Who knew that a humble interlocking brick from 1932 would become such a versatile ‘pixel’ of the human world nearly a hundred years later?? The LEGO Mineral Display turns plastic bricks into precious gemstones, relying on their inherent geometric nature to mimic the beauty of crystals forming under the extreme pressures of the earth’s crust. Designed in a variety of shapes and styles, these minerals, created by LEGO builder Dario Del Frate, turn you into a gem collector overnight, with the added benefit of allowing you to build the gems instead of mortgaging your house to buy them online! Sure, they aren’t authentic, but they’re intricate, and thanks to the use of transparent gems, gorgeously eye-catching!
Del Frate designed these minerals back in 2020, sharing them on LEGO’s Ideas forum in August of the year. In a statistical rarity, his submission received 10,000 votes from the broad LEGO community but wasn’t approved by LEGO’s internal team. Del Frate, however, decided to refine his design and renew his effort, also building a display unit with the minerals, giving you a nifty place to store and exhibit them to your friends and guests.
LEGO Amethyst Geode
“The old & new specimens are now displayed in a lovely case, built with available dark and reddish brown elements, enriched with golden rivets. The case can be hung directly to a wall or simply put on a shelf,” Del Frate mentions. “The collection is composed of 6 pieces: Rhodochrosite, Amethyst Geode, Black Tourmaline with Aquamarine, Orange Quartz, Emerald, Pyrite.”
LEGO Rhodoschorite
It’s honestly baffling how versatile LEGO bricks can be, replicating the different kinds of gems rather incredibly well. The different geometries, transitions between amorphous and crystalline structures, and the wide variety of colors get captured in Del Frate’s collection beautifully. While he mentions that his previous LEGO entry had a few ‘illegal’ joining techniques, he’s refined all his designs to now be made in a legal fashion, with no wedging, gluing, breaking, or manipulating the bricks in any unintended ways.
LEGO Orange Quartz
LEGO Pyrite
LEGO Black Tourmaline with Aquamarine
LEGO Emerald
Del Frate’s latest submission sits at the 3,500 vote mark and is open for voting. If it crosses the coveted 10,000 vote threshold, he gets yet another shot at having the LEGO review team consider turning this into a box set that people like us can buy and assemble!
With a captivating design that would put most other tech parks to shame, Tencent’s latest headquarters is shaping up rather wonderfully. Located in China’s tech capital of Shenzhen with an opening date of 2028, this architectural marvel from Berlin-based Büro Ole Scheeren models itself on the shape of a vortex with a swirling quartet of intertwined towers that visually embody the dynamism of the company’s growth and the city’s burgeoning tech district.
Designer: Büro Ole Scheeren
The design, in philosophy too, is quite similar to Amazon’s Virginia headquarters which also boasts of a helical shape. Multiple twisting elements create pockets of greenery in between, allowing employees to relax and unwind during work breaks. Büro Ole Scheeren, the architectural firm behind the design, sees it as a symbol of the company’s rapid growth and a testament to the evolving nature of global headquarters. “Its well-structured social ecosystem is a testament to the evolving nature of global headquarters into a complex and interactive ensemble where functionality, sustainability, and community come together,” Ole Scheeren mentions.
Tencent Helix’s design is nothing short of revolutionary. Comprising four towers of varying heights, with the tallest reaching a height of 153 meters (501 feet), the complex is a structural ballet of curves and gradients. Its exteriors, clad with prismatic glazed panels, invite a flood of natural light, enhancing the workspaces within. The towers are thoughtfully arranged around the ‘Vortex Garden’ – a verdant, central area offering an oasis of greenery and fresh air amidst the urban landscape. This garden is not merely decorative; it’s a functional space, integral to the design, fostering a sense of community and well-being among the employees.
The Vortex Incubator stands as the collective heart of the headquarters. It is a dynamic space, seamlessly connecting the four office towers. This space is designed to be more than just a physical connector; it’s a social ecosystem, fostering interaction and collaboration among staff. Housing Tencent’s academy, recreational spaces, a health club, a conference center, and collaborative offices, the Incubator encourages cross-sector communication and teamwork. This area is crafted for interactive use, emphasizing three-dimensional connectivity and large-scale floors, providing an ideal environment for innovation and creativity.
Comprising four towers of varying heights, with the tallest reaching a height of 153 meters (501 feet), the complex is a structural ballet of curves and gradients. Its exteriors, adorned with prismatic glazed panels, invite a flood of natural light, enhancing the workspaces within. The towers are thoughtfully arranged around the ‘Vortex Garden’ – a verdant, central area offering an oasis of greenery and fresh air amidst the urban landscape. This garden acts as a functional space too, fostering a sense of community and well-being among the employees.
Founded in 1998, the Chinese conglomerate Tencent has grown to become one of the highest-grossing multimedia companies in the world, primarily due to the smashing success of its ‘everything’ chatting app WeChat. The headquarters, slated to open in 2028, will serve as a working space for the company’s 23,000 employees in the region.
Kineon’s MOVE+ Pro isn’t your average health wearable. While most wearables track your health, the MOVE+ Pro improves it. Also known as a portable light therapy device, the MOVE+ Pro relieves pain without relying on sprays, pills, or injections. It works non-invasively, using two forms of red light that help circulate oxygen-rich blood within a targeted area to reduce inflammation, heal tissues, relieve chronic pain, and accelerate recovery. “While exercise is good for our health, it can be hard on our bodies,” say the folks at Kineon, who developed the MOVE+ Pro as a safe way to deal with injury, fatigue, and chronic pain. Unlike sprays and ice packs that work on just a surface level, the MOVE+ Pro’s lights travel deep into the skin to boost blood flow, and unlike pills, they can be used without any risks of side effects.
Portable Design – Find fast relief whenever and wherever you feel pain and inflammation.
Light as a form of medicine may sound odd on the face of it, but phototherapy has existed for over a century, with the use of infrared lamps to help the body effectively circulate blood flow. While the technology has largely been expensive and bulky, the MOVE+ Pro condenses it down into a tiny, portable format that is affordable, and can be carried and used wherever you go, whether it’s in bed after a tough day at work, after a grueling session at the gym, post sports, or even during the day to relieve chronic body/joint pain.
Dual Light Technology – Deeper penetration and faster results to joints, muscles, and other tissue through our exclusive dual-light technology.
The way the MOVE+ Pro works is by employing two specific types of light: 650nanometer red LEDs, and 808nanometer infrared lasers. The LED light, visible to the naked eye, works on the surface level, enhancing collagen production, blood circulation, and reducing inflammation. The infrared laser light, although invisible, penetrates deeper, promoting tissue recovery and cell regeneration to treat deep-rooted chronic pain such as osteoarthritis or cartilage damage. This dual approach ensures a comprehensive treatment, addressing both superficial and deep-seated issues. Each of MOVE+ Pro’s modules comes with 8 LEDs and 10 laser diodes to provide the right dosage over a targeted area.
Sniper-like Accuracy – Design allows you to accurately pin-point problem areas for fast and effective relief.
Using the MOVE+ Pro is surprisingly straightforward, with three such modules that can be used independently, or strapped together. It’s all about positioning the devices over the affected area whether it’s around your knees, or on your shoulder, elbows, neck, thigh, stomach, or any other part of your body experiencing pain. A quick 15-minute cycle with the MOVE+ Pro can make a significant difference in alleviating pain and treating injuries, accelerating body recovery – something that diminishes with age.
Safety is, understandably, a primary concern when it comes to any new health device. The MOVE+ Pro, in this regard, is designed to be risk-free, can be used without consulting a medical professional, and is even backed by athletes in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. It’s based on decades of research, is designed to be non-invasive, and doesn’t involve ingesting or applying chemicals on your body (which can have their own side effects)… but more importantly, it’s portable, letting you carry it around wherever you go, and with Kineon’s sizeable 40% discount, it’s highly affordable!
Unveiled at the Melbourne Cup Carnival at the Flemington Racecourse in Australia, this new Lexus showroom/pavilion takes ‘Green Design’ to new heights! Designed by Koichi Takada Architects, the three-floor modular structure is quite literally a living entity, adorned with over 1,000 native Australian plants and flowers on its façade, creating a breathtaking visual dialogue with the Australian landscape. Dubbed “LANDMARK by Lexus”, the pavilion is the result of an ongoing partnership with Victoria Racing Club, with this year’s theme being ‘Close to the Source’. The beauty of the pavilion lies in its modular, repurposable design that will alter from year to year as the themes change. While the building highlights Australian flora this year, its sustainably-built structure can entirely be disassembled and rearranged for next year’s theme, allowing the building to pretty much metamorphose each year with minimal impact.
Koichi Takada, the visionary behind this project, views his architecture as a “living billboard,” a medium to demonstrate the potential of integrating nature into our built environments. His approach is a reminder of the joy and importance of reconnecting with nature, especially in urban settings. In his words, the pavilion is an opportunity to showcase what can be achieved when we blend architecture with the natural world, emphasizing the emotional and psychological benefits of this union.
Guests are encouraged to engage with the plantings that adorn its façade, which include edible native flora like native pepper, saltbush, and lemon myrtle. This interactive element is designed to stimulate the senses, inviting guests to touch, smell, and taste the vegetation, a feature that brilliantly encapsulates the essence of Australian bush tucker.
The design of the pavilion is a marvel of modern engineering, with a focus on sustainability and adaptability. Its modular nature allows for easy assembly, disassembly, and reuse, catering to a future where environmental consciousness is paramount. The integration of prefabricated awnings, which interlock with the modular framework, introduces natural curves that beautifully contrast with the gridded, man-made structure. These curves not only add an aesthetic softness but also play a crucial role in supporting the lush greenery that envelops the building.
On the one hand, you’ve got incredibly capable AI that has some scary implications for the human race… but on the other hand, you have the Bittle X, an adorable toy robot dog that allows you to befriend, train, and tame technology instead of being afraid of it. A sibling to Petoi’s Bittle robot dog that debuted in 2020, Bittle X comes with a few upgrades, proving that an old dog CAN learn new tricks! Designed to resemble the Boston Dynamics robot dog, the Bittle X is a palm-sized STEM toy that’s perfect for kids, tinkerers, engineers, and people looking to experiment with coding, robotics, IoT(Internet of Things), and AI. It’s entirely open-source, runs on a block-based programming environment, has support for C++/Python programming, and comes with a few extra upgrades that the Bittle lacks, like now being able to follow voice commands, as well as record and program your own voice commands!
Designer: Rongzhong Li
Click Here to Buy Now: $225$279 (Use Coupon Code “yanko10” to get an additional $10 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
Easy to Develop AI, IoT and Robotics Applications for Quadruped Robot Dog
Less of a toy and more of a learning opportunity, the Bittle X was designed to make robotics more accessible to anyone looking to dive into the world of robotics. It comes with a tiny form, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but is designed to be incredibly articulate with multiple joints with high-performance servos that allow it to walk, sit, jump, backflip, kick, and even scratch itself like a real dog would! Moreover, its bionic leg construction gives it natural movement, allowing it to sit down, get up, recover from a flipover, and even walk across uneven terrain.
The pint-sized pooch comes in two styles – a pre-assembled kit that works right out of the box, and a construction kit that gives you the joy of being able to put together your own voice-command robot dog from scratch. Assembling the robot doesn’t require much technical knowledge, given that the plastic parts are already molded and easy to assemble with interlocking mechanisms. Once assembled, the Bittle X is ready to play/engage with you and follow your commands. A remote control lets you wirelessly operate your Bittle X, although notably, it also now has support for voice commands, allowing you to tell it to wave hello, give you a handshake, sit, crawl, dig, play dead, and even do a handstand! Right out of the box, the dog has support for 35+ voice commands, along with the ability to store 10 additional voice commands that you can program yourself.
The robot operates on the OpenCat platform, offering endless programming and customization possibilities. It supports block-based programming with Petoi’s Coding Blocks, C++, and Python, making it a versatile tool for users at different learning stages. You can also use the free Petoi Desktop App – Skill Composer to visually create new robot dog skills with ease. The creators, Petoi, even further their commitment towards STEM education by providing free curriculums for anyone looking to learn how to tinker with their Bittle X (and other robot pets). You can find all the necessary resources on Petoi’s OpenCat forum, along with ideas and prompts for experimenting with your robot dogs (like orchestrating robot wars, hosting your own doggy Olympics, and performing more complex challenges like solving mazes), and even a section where Petoi showcases works from other tinkerers playing around with their Bittles.
Underneath that playful exterior, Bittle X is powered by the BiBoard, Petoi’s latest quadruped robot microcontroller, ensuring smooth, coordinated movements. The option to integrate various smart sensors, like the Petoi intelligent camera module, the motion sensor, or the distance sensor, allows you to add depth to its perception and artificial intelligence capabilities via coding, allowing for more advanced interactions, games, and robotics competitions. The ESP32-based BiBoard comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, serial connections, and voice command support, along with its servos and Li-ion battery providing about an hour of continuous playtime.
The friendly robot dog is designed for all ages above 8 (what you really need is childlike curiosity), and is sure to get along with everyone it meets! Alongside being a robot dog that learns tricks and commands, it’s also rewarding because you get to learn with it, creating a bonding experience that’s not too different from actually playing with and training real pets. The Bittle X starts at $236.99 during Petoi’s holiday sale, but YD readers can grab a nifty $10 discount, bringing the price down to $225. Grab yours now and build your army of loyal minions before the AI takes over!
Click Here to Buy Now: $225$279 (Use Coupon Code “yanko10” to get an additional $10 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!
Instead of decking the halls with boughs of holly, deck them with rolls of filament instead! Sure, that doesn’t sound particularly festive at first thought, but it’ll make much more sense when you see these absolutely gorgeous 3D-printed Christmas ornaments we’ve hand-picked for you. We scoured the internet to find some of the most eye-catching 3D prints that perfectly capture the holiday spirit, from geometric snowflakes to some pretty beautiful-looking baubles. Ditch the boring old store-bought ornaments this year, fire up your 3D printer, and make your own (or rent a 3D printer for cheap). They’re sure to add a touch of individuality to your tree this year, they’ll print in mere hours instead of taking days to deliver, and you’ll definitely have people asking you where you got them!
1. Christmas Tree Ornament Set by Popandsicle
Popandsicle’s Christmas Tree Ornament Set is a brilliant way to give your tree a unique aesthetic that’ll have friends and family wondering where you got those ornaments from. The captivating spiral shape of the ornaments instantly catches your eye – even more so when printed in a metallic-colored or shiny filament. Quite literally putting a ‘twist’ on traditional holiday decorations, this set features a range of designs, each optimized for 3D printing in vase mode (or printing upside down). The collection comes in a set of 6 ornaments that print rather quickly, and are free to download off Prusa’s Printables website.
2. Christmas Village by FiveNights
Less for your treetop and more for the tabletop, this 3D-printed Christmas Village is just a glorious little project with a lot of intricate details that make it a nice challenge for the seasoned printing expert. Designed to look like a cosy hilltop village, the print comes with what presumably looks like a snowcapped terrain with roads, rails, houses, and trees galore. The entire print can be done without supports, says the maker, and you’ve got a hatch at the bottom for inserting an LED lamp or your smartphone flash. Once illuminated from the inside, the village really does come to life as light makes its way through the translucent body of the print and through the doors and windows of all the houses. The print files are available for free from Ultimaker’s Thingiverse website.
3. Baby Yoda Christmas Ornament by Psdwizzard
Nothing shows you have elevated eclectic tastes more than having a Baby Yoda bauble hanging from your Christmas tree. Sure, everyone opts for the spheres, lights, stars, and personal photographs, but there’s just something so perfect about your own personal Grogu dressed as Santa hanging from your tree. This decorated character from the Mandalorian comes with its own Santa robe and hat, is is pictured here holding a decorative orb. Printing it is relatively simple, although you will require supports. The entire thing prints in a single color and needs to be post-processed and painted by hand, which should be a fun activity if you’re a fan of the Star Wars universe, eh? The Baby Yoda Christmas Ornament is available to download for free on the Thingiverse website.
4. Christmas Ball by cunicode
The beauty of these Christmas ornaments from cunicode lies in A. the fact that their complex geometry can only be machine-made using 3D printing, and B. they’re large, eye-catching, but incredibly lightweight, so you can deck your tree with as many of them without them weighing your branches down. “Since 3D Printing costs are driven by volume and material used, I designed the geometry of these balls to use minimum material while keeping maximum strength,” cunicode says. The 3D STL file for the Christmas Ball is available for free on the Thingiverse Website.
5. Deer in the Mountains by jdormer9
Yet another tabletop accessory to bring the holiday spirit, this one gets props for its artistic flair. The Deer in the Mountains print from jdormer9 is an elegant 2D graphic of a deer against white mountains. Artistically, it gets full marks for its uniquely minimalist style, although functionally I would love to have seen a built-in card holder or something that adds a little more value to this piece. However, the beauty of 3D printing is that you can optimize designs to suit your own needs. Heck, add a card-holder at the back, turn the deer’s antlers into a keychain holder, go wild! The Deer in the Mountains 3D file is available for free on the Printables website.
6. Christmas Spiral Teardrop 2023 by Scott McClurg
Scott McClurg, who also goes by his internet moniker ‘dazus’ is a pretty big deal in the 3D-printed ornament space. McClurg’s works combine geometry with tradition, resulting in some of the most hypnotic, kaleidoscopic Christmas decorations your eyes will ever see. The 2023 Christmas Spiral Teardrop is remarkable to look at, especially given that it’s printed using a plastic filament with a silver-gold metallic finish. The ornament’s undulating interweaving surfaces catch light beautifully, creating wonderful contrasts that are further punctuated by the hollow spaces. Things get even more interesting when the ornaments spin, creating a hypnotic motion that’s difficult to look away from! The 2023 Christmas Spiral Teardrop, understandably, is one of the more tricky 3D prints to execute. The ornament needs quite a few supports, McClurg mentions, and there are a few more details to keep in mind while you run this print, which can be found on the Thingiverse website, along with the free 3D file for the ornament.
7. Open Lattice Christmas Bell by Scott McClurg
It was a pretty herculean task zeroing down on just one of McClurg’s ornaments, so here’s another one that we can’t stop admiring. With a similar interwoven hypnotic lattice-esque design like the Christmas Spiral Teardrop, the Open Lattice Christmas Bell is a gorgeous themed ornament that adds gravitas and pizzazz to your tree without adding any weight. Its complex design does present a few challenges while printing, but it’s nothing a seasoned 3D printing enthusiast can’t handle. We recommend using a metallic-finish filament to give the bell some shimmer! The Open Lattice Christmas Bell is free to download on the Thingiverse website.
8. Gimbal Christmas Ornament by Jouni Ahola
Complex 3D prints are great, but what about kinetic ones? This Gimbal Christmas Ornament isn’t the kind you’d just hang on your tree and forget about. With multiple joints, it’s the kind of ornament you’d want to fiddle with, adjusting, readjusting, and fidgeting just because it’s so much visual and tactile fun. Designed to be a single-print design, this marvel from Jouni Ahola prints flat, but can then be flipped around like a Rubik’s cube, or more accurately, a gimbal. Like the rest of the ornaments, this one too is free to download, and can be found on the Thingiverse website.
9. Merry Bird Christmas Ornament by Michiel Cornelissen
Call it an adorable ornament or a metaphor for a certain social media company, this bird-in-a-cage ornament is lightweight and exceedingly charming to look at, even though it’s literally a print of a bird trapped inside a Christmas ornament. It has all the hallmarks of a good 3D printed ornament, with its lightweight, hollow, yet intricate design. The bird is hinged, which means it swings to and fro inside its spherical cage, and although it isn’t available for free like any of the other ornaments, you can directly buy it from the Shapeways website and they’ll print it out and send the ready ornament directly to your doorstep!
10. Trippy Snowflake Kinetic Sculpture by JBV Creative
Less of an ornament and more of a kinetic toy, the Trippy Snowflake Kinetic Sculpture is something you’ll constantly find yourself reaching for, sort of like a snowglobe but more enchanting. The multi-part sculpture features a geared mechanism that causes two snowflakes to rotate in opposite directions when you crank the handle, creating a hypnotic, alluring optical illusion. Perhaps one of the most complex and lengthy builds in this collection, the sculpture has multiple parts and components that need to be printed separately (although if you have a large print bed you can print multiple parts at the same time). Given how detailed and thorough it is, this print isn’t available for free either, and the STL file will cost you $45, but the benefit is that once you buy the file, you can print as many of these as you want! Heck, gift them to friends as stocking stuffers too! You can buy the Trippy Snowflake Kinetic Sculpture 3D file on the JBV Creative website.
The Live S arrives as Loupedeck’s first product since its acquisition by Logitech. Designed to be the smallest of the company’s streaming consoles, the Loupedeck Live S is an affordable gadget for the on-the-go livestreamer or someone looking to dip their toe into streaming, content creation, or design. With 15 haptic display buttons, 4 RGB buttons, 2 rotary knobs, and a rather affordable $149 price tag, the customizable control center is perfect for multitaskers looking to boost their productivity, or streamers/podcasters who want everything right at their fingertips.
At its core, the Loupedeck Live S is a streamlined version of its predecessors, featuring two tactile analog knobs, four physical buttons, and 15 touch-sensitive LCD squares. These elements provide a tactile and responsive experience, allowing users to adjust settings like volume, switch scenes, and toggle functions with ease and precision. The touch-sensitive buttons, although lacking physical feedback, confirm every touch with haptic feedback, enhancing the user experience.
The device, slightly larger than a typical cellphone, is compact enough to fit comfortably on any desk. Its stand, snapping securely onto the back, props it up at a convenient angle for easy access. Buttons with individual displays dynamically light up to let you know which shortcut or application they’re assigned to. The display built into each button means easily being able to switch between applications, shortcuts, and environments and having the Loupedeck adapt to the moment.
Setting up the Live S is straightforward: plug in, install the software, and you’re ready to dive into its functionalities. The graphical user interface is simple yet powerful, allowing easy drag-and-drop customization. Users can set multiple profiles and workspaces, and the device seamlessly transitions between these based on the selected application. The Loupedeck Live S supports a plethora of native plugins for popular software like OBS, Twitch, Spotify, and a range of Adobe products. Beyond these, users can also create or import custom profiles and icons for virtually any application or game, making it a highly adaptable tool for a variety of tasks.
While its primary market is streamers and content creators, the Loupedeck Live S has proven its worth in other domains. It’s been lauded for its usefulness in enhancing productivity, especially in work-from-home setups, offering quick access to frequently used functions and applications. This versatility extends to gaming and other entertainment applications, with users able to tailor the device to their specific needs.
Sitting atop your book sort of like a halo, the Bowio 2.0 is a genius reading light that illuminates your pages and not your entire room. The light, styled like a leather fashion accessory, clips onto the left and right sides of your book cover, while LEDs built into its strap cast a soft glow that’s powerful enough to let you read in the pitch dark.
In an era dominated by OLED displays, it’s refreshing to see a book-light like the Bowio make the kind of impact it’s making. Now in its second edition, the Bowio 2.0 builds upon the success of its predecessor which raised over half a million dollars from 7000 backers back in 2021. The world’s most funded book light is back for round two, with a few improvements to its design, craftsmanship, and functionality.
The format of the Bowio 2.0 remains unchanged for the sole reason that it works so brilliantly. Sitting on your book like a golden arch, the Bowio 2.0 shines warm LED lights at your pages, allowing you to read, turn pages, and move around without having the light cause you or anyone discomfort. The Bowio 2.0 clips onto each end of your book (and is long enough to fit larger books or even board games like DnD), with multiple LEDs that cast a warm diffused glow that doesn’t cause any shadows, helping you read clearly. It attaches directly to your book, unlike other body-worn reading lights, which means you can adjust yourself without worrying about the light’s orientation going askew, and like its predecessor, the Bowio 2.0 has touch-sensitive brightness settings built in that let you adjust the LED brightness to suit your needs.
Bowio GameLight is specifically designed for Game Masters, it fits seamlessly with both carton and wooden screens.
Craftsmanship is one of Bowio 2.0’s highlights, with varieties spanning both vegan and genuine leather options. No matter which material you pick, the Bowio’s stitching and edge-finishing are impeccable, and the leather has just the right amount of stiffness to hold its shape no matter how you use it. Metal buckles on both ends separate the LED strip from the Bowio 2.0’s magnetic clip, and N52 neodymium magnets in the clips on each side help the Bowio 2.0 firmly grasp onto both paperback and hardbound books. High CRI LEDs offer better color rendering than regular LEDs, and draw power from a battery pack that gives it up to 95 hours (depending on the brightness setting) of use on a full charge. You can run your Bowio on 1.5V rechargeable batteries, charging them through a built-in USB-C port, or use disposable AAA batteries that are more readily available.
The Bowio 2.0 campaign is seeing a pretty good response right off the bat, which gives me hope for a human race that still prefers offline entertainment like reading and gaming (it even got an Honorable Mention at the 2023 LIT Lighting Design Awards). The self-proclaimed book light attaches onto board games too, allowing you to play in dimly lit environments, and each Bowio 2.0 ships with a tabletop standing accessory if you opt for its ‘Gamer’ edition. For the avid bookworm, the Bowio 2.0 is available in pastel or colorful vegan leather editions, along with an Alcantara synthetic leather variant. However, if you’re looking for something more au naturel, you’ve got variants made from cowhide in regular, suede, and even textured variants to resemble snake or croc leather… and finally a 24K gold gilded leather book light for elite bookworms. Each Bowio 2.0 comes packaged in a classy plastic-free kraft carton box that can easily be composted/recycled, and ships globally.
Back up your systems, store all your photos, run AI models, host websites, or even have your own free streaming service, the $500 ZimaCube gives you your personal (and secure) cloud server without those pesky monthly subscription fees.
Looking almost like a beefy CPU that sits on your desk, ZimaCube is a NAS (network-attached storage) device that brings cloud computing to your tabletop. Rather than relying on Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or Apple to store all your data remotely (where your data can be accessed by companies, advertisers, governments, or worse… hackers), ZimaCube is your own personal cloud server that stores all your data in the secure confines of your home or office, but still allows you to access it anywhere on the go. Powered by a 10-core 12th-gen Intel processor, the ZimaCube offers up to 64 GB of RAM and has 6 whopping HDD bays for storing up to 120 TB of data. This basically gives you a powerful cloud server that can take backups of all your devices, host websites, run your own personal streaming service using locally downloaded files (goodbye Netflix), or better still, run your own personal AI model or GPT by hooking up an external GPU. In a world plagued by governments snooping on private citizens, and by companies looking to make a quick buck by either charging you monthly fees to store your data or by selling them to advertisers, ZimaCube lets you take back ownership of your private information, whether it’s photos on your smartphone or all the work files on your laptop/desktop.
At its core, the ZimaCube offers a massive storage capacity of up to 164 terabytes, with a unique 6+1 bay design accommodating a mix of six hard disk drives (HDDs) and four solid-state drives (SSDs). This blend ensures ample storage space for large files and speedy access to frequently used data, striking a balance between vast storage and fast performance. This makes it ideal for storing everything from important documents to extensive collections of digital assets like photos and videos, all securely in one place and accessible from anywhere.
ZimaCube provides a centralized hub of up to 164 TB for storing and cataloging all your project files, media assets, and documents. Its unique 6+1 bay design provides extra flexibility by offering HDD, SSHD, and SSD storage options.
Aside from storing backups of your selfies and videos (after all, the ZimaCube is capable of so much more), you additionally have the option of storing work files and data dumps, and directly editing them over the cloud instead of needing to download them to your device. Powering the ZimaCube is a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, ensuring efficient data management, particularly for tasks requiring substantial computing power like video editing. This is complemented by cutting-edge connectivity options, including Thunderbolt 4 and 2.5GbE networking ports, facilitating rapid data transfer and smooth workflow management. For professionals relying on demanding applications, the ZimaCube’s extensive storage capacity, robust processor, and advanced connectivity make it perfect for content creators and multimedia experts who require a reliable storage solution that can keep pace with their workload.
Files stored on the ZimaCube can be accessed through a multitude of ways, enabling storage, retrieval, sharing, and even collaboration. The ZimaOS provides a clean, intuitive way to manage your data, but it goes above and beyond by also being a one-stop management dashboard for your data stored on DropBox, Google Drive, etc. All your files find a home within the ZimaOS dashboard, so you don’t have to hunt across multiple accounts and devices to find files. The ‘ZSync’ feature synchronizes file versions across all devices (so any edits made to a file update everywhere), and automatic backups take the hassle out of remembering to manually backup all your data. Want to share data with team members, clients, and stakeholders? The ZimaCube’s PeerDrop feature allows you to share files with anyone through an encrypted gateway, bypassing the public cloud entirely. It also supports various tools like Nextcloud and Seafile, allowing you to share and collaborate on files with ease. You can create shared folders, set permissions, and even generate public links. This is a boon for remotely located teams and groups who need to work together on projects, regardless of their geographical locations.
Harness the desktop-class performance of NVIDIA® Quadro® and AMD Radeon Pro eGPUs for professional graphics output. With Thunderbolt 4, you can daisy chain up to six external RAID arrays together and get a jaw-dropping 1PB to your ZimaCube.
Going beyond just traditional data storage, you can even run your own private AI models directly on the ZimaCube. PCIe Gen 4 ports and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity allow you to hook up powerful external GPUs to host and run your own AI models like Stable Diffusion without splurging big bucks on a GPU farm or buying GPU credits online. Moreover, the folks behind the ZimaCube also boast the ability to privately run a GPT on your own data, allowing you to effectively ‘chat’ with your own documents to retrieve information, find files, and get an overview on lengthy run-downs without as much as opening them. The AI runs entirely locally and privately, with no data ever leaving your device.
All those technical capabilities sit in the ZimaCube’s black-box-esque design that’s crafted with a predominantly metal construction, providing robustness and efficient heat dissipation. It features a magnetic attachment system for the front-mounted panel and a durable design with multiple ventilation panels, crucial for maintaining optimal temperature. On the inside, modules plug in with LEGO-like configurability. The ZimaCube lets you customize your own server, adding modules such as a WiFi module, additional interfaces, high-speed drives, and even RAID arrays. It’s not just the hardware that’s customizable – with software options like ZimaOS, TrueNAS, and unRAID, and a community-driven range of apps and plugins, you’ve got digital flexibility too.
The ZimaCube presents two distinct variants tailored to different user needs: the Standard and Pro models. The Standard version is powered by the Intel Alder Lake-N100 processor, a competent choice for general storage and computing needs. It’s like a reliable sedan, efficient for daily tasks. On the other hand, the Pro model shifts gears with the robust 12th Gen i5-1235U core processor, akin to a sports car in the processor world, offering enhanced performance and handling more demanding tasks with ease. Both models champion significant storage capacity and connectivity options, but the Pro model stands out with its higher RAM support and processing power, making it suitable for power users who need that extra bit of computational muscle. The ZimaCube Standard starts at an early-bird price of $499 (VAT-free), while the Pro is similarly discounted with a $900 price tag (the HDDs need to be purchased separately). It ships globally with a 19V 220W power adapter, universal plugs to fit a variety of international power sockets, and a 1-year warranty.
Even outside the design world, the Eames Lounge Chair remains an absolute furniture icon. Designed in 1956 by Ray and Charles Eames, the chair’s aesthetic was defined by its use of bent plywood paneling and plush leather cushioning, resulting in a multi-part seat that looked as interesting as it was comfortable. In an audacious blend of design heritage and contemporary street culture, Globe Skateboards has unveiled a stunning homage to Charles and Ray Eames, revered icons of mid-century modern furniture design. This unique collaboration marries the adventurous spirit of skateboarding with the timeless elegance of Eames’ design principles, resulting in a collection that’s both a nod to the past and a ride into the future.
Designers: Globe Brand & Eames Office
Globe’s skateboards intricately mirror the materials and aesthetics of the iconic lounge chair and ottoman. The series includes a 30-inch cruiser in white ash wood, a 32-inch cruiser hewn from walnut, and a 38-inch longboard carved out of black oak. Each skateboard is a tribute to the Eames’ pioneering spirit, capturing the essence of their design legacy. The attention to detail is meticulous, with elements like the paint dip and laser-etched finish on the wood veneer of the skateboards precisely emulating the Eames Lounge Chairs and Ottoman.
Eames Lounge 30-inch Cruiser in Ash Wood and White
Eames Lounge 38-inch Longboard
The core of this venture is the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, a staple of 20th-century design. Renowned for its innovative use of molded plywood and premium veneers, the Lounge Chair reimagined the classic 19th-century English club chair into a modern marvel. Its distinct form and replaceable components have allowed it to transcend generations, standing as a symbol of enduring design.
Close-up of the 32-inch Walnut Cruiser against the iconic Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
The homage doesn’t stop at mere visual replication. Globe’s collaboration with the Eames Office can be seen in the smaller details too, such as custom-embedded metal Eames Office + Globe badges and Eames logo deck bolts, enriching the skateboards. Even the underside of the boards feature a laser-carved Eames Office logo, a subtle yet significant mark of this unique partnership.
The skateboards come packaged in heavyweight canvas board bags that double as carry-all totes, signaling Globe’s commitment to practicality and style. Although the walnut cruiser has already sold out, indicating the collection’s popularity, other models, including the Eames La Chaise Box Set, remain available for enthusiasts and collectors.
Pro eGPUs for professional graphics output. With Thunderbolt 4, you can daisy chain up to six external RAID arrays together and get a jaw-dropping 1PB to your ZimaCube.
