Author Archives: JC Torres

PERLEGEAR Black Friday: Home Entertainment Lights That Pulse to Music

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Black Friday deals usually mean hunting for discounts on the same boring products everyone already owns. TV mounts that do the bare minimum, speaker stands that hold things up and nothing more, and entertainment furniture that treats lighting as an afterthought. It’s all functional enough, but there’s rarely anything that makes you excited about setting up your living room. Most people settle for whatever gets the job done, then spend years looking at the same bland hardware every time they sit down to watch something.

PERLEGEAR’s AuraFrame™ and SonicBeam™ collections take a different approach. Instead of treating mounts and stands as purely mechanical necessities, the brand integrates customizable RGB lighting that syncs with your music and creates actual ambiance. It’s the kind of upgrade that makes your entertainment space feel more intentional, turning functional hardware into something that enhances the entire experience. Heck, you might actually want to show off your setup for once instead of hiding cables and hoping nobody notices the generic black brackets holding everything together.

Designer: PERLEGEAR

AuraFrame™ Pre-Assembled TV Wall Mount

The AuraFrame wall mount handles TVs from 26 to 65 inches and up to 99 pounds, with full-motion articulation that includes 16.4 inches of extension, 45-degree swivel, and tilting between negative 15 and positive five degrees. That flexibility is standard for premium mounts, but the integrated LED light bars are what set this apart. You get 16 million colors, multiple lighting modes, and music sync that pulses in rhythm with whatever you’re watching or listening to.

Installation is refreshingly straightforward thanks to pre-assembled arms and a wall plate that cuts setup steps by about 30 percent. The mount also includes three height settings and leveling adjustments, so you can fine-tune positioning even after everything’s mounted. The reinforced steel frame and thicker articulating arms mean the thing holds your TV securely without any wobbling, which is reassuring when you’re extending a 65-inch screen nearly a foot and a half from the wall.

Click Here to Buy Now: $55.98 $69.99 (20% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

AuraFrame™ Pre-Assembled TV Stand

For those who’d rather not drill into walls, the AuraFrame™ TV stand offers a floor-standing alternative that fits TVs from 32 to 75 inches and up to 110 pounds. The same RGB lighting system runs down both sides of the stand’s pillars, creating a backlight effect that’s controlled via app, remote, or in-line switch. The solid wood base adds a premium touch, and the entire setup feels stable enough to trust with larger screens.

What makes this stand genuinely practical are the 12 height configurations and the tilt and swivel adjustments. You can position the screen exactly where it needs to be for comfortable viewing, whether you’re sitting on the couch or standing in the kitchen. Cable management keeps wires hidden inside the stand’s frame, so you’re not looking at a tangled mess every time the lights are on.

Click Here to Buy Now: $109.99 $139.99 (21% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

SonicBeam™ Speaker Stands with RGB Lighting

The SonicBeam™ stands won an iF Design Award for their minimalist double-pole design, which makes sense once you see them in person. They’re slim, clean, and designed to blend into modern interiors rather than dominate them. Each stand supports up to 22 pounds and includes two top plates, one specifically shaped for the Sonos Era 300 and a universal flat tray for other speakers like the Era 100, HomePod, or KEF models.

The built-in RGB lighting runs vertically along both poles, syncing with your TV or audio content to create a cohesive audiovisual atmosphere. You can control everything through the app or remote, choosing from modes like Pure Color, Rhythm Pulse, or Music Sync. The aluminum alloy construction feels solid, and the dual-side cable channels keep wires completely out of sight. It’s the kind of setup that makes you realize speaker placement can actually contribute to a room’s aesthetic instead of just being another thing to work around.

Click Here to Buy Now: $199.99.

AuraFrame™ Universal Swivel TV Stand

This tabletop stand is the most compact option, fitting TVs from 32 to 70 inches and up to 88 pounds. The tempered glass base and alloy steel frame give it a sleek, modern look, while the integrated RGB lighting offers the same customization options as the other AuraFrame products. Nine height levels let you position the screen between 18 and 24.5 inches, with tilt and swivel adjustments for finding the right angle.

Assembly takes about 10 minutes with no tools required, which is almost suspiciously easy compared to most furniture you’d buy. The pyramid-shaped structure keeps everything stable, and there’s enough room underneath for soundbars or media players. It’s perfect for bedrooms, offices, or anywhere you want a TV without committing to wall mounts or floor stands.

Click Here to Buy Now: $69.99 $99.99 (30% off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

Black Friday is one of those rare opportunities to upgrade your entertainment setup without immediately regretting the expense. PERLEGEAR’s lighting-integrated collection offers a way to do that while actually improving how your space looks and feels, not just adding more functional hardware that disappears into the background. Whether you’re mounting a TV, setting up speakers, or rearranging your living room layout entirely, having lighting that adapts to what you’re watching makes the whole experience feel more considered.

The post PERLEGEAR Black Friday: Home Entertainment Lights That Pulse to Music first appeared on Yanko Design.

TWIST Bends One Metal Sheet Into Table, Storage, and Handle

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Side tables usually end up as simple flat discs on legs, doing little more than holding a drink or a phone you keep checking when you should be reading. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it also means they contribute almost nothing else to a room beyond a horizontal surface. The growing interest in compact, multi-functional furniture has designers rethinking how small pieces like side tables can quietly add storage and flexibility without cluttering a space.

The TWIST side table uses a single sheet of metal looping in a circular motion to form a tabletop, support, and storage all at once. It integrates a carry handle and a book compartment, with a wooden base adding warmth to balance the cool metal. The whole piece reads like a ribbon frozen mid-twist rather than a collection of separate parts, giving it a sculptural quality that works even when it’s not holding anything.

Designer: Joao Teixeira

The geometry is surprisingly simple once you trace it. The metal rises from the floor as a vertical panel, bends into a round tabletop with a large central cut-out, then drops down and curls into an oval storage bin at the base. The tabletop forms a ring that frames whatever you place on it, while the circular void in the center lightens the visual mass and makes room for the handle element to pass through.

That handle emerges from the tabletop as a vertical fin aligned with the central opening. It’s wrapped with a soft material shown in a contrasting orange, making it comfortable to grip and visually highlighting the interaction point. The handle turns the table into something you can easily pick up and move around a room, reinforcing its role as a portable companion rather than a piece anchored permanently to one spot.

The lower section functions as an open-topped storage bin sized for books and magazines. The metal walls curve smoothly into rounded corners that echo the tabletop’s circular geometry, while a wooden base panel inside the bin adds warmth and keeps stored items stable. That wooden surface also grounds the piece visually, preventing the lower section from feeling too light compared to the tall vertical panel rising above it.

The material palette visible in the renders keeps everything calm and neutral. A matte, light beige metal body pairs with a pale wood base and a small orange accent in the handle. The orange gives the eye a focal point without dominating the design, while the wood base balances the cool metal and helps the table feel at home in living spaces rather than purely industrial settings.

TWIST works well next to a sofa or lounge chair, holding a glass on its circular top while a few favorite books rest in the lower bin. It functions as both a sculptural object and a practical helper, offering storage, surface, and a built-in way to move it wherever you need. It’s a small reminder that even a side table can be drawn as one thoughtful line.

The post TWIST Bends One Metal Sheet Into Table, Storage, and Handle first appeared on Yanko Design.

Favor AR Pen Lets You Draw Messages in Air, Print as Photo Cards

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Most of our gifts to friends now are quick messages, emojis, or mobile vouchers that arrive instantly and disappear just as fast. They’re convenient but rarely feel as meaningful as a handwritten note or a physical card you can pin to a wall. Favor AR Message is a concept that tries to bring some of that effort and ceremony back into how Gen Z says thank you, sorry, or congratulations, without abandoning phones entirely.

Favor is a speculative system built around three parts: an AR pen, a tiny photo printer, and a mobile app. You use the pen to draw messages in augmented reality, the app to decorate and package them, and the printer to turn them into physical photo cards. The recipient scans the card with their phone to see the hidden AR message floating above it, like a secret that only appears when you know where to look.

Designers: Junseo Oh, Seungyeon Hong, Yoojin Lee, Youn Taejune

The AR pen, called LIT, is a slim wand that the phone’s camera tracks while you draw in the air. In the app, your strokes become floating 3D text and graphics, animated with light and particles. The designers call this process “LITing,” and it turns writing a message into a small performance, closer to painting with light than typing into a chat window or firing off another text you’ll forget about ten minutes later.

The printer is a compact, pastel-colored box that takes your AR composition and links it to a printed photo card. You can choose selfies, pet photos, or travel shots, then layer stickers and assets on top. On the surface, the card looks like a cute mini print, but when the recipient scans it with the app, the hidden AR message appears in space above the card, like a secret only they can unlock.

The app’s flow is straightforward. You pick a friend, choose a template, LIT your message with the pen, and send or print the card. When your friend receives it, they scan to reveal the AR content, then record a reaction video and send it back. The concept even imagines smart lights in the room reacting when a new Favor is opened, turning the exchange into a tiny event.

The visual language is deliberately playful. The hardware uses soft rectangles, rounded corners, and gentle gradients in lilac and mint, while the app leans into bold purple, bubbly 3D type, and oversized icons. Everything is designed to feel approachable and fun, more like a toy or cosmetic gadget than a piece of serious tech that takes itself too seriously.

Favor AR Message is a thought experiment about how we might make digital communication feel more like a ritual again. By asking you to stand up, wave a pen, design a card, and wait for a reaction, it slows the process down just enough to feel intentional. Whether or not something like this ever ships, the idea of turning AR into something you can hold and revisit is an appealing twist on how we say “this is for you.”

The post Favor AR Pen Lets You Draw Messages in Air, Print as Photo Cards first appeared on Yanko Design.

UNAVELA Machined This Cube Espresso Cup From One Aluminum Block

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Espresso is a tiny daily ritual that usually happens in anonymous porcelain cups pulled from the cupboard without a second thought. More designers are turning their attention to these small moments, using precise materials and geometry to make them feel intentional rather than automatic. UNAVELA’s Aluminium Coffee Cup is one of those objects, taking something familiar and rendering it as a sculptural, almost architectural piece you’d want to keep visible on the counter.

The cup comes from French-Spanish studio UNAVELA, founded by two aerospace engineers who now apply that rigor to everyday objects. The set consists of a cube-shaped aluminium cup with a spherical handle and a square frame saucer, all bead-blasted and anodized in matte silver. It’s designed to be used, noticed, and kept rather than forgotten in a cupboard, and it’s the first piece in a broader collection of functional objects.

Designers: Javier De Andrés García, Anaïs Wallet (Unavela)

The cup itself is a tall, narrow cube machined from a single block of 6061 aluminium, with a square opening sized for a 50-milliliter shot. One face carries a solid metal sphere as a handle, creating a striking contrast between sharp edges and pure geometry. When filled, the silver interior reflects the warm color of the coffee, so the drink visually defines the inside rather than a separate finish or coating.

The saucer takes the form of a flat square frame with rounded rectangular cutouts and a central recess for the cup. From above, it looks like a thin border floating around the cube, especially when rotated into a diamond orientation. The open areas reduce visual weight and echo the cup’s square footprint, turning the saucer into more of a stage than a simple coaster or dish.

Of course, UNAVELA machines each cup from a single block using CNC technology, then bead-blasts the surface to achieve a soft satin texture that feels smooth in the hand. A transparent food-grade anodization protects the metal and keeps it safe for drinks, similar to traditional Italian moka pots. Each piece is assembled and checked by hand in their atelier in the south of France.

The cup isn’t too hot to hold; side-by-side tests with porcelain showed similar exterior temperatures. The anodized aluminium doesn’t affect taste and is safe for coffee. Despite the square opening, one side matches the average mouth width, so you drink from a flat edge rather than a corner, and the experience feels surprisingly normal when it touches your lips.

The cup should be rinsed with water only, no soap, dishwasher, or scouring pads, echoing the care routine of classic Italian coffee makers. The Aluminium Coffee Cup turns a quick espresso into a moment of interaction with geometry and material. It’s less about maximizing insulation or capacity and more about enjoying the shape of the ritual itself, holding something that feels as considered as the coffee inside it.

The post UNAVELA Machined This Cube Espresso Cup From One Aluminum Block first appeared on Yanko Design.

UNAVELA Machined This Cube Espresso Cup From One Aluminum Block

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Espresso is a tiny daily ritual that usually happens in anonymous porcelain cups pulled from the cupboard without a second thought. More designers are turning their attention to these small moments, using precise materials and geometry to make them feel intentional rather than automatic. UNAVELA’s Aluminium Coffee Cup is one of those objects, taking something familiar and rendering it as a sculptural, almost architectural piece you’d want to keep visible on the counter.

The cup comes from French-Spanish studio UNAVELA, founded by two aerospace engineers who now apply that rigor to everyday objects. The set consists of a cube-shaped aluminium cup with a spherical handle and a square frame saucer, all bead-blasted and anodized in matte silver. It’s designed to be used, noticed, and kept rather than forgotten in a cupboard, and it’s the first piece in a broader collection of functional objects.

Designers: Javier De Andrés García, Anaïs Wallet (Unavela)

The cup itself is a tall, narrow cube machined from a single block of 6061 aluminium, with a square opening sized for a 50-milliliter shot. One face carries a solid metal sphere as a handle, creating a striking contrast between sharp edges and pure geometry. When filled, the silver interior reflects the warm color of the coffee, so the drink visually defines the inside rather than a separate finish or coating.

The saucer takes the form of a flat square frame with rounded rectangular cutouts and a central recess for the cup. From above, it looks like a thin border floating around the cube, especially when rotated into a diamond orientation. The open areas reduce visual weight and echo the cup’s square footprint, turning the saucer into more of a stage than a simple coaster or dish.

Of course, UNAVELA machines each cup from a single block using CNC technology, then bead-blasts the surface to achieve a soft satin texture that feels smooth in the hand. A transparent food-grade anodization protects the metal and keeps it safe for drinks, similar to traditional Italian moka pots. Each piece is assembled and checked by hand in their atelier in the south of France.

The cup isn’t too hot to hold; side-by-side tests with porcelain showed similar exterior temperatures. The anodized aluminium doesn’t affect taste and is safe for coffee. Despite the square opening, one side matches the average mouth width, so you drink from a flat edge rather than a corner, and the experience feels surprisingly normal when it touches your lips.

The cup should be rinsed with water only, no soap, dishwasher, or scouring pads, echoing the care routine of classic Italian coffee makers. The Aluminium Coffee Cup turns a quick espresso into a moment of interaction with geometry and material. It’s less about maximizing insulation or capacity and more about enjoying the shape of the ritual itself, holding something that feels as considered as the coffee inside it.

The post UNAVELA Machined This Cube Espresso Cup From One Aluminum Block first appeared on Yanko Design.

GBA SP With DeWALT Battery Will Outlast the Apocalypse

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Handheld gamers obsess over battery life like it’s a matter of survival. We swap cells, carry backup chargers, and baby old consoles through one more dungeon before the screen flickers off. Battery anxiety is real, especially for something like the Game Boy Advance SP, where the original cell barely lasted through a single flight. This mod responds to that anxiety by going completely overboard, bolting a GBA SP onto a DeWALT power-tool battery big enough to run drills and apparently several full-length RPGs.

The project comes from a Reddit build where a modder mounts a GBA SP onto a DeWALT XR FLEXVOLT lithium-ion pack, creating what commenters immediately dubbed the “jobsite Game Boy.” The console’s original tiny battery is gone, replaced by a buck converter that steps down the tool battery’s eighteen volts to the four-ish volts the SP expects. The result looks like Nintendo and DeWALT secretly collaborated on a rugged portable for construction workers.

Designer: Bangoo H

The battery is rated at nine amp-hours at 18 volts, which works out to around 162 watt-hours compared to the few watt-hours of the original cell. Reddit did the math and estimated hundreds of hours of runtime, with one commenter joking that the battery might finally die fifteen minutes after the nukes start flying and another suggesting you could finish your entire childhood backlog before needing a recharge.

The wiring is straightforward if you squint. The modder dropped a buck converter into the SP where the original battery lived, wired it to the battery contacts via a dummy cell, then connected that to a custom holder that slides onto the DeWALT pack’s rail. Charging still happens through the regular DeWALT charger, so the Game Boy just thinks it has an absurdly large external battery that never quits.

The aesthetics are what really sell it. The SP shell has been resprayed in black with yellow buttons, and the lid wears a big DeWALT logo, so when it’s closed, the whole thing reads like a tiny power-tool accessory. Open it up, and the screen pops out of the battery like a work light. It even has a little Nintendo badge on the back, making the mashup feel weirdly official.

Of course, the DeWALT pack turns the SP from a pocketable handheld into a luggable brick. Commenters joked about dropping it on your face in bed or finally silencing anyone who says the SP is too small for their hands. It’s not exactly travel-friendly unless your idea of travel involves rolling a toolbox around, but it does give the console a much larger grip.

The DeWALT GBA SP mod turns battery anxiety into a punchline and shows how far you can push an idea just because it makes you laugh. By strapping a beloved handheld to a power-tool battery, it mixes serious electrical work with a sense of humor, reminding us that modding can be joyful and completely unnecessary in the best possible way.

The post GBA SP With DeWALT Battery Will Outlast the Apocalypse first appeared on Yanko Design.

Waterdrop Filter Black Friday: 5 Ways to Fix Your Tap Water

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Black Friday shoppers typically hunt for televisions and gadgets, but the smartest deals often hide in less flashy categories. Water filtration doesn’t generate the same excitement as a new laptop, yet it’s something your household uses dozens of times daily. The difference between adequate and excellent water quality affects everything from morning coffee to how your appliances age. Waterdrop Filter’s Black Friday lineup shifts the conversation from discount hunting to genuine value, offering filtration systems that pay dividends long after the sale ends.

Treating home water filtration as a health investment rather than an impulse purchase changes how you evaluate these deals. The right system doesn’t just filter contaminants; it simplifies routines, protects expensive appliances, and delivers convenience that compounds over months and years. Waterdrop’s range covers every scenario, from renters needing plug-and-play solutions to families wanting comprehensive whole-home protection. This limited-time sale makes premium technology accessible without compromising on the features that actually matter for daily use.

Designer: Waterdrop Filter

Waterdrop Filter’s X12 RO System

The X12 handles serious filtration work without taking over your kitchen. This under-sink system churns out 1200 gallons daily through 11 stages of precision reverse osmosis filtering, tackling everything from chlorine to heavy metals. The tankless design means you’ll actually have storage space under your sink, while the smart faucet displays real-time water quality so you’ll know exactly what you’re drinking. That 3:1 pure-to-drain ratio keeps water waste minimal, which matters when you’re running this thing constantly for a busy household.

Families who go through water quickly will appreciate how this system keeps up without lag. You can fill pots for cooking, water bottles for the kids, and still have plenty left for evening tea. The mineral-rich water it produces tastes noticeably better than tap, which makes a difference when you’re trying to get everyone to drink more water instead of reaching for sugary drinks. Installation takes a few hours if you’re handy, or you can hire someone to handle it.

Click Here to Buy Now: $854 $1299 (34% off, use coupon code “YANKOBF25”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

Waterdrop Filter’s K6 RO System

The K6 takes the under-sink concept and adds instant hot water, which sounds like a small feature until you’re standing in a dark kitchen at 3 AM mixing baby formula. Multiple temperature settings let you dial in exactly what you need, from lukewarm for formula to steaming for tea, without waiting for a kettle. The 5-stage RO filtration runs quietly in the background, while safety features like overheat protection keep things worry-free even when you’re running on two hours of sleep.

Families with elderly members find this system particularly useful for afternoon tea routines or instant soup preparation. The precise temperature control takes guesswork out of brewing, and the touch interface makes adjustments simple, even for less tech-savvy users. It fits seamlessly into existing kitchen setups without requiring major modifications, and the filtered water comes out ready to use for cooking or drinking. You’ll forget how much time you used to spend waiting for water to heat or cool to the right temperature.

Click Here to Buy Now: $474 $799 (40% off, use coupon code “YANKOK6BF”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

Waterdrop Filter’s A2 Instant Hot Cold Water RO System

Renters get the short end of the stick when it comes to home improvements, which makes the A2’s plug-and-play design particularly appealing. This countertop unit requires zero installation beyond plugging it in and filling the reservoir. Six temperature options cover everything from ice-cold refreshment to boiling hot for instant coffee, all filtered through a 5-stage reverse osmosis system. The compact design fits on any counter without dominating the space, comes with a 40 oz water pitcher, and you can take it with you when you move.

Office workers tired of lukewarm water coolers will appreciate having control over their hydration station. The sleek exterior looks intentional rather than utilitarian, and the touch screen interface feels more like a kitchen appliance than a filter. Small households benefit from not having to commit to permanent installation, while the instant hot and cold options eliminate the need for separate kettles or ice cube trays. It’s the kind of convenience you didn’t know you needed until you have it.

Click Here to Buy Now: $331 $499 (33% off, use coupon code “YANKOBF25”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

Waterdrop Filter’s TSA 8 Layer Under Sink Water Filter System

Budget-conscious shoppers often assume they need to choose between affordability and effectiveness, but the TSA system offers both. Eight stages of filtration remove chlorine, lead, and other common contaminants without the complexity or cost of a full RO system. The compact design fits under most sinks, and the high-pressure resistance means no leaks or cracking worries down the line. Installation connects directly to your existing faucet, making setup straightforward even for renters who need something less permanent.

The anti-clog design keeps water flowing steadily without the pressure drops that plague cheaper filters. You’ll notice the difference immediately in taste and clarity, particularly if your tap water tends toward the metallic or chemical side. Replacement filters last longer than expected, which keeps ongoing costs reasonable. For mobile living situations or anyone who wants better water without breaking the bank, this hits the sweet spot between performance and practicality.

Click Here to Buy Now: $113.99 $124.99 (5% off, use coupon code “YANKOBF25”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

Waterdrop Whole House Water Filter System

Most people think about drinking water first, but what comes out of your shower and washing machine matters too. The Whole House system protects every tap in your home by catching sediment and particles before they reach your plumbing. Five stages of filtration reduce rust, scale buildup, and the large particles that damage water heaters and dishwashers. The high flow rate means no pressure loss even when multiple taps run simultaneously, which keeps showers comfortable and appliances working efficiently.

Homeowners using well water particularly benefit from this kind of whole-home protection. Hard water leaves deposits that shorten appliance lifespans and make cleaning harder, but proper filtration at the entry point solves both problems. Installation typically happens before your RO system or other point-of-use filters, creating layers of protection throughout your home. The long filter lifespan and stable performance make this the kind of upgrade you install once and appreciate for years, especially when your water heater keeps running past its expected replacement date.

Click Here to Buy Now: $108.29 $165.99 (34% off, use coupon code “YANKOBF25”). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours.

Black Friday deals come and go, but upgrading your home’s water quality delivers benefits that outlast any temporary discount. Waterdrop Filter’s lineup offers smart solutions tailored to real households, whether you’re protecting a growing family, simplifying a busy routine, or safeguarding appliances from hard water damage. These limited-time prices make it easier to commit to the filtration level your home actually needs rather than settling for whatever fits the usual budget. The sale window closes fast, but the decision to prioritize cleaner, healthier water is one you’ll appreciate every time someone reaches for the tap.

The post Waterdrop Filter Black Friday: 5 Ways to Fix Your Tap Water first appeared on Yanko Design.

E-ink Vocabulary Card E2 Fits Language Learning Into a Gum Pack

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Most language learning apps live on phones, competing with notifications, social media, and every other distraction fighting for your attention. Opening Duolingo between classes usually turns into five minutes of vocabulary followed by twenty minutes of scrolling through feeds you’ve already checked twice. Designers are starting to build tiny, single-purpose devices that turn fragmented time into focused practice instead of another excuse to stare at your phone screen until your eyes hurt.

The E-ink Vocabulary Card E2 is one of those tools, a chewing-gum-sized e-ink vocabulary device aimed at students but usable by anyone learning a new language. It pairs with a phone via Bluetooth to pull in study materials and memory modes from an app, then lets you review words on a 2.7-inch e-ink screen without opening your phone. It’s small enough to live in a pocket yet designed to feel like a dedicated learning tool.

Designer: DPP .

The form factor is remarkably simple. A slim rectangular bar about the size of a pack of gum, weighing only thirty grams. Rounded corners, soft edges, and a two-tone color scheme in orange, pink, green, or grey make it look friendly and approachable. The main action button is tilted at five degrees, tuned for thumb reach when you hold it in one hand, while the simple layout keeps the interaction logic easy to understand.

The 2.7-inch e-ink touch screen is the real selling point. Low blue light and low radiation make it easier on the eyes than a phone, and the high contrast gives a reading experience close to paper. Because e-ink only draws power when the screen changes, the device can reach around one hundred fifty days of standby time, which means it’s always ready when you pull it out between classes or on a commute.

E2 connects to a mobile app over Bluetooth. The device supports nine built-in languages, and the app lets you import more content and choose different study modes or memory patterns that match your learning style. You can load word lists, practice exercises, and review sessions, then leave the phone in your bag while the card handles the actual on-the-go practice.

The IP68 protection rating makes the card dust-tight and waterproof enough for more adventurous use. The renders show it in a gym, on a train, and even in a futuristic space scene, reinforcing that it’s meant to live in pockets and hands without babying. A matching wrist strap accessory clips into the body, adding security and a bit of personality to the tiny device.

The visual language is intentionally soft and playful. Big icons, rounded rectangles, and cheerful colorways make it feel more like a friendly gadget than test prep gear. The E-ink Vocabulary Card E2 treats vocabulary learning like checking a notification, but without the noise of a full smartphone, turning spare seconds into small, focused steps toward fluency.

The post E-ink Vocabulary Card E2 Fits Language Learning Into a Gum Pack first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Aluminum Sphere Pencil Makes You Draw Like a Caveman

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Early humans scratched lines on stone walls with rocks, and that primal act sits at the root of every sketch we make today. Most modern pencils are optimized for control and detail, shaped like sticks to give you precision over every line and curve. Alberto Essesi’s unnamed pencil concept takes a deliberate step back toward that raw, gestural way of drawing, translating it into a highly refined spherical object that looks more like a polished pebble than any conventional pencil.

Essesi designed this tool for himself after watching a documentary about prehistoric mark-making and then trying to draw with an actual rock. He noticed how the stone forced him into long, bold lines and larger forms rather than tight details, and decided to capture that feeling in a modern drawing instrument. The result is a palm-sized aluminum sphere with a small conical graphite tip emerging from its edge, held like a stone in your hand.

Designer: Alberto Essesi

The form is deceptively simple. A sphere with a polished aluminum band around the middle and sand-blasted, anodized surfaces on the sides. In use, your hand cups the sphere like you’re gripping a smooth rock, which encourages whole-arm movement instead of fingertip control. That naturally pushes your sketches toward sweeping strokes and energetic shading, exactly the kind of drawing Essesi wanted to encourage by changing the shape of the tool.

The material choices are deliberate. The body is hollowed out to reduce weight, avoiding the fatigue a solid metal ball would cause during long sessions. The polished equator catches light and emphasizes the perfect geometry, while the matte sides diffuse reflections and feel softer against your fingers. That contrast between mirror and satin surfaces gives the object a quiet drama even before it touches paper.

The tip uses an infinite graphite insert, a long-lasting graphite alloy that wears down extremely slowly and doesn’t need traditional sharpening. The conical tip is easily replaceable and is designed to replicate the sensation of a smooth stone grinding against a surface. On paper, it lays down a mark closer to charcoal or a soft pencil, ideal for big shapes and confident lines rather than tight technical work.

The exploded render shows the hollow shell, threaded ring, and domed cap polished as carefully as the exterior. Essesi says he loves making every part, even the invisible ones, as refined as what you see. That approach turns disassembly into its own kind of pleasure, revealing a tiny piece of mechanical jewelry rather than a rough interior with leftover machining marks or unfinished edges.

The pencil nudges you away from fussing over details and toward exploring volume, rhythm, and energy. By abandoning the stick form and embracing a stone-like grip, it changes your drawing style simply by changing the shape of the thing in your hand. It’s less a tool for everyday note-taking and more an invitation to sketch differently.

The post This Aluminum Sphere Pencil Makes You Draw Like a Caveman first appeared on Yanko Design.

Google TV Solar Remote G32 Never Needs Battery Replacements

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TV remotes have a habit of dying at the worst possible time, usually right before you finally find something worth watching. The familiar hunt for AAA batteries begins, followed by the quiet pile of dead cells that builds up in a drawer until you remember to recycle them. Google’s new G32 reference remote for Google TV takes a different route by running on ambient indoor light instead of disposable batteries.

The G32 is a Google TV reference remote built by Ohsung Electronics and powered by Swedish startup Epishine’s indoor solar cells. This isn’t a one-off concept, but a template TV makers can adopt for their own Google TV devices. The goal is a self-charging, maintenance-free remote that never needs disposable batteries and quietly reduces waste in the background while sitting on your coffee table between Netflix binges.

Designer: Epishine, Ohsung

Epishine’s technology is tuned specifically for indoor conditions. Thin, flexible, bifacial solar cells made from organic materials are printed at industrial scale and designed to harvest the light already in your living room from lamps and windows. They turn it into a slow, steady trickle of power rather than relying on bright sunshine. Because they are bifacial, they capture light from both sides, no matter how the remote is resting on the couch.

This changes the remote’s design in subtle but meaningful ways. There is no battery door on the back, no need to stock AAAs, and no reason to open the shell once it leaves the factory. The solar window at the bottom of the front face is integrated like a dark glass panel, keeping the silhouette clean. As long as you use the remote in a reasonably lit room, it quietly tops itself up and stays ready.

Current Google TV Remote Reference Designs (G10, G20)

Current Google TV Remote Reference Designs (G10, G20)

The G32 keeps the familiar Google TV layout. A large circular D-pad sits at the top, with home and back keys, dedicated buttons for YouTube and Netflix, and a bright blue “Free TV” key in the middle. The solar area occupies the lower third. In photos, it looks like a normal Google TV controller that just happens to have an extra screen at the bottom, even though it is really the light-harvesting zone.

Of course, Epishine and Google highlight that billions of batteries are thrown away each year, and remotes are one of the few devices almost everyone owns. Swapping disposable cells for indoor solar in a product that ships by the millions has a different impact than doing it in a niche gadget. It also nudges manufacturers toward thinner, simpler shells without battery compartments cluttering the back.

The G32 solar remote is a small but smart change to an object we rarely think about. It doesn’t ask users to change habits or remember to charge yet another device. Instead, it quietly uses the light already in the room to keep working. If TV makers pick up this reference design, the most boring gadget on the coffee table might end up being one of the more thoughtful ones.

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