Author Archives: Sarang Sheth

Holiday-themed Keycaps add a touch of Winter Celebration to your Mechanical Keyboard

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Celebrate the holiday season with the ArtiSANTA Christmas Artisan Keycaps by Dwarf Factory, a festive collection designed to bring joy to your keyboard. These handcrafted keycaps transform everyday typing into a whimsical experience, featuring intricate designs inspired by the spirit of Christmas. From nostalgic characters to sugary houses, the collection captures the magic of the season while doubling as high-quality artisan pieces that fit seamlessly into most mechanical keyboards.

Each keycap in the collection—Gingy, Nutcracker, and Sweet House—is crafted with precision and attention to detail. Made with high-quality resin and glow-in-the-dark elements, they are not only visually stunning but also built to last. Designed in the SA R1 profile, these keycaps are compatible with Cherry MX switches, ensuring a snug fit for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. Perfect for personalizing your workspace or as a holiday gift, they bring a touch of seasonal magic to every keystroke.

Designer: Dwarf Factory

Gingy Keycap

The Gingy keycap is a playful nod to the classic gingerbread man, with vibrant icing details that bring the cheerful character to life. Encased in a snowglobe-like resin dome, Gingy stands atop a snowy, decorated chimney base. The hand-painted details on the figure, combined with the intricate base, evoke a sense of holiday nostalgia. Glow-in-the-dark accents enhance the charm, adding a cozy glow that illuminates your keyboard in low-light settings.

Beyond its festive appearance, the Gingy keycap is designed for practicality. The SA R1 profile ensures it fits comfortably on Cherry MX switches and their compatible clones, making it a functional addition to any keyboard setup. Its durable resin construction guarantees long-lasting use, allowing Gingy to spread holiday cheer all season long.

Nutcracker Keycap

The Nutcracker keycap captures the regal elegance of this traditional Christmas figure, complete with a bold uniform and iconic hat. Encased within a crystal-clear resin dome, the Nutcracker stands proudly on a snowy chimney base adorned with holiday lights. Every detail is hand-painted with remarkable precision, from the polished buttons on his uniform to the expressive face that mirrors classic nutcracker designs. The glow-in-the-dark feature adds a magical touch, allowing the keycap to shine as bright as the season itself.

Functionality meets artistry with the Nutcracker keycap. Its SA R1 profile ensures a snug fit on Cherry MX switches, while the durable resin construction protects the intricate design. Whether used as a centerpiece for your holiday-themed keyboard or simply as a decorative addition, this keycap blends festive tradition with modern keyboard customization.

Sweet House Keycap

The Sweet House keycap is a delightful miniature gingerbread house, complete with colorful candy decorations and sugary icing. Nestled within a resin dome, the house sits atop a snow-covered chimney base that brings to mind cozy winter scenes. The attention to detail is extraordinary, with hand-painted candies, frosted rooftops, and even tiny windows that make the design feel like a festive storybook come to life. The glow-in-the-dark accents further enhance the magical aesthetic, casting a gentle glow that transforms your keyboard into a winter wonderland.

Designed for both beauty and durability, the Sweet House keycap is built with the same SA R1 profile and Cherry MX compatibility as the rest of the collection. Its whimsical charm pairs perfectly with the season, making it a great choice for anyone looking to infuse their workspace with holiday spirit. The Sweet House is more than an accessory—it’s a tiny piece of Christmas magic at your fingertips.

These artisan keycaps (which debuted last year) are available for purchase at $39 each, offering a unique way to personalize your keyboard with holiday spirit. Whether you’re a mechanical keyboard enthusiast or looking for a special gift, the ArtiSANTA 2023 collection brings a touch of festive magic to every keystroke.

The post Holiday-themed Keycaps add a touch of Winter Celebration to your Mechanical Keyboard first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Iconic “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper” Photograph gets its own Fan-Made LEGO Build

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A brick recreation (brickreation, if you will) of an iconic classic, the “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper” LEGO Ideas kit captures the essence of the American dream. The original photograph, shot in 1932, features eleven New York construction workers casually eating lunch on a steel beam, suspended 260 meters (853 feet) above the ground. Built by LEGO maker DallasBricks, this LEGO rendition pays tribute by turning the famous photo into a brick-based artpiece that can be hung on a wall or placed on a bookshelf.

Designer: DallasBricks

At its core, the set uses a flat design style, similar to LEGO’s art series, but it incorporates thoughtful 3D construction methods to create the illusion of a suspended steel beam. The minifigures are carefully posed to reflect the relaxed yet precarious nature of the workers in the photograph. Each figure contributes to the scene’s energy, making it feel dynamic and alive, as if frozen in a moment of real life.

Although DallasBricks doesn’t specifically mention how many pieces are used in this build, it’s safe to estimate there are quite a few, given the skyscraper details in the background. Look closer and you’ll notice the skyscrapers aren’t all buildings, they’re actually a mix of LEGO tech and hardware pieces like keyboards, phones, remote controls, and screens, along with a few building window pieces. This creative use of different flat bricks gives the skyline its uniqueness, allowing each building to have a different character instead of looking all the same.

The original photo wasn’t just a depiction of the American dream, it was that of celebrating all the people who got together to make this dream happen. The photo features builders of different races, enjoying a meal together while rather casually hanging off a steel girder. The LEGO MOC (My Own Creation) has 11 minifigures too, just like in the photo, all enjoying a meal together before they get back to work.

The LEGO Ideas Lunch Atop A Skyscraper kit is currently a fan-made submission on the LEGO Ideas website, an online forum where LEGO enthusiasts create their own builds and share them with the LEGO community. With 2,790 votes as of writing this article (and with 560 days of voting left), DallasBricks’ LEGO MOC is well on its way to gathering enough votes to reach the 10,000 vote mark, following with the design will get reviewed by LEGO’s internal team and hopefully turned into a retail kit!

You can vote for the LEGO Ideas Lunch Atop A Skyscraper kit here on the LEGO Ideas Website, or check out some more unique fan-made LEGO Ideas builds here.

The post The Iconic “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper” Photograph gets its own Fan-Made LEGO Build first appeared on Yanko Design.

Jaguar’s Rebranding feels ‘Confusingly Generic’ as the Luxury Carmaker Announces New Visual Identity

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The new logotype, which looks indistinguishable from the Motorola font, makes the Jaguar feel ‘toothless’.

I didn’t have a Jaguar rebrand in my 2024 bingo cards, but honestly, this year has been curveball after curveball, hasn’t it? The British luxury automobile brand just unveiled its rebranding, characterized by 4 new elements that make up Jaguar’s fresh look to usher in its EV-only push. The new branding orbits around four meticulously designed elements.

First is the “Device Mark,” a logo stripped of excess yet bold in its restraint. Its symmetry hints at balance—a nod, perhaps, to the duality of tradition and innovation Jaguar aims to master. Then there’s the “Strikethrough,” a graphic motif that almost slices through the air with modernity, destined to carve a permanent space in Jaguar’s visual lexicon. The “Exuberant Colors” go even further, injecting vibrancy and connecting the brand to the artistic world. Finally, the “Makers Marks”—a duo of the traditional leaper emblem and a sleek monogram—grounds the brand in its storied history while letting its typography flirt with the contemporary.

Jaguar’s Chief Creative Officer, Professor Gerry McGovern, frames this shift as a reclamation of identity. This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience,” he says. The implication (given the assets shared by Jaguar) hints at the company viewing themselves as less of a car brand and more of a luxury brand. The exuberant colors of the campaign imagery look like something out of a fashion magazine, which fails to address the most important part of Jaguar’s brand – its automotive part. In fact, none of the images even have a car in them, or hint at anything car-related.

The new logotype opts for a curved, sans-serif font that ditches Jaguar’s original aesthetic entirely. It’s somewhat ironic that Jaguar brings up a quote by its founder, Sir William Lyons who said “A Jaguar should be a copy of nothing,” when the logo instantly appears generic or ‘seen before’. The Device Mark tries to create a difference by boldly eschewing the branding styles of automotive companies; but in doing so, falls into the trap of feeling familiar, and not the good kind. The font somewhat resembles the logotype of Motorola, with the Jaguar’s G looking vaguely like Google’s G.

Obviously, my opinions are broadly my own, but show the logotype to someone completely new to the automotive world and they’re least likely to guess it belongs to a company that made something as ferociously fast as the F-Type. The Strikethrough gets a subtle yet significant change, however, with the jaguar being flipped to face towards the right instead of the left. A little easier to grasp as an outsider, this change does two things – it differentiates Jaguar from Puma, which both had left-facing feline logos, and secondly, it makes the jungle cat look like it’s lunging forward instead of backward. The lines of the strikethrough don’t provide much of an explanation for their presence, although they could at least bend around the Jaguar to make it look like a wind tunnel test.

Overall, the branding feels drastic, confusing, and outright rejects everything the British marque built over the past 102 years. It isn’t like Audi’s rebrand from last week, which meaningfully announced a new collaborative EV line exclusive to its China marketplace while still retaining the four-logo identity for the global brand. This rebrand on Jaguar’s part doesn’t explain much, especially when there’s no actual context in the picture.

The car company hasn’t announced any new cars that go with the branding, making the logo and visual identity feel confusing. The Device Mark presents a strange mashup of Motorola and Google, the Strikethrough creates ‘grills’ that famously don’t feature on EVs, the Makers Mark looks appealing but lacks any context, and the Exuberant Colors (the posters shown below) have absolutely zero reference to cars at all.

Jaguar’s campaign imagery mentions nothing about automobiles. There isn’t a car to be seen in any of the posters.

I don’t want to discount Jaguar’s efforts with its rebrand – let’s just say they probably know something I don’t. My opinions aside (even though they’re rather strong), Jaguar’s new identity comes just days before the company unveils the Jaguar Design Vision Concept – a conceptual automobile that serves as a guiding point for the carmaker’s future endeavors. With a commitment to launch a completely new slew of all-electric vehicles by the end of the decade, Jaguar is hoping the rebrand performs a ‘complete reset’ according to Managing Director Rawdon Glover.

History, at least, is on Jaguar’s side. The brand has repeatedly proven its ability to adapt and evolve, from the sleek lines of the E-Type to the modern flair of the I-PACE. This latest transformation is timed perfectly, albeit with the stakes turned up to eleven. Yet, reinvention always comes with risks. Will this new identity alienate loyalists who cherish Jaguar’s old-world charm? Can the brand authentically straddle the line between exclusivity and accessibility, artistry and practicality? These are the big questions Jaguar faces, and they’ll only be answered as its plans unfold in the years to come.

The post Jaguar’s Rebranding feels ‘Confusingly Generic’ as the Luxury Carmaker Announces New Visual Identity first appeared on Yanko Design.

3D-Printed Banana Lamp is a Cheeky Nod to Maurizio Cattelan’s Most Iconic Artwork

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A glowing bunch of bananas might sound like a quirky Maurizio Cattelan artpiece that comments on society, but the Banana Lamp by Gazzaladra is a serious nod to creativity and clever design. Crafted using precise 3D scans of real bananas, this lamp leans into nature’s whimsy, turning an everyday fruit into an arresting piece of functional art. It’s not just about illumination—it’s about sparking conversations, turning heads, and challenging the mundane with a cheeky twist.

Each lamp in the collection captures the organic details of a banana bunch with startling authenticity. From the subtle ridges on the peel to the delicate curve of each fruit, it’s evident that this isn’t just a cartoonish attempt at mimicking nature. Gazzaladra’s design merges the accuracy of high-resolution 3D modeling with a sense of humor, resulting in a lamp that feels both oddly lifelike and undeniably modern. Whether perched on a desk or suspended from the ceiling, its playful design ensures it’s more than just a light source—it’s an experience.

Designer: Gazzaladra

The Banana Lamp’s charm lies in the marriage of form and function. It’s easy to dismiss a banana-shaped lamp as a novelty, but closer inspection reveals a thoughtful balance of aesthetics and utility. The design speaks to a broader audience—not just design enthusiasts but anyone with a sense of fun and a love for standout décor. The lamp doesn’t just sit quietly in the background; it demands to be noticed, celebrated, and even laughed about. It’s a rare example of how everyday objects, when reimagined creatively, can transcend their usual roles and become something extraordinary.

Available as a 3D model on the thangs.com 3D model marketplace, the Banana Lamp is designed to be tinkered with. The hollow bananas feature a 1.6mm wall thickness, making them ideal for translucent filaments that create a glowing effect. Want a more dramatic look? Play around with painting techniques to replicate anything from green, unripe bananas to the golden hue of perfectly ripened fruit. The lamp essentially invites you to collaborate with the design, making it a unique, hands-on experience for users.

Obviously it goes without saying, but the lamp’s designed only to be used with LED bulbs. Given that plastic (especially materials like PLA or ABS) melt fairly quickly under sustained heat, the Banana Lamp isn’t made for being used with incandescent bulbs. In fact, maker ‘gazzaladra’ even recommends trying out a bulb with a sample 3D print before installing one in your house. In fact, if your printer supports PET-G or Nylon filaments, opt for those over traditional PLA filaments that are very prone to warping or melting.

The Banana Lamp is available in four distinct versions, tailored to suit different needs and aesthetic preferences. Whether you’re looking for a pendant lamp to crown your kitchen or a desk version to brighten up your workspace, there’s a banana—or a bunch—for you. Each variant is compatible with common socket kits, such as the Ikea Strala, ensuring that even the technical side of this lamp remains approachable. A thoughtful design element allows for single or multicolor printing, so you can either keep it minimal or let your imagination run wild with custom-painted ripeness levels.

Gazzaladra’s Banana Lamp feels like an art exhibit brought into the home, a nod to the idea that even the most mundane objects can inspire joy. It’s a reminder to take design less seriously sometimes—to embrace the quirky and unexpected. Whether it’s lighting up a dinner party with its cheeky charm or simply sitting as a silent conversation starter in your living room, the Banana Lamp is an invitation to look at the world through a more playful lens.

The post 3D-Printed Banana Lamp is a Cheeky Nod to Maurizio Cattelan’s Most Iconic Artwork first appeared on Yanko Design.

Level Up Your Mechanical Keyboard: Yu-Gi-Oh! Artisan Keycaps Unleash Iconic Duel Characters

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Dueling monsters and legendary spells come to life on your keyboard with the Yu-Gi-Oh! Artisan Keycaps by Eminent Crafts and Dwarf Factory. Each keycap is meticulously handcrafted and hand-painted, capturing the essence of these legendary figures. rafted in the versatile SA R1 profile and compatible with Cherry MX switches, they’re perfect for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts who value both form and function. Each keycap is a visual masterpiece, created with exceptional attention to detail and finished with hand-painted artistry.

Encased in high-quality resin for durability and visual flair, these keycaps also allow for LED shine-through, enhancing their appeal in dynamic lighting setups. Whether you’re summoning nostalgic memories or personalizing your workspace, the collection—featuring the Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and Blue Eyes White Dragon—adds a dash of personality to your keyboard. Priced at $64.99 each, these officially licensed keycaps are a treat for fans and collectors alike.

Designer: Eminent Crafts X Dwarf Factory

Dark Magician Keycap

The Dark Magician keycap channels the essence of Yu-Gi-Oh!’s most iconic sorcerer into a stunning, meticulously crafted design. Encased in crystal-clear resin, the figure is brought to life with flowing purple robes and a glowing staff, embodying the magician’s arcane allure. Hand-painted with precision, every detail—down to the sharp lines of the lightning strikes emerging from his scepter and the magical swirls of his attire—evokes a sense of motion and mystique. The vibrant colors and lifelike textures make this keycap a centerpiece for any mechanical keyboard setup.

More than just an aesthetic masterpiece, the Dark Magician keycap is engineered with functionality in mind. Crafted in the SA R1 profile, it offers a comfortable typing experience while fitting seamlessly onto Cherry MX switches and their clones. The resin casing doesn’t just protect the intricate design; it also enhances it, allowing LED backlighting to shine through, creating an ethereal glow reminiscent of the character’s magical power. It’s a seamless fusion of artistry and usability, ideal for fans and keyboard enthusiasts alike.

The Dark Magician keycap is a refined addition for mechanical keyboard enthusiasts and collectors. Its high level of detail and compatibility make it an excellent choice for those who value both aesthetics and usability. By combining skilled craftsmanship with durable materials, it transforms any keyboard setup into a visually captivating workstation.

Dark Magician Girl Keycap

The Dark Magician Girl keycap radiates charm with its vibrant color palette and exquisite detail. Her signature pink-and-blue outfit is meticulously rendered, with every element—from her wide-brimmed hat to her magical staff—perfectly sculpted and hand-painted. Encased in transparent resin, the design is preserved against wear while allowing your keyboard’s lighting to bring her to life. This keycap effortlessly balances fun and nostalgia, making it a must-have for fans of this beloved character.

Like its counterparts, the Dark Magician Girl keycap is built for both beauty and functionality. Its SA R1 profile ensures compatibility with Cherry MX switches, while the durable resin makes it a lasting part of your keyboard collection. The keycap is ideal for those looking to add a playful yet iconic flair to their setup, bringing the magic of Yu-Gi-Oh! into everyday use.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon Keycap

The Blue Eyes White Dragon keycap is a showstopper, embodying the raw power and majesty of the franchise’s most iconic creature. The intricate sculpting captures every detail, from the beast’s sharp claws to its meticulously scaled body, while its piercing blue eyes dominate the design. Encased in clear resin, the keycap allows for LED shine-through, adding a dramatic lighting effect that mirrors the dragon’s legendary “White Lightning” attack.

Beyond its impressive aesthetics, this keycap is designed with functionality in mind. The SA R1 profile and Cherry MX compatibility make it suitable for a wide range of mechanical keyboards. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Kaiba’s favorite monster or simply appreciate intricate artisan craftsmanship, the Blue Eyes White Dragon keycap offers a striking blend of design and usability. It’s the ultimate statement piece for any keyboard setup, channeling the spirit of this legendary dueling monster.

The post Level Up Your Mechanical Keyboard: Yu-Gi-Oh! Artisan Keycaps Unleash Iconic Duel Characters first appeared on Yanko Design.

How Collaborative Tools are Revolutionizing the Design Pipeline: An Interview with KeyShot

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The journey of creating a product doesn’t end at design—it’s where it begins. KeyShot, a trusted name in product visualization and rendering, is evolving that journey with its innovative Product Design-to-Market Suite. Imagine a world where designers, developers, and marketers don’t work in silos but move together in perfect sync. That’s the vision KeyShot is bringing to life, and it’s already shaking up workflows for companies big and small.

We sat down with Garin Gardiner, Product Director of KeyShot Hub, to uncover how this suite is solving challenges designers didn’t even know had solutions. From effortless collaboration to smarter asset management, KeyShot isn’t just keeping up with the demands of the design world—it’s rewriting the rules. Dive into this conversation to explore how KeyShot is empowering creators to dream big and deliver faster.

Click Here to Download Now: The whitepaper for an in-depth look at how this new framework can transform your business.

Yanko Design: What specific areas in the product design process does KeyShot’s new Product Design-to-Market Suite address? How does this optimize a business’ workflow in ways that older versions of KeyShot didn’t?

Garin Gardiner: Our flagship product, KeyShot Studio, is primarily geared towards the individual designer. It was the first scientifically accurate rendering engine, now used in over two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, with thousands of customers around the world. We’ve always worked closely with our customers to keep Studio relevant to their needs, and over two decades of development, we learned about other significant needs related to the design process, team workflows and business logistics. We saw a huge opportunity to help – and to revolutionize the way products are brought to market.

We’re introducing a concept called Product Design-to-Market, which is a holistic strategy that connects the many departments involved in product creation and market delivery. You can think of it as bridging the product design and go-to-market processes. Instead of working in silos, we’re encouraging a smooth exchange of information and assets across design, development and marketing teams. The result is faster iteration, better alignment, and a seamless transition from first sketch to market delivery.

Of course, you need the right tools to make this vision a reality. Our Product Design-to-Market Suite, which includes KeyShot Studio, also provides comprehensive design team support in KeyShot Hub and connection to the management and distribution of marketing assets in KeyShot Dock.

Yanko Design: How have early adopters responded to KeyShot Hub’s collaboration capabilities, and can you share how it has improved their design process?

Garin Gardiner: It is amazing how nearly every customer we’ve talked to, when we ask them how they’re navigating team workflows, say they struggle managing a central repository for their team to find the core items they use frequently. When individuals can’t find what they’re looking for, they often create duplications, and there’s so much time wasted in that. Hub provides that central repository, so everyone has access to the current version of the file, meaning no duplications are necessary. Plus, changes to the file can automatically be tracked and you can easily revert back to a previous version.

Another favorite is the shared material library in Hub. Customers say being able to work from the same material library makes a huge difference. If a material gets modified, the entire team will automatically get the latest and greatest the next time they use a material. They are also able to tag it for easier searchability, so they aren’t creating duplicate materials, like they often do today.

Hub’s related assets feature is really resonating with customers. When you apply materials to a scene and save it to the Hub, you are able to see all those materials linked to the scene in the Hub for a quick CMF view of your scene.

Tagging is another feature customers appreciate. When saving a rendering to the Hub it will automatically attach tags – Model Sets, Camera, Studio, Environment, Image Style, Colorway, and Materials. These tags can then be used to search for renderings. Searches can be saved for later re-use by all members of the team. Our customers care a lot about their CMF – it’s a key aspect of what they do. They can also manually update tags if they prefer.

Customers are also loving the side-by-side comparison feature between versions. You can select two versions and real-time compare them using a dynamic slider; it’s really helpful to compare differences between versions, especially when the differences are in small details. Our customers create a lot of versions of the same rendering and being able to compare versions side-by-side is helpful.

These are all features that Hub users say address the team and workflow challenges they’re facing today. Ultimately, it’s all about saving time and enabling easy collaboration, so designers can focus on their craft rather than administrative tasks. And you can see how everything works in a full demo of Hub available on YouTube.

Yanko Design: What developments in other industries are providing inspiration for KeyShot as it paves the way forward with its new Product Design-to-Market Suite?

Garin Gardiner: There’s certainly movement toward breaking down silos and supporting cross-collaboration. We have seen how companies like Microsoft have enabled richer collaboration using the cloud through their Teams platform. We have also seen design tools like Fusion transform how their customers work with Fusion Team.

These developments were part of what inspired us to offer a purpose-built Product Design-to-Market Suite to better support our customers. Now KeyShot provides speedy and intuitive rendering, support for design team workflows, and support for marketing.

Yanko Design: We’re very excited about KeyShot Dock’s enhanced Digital Asset Management system! How do you envision it helping companies better organize and distribute their 3D assets across marketing and sales channels?

Garin Gardiner: Right now, marketing teams are typically responsible for generating their own images and animations, separate from product design. They budget for product visuals and often make them from scratch, spending time and money on photography and design work. But they could be saving time and money by repurposing the 3D renderings already produced by design teams, which make it easy to create an infinite amount of marketing-worthy product visuals. CAD models and KeyShot scenes can be stored in KeyShot Dock, providing a connection between marketing and product design and empowering marketing to use those assets across go-to-market channels.

Our customers tell us that 3D visuals are much more effective than 2D images or product photography; 3D visuals lead to higher conversions and lower return rates.

Customers can expect regular updates to Dock. Over time, we are looking to enable viewing 3D interactive files like GLBs and even the possibility of generating on-demand 3D viewables from CAD models like SolidWorks, STEP and more.

Yanko Design: How do you see technologies like AI and machine learning influencing the future of 3D rendering and Digital Asset Management, and will KeyShot incorporate these innovations?

Garin Gardiner: We’re considering how to incorporate AI into our tools in a way that adds value to users. While generative AI can provide impressive results in image generation, we still believe that accurate rendering – down to highly detailed materials and brand elements – will require physics-based rendering. However, we are analyzing how AI can help our customers achieve greater efficiency in their workflows or increase the speed and quality of rendering, through processes like sampling light rays used by rendering algorithms or denoising rendered images.

On the marketing side, AI has the potential to make it faster and easier for teams to generate 2D renderings as a replacement for physical photography. Imagine feeding AI with 100% accurate product data and using it to generate creative environments around accurate renderings.

These are all possibilities we’re looking at right now. AI has so much potential to provide creative and logistical support – it’s all about making the most of it.

Image Credits: Silvester Kössler

Click Here to Download Now: The whitepaper for an in-depth look at how this new framework can transform your business.

The post How Collaborative Tools are Revolutionizing the Design Pipeline: An Interview with KeyShot first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Compact E Ink Phone Promises to Simplify Your Digital Life

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This year’s been exhausting, hasn’t it?! Especially the last few weeks have been emotionally and mentally draining, and it isn’t just the news, but more specifically, it’s the information overload we’ve been subjected to. Even for a device small enough to fit in our pockets, the smartphone is capable of creating a lot of ‘noise’ in the form of news, texts, calls, notifications, ads, and a lot of data clutter that can overwhelm our brains. This data clutter and relentless bombardment of information is what led to the creation of the Mudita Kompakt, a phone that prioritizes mindful living over doomscrolling.

Created by the minds behind CD Projekt (think The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077), Mudita Kompakt reflects co-founder Michał Kiciński’s personal journey toward a more balanced life. After years in the gaming industry, where endless connection was the norm, he sought a solution to keep people both connected and grounded. That drive led to Mudita’s mission to design devices that encourage simplicity, privacy, and a conscious digital experience.

Designer: Mudita

Click Here to Buy Now: $316 $465 (32% off). Hurry, only 2/900 left! Raised over $336,000.

The Mudita Kompakt keeps things refreshingly simple. Its 4.3-inch E Ink display is easy on the eyes and demands very little power. That’s right—this phone’s battery can last up to six days, which, in today’s daily-charging world, feels almost revolutionary. Inside, it packs a quad-core MediaTek processor, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage (expandable via memory card). Sure, these aren’t flagship specs, but that’s really not the point. It’s all about cutting the clutter and retaining only the things that ‘spark joy’ here. Mudita keeps it lean, pre-loading only the most basic apps like phone, SMS, a calculator, and a voice recorder—none of those attention-demanding apps or bloatware that love to ping you at all hours.

For a phone, the Mudita Kompakt offers dual-SIM capabilities, with 4G LTE compatibility. You can make and receive calls on either SIM and even make/receive VoLTE or Wi-Fi calls, offering connectivity without much of a compromise. Given its entire premise is to stay disconnected from the clutter of the internet, it clearly doesn’t come with 5G, but that’s more of a feature than a bug, truth be told. There’s even support for eSIMs, which is perfect for carriers that don’t traditionally offer SIM cards.

For a phone that strives to be different from the status quo, it still makes a conscious effort to retain features that are cutting-edge… only if they matter to Mudita’s overarching ethos. You may not have a flashy screen and 5G connectivity, but the Kompakt DOES come with a fingerprint sensor to unlock your phone, ensuring biometric-grade security feels reassuring. Surprisingly enough, the phone comes with NFC support too, allowing you to use existing NFC tags around the house, as well as ensuring future compatibility with NFC-ready apps that Mudita may introduce down the road.

What’s remarkable about the Kompakt is its genuine intent to keep users focused on the real world, not the screen. It features an Offline+ mode activated by a physical switch, cutting off cell networks, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, and even disabling the mics and camera for a true offline experience. Think of it as Airplane Mode on steroids, with no features that cause you to linger on your phone for too long. You can read existing messages (you won’t receive new ones), browse through your gallery, or listen to music without any distractions. All these actions have heavy intent behind them, so you’re less likely to end up in a doomscrolling spiral.

Tailored for E Ink®

On the design front, the Mudita Kompakt feels compact, sturdy, and unassuming. It boasts an IP54 rating, meaning it’s resistant to dust and splashes, so it can hold up to daily wear without needing a bulky case. While it does include a modest 8MP camera, this isn’t about capturing every detail of your day—just the moments you truly want to remember. Photos get displayed in greyscale on your E Ink display, adding a rather retro touch to your photography chops. And for the rare occasion you need to recharge, it’s conveniently equipped with wireless charging and a USB-C port, keeping up with modern conveniences.

The Kompakt’s software is built on a custom OS based on the Android Open Source Project. The twist? There’s no Google lurking in the background, collecting data. Mudita promises three years of software updates to keep things smooth, even though this isn’t the kind of phone that’ll be weighed down by big updates. That’s another angle to the Kompakt’s appeal: minimal fuss, minimal distraction, and maximum control over what you interact with.

Of course, going minimalist does have its trade-offs. There’s no Google Play Store here, so you won’t find a wide selection of apps. Mudita provides basic offline maps, a music player, and a few utilities like a meditation timer, voice recorder, an e-reader, and even a chess app that promises you won’t find yourself getting bored. You can, however, sideload other Android apps, although compatibility isn’t guaranteed. For those of us used to feature-packed smartphones, adjusting to a stripped-down OS could be tricky. But that’s the appeal—it’s a purposeful move away from digital noise, offering just enough functionality to meet core needs without temptations. A true digital detox, if you will.

Another perk of the Kompakt is privacy. Since it doesn’t sync with most cloud services, your data stays on your device. Sure, it may feel a bit old-fashioned to manage contacts and files through Mudita’s desktop app, but for privacy-minded users, this setup grants peace of mind. It’s a minor detour to ditch the endless cloud syncs and data-hungry services tracking your every move. The Kompakt is available starting at $316 for early adopters, with a 14-day money-back guarantee just in case the Kompakt feels like too much of a culture shock. Mudita offers Global and North American versions of the Kompakt, so it’s compatible with networks worldwide. Just don’t expect it to work everywhere yet—currently, it’s only shipping to select countries in Europe, the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Oh, and just in case you were wondering… it has a 3.5mm audio jack!

Click Here to Buy Now: $316 $465 (32% off). Hurry, only 2/900 left! Raised over $336,000.

The post This Compact E Ink Phone Promises to Simplify Your Digital Life first appeared on Yanko Design.

For Me Buds: The Travel TWS Earbuds That Double as an AI-Powered Sleep Monitor

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The TWS Earbud market is absolutely flooded with products right now. Go to Amazon or even Temu and you won’t find hundreds of smart earbuds, you’ll find hundreds of thousands of them… all in the ‘Audio’ category. The “For Me Buds” are probably the only ones that would fit in a ‘Wellness’ category instead. Designed to be the first health-focused earbuds, the For Me Buds are perhaps the only sleep-monitoring earbuds on the market. They come from Sleepwave, a team of former LG engineers dedicated to developing a sleep-health-centric ecosystem of products.

The For Me Buds are a set of ANC earbuds designed for people who need help with fixing or optimizing their sleep schedule. The buds were predominantly designed for travelers, who often see the highest amount of sleep routine disruption over a day-to-day basis, but the earbuds are made for general light sleepers too. Aside from being worn during the day to listen to audio, the For Me Buds are designed to be worn while asleep too. Set up your sleep routine, put the buds in, and they perform real-time sleep monitoring.

Designer: Sleepwave

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $179 (45% off). Hurry, only 2334 units left! Raised over $173,000.

The buds analyze your sleep and provide personalized sound tailored to the user, while AI monitors sleep quality and adjusts performance in real-time. A built-in PPG sensor and motion sensor work in tandem to analyze heart rate and other health metrics, along with body movement during sleep. Unlike smartwatches that only perform sleep analysis, the For Me Buds analyze sleep stages in real-time and provide dynamic binaural beats tailored to each stage. Their unique design as in-ear earbuds offers the added advantage of delivering personalized sound to enhance sleep quality. Additionally, the companion app utilizes AI to analyze your sleep and provide feedback to help improve your sleep patterns.

Sleepwave’s patented DB Beats™(Dynamic Binaural Beats) technology delivers personalized sound. This technology synchronizes brainwaves by playing different frequencies in each ear that dynamically change over time. Its effectiveness has been clinically validated and published in the Oxford Sleep Journal. Beyond improving sleep quality, it also offers various modes tailored to users’ needs. For example, at night, the “Sleep Mode” helps users achieve their sleep goals, while during the day, the “Refresh Mode” supports relaxation or maintaining a focused state.

The comfort factor is a big deal here. The earbuds are designed to be so small and lightweight that they feel almost unnoticeable, especially when your ear is pressed against a pillow. Thanks to their sleep-friendly ergonomic design, they can be worn comfortably by users lying down or sleeping on their side. Additionally, the hybrid ANC effectively blocks out external noise, creating a serene and quiet environment, whether you’re on an airplane seat or in bed.

Speaking of regular TWS earbuds, the For Me Buds double as those too, helping with music and playback. Given that booming audio isn’t its primary focus, don’t expect an extra-pumped bass or high-decibel audio with the For Me Buds. The overall output offers a balanced soundstage that’s great for music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. rather than being a one-trick pony. The earbuds come with Bluetooth 5.3, which maintains a steady connection even if you’re shifting around in bed. Compatibility with both Android as well as iOS means everyone gets access to great audio and better sleep, regardless of their product ecosystem. IPx4 keeps the buds dry in most conditions, in case you’re a bit of a sweaty sleeper, or you choose to wear the buds during or after workouts.

The companion app lets you do more than just toggle the earbuds’ basic settings—it actually includes sleep-tracking capabilities that analyze your sleep duration and quality based on your listening patterns and other inputs. This isn’t medical-grade data, of course, but it does give a decent snapshot of your sleep trends and patterns over time. It’s a nice bonus for users who are interested in improving their sleep hygiene, as it provides some feedback without requiring a separate device like a smartwatch. And if sleep science isn’t your thing, the app still lets you customize your listening experience, from volume limits to noise calibration, to make sure the For Me Buds adapt to your specific environment.

The battery life is a crucial part of the sleep-friendly equation. Each charge lasts around ten hours, enough to cover a full night’s sleep for most users, with the charging case holding up to 5 additional charges to keep you covered. The math checks out well: you could use them every night for almost a week without needing to find an outlet, or alternatively, charge them just once during the day if you plan on using them for sleep as well as things like music, meetings, etc. A USB-C port helps the buds’ case to charge, or alternatively, support for wireless charging means you can place the case on any charging mat to juice up the battery.

Although the market for ‘sleep earbuds’ is incredibly niche, it isn’t what the For Me Buds is pitching. The For Me Buds is more of an earbud that does a better job at sleep monitoring than your smartwatch, making it a great hybrid device to have on you instead of earbuds AND a fitness bracelet. The earbuds are obviously great for travelers who find themselves taking frequent red-eye flights, or anyone who thinks great sleep requires a little more than just a sleep-monitoring watch or mattress. Besides, the future of earbuds is clearly more than just playing audio. With the inclusion of various sensors that help track heart activity, body temperature, and even brain activity by extension, the For Me Buds are the perfect blend of audio tech and health wearable.

The For Me Buds start at an affordable $99, which includes the buds and case. The companion app is free to use, offering AI features without any added cost or subscription. The For Me Buds ship globally in January 2025, and come with a 1-year warranty.

Click Here to Buy Now: $99 $179 (45% off). Hurry, only 2334 units left! Raised over $173,000.

The post For Me Buds: The Travel TWS Earbuds That Double as an AI-Powered Sleep Monitor first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Grade 5 Titanium Knife Hides Two Extra Backup Blades for Unmatched Versatility

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I love it when an EDC knife goes beyond the standard template to throw in a few surprises. Whether it’s hiding a glass-breaker into its design or having a unique opening/closing mechanism, knives that don’t necessarily follow all the rules are a breath of fresh air. Take a look at the Ezsharp Titanium Knife and chances are it’ll look like just another ordinary knife with a scalpel blade mounted on the front. However, hit a switch on the handle and a cartridge pops out, revealing two MORE backup blades.

It isn’t often that you see a knife with extra blades hidden away in a secret chamber in the knife’s handle, but the Ezsharp does just that. Designed to be dangerously sharp, ruthlessly efficient, and relentless, the knife packs one main blade for cutting, slicing, shopping, or whittling… but just in case that blade isn’t enough to get the job done, you’ve got two more blades ready to be locked and loaded. Pretty cool, no?!

Designer: Backing Tech

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $120 (34% Off) Hurry! Only 39 units left.

At the heart of Ezsharp’s appeal is its blade—a surgical-grade scalpel capable of extraordinary precision. Whether you’re slicing through paper, fabric, or plastic, the knife performs with the accuracy of a craftsman’s tool. The compatibility with various scalpel blades (#10, #11, #12, and #15) adds versatility, allowing you to tailor the knife to the task at hand. And when the blade loses its edge, there’s no need for sharpening like you’d have to with most pocket knives. Just swap out the old blade with a new one from the built-in slot housing spare blades—a feature as practical as it is innovative.

The body of the knife comes machined from Grade 5 titanium, which is in itself a mark of good, durable EDC. This is a material chosen for its unique combination of strength and lightness. Weighing only 45 grams and measuring 3.15 inches, it feels feather-light in your pocket but doesn’t compromise on robustness. Titanium’s corrosion resistance and germproof properties mean this knife is built to last, no matter where life takes you. The CNC-machined design ensures a flawless finish, making the knife as much a statement piece as it is a utility tool. Its bead-blast grey finish exudes understated elegance, while its ergonomic contours provide a steady, comfortable grip for prolonged use.

Opening the Ezsharp is seamless and should come naturally to anyone who’s wielded a folding blade before. There’s a flipper that helps you quickly deploy the knife, alternatively, a finger groove in the handle lets you get your nail in and open the blade out – just like your standard Swiss Army knife. A sturdy frame lock ensures it stays securely in place during use, offering the confidence of a heavy-duty tool in a sleek, compact package. Even closing the knife is hassle-free; a gentle push of the locking bar lets you fold it away with ease.

The Ezsharp ditches the regular blade for a standard Scalpel blade and with good reason. Scalpel blades are notoriously sharp, are readily available, are extremely cheap, and come in a variety of shapes for different activities. Mount a scalpel blade on the Ezsharp and it’s a formidable cutting tool, capable of doing everything from opening boxes to whittling wood to even slashing through seatbelts and paracord. Scalpel blades come in a variety of designs, which means you can choose a profile/shape that suits your needs the best. As far as sharpness goes, they’re all dangerously capable, and are medical grade, which means you can use the knife for hunting and cooking too.

Instead of worrying about sharpening your dull blade, Ezsharp sidesteps that laborious process by allowing you to simply swap out an old blade for a new one. A simple press of a resilient tab unlocks the blade for swift removal or installation. No risk to your fingers, no frustration—just smooth, effortless efficiency. It’s easy, and actually reduces waste by allowing you to swap out just the thin blade rather than ditch an old knife for a new one (let’s face it, not everyone sits and sharpens their knife). The replaceable blade is also great for travel, but more on that later.

The Ezsharp’s most impressive feature remains the hidden slot to store extra blades. Discreetly integrated into the handle, it can store up to two additional blades, secured with powerful magnets. A simple button press releases the slot for quick access. This thoughtful addition ensures you’re always prepared, whether you’re tackling a creative project, embarking on an outdoor adventure, or simply handling day-to-day tasks. You can store the same blade type or diversify by keeping different blade designs which you can then interchange depending on what blade profile you need.

The detachable blade makes the Ezsharp perfect for travel too. Just ditch the blades and the knife is TSA-friendly and flight-ready. The blades can be stored separately in your check-in luggage (or bought at any hardware/medical store), making just the handle perfectly safe for any kind of travel. Carrying the knife around is fairly simple too, thanks to a pocket clip for traditional carrying, or a lanyard hole for strapping the Ezsharp to your backpack or even around your keychain.

Beyond its practical features, Ezsharp embraces design as an art form. Its titanium body offers opportunities for stunning finishes, from anodized colors to laser-engraved patterns. The exclusive Adventurer’s Edition, available only to Kickstarter backers, takes this artistry to the next level with unique textures and iridescent effects.

The Ezsharp starts at $79, which includes the titanium knife along with ten scalpel blades (#11 design). The colorful Adventurer edition starts at $86, if the idea of simple microtextured titanium doesn’t excite you. Although there’s no official warranty on the Ezsharp, its titanium construction should be more than capable of lasting decades with regular use. Just keep changing the blades and your Ezsharp should be as good as new every single time!

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $120 (34% Off) Hurry! Only 39 units left.

The post This Grade 5 Titanium Knife Hides Two Extra Backup Blades for Unmatched Versatility first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Pocket Knife with a Vertical Sliding Blade is Breaking the Internet

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Designed merely as a prototype for TikTok, the Sliding Knife by Midgards Messer seems to have broken the EDC world by proposing something that’s equal parts ridiculous and intriguing. You see, when someone says “sliding knife”, chances are, you think of a switchblade or an OTF knife. What Midgards Messer’s knife does is something vastly more interesting. It’s your regular folding knife, but instead of having a standard pivot mechanism, it has a pivot-and-slide system. Open the blade out, and before you use it, slide it down to lock it in place. Why is it interesting, you ask? Well, it helps the knife achieve the power of a much bigger blade, while still being fairly tiny. Let me explain…

Designer: Midgards Messer

A big blade is usually better for heavy-duty tasks. It’s bulkier, adds more weight, and holds its shape without warping or bending. Think of an axe blade versus a sword – one of them is clearly surviving being used against a tree bark, right? Well, the bad thing with bigger blades is that they aren’t really portable. Try to incorporate a big blade into a small pocket knife isn’t easy. Making the blade big means the handle needs to fit the folding blade too – and a thicker handle isn’t easy to grip.

So the folks at Midgards Messer came up with a pretty cool-looking workaround. Keep the blade big and the handle small, but incorporate a sliding mechanism that allows the blade and handle’s spine to align while in use. The blade’s edge sits inside the handle when shut, with the rest of the blade peeking out. Open the blade and you notice that it sits at an offset, with the jimping being a little higher than expected. Push the blade down and it locks in place, creating the aesthetic of a fixed-blade knife with a larger, heavier front, while still being foldable and portable.

Although having a pivoting AND sliding mechanism isn’t ideal, this knife isn’t meant to be hyper-practical. It’s designed as a proof-of-concept and a prototype for a unique format that can be refined further. As far as this ‘Sliding Knife’ prototype goes, it’s fairly mid-sized, which means you’ve got an easy-to-grip handle (made presumably from metal), while the blade itself has a drop-point design that’s a lot ‘taller’ than your average folding knife. This makes it perfect for cutting, slicing, and piercing, but also holds up well to more heavy, sustained use.

Midgards Messer made this as a one-off prototype (which promptly sold out instantly on their website), but is open to taking reservations for future models it manufactures. The Sliding Knife starts at $349, which is pretty reasonable for something this game-changing, and even though I don’t recommend it as an everyday-use tool, it definitely belongs in the EDC collector showcase!

The post This Pocket Knife with a Vertical Sliding Blade is Breaking the Internet first appeared on Yanko Design.