Author Archives: Sarang Sheth

The MERAKI Espresso Machine is what you get if Apple and Dyson collaborated to design a coffee maker

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A clean design, flawless and silent operation, and perfect results with just the right amount of tech. That’s what the Meraki promises, as compared to other espresso machines which can be cumbersome, archaic, and sometimes outright messy.

Ask any true-blue coffee lover and they’ll tell you that the Nespresso and Keurig aren’t coffee machines. They’re merely water boilers that pass hot water through a pod filled with coffee grounds. That isn’t how coffee should be extracted or savored. The true magic is in going from bean to cup, covering the grinding, tamping, extracting, and pouring process in one singular cycle. While the idea of grinding beans every time you want a cup of coffee may feel tiresome to most, devices like the Meraki make the ritual more foolproof and enjoyable. Touted as the ‘ultimate’ espresso maker, this nifty device uplifts coffee-making using a combination of design and innovation.

Designer: Meraki

Click Here to Buy Now: $1199 $1799 (33% off). Hurry! Limited time offer—over $1.2 million raised.

The first thing that really catches your eye is the Meraki’s design. Best described as futuristic-yet-contemporary, the espresso maker has a matte exterior with metallic accents, sleek surfaces, and a circular display on the top that guides you through the espresso-making process. The somewhat monolithic device handles grinding, extraction, and frothing, and clearly separates the three functions into distinct zones from left to right. This linear approach optimizes and simplifies your coffee-making ‘workflow’ while still preserving the artistry and authenticity of barista-crafted espresso. The Meraki literally takes you on a coffee-making journey, starting first with an NFC reader on top that analyzes your coffee beans to adjust coffee-making practices (which Meraki calls its CoffeeSense™ tech), and the circular display that either guides you through the fairly automated process, or allows you to manually adjust settings based on your preference. If you already have a favorite coffee-blend, you can use it with the Meraki too, eschewing the entire NFC scanning process. At the end of this journey, you’re greeted with a cup of coffee that feels like it was brewed at a specialty coffee shop, bringing world-class coffee to you instead of the other way around.

Meraki partnered with TIMEMORE®, a leader in coffee grinding technology, to develop a grinder that offers stepless adjustment and utilizes a conical burr design. This ensures consistent grinds, which are essential for unlocking the full flavor potential of coffee beans. Unlike other 3-in-1 machines that often compromise on grind quality, Meraki’s grinder is designed to maintain the integrity of the coffee, preventing heat and moisture from affecting the beans. The grinder’s design also includes an innovative magnetic dosing cup that attaches securely, making the process of dosing and prepping your puck more efficient and stable.

Extraction is made easy thanks to its commercial-grade components. The rotary pump ensures a consistent 9-bar pressure, which is crucial for the rich, flavorful extraction that espresso lovers crave. Additionally, Meraki employs a sophisticated temperature control system that includes an independent extraction boiler, PID technology, and a dedicated group head heater. This triad works in harmony to maintain a steady steeping temperature, eliminating the fluctuations that can ruin a shot of espresso. Real-time feedback allows users to fine-tune their coffee to perfection, whether they prefer a light and fruity shot or a deep, robust espresso. This level of control is typically reserved for high-end commercial machines, but Meraki brings it into the home kitchen.

Beyond its grinding and extraction capabilities, the Meraki also excels in milk frothing – the final step in your coffee-making journey. The machine boasts an independent steam boiler and a 360° adjustable steam wand, allowing for precise control over milk texture. Separate boilers for coffee-extraction and for steaming mean the Meraki can simultaneously handle both tasks. High-pressure steam from the boiler, along with an integrated temperature sensor ensures that your milk is heated to the perfect temperature, whether you’re aiming for silky microfoam or airy froth. The steam wand’s design is also user-friendly, eliminating the wait times associated with traditional machines and allowing for uninterrupted frothing. This makes it easier than ever to create café-quality drinks, complete with latte art, right at home.

Meraki’s user interface is another design highlight, offering an Auto Mode that simplifies the coffee-making process. Users can select their desired coffee grounds, liquid weight, and milk temperature through an intuitive touchscreen, and the machine takes care of the rest. The dual integrated scales in the Auto Mode stop the grinding and extraction processes once the preset parameters are achieved, ensuring consistency with every cup. This feature, combined with the aforementioned CoffeeSense™ technology, makes the Meraki accessible to both novice coffee drinkers and seasoned baristas. CoffeeSense™ utilizes NFC chips embedded in Meraki’s coffee bags to automatically set the optimal grinding and extraction parameters for each specific bean type, taking the guesswork out of making great coffee. The folks at Meraki have even worked extensively with coffee roasters from across the world to curate a ‘global coffee library’ that you can tap into, allowing you to explore coffee across different countries and cultures.

The Meraki ships with everything you’d need to make coffee, right down to the minor details like a full-fledged portafilter and tamping setup to a milk-frothing jug and even a cleaning brush to maintain your all-in-one espresso maker. The Meraki comes in both matte black and matte white variants, although I personally prefer the former for its slick, mysterious appeal. With its gorgeous design and simplified coffee-making process, the Meraki is for anyone who loves their coffee but is exhausted by how multiple appliances can complicate the ritual of making a great cup of coffee. By handling every step of the coffee-making process, down from expertly grinding the beans to extracting a shot and even frothing your milk to a silky smooth consistency, the Meraki is your at-home barista that puts you in the ‘driver’s seat’, allowing you to own the experience from start to finish without spending hundreds on sub-standard Keurig coffee-pods, or overpriced lattes at your local cafe. In fact, the Meraki takes you well beyond your local cafe too, giving you the ability to explore high-standard blends from specialty cafes around the world, right in the comfort of your own kitchen. The ‘ultimate’ espresso machine ships to the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Malaysia, Poland and the United Arab Emirates, with a 2-year warranty to cover any issues, and customer service in all aforementioned regions.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1199 $1799 (33% off). Hurry! Limited time offer—over $1.2 million raised.

The post The MERAKI Espresso Machine is what you get if Apple and Dyson collaborated to design a coffee maker first appeared on Yanko Design.

Someone Made A Deadpool & Wolverine LEGO Set in 2022 And We’re Only Discovering It Now…

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Popular LEGO stop-motion animator Hachiroku24 gave us a taste of Deadpool & Wolverine two full years before the real deal. Even though the final movie was star-studded with more cameos than we could possibly hope for, Hachiroku24’s LEGO build is no less, featuring a fight scene between Logan and the merc within the hallways of X-Mansion, with Prof. X, Cyclops, and Storm in the background watching with what I can only assume is a sense of despair as the two immortals absolutely trash the mansion.

Designer: Hachiroku24

Given that the diorama was created two full years before the movie, a lot is left to Hachiroku24’s imagination… and with good reason – the LEGO scene fun, chaotic, and captures a slow-motion build-up of the two superheroes going at each other’s throats – something we all expected early on. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s because of Deadpool either being outright obnoxious or flirting with Storm. Wolverine has his claws out, lunging towards a suited Wade Wilson, who has his non-golden pistoleros pointed in obvious self defense.

The rest of the scene is literal chaos. Furniture broken, curtains and decor knocked over, a marble bust on the floor along with a croissant and a mug of coffee. Meanwhile, rather than intervening, Xavier, Cyclops, and Storm just stand aside and let the two supes go at each other’s throats, knowing that Logan’s temper and Deadpool’s incessant blabbermouthery cannot be controlled.

Although LEGO won’t sell this set, the fact that Hachiroku24 built it on his own means it’s technically possible to source the parts required to put this diorama together. If you’re reading this, Hachiroku24, we’re waiting for you to drop a DIY video on YouTube!

The post Someone Made A Deadpool & Wolverine LEGO Set in 2022 And We’re Only Discovering It Now… first appeared on Yanko Design.

Godox Cube-S: A Tiny Wireless Dual Microphone that Packs a Punch

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The name Godox is probably most synonymous with innovative lighting solutions, but the company’s new Cube-S wireless microphone marks a sharp pivot into audio that’s as much about practicality as it is about portability. Debuting today, on August 19, 2024, the Cube-S aims to be the go-to option for creators on the move who need high-quality audio in a tiny, discreet package.

The standout feature? Its size. The Cube-S is genuinely pocketable, measuring just under 9 cm in length, and is roughly the size of a lipstick tube. This level of miniaturization is particularly impressive given that the microphone still manages to pack features like noise reduction, a 300-meter range, and even Apple Find My. With a sleek capsule design, The Cube-S includes everything a content creator or mobile journalist might need: two wireless mics and one plug-in receiver that attaches to a host of supported devices like your smartphone, tablet, action camera, DSLR, etc.

Designer: Godox

Click Here to Know More

Godox has nailed the design ethos of “less is more” with the Cube-S. The microphone has an understated matte finish, with clean lines and subtle branding. It’s designed to be both portable and inconspicuous, making it ideal for vloggers or interviewers who need to blend in while recording. The form factor is clever, too. Despite its tiny size, it offers secure magnetized attachment options for clothing or surfaces, ensuring it stays put during use. If you want to get creative, there’s even a lanyard attachment that lets you wear the mic around your neck like modern-day jewelry, and stickers in case you want to jazz your tech up. The device is built with a lightweight aluminum body, adding durability without making it heavier.

The Cube-S comes with two thumbnail-sized microphones, along with a receiver that plugs right into the base of your phone (with both USB-C and Lightning variants available). Clip the mics on using their powerful magnetic snaps, fire the Godox MIC app, and you’re ready to start recording. The microphones support 48kHz high-resolution audio capture, delivering crisp, clear sound that stands up to professional standards. The omnidirectional mic capsule does a commendable job of capturing detailed sound while minimizing ambient noise. For those who regularly produce content on the go—whether it’s interviews, vlogs, or field recordings—this level of audio fidelity is a significant advantage.

Even for its tiny size, the mics have built-in noise reduction, activated simply by tapping the button on the mics. Similarly, the receiver module on your phone has a button too, for remotely triggering recording by double-clicking the button. The Cube-S also offers a substantial transmission range of up to 300 meters. This makes it ideal for scenarios where the subject needs to move freely, whether in a wide-angle video shoot or across a large indoor space. Battery life is another highlight, with the mics themselves lasting for 10 hours on a full charge, extendable to 30 hours in conjunction with the capsule-shaped charging case.

One of the strengths of the Cube-S lies in its versatility. The microphone comes with a variety of accessories, including additional magnetic clips and noise shields, making it adaptable to different recording environments. Furthermore, the Godox MIC app offers remote control over key settings such as gain and monitoring, allowing users to fine-tune their audio without constantly interacting with the mic itself.

For those embedded in the Apple ecosystem, Godox has integrated several features that make the Cube-S a seamless fit. It’s fully MFi certified, ensuring reliable performance with iPhones and iPads. Even more intriguing is the inclusion of Apple Find My support—a particularly thoughtful touch given the mic’s small size. Misplacing something this compact is easy, but thanks to this integration, locating the Cube-S is as simple as tracking down your lost AirPods. This feature, however, is limited to the Cube-S Kit 2, which includes 2 mics and 1 receiver along with the charging case.

So who stands to benefit the most from the Cube-S? Essentially, anyone who values a portable, high-quality audio solution without the usual technical overhead. Whether you’re a content creator recording on the fly, a mobile journalist capturing interviews in dynamic environments, or a professional needing a discreet and effective microphone for presentations or streaming, the Cube-S checks all the right boxes. With its official release date set for August 19, 2024, this could quickly become a go-to device for those who need reliability and performance in a compact form factor.

Click Here to Know More

The post Godox Cube-S: A Tiny Wireless Dual Microphone that Packs a Punch first appeared on Yanko Design.

How to make Clay Pottery look like Cardboard

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Inspired by the designs of Jacques Monneraud, YouTuber Mia Mueller decided to put her skills to the test, making pottery that mimics the delicate, craft-like feel of corrugated cardboard. While Monneraud’s pieces look fantastic (and probably feel just as incredible to hold), Mueller’s approach actually guides us through the process, helping regular-folk understand the nuances of building clay pieces that look like cardboard. Mueller’s YouTube channel, Pottery To The People, is absolute gold for terracotta/ceramic enthusiasts, and although a lot of her content is centric to traditional use of the potter’s wheel, this particular project took a less conventional approach, but yielded results that look genuinely fantastic! Watch the video above to see how she did it, or just scroll to read more.

Designer: Pottery To The People

Mueller’s attempt at cardboard pottery is a part of her ‘steal like an artist’ video series, where she mimics the styles of pottery artists online. Monneraud’s designs have taken the internet by storm over the last few weeks and it only made sense for Mueller to give it a shot too, to see how easy it was, and whether the resulting pieces were, in fact, functional as pottery goods.

Choosing the right clay was perhaps the most crucial starting step. Different clays take on different hues after firing, so ensuring you’re left with the right cardboard-like color at the end of the firing process is key to nailing that illusion. Mueller used an Indian clay, known for its perfect cardboard-like brown hue.

Once selecting and softening the clay, she took to the potter’s wheel, throwing and shaping the clay in a fairly geometric style. Paper doesn’t bend in complex curves, so Mueller ensured most of her designs had straight lines and sharp edges. Ridges were then ‘stamped’ with the corrugated design, and details like grips, handles, and spouts were given a ridged design using a set of specialized roller-pins with ridges on them.

A few keys to nailing the aesthetic were ensuring the clay dries out significantly before stamping details onto them. Paper isn’t seamless either, so each paper part had to have a distinct start and end, which meant not blending in the edge lines. Even when joining multiple parts together, it’s instinctive to blend them in, making sure the joint is strong. However, cardboard doesn’t ‘blend’ either, so edges where different parts joined had to be left unblended, allowing the edge-line to show. Sure, this results in a fairly weak end-product, but then again, this entire endeavor is an aesthetic-driven one, not a functionality-driven one. The resulting pots are great for looking at, maybe even using as bouquet holders, but aren’t meant for holding water or any liquid. Since they’re unglazed, they’re still incredibly porous and will absorb water too, which means it’s best left displayed on a shelf as a statement piece rather than being put to use.

The post How to make Clay Pottery look like Cardboard first appeared on Yanko Design.

This hand-forged Damascus Stainless Steel Knife boasts a spectacular mirror-finish marbled blade

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With each knife having a pattern that is unique to it, almost like its own fingerprint, the Greno puts the beauty of hand-forged VG-10 Stainless Damascus steel in your grip, giving you a knife that’s equal parts magnificent and masterful.

They say that the true process of making Damascus steel was lost to history, although the art has certainly flourished again, with a lot of forgers building their own techniques of making the gorgeously marbled metal. One such creator is Shaggs LLC, the designer and builder behind the Greno – a hand-forged fixed-blade knife with perhaps one of the most unique-looking marbled steel blades we’ve seen. While most Damascus steel blades rely on a dual-color design that highlights the marbling, the Greno is different. It employs VG-10 steel – a premium cutlery-grade stainless steel produced in Japan, which results in a marbling quite like no other. Add that to a 4.5-inch blade with a 4.3-inch handle and you’re left with a knife that doesn’t disappoint. When not in use, the Greno is an art piece, a visual representation of a one-dead handicraft… and when in motion, it’s a knife designed to dominate and get the job done every single time.

Designer: Shaggs LLC

Click Here to Buy Now: $55. Hurry, only a few left!

Measuring a staggering 9 inches from tip to end, the Greno is fairly larger than any of the flippers or folders we feature here. It comes with a fixed blade design too, and ships with a Top Grain Italian cow leather sheath to help you carry it around wherever you go. The knife’s handle comes crafted from green Micarta, used extensively in the knifemaking industry for its durability, balanced weight, and the unique texture it provides to the handle, giving it a superior grip. To supplement this, the Greno’s handle boasts an ergonomic grippy design that’s innately ambidextrous, allowing you to grab it confidently as you maneuver its crown jewel – that spectacular blade.

A self-taught knifemaker, Shaggs managed to master the art of forging Damascus steel, although their experiments with the Greno are different from any other Damascus steel you’d find on the market. To state things plainly, a lot of the Damascus steel you see today is simply a laser-etched marbling pattern on regular steel. True Damascus steel is created by folding and forging two different kinds of steel together, before acid-etching the blade to reveal a zebra-like pattern. Greno’s take on Damascus steel is similar, but the results are stunningly different. The blade shimmers with a chrome-like finish, but instead of being dual-colored, comes with contour lines, almost like the knife has its own fingerprint.

The blade itself has a drop-point design, a very popular template in the knife world. With a long 4.5-inch edge that culminates in a sharp tip, the Greno is perfect for pretty much any indoor or outdoor tasks. Whittling wood, slicing paracord, cutting meat or veggies, and self-defence, the Greno’s blade holds up remarkably well to any form of abuse. The VG-10 steel is inherently corrosion-resistant and has remarkable edge retention, which means spending more time using the knife and less time sharpening it. The rest of the blade travels through the handle, or what the industry calls a ‘full tang’ format. This effectively boosts the knife’s overall durability and allows you to lean into the Greno while using it. The full tang design means being able to apply forward and downward pressure with ease, along with also being able to twist your knife while using it to do things like open metal cans or gut your hunt.

When all’s said and done, the knife slides right into its cowhide sheath, which encases the blade so it doesn’t accidentally hurt anyone. Owing to its large size, the Greno definitely doesn’t come with a pocket clip, but it does boast a lanyard hole at the end of the handle, allowing you to loop a paracord or lanyard through the knife to make it easy to carry around with you on outdoor trips, whether it’s camping, hunting, or even showing off to your EDC-enthusiast friends!

Click Here to Buy Now: $55. Hurry, only a few left!

The post This hand-forged Damascus Stainless Steel Knife boasts a spectacular mirror-finish marbled blade first appeared on Yanko Design.

Popular Sitcom Full House gets its own LEGO Ideas Kit with a minifigure Tanner Family

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A LEGO set that instantly has you saying “Have mercy!”

Kids of the 80s and 90s practically grew up in the Tanner household. Whether it was being charmed by Uncle Jessie’s killer personality, humored by Uncle Joey’s quips, or just feeling the warmth of single dad Danny Tanner’s approach to parenting, the Tanner house felt like home to all of us. LEGO builder obiblock considers himself one of those kids, having religiously followed the sitcom Full House through his young years. As an homage to the TV show, obiblock recreated the Tanner home in stunning detail out of LEGO bricks. The LEGO Ideas Full House set comes with a detailed model of the home’s living room and kitchen – the most iconic and memorable rooms on the set – complete with furniture, decor, tiny details like paintings, and minifigures of all the main characters, including Danny, Uncle Jesse, Uncle Joey, D.J., Stephanie, Michelle, and Aunt Becky. Sorry, but Kimmy Gibbler didn’t make it on the list!

Designer: obiblock

“I built this set out of my love for Full House and its significant impact on pop culture,” says designer obiblock. “The show has a special place in the hearts of millions, offering timeless family values and memorable humor. As a lifelong LEGO enthusiast, I wanted to merge my passion for building with my appreciation for this iconic series. Recreating the Tanner home allowed me to relive the nostalgia and share it with other fans, both of the show and LEGO.”

Although obiblock doesn’t mention how many pieces make the set, it does contain a fair amount of detail, down to the plants on the kitchen window, and even the front and back door. The set features the very nucleus of the home – the living room, with its signature couch, fireplace, and the staircase behind that leads to everyone’s individual bedrooms. A door to the right guides you to the kitchen, with the coffee table, kitchen island, and the backdoor through which Kimmy would often make her entrance every few episodes.

Even the characters on the show are represented beautifully. Danny and his 3 daughters can be found in the kitchen (Michelle has her own stuffed teddy too), along with Uncle Joey. Meanwhile, Uncle Jesse is spotted on the living room couch, wooing Aunt Becky with dulcet tunes on the guitar. The characters can obviously be moved around, recreating different scenes from the popular sitcom.

obiblock’s MOC (My Own Creation) can currently be found on the LEGO Ideas forum, where fans submit their own ideas for new LEGO creations and kits. Just shy of 2,000 votes, the LEGO Ideas Full House kit is well on its way to hitting the coveted 10,000 vote mark, following which it may just get turned into a retail kit for all Full House fans to buy and proudly put on display!

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Piruify’s Transparent Water Carafe can filter your drinking water to 99.9999% purity

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It pains me to say but our quality of modern living may have improved visually over the past few years, but it’s come at a cost. The air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink have all degraded in quality over the last decade… and while improving your food intake is a conscious decision most people can make, you can’t really change the air you breathe or the water that flows from your tap. You can, however, install air purifiers to cleanse your air… and there are loads of water purifiers on the market that filter your water of toxins, but none of them do it with the grace and modernity of the Piurify Alchemy Automatic Water Filter Pitcher. Crafted from BPA-free acrylonitrile styrene, this transparent pitcher doesn’t just look good—it actively cleanses your tap water using UF or ultrafiltration tech. Fill your pitcher up and place it on its purifier base and it gets to work. The base does the water purification, pulling water from the pitcher’s inner container and adding back purified water to the outer container, while the clear pitcher itself serves a practical purpose by allowing you to easily monitor the water level. This design choice is particularly beneficial for those who need to keep track of water consumption throughout a busy day, ensuring that clean, filtered water is always within reach.

Designer: Piurify

Click Here to Buy Now: $71.99 $109.99 (Get $38 off using coupon code “20YANKO20”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

The Piurify Alchemy employs a robust multi-stage filtration system that goes beyond basic purification. Using Ultrafiltration (UF) combined with Carbon technology, this system is engineered to remove up to 99.9999% of harmful bacteria like E. coli, along with 99.9% of chlorine and other contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and lead. This thorough filtration process ensures that the water you drink is not only visibly clear but also free from a wide range of potential health hazards. Such a high level of filtration is rarely found in similar products, making it a strong contender in the market for those who value both safety and taste.

How to use the pitcher.

Replacing the filter is refreshingly simple, a notable improvement over more cumbersome models. The filter is conveniently located at the base of the pitcher, eliminating the need to insert your hand into the water reservoir—a feature that not only simplifies maintenance but also enhances hygiene. Additionally, the filter has an extended lifespan, capable of purifying up to 130 gallons of water over six months. This long-lasting performance reduces the need for frequent replacements, making the Piurify Alchemy both cost-effective and low-maintenance, ideal for those who prefer a set-it-and-forget-it approach to home water filtration.

Easy to use.

While most water filters can take tens of minutes to purify your water (often prompting impatient people to just go ahead and drink tap water instead), the Piurify Alchemy speeds things up for the sake of your health. It can filter a full pitcher—about 50 ounces or 1.5 liters—in just two minutes. This rapid filtration is particularly useful for families or individuals who need clean water on demand, whether for quick meal preparation or staying hydrated throughout the day. Despite the speed, there’s no compromise on the quality of filtration, ensuring that you can enjoy the convenience of fast, fresh water without sacrificing safety or taste.

In addition to its performance, the Piurify Alchemy is a strong advocate for environmental sustainability. By reducing the need for single-use plastic bottles, it significantly lowers your household’s plastic waste, making it a more eco-friendly choice. The long-lasting filter also contributes to this sustainability by minimizing waste associated with frequent replacements. This focus on reducing environmental impact aligns with a growing consumer trend toward more sustainable living, making the PIURIFY ALCHEMY not just a smart choice for your health but also for the planet.

Every aspect of the Piurify Alchemy’s design has been carefully considered to enhance the user experience. The ergonomic handle, for instance, is designed for comfort, allowing you to pour water easily even when the pitcher is full. Its compact size is another thoughtful feature, enabling it to fit neatly into most refrigerator doors without taking up unnecessary space. Moreover, the smart filter change alert eliminates the guesswork from maintenance, letting you know exactly when it’s time to replace the filter to ensure continued optimal performance. The pitcher also boasts a durable battery that lasts up to 30 days on a single charge, providing uninterrupted filtration and adding to the overall convenience of the product.

Click Here to Buy Now: $71.99 $109.99 (Get $38 off using coupon code “20YANKO20”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

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IKEA adds a fleet of drones to its inventory-management centers all across Europe

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Unlike your average drones used for cinematic shots or racing gigs, these IKEA drones can scan massive warehouses, tracking the influx and outflow of inventory.

IKEA’s recent move to scale its fleet of inventory drones marks a pivotal moment in the integration of cutting-edge tech within retail logistics. The company is looking to advanced drone tech to take charge of the decor giant’s warehouses across Europe. IKEA’s collaboration with Verity, a startup known for its specialized drones, now spans 16 locations across Europe. The project initially began in 2021 and has grown steadily, positioning IKEA at the forefront of innovative supply chain management. The 100 drones currently in use represent a practical solution to a logistical challenge: monitoring vast warehouse spaces packed with towering shelves that are difficult for human workers or traditional robots to navigate.

Designer: Verity for IKEA

These drones come equipped with sensors and high-resolution cameras that allow them to scan inventory with accuracy and speed, providing a constant stream of data that updates in real time. This capability is especially vital for IKEA, whose warehouses handle everything from bulky furniture to smaller, more complex products. The drones can cover areas that would be impossible or highly inefficient for human workers to manage, enabling continuous operations that reduce errors and ensure stock levels are maintained effectively. This kind of precise monitoring cuts down on the time and labor traditionally required for manual stock-taking, while also minimizing the risk of overstocking or stockouts—issues that can disrupt the supply chain.

Beyond hardware, Verity’s role in this development involves customizing a solution that aligns with IKEA’s needs. The drones operate independently, requiring minimal intervention, which allows IKEA to focus more on strategic planning and less on routine logistical tasks. By maintaining 24/7 operations, these drones are able to deliver inventory data that’s constantly updated, offering insights that traditional systems simply cannot match. Their integration is smooth, even down to the branding—with each drone featuring IKEA’s colors and logo, they fit seamlessly into the company’s broader identity.

As retail continues to evolve with increasing emphasis on automation, IKEA’s strategy serves as a model for how large-scale companies can use technology to disrupt operations by radically improving efficiency. The expansion of these drones into multiple European markets signals that this is not just an experiment but a calculated investment in the future of inventory management. It also allows IKEA to focus its literal man-power in other places, rather than having them manage massive warehouses which can be unsafe. For IKEA, the future is not just about selling furniture; it’s about rethinking how logistics can be optimized to support a global business in a fast-changing world.

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This CNC-Machined Titanium Razor will probably be the last razor you’ll ever want to buy

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Just a step short of shaving your beard with Wolverine’s claws themselves, the Titaner TiGlide S1 is perhaps the coolest, slickest, and most durable razor you could grace your jawline with. Machined from solid titanium, the TiGlide S1 sports a gorgeous minimal design that leverages single-edge shaving. A microtexture on the titanium and a scalloped bar below the blade edge allows the razor to glide along your skin, while Titanium’s natural anti-bacterial and biocompatible properties truly make it the perfect pick for this razor’s design. Besides, it’s so durable, you’ll probably never need to buy another razor ever again.

Designer: Titaner TiGlide

Click Here to Buy Now: $129 $215 (40% off) Hurry, only 3 of 70 left!

Titanium has for long been a go-to choice for EDC makers, given its durable, anti-corrosive nature… however, the same reasons it’s perfect for EDC also make it perfect for a shaving razor. It’s durable, skin-friendly, rust-proof, and bacteria-resistant – all features that lend themselves wonderfully to the TiGlide S1’s design.

The TiGlide S1 relies on a single-edge shaving experience. Most razors on the market (we’re looking at you, Gillette) come with two, three, or sometimes even four blade edges, claiming that it provides a cleaner shave. The truth, however, is that the clean shave also comes at a cost of skin burn, caused by multiple blades grazing against your skin. The trick to a clean shave doesn’t lie in the number of blades, it lies in the angle at which the blade runs against your skin. Get that right and you’ll be left with a clean, stubble-free jawline that doesn’t turn red from razor-burn. The TiGlide S1 achieves this by allowing you to micro-adjust the blade’s angle once you load it into the razor. A screw at the back lets you control the angle of the blade down to a fraction of a degree, letting you quickly optimize as you shave so you’re left with the perfect clean shave without the sensitive skin that follows after.

The razor’s design is incredibly simple, which is what I personally love so much about it. Rather than complicating things with multiple blades, pivoting heads, and aloe-vera skin-hydrating strips, the Titaner TiGlide S1 just nails the basics and does it spectacularly well. The razor comes machined from titanium, with a simple, low-poly-inspired design that may remind you of a certain electric truck’s form factor. The smooth handle may strike you as slippery, but it’s quite the opposite, with a design that’s fairly grippy even when being used with wet or soapy hands. A microtexture on the razor’s head helps it glide across your skin with ease, and there’s a scalloped bar right underneath the blade’s edge, which further helps this frictionless glide by allowing shaving cream lather to flow through its tiny grooves as the blade’s edge runs against your skin, finely cutting any hair.

Using the TiGlide S1 feels pretty intuitive if you’ve ever shaved before. Load half a blade into the razor’s top, before snapping the magnetic head on. Tighten the screw at the back till you get the blade angle you desire (ensuring everything’s locked in place), and you’re ready to go. You can use the razor for dry-shaving or wet-shaving, and once you’re done, a simple rinse under tap water cleans all the cream/stubble off. A single-edge blade is a lot easier to clean than those multi-edge ones that have loads of grooves in them to trap hair, and titanium is inherently rust-proof and anti-bacterial, making maintenance a no-brainer.

Once you’re done, the TiGlide S1 comes with its own stand that lets you vertically dock it. It feels almost anti-gravitational, the way the razor stands perfectly upright… although that’s precisely what’s so cool about the stand. This upright docking also allows the razor to dry faster, thanks to gravity, so your blade doesn’t rust (the blade’s still going to be made of steel with a diamond-like coating). If you’re looking to travel with your TiGlide S1, it comes with a nifty silicone pouch too, allowing you to carry the razor along with a few spare blades to cover the duration of your trip.

The TiGlide S1 stands majestically on its circular base

Dock it on your bathroom counter or carry it with you using the silicone pouch

Aside from looking undeniably gorgeous, the TiGlide S1 also champions sustainability. Just like printer companies, razor companies like Gillette make their money not by selling razors, but rather by selling cartridges. They control the cartridge market (you can only use branded cartridges with your branded razor, right?), which means you’re perpetually their customer. You also end up buying use-and-throw cartridges that contain blades and skin-soothing strips encased in a plastic outer cover, which is impossible to recycle once thrown in the trash. The TiGlide S1 has none of that. All you need is a simple pack of shaving blades (choose a good quality one for a great shave) and you’re good to go. The blades break in half before mounting within the TiGlide S1, and it’s recommended you change the blade every 5-10 shaves, so each complete blade lasts anywhere up to 20 shaves.

Although it isn’t specifically guaranteed, your Titaner TiGlide S1 should last you a couple of lifetimes thanks to its titanium construction. Each TiGlide S1 starts at a discounted $129, comes with the silicone pouch included, and ships globally. An extra $12 also gets you the titanium base/stand.

Click Here to Buy Now: $129 $215 (40% off) Hurry, only 3 of 70 left!

The post This CNC-Machined Titanium Razor will probably be the last razor you’ll ever want to buy first appeared on Yanko Design.

Huawei’s latest Tri-Fold Smartphone Concept creates an IMPOSSIBLE Task for Phone Case Makers…

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A photo of TCL’s tri-fold smartphone concept

Spotted in the wild in the hands of Huawei CEO, it seems like the Tri-Fold smartphone may just end up becoming a reality. Whether we need one is an entirely separate question (has that truly ever stopped tech companies?), so let’s ask ourselves something more relevant – How would you design a protective case for this new breed of smartphone?

A brief recap on the phone itself – photos of Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei, emerged last week holding a strange smartphone. It was a foldable, but unlike conventional flip or fold phones, this one had three panels with two hinges (sort of like this wild Samsung concept from 2020). Dubbed the tri-fold, this phone managed to get quite a bit of coverage on the internet, with people speculating tech specs, launch dates, and even one Twitter (or X) user wagering a price of $4000 USD. Nevertheless, when I saw the phone, I had three distinct thoughts in this exact order.

A. Wow, that’s an impressively thin tri-fold phone.
B. Is there really a market for this?
C. There’s absolutely no way you can make a case or screen guard for this phone.

I’ve made an illustration below of what the phone would look like if you went about designing a case for it (and why the case wouldn’t work), and I’ve also taken the liberty of designing what I believe is the only possible case style you can make for such a phone.

With regular foldables, the obvious way to make a case is to design a two-part case that protects the bumper around the front, and the entire back. Regular smartphones have two displays, one front-facing one, and another folding one, and it’s important to remember that the case should never obstruct the display. With Huawei’s Tri-Fold, however, you’ve actually got one single display zigzagging from the front to the inside. Look at the image above and you’ll understand what I mean. Designing any sort of case (with as many parts as possible) complicates the phone’s usage rather than protecting it. Think of the obvious 3-part case that snaps onto all three panels and you’re faced with two massive problems – firstly, the case obstructs the screen when you look at how it fits on the middle panel. Secondly, shutting the case would mean having it sandwiched within the phone’s panels and probably press/damage the display… sort of like shutting your laptop screen with a charging cable, USB drive, or even your keys kept on the keyboard.

An impossible case design shown in red, and the only plausible case design shown in green.

The only real way you can make ANY sort of protective case for the Tri-Fold is to design one single part that fits only on the rear of the back panel. This means the first two panels don’t get any form of protection (because they can’t, really), leaving more than 60% of your phone vulnerable to drops, etc. The most you can really do is add a bumper protector to the front that only covers the edges, but that still leaves the middle panel (the most crucial panel in my opinion) to damage. It’s safe to say that screen protectors are out of the question too – something that still wasn’t a problem for regular two-fold smartphones, because you can still shield the front-facing screen with a plastic or tempered glass protector.

Huawei CEO Richard Yu pictured holding a prototype of Huawei’s alleged tri-fold smartphone

That basically puts a lot of pressure on Huawei to make sure this phone is rock-solid… which is already a pretty big challenge considering they also need to make the phone slim, and ensure that those hinges work with 100% reliability. The hinges are a separate issue too, given that so much depends on both hinges working flawlessly every time to ensure you have a flat screen when you open your phone completely. The one standout positive with this phone is that at least it gives you a more palatable aspect ratio when opened completely, as compared to the current foldables that give you a weird square display that doesn’t really work well with landscape OR portrait media. For now, details on the Huawei Tri-Fold are incredibly scant, although PhoneArena does a pretty good job speculating and gathering as many rumors to paint a full picture of this absolutely wild device. Whether it’s a good idea to make a dual-hinge tri-fold phone with an alleged $4000 price tag is still an entirely different debate.

The post Huawei’s latest Tri-Fold Smartphone Concept creates an IMPOSSIBLE Task for Phone Case Makers… first appeared on Yanko Design.