Author Archives: Sarang Sheth

This Genius Modular Power Strip Lets You Swap Outlets, USB Ports, and Wireless Pads Like LEGO Bricks

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Every power strip you’ve ever bought was designed for someone else. Too many USB-A ports when you need USB-C. No wireless charging. Or it has wireless charging but not enough wired ports. You’re stuck buying what manufacturers think you need, not what you actually need. TobenOne flips that script entirely. It’s a modular magnetic charging hub you build yourself. Snap on the modules you want, skip the ones you don’t. Need more USB-C? Add a module. Upgrade your setup later? Swap it out. It’s your desk, your devices, your rules.

The concept sounds almost embarrassingly obvious once you see it. A sleek aluminum rail serves as your base, and four circular magnetic modules snap onto it in whatever configuration makes sense for your setup. One module handles Qi wireless charging for your phone. Another packs three USB-C ports. There’s a USB-A 2.0 module for legacy gear and a hybrid USB-A 3.0 plus USB-C module for high-speed data transfer (I’ll dive into this later). The whole thing connects to your laptop via a single cable, and from there you can rearrange the modules however you want. It’s like someone finally asked “what if power strips worked like LEGO?” and actually followed through.

Designer: Tobenone

Click Here to Buy Now: $89 $179 (50% off). Hurry, only 262/500 left!



Most of us have been through this cycle multiple times. You buy a hub or power strip based on your current gear. Six months later you upgrade your phone or laptop or tablet, and suddenly the thing you bought has the wrong port mix. Maybe you needed more USB-C than you thought. Maybe that wireless charging pad you bought separately is now just another piece of desk clutter taking up space. The traditional solution is to buy another hub, add to your desk clutter like another Jenga block along with other power strips/bricks/dongles, and pretend your cable management isn’t spiraling into chaos.

TobenOne’s approach means you buy a system once and just shape-shift it based on your current or future needs. The modules are independent of the strip itself, so when USB-C becomes even more dominant than it already is, you don’t trash your entire hub. You just swap out one module for another. It’s a small shift in thinking that has surprisingly large implications for how we manage our tech ecosystems. And this doesn’t just mean convenience, it’s a much more sustainable approach too. E-waste from obsolete charging gear is a legitimate problem, and modular design that lets you replace components instead of entire devices is one of the few practical ways to address it without requiring everyone to become minimalist monks who own three possessions.

The execution is incredibly clean – the modules themselves are incredibly sleek, all brushed metal sides and matte black tops with minimal branding. When you snap them onto the base, they sit flush and lock in with what appears to be strong enough magnetic force to stay put during normal use. There’s even a volume control module that lets you adjust your computer’s audio directly from the hub, which feels like the kind of small quality-of-life feature that gives your power strip some power-user features. No more fumbling with software volume sliders or keyboard shortcuts. Just twist the module. Clever, no?

The modules attach to the front, but two USB-C ports on the side deliver power input and output. Plug the TobenOne into a power source and it’s good to go… plug the other USB-C end into your laptop and it becomes a passthrough charger while also giving those modules data connectivity to your laptop. That means you can use USB-A ports not just for charging devices, but also for connecting thumb drives, hard disks, etc. for high-speed data transfer. Suddenly your power strip is capable of so much more. And you could choose to keep the TobenOne on your table, or even wall-mount it so that you can attach your phone to its MagSafe module directly to the wall. That gives you full control without all the desk clutter. It’s a power strip, but it’s also a dongle, but it’s also a convenient companion that doesn’t get in the way of your minimalist desk setup.

And the LEGO meets IKEA meets MagSafe meets every tech user’s needs approach is just sheer genius (I honestly wonder why nobody built this before). You’re literally building your own charging solution the way you’d build with blocks, except these blocks and the arrangements you make have actual utility beyond satisfying your inner child. It’s personal, just the way your IKEA furniture feels personal because you made it ‘for yourself’. The magnetic attachment system borrows from Apple’s MagSafe philosophy. That satisfying click when things snap into place, the alignment guides that make sure everything sits correctly, the ease of detachment when you need to reconfigure. There’s no complex assembly. No configuration software. No firmware updates to manage. You literally just snap things together and they work. That balance is harder to strike than it sounds, and most modular tech products fail by skewing too far in one direction or the other.

The modular design gives you a whopping eleven total ports and charging options across all four modules when fully loaded. That’s wireless charging plus ten wired connections, which should be more than enough for most desk setups unless you’re running a home server farm. The base model at roughly $89 USD feels extremely value-forward for what’s being offered, but early bird Kickstarter pricing always provide discounts to attract early adopters. Expect the retail price to land somewhere around $179 once this actually ships. Even at that price point, the value proposition holds up when you consider you’re replacing multiple separate chargers, hubs, and wireless charging pads with a single integrated system.

I spent all of 2025 touting how GaN chargers were the future of tech (because of how tiny and powerful they are)… the TobenOne fleshes out an alternate reality in which the power strip isn’t ‘dead’, it’s replaced by something more shape-shifting, more modular, more ‘you’. Want to JUST have plug points? Go ahead. Maybe want to swap them ALL for USB ports? That’s allowed too. Can sacrifice one idle module? Take it out and add a MagSafe charger for your phone… or better still, the volume knob that lets you control your desktop/laptop’s system volume. The power strip suddenly becomes a hub… and stops being the archaic device that never really changed in all these decades. Pretty cool, isn’t it?

Click Here to Buy Now: $89 $179 (50% off). Hurry, only 262/500 left!

The post This Genius Modular Power Strip Lets You Swap Outlets, USB Ports, and Wireless Pads Like LEGO Bricks first appeared on Yanko Design.

12 Recalls in 2 Years: The Tesla Cybertruck Is Breaking Records For All The Wrong Reasons

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The most I’ve ever heard of a car being recalled is probably 2014 Jeep Cherokee, or the 2021 Chevy Silverado. Both cars (if I’m not mistaken), were famous for hitting as many as 7-9 recalls, but Tesla‘s Cybertruck is cruising past that number with its 12th recall since the car began rolling out to customers in November 2023. Issued just today, this latest round of recalls affects 6,197 vehicles, about 10 percent of all Cybertrucks sold. The problem? A Light Bar accessory that sits on the top of the car. Although optional, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers that this off-road accessory (officially sold by Tesla) could detach and fall off, creating a road hazard for other drivers. The culprit? Weak glue.

I have to preface that a recall doesn’t imply a car is ‘bad’, it usually involves points of failures that can make driving dangerous if unchecked. Some of them are fairly benign, like this past week’s recall because the headlights were 20% too bright according to regulations (this got fixed with a mere software patch), but others are absolutely lethal, like the Cybertruck’s accelerator pedal getting stuck, which could turn your car into a speeding metallic meteor, threatening not just your life, but also the lives of others around you.

Designer: Tesla

That being said, 12 recalls is certainly worth noticing. In just under 2 years, the Cybertruck’s faced problems with the motor controlling the windshield wiper, the exterior stainless steel sheet literally peeling off because of weak glue, errors within the Tire Pressure Monitoring System, software and firmware issues, interior trim parts affecting the accelerator pedal, the headlights being too bright, the light bar accessory having faulty lighting, and even the bar itself not being glued on properly. Apart from the countless recalls, the Cybertruck’s also been plagued by problems like rust accumulating on its exterior panels. With its over-a-trillion-dollar valuation, you don’t expect the EV pioneer to operate with these ‘startup growth pains’.

That being said, Tesla will inspect the accessory and will either install an additional mechanical attachment or replace the old light bar with a new one using tape to adhere it to the windshield along with the necessary mechanical attachment, free of charge, according to the NHTSA. Owners should receive a mailed notification about the recall sometime after December 26.

The post 12 Recalls in 2 Years: The Tesla Cybertruck Is Breaking Records For All The Wrong Reasons first appeared on Yanko Design.

Toyota Announces World’s First Self-Driving EV For Children

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Would you trust AI to drive your child across town without you? Toyota is betting some parents will. At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, the automotive giant introduced Mobi, a fully autonomous electric bubble car that transports children on their own, with no adult supervision required. The pint-sized vehicle relies entirely on AI for navigation and safety, marking a radical departure from traditional ideas about child transportation.

This is the kind of concept that makes you simultaneously excited about the future and somewhat uncomfortable about it. The Mobi sits on display at the show between October 30th and November 9th, looking like someone crossbred a Pixar character with actual transportation infrastructure. And honestly, that seems intentional. Toyota positioned this as part of their “Mobility for All” project, which sounds noble until you realize they’re proposing to put elementary schoolers in autonomous pods and send them off into traffic.

Designer: Toyota

The design language here is fascinating because it has to do something incredibly difficult: make a vehicle feel safe enough for parents to trust while simultaneously feeling fun enough that kids actually want to use it. That bubble canopy swings upward like a gullwing door, revealing a single seat covered in fuzzy material that looks lifted straight from a particularly cozy bean bag chair. The exterior comes in aggressively cheerful colorways, lime green with black accents or blue-purple with orange trim, both loud enough to make sure nobody’s running this thing over in a parking lot. And then there are the LED eyes at the front, two circular lights that blink and animate to give the vehicle an almost sentient personality. It’s cute bordering on manipulative, which is probably exactly the emotional response Toyota wants from both kids and their hesitant parents. Up top, two ‘ears’ serve as the car’s advanced sensor array, allowing the EV to be spatially aware as it transports its tiny passenger around.

The AI system does all the heavy lifting here. Direction, speed, traffic navigation, obstacle detection, it’s all handled by the onboard intelligence while the kid just sits there like a particularly small passenger on the world’s shortest Uber ride. Toyota has equipped the Mobi with an AI assistant called UX Friend, which is either a stroke of genius or the beginning of a Black Mirror episode depending on your tolerance for letting algorithms raise your children. This virtual companion talks to kids throughout the journey, gives them instructions on how to “drive” the autonomous pod (which is really just letting them feel involved), and presumably keeps them entertained so they don’t try to open the door mid-trip. The system uses sensors and cameras positioned around the vehicle to detect motion and obstacles, creating a protective bubble of awareness that theoretically keeps the child safe from the chaos of real-world traffic.

The specs are still murky because Toyota hasn’t released the full technical breakdown yet. What we know is the outer shell likely uses lightweight plastic or composite materials to keep the weight down and the safety up. The vehicle is almost comically small, with a footprint that makes a Smart car look like an SUV. Single occupancy only, which makes sense given the target demographic isn’t carpooling to corporate meetings. The interior is deliberately spacious enough for a child to sit comfortably without feeling claustrophobic, and that textured seat material isn’t just aesthetic, it’s tactical design meant to make the space feel less like a vehicle and more like a safe cocoon. Toyota knows that if kids associate this thing with discomfort or fear, the whole concept dies on arrival.

Here’s where it gets interesting though. This isn’t a production vehicle, it’s a concept with a working prototype, and Toyota has been notably silent about when or if they plan to conduct real-world road tests with actual children inside. That’s a massive gap between “look at this cool thing we built” and “you can actually use this to send your kid to soccer practice.” The regulatory hurdles alone are staggering. What jurisdiction is going to greenlight unsupervised minors in autonomous vehicles? What happens when the AI encounters an edge case it wasn’t trained for? Who’s liable when something inevitably goes wrong? Toyota is playing in a sandbox that doesn’t have rules yet, and while that’s exciting from an innovation standpoint, it’s also deeply complicated from a practical one. The Mobi might be a genuine glimpse at future mobility, or it might be an elaborate design exercise that never leaves the auto show circuit. Only time will tell…

The post Toyota Announces World’s First Self-Driving EV For Children first appeared on Yanko Design.

Your Floor Cleaner Is Just Spreading Dirty Water. BSTY’s Dual-Tank System Fixes It.

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The lines between form and function have never been blurrier, or more beautiful, than they are in today’s best home tech. The BSTY Dual-Action Cordless Floor Washer is a testament to this evolution, offering a singular device that manages to look as sharp as it performs. Its seamless integration of vacuuming, steam mopping, and self-cleaning mechanisms is tailored for those who want their spaces immaculate, but never at the expense of visual serenity. This is not merely another entry in the crowded floor-care market; it’s a thoughtfully considered piece of hardware that addresses the entire life cycle of a chore, from start to finish.

Let’s be honest, the way we clean floors is broken. It’s a clumsy, multi-stage process that often feels like you’re just moving dirt around. You start with the vacuum, wrestling with a cord or racing against a dying battery to suck up the crumbs, the pet hair, and the dust. Then comes the second act: the mop. You’re either sloshing a dirty string-mop around in a bucket of increasingly murky water, or you’re using a fancy hybrid cleaner that often just turns dry debris into a wet, gritty paste. It solves one problem by creating another. The BSTY project seems to have started with a deep, almost obsessive, understanding of this frustration.

Designer: BSTY

Click Here to Buy Now: $399 $599 ($200 off). Hurry, only 15/50 left. Raised over $61,000.

The solution begins with a simple, elegant workflow that is physically built into the machine. As you push the BSTY forward, it’s a dedicated dry vacuum. The front of the cleaning head houses a system that delivers a full 20,000Pa of suction, a figure that puts it in the upper echelon of cordless stick vacuums. That’s enough power to lift embedded dirt from grout lines and grab pet hair without just rolling over it. All that dry debris is whisked away into its own separate container. Then, on the pull-back motion, the mopping system engages. A fresh stream of water, which can be heated up to a steamy 100°C in the tank, wets a microfiber roller that scrubs the floor. The dirty water is immediately lifted off the roller and funneled into a second, completely separate dirty water tank. This clever little feature is a fundamental re-engineering of the hybrid cleaner, ensuring that dirty water never gets a second chance to touch your clean floor.

Beyond just using hot water for mopping, the BSTY integrates a true 180°C steam function. This is a significant leap beyond the boiling point, generating a dry, high-temperature steam that can sanitize surfaces and break down greasy, stuck-on messes without a drop of chemical cleaner. It’s a feature that will appeal to anyone with kids, pets, or just a healthy aversion to chemical residues. This focus on thermal cleaning creates a more effective, hygienic result. And it manages to pack this technology into a cordless body that delivers a solid 40 minutes of runtime, all while operating at a reported 50 decibels in its quiet mode, which is about the level of a calm conversation. The physical design is just as considered. The entire unit can pivot to lay completely flat, a 180-degree articulation that finally allows a machine this powerful to slide all the way under a low-profile sofa or media console.

But the most insightful piece of design might be what happens after the cleaning is done. Anyone who owns a current-generation floor washer knows the secret shame of the post-clean cleanup: rinsing a filthy roller, scrubbing a grimy water tank, and leaving the parts to air-dry, hoping they don’t develop a funky, mildewed smell. The BSTY’s docking station is designed to eliminate this final, frustrating step. When you dock the machine, it automatically begins a self-cleaning cycle, flushing the roller and internal tubing with clean water. But then it initiates the real game-changer: a high-temperature drying cycle. It circulates hot air through the brush head, leaving the roller completely dry, clean, and free of the moisture that breeds bacteria and odor. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about making the entire ownership experience better. It ensures the machine is genuinely ready for its next use, not waiting for you to reassemble its damp components.

The early-bird pricing is set at $399, which is a considerable discount from the planned $599 retail price, positioning it as an aggressive play for early adopters who are tired of the status quo. For that price, the package appears to be comprehensive. The box includes the main BSTY unit, the crucial self-cleaning and charging dock that completes the automated experience, a power adapter, a spare roller brush for good measure, a small cleaning tool for any manual maintenance, and a 1-year warranty. The campaign is targeting a global shipping window around March of next year, aiming to bring this thoughtful approach to floor care into homes just in time for spring cleaning!

Click Here to Buy Now: $399 $599 ($200 off). Hurry, only 15/50 left. Raised over $61,000.

The post Your Floor Cleaner Is Just Spreading Dirty Water. BSTY’s Dual-Tank System Fixes It. first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Massive Robot Wants To Replace An Entire Restaurant

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Inside a seven-square-meter glass enclosure, two robotic arms move with startling precision. One retrieves ingredients from climate-controlled silos, another works over a heating element, and within minutes, a perfectly assembled, hot meal is delivered to a collection window. There are no chefs, no line cooks, and no human intervention whatsoever. This is the Circus Autonomy One, a robot designed with a single, ambitious goal: to automate every step of the food production process, from inventory management to cooking and even cleaning. It’s not a kitchen assistant; it is a full-stack replacement, and it represents one of the boldest attempts yet to redefine what a restaurant can be.

The company behind this, Munich-based Circus SE, is pushing the narrative that this solves labor shortages and boosts efficiency. They are not wrong, but that is an incredibly sanitized way of looking at what is essentially a job-elimination machine. The CA-1 is a marvel of industrial design, a self-contained unit powered by a proprietary AI called CircusOS that makes adaptive decisions in real time. With its pilot program already running in German REWE supermarkets, this isn’t some vaporware concept sitting in a lab. It is a commercially deployed system that is actively taking orders and feeding people, and that means we need to talk about what it is actually doing.

Designers: Gustavo Kemmerich and Circus SE Team

Seven square meters is the entire footprint. You could barely fit a decent-sized walk-in closet in that space, yet the CA-1 can pump out 120 dishes an hour from it. That breaks down to a meal every 30 seconds, a rate of production that most human-staffed kitchens would struggle to match without breaking a sweat. The whole operation is a sterile, closed loop of logic. Ingredients are tracked and stored in smart silos, the robotic arms handle the assembly and cooking, and an integrated Winterhalter commercial dishwasher cleans up after. From an engineering perspective, it is a cold, hard box of ruthless efficiency designed to extract maximum value from minimum space.

You do not achieve that level of optimization without a body count, metaphorically speaking. Forget the sanitized PR about “solving labor shortages.” The CA-1 is designed to eliminate labor, period. It replaces the prep cook, the line cook, the expeditor, and the dishwasher in one fell swoop. This is not a collaborative robot, or “cobot,” built to assist a human worker. It is a fully autonomous system engineered from the ground up to make a whole class of kitchen staff obsolete. For every one of these units installed in a supermarket, hospital, or university, a handful of jobs simply evaporate. The efficiency it provides comes at a direct and obvious cost.

So what we are really looking at here is a ghost kitchen in a box, a blueprint for the future of automated food service. Its successful deployment in a major European supermarket chain is a powerful proof of concept, and you can bet that fast-food executives and large-scale catering operators are paying very close attention. Circus SE even lists the defense sector as a potential market, which is its own can of worms. This machine is a stark reminder that automation doesn’t ask for permission. The CA-1 is a brilliantly engineered answer to a question that maybe we shouldn’t be so eager to ask.

The post This Massive Robot Wants To Replace An Entire Restaurant first appeared on Yanko Design.

Nothing Phone 3a Lite or CMF Phone 2 Pro? The Choice Is Just Glyph vs. Zoom

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Glyph Light, more like Glyph Gaslight… Nothing just dropped its fifth phone this year, the 3a Lite, and the instant I looked at it, I was first shocked… then confused. Shocked because the phone looks exactly like Nothing’s CMF Phone 2 Pro. No seriously, the camera placement is EXACTLY the same, the chipset is the same, the battery, screen, most of its internals are the same. It took me a full minute for my shock to subside before it was replaced by confusion. Why? Why would Nothing introduce a ‘new’ phone into its lineup when it’s selling the exact same phone (for the exact same price) under its sub-brand?

I have no definite answers (we’re waiting for Carl Pei to reveal his underlying strategy), which is why it honestly feels so confusing. Two phones, practically twins (with probably just 2 small differences), and arguably running the same software on the same hardware for the same price. It goes against Nothing’s entire vision of disrupting the tech space by producing game-changing tech that injects fun into itself. Tech that builds a design-centric audience. Tech that prides itself on transparency. The fact that the Nothing Phone 3a Lite is just a ‘rebadged’ (and I use that term in the most calculated capacity) version of the CMF Phone 2 Pro feels like the opposite of transparent.

Designer: Nothing

Nothing Phone 3a Lite (Left) vs CMF Phone 2 Pro (Right)

Here’s where the phones are identical. They both have the same screen – a FHD+ 6.77″ AMOLED running 120Hz at 300 nits max brightness. They both have the same chip too, a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro with 8 cores. Both phones run 8GB of RAM and max out at 256GB of storage. The OS is the same too, Nothing OS 3.5 (with a 6-year software update promise)… and even the battery is exactly the same, a 5,000mAh cell with 33W fast charging and 5W reverse wired charging. No wireless charging on either of the models. As far as the cameras go, the placement (if you look below) is the same too. Two of the three lenses in the camera array are the same, a 50MP main and 8MP ultrawide. The front has a 16MP shooter on both. And both phones pack that Essential button on the side that Nothing began rolling out this year. On paper, it’s as if you were looking at a Xiaomi vs Redmi phone, or a Huawei vs Honor phone. The same build, barring a few minor cosmetic changes.

Nothing Phone 3a Lite (Left) vs CMF Phone 2 Pro (Right)

The changes aren’t drastic, but they’re worth noting. For starters, the third camera on both the CMF Phone 2 Pro and the Nothing Phone 3a Lite are different. While the CMF gizmo packs a nifty 50MP telephoto lens, the 3a Lite swaps that out for a 2MP macro lens. That’s while keeping the price exactly the same, so make of that what you will. Meanwhile, look above and you’ll notice that the flashlight gets moved just a couple of notches downwards on the 3a Lite, so I’d assume most cases for the Phone 2 Pro will work seamlessly on the 3a Lite if they have a running cutout for the camera and the flashlight. Barring these two features, the design (obviously) is the most noticeable difference. The CMF phone sports a plastic back, with the customizable modular design, while the Nothing phone resorts to its thematic transparent rear, with a glass back. The 3a Lite also has the Glyph, although instead of an interface it’s just a tiny little dot on the bottom right corner. The final difference lies in the offerings – the CMF Phone 2 Pro comes in 4 colors and one single spec variant – a 256GB model. The Nothing 3a Lite comes in just Black or White options, although you can choose between a 256GB model, or a lower 128GB model that’s just €30 cheaper.

So why exactly did Nothing go down this road? All I can do is speculate, but the more I do, the more I’m inclined to believe that this is a diversity play rather than an innovation play. The company wants to corner the market with as many phones across a price range. Currently, the 3a and 3a Pro represent a budget range, but not the sub $300 category. People who are fans of the transparent phone design wouldn’t want to splurge on a CMF phone, even though it’s objectively better out of the two we’re comparing here today. If you told me I had to choose between a glass back and a small blinking LED, versus a plastic-back phone that packs a 50MP telephoto camera, the choice wouldn’t be a tough one at all.

The post Nothing Phone 3a Lite or CMF Phone 2 Pro? The Choice Is Just Glyph vs. Zoom first appeared on Yanko Design.

LEGO Meets Spielberg: This 2,204 Brick Fan-made Build Captures the Iconic Scene from E.T.

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It’s hard not to smile when you think about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Whether it’s the heartwarming friendship between Elliot and his otherworldly guest or the unforgettable image of them soaring across the moonlit sky, the movie’s magic feels timeless. That same magic now finds itself meticulously captured in KoalaBrick’s 2,204-piece LEGO set proposal—a tribute to the iconic “across the moon” scene, combined with a diorama-like display of key elements from the film.

This build is as much about artistry as it is about nostalgia. The silhouette of Elliot and E.T. against a crescent moon forms the centerpiece, with the lunar glow carefully contrasting the dense, detailed forest below. As your eyes wander through the scene, smaller touches, like the flower pot and the communication device, bring a delightful sense of recognition. Even E.T.’s spaceship makes an appearance, cleverly scaled to keep the diorama cohesive. You can almost hear John Williams’ sweeping score as you imagine putting the final pieces together.

Designer: KoalaBrick

What makes this design stand out isn’t just the clever use of LEGO elements; it’s how it balances playability with display-worthy craftsmanship. The forest, for instance, is layered with texture and depth, making it look lush without overwhelming the centerpiece. Peer into the forest and you notice minifigures of Elliot and E.T. standing around the comms device, along with a scaled-down model of the UFO and even the iconic flower pot that E.T. carries around. Yet, when you step back, the build feels more like a cinematic moment frozen in time—a LEGO version of the iconic frame pulled straight from Spielberg’s classic.

The moon backdrop isn’t merely a flat surface but a structure with depth and detail, thanks to the use of LEGO art bricks that help mimic the cratered surface of the moon. Not that a cratered moon is great for scientific authenticity, but rather this helps recreate the very textured detail seen on the poster. These design decisions ensure the set appeals to a wide range of LEGO enthusiasts, from casual fans who admire its display potential to skilled builders eager to create similar artpieces.

Few movies elicit the kind of universal fondness that E.T. does, making this set an instant crowd-pleaser. Whether you watched the film as a child, shared it with your kids, or simply appreciated its influence on pop culture, this build taps into those feelings effortlessly. It’s a love letter to a story that transcends generations. The film’s set around Halloween, but given that we’re a month late, I won’t judge you for re-watching it on Thanksgiving instead!

KoalaBrick’s creation is a heartfelt tribute that reimagines one of cinema’s most iconic scenes in brick form. Currently a submission on the LEGO Ideas website, KoalaBrick is accepting votes from the broader LEGO community to help turn this one-off artpiece into a retail box set that movie buffs and LEGO-nerds can buy and own. Vote for the E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial set on the LEGO Ideas website here.

The post LEGO Meets Spielberg: This 2,204 Brick Fan-made Build Captures the Iconic Scene from E.T. first appeared on Yanko Design.

Best Black Friday Deal for Home Theater? JMGO 4K Projectors at Up to 32% Off

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I’ll come out clean – I don’t own a TV. I live in a rented house, I have a beautiful bare wall that I don’t want to ruin with a TV mount drilled in (which I’ll have to cover in my security deposit once I leave), so instead of a TV, I bought a projector… and it was the best investment I made. My budget projector outputs 1080p, but the screen measures nearly a hundred inches, making it more than 5x larger than a television I would have bought with the same amount of money. The point is, don’t buy a TV this Black Friday. Buy a projector.

Projectors are compact, have the same smart features as smart TVs, and cast images multiple times larger and more immersive than your average 37″ or 42″ television. Plus, with the right deal, a projector can cost well within your TV budget, giving you a mini cinema experience at home. You don’t need to go searching on the internet for the ‘right deal’ though, because JMGO’s running a pretty sweet Black Friday sale on their two most popular projector lines. Whether you want a fancy 4K projector or something compact enough to carry in your laptop bag, these projectors fit well within every requirement and budget – thanks to discounts of up to 32%!

Designer: JMGO

JMGO N1S Ultimate 4K

The flagship in JMGO’s N1S series, this one made its debut at IFA 2024 in Berlin. Designed as a gimbal-mounted projector, the N1S Ultimate 4K can be positioned anywhere and it will automatically keystone and focus-adjust your image (even intelligently avoiding objects like shelves or wall-hangings), letting you watch movies on your wall or even your ceiling. The projector outputs 4K with a max size of 180-inches at a whopping 3500 ANSI Lumens, which means you can watch movies even in moderately lit rooms without always needing to switch the lights or draw the curtains.

The N1S Ultimate 4K’s stellar clarity comes thanks to JMGO’s MALC™ (Multi-Layer Adaptive Laser Control) 2.0 Triple Laser Optics – which helps it maintain clarity and sharpness even in high brightness (something traditional laser projectors fail at). It even packs a 20W subwoofer and 45Hz ultra-bass for booming audio. On the software front, Google TV gives you access to all your favorite streaming apps, along with Wi-fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 support, two HDMI 2.1 jacks for streaming sticks or game consoles, and two USB-A 2.0 jacks for connecting hard-disks or pen-drives.

Our Verdict

The MALC™ 2.0 Triple Laser Optics is the star of the show here. I previewed the projector during the day in a well-lit booth at IFA and the visuals were still surprisingly crisp and high-contrast. 4K output with intelligent auto-focus and keystone really makes using the projector a breeze. Imagine having a TV anywhere in your house – even the ceiling! Being JMGO’s flagship, this one has a $2799 price tag, but a 29% discount brings it down to just $1999.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1999 $2799 ($800 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO N1S Ultra 4K

Following the N1S gimbal-centric design, the N1S Ultra 4K is a step below its sibling the N1S Ultimate, but still has stunning specs that keep it at flagship standards. The projector outputs 4K with even support for BluRay 3D (you’ll JMGO’s active-shutter 3D glasses) but skips out on the MALC™ 2.0 Triple Laser Optics system that debuted in JMGO’s other N1S projectors. Still, you’ve got a VERY respectable 3000 ANSI Lumen output which means bright visuals no matter what time of the day.

The gimbal-mounted projector can be faced anywhere, with automatic focus, keystone correction, and intelligent object avoidance. I can’t stress enough how impressive this is. Face the projector anywhere and it turns practically any surface into a clear 4K television! The N1S Ultra 4K also comes with Google TV and all your favorite streaming apps, along with Wi-fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and 2 USB-A 2.0 ports for max connectivity. There’s a 3.5mm port for external speakers too, although the N1S Ultra packs dual 20W speakers with Dolby Digital Plus for immersive sound.

Our Verdict

With a 32% discount that brings its $2499 price down to $1699, the N1S Ultra 4K might be the only 4K projector that packs 3D support at a sub-2000 price tag. The gimbal and auto-image-correction features are absolute *chef’s kiss*, which means you spend less time fiddling with a remote and more time watching your favorite movies – or even playing your favorite games, thanks to the HDMI port that lets you hook your PS5 or Nintendo Switch and play on a massive 100″ screen!

Click Here to Buy Now: $1699 $2499 ($800 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO N1S Pro 4K

The N1S Pro 4K launched alongside the Ultimate this year, boasting the same MALC™ (Multi-Layer Adaptive Laser Control) 2.0 Triple Laser Optics that gives it stunning quality even at the highest brightness. The N1S Pro has the same gimbal-centric design as all its siblings in the series, which creates a sense of visual cohesion while looking gorgeously premium. At 2400 ANSI Lumens of brightness, the N1S Pro 4K is the perfect balance between great output and great cost.

The N1S Pro shares all the features with its higher-priced sibling, the Ultimate 4K. This includes 4K support, smart image correction (focus, keystone, etc.), the 20W dual speaker system with 45Hz bass, built-in Google TV with all your streaming apps, and all the connectivity features and ports from Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 to the HDMI 2.1 ports and USB-A 2.0 ports.

Our Verdict

With a $1999 price tag brought down to $1299 ($700 discount), the N1S Pro 4K easily gets our editor’s pick for best output at best value. A gimbal-mounted 4K Smart Projector with dual speakers and smart features at an almost sub-1500 price tag is frankly a no-brainer. Instead of throwing money at 50-60″ QLED TVs that cost a lot and can’t be moved around, why not spend the same amount on a 4K projector that casts nearly a 100″ display on any surface – and can be carried around with you from room to room, or even a friend’s place?

Click Here to Buy Now: $1299 $1999 ($700 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO N1S

The JMGO N1S is the most affordable in the series, with 1080p output, 900 ANSI Lumens of max brightness, and running a triple-laser optic setup that’s just a grade below the company’s cutting-edge MALC™ 2.0 system. For its affordable price tag, you get the same gimbal design, Google TV on the inside with support for over 10,000 streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Disney+, and others, with a maximum projection size of 180 inches and the same automatic focus and keystone correction that happens without needing to lift a finger.

Like its other counterparts, the N1S has support for 3D playback when coupled with JMGO’s active-shutter glasses (available separately). The portable format, coupled with the gimbal, makes the N1S a perfect projector for someone who wants to dip their toe in this category without breaking the bank. 10W speakers for this price point are perfect too, and an abundance of connectivity options lets you explore multiple setups just like you would with a TV.

Our Verdict

At 1080p of output, you may miss 4K in theory, but you won’t miss it in practicality. I own a 1080p projector and with streaming, it’s near impossible to tell the difference between streaming 4K on the internet and streaming 1080p unless you know what you’re watching out for. The JMGO N1S is priced at $999, making it the most affordable in JMGO’s gimbal-style N1S series. That much for a 180-inch-wide projection that also supports 3D feels too good to be true!

Click Here to Buy Now: $899 $999 ($100 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

JMGO PicoFlix

Want to push your budget even lower, JMGO’s PicoFlix might be their most affordable projector on Black Friday discount. It isn’t a part of the N1S series, which means no gimbal – but the PicoFlix more than makes up for that by being a 1080p FHD projector that’s the size of a Pringles can. The PicoFlix has its own built-in battery, which means you can move from room to room with your ‘television’ or even slip it into a tote bag and carry it to a friend’s place.

The PicoFlix may not have a 2-axis gimbal like the N1S series, but it does have a 127° rotational axis that lets you face it either forwards, at an angle, or directly upwards for watching movies on the ceiling. You’ve got support for up to a 120″ projection at FHD, and even BluRay 3D, with intelligent image correction features via the JMGO app. However, the PicoFlix caps out at 450 ANSI Lumens, which means you’ll need to draw the curtains to watch a movie. A 10,000mAh battery gives you up to 4.5 hours of movie time when used in Eco Mode, and here’s the kicker – the tiny projector still packs 10W dual speakers with Dolby Audio.

Our Verdict

The PicoFlix’s 25% discount brings its $599 price down to $449, making it cheaper than even a mid-tier smartphone. For its specs, that’s a solid recommend, although the 450 ANSI Lumens may be on the lower end for some purists. At that price, 1080p and 3D BluRay support is pretty phenomenal too, and having a projector portable enough to carry around in your palm does feel like quite the flex if you like the idea of watching movies, shows, and sports on the large screen.

Click Here to Buy Now: $449 $599 ($150 off). Hurry, deal ends on 30th Nov, 2025.

The post Best Black Friday Deal for Home Theater? JMGO 4K Projectors at Up to 32% Off first appeared on Yanko Design.

DJI Glide Hybrid Drone Concept adds Glider-Wings for Better Range and Energy-Efficient Flying

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You’ve seen quadcopters, and you’ve seen drones used for crop dusting or aerial surveillance – the DJI Glide is a fusion of both those drones. Designed by Baptiste Grenon, the DJI Glide proposes a battery-efficient design courtesy the presence of wings that help the drone stay stable and achieve flight at high altitudes without being an energy-guzzler. The drone still has the familiar quadcopter format, but also includes wings, giving it a hybrid design that might just translate to a longer battery and better range.

Designer: Baptiste Grenon

The DJI Glide’s unique design includes two standard propellers, and two propellers built right into the drone’s wings, which double as propeller guards during flight. It doesn’t look like the wings themselves move, although Grenon has included what looks like rudders at the wing-tips for better maneuverability. The drone still has vertical take-off and landing, but the airfoil cross-section of the wings gives it much more aerodynamics while the drone hurtles forward at top speed.

The implication therefore is that the DJI Glide is more suited for FPV flying as opposed to cinematic flight. A gimbal-mounted Hasselblad camera on the front records your PoV, while cameras on the front, back, and bottom give the drone spatial awareness, allowing it to maneuver on its own without colliding into objects – perfect for having the drone return back to base after its battery runs out.

The battery sits on top, plugging right into the drone’s back to power it in flight. Given the conceptual nature of the drone, battery specs are purely conjecture, but I suppose having wings helps conserve the drone’s battery by giving the aerial vehicle the lift it needs while flying. The wings also present a trade-off in terms of maneuverability, hindering complex movements like moving in reverse or tight turns.

The propellers at the rear justifiably come without any bumper guards, given that they’re effectively shielded by the wings ahead of them. There is, however, a small technical challenge, and it has to do with the drone’s overall size. Having a drone with a wingspan means the DJI Glide isn’t a very compact little device. It therefore comes with detachable wings, which may prove to be a challenge during fast flight. Losing a wing to a loose clamp effectively cripples your drone, since it means losing a propeller too. Collisions may protect the propeller from damage, but the part where the wing and drone join together will take all the impact – something that highly affects your drone’s overall lifespan.

That said, the foldable format does make the DJI Glide fairly portable, allowing it to be flat-packed for shipping. The durability trade-off for efficient flight feels fairly valid – if the obstacle-avoidance algorithms are strong, there really shouldn’t be a problem. Plus, the drone doesn’t need a runway to take off or land, which definitely helps it in the long run for people flying recreationally.

The post DJI Glide Hybrid Drone Concept adds Glider-Wings for Better Range and Energy-Efficient Flying first appeared on Yanko Design.

Fan-Made LEGO Botanical Garden Blends History, Nature, and Creativity with over 3000 Bricks

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As a plant-lover myself, this set gives me nothing but sheer joy. Botanical gardens had their moment in the 19th and 20th centuries, with their massive overarching cast iron structures, coupled with glass facades that made the building essentially look like a bubble-shaped oasis of nature in a concrete jungle. The art-deco stylings, the habitat-esque design, the chlorophyll, it all makes me truly happy, so seeing something as wonderful as that shrunken down to a tiny set big enough to keep on my bookshelf? It feels like a thing of true beauty!

Meet the Botanical Garden LEGO Ideas set. Envisioned by LEGO user Goannas89, this 3000-brick set is perhaps one of the most intricate I’ve ever seen, with an interior that’s even more detailed than the exterior. The set comes with a white outer structure, revealing the greenery peaking out from within. Pop the top open and you get to adore the Botanical Garden even more, with plants in every nook and corner, and minifigures enjoying them – just like I do when I visit the botanical garden in my own city!

Designer: Goannas89

Inspired by the grand cast-iron greenhouses of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the set brings a historical charm to its modern modular design. The neoclassical entrance is the first hint of the detail inside, its stately architecture standing as a gateway to a lush interior. Step through the doors, and you’re greeted by an open and accessible space filled with botanical delights. A banana tree and a palm anchor the central atrium, surrounded by exotic plants like Anthurium, Bamboo, and the whimsical Begonia Maculata. Each species is thoughtfully placed to create a layered effect of foliage, color, and texture.

Step inside the build, and the experience gets even better. The central atrium greets you with towering green life—a banana tree, a palm, and a Beaucarnea recurvata. Around them, succulents and exotic flowers like Anthurium and Strelitzia add bursts of color. The left and right apses house their own botanical surprises, while a spiral staircase leads to a balcony where you can get up close to the treetops. Every element feels purposeful, whether it’s the clever placement of windows to maximize light or the removable skylight roof for added playability.

With over 3,000 pieces, this build is as rewarding as it is detailed. The structure’s layout—spanning 32×48 studs—makes it versatile enough to integrate into a cityscape or stand alone as a park centerpiece. Measuring 11.3 inches tall, it commands attention without overshadowing nearby builds. The use of transparent elements for the greenhouse’s glazing adds a layer of realism, catching light and creating dynamic reflections that elevate the overall presentation.

What sets the Botanical Garden apart is its careful attention to detail. The plants aren’t just generic greenery; each one is meticulously crafted to reflect real-world species. The banana tree’s textured leaves, the palm’s graceful fronds, and the patterned foliage of the Caladium bicolor all showcase the thoughtful artistry that went into the set’s design. It’s a build that rewards careful observation, with little surprises like succulents tucked into corners and a balance of vibrant and earthy tones that mimic nature itself.

Beyond its visual charm, the set feels like a love letter to urban green spaces. It captures the magic of stepping into a real-life botanical garden—those rare places where city life slows down and nature takes center stage. Whether it’s a child marveling at the flowers or a LEGO botanist tending to rare plants, the set brings that same sense of wonder and tranquility to the world of bricks. It’s a reminder of the importance of such spaces in our lives, even if they’re scaled down to fit on a tabletop.

There’s something undeniably captivating about seeing a greenhouse—traditionally a place for nurturing growth—brought to life in LEGO form. It’s a set that not only celebrates the art of building but also the beauty of the natural world. Whether it’s the intricate spiral staircase, the removable balcony, or the interplay of light through the glazed panels, every piece works together to create a space that feels alive and inspiring.

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