip, and EyeSight display to take a look into.

This is according to iFixit the first scratch of the detailed teardown that would be revealed in the near future. The initial teardown however shows that the Vision Pro is inside out what we have heard of. It has some high-end tech within its small form factor, but it will require some elbow grease to repair.

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Mayla Yacht’s speedboat combines powerboat performance and swanky automotive luxury into one

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Mayla Yacht is already well known in the arena of sports car manufacturing, so why not extend that skill to the waters? That’s the very reason behind the development of this 44-foot GT superboat that supersedes the current designs in both aesthetics and visual presence. Not to mention it’ll come with an option to choose from gas, diesel, electric and hybrid powertrains delivering 3,000 HP. Each one of these monster engines is capable of hurling the speedboat to a top speed of 100 knots.

The German marque currently designing winning yachts, knows this space well, therefore, justifying their foray into the superboat design world. This sharp pointed nose vessel made from high-end carbon fiber material has a spacious cockpit section to enjoy the summer rides and a water toy garage that doubles as a beach club. If all this already excites you, mark your calendars for the Mayla GT world premiere at Boat Düsseldorf 2024.

Designer: Mayla Yacht

The use of carbon prepreg keeps the overall weight well below 3.8 tons which helps both in efficiency and range. To help the boat achieve hair-raising speeds between 50 – 100+ knots, there’s the deep-V monohull with twin transversal steps that create air bubbles to reduce surface friction. Also, the Petestep deflectors push the water spray downwards to facilitate power efficiency, stability and reduced noise.

When it’s time to finally settle down and have a lounge party in the open seas, the boat accommodates up to 8 passengers in the multipurpose cockpit section. There’s everything from sundeck with sliding loungers, and foldable dining tables to a wet bar or BBQ. If you feel the urge to get up close and personal with the inviting waters, the beach club platform is the section to settle down. Under the deck, the GT has a double bed, sofa lounge, wardrobe with vanity, entertainment system and separate shower sections. For a comfortable stay, the vessel has on board 200 liters of fresh water and 22 liters of hot water system.

According to Mayla, the entry-level GT superboat will make its first appearance at the Boat Düsseldorf with a price tag of approximately $1.8 million. If interested buyers have more cash to burn, they can opt for more options to spoil themselves in luxury. If you are someone who wants to try out the vessel but doesn’t have that amount of money to spare, the German company is also offering trials beginning in Spring 2024.

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This shape-shifting rikshaw converts into an e-scooter in less than three minutes

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Having witnessed countless shape-shifting concepts and working prototypes, I always yearn for a set of wheels that is practical in real-life usage and easy enough to transform from one form to the other. To my amazement, an Indian automotive startup has that desire half-fulfilled. Meet the S32 EV that’s an electric scooter transforming into an e-rikshaw and vice versa.

While you won’t be seeing me driving an e-rikshaw in this lifetime atleast, the vehicle seems like a very good option for commercial use. Given the sheer intensity of commute, home delivery and logistics requirements of the nation, this is going to be a successful product. Designed specifically for the Indian subcontinent, the e-scooter can solve a lot of purposes – be it your commute to the supermarket to grab groceries or hauling medium-sized cargo across the city.

Designer: Surge EV

The interchangeable body frame is an industry-first innovation and it’s as easy as popping open the front section (fascia) of the rikshaw and sliding out the two-wheeler. This transition takes less than three minutes courtesy of the specially engineered spring-loaded mechanism, turning the three-wheeled e-rickshaw into an electric scooter so fast you’ll be amazed to see it in real time. All this is done at the touch of a button without the need for any tools. The result is a flexible vehicle that can take either of the two shapes depending on the needs.

The transforming vehicle has very little scope for personal usage, it is a great option for commercial use. For instance, a delivery vendor could configure the S32 on the fly depending on the needs of the client without needing to keep two separate vehicles for each usage. Each module has its separate batteries (independently charged) and motors to make them as independent as they can be. On the inside the vehicle is fitted with LED lighting, digital speedometer and switchgear.

When both of them are combined the three-wheeled rickshaw mode is activated – kicking into action the larger 11 kWH battery, generating 6bhp. It’s powerful enough to haul a weight of 500 kg and has a top speed of 50 km/h. When separated, the electric scooter’s 3.5 KWH battery is activated for commuting, having a top speed of 60 km/h thanks to the 4 bhp output.

Hero Motor Corp says the rikshaw module can be bought in either the hauling option with a cargo bed or the passenger configuration with seats at the back. The company has not revealed the pricing or actual release date but they’ve hinted at a probable production timeline of 2025.

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This two-story pick-up rooftop tent gives you a vantage point to live and stargaze

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The overlanding experience in your pick-up only gets better with an efficient and functional truck topper. And when that truck camper is a two-story complex with its own awning and touch of a button control; you can think, but won’t want to own anything else!

Inquisitive? Wild Land has come up with an interesting idea of Safari Camper, which is more than every day pick-up bed camper. After giving us the world’s first wireless remote-controlled rooftop tent, the Chinese overland product manufacturer has revealed the remote-controlled Safari Camper that rests on the truck bed and gives us a two-story tent to sleep and play on the press of an open button. Shutting it close is equally easy: Press close!

Designer: Wild Land

The Safari Camper is designed for the Chinese market and is already available there, state wise delivery is still in oblivion at the time of writing. That said, what intrigues an adventurer’s attention is the Safari Camper’s unique automatic lift system that opens from truck bed top to two stories to accommodate a few people easily. The lift is kicked into action from a keychain remote control – a little manual intervention is required to flip a few extensions – and you have a truck bed section and a high-perched rooftop tent above.

Of course, the kind of height the upper rooftop tent has, it is going to be somewhat vulnerable to the winds. But that little peril hasn’t stopped Wind Land from packing ample interior space here. The tent is accessed via a ladder from the pick-up bed and it has a 5.6-foot headroom extendable using the fold-out tent floor extensions on the front and back –pulled down manually – that increase sleeping space. The mesh windows in the tent offers 270-degree views, while the openable skylight lets you stargaze when the surroundings are engulfed in darkness.

The Safari Cruiser weighs about 250 kg, and rests on the top of the truck’s bed rails. When it’s closed it rests comfortably on the pick-up’s shell and can carry about 30 kg load of your adventure gear. At camp when you open it, in addition to the top tent, you have a second low tent below which doesn’t have much headroom and can be used as a kid’s room or for dining and lounging.

Interestingly, the top rooftop tent is laid with a 30W solar panel to power the LED lighting and lift system battery. Attached to the lower section is a 360-degree awning that provides shade from the sun and gives additional living space just outside, which can be fun at the beach or when fishing in the lake.

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LEGO McLaren MP4/4 with Ayrton Senna minifig arriving in March to grace F1 fans’ shelves

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Ayrton Senna is the undisputed legend of motor racing and he could have achieved timeless greatness (not that he has already not achieved the feat) hadn’t it been for that fateful corner at the Imola Circuit in Italy during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Hence, Ffor a Formula-1 fanatic, any memorabilia or piece of history that recalls the legend’s memories is a prized possession.

For such fans, LEGO Speed Champions and Technic lineup will add to the proud collection in the form of the McLaren F1 MP4 Ayrton Senna LEGO set. The set comprising of 693 pieces will go on sale from March 1, 2024 for a suggested price tag of $80. Highlight of this set is the Senna minifigure on a podium holding the winner’s trophy with a plate displaying the photo and quote,  alongside the McLaren in action mode.

Designer: LEGO Group

The main focus here is the successful F1 MP4/4 car powered by the Honda turbocharged engine that was used during the 1988 Formula 1 season. Ayrton alongside his teammate Alain Prost pushed this beast to its limits in a spectacle of racing craft dominating the competition winning 15 out of the 16 races during the season. Ayrton stole the limelight with eight wins for the team, securing his place as the world champion, while Alain just missed the bar winning seven races.

The MP4/4’s reliability and pure performance made it one of the most dominant cars in the history of F1 to date. Of course, one can attribute that feat to the skill of Ayrton who showed some of the most mind-blowing driving craft during the season. Coming back to this LEGO build, it looks like Shell is again on good terms with the LEGO Group after a lull of a decade. You can spot the Sheel and Honda logos while the controversial Marlboro branding has been given a pass.

The 1:8 LEGO model is 553 mm long, 257 mm wide, and 125mm high. It comes with functional suspensions, a steering wheel, a V6 engine, a turbo compressor (with intercooler radiators), snorkels and exhaust blowing under the rear diffuser. What more could you ask for?

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MSI Gaming PC Watch is a dragon red themed, full-fledged rig for your wrist

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Smartphones and laptops allow us to play games on the move. But that’s not always enough, especially when the world demands you to be ready and operative no matter the time or place. In such a scenario, you need a gaming rig that is an integral part of everyday life, keeping you always ready. Here, MSI Gaming PC Watch offers an instrumental solution.

A gaming rig for your wrist; the Gaming PC Watch takes a full-fledged MSI computer and shrinks it to the size of a wearable so you can strap it to your wrist and be game-ready every time. Designed in MSI dragon red theme, the watch PC does not have specifications to detail, but from what we see in the pictures, the system is complete with the branding and transparent façade.

Designer: Eslam Mhd

The wrist PC does not intend to be a watch, it has very subtle annotations on the right where analog watch hands are visible and the four pushers on the sides to toggle the features. From the word go, it is a wearable computer and the innards – fans, graphics, cooling, motherboard – all visible right through the watch face. The case appears to be made of some metal alloy with MSI logo at 3 o’clock, where you usually find a crown on a typical wristwatch.

Smartwatches have come of age; they are almost wearable smartphones for the wrist. Despite their acceptance and demand, smartwatches haven’t caught on like smartphones did a decade ago. The idea of amazing smartwatch innovation could maybe shift from smartphone ideology to computer periphery, and who knows things may just take off. At least the MSI Gaming PC Watch’s design makes me believe in the concept.

MSI is already a world leader in gaming and Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) solutions. It has some of the fanciest gaming computers and laptops that thrive on powerful hardware, good cooling systems, high-end graphics, and bewildering RGB lighting. It is only fitting for the tech giant to put its mettle behind the idea of a watch PC and see it through. Given MSI’s well-built and durable designs through the years, the wearable gaming rig too will give you the features and ability to access data and exchange information anywhere, anytime.

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Home Court arcade basketball game is closest way to satiate your desire of playing on the hardwood

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Your game room could already have billiards, pool, or table tennis equipment. The more enthusiastic may even slot in an artificial climbing wall or mount a frisky basketball arcade gaming machine to shoot an odd ball during your trip to the room. But the latter is not anywhere close to the experience of a basketball game on an indoor hardwood court.

If you’re a fan, the home court basketball pictured above could be the closest way to satiate your desire to play on the hardwood. The sleek glass enclosure with a wooden backboard and rebound board slanting just below is designed for the home champs to compete with the sounds and feel of being on the court.

Designer: Reigning Champ

A collaborative product created by Reigning Champ and Canadian industrial designer Calen Knauf, the Home Court, as it is called, is a fully functional game arcade for an in-home basketball experience. A highly crafted work of art, it is made with the use of wood, glass, and metal, which play in harmony to replicate the authentic feel of playing on a hardwood court.

To minimize the visual footprint, and make the game portable, the contraption rests on four rubberized wheels. The frame is made of metal, which durably holds tempered glass walls – three full on the sides, back and half on the front – of the rig. The backboard holding two rings and the ball rebound surface located below are specifically made from engineered composite wood panels that replicate the auditory quality of the ball hitting the wooden court.

On the front of the arcade, the half-glass wall is where the balls are collected during the game. And when you’re done playing, the spacious lower tier – with a wooden floor – serves as storage for balls. Home Court is made-to-order and comes flat-packed to your doorstep. Presently, Reigning Champ is only shipping it to the US and Canada for $50,000, leaving us in the east wondering when we can sell off our home to own a Home Court and play and live in it happily thereafter.

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Strictly limited Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium is futuristic time teller with vertical display

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There are a few in the haute horlogerie that do futuristic, fiercely unconventional timepieces like the MB&F. The LVMH Watch Week is a place of reckoning for the best watchmakers, and it’s here that we see them going beyond the usual. Hublot for 2024 has gone seriously unconventional with the novel MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium watch that sways afar with its display and functioning.

Over the years timekeeping machines in the higher echelons have evolved from analog and digital to the other variants of time telling. An example of such futuristic watches is the new Hublot which has a wraparound sapphire crystal over what you would consider the dial, revealing all the innards of the skeletonized movement components. This interesting layout ensures even the otherwise unorthodox time-telling is super legible.

Designer: Hublot

MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium’s interesting layout is designed in a way that the watch with its fluid, natural movement has to be read from top to bottom. The vertical time display is the first of its type for the Swiss luxury watchmaker complemented by an oversized micro-blasted titanium case emitting innovation from the first look.

The casing measures 41.5mm wide and 54.1mm from lug to lug. The watch has an integrated lug design with an otherwise large crown at 12 o’clock. The casing of the MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium is little a talking point. The standout here is the most technically complex crystal wrapped around the watch sides. On the one side, you can see the 6 o’clock tourbillon, while the visible vertical movement can be seen running through from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock.

On the top of the watch face is the rotating hours scale with the rotating minutes display just alongside. Fascinating however is the power reserve indicator just below, which has red and green indication for movement winding and seconds. The MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium is equally compelling within where the brand’s in-house HUB9013 automatic tourbillon movement runs the show. Comprising 592 pieces, the inventive movement offers 48-hour power reserve and beats at the rate of 21,600 bph.

For me personally, the caseback of the Hublot Tourbillon is more enticing than the front. The simple transparent caseback has a side cutout to accommodate the crown and tourbillon, and gives a nice view of the brushed and matte blasted skeleton bridges. MP-10 Tourbillon Weight Energy System Titanium watch paired with an integrated black rubber strap is only 30-meter water resistant; if that is not much of a concern, you can get one of the exclusive 50 watches for 250,000 CHF or $290,000 each.

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